The Great Worm Lich

After closing the room door, George revealed how he really was as he said while bobbing his head, “Yo buddy, you turned off your phone and you’ve been offline. Are you disconnecting with the world? Rocky would’ve fired you if I didn’t apply leave for you. Could your flu be so serious that you can’t do anything?”

“He won’t fire me because my knife skills could bring customers in.”

“What you said is right but you don’t look like you needed a few days of sick leave,” George looked around and said, “It’s my first time in your room, it’s not too shabby here. You even have an ensuite bathroom in your room. Although it’s small, it’s considered luxurious for a high school student living in New York Brooklyn. I’m so envious of you, my room can only contain a small bed and a computer.”

“Stop complaining, George. You’re living in the business district. How was school?”

“It’s been insane because of New York Girl beauty pageant. Our school’s cheerleading queen Michelle brought a few babes to challenge Fordham High School…”

“George, I’m not asking about those stupid things. Did the police come to school to ask questions?” Zhang Lisheng said calmly.

“No. If the crime didn’t happen at school, the police would usually not go to the school to ask around. That’s the law. Why? What happened… Oh no! Oh, oh, buddy, was it you? It’s you — oh, the time matches. It should be you…” George muttered messily.

“You guessed it right. It’s me, George. It’s me who saved a person from Dr. Fracture, the person’s Michelle.”

“You’re saying you coincidentally saved your sister from the most brutal serial killer of New York. Oh my god, this is so bizarre, so bizarre that it would never happen in your wildest dreams! You know what Lisheng, you should get a Powerball ticket.”

Zhang Lisheng said nothing, all he did was a ‘shh’ gesture. George saw and made a zipping sign on his lips, expressing that he understood what he meant. The both of them smiled while looking at each other. Zhang Lisheng returned to work at Dan Souza Butcher Shop the next day. He returned to school on Monday, his life seemed to be normal again.

While Zhang Lisheng dashed into the lush green Lowbige Junior High on the bicycle on Monday morning, a handsome young man who was dressed neatly and fashionably walked into New York Queens Hospital. Black and gray were the classic colors for a man that would never go out of fashion. With exquisite checker patterns, one would either look like a clown or extremely classy. The young man was undoubtedly the latter.

As he walked close to the hospital lobby, he walked straight to the counter and spoke to the consulting nurse at the hospital front desk. The nurse’s looks were mediocre but her breasts seemed ‘great’. She would move her body intentionally to show her amazing figure.

“Miss do you have a patient named Mallon Hatch who’s diagnosed with acute appendicitis and got admitted here in Queen’s Hospital last night?”

“I’ll check for you, sir,” The counter nurse looked through the computer for three to four times but her effort was to no avail. She then spoke apologetically, “I’m sorry sir, I can’t find the person you’re looking for.”

“Damn, I knew they must be pranking me but I couldn’t help but come. I’m such a hopeless soft idiot,” The handsome young man forced a smile and made fun of himself.

“No, no sir, nobody should blame himself for being kind. A kind person would be rewarded eventually.”

“Is that so?” The handsome young man was stunned for a moment and subsequently observed the counter nurse before him. He asked in surprise, “I’m feeling so much better hearing what you said, miss. Do you know? A person like you is hard to come by in New York, an impetuous city, a young girl who is kind and sweet to strangers. My name’s Harry, Harry Wenger. Can I get your name?”

“Of course Harry, my name’s Reily, Reily T Donan. Nice meeting you.”

The two of them began chatting passionately. Harry said in indulgence as they chatted for a while, “I’ve never thought I would meet such a sweet girl like you from getting pranked into visiting my friend at the hospital. I suppose you’re the portrayal of an angel, a beautiful and kind girl.”

People were walking in and out of the hospital lobby at the moment.

“Dr. Quinnie Dodge, Dr. Quinnie Dodge, please come to Ward A0089, please come to Ward A0089…”

“Patient on No.9 operating table’s ready for operation, patient on No.9 operating table’s ready for operation. Dr. Tom Lee, please be there in five minutes…” Following the allocation on the PA, there were doctors in white coat and nurses walking around occasionally.

Reily peeped at the busy head nurses and the experienced nurses, she said softly while playing hard to get, “Harry, I think we’re chatting too much. According to the rule, I could only provide the patients’ information at work. If you’d like to talk about something else, we could talk somewhere with a cup of coffee during my break at 12 p.m..”

“But I can’t wait to hear your voice. Before meeting you, I never believed in love at first sight which sounded ridiculous…” The handsome young man said passionately, “Alright, alright. Don’t look so sad, Reily. I’ll ask you something about the patients then. Oh, right, is it true that the girl who escaped from Dr. Fracture’s admitted in Queens Hospital?”

“A-Are you a reporter?”

“Reporter? Huh, although I don’t really want to say this, a reporter wouldn’t wear Prada’s latest winter collection to do a secret visit. I thought our encounter’s sincere, I can’t believe you think I’m trying to con you. It seems like the feeling’s one-sided, I’m sorry,” Harry spoke like he was reciting a poem.

Reily panicked seeing that the prince charming that fell from the sky who made her feel like she was in love when they spoke was enraged. She explained while lowering her voice, “No, Harry. I… I was just kidding, of course, I believe you. That girl’s in our hospital, she had just been transferred from ICU to a normal ward. She’s in Ward L0067.”

“Ward L0067,” The handsome young man repeated the ward number softly while looking deep. He then said to Reily wearing a smile, “Reily, your break’s at 12 p.m. am I right? I’ll go to the loo now and walk around. I’ll come back for you,” He then turned around and left the front desk.

Soon after blending into the crowd, the handsome young man took out his phone from his pocket. He then entered New York Queens Hospital’s official website, he then searched for the floor plan. He found where Ward L0067 was not long later.

“Young friend, I’ve found the person that you care about. Am I still far away from you…” A grin appeared at the edge of his lips, the kind and gentle expression that he had were long gone. He mumbled to himself and walked towards Ward L0067 following the floor plan’s guide.

At the same time, Zhang Lisheng who was unaware that he had gotten himself into two big troubles encountered a small one now. A young lady with no make-up and had her head covered carefully with a gray sports hoodie blocked his way outside the school building. The lady was Tina, the notoriously rich girl in New York fashion circle was rather unnoticeable when she did not dress up. She looked fresh like a girl-next-door.

However, her beauty did not attract Zhang Lisheng, “Miss, I’ve told you that I don’t need your appreciation. What more do you want from me?”

“I just want to repay you for saving me but I hope that you could solve the trouble that you brought me before I repay you.”

“The trouble that I brought you?” Zhang Lisheng asked in shock. Tina nodded and pointed at the shade under the tree at the corner of the school building, “Can we talk over there? There are people walking around here and I’m an enemy to all Lowbige’s girls, I can’t be recognized.”

Zhang Lisheng frowned and said after seeing that Tina would not give up until she got what she came for, “Sh*t,” He then followed her to the school building corner. It was a winter morning, it was chilly under the tree. Zhang Lisheng said after shivering once, “Alright, can we talk now?”

“Wow, did you shiver just now? Is your body as weak as it seems? As a hunter, I thought your body would be very…”

“Focus, lady.”

“Alright. The thing is I parked illegally at New York 27th Street’s no-parking area for chasing you last Tuesday night. Since I’ve accumulated the maximum no-parking tickets, I’m asked to go to the New York Civil Court today. If the judge’s dissatisfied with my justification, my license would be revoked.”

“So?”

“So I would like to ask you to go to the court with me and be my witness. Tell them that I parked illegally just to repay your kindness. They might let me go with some fines if you be my witness. Then my Cadillac CTS, Lamborghini Gallardo, Maserati Ghibli…my babies wouldn’t be confiscated by my dad.”

What Tina said stunned Zhang Lisheng for a moment. He then said while looking at her, “It seems like your family should have power in New York, a no-parking violation should be something minor?”

“Hey pal, we’re talking about law here,” Tina said in all seriousness but her face soon became gloomy, “Moreover, my dad doesn’t want me to drive in the first place. He even prohibited my lawyer from representing me in court this time so I’ll have to solve this on my own.”

“I’m sorry, I have classes.”

“If you don’t help me, I guarantee that I would…I would annoy you every day as soon as my license has been revoked. I might as well tell you that I’ve gotten my credits for the twelfth grade so I’ll have endless time to spare from now until September next year.”

Zhang Lisheng turned grim a little bit, “Are you threatening me?”

“No, I’m begging you,” Tina’s expression immediately turned pitiful. “I’m begging for a gentleman’s help.”