Chapter 442: Li Jiancheng

Chapter 442: Li Jiancheng

The snow-white walls, the fluorescent lights that glowed with energy-saving efficiency, and the light green bulletproof glass welded with iron bars.

Li Huowang, wrapped in two layers of restraints, stared at everything around him with quiet seriousness.

In this monotonous environment, everything appeared to Li Huowang as vibrant and full of life, as if the colors had somehow been elevated by a degree.

It was because everything here was real—no illusions, no fabrications.

From the memories within the Red, Li Huowang had learned of Xin Su's extraordinary power—the primordial Qi within his body was nothing less than a fragment of Heaven’s Dao.

Just as Xin Zhuo could rend heaven and earth, if Xin Su could fully harness her abilities, she too could transform falsehood into truth.

Once he understood this, all confusion in Li Huowang’s heart vanished completely. There was no need to distinguish between true and false anymore; whatever mattered to him, whether real or imagined, could be made real.

A clang echoed through the room, and Li Huowang turned toward the door.

Two tall guards entered, their hands gripping batons, wearing bulletproof vests, standing like gatekeepers on either side.

Between them came Sun Xiaoqin, carrying a food box. She seemed visibly displeased by their presence.

"You young ones really are something! Oh my, I already told you I’m here—nothing will happen to him. Why insist on coming? One wasn’t enough, so now you bring two? Are all the people in this prison just sitting around doing nothing?"

The guards had their own grievances. "Aunt Sun, please don’t make things difficult for us. This is a direct order from above. Even though we're part of the system and have steady jobs, we only make a few thousand yuan a month. With today’s housing prices, it’s not worth risking our lives over such a small amount."

Sun Xiaoqin wanted to continue complaining, but when she saw Li Huowang looking at her, she brightened and hurried over with the food box. "Son? You’re awake! Come, eat. Today I made your favorite winter melon pork rib soup!"

Li Huowang studied her face—a familiar yet deeply comforting one.

With a plastic spoon, she scooped half a spoonful of rice, then picked up a piece of pork rib and some winter melon, finally placing it before him.

Li Huowang took the simple but delicious meal into his mouth, chewing gently.

He calmly savored this rare treat, no longer needing to wonder whether what he ate was winter melon and ribs or rusted nails and mud.

At the corner of his eye, where fine lines like fish tails curved, Li Huowang said softly, "Mom, there’s no need for you to hover around me twenty-four hours a day. Rest more often. I’ll get better soon."

"What nonsense are you talking about? The closer we get to this moment, the more someone must stay close to you!"

Hearing this, Li Huowang stopped trying to persuade her—he knew well enough that arguing would be useless.

This meal passed in an unusually peaceful silence, without a single incident.

Just as the two guards let out a quiet sigh of relief, one of them noticed a middle-aged man, around forty or fifty, walking into the ward.

"It’s okay. That’s the father of patient No. 13."

All three guards watched as the man carried a bag of oranges in a red mesh bag walked toward the bed of the “mad warrior.”

"Father," Li Huowang looked at the somewhat unfamiliar man. He hadn’t been conscious long enough to see his father often, and even fewer times had they met.

"How did you come here? Why didn’t you notify me first?" Sun Xiaoqin scolded her husband, pulling his wrist toward the exit.

Through the window with its iron bars, Li Huowang saw his parents leaning close together, whispering, occasionally stealing glances in his direction.

His expression was complex as he watched their backs. Their clothes, once bought, now looked slightly oversized—they had both lost weight.

Five minutes later, Li Huowang saw his father re-enter the room while his mother left with the tray.

"Want some tangerines?" Two sugar-coated ones were taken out from the red mesh bag by rough hands.

Seeing Li Huowang shake his head, the man peeled one and placed it on the bedside table.

"How have things been lately?"

"Not bad. The environment here is quite good."

"How’s your illness?"

"Almost recovered. I mean it."

"Oh, that’s good."

They exchanged pleasantries, but gradually fell silent.

Their conversation ended naturally. It was normal, after all—compared to his mother who played the white face at home, his father rarely opened up.

Li Huowang silently observed him. Bloodshot eyes and faint dark circles under them showed lack of sleep.

Yellowish collar stains and oil-stained sleeves indicated his clothes hadn’t been changed in days.

His thinning hair revealed more gray hairs than before, and his beard hadn’t been trimmed in several days.

This man was his father—Li Jiancheng.

Looking at his son bound tightly to the hospital bed, and the scar that ran across his entire face, Li Jiancheng sighed deeply. He reached into his jacket pocket, pulled out a crumpled, dried-out cigarette pack, took out a cigarette, stuck it between his lips, lit it with a green transparent lighter, and took a deep drag.

He exhaled slowly, as if choked by smoke, his eyes becoming slightly moist.

"Sir, sorry, smoking is banned in the detention area. Please cooperate."

Hearing the guard’s reminder at the door, Li Jiancheng quickly extinguished the cigarette, glanced around for an ashtray, and finally wrapped it in a discarded orange peel.

"Dad, didn’t you quit? Why are you smoking again?"

Li Jiancheng smiled, slipping the lighter back into his pocket. "I’m just stressed. Nothing serious. These cigarettes are cheap, not much money."

"I’m not talking about money—it’s your health."

After a long pause, Li Jiancheng sighed again. "It’s my fault. I should’ve noticed earlier. I looked online—mental illnesses are best treated early. If I had caught it sooner, maybe—"

"Dad, it’s not your fault!" Li Huowang couldn’t hold back anymore and interrupted him directly.

"This is a constitutional issue. Since I am Xin Su, this is my fate—I can’t escape it. Don’t blame yourself. I’ll handle it. Just trust me."

Seeing the slight tremor at the corners of his father’s mouth, Li Huowang knew he shouldn’t explain further.

He didn’t understand that world at all. Telling his father about Xin Su would only make him believe his condition hadn’t improved.

"Huowang," Li Jiancheng’s voice was heavy with fatigue and bitterness. "I know you can’t tell the difference. That’s okay. It doesn’t matter. Dad won’t blame you."

"If you prefer staying there, then stay there. If it makes you feel better, rest assured. Everything here is under my control. Dad can still manage."

Hearing these words, Li Huowang felt a pang in his chest but said nothing. He feared that if he spoke, tears would spill from his eyes.

The two men sat in silence, until the guards came to escort them away. Exhausted yet still stiff with tension, Li Jiancheng stood up, patted his son’s head, and left the ward.

(End of Chapter)