Chapter 445
Chapter 445
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 445
>Chapter Title: Li Jiancheng
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Snow-white walls, glowing energy-saving lights, and light green explosion-proof glass welded with iron bars.
Wrapped in two layers of restraint jackets, Li Huowang quietly and intently observed everything around him.
The extremely monotonous surroundings appeared so vibrant in Li Huowang’s eyes at that moment, as if the color palette had suddenly brightened.
This was because everything was real, not fake.
From the memories within the red, Li Huowang understood the extraordinarily powerful abilities of the heart elements. The innate one qi within him was nothing other than a fragment of the Heavenly Dao.
Just as heart turbidity could tear apart heaven and earth, the abilities of a heart element, if perfectly harnessed, could likewise turn the false into truth.
Once he grasped this, the confusion in Li Huowang’s heart vanished completely. He no longer needed to distinguish between true and false—what he cared about could become real, regardless.
With a “clang,” the sound of the iron door drew Li Huowang’s gaze toward the entrance.
First, two tall prison guards entered from outside, gripping batons and clad in bulletproof and stab-proof vests, standing like door gods on either side.
Coming in between them was Sun Xiaoqin, carrying a food box. She seemed quite displeased by their presence.
“You young folks really... Aiya, I’ve told you, with me here, nothing will happen for sure. Why insist on following? One wasn’t enough, you brought two at once. Are all the people in this prison that idle?
In response, the guards were full of grievances too. “Auntie Sun, don’t make this hard for us. This is a strict order from above. Sure, we’re in the system with steady pay rain or shine, but we only make a few thousand a month. With housing prices what they are per square meter now, it’s really not worth risking our lives for your son over this pittance.”
Sun Xiaoqin seemed about to keep complaining, but when she saw Li Huowang looking her way, she immediately perked up 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 that face—exceptionally familiar, yet so very dear.
A plastic short-handled spoon scooped up half a spoonful of rice from the food box, along with half a pork rib and some winter melon, and brought it right to Li Huowang’s mouth.
Li Huowang placed the simple yet delicious food into his mouth and chewed gently.
He calmly savored this rare treat, no longer fretting over whether he was eating winter melon pork ribs or rusty nails in mud.
Looking toward Sun Xiaoqin’s eyes, crinkled at the corners with crow’s feet, Li Huowang said softly: “Mom, there’s no need to hover around me twenty-four-seven anymore. Take some time to rest yourself. I’ll only get better from here.”
“What nonsense are you saying? This is exactly when you can’t be left alone!”
Hearing this, Li Huowang stopped trying to persuade her, knowing it was pointless with her temperament.
This meal passed unusually peacefully, without a single incident.
Just as the two door-guarding prison guards finally let out a breath of relief, he saw one of his colleagues escorting a man in his forties or fifties into the ward.
“No problem, this is Bed 13’s father.”
All three prison guards watched as the man, carrying a bag of small oranges in a red net sack, walked toward the martial maniac’s bedside.
“Dad.” Li Huowang stared at the somewhat unfamiliar man. His lucid moments were few, and encounters with his father at his side even rarer.
“Why’d you come? Why not give a heads-up beforehand?” Sun Xiaoqin scolded her husband as she grabbed his wrist and dragged him toward the door.
Through the window welded with iron bars, Li Huowang saw his parents huddling close, murmuring to each other, occasionally sneaking glances his way.
Li Huowang watched their backs with a complicated expression. The clothes they’d bought before now hung loose on them—they’d both lost weight.
Five minutes later, Li Huowang saw his father reenter the room while his mother left carrying the food box.
“Want an orange?” Two candied oranges were pulled from the red net sack by a pair of rough hands.
Seeing Li Huowang shake his head, he peeled them and set them on the bedside cabinet.
“How’ve things been lately?”
“Not bad. The environment here’s pretty good.”
“How’s your illness?”
“Almost better. I mean it.”
“Oh, good then.”
The two chatted sporadically, but gradually fell silent.
With their conversation stalling, it seemed normal enough. Compared to the white-faced mother at home, heart-to-hearts with the black-faced father were few and far between.
Li Huowang quietly observed the man. The bloodshot eyes and faint dark circles proved he wasn’t sleeping enough.
The yellowish collar and oily cuffs showed his clothes hadn’t been changed in a while.
His somewhat balding hair had far more white strands than before, and his beard hadn’t been shaved in days.
And this man was his father, Li Jiancheng.
Gazing at his son, bound tightly to the hospital bed, and the scar slashing across his face, Li Jiancheng let out a deep sigh. He reached into his shirt pocket, pulled out a flattened, crumpled cigarette pack, extracted a cigarette, placed it between his lips, and lit it with a green transparent lighter.
He took a deep drag, then slowly exhaled. As if the smoke had irritated them, his eyes grew somewhat moist.
“Sorry, sir, but smoking is completely banned in the ward now. Please cooperate.”
Hearing the prison guard’s reminder at the door, Li Jiancheng hurriedly stubbed out the cigarette. He looked around, found no ashtray, and finally wrapped it in the peeled orange skin.
“Dad, didn’t you quit? How come you’re smoking again?”
Li Jiancheng smiled and pocketed the lighter. “Feeling troubled, that’s all. No big deal, these smokes are cheap, doesn’t cost much.”
“I’m not talking about money—I mean your health.”
After a long pause, Li Jiancheng sighed deeply once more. “It’s Dad’s fault. I didn’t notice your problem sooner. I looked it up online—mental illnesses are best treated early. If I’d caught it back then, maybe it wouldn’t have—”
“Dad, this has nothing to do with you!” Li Huowang couldn’t hold back and cut him off directly.
“It’s a matter of constitution. Since I’m a heart element, this is my fate—unavoidable. You don’t need to blame yourself. I’ll handle it, don’t worry.”
Seeing the man’s lips tremble slightly, Li Huowang knew he shouldn’t have explained anything.
He knew nothing of that other world—talking about heart elements would only make him think his condition hadn’t improved.
“Huowang.” Li Jiancheng’s voice was thick with exhaustion and bitterness. “I know you can’t tell the difference. It’s okay, it doesn’t matter if you can’t. Dad doesn’t blame you.”
“If you like staying over there, then stay. If that makes you feel better, go ahead. Don’t worry, I’ve got everything handled here. Dad can hold on.”
Hearing this, Li Huowang’s heart ached, but he said nothing more, afraid that the moment he opened his mouth, the tears in his eyes would spill out.
The father and son continued sitting in silence until the prison guards came to usher people out. The weary yet resolute Li Jiancheng then stood, patted Li Huowang’s head, and turned to leave the ward.
(End of chapter)