The medical staff cleaned and disinfected my wound, administered a tetanus shot, dressed the scraped skin, and left.
As they departed, the doctor advised me to take some anti-inflammatory medication and to avoid bathing.
Jing Lei asked Wen Siqiang to accompany the doctor to get the medicine, while the senior asked me to sit down and began his work.
He mixed some substances, then used a small scraper to apply them to my cheekbone, smoothing them down before applying more.
Once everything was firmly adhered, he carefully refined the surface, likely to make it resemble my actual skin.
He mixed colors in several small dishes, dipped a makeup brush into the colors, applied them to his own hand, and then held it against my face for comparison. He continued until he was satisfied, then began applying the makeup to my face.
He said, "It must be done today. Be still tonight, don't touch your face, let it set. Tomorrow, the makeup will be fixed. If it's done tomorrow, a little sweat or water might cause it to smudge."
I replied, "Given my condition, what else can I do but be still? It looks like I'll have to sleep standing up today."
The senior smiled without replying. He didn't reveal his thoughts to Jing Lei, knowing that Xie Nana was in my room. Even if I remained still, I couldn't guarantee Xie Nana would.
Jing Lei, who had recognized the voice, ran over and pinched my arm.
The pain made me sway, and the senior's makeup brush nearly fell to the ground.
Jing Lei quickly apologized to the senior for disrupting his work.
The senior smiled, said nothing, steadied the makeup brush in his hand, and continued his work.
Jing Lei dared not move, but her hand remained on my arm, supporting me.
The senior continued to apply the makeup meticulously, as if afraid of any imperfection.
After about an hour, when I was stiff from sitting, the senior finally put away his palette and brushes and said, "Stand up and move around. Go look in the mirror and see if there's any change."
I stood up but lost my balance. Jing Lei and Qian Fugui quickly caught me.
I stood still for a moment to regain my composure before I could take a step forward.
The senior was also tired; a man in his sixties or seventies, standing for over an hour. He sat on the sofa to rest, his eyes slightly closed as if dozing.
I walked into the bathroom in Jing Lei's inner room and looked at myself in the mirror.
Jing Lei followed closely behind me, linking her arm through mine and leaning heavily against me, perhaps worried that my injured state meant I might fall.
I saw myself in the mirror.
More accurately, I saw the face of someone who had been beaten and swollen.
I couldn't recognize myself, and even I didn't recognize myself.
This senior was truly a master. After his extensive application, he had completely transformed my appearance.
At that moment, Qian Fugui entered with my incessantly ringing phone. I glanced at the number; it was Brother Hui. I pressed the speakerphone and listened to him speak: "A Hao, how are you? Are you alright?"
I replied, "I was beaten and had to get several stitches. My face is also deformed from the beating. I just finished getting treated at the hospital and will be back soon. However, the doctor said I shouldn't be out and about today, and my face is swollen like a pig's head, so I can't come out. I'll have to trouble Uncle Hui with the guests."
Brother Hui said, "Then rest and recover. I will arrange for General Chen. Just try your best to attend the meeting tomorrow."
I said, "No problem, as long as I don't scare you all."
He replied, "As long as you come, that's all that matters. We've seen all sorts of situations. How scary can you be?"
I said, "This is the first time I've been chased so miserably, with no room to fight back. Fortunately, they didn't pursue me further. If they had persisted, I probably wouldn't have been able to attend tomorrow even if I wanted to."
Brother Hui said, "You are the main focus tomorrow. I must do everything I can to ensure your safety. By the way, I've investigated those who were chasing you. They are from the mainland and might be here to disrupt our platform's affairs. I've already arranged for people to keep a close watch on them and ensure they don't cause trouble during our meeting and damage our venue."
I said, "Thank you for your hard work, Uncle Hui. It seems they came prepared. They didn't even bother with Chairman Sun, who was sitting right there, and went straight for me. I suspect there might be a mole within our organization. How would they know me, and how would they know I'm responsible for this?"
Brother Hui replied, "Indeed, I also find it strange. They saw Chairman Sun and ignored him, but directly targeted you. It seems these people must have a lot of our secrets. You can return a bit later; I'll ensure the hotel's security is in place before you do."
I said, "Okay," thanked him again for his concern, and hung up the phone.
I examined myself again, trying to find anything amiss. After looking for a long time, I found that the makeup blended seamlessly with my original skin, making it impossible to distinguish the difference.
I went out to the senior and said, "You are truly amazing. If it were someone else, I wouldn't have recognized myself. By the way, Brother Hui has investigated the background of the Daoist brothers and instructed them to find a new place to stay and not return to their current location."
The senior acknowledged this and took out his phone to make a call.
When the call was connected, he said, "Do not return to the hotel. Go to a budget hotel; stay there for the time being."