NANSO Chapter 12

TL: Hua

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Chapter 12: Hospital

It was midday when Xie Yu woke up. He looked to the side; the bedding was neatly folded, and Shen Ci was already gone.

Shen, the top student, had morning meetings and a strict, unchangeable daily routine, completely unlike the second-generation salted fish Xie Yu.

The system reminded him, “It’s almost noon; you have a doctor’s appointment this afternoon.”

It was with Dr. Xu from Qingshan Psychiatric Hospital.

Xie Yu made an OK gesture, got up to wash, and simultaneously searched for information about Dr. Xu on his phone.

He clicked on the official website of Qingshan Psychiatric Hospital, went to the “Doctor Profiles” section, and browsed the past achievements and specialties of each practicing physician.

The surname Xu wasn’t particularly common or rare. There was only one doctor surnamed Xu at Qingshan Psychiatric Hospital, named Xu Qingshan, who was the hospital director and dean. His specialties included anxiety, paranoia, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder.

Xie Yu’s gaze paused slightly on Xu Qingshan’s photo. After memorizing his information, he pondered how to subtly extract information.

The original owner was an old client of Xu Qingshan, but the last appointment was half a year ago. They usually didn’t talk, so they likely weren’t friends, just a normal doctor-patient relationship. With the system’s help, Xie Yu wasn’t worried about his identity being exposed.

—

Xie Yu got in the car and set the navigation. Qingshan Psychiatric Hospital was located in the suburbs. He drove for about 40 minutes and entered the hospital’s parking lot.

Director Xu’s consultation room was on the third floor of the hospital. Xie Yu took the elevator directly up. He found the specific location, pushed open the door, and met a refined man.

Xu Qingshan, in his early thirties, was well-groomed and exuded an elegant, scholarly aura. Seeing Xie Yu, he adjusted his glasses. “Xiao Yu… Mr. Xie, please have a seat.”

Xie Yu sat down opposite him and saw Xu Qingshan examine his face, smiling, “Your condition is much better than before.”

Xie Yu said, “Indeed, I’ve been more comfortable lately. Perhaps I’ve come to terms with things.”

He didn’t know the original owner’s situation, but a psychiatrist praising his condition as “good” could probably be brushed off with “coming to terms with things.”

Xu Qingshan: “As per routine, let’s do a psychological test first to check your recent condition.”

He took out paper and a pen, pushing them towards Xie Yu. The paper had questions printed in black and white, designed to assess mental state.

Xie Yu hadn’t said anything yet, only picked up the pen, when the system in his mind went crazy.

“No, Host, are you really doing it? Are you really going to do it?!”

Xie Yu pressed his temple: “Keep your voice down, you’re giving me a headache… Why not?”

“You’ll ruin your persona,” the system worried. “You’re a psychologically healthy person. If the original owner really had a mental illness, and you just fill out the test randomly, it definitely won’t match him. I’ve checked this Xu Qingshan; he’s a professional psychologist, he studied abroad and earned a doctorate in psychology, and he has extensive treatment experience. What will we do if he sees through it?”

Xie Yu bit open the pen cap and started writing, “Don’t worry, he won’t see through it.”

System: “But…”

Xie Yu pressed his index finger to his lips: “Quiet—”

The system froze for two seconds, then three exclamation marks popped up: “!!!”

The fluorescent blue dialogue box flashed frantically, the system anxiously displaying, “How could you do that to me? Xu Qingshan is still watching you; it’ll expose that you have a system!”

Xie Yu’s earlier movement was completely unconcealed, and Xu Qingshan saw everything.

Xie Yu: “Don’t rush; watch Xu Qingshan.”

The system turned and saw Xu Qingshan adjust his glasses, not at all surprised that Xie Yu was talking to thin air. He thoughtfully observed his patient, occasionally looking down to type on his computer, recording something.

Twenty minutes later, Xie Yu put down his pen and handed the test paper back.

Xu Qingshan took the paper and meticulously read through it from beginning to end.

The system’s heart pounded.

Although it had no physical body, its heart felt like it was in its throat. It wanted to cling to something to alleviate its anxiety but saw Xie Yu sprawl casually in the chair like a young master, nonchalantly playing with a pot of pothos on the desk, pinching leaves and tapping the pot, showing no signs of tension.

System: “…”

Just as it was about to suffocate, Xu Qingshan finally finished reading the paper. He smiled slightly: “Just as I expected, your condition is gradually improving. Although there are still some issues, it’s much better than before.”

Xie Yu’s expression remained unchanged: “Is that so? I can feel it too.”

Xu Qingshan nodded: “In that case, continue taking your previous medication. I’ll adjust your prescription and reduce the dosage.”

As he spoke, he kept nodding, as if genuinely happy for the patient’s recovery. Xie Yu observed him from the side and suddenly asked, “Doctor, is there a chance for my illness to be completely cured?”

Hearing this, Xu Qingshan sighed slightly: “Xiao… Mr. Xie, it’s like this, regarding some matters, you still have to let go yourself. The deceased are ultimately gone. If Madam were alive, she wouldn’t want to see you like this.”

His words were without context, yet Xie Yu seemed to understand. He nodded under the system’s bewildered gaze: “You’re right, but if it were that easy to let go, I wouldn’t have been sick for so long.”

Next, Xu Qingshan asked a few more questions, which Xie Yu answered flawlessly. They went back and forth, and Xu Qingshan nodded occasionally, showing no suspicion at all.

As they approached the end of their conversation, they heard a bus brake through the glass window. Qingshan Psychiatric Hospital was in a remote location with little traffic, and the hospital grounds were quiet, making the braking sound particularly distinct.

Xie Yu took a sip of tea: “What’s going on? Are they sending patients by bus, one busload at a time?”

Xu Qingshan looked down from the window and chuckled, “They are volunteers from some schools. They help us do the work for a day, take pictures, and send them to the publicity department for promotion. They come once or twice a year.”

They exchanged some more pleasantries, and Xu Qingshan handed Xie Yu a prescription, telling him to get the medication. The afternoon consultation then ended.

Xie Yu descended in the elevator and happened to encounter the volunteers going upstairs. The leader held a small flag that read “A University Volunteer Group.” He glanced indifferently and then headed to the pharmacy.

In the crowd, Shen Ci’s movements paused.

This was a student volunteer activity organized by A University for a day at a psychiatric hospital in the distant suburbs. They would visit, sweep floors, and cooperate with the publicity department for photos. By the end, they’d get a 200 yuan[mfn]27.91USD[/mfn] subsidy, good money for little work. Shen Ci had only managed to get a spot through Li Yue’s connections.

But he never expected to meet Xie Yu here.

And this side of Xie Yu.

Young Master Xie was known for being arrogant, tyrannical, and unrestrained, a constant smile playing on his lips. But when he had just passed by, his expression was cold and rigid, with no hint of a smile.

Xie Yu’s bone structure was actually extremely clear and sharp. Normally, the smile softened it, but now, with a cold expression, his brows were full of weariness, giving him an unapproachable severity.

A classmate noticed Shen Ci’s gaze and curiously asked, “Senior Shen, do you know that person?”

Xie Yu was tall and handsome, and his back alone was enough to attract attention.

Shen Ci said, “He’s my… friend.”

He couldn’t imagine why Xie Yu would be here.

Young Master Xie, a man of wealth and status, with luxury cars and famous watches, shouldn’t have any mental health issues.

Shen Ci pondered for a moment and said to the team leader, “I just saw my friend. I’ll be going ahead.”

Student volunteer activities weren’t strictly regulated; as long as they were present for photos, it was fine. The leader waved, indicating he could leave. Shen Ci took two steps forward and followed Xie Yu downstairs.

He stopped in the shadow of a corner and watched Xie Yu enter the pharmacy.

A moment later, Xie Yu retrieved his medicine, casually tossed the prescription into the trash can, and then walked away.

Shen Ci paused, then stepped out of the shadows and stood before the trash can, making out the words on the prescription.

“Lamotrigine dispersible tablets, three boxes; lithium carbonate tablets, one bottle; oxcarbazepine tablets, two boxes…”

All three medications were used to treat bipolar disorder.

He bent down, picked up the prescription, smoothed out the creases, stared at it for a long while, and then tucked it into his chest pocket.

—

Meanwhile, Xie Yu had just walked out of the hospital gate when he suddenly slapped his head. “How could I forget about the investment?”

He had initially come to the mental hospital to invest, but after the consultation, he had completely forgotten about his main purpose.

Xie Yu turned to go back. The system silently appeared before him, its glowing blue screen nudging Xie Yu: “Host, what was with that questionnaire just now? You looked so effortlessly at ease.”

It was difficult for a normal person to feign mental illness, let alone complete a professional assessment without any flaws. But Xie Yu hadn’t even paused to think, writing everything down fluidly.

Xie Yu chuckled, “Because I’ve had a mental illness before too.”

System: “?”

“!!!”

It raised its volume, incredulously: “What?!”

Xie Yu’s expression was calm, completely unbothered by the bombshell he had just dropped: “I had it in high school, mild, not serious, and it’s already cured.”

He smiled at the system: “Didn’t you say I have a certain degree of similarity with the original host, including name, appearance, family background, childhood experiences, and so on? So, it’s normal that I’ve also experienced what the original host went through.”

The system was stunned: “What?”

Xie Yu was a minor character in the original book, with limited screen time and no detailed descriptions, so the system was unaware of his background.

Xie Yu spoke nonchalantly: “Nothing, just that my father was abusive, got my mother pregnant out of wedlock, then beat her until she was admitted to a mental hospital. After that, he abused the child, wanted to throw the child into an orphanage, but finally found out his sperm vitality was poor, and this was the only child who could inherit the family business. So, he enthusiastically brought the child back and raised him by his side.”

The system briefly froze. Although it was an electronic life form, it held its breath just like a human.

It cautiously asked, “Did your father hit you?”

Xie Yu scoffed, “When you brought my body over? Didn’t you see the marks on my back? Those were from being beaten as a child.”

The system was startled and then said bitterly, “It seems there were some.”

“Thanks” to his family, Xie Yu, like the original host, also suffered from bipolar disorder. It was particularly severe in high school, making him unable to study at one point. It was also during that time that he learned to drink, fight, and ride motorcycles. Later, after gaining financial independence and distancing himself from his abusive family, combined with medication and therapy, he recovered.

“So that’s how it was? Was the original host like that too?” The system sounded a little sad, murmuring, “Then it’s understandable why he had such a bad temper and peculiar habits.”

Xie Yu scoffed, “Bullshit. I went through the same thing. Why am I not short-tempered?”

He irritably unwrapped a lollipop, licked it, then said, “Just because my father was a scumbag and I was abused as a child, that doesn’t justify treating innocent people the same way. What’s the difference between that and being a scumbag?”

The lollipop in his mouth became tasteless. Xie Yu couldn’t eat it and simply threw it away. “Forget it. I’ll go talk to Xu Qingshan about the investment first.”

He returned to the building. The lobby was now full of volunteers, and Shen Ci was hidden among them, not conspicuous. The two brushed past each other; Xie Yu didn’t see Shen Ci, but Shen Ci saw him.

Xie Yu took the elevator upstairs. Shen Ci noted the floor and the stopping time, then quietly followed.

He saw Xie Yu go up to the third floor and turn into the director’s office. So, he walked by casually, glancing through the glass window.

Xu Qingshan sat at the consultation desk, holding a dark green medical record book. Most hospitals are digitalized now, but Director Xu still maintained the habit of handwritten medical records. The edges of this record book were curled, and the inner pages were yellowed and faded, clearly indicating long-term use.

Xie Yu sat opposite him, holding a lollipop as if it were a cigarette. The aura of a dashing playboy had completely faded from him. He leaned casually on the chair, his demeanor cold and indifferent.

Xu Qingshan pushed up his glasses: “You want to give me funds?” He smiled helplessly, “There’s no need, Xiao Yu; I’m not short of money.”

“I have nowhere else to spend it anyway.” Xie Yu interrupted. “You can use it to help patients, expand the hospital, add some infrastructure, or set up a relief fund—whatever you want. If it stays with me, I’ll just buy cars and watches.”

He had to stick to the original character’s persona. Investing was out of the question; if the investment succeeded, what about the storyline where he goes abroad to study?

Xu Qingshan paused, then sighed slightly: “Alright, I’ll hold onto it for you first.”

Xie Yu: “I’ll find a reliable lawyer to look at how to sign the contract. I’ll come back to you once it’s settled.”

With that, he straightened his clothes and left.

Shen Ci moved into the shadows of the adjacent office. Xie Yu happened to walk out of the room. This was the third floor of the hospital, mostly administrative offices, with no doctors or patients, making it quite empty. Soon after, two young women dressed as clerks came from the other side, coincidentally passing Xie Yu.

They put down their reports and looked back at Xie Yu. The taller girl quietly asked, “Who was that passing by? A family member? He’s quite handsome.”

The shorter girl with a round face shook her head: “Handsome, isn’t he? And very rich too. Unfortunately, he’s not a family member; he’s a patient.”

She pointed, adding, “He’s also somewhat related to our director. Apparently, the director is his maternal uncle, and it’s said that the director chose his specialization because it’s related to his illness.”

A patient in a mental hospital could only be mentally ill.

The tall girl was somewhat surprised. The young man was so handsome he could be a movie star, and his gait and demeanor were calm and natural, even more striking than a model. He didn’t seem to have any problems at all. She wanted to ask more, but the shorter girl tapped her head and playfully scolded, “Don’t pry into patients’ privacy. Go sort out the documents.”

As they spoke, they gradually walked away.

Shen Ci emerged from the shadows. The crumpled prescription in his pocket, its sharp, folded edges pressed uncomfortably against his skin through the thin fabric of his clothes.

Xie Yu… was he really a patient?

Young Master Xie had always lived a life of luxury, indifferent to everything, like a lazy big cat. Shen Ci couldn’t, for the life of him, connect him with bipolar disorder.

Just then, his phone vibrated. The team leader asked, “Senior Shen, where are you? We’re about to start the group activity.”

Graduate students generally didn’t participate in such activities, but Shen Ci was an exception due to financial constraints. The rest of the team called him “Senior.”

Shen Ci smoothed the prescription through his clothing and typed, “On my way.”

—

Xie Yu returned to the hotel, locked the medication in a cabinet, and then didn’t move again.

The system seemed a bit worried: “Don’t you need to eat something?”

Xie Yu was speechless: “I told you, I’m not sick now; I only had it for a brief period in high school.”

Mental illness also has different levels. Xie Yu was inherently optimistic and didn’t have many insurmountable hurdles. He had a mild episode in high school, but it wasn’t serious enough to require medication. Later, when he became financially independent, he slowly recovered.

System: “But…”

“No buts.” Xie Yu pressed his forehead, a headache coming on. “Look at my current mental state. Do I seem sick?”

The system cautiously replied, “Yes.”

Xie Yu: “…”

He pushed the system away, speechless: “Stop blabbering and quickly see what the next plot is. I remember there’s a plot tonight.”

“Oh, oh, oh, let me see!” The system fumbled around. “Yes, there’s a plot, a whole chapter’s worth.”

A whole chapter of plot usually meant important major plot points. Xie Yu clicked open the novel: “What’s the chapter called?”

“The chapter name is—’Coercion After Drinking’.”

“Pfft—” Xie Yu spat out a mouthful of hot tea, incredulous: “What?!”

 

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