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墨書 Inktalez
The bald uncle gently closed the door to the consultation room, and the sound of his footsteps gradually faded down the corridor. Ethan let out a long breath, sinking deeply into the chair's backrest, feeling his entire body relax. He closed his eyes, savoring the momentary tranquility in the room; that calmness brought him a rare sense of ease.
After a while, Ethan opened his eyes, reached for the mouse, and clicked on the schedule displayed on the computer screen, quickly scanning it. The patient list for today was empty, with no other appointments. A glance at the time in the bottom right corner revealed "16:50." With two hours left until closing time, he felt a wave of relaxation wash over him—finally, he could take a break.
He leisurely adjusted his watch, preparing to enjoy this rare moment of leisure, but soon his thoughts were interrupted by a sudden realization. Tonight... was their wedding anniversary! His anniversary with Sofia! Ethan furrowed his brow slightly, a wave of panic washing over him. He hadn’t prepared anything special and hadn’t ordered any flowers.
Feeling anxious, he quickly pressed the button for the front desk phone. The cheerful voice of the receptionist came through almost immediately. "Dr. Murray, how can I assist you?"
Ethan cleared his throat lightly and quickly adjusted his tone to sound less frantic. "Uh, could you help me order a bouquet of flowers? Roses would be best; tonight is somewhat important."
There was a brief pause from the nurse before she laughed lightly. "Is it your anniversary?"
Ethan chuckled helplessly. "You’re quite perceptive."
"No problem! I’ll take care of that right away. What color roses would you like?"
Ethan thought for a moment before responding, "Red would be classic."
"Got it! I’ll handle it; you can count on me." The nurse’s voice was reassuringly light.
After hanging up the phone, Ethan leaned back in his chair and finally let out a sigh of relief. Thinking of Sofia brought an involuntary smile to his lips. There was still time to prepare; it shouldn’t be too bad. He looked up at the ceiling, contemplating how to surprise Sofia tonight.
With the bouquet sorted out, Ethan felt considerably lighter. Pulling his chair forward slightly, he deftly tapped on the keyboard to open his favorite stock trading platform. The numbers and lines dancing across the screen instantly captured his attention, eliciting a hint of anticipation in his smile.
"This is an important step towards financial freedom," he muttered to himself, feeling an inexplicable surge of excitement. As a psychologist, he always advised his patients on how to manage their emotions and maintain mental stability, yet in moments like this, he found it hard to conceal his own joy and exhilaration. With no patient appointments scheduled for the rest of the day, he thought to himself that it should be fine to indulge a little. He silently justified his actions.
The stock market on the screen looked quite promising, with green upward trends seemingly celebrating his success. Ethan's eyes were glued to the fluctuating numbers, his fingers occasionally clicking the mouse as every subtle change in the market sent ripples of emotion through him. The market was thriving today, and his investment portfolio was steadily rising. After completing several trades in quick succession, he noticed an increase in his account balance and couldn't help but chuckle in satisfaction.
Time passed unnoticed, and when he looked up again, it was already five-thirty. With just an hour and a half left until quitting time, Ethan felt even more elated. He leaned back in his chair, stretched lazily, and felt invigorated.
"Days like this are wonderful," he thought to himself. Not only was work going smoothly, but he was also laying the groundwork for his financial independence during his downtime. This sense of control over the future filled him with contentment, as if everything were unfolding just as he had anticipated. The numbers on the screen continued to dance, but his mind had already flown ahead to the evening when he would celebrate with Sofia; every moment today was leading toward a beautiful conclusion.
Ethan was immersed in the fluctuations of the stock market, the numbers before him resembling a private dance party that silently celebrated his success. The rising stock prices brought him joy as he calculated how to maximize this potential profit. However, this blissful tranquility lasted only a moment before a soft "beep" from the intercom interrupted his focused thoughts.
Becky's voice came through lazily over the speaker, laced with her usual teasing tone: "Dr. Ethan, we have a new male patient registered—32 years old—claiming he's experiencing hallucinations."
Her tone carried a hint of playful mischief, as if she had anticipated this disruption to Ethan's leisurely afternoon. "Oh dear, Doctor! Your relaxing afternoon is about to be shattered! Time to get back to work; you've got two hours left—don’t slack off!"
Ethan's brow furrowed slightly as he straightened up in his chair. His gaze shifted from the dancing stock prices on the computer screen as that once hopeful sense of ease began to fade under the weight of reality. He sighed resignedly; it felt as though a bucket of cold water had been thrown over him, dousing all his fantasies. The dream of financial freedom that seemed so close was now disrupted by an unexpected patient, leaving him feeling somewhat irritated.
"Really persistent..." he grumbled inwardly. Such sudden interruptions always caught him off guard, but he understood that as a psychologist, dealing with patients' emergencies was part of the job. The fluctuations of the stock market could wait, but a patient's psychological issues could escalate in mere moments.
Taking a deep breath, he pressed the intercom button with a hint of weary resignation in his voice: "Let him in, Becky."
After hanging up the receiver, Ethan tapped his fingers lightly on the desk as if trying to calm himself after being interrupted. The green upward curves still danced on the screen before him; the excitement they once brought had faded into a sense of reluctant disappointment. He stared at the screen for a few seconds before reluctantly closing the trading platform and switching back to the patient information system. At that moment, he had returned to work mode, and any lingering frustration began to be replaced by professional responsibility.
He sat up straighter to refocus himself and began contemplating this unexpected patient. Hallucinations... This symptom often indicated deeper psychological or physiological issues that could involve schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, or even certain biochemical imbalances. Such patients typically made every conversation more complex and challenging, requiring his full attention.
"A leisurely afternoon never truly belongs to me..." Ethan murmured, shaking his head with a bitter smile.
Even though he felt disappointed, he understood that this was the life he had chosen. The responsibility of a psychologist was not merely to listen to the suffering of patients, but to delve deep into their hearts, seeking the roots hidden behind illusions and anxieties. With this thought in mind, Ethan's fingers unconsciously tapped lightly on the table, and his mood gradually began to calm.
He turned his gaze toward the door of the consultation room, quietly waiting for the 32-year-old male patient to enter. The corridor outside seemed to fall silent as well; at this moment, he was the only one in the clinic who truly realized that this upcoming meeting could change the patient's life forever. And he would once again play the role of the savior.
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