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Playing Games with Ghosts
墨書 Inktalez
I feel like I'm sick, mentally sick.
I told my friends, but they think it's just the stress getting to me.
With no other option, I went to see a psychologist. The doctor first had me take a series of psychological tests, then asked me why I felt I had mental issues.
I said, "Because he wants to play games with me."
"Who wants to play games with you?" the doctor asked.
I pointed to the corner of the room. "That person standing over there."
The doctor followed my finger and looked, but saw nothing.
"But there's no one there," the doctor said.
That's why I said I was sick; only I could see "him."
After pondering for a moment, the doctor decided to let me participate in "his" game.
Reluctantly, I nodded in agreement, and "he" smiled.
I opened my eyes and looked around; he was not there.
As usual, I went to the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth. Just as I turned around, a face suddenly appeared in front of me, so close that I could see the pores on his skin. I was so startled that I dropped my toothbrush cup on the floor.
He smiled, "Shall we start the game?"
"What... what game?"
"Very simple, Truth or Dare."
I sidestepped him, "When does the game end?"
He thought for a moment, "If you choose Truth and answer correctly, then it ends."
That sounded easy. I would choose Truth right from the start, and ding— the game would be over.
He seemed to read my thoughts but said nothing.
"I'm going somewhere; we'll start there," I said.
He was... not normal; I was not normal either. If I died here at home and no one found out for a long time, it would be too tragic. So, I decided to book a room; that's where the game would begin.
As I came out of the bathroom, I caught a glimpse of him still standing inside.
Ah, looking in the mirror.
Friday, September 8, 2023
I decided to document the game process in a diary.
He pursed his lips when he saw it, which was understandable.
"The game only has three rounds at most..."
"If I fail all three rounds, I die, right?" I asked calmly.
He seemed surprised that I could accept the prospect of death so calmly. Then he sighed and shook his head, not answering directly.
"The game begins. Do you choose truth or dare?"
I sat cross-legged on the hotel bed, gazing out the window where the sunlight streamed in perfectly, feeling at peace. "I choose truth."
"Good." He locked his gaze onto mine. "Who is Chen Nian?"
"I don't know," I answered his question swiftly.
He opened his mouth as if to say something, and I could even see his eyes reddening visibly.
"You answered wrong..."
"How is that possible? I really don't know anyone named Chen Nian. Don't be unreasonable, you... ghost..." I didn't know how to address him.
"Second question: Truth or Dare." He ignored me.
"Are all ghosts this unreasonable? I said I don't know him, so I really don't! Why don't you believe me?"
As soon as I finished speaking, he vanished in an instant.
Hah, playing tricks, are we? I'm annoyed.
Saturday, September 9, 2023
I opened my eyes to see him standing in the corner of the room, watching me. I didn't want to wash up; I just wanted to end this absurd situation quickly.
"I choose Truth." This time, I decided to take the initiative.
He seemed to have anticipated my choice. "Game on. How does the song 'Tanghulu' go?"
"Tanghulu?" I mumbled, looking down and repeating it in my mouth. What song is that? I had no recollection at all.
"I don't know."
The next moment, that face was right up close to mine, and I could feel his anger radiating from him as his fists clenched, veins bulging.
I felt a bit scared.
"You only have one chance..." he reminded me with a feigned kindness.
"Well... at least I can die," I tried to sound brave.
"Die?" He seemed to deflate like a punctured balloon. "The punishment is worse than death, it's a fate worse than death." He gritted his teeth, enunciating each word carefully. "This is your last chance, I suggest you..."
"I choose dare," I interrupted him hastily before he could finish.
I wasn't afraid of dying, but a fate worse than death terrified me.
I could almost sense his relief. "This is your last chance; you need to give it your all." He reached out and slapped my forehead, and I lost consciousness, falling backward...
March 18, 2023
I was in a basement I rented in Beijing.
It was raining outside, making the basement feel especially cold and damp. I sat on the sofa, staring intently at the television, my phone tightly gripped in my hand, the ringtone for incoming calls turned up to the maximum volume.
On the screen, "Cang Lan Jue" was playing, showing Xiao Lan Hua's self-harm, her amnesia, and finally her resurrection as she saved the world...
The phone remained silent, and I even began to doubt whether it was broken.
I trembled uncontrollably, unable to control myself.
Suddenly, the phone rang—an unmistakably loud and jarring ringtone from a domestic brand.
“Hello,” I answered cautiously.
“Don’t talk, just listen to me!” The voice on the other end sounded chaotic, heavy with panting and the sound of torrential rain outside. “At the intersection of Jing Tian Street No. 19, turn left into the second alley. There are three trash bins straight ahead. Behind the second blue bin, there’s a loose brick. When you get there, feel around and see if you can pull it out. Inside, there’s a black garbage bag with money. You...”
At that moment, the television suddenly cut in with breaking news: “At 3 PM today, a knife-wielding robbery occurred at Jing Tian Road Deutsche Bank. One suspect has fled the scene. If anyone has information or witnessed the event, please call...”
Holding the phone, my heart skipped a beat as I stared at the suspect's photo on the screen.
“You... you’re on TV...”
“Yes.” The voice on the other end fell silent for a moment. “Listen to me: take the money and leave this place. Your good days are still ahead.”
“What about you? This is bank robbery! How could you be so foolish?”
There was no response from him, but I could hear what sounded like footsteps running, people shouting, and the rain pouring down...
“I don’t have time...” That was the last time I heard his voice.
The sound of a sudden brake, the thud of a phone hitting the ground, the hurried footsteps of a crowd, and then silence...
There are always a few fools in the world who wait and guard those endings that never truly conclude.
And he and I are those fools.
It was still raining outside. Even with an umbrella, I was soaked. Following his instructions, I found the loose brick. Inside was a black plastic bag filled with more money than I had ever seen.
But what use is money to me? All I want is to be with you. All I want is for you to be alive.
I called the police, and they told me to wait where I was.
Unable to contain myself, I walked to a secluded corner and hugged a large tree, crying out loud like a lost child, weeping endlessly.
The police arrived, and I handed them the money.
"Is he still alive?" This was my only hope.
The officer shook his head. "He ran into the middle of the road and got hit."
Dead?
Dead, never to meet again.
I felt my vision blur and then everything went black as I fainted.
September 2019
After entering high school, during the class placement exam, I ranked second to last, with the last being a boy.
Unfortunately, based on our scores, we became desk mates, sitting in the farthest corner of the classroom, surrounded by mops and brooms all day.
"You only beat me by two points. Did you write two extra 'solutions' on the math problems for the teacher to give you those points?" The boy leaned over his desk, tilting his head to look at me.
I turned my head away in annoyance.
Seeing that I was ignoring him, he turned back and stopped looking at me.
High school was a boarding system, and if you didn’t stay at school, your parents had to sign a liability waiver.
It was simple; I told my mom I would be boarding, and I found someone to forge her signature on the waiver. This way, I wouldn’t have to go home or stay at school.
In our class, besides me, my desk mate also didn’t stay at school.
“Chen Nian!” The homeroom teacher called out for my desk mate to answer a question, but he was asleep. I nudged him with my elbow several times before he finally opened his sleepy eyes to look at the teacher.
“Get out and stand!” Then the teacher turned to me, “Jian Xing, you answer this question!”
I stood up slowly, scratching my head. "I'm sorry, I don't know."
"Get out and stand there!"
Chen Nian and I stood against the wall at the classroom door, listening to our homeroom teacher's frustrated voice. "Why do these two have to come to my class when other classes don't? A single mouse droppings spoils a whole pot of porridge..."
"Don't take it to heart; this old-fashioned teacher speaks too harshly," Chen Nian said, noticing my silence and thinking I was hurt.
Then the homeroom teacher began explaining the problem. "The answer to the last question is x^3..."
"x^3," I quietly echoed outside, matching the teacher's tone.
Chen Nian's mouth fell open in shock. "Sister, you're playing dumb! A wolf in sheep's clothing!" He could hardly contain his astonishment, as if he had discovered a new continent. "What are you doing? You clearly know the answer; why say you don't?! Pretending to be a lost princess!"
I enjoyed his compliments. In the following exams, we remained consistently first and second from the bottom. Each time the teacher asked a question at the podium, I would write down the correct answer on paper, waiting for Chen Nian to praise me, calling me his goddess. He was puzzled as to why I could easily become a top student and make my parents happy.
"Is making parents happy really that important?"
"Huh?" He was taken aback by my question.
The reason I didn’t stay at school at night was that I worked far away from it, earning money for living expenses and tuition. I believed I wouldn’t run into anyone I knew there.
My job was as a Bar Hustler; some people called me the Drinking Princess or Wine Seller.
Because of my status as a student, I earn a lot of money every night. I only sell alcohol, working until around 4 AM, then I take a short break in the lounge to rest and do some homework before heading to school.
With my high earnings, it's inevitable that customers would try to take advantage of me, but usually, I can tolerate it.
“April, Table 4's manager Chen ordered 40,000 worth of drinks tonight. Go thank him,” the supervisor urged me forward.
“Okay.” manager Chen was an old client of mine, and I thought this time would be like before—just sitting beside him and singing some sultry songs.
Before I even reached Table 4, I was hit by a strong mix of alcohol and vomit that made me feel nauseous.
As soon as he saw me, manager Chen's eyes lit up. He grabbed my hand and started touching me incessantly. Ignoring my struggles, he pulled me out, insisting that I come to his house for a visit this time.
manager Chen was drunk again, and being one of my biggest clients, he had a scar on his neck that looked quite menacing. I couldn't afford to offend him, yet I felt powerless to resist. He opened the car door and pushed me inside. I braced myself against the door frame with both hands, thinking to myself that this was bad.
In the midst of our tug-of-war, a beam of light shone over us. Both manager Chen and I froze. I shielded my eyes from the blinding light and squinted. A figure sat on a black motorcycle.
When the light dimmed, I realized the person on the motorcycle was Chen Nian.
At that moment, I felt utterly exposed as if someone had stripped me bare. I was wearing a crop top and denim shorts with heavy makeup on, while a man who resembled a bloated pig was pressed against me.
This scene was witnessed by my deskmate who had once called me his goddess.
I felt completely humiliated.
Chen Nian said nothing as he pulled me along, determined to leave. manager Chen, however, was not about to let us go easily. He shouted and shoved, and soon the pushing escalated into a full-blown conflict. In a moment of desperation, Chen Nian picked up a brick from the ground and hurled it at manager Chen's head. manager Chen howled in pain, clutching his bleeding scalp while dialing for help. Seizing the chaos, Chen Nian grabbed me and jumped onto his motorcycle, speeding away.
At 5 AM, the sky began to lighten with a faint glow. I clung tightly to Chen Nian's shirt from the back seat, and sensing my grip, he gradually slowed down until we stopped beside a wonton shop. "Two bowls of wontons!" he called out to the owner.
My appearance immediately drew curious glances from the early breakfast crowd.
Chen Nian frowned and took off his jacket, draping it over my shoulders. "How... how did you end up there?"
"To make money," I replied calmly.
"You can't just go to that place to make money."
"Where is 'that place'? All the money I earn is clean!"
"Are you really that short on cash?"
"Yes," I lowered my head. "I need to earn my own tuition and living expenses."
"What about your parents?"
I set my chopsticks down and stared at him, gritting my teeth as I told Chen Nian, "They’re dead."
That day, we both skipped class and stayed at Chen Nian's house. Curiosity got the better of me, and I asked, "Why were you there?"
"I was picking up passengers. When I couldn't get a cab or call for a ride, I would take them home and earn a little fare."
"What about your parents?"
"Like yours, they're dead."
Another unfortunate soul.
I lived with Chen Nian. To avoid retaliation from manager Chen, we didn’t return to the previous bar but found a new place instead. Chen Nian wouldn’t let me continue working as a Wine Seller, so I took a night shift as a cashier at a nearby convenience store while Chen Nian continued to pick up and drop off people at the bar.
Life was tough, but having each other’s support gave me a sense of home.
I worked nights and attended classes during the day, which took a toll on my body. Chen Nian often rested his head on the desk, and while the teachers initially tried to intervene, they eventually treated him like air.
"Why does Xiang Zinan from Class Three keep borrowing books from you? It's not like he doesn't have any!" The person in front turned to me with a curious expression.
I shrugged, indicating I had no idea.
Chen Nian slowly lifted his head, still groggy. "He just wants to play basketball!"
In the next class, I heard the gossip continue from the front. "Chen Nian completely dominated the basketball game against Class Three. You should have seen how he outplayed Xiang Zihan..."
I pretended not to care, but inside, my heart was already stirred.
I thought life would continue in a simple and uneventful manner until one day, three months later, Li Zhinan found me. She warned me to stay away from Chen Nian and not to ruin his life.
I retorted, asking if Chen Nian's life still needed me to ruin it; my intention was that both of our lives were already at the bottom.
Li Zhinan was the school beauty of our year, a prominent figure. I couldn't fathom how Chen Nian could possibly have any connection with her; they seemed worlds apart.
That was until Li Zhinan threw a stack of photos in my face. Even without her throwing them, those pictures were enough to leave me feeling utterly humiliated.
October 2020
I have to thank Li Zhinan.
I moved out of Chen Nian's house and quit my job as a cashier.
Although we still sat at the same table, I no longer spoke to him.
Chen Nian kept trying to explain himself, passing notes during class and stopping me from leaving after school. Rumors about our supposed romance spread like wildfire throughout the class and even the school, infuriating Li Zhinan to no end.
In truth, I felt somewhat pleased. Many times, as the fish sauce turned pale, Chen Nian would push open the convenience store door, shouting for me to make him instant noodles. I secretly vowed many times to work hard and earn money; before, I hoped that Chen Nian would have a better life than mine.
Now that wish had come true—Chen Nian was just a fallen young master. His parents were educated and wealthy but had divorced for their careers and chose not to have children.
Li Zhinan said, "Jian Xing, you and Chen Nian are different. My parents and his parents decided long ago that he would go abroad with me. His time with you is just an experience of life; don't overthink it or hold him back."
Is it just to experience life?
But we clearly have no money to pay for heating, two of us shivering under the covers in our down jackets; we clearly stood in line for nearly two hours just to save that 20 yuan for the chance to enjoy a free meal at the hot pot place; we clearly wanted to watch a newly released movie, taking a part-time job cleaning the cinema at night just to see that box office hit everyone in class was raving about...
Yet now, Li Zhinan tells me that Chen Nian is just doing it for the sake of experiencing life.
I told my homeroom teacher that I wanted to change seats.
The way my homeroom teacher looked at me seemed to say I was dreaming. There was no way around it; I had scored fifth in the midterm exam, and while everyone thought I had cheated, I let the teacher randomly pick another paper for me to do on the spot. The result was predictable—I changed seats and became the new favorite in my teacher's eyes.
Chen Nian continued to be with the mop and broom.
The straight-line distance between Chen Nian and me was the farthest in the class.
December 2020
Chen Nian and I had finally grown distant, like two briefly intersecting lines gradually returning to parallel.
I still attended classes during the day and worked part-time at various convenience stores at night, saving money and dreaming of moving far away to another city after graduation.
December, winter's chill, was also the darkest month of my life.
Chen Nian had disappeared; it had been a week since he last showed up. Even Li Zhinan was asking me where Chen Nian had gone.
I took Li Zhinan to Chen Nian's house, but there was no one home. I also asked at the convenience store where I used to work if they had seen Chen Nian, but to no avail.
In the end, I inquired at the bar where Chen Nian used to solicit customers. A familiar face at the bar recognized me and said that a week ago, Chen Nian was dragged into a van by a group of people. "Look, Chen Nian's motorcycle is still parked out front."
"What did that group look like?"
"It was too dark to notice, but there was someone standing by the bar entrance at that time. There was some light, and I could see that person had a scar on their neck..."
It was manager Chen.
Without hesitation, I rushed back to the bar where I used to work. On the way, I texted Li Zhinan, "If neither Chen Nian nor I contact you today, please call the police tonight and have them check Zhi Nian Bar."
With a target in mind, my actions became much quicker. I managed to get in touch with manager Chen and found Chen Nian. When Chen Nian saw me, he shouted at me like a madman. Unfortunately, I couldn't understand what he was saying; his mouth was gagged, and his hands and feet were bound.
Seeing me with that familiar disdainful look in my eyes, manager Chen knew exactly what I wanted.
There happened to be an empty bottle on the table. I picked it up and smashed it against my own head. For a while, I lost my hearing and my vision blurred; blood flowed down from my head into my eyes. Now, in my sight, manager Chen appeared red.
I thought I had truly lost my mind; perhaps manager Chen thought the same.
But he quickly reacted, "You don't really think that doing this will make me let him go?"
" manager Chen." I showed him the text I had sent to Li Zhinan. "If I don't return with Chen Nian today, the police will trace it back to Zhi Nian Bar. The surveillance cameras around there will have recorded me visiting."
manager Chen's gaze turned fierce. "Are you threatening me?"
I shook my head. " manager Chen, I am pleading with you to give us a way out."
Hearing this, manager Chen laughed. "I can let you go, but I can't shake the feeling that this debt hasn't been settled yet. Tell me, how much have I spent on you?"
So that's what he was waiting for.
" manager Chen, I don't have any money. If I did, I wouldn't have resorted to that," I said, glancing at my legs—no way, I'd still have to run; then at my hands—no way, I'd still have to work...
"How about I chop off a finger?" manager Chen said with a playful smile.
A finger???
This is truly like something out of a gangster movie!
I turned to look at Chen Nian, who was wide-eyed and shaking his head vigorously.
Sigh, I've really gotten myself into this mess.
I nodded slowly, and manager Chen tossed me a fruit knife.
My life... can it get any worse? Closing my eyes, as my hand raised the knife, someone blocked my arm. Was it manager Chen?
He nodded at the lackey beside him to take out whatever was in Chen Nian's mouth.
"Jian Xing, are you stupid? Chen Jianfeng, are you even a man? If you have grievances, come at me. It's me who beat you; what kind of man attacks a woman!" Chen Nian shouted, his voice piercing my ears. I would have preferred it if they had just kept his mouth shut like before.
I also suspected that manager Chen enjoyed watching the kind of scene where people redeem each other through sacrifice.
Sure enough, after a few exchanges, Chen Nian was like a spineless creature, repeatedly bowing his head to the ground, leaving a trail of blood. I wanted him to stop and show some backbone; a little finger injury was nothing. But at that moment, it felt as if my throat was being tightly constricted, and I couldn't utter a word. I shook my head just like he had done earlier.
Finally, manager Chen glanced at the time and decided to show mercy, preparing to let us go. "If you don’t leave, your friend here will call the police, right?"
I nodded.
manager Chen put a large sack over Chen Nian and told his lackey to find a deserted place to dump him. Then he turned to me and said, "Tell your friend to look for you at Jing Tian Street; she’ll definitely find you."
After letting Chen Nian go, I didn’t understand why manager Chen was keeping me around. Did he really care about my little finger?
"Little girl, look what you've done; your head is all injured," manager Chen said as his filthy hand reached toward my face, trying to wipe the blood off my forehead. I turned my head away.
"Hahaha! Well, this whole thing today is just a misunderstanding. I didn’t mean to hurt you; look at what you've done to yourself! You're so pretty; what will you do if your looks are ruined?" manager Chen said with a smirk as he sat beside me. "Your dad is from Deutsche Bank, right? I have a loan that your dad has been delaying approving. Why don’t you go home and persuade him a bit?"
"I don’t have a dad!"
"You seem pretty close with that kid from earlier," manager Chen said as he picked up a clump of dirt and squeezed it tightly in his hand. "That kid comes from a good family; if he gets hurt or something..."
"Don't touch him."
"So..." manager Chen raised an eyebrow, his pig-like face leaning closer to me.
"I'll go talk to him, but whether it works out or not, I can't say."
"You just need to go and say it. After all, you're your dad's precious darling."
Precious darling?
Ugh!
He’s not even my dad!
People tend to deliberately forget things they don't want to remember, and I'm no exception.
My stepfather, Yu Ti, a credit manager at Deutsche Bank, is a scumbag!
On the 24th, I received a text from my mom saying she was sick and wanted to see me.
On the 24th, Chen Nian performed "Sunny Day" on his guitar at the Christmas Party, saying he wanted to spend Christmas with the girl he liked.
The 25th is Christmas, and also my birthday.
I returned home, and instead of seeing my sick mother, I was greeted by a table full of dishes, along with Yu Ti, Yu Ti, and my mother's son sitting at the dining table.
I was surprised to see my mother bustling in the kitchen, looking anything but sick.
I knew I had been deceived.
I turned to leave, but my mother grabbed my arm. "I worked hard to make all your favorite dishes, Jian Xing. You haven't been home in a long time; let's sit down and have a meal together."
Indeed, my mother didn't seem ill, but I noticed the bruises peeking out from under her collar.
In the end, I softened and sat down, eating with little conversation.
Then Yu Ti slammed a hundred yuan on the table. "How can Jian Xing come back without some drinks?"
My mother and her son trembled as they took the money and stood up to leave. I clutched my mother's sleeve tightly, glaring at her. She hesitated for a moment but then forcefully pushed my hand away.
The sound of the door closing echoed behind me. As I prepared to leave as well, Yu Ti knocked me to the ground with a slap. His gaze awakened forgotten memories: my mother was on a business trip, he took me out for dinner, got drunk, and pressed me onto the bed. The wooden bed creaked ominously as shadows danced grotesquely in the light.
I told my mother about it, but she accused me of lying.
Indeed, she knew what kind of person he was.
Indeed, she had given up on her daughter.
This time, I was determined not to let him succeed.
I struggled desperately, my face being slapped again and again. I screamed for help, knowing that my mother was downstairs. How could I possibly be a match for Yu Ti? I just prayed, prayed that she would save me, her own daughter.
Gradually, I lost my strength, and I could hear the sound of fabric tearing.
I felt hopeless.
Then I heard a loud crash as the door was flung open. A chair came crashing down on Yu Ti's head from above.
"Chen Nian..." When I saw him, tears that had not fallen before now streamed down my face as I cried uncontrollably.
Chen Nian almost used all his strength to lift me up, taking off his school uniform and covering me with it. He fought fiercely against Yu Ti, avenging me, while that fool Yu Ti shouted that he would make sure we would never see the light of day again.
June 2016
My mom is remarrying, and I'm going to Beijing.
This uncle has a good job at a bank in Beijing and often brings me delicious food and nice clothes.
My mom worries about money and always says not to buy too many things for me since kids grow up fast.
But the uncle pinches my cheeks and retorts, "Such a beautiful girl deserves to be dressed up nicely."
This uncle is very nice to me. Whenever my mom works late or goes on a business trip, he squeezes into my little bed and holds me while I sleep. But I don’t like it; I miss my dad.
November 2007
The winter in the Northeast is really cold.
My parents got divorced, and my dad left with his pitifully small luggage, showing no signs of reluctance as he got into the car.
I rushed outside without even putting on my coat, but my mom shouted, "Just go! If you leave, don’t come back..."
I didn’t want my parents to get divorced, but the car drove away too quickly. The snow was too slippery, and I fell after just a few steps. My knees hit the ground painfully, and I couldn’t get up at all.
I sat in the snow, crying loudly, my tears freezing into little ice shards.
I don’t know how long it took, but suddenly someone pulled my arm up. It was a little boy who looked at me with disdain. "Do you know you’re being really loud? My house is right there, and I can hear you crying and crying!"
"My dad left..." I looked at him with tear-filled eyes.
"Just go home," the boy said impatiently.
"I... my legs are numb."
"What a hassle," he sighed. "Fine, hop on my back!" He struggled to lift me up. "Hey, where do you live?"
I pointed ahead and said, "Right there, thank you. What's your name?"
The boy cautiously advanced on the smooth ground, inching forward. "I'll say it only once, so remember well. My name is Chen Nian, with 'Nian' meaning to remember."
"What does 'to remember' mean?" I asked, confused.
The boy didn’t answer and continued to hum a tune: "They say candied hawthorn is sour, but inside it’s wrapped in sweetness. They say candied hawthorn is sweet, yet within that sweetness lies a hint of sour..."
"Wow, what song are you singing? It sounds so nice! I love eating candied hawthorn too."
The boy still didn’t respond.
"Remember this well: my name is Jian Xing, simple and happy Jian Xing!"
December 25, 2000
The cold was fierce, and snowflakes fell in large swathes from the sky.
"Wow—" A cry pierced through the frigid air.
"It's a girl," the old man chuckled as he held the newborn girl in his arms. "Let's give her a name!"
The man looked at the weak and exhausted woman with tenderness in his eyes. "I just hope our little one is healthy and happy. How about... we name her Jian Xing?"
I opened my eyes, and my blurry vision gradually became clear.
Dr. Lin sat quietly on the sofa with a notebook in hand. When he saw that I was awake, he smiled gently and said, "Jian Xing, you're awake."
Was this a dream?
I couldn't even tell if I was dreaming or if this was reality.
Dr. Lin poured me a glass of water and spoke softly, "Jian Xing, do you remember why you came to see me?"
I saw a figure that only I could perceive.
"Is he still here?" Dr. Lin asked.
I looked toward the corner of the room, where the figure stood quietly, swaying like a spring breeze.
Tears streamed down my face in an instant. "He is still here."
Dr. Lin placed the notebook in my hands. "Do you remember those two questions? What are the answers?"
I held back my tears and spoke each word deliberately: "Chen Nian is my lingering thought, and candied hawthorn is my favorite snack..."
Happiness and sadness always alternate; the joys and sorrows of humanity do not resonate with one another.
After saying this, I saw that "person" smile, while I found myself crying.
His body suddenly began to disperse like grains of sand, starting from his toes.
“ Doctor Lin, he has disappeared.”
I covered my mouth and turned my head away, but in an instant, my vision became a blur.
Thirteen,
Doctor Lin said I was suffering from a mental disorder, primarily occurring within the realm of mental disorders. For instance, after experiencing severe psychological trauma, one may develop selective amnesia regarding certain events before and after that trauma.
I was exhausted, and when I returned home, I lay down on my bed and fell asleep.
The next day, when I opened my eyes, there was nothing around me.
I went to the bathroom to wash my face. As soon as I entered, I saw a smiley face drawn in lipstick on the mirror.
Chen Nian, it really was you.
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