Discharge

"Mm, you meet the criteria for discharge."

Doctor Cheng, Bai Yanliang's attending physician, set down the medical file in his hands and looked up at him. "Yanliang, make sure you take good care of yourself after you leave. If you run into any problems, remember to get in touch with me right away. Don't be shy. After all, Uncle Cheng watched you grow up..."

Doctor Cheng looked at the refined young man sitting upright before him, his expression complicated.

Bai Yanliang, male.

He had once been implicated in an extremely brutal murder. The victim was his only family member—his older brother, Bai Yanren.

The case from ten years ago had rocked all of Ye City. Not only was Bai Yanren's death horrifying, but the person most strongly suspected of committing the crime was his own younger brother, Bai Yanliang.

When the police arrived at the crime scene, the only person there besides the body inside the house was Bai Yanliang, sitting dazedly on the floor. From the walls to the floor, and even the murder weapon left at the scene, everything was covered in Bai Yanliang's bloody handprints.

What was even more chilling was the time of death.

The autopsy report showed that Bai Yanren had been dead for a full day. That meant the young Bai Yanliang had spent an entire day and night alone with the body.

No one knew what he had done, and no one knew what he had been thinking.

No grief, no tears, no fear. His face was expressionless.

His young face seemed to wear a lifelike mask, making it impossible to discern the slightest emotion.

Later, after examining him, psychological experts concluded that he seemed to have antisocial personality disorder.

This personality disorder was also known as callous personality disorder. Its most notable traits were aggression, a talent for lying and manipulating other people's emotions, disregard for social norms, and a tendency to do things most people found unacceptable.

When ordinary people suffered serious harm or a fright, they might act impulsively—by killing someone or using excessive force in self-defense, for example.

After such actions had serious consequences, ordinary people often felt anxious, guilty, and regretful.

But people with antisocial personality disorder did not.

They could hurt others without a second thought, completely oblivious to their victims' suffering, let alone losing sleep over it night after night.

They had no empathy. They did bad things with ease, weaving lies by exploiting other people's kindness and trust, without the slightest pang of conscience.

The case caused a huge stir. The police opened an investigation, and the evidence left at the scene, along with Bai Yanliang's personality disorder, all pointed to him as the killer.

In the end, Bai Yanliang was committed to Ye City Psychiatric Hospital. He could be discharged only after his personality disorder was "cured."

In truth, it was simply another way of saying he would be imprisoned for life.

After all, personality disorders were incurable.

And yet, something unexpected happened.

Beginning in the third year after Bai Yanliang was admitted, his monthly mental health evaluations started to change, slowly but surely. For the better, of course.

He was no longer taciturn or restless. More and more, he preferred looking at the open sky to sitting in a shadowy corner.

Apart from his first three years in the hospital, Bai Yanliang never got into another physical altercation with anyone. He did not even have a verbal dispute.

He taught himself all the basic subjects and borrowed plenty of dry books from the doctors.

"He's a normal person. He shouldn't be locked up in a psychiatric hospital for the rest of his life."

As Bai Yanliang's behavior grew gentler and friendlier, all the doctors and nurses gradually came to accept this view.

Eventually, he even became the only "patient" who could walk around the entire psychiatric hospital on his own, without supervision.

And according to Doctor Cheng, more and more of the young women who came in as interns were falling for him, to the point that they could barely tell up from down. After all, he was not only mild-tempered, but also had a refined face. Judging by the popular young celebrities these days, he was exactly the type who would be well-liked.

"Thanks, Uncle Cheng." Bai Yanliang stood up and shook Doctor Cheng's hand, smiling as he said, "This might sound a little strange, but this place is my second home. I'll come back to visit everyone often."

Doctor Cheng looked at the young man, reached out to pat Bai Yanliang on the shoulder, and smiled too. "Go on. Take good care of yourself."

Bai Yanliang nodded, turned, and left Doctor Cheng's office.

Watching him walk away, Doctor Cheng suddenly had a strange thought.

Antisocial personality disorder. Skilled at deception and putting on an act...

"How could that be..." Doctor Cheng chuckled, patted his own head, and shook off the far-fetched idea.

If all of Bai Yanliang's behavior had been an act, wouldn't that be terrifying? He had been pretending since childhood and kept it up all this time?

At that moment, Bai Yanliang turned slightly. Just as he was about to pull the office door shut, he suddenly smiled and said, "Thank you, Doctor Cheng."

Doctor Cheng froze and looked up sharply, but all he saw was the door Bai Yanliang had closed.

"Xiao Bai, you're getting discharged..."

"Will you come back to visit me?"

"Don't forget me, Xiao Bai..."

Several young nurses clung to Bai Yanliang's sleeve, their eyes pleading as they followed him all the way to the entrance.

"Mm. You all work hard, and I'll come back to visit everyone." Bai Yanliang looked at their youthful, energetic faces and smiled.

"Mm! You promised!"

Amid a crowd of reluctant stares, Bai Yanliang waved goodbye and finally stepped out of the place where he had spent ten years.

"Ten years, big brother."

Bai Yanliang looked up at the sky and murmured.

"Out at last?"

A deep, hoarse baritone sounded to Bai Yanliang's right.

He turned to look. A man in his forties, with a full beard and casually dressed, was leaning against a car. He watched Bai Yanliang as he smoked.

"Uncle Yang?" Bai Yanliang called out, a little surprised.

"Not bad. I thought you only remembered the young women and had forgotten about me." Yang Wanlong tossed his cigarette butt to the ground, stamped it out, and chuckled.

"How could I? All these years, you're the only one who's made time to come visit me at the hospital every year. A detective's work is busy enough as it is..."

"Enough of that. Get in the car." Yang Wanlong waved him over, unconcerned.

Bai Yanliang smiled and nodded. He accepted Yang Wanlong's kindness, took his luggage, and climbed into the other man's SUV.

"You don't have anywhere to stay now that you're out, so come to my place first," Yang Wanlong said casually. A moment later, he pulled out another cigarette and was just about to light it when he noticed Bai Yanliang in the back seat. He tossed the cigarette aside and changed the subject. "Don't say no. I won't keep you once you find a job. Besides, there are some things at my place that I need to give you."

"Some things?" Bai Yanliang furrowed his brow, then seemed to realize what Yang Wanlong meant. He studied Yang Wanlong's profile seriously.

"Mm. Your brother's belongings. The police have been keeping them all this time. They should be returned to you now."