Going home

The boat had barely reached the shore when a crowd of police officers surrounded the entrance, keeping unsuspecting passersby away.

The police boarded first, handcuffed those people, and escorted them off one by one.

Someone let out an involuntary gasp, and everyone wore a different, vivid expression.

"There were so many of them! They nearly killed someone, and they were with us all that time!"

"It's terrifying just thinking back on it!"

An officer stood before Qi Sijing and the others. "Please come with us."

Meanwhile, several people who thought the incident had nothing to do with them were also stopped by the police and asked to cooperate with the investigation.

One of them was still wondering why when he suddenly spotted a familiar face among those being led away.

They looked anxious, calling home one after another, afraid they would be implicated.

Only later did those people learn that the suspects were all foreigners. Not only that, they had deliberately approached them and were even suspected of espionage.

They were reminded not to let their guard down just because someone looked Chinese.

Otherwise, they might be used without even knowing it.

They felt utterly unlucky. Not only had they nearly been implicated and had to undergo checks for possible complicity or involvement in other ways, but they also had to visit the Qi Family to apologize.

At the same time, the police officially launched an investigation into the so-called "Mr. Qin."

The police still found it hard to believe this incident could involve a "dead man," and only said they had noted it down.

Because of the incident, Father Lin and Mother Lin put their trip on hold, deciding that the whole family would accompany Lin Xingye to see An Shi.

The others practically hauled Lin Xingye to the hospital.

"I told you, I'm really fine. Why are you all so nervous?" Lin Xingye didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Every one of them looked so solemn, as though they were about to enlist.

They refused to listen.

When An Shi saw them, he waved them over with easy familiarity. "Star, come in."

Then he shut everyone else outside.

Father Lin and Mother Lin: ?

Can't we come in?

Lin Xingmo sat on a chair outside the door and eavesdropped. Whatever. As long as my brother keeps yapping in his head, we can hear him.

Father Lin and Mother Lin exchanged a glance. All three sat on the chairs outside in remarkably similar poses, their movements perfectly synchronized and their gazes unwavering.

They made quite the striking sight.

"Well, it looks like they're all very worried about you." An Shi rarely teased him, but they had grown increasingly familiar lately, and their conversations had become more casual.

Lin Xingye flopped onto the couch. "What could possibly be wrong with me? I was just... just too worked up."

"Are you trying to fool your doctor?" An Shi propped his cheek on his left hand and watched him with an amused smile.

Lin Xingye: sat up straight.

"Tell me what happened. You thought of something frightening, then lost control of your actions, and finally... experienced temporary stress-induced blindness?"

Lin Xingye's eyes widened.

[Holy shit, how does he know everything?]

[As expected of someone who's observed me for twenty years. He's my very own mind-reading worm!]

An Shi: ...

Could you use a nicer term?

Lin Xingmo or Father Lin or Mother Lin: ?

All three looked utterly baffled. What on earth was any of this supposed to mean?

An Shi began asking questions with utmost seriousness, his fingers tapping away at the keyboard. But after only a few questions, he was already struggling to resist the urge to hit him.

Lin Xingye: read the questions, replied with nonsense.

"Lin Xingye, don't make me slap you while I'm trying to be serious." An Shi warned him with a stony expression.

Lin Xingye: whimper, whimper.

[Am I not the person you love most anymore?]

An Shi: ...

Lin Xingye, after a sharp rap on the head: behaved himself.

Mother Lin: eyes widened in shock.

"What kind of relationship does he have with An Shi, calling himself the person he loves most?!" Mother Lin anxiously grabbed Lin Xingmo and asked.

Lin Xingmo was even more confused than she was, but he understood young people better. "Probably just a joke between friends."

"Shouldn't his mother be the person he loves most?" Mother Lin refused to accept this.

Father Lin let out an indignant huff behind them. "It's obviously his father!"

Mother Lin: "Our son loves me most!"

Father Lin: "It's obviously me!"

"It's me!"

"Me!"

Lin Xingmo couldn't take it anymore. "Enough, enough! It's me, okay? Stop arguing. I can barely hear him."

Father Lin and Mother Lin exchanged a glance, turned their heads away from each other with haughty huffs, then returned to the same pose as Lin Xingmo.

The nurse at the nurses' station: ?

Are these family members or patients?

"The symptoms lean toward PTSD, along with clear symptoms of depression and mania, and a tendency toward self-harm. Fortunately, they haven't been present for long. Normally, for so many symptoms to appear in such a short time..."

An Shi's gaze suddenly sharpened. "You must have experienced something profoundly frightening to you. Otherwise, the severity doesn't match the time frame at all."

"Most importantly, from what I've observed, you clearly grew up in a family that could be described as full of love for you. The chances of something like this developing are very low."

Unless there was something else they didn't know about, but that possibility was extremely slim.

And judging by what had happened before, it definitely had a great deal to do with the past life Star had mentioned.

"The strangest thing of all is that you have no suicidal tendencies whatsoever. You might kill yourself, but you don't want to die at all. Or rather..." He paused thoughtfully.

"You don't want to die yet, because there are still things you haven't done."

Lin Xingye: ...

[Mom, someone here can read minds. Help!]

There were many things An Shi was concerned about.

What exactly had happened in his past life? How had he died? Was he willing to talk about it? And could he even talk about it?

There were too many mysteries to untangle. For now, they would have to take it slowly.

"Star, I know you'll resist, so I don't need you to tell me anything in particular. Just pick something you want to share with me." An Shi had no idea what he was thinking at that moment.

Was he frightened? Or panicking? He certainly looked rather panicked.

He didn't want to force him. They would all stay by his side and help him work through it at his own pace.

Lin Xingye lowered his eyes. After a long silence, he finally spoke softly, choosing his words carefully. "I don't want to take medication."

An Shi nodded. "Medication is only supplementary. Unless things become completely uncontrollable, you don't have to take it."

"I... I just want the people who did bad things to pay. That's all." He always liked to fiddle with little things when he was nervous, and his fingers kept moving. "I want to protect them."

"But I'm so useless. I'm as ordinary as anyone could possibly be. I can't even find a single strength in myself." At that, he lowered his head in shame.

"I've realized that aside from using my fists, I don't know how to protect everything that's mine." He was frustrated. He didn't know when he had started becoming like this.

"It feels like I can't do anything."

An Shi stared steadily at him. "Caught in a cycle of self-denial?"

[What's that supposed to mean?]

An Shi said, "In plain language, you've started feeling inferior. To put it your way, you're now the ringleader of your own haters."

Lin Xingye: ?

What the hell did he mean, ringleader of his own haters?

"Ordinary? You're anything but ordinary to me. Besides, there are plenty of ways that don't involve your fists. I can teach you." He smiled and reached out to poke his cheek. "You can ask us for help."

"There's no shame in relying on other people. Everyone makes different choices and has a different personality. Some people simply need to rely on those around them, and there's no denying that it helps them do better and work more efficiently."

"Some people really are independent and don't like being relied on. Then just find people who are willing to let you lean on them. Like those three long-suffering suckers."

Certain people were probably dying for the chance.

Lin Xingye: knew instantly who he meant.

"But I don't really like relying on everyone either," he protested.

An Shi pointed at the door. "You say one thing and mean another."

[Oh crap, I forgot there were three door guardians outside.]

Lin Xingye scratched his head sheepishly. "Then is there anything else I should watch out for?"

"Go out and have fun more often. Spend less time overthinking on your own. Ask for help when you need it. Right now, you need everyone. Your mood can be managed, but it isn't something you can do alone," he advised.

[Got it. Eat well, drink well, go have fun.]

[Tomorrow, I'm booking some male models!]

An Shi: ?

The three door guardians: !!!

Absolutely not!