Seven Families Town, consultation room 2 of the Desire Restraint Center.
Under the dim yellow light, a man in a white coat and a face mask sat upright in a chair. Looking at Old Liu, he said, "You're seriously ill."
"Your diagnosis is spot-on." Old Liu plopped down opposite the "doctor," his eyes stubborn and wild. "Doctor, I'm burning with desire. Hurry up and prescribe something."
"I've never seen anyone with such intense desires. One moment, I'll make a call." The doctor picked up an internal crank telephone fitted with three brass horns, cranked it several times with a clatter, then nodded politely to Old Liu. "Don't rush. Stay calm..."
"What are you doing?" Old Liu roared in distress. "Hurry up and prescribe something!"
"Don't worry. Stay calm." The doctor made a gesture for silence. Only after the call connected did he speak, sounding slightly excited. "We've got someone extremely mentally unhealthy, a reading above 92. Quick, we've got work. Tell the fellow patients to come collect him."
Fellow patients?
Collect him?
Standing beside them, accompanying Old Liu, Ren Ye immediately felt a sense of foreboding at those words.
Old Liu wasn't an idiot either. He also sensed something was off and immediately asked, "What the hell are you doing? What do you mean, collect me? What fellow patients?"
"My fellow patient," the doctor explained patiently, "your condition is very serious. Ordinary antianxiety medication can't control your desires. You need... inpatient treatment."
"Shithead!"
At those words, Old Liu sprang to his feet like a cat with its fur on end, turned, and made to leave.
"My fellow patient, you cannot leave." The doctor sprang up too and grabbed Old Liu's arm. "Please don't resist so much. I was very resistant when I first came here too, but look how well