20. The Girl’s Request (Please Vote~)

No, this isn’t right.

Not only does this notebook contain no mention of Xu Wen, but it’s filled entirely with records of my own transactions. How could this be used against Doctor Xu?

Could it be that Li Fen’s plan was to use this as leverage, forcing both Xu Wen and me into mutual destruction?

But that doesn’t make sense either. If that were the case, she wouldn’t have allowed me the chance to get hold of the notebook. And even if she had, Ma En wouldn’t be so constrained by it.

Besides, it only means he can’t take action against the doctor.

Yet, as I think about it, there’s something I can’t understand.

Doctor Li was killed by me, which means that in the past, I really did know how to circumvent the rules to deal with doctors.

How exactly did I manage to do that?

Lost in thought, I hear the footsteps of a young woman approaching from the corridor.

I turn and stand up as the door is pushed open from the outside.

Ning Changkong steps inside.

“I saw Doctor Xu just leave, so I thought I could come in and talk to you about something,” she says.

She doesn’t mention that she was secretly following me, using my presence to shield herself from other emotions.

“Did he talk to you as well?” the girl asks. “About the new treatment plan. You, me, and Cao Yan have all been selected. This list feels suspicious to me.”

I nod slightly.

“You’re right. I suggest you get discharged immediately.”

Her expression falls.

“Yeah, but that’s a little difficult for me...” she hesitates.

I watch her patiently.

After a pause, she finally gathers her courage and speaks.

“It’s like this: ever since I was born, the world I see has been different from everyone else’s. I’ve never truly seen the real world. But in the first decade of my life, it didn’t trouble me much.

“Well, there were some minor issues, but nothing that interfered with my survival. Mental illness isn’t the real reason I’m here.”

I prompt her.

“What is it then?”

She looks sad.

“It’s hard to describe this feeling. One morning, after washing up, I walked into the dining room and was shocked to see two monsters sitting where my parents usually sat—monsters I’d never seen before.

“They spoke to me in voices very much like my parents’. Can you imagine how I forced myself to suppress my fear and carry on?

“I’ve never wished so much to lose this ability.

“Mr. Ma En, I know you’re no ordinary person, and you probably understand these things far better than I do. I want to ask for your help to figure out what’s really going on. I’ll pay whatever you ask—as long as I can afford it...”

I look apologetic.

“Sorry.”

Her hopeful plea instantly freezes.

A profound despair washes over her, but she quickly regains her composure.

She forces a smile.

“Yeah, I understand...”

I reply,

“You’ve helped me before. If you ever need anything else—money, or to take care of some ordinary bad guys—just call me anytime...

“But I really can’t help you with this. In fact, I’m in trouble myself.”

If this were easy for me, I wouldn’t mind repaying her kindness. But I lack the ability to assess the danger, and I’m facing several different difficulties.

The Amnesiacs, Xu Wen and Li Fen, and whatever it is that’s forcing me to hide here...

Ning Changkong closes her eyes and takes a deep breath several times.

Given her personality, it’s almost impossible she would seek help from someone she’s known for less than a month. Now I realize it must have been the calm aura around me that misled her.

In truth, we only share a slight connection.

“I should be the one apologizing,” she shakes her head. “No matter the outcome, making such an excessive request is a burden to others.”

“They...” I hesitate, then ask, “Have they ever tried to harm you?”

Ning Changkong denies it.

“No, but they’re terrifying—like demons from legends.”

Demons?

I ask,

“Have you ever seen angels?”

She blinks, puzzled.

“What?”

“Nothing,” I say quickly. “Just curious.”

A faint glimmer of hope stirs in her heart.

“Do you know what’s going on? Did they kill my parents? I can pay for that information...”

“Don’t let them know you can see,” I warn her, echoing the note’s caution. “Whether angels or demons, since they haven’t harmed you, it’s better to take your money and leave here. Find a quiet town and start over.”

“What about my parents?” she asks.

“Forget them,” I suggest. “Sometimes it’s important to accept that you can’t solve every problem. Think about it—if your parents were alive, they’d want their daughter to move on and live healthily.”

Unlike when I spoke with Lu Yide, this time I mean it.

“Yes, I understand. Thank you for your advice,” Ning Changkong nods firmly. “They are my parents, so of course they want me to live.

“And I will persist in avenging them, because I am their daughter.”

I understand.

“If you want to avenge them...” I say seriously, “it’s best to leave before the new treatment starts. I don’t know what Xu Wen intends, but it’s definitely not good.”

“I’ll try to refuse him, but I can’t leave yet. Given my parents’...,” she nods, “their personalities, they won’t let me go, especially since I’ve told them I have a mental illness.

“Although there are many odd details, these two demons are doing their best to imitate my parents’ behavior. I suspect they want to replace him.”

With a calmer mind, Ning Changkong actually feels this is not so bad. Though her original goal wasn’t achieved, at least she found someone to confide in who understands these issues.

Whether or not I consider her a friend, she feels that I am hers.

“Oh, and I almost forgot,” the girl says in her usual tone, now fully composed. “That woman who just followed Xu Wen out was the one.”

I nod.

“Thanks.”

Ning Changkong smiles as usual.

“No worries. Don’t dwell on what just happened—I’m sure I can find a way. I have other things to attend to, so I’ll go now.”

I watch her leave, then return to my seat, waiting for the young doctor to come back.

But he never does.