Chapter 35: The Appointment

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Early in the morning, Jiang Hui lay in bed and suddenly opened her eyes. The quilt and pillows were strewn about in a chaotic mess, a testament to her restless night. The leather-bound book she had acquired yesterday had slid off the bed onto the floor, its edges slightly frayed from repeated handling, though it was barely noticeable.

Please do not misunderstand; Jiang Hui had no intention of mistreating the legacy left behind by the original owner and her father. She had simply flipped through it so many times that it ended up this way because, once again, she had not slept a wink all night.

The night was long, and she had practically worn the book out. Perhaps due to the development of mental power in this interstellar era, she felt her memory and imagination were sharper than ever before. After reading through it several times, she had managed to grasp the entire contents of the book thoroughly. Jiang Hui swore that if someone were to quiz her on any random passage right now, she could likely answer it perfectly.

The problem was that Jiang Hui didn't want this ability; she just wanted to sleep.

It was another night of total insomnia. Jiang Hui wasn't sure what was happening to her, and she even suspected it might be a side effect of the mental stabilizer she had taken. She had searched online forums the night before, but unfortunately, no one mentioned such a side effect. She couldn't figure out the situation, and it wasn't appropriate to call the hospital in the middle of the night—after all, it wasn't exactly a life-threatening issue.

Left with no choice, she had spent the time reading, hoping it might lull her to sleep. Instead, the more she read, the more energetic and excited she became, until her head throbbed and she had forced herself to commit every detail to memory just to stop. Even as the sky outside began to brighten, Jiang Hui still hadn't drifted off.

But as the saying goes, the first time is a struggle, and the second time is easy. Once the first night had passed, the second didn't seem so surprising. She sat up on the bed with calm composure, basking in the sunlight streaming from the windowsill. Surprisingly, she felt quite energetic, and the tension that had gripped her mind all night began to dissipate.

*Fine, it’s alright,* she thought to herself. *It’s just insomnia. What’s the big deal?*

Today, Jiang Hui moved around the house with growing familiarity, having adapted to the various things that were so different from those on Blue Star.

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She had even learned how to brew an interstellar version of coffee. It was a drink she had learned about from the lifestyle module yesterday, called "bean juice"—or at least that was the closest translation from Interstellar language to Blue Star language. It was said to be a mutation of the original coffee bean, a type of spice bean that possessed the same stimulating and mind-clearing effects as coffee, but with caffeine levels trending toward zero.

With bread and her drink, Jiang Hui began her day of learning as usual. She first checked her optical computer for messages and scanned the headlines. Then, she looked up the contact information for the District Intermediate Hospital and called the Post-Treatment Recovery Department to inquire about her insomnia.

The person who answered at the hospital was very polite, patient, and provided detailed explanations. However, they confirmed that the mental stabilizer did not typically cause insomnia. Furthermore, since the brains of interstellar citizens were generally quite stable, insomnia was a rare occurrence, making Jiang Hui’s condition somewhat anomalous.

After carefully reviewing her medical records and analyzing the medication and dosage she had received, the staff at the recovery department concluded that her condition was likely an abnormality resulting from damage to her brain. Even though she had been treated, her brain might still retain some residual mental excitatory responses, which were likely causing the sleeplessness. They assured her it was nothing serious.

If she remained concerned, she was scheduled for a follow-up appointment in four days. They could perform a comprehensive check-up then to see if she had fully recovered.

With the hospital's answer, Jiang Hui felt much more at ease, though she still harbored a faint suspicion that the root of the problem lay elsewhere. Since she had no other answers, she decided to let it go.

Some things have a way of clustering; when there’s nothing, there’s nothing, but once it starts, everything comes at once. No sooner had Jiang Hui hung up with the hospital than a message notification popped up. It was from Mr. Andy, politely asking if she had time for a detailed conversation.

Jiang Hui guessed that the results from the Helus Group had come in. She wanted to resolve this as soon as possible, so she readily agreed. Moments later, a call came through.

"Ms. Jiang, I hope you are well today." Mr. Andy was as beaming as ever, with that trademark, overly sincere smile.

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Jiang Hui couldn't help but reflect that he was a very polished man; it was a pity his personality didn't seem to suit his line of work.

"I am well, thank you. Mr. Andy, you seem to be in a very good mood today. Have you encountered something that makes you happy?"

"Yes, though for you, Ms. Jiang, this should be even better news. I have conveyed your demands from yesterday to the group, and they have been unanimously approved by the Board of Directors. The group has promised to agree to your compensation plan and would like to sign the contract with you immediately."

*Oh, really?*

It was indeed good news, though not because she would soon receive the compensation, but because this messy business was finally coming to an end. She wouldn't have to deal with this unscrupulous, deadly corporation any longer. Besides, for the original owner, the whole affair had been a tragedy—how could it be called "good news"?

Jiang Hui’s lack of enthusiasm was interpreted by Andy as being composed and unflappable, which only raised his estimation of her even further.

The man seemed accustomed to Jiang Hui’s cool demeanor and didn't dwell on her reaction. He continued, "Don't worry, I have already negotiated this. I explained that your stance was very firm. The board considered it and passed it unanimously; there will be no more resistance."

"However, you will need to schedule a time to come to the group’s offices to handle the follow-up matters. This includes signing the compensation contract, the deed of gift, and the non-disclosure agreement. Once signed, the group will arrange for immediate payment..."

Andy had arranged everything quite thoroughly. Although it required a trip to the Helus Group, Andy had at least sought her opinion first. Considering she didn't want these people coming to the original owner's home and tainting this sanctuary, Jiang Hui decided it was better to go to the Helus Group herself.

Whether out of genuine concern or some other motivation, before ending the call, Andy’s expression became rather subtle as he advised Jiang Hui that it would be best to bring an experienced interstellar lawyer with her.

That was quite telling. A few thoughts flashed through Jiang Hui’s mind, but her face remained impassive. With a faint smile, she thanked him for the reminder and ended the conversation.