“I merely replaced one of the less important sedative medications with a multivitamin.
“So the issue isn’t insufficient dosage—it’s your cognitive dissonance.”
Ignoring the sudden chill in Jiang Yuan’s eyes, Song Ming’an spoke each word deliberately,
“You want to get closer, but you desperately push away. That torments you, which is why you came to me to increase the dosage.
“I told you I increased it, gave you the psychological suggestion, and you stopped restraining yourself so fiercely. You allowed yourself to get a little closer, and your condition actually improved.
“I’m sorry, Jiang Yuan, but I have to be responsible for my patient. You really can’t increase the dosage any further.
“Forgive me for taking matters into my own hands, but clearly, we might have found a better way to achieve balance.”
The air fell silent, leaving only Jiang Yuan’s ragged breathing.
He was holding back, instinctively rejecting everything Song Ming’an had said. “There is no other way.”
Song Ming’an weighed his words carefully. “Then, you could try maintaining the current state.
“You’re too strict with yourself, desperately denying all your own actions, which only makes it worse. But perhaps, giving yourself a little breathing room could at least prevent further deterioration.
“The human mind is like a bowstring. If you pull it too tight, it might snap back on you someday. I can’t even guarantee what state you’d be in then. I hope you’ll consider my suggestion based on your actual situation.”
He said no more. Having said what needed to be said, he fell silent, softening his own breathing. He knew Jiang Yuan was intelligent and rational enough.
Time crept slowly through the stagnant room.
After what felt like an eternity, Song Ming’an stood up. “That’s all for now. No need to change medications, and don’t force yourself. Contact me immediately if any issues arise. I’ll take my leave.”
From the moment he left until he exited the house, he heard no movement from Jiang Yuan.
Some time later, the man slumped on the sofa finally stirred. He rose slowly—tall and slender, but with shoulders slightly hunched.
Step by step, he walked into the hidden room in his study and closed the door behind him.
There was no bed inside. Wrapped in a blanket, he curled up in a corner.
Tonight, he wanted to sleep here.
It wasn’t yet the weekend, but Yan Sui couldn’t wait to go home for a visit.
Slinging her small backpack over her shoulder and bidding farewell to Echo’s shop manager, she set off once again along the familiar path home.
She had money now but still refused to take a taxi. She even deliberately slowed her pace.
As she stepped out of the school gates and didn’t sense that familiar feeling, a faint disappointment washed over her.
But soon, as daylight faded and the secluded path she’d chosen grew quieter with fewer people around,
that feeling returned.
Instantly, she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.
Just like before—invasive, clinging, impossible to hide from, and yet—
restrained.
Truly restrained. Its presence was strong, but held no malice.
Her curiosity grew stronger by the day.
Fingering the small folding knife in her pocket, she felt a thrill of excitement from her heart to her fingertips.
Her little leather shoes crunched over the thick carpet of fallen leaves.
When she reached the stretch of road where she’d once been harassed, she sat down on a bench by the roadside and opened her phone.
The night breeze was cool, and moonlight danced through the shadows.
She searched for information about the murder case but found no further updates.
The most recent news was still the official appeal for clues released earlier.
The comments below all read:
【Serves him right for dying. He harassed my girlfriend before.】
【There are too many clues about this person’s sexual harassment. As for the clues about his death, I think he committed suicide.】
【This kind of social scum doesn’t deserve to waste public resources.】
She sensed a hint of comment control, but honestly, these remarks weren’t wrong.
With no follow-up, the young girl felt a slight disappointment.
Truth be told, she was quite curious about what kind of person could execute such a clean and skillful murder.
Feeling that gaze on her, she stretched lazily, stood up, and continued walking forward.
But as she passed an unmonitored, deserted alley, she turned and slipped inside.
This was the alley where the harasser had been killed.
It had been sealed off for some time and had only reopened a couple of days ago. No one dared to walk this way anymore.
Not far away was a garbage dump—the spot where the body had been discovered.
Sensing that gaze vanish, she curled the corner of her lips.
The alley wasn’t long, with dead ends on both sides.
This meant that if someone wanted to see what was happening inside the alley, they would inevitably have to step into its vicinity.
The alley had no streetlights. She lurked in the darkness.
The surroundings were utterly silent. Yan Sui could hear her own shallow breaths.
She was patient, but the other party seemed even more so.
After several minutes without any movement, the young girl forcefully kicked a nearby soda can.
Bang! The sound tore through the curtain of silence, echoing in the alley.
It was as if she were saying—
I’m right here. Don’t you want to see what I’m doing?
A faint, almost imperceptible panting finally hid behind the echo of the soda can, but upon closer listening, it was hard to discern clearly.
She curled her lips again and took a couple of running, jumping steps in the alley.
The tap-tap-tap of her footsteps sounded as if she were being chased by something.
Then—
“Ah!”
A girl’s scream erupted abruptly!
The moment her voice rang out, hurried footsteps and suppressed panting came from one direction of the alley.
It worked.
Yan Sui’s pupils contracted sharply. Pressing her back against the wall, she held her breath.
A dark figure rushed over. The moment it appeared at the mouth of the alley, Yan Sui lunged forward, delivering a fierce kick to the other’s abdomen!
“Ugh!” The tall figure, caught off guard, doubled over with a pained grunt.
Seizing the moment of his hesitation, Yan Sui swiftly closed in. As she aimed a kick at the back of his knee, she prepared to grab his arm.
But the man proved surprisingly resilient to pain. He only staggered slightly, refusing to kneel.
Instead, he reacted quickly, panting as he retreated backward.
Yan Sui narrowed her eyes and, without hesitation, pulled out a folding knife!
A cold glint flashed as the sharp blade sliced through the air, clearly piercing the other’s body.
She heard another restrained gasp.
Still no counterattack?
The other party only retreated, never advancing, seemingly focused solely on escaping.
Yan Sui hadn’t anticipated this. She stared intently at him, trying to make out his features between the baseball cap and mask.
Unfortunately, the light was too dim.
He was fast. Growing impatient, she struck again with the knife.
As he barely blocked it, she noticed the pale back of his hand and the dense, fine cuts around his knuckles.
She tried to catch up, but his long legs gave him an advantage.
After just a couple of steps, she knew it was hopeless.
The young girl panted heavily, feeling a surge of frustration.
What kind of person was this?
Not even fighting back against a life-threatening attack?
If it came down to pure physical strength, she wouldn’t stand a chance.
So she had originally planned to use some underhanded tricks when the other party fought back and they ended up grappling.
Capturing him alive would be best, but if she accidentally killed him, it could only be considered excessive self-defense.
But now? Stabbed twice by her, and then fleeing in panic?
Her dark eyes stared in the direction the other had fled—the shadowy figure had long since disappeared.
On the folding knife, blood dripped from the blade onto the ground.
It was his blood.
The young girl wiped off some of the bloodstains and slowly walked out of the alley, lost in thought.
It wasn’t a complete loss, after all.
His hand, his figure—they felt strangely familiar.