When Xie Yu woke up, it was already high noon. He looked to the side; the bedding was neatly arranged, and Shen Ci had already left.

Top student Shen had a morning meeting. His daily schedule was regular and unshakable, completely unlike a slacking second-generation heir like Xie Yu.

The System reminded him, "It's almost noon. You have an appointment with the doctor this afternoon."

It was referring to Doctor Xu of Qingshan Psychiatric Hospital.

Xie Yu made an 'OK' gesture, got up to wash, and casually used his phone to search for Doctor Xu's information.

He opened the official website of Qingshan Psychiatric Hospital, clicked into the "Doctor Profiles" section, and browsed through the past achievements and specialties of each practicing physician.

The surname Xu wasn't particularly common, nor was it rare. Qingshan Psychiatric Hospital only had one doctor surnamed Xu, named Xu Qingshan. He was the head and director of the hospital, specializing in anxiety, paranoia, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder.

Xie Yu's gaze swept over Xu Qingshan's photo, pausing slightly. After memorizing his information one by one, he pondered how to start the conversation to fish for information.

The original owner was an old client of Xu Qingshan, but his last appointment was half a year ago. The two didn't usually talk and shouldn't be friends, just having an ordinary doctor-patient relationship. With the System backing him up, Xie Yu wasn't worried about his identity being seen through.

Xie Yu got into his car and set the navigation. Qingshan Psychiatric Hospital was located in the suburbs. He drove for about 40 minutes and entered the hospital's parking lot.

Director Xu's consultation room was on the third floor of the hospital. Xie Yu went straight up in the elevator. He found the specific location, pushed the door open, and came face-to-face with an elegant man.

Xu Qingshan was in his early thirties this year and well-maintained. His entire person exuded a refined and scholarly aura. Seeing Xie Yu, he lightly pushed up his glasses, "Xiao Yu... Mr. Xie, please take a seat."

Xie Yu sat down opposite him, only to see Xu Qingshan inspect his face before smiling, "Your condition is much better than before."

Xie Yu said, "Indeed, I've been feeling more comfortable lately. Perhaps I've just let things go."

He didn't know the original owner's situation, but if a psychiatrist praised his condition as being good, he could probably just brush it off with 'having let things go'.

Xu Qingshan: "According to standard procedure, let's do a psychological test first to see your recent condition."

He took a pen and paper and pushed them to Xie Yu. Printed in black and white on the paper were questions used to evaluate one's mental state.

Before Xie Yu could say anything and just picked up the pen, the System in his mind had already gone crazy with noise.

"No, Host, are you really going to do it? Are you actually going to do it?!"

Xie Yu pressed his forehead. "Keep it down, you're giving me a headache... Why shouldn't I do it?"

"You'll break character." The System was filled with anxiety. "You are a mentally healthy, sound person. If the original owner really had a mental illness and you just randomly fill out the test, it definitely won't match up with him. I've checked this Xu Qingshan; he is a professional psychiatrist who studied abroad and earned a Ph.D. in psychology. He has rich clinical experience. Once he sees a problem, what will we do?"

Xie Yu bit off the pen cap and began to write his answers fluently. "Don't worry, he won't see any problems."

System: "But..."

Xie Yu pressed his index finger against his lips. "Keep your voice down—"

The System froze for two seconds, then immediately typed out three exclamation marks: "!!!"

The fluorescent blue dialog box flashed frantically, and the System anxiously displayed, "How could you make a gesture at me? Xu Qingshan is still watching from across the table; it will expose that you have a System!"

Xie Yu's previous gesture was completely undisguised, and Xu Qingshan took it all in.

Xie Yu: "Don't panic, look at Xu Qingshan."

The System turned its head, only to see Xu Qingshan adjust his glasses, not at all surprised that Xie Yu was talking to thin air. He thoughtfully scrutinized the patient, occasionally lowering his head to type on his computer, recording something.

Twenty minutes later, Xie Yu set down his pen and handed the paper back.

Xu Qingshan took the paper and carefully read it from beginning to end.

The System's heart leaped in fear.

Although it didn't have a physical body, its heart felt as if it had jumped into its throat. It wished it could grab onto something to relieve its anxiety, but it saw Xie Yu lounging in the chair like a granduncle, nonchalantly playing with a pot of pothos on the desk, pinching the leaves and tapping the pot, showing absolutely no sign of nervousness.

System: "..."

Just as it was about to suffocate, Xu Qingshan finally finished looking over the paper. He revealed a slight smile. "Just as I expected, your condition is gradually improving. Although there are still some issues, compared to before, you're doing much better."

Xie Yu's expression remained unchanged. "Is that so? I feel the same."

Xu Qingshan nodded. "Since that's the case, continue taking your previous medication. I'll adjust the prescription and reduce the dosage a bit."

Saying this, he kept nodding, as if sincerely happy for his patient's recovery. Xie Yu observed from the side and suddenly asked, "Doctor, is there a possibility of a full recovery from my illness?"

Hearing this, Xu Qingshan sighed slightly. "Little... Mr. Xie, it's like this. Some things, you still have to let go of yourself. The departed have ultimately passed away. If Madam were still alive, she wouldn't want to see her child like this."

He said this out of nowhere, but Xie Yu seemed to understand. Under the System's bewildered gaze, he nodded. "You're right, but if it were that easy to move on, I wouldn't have been sick for so long."

Afterwards, Xu Qingshan asked a few more questions. Xie Yu answered them one by one, his words watertight. The two conversed back and forth, with Xu Qingshan nodding from time to time, actually not suspecting a thing.

As their conversation neared its end, through the glass window, they heard a bus braking. Qingshan Psychiatric Hospital was located in a remote area with few vehicles coming and going, so the hospital grounds were quiet, making the sound of the brakes exceptionally distinct.

Xie Yu took a sip of tea. "What's the situation? Delivering patients by the busload?"

Xu Qingshan looked down from the window and laughed. "It's some volunteers from a school. They help us do a day's work, take some pictures for their publicity department. They come once or twice every year."

The two exchanged a few more pleasantries. Xu Qingshan handed Xie Yu the prescription and told him to go get his medicine. The afternoon consultation was then concluded.

Xie Yu went down in the elevator and happened to run into the volunteers coming up the stairs. The leader held a small flag that read 'A University Volunteer Group'. He gave them a cold glance and then headed towards the pharmacy.

In the crowd, Shen Ci paused his movements.

This was a student volunteer activity organized by A University. Coming to a psychiatric hospital in the distant suburbs to be a volunteer for a day, look around, sweep the floor, and cooperate with the publicity committee for photos yielded a 200 yuan subsidy. It was easy money for little work, and Shen Ci had only managed to snatch a spot relying on Li Yue's connections.

But he never would have imagined that he would run into Xie Yu here.

And a Xie Yu like this, at that.

The Young Master of the Xie Family was arrogant, domineering, and unrestrained, always wearing a smile on his lips. But when he walked past just now, his expression was cold and lonely, his face pulled tight, without the slightest hint of a smile.

Xie Yu's bone structure and facial contours were actually extremely clear and sharp. They only seemed somewhat softer because he usually wore a smile. Now, with a cold expression and his brow full of weariness, he exuded a stern aura that told strangers to stay away.

A fellow student saw Shen Ci's gaze and looked over curiously. "Senior Shen, do you know that person?"

Xie Yu was tall and good-looking. His back alone was attractive enough.

Shen Ci said, "He's my... friend."

He really couldn't figure out why Xie Yu would appear here.

Young Master Xie lived a life of luxury with luxury cars and brand-name watches. He shouldn't possibly have any mental issues.

Shen Ci pondered for a moment, then called out to the leader, "My friend is here, I'll go ahead first."

Student volunteer activities didn't have strict rules; as long as you were there for the photos, it was fine. The leader waved his hand, gesturing for him to do as he pleased. Shen Ci took two steps forward and followed Xie Yu downstairs.

He stopped in the shadows of a corner and watched Xie Yu enter the pharmacy.

A moment later, Xie Yu picked up his medicine, casually tossed the prescription receipt into a trash can, and strode away.

Shen Ci paused for a moment, then stepped out of the shadows. Standing in front of the trash can, he clearly read the text on the prescription receipt.

"Lamotrigine Dispersible Tablets, three boxes; Lithium Carbonate Tablets, one bottle; Oxcarbazepine Tablets, two boxes..."

All three medications were used to treat bipolar disorder.

He bent down to pick up the prescription receipt, smoothed out the wrinkles, stared at it for a long while, and then tucked it into his breast pocket.

On the other side, Xie Yu had just walked out of the hospital gate when he suddenly slapped his forehead. "How could I forget about the investment?"

He had originally sought out the psychiatric hospital for the sake of investment. As a result, after going through a consultation, he had completely forgotten his main business.

Xie Yu turned back. The System silently appeared in front of him, its fluorescent blue screen bumping into him. "Host, what was with that form just now? You looked so capable and at ease."

It was very difficult for a normal person to pretend to have a mental illness, let alone complete a professional scale without showing any flaws. Yet, Xie Yu hadn't even stopped to think, finishing it smoothly and effortlessly.

Xie Yu let out a laugh. "Because I've had a mental illness too."

System: "?"

"!!!"

It raised its volume, completely incredulous. "What?!"

Xie Yu's expression was calm, entirely uncaring that he had just dropped a shocking bombshell. "I had it in high school. It was mild, not serious, and I've already recovered."

He smiled at the System. "Didn't you say that the original owner and I share a certain degree of similarity, including name, appearance, family background, childhood experiences, etcetera, etcetera? Then it's completely normal that I've experienced the things the original owner has experienced."

The System was stunned. "What?"

Xie Yu was a supporting character in the original book. He had very little screen time and no detailed descriptions, so the System wasn't clear about his background.

Xie Yu spoke as if it were nothing at all. "It's nothing. Just that my father liked to abuse people. He got my mother pregnant out of wedlock, then beat her until she ended up in a psychiatric hospital. After that, he abused his child and wanted to throw the kid into an orphanage. In the end, he discovered his sperm motility was poor, and this was the only child he had to inherit the family business, so he eagerly brought the child back and raised him by his side."

The System momentarily froze. Even though it was clearly an electronic lifeform, it felt as though its breath caught in its throat just like a human's.

It asked carefully, "Did your dad... hit you?"

Xie Yu scoffed. "When you brought my body over? Didn't you see those scars on my back? They were from being beaten when I was a kid."

The System paused, feeling bitter. "It seems there were."

"Thanks" to his family, Xie Yu, just like the original owner, had also suffered from bipolar disorder. It was especially severe during high school, making him unable to study for a time. It was also during that period that he learned to drink, fight, and ride motorcycles. Later, when he became financially independent and distanced himself from his original family, coupled with medical intervention, he finally got better.

"So that's how it is? Was the original owner like this too?" The System felt a little sad and muttered to itself. "Then his extremely short temper and special fetishes are excusable."

Xie Yu sneered. "Bullshit. I went through the same thing, so why aren't I short-tempered?"

He irritably unwrapped a lollipop, touched it with his tongue, and added, "Just because his father was scum and he suffered abuse as a child, he treats innocent people the same way. How is that any different from being scum?"

With the lollipop in his mouth, it didn't have much flavor. Xie Yu couldn't bring himself to eat it, so he simply threw it away. "Forget it, I'll go find Xu Qingshan to talk about the investment first."

He returned to the hospital. At this time, the lobby was full of volunteers. Shen Ci was hidden among them, not drawing any attention. As the two brushed past each other, Xie Yu didn't see Shen Ci, but Shen Ci saw him.

Xie Yu took the elevator up. Shen Ci noted the floor and the duration of the stop, and quietly followed him.

He saw Xie Yu go up to the third floor and turn into the director's office, so he pretended to walk by casually and glanced through the glass window.

Xu Qingshan was sitting at the consultation desk, holding a dark green medical record in his hand. Nowadays, most hospitals had gone digital, but Director Xu still retained the habit of handwriting medical records. The edges of this medical record were curled, and the inner pages were yellowed and faded. It had clearly been in use for a long time.

Xie Yu sat across from him, his fingers holding a lollipop in the posture of holding a cigarette. The romantic and hedonistic aura around him had completely faded away. As he leaned back in the chair, his temperament was cold and detached.

Xu Qingshan pushed up his glasses. "You want to invest in my hospital?" He smiled helplessly. "There's no need for this, Xiao Yu. I'm not short of money."

"I have nowhere to spend it anyway," Xie Yu interrupted. "Use it to help the patients, expand the hospital, add some infrastructure, or set up a relief fund. It's up to you. If you leave it in my hands, I'll only end up buying cars and watches."

He had to stick to the original owner's character setting. Seriously investing was out of the question; if the investment was successful, how would the future plot of studying abroad proceed?

Xu Qingshan paused and sighed slightly. "Alright, I'll hold onto it for you first."

Xie Yu: "I'll go find a reliable lawyer to see how to draft the contract. I'll come find you when everything is negotiated."

After saying that, he gathered his clothes, stood up, and left.

Shen Ci turned sideways and hid in the adjacent office just as Xie Yu walked out of the room. This was the third floor of the hospital, mostly administrative offices with no doctors or patients, so it was very spacious and empty. Not long after, two young women dressed as clerks came from the other side, just happening to brush past Xie Yu.

They put down their reports and looked back at Xie Yu. The taller girl asked in a low voice, "Who was that guy walking past? A family member? He's pretty handsome."

The petite, round-faced girl shook her head. "Handsome, isn't he? And very rich too. It's a pity he's not a family member; he's a patient."

She pointed and added, "He's also somewhat related to our director. It's said the director is his younger uncle. Back then, the reason the director chose his specialty was reportedly related to his illness."

A patient in a psychiatric hospital could only mean they had a mental illness.

The taller girl was somewhat astonished. That young man was handsome enough to be a movie star. His gait and demeanor were calm and natural, standing out even more than a model's. He completely didn't look like he had any problems. She wanted to ask more but was tapped on the head by the shorter girl, who scolded her with a smile, "Stop asking about patient privacy. Go organize the documents."

As they spoke, they gradually walked further away.

Shen Ci walked out from the shadows. The crumpled prescription receipt was in his pocket, the sharp folded corners of the paper pressing against his skin through the thin layer of fabric, cutting in a bit uncomfortably.

Xie Yu... is really a patient?

Young Master Xie had always lived a life of luxury and fine food, dismissing everything around him, like a lazy big cat. No matter what, Shen Ci couldn't link him to bipolar disorder.

At this moment, his phone vibrated. The leader was asking, "Senior Shen, where are you? We're getting ready for the group activity."

Graduate students generally didn't participate in this kind of activity. Because Shen Ci was short on funds, he was an exception, and everyone else on the team called him 'Senior'.

Shen Ci smoothed out the prescription receipt through his clothes and typed out: "Coming."

Xie Yu returned to the hotel, locked the medication in the cabinet, and didn't touch it again.

The System was rather worried. "Don't you need to take some?"

Xie Yu was speechless. "I already told you, I'm not sick now. I only had it briefly in high school."

Mental illnesses were also graded by severity. Xie Yu was naturally open-minded and had no hurdles he couldn't overcome. He had a mild episode in high school, but it wasn't severe enough to require medication. Later, when he gained financial independence, he slowly recovered.

System: "But..."

"No buts." Xie Yu held his forehead, feeling a headache coming on. "Look at my current mental state. Do I look sick to you?"

The System said cautiously, "You do."

Xie Yu: "."

Speechless, he pushed the System away. "Stop blabbering and quickly check what plot is coming up next. I remember there's a plot point tonight."

"Oh, oh, oh, let me check." The System scrambled in a flurry. "There is a plot point. There is an entire chapter of plot."

An entire chapter of plot meant it was a relatively important major plot point. Xie Yu opened the novel. "What is the chapter name?"

"The chapter name is—'Coercion After Drinking'."

"Pfft—" Xie Yu spat out a mouthful of hot tea, finding it unbelievable. "What?!"