After adjusting the position, the heart monitor finally displayed an undulating electrocardiogram.
The doctor glanced at the heart rate and said, “Your heart function is not ideal, your heart rate is slower than the average person.”
Bai Lixin grew concerned, “Is it dangerous?”
The doctor: “Don’t worry too much. The human body is a complex machine, and everything it shows is an adaptation to the surrounding environment. If you don’t usually feel uncomfortable, it’s probably not a big issue. Do you often feel chest tightness or pain?”
Bai Lixin shook his head, then nodded, “Lately, I’ve been experiencing shortness of breath, palpitations, and sometimes even nausea.”
The doctor: “Oh, I’ll write you a full-body examination order. Although I believe your symptoms are psychological, we should still do a comprehensive checkup. Do you have any other symptoms?”
Bai Lixin thought for a moment and hesitated.
Sensing his hesitation, the doctor’s tone grew softer and more encouraging, “It’s okay, you don’t have to say it if you don’t want to.”
“Well, there’s one more thing,” Bai Lixin gritted his teeth and decided to speak up, “I wake up in the mornings with a strange taste in my mouth.”
The doctor’s voice was as soothing as the spring breeze, “What kind of taste? Can you describe it?”
Embarrassed, Bai Lixin blushed, “It tastes like… a man’s semen.”
His voice grew quieter towards the end, but the doctor still heard him.
The doctor was silent for two seconds before saying, “Come with me, I’ll give you a taste test.”
Bai Lixin lowered his head and followed behind the doctor, “Okay.”
A small pearl-sized transparent crystal that was still in its packaging was handed to Bai Lixin, “Taste this and tell me what it tastes like.”
As soon as Bai Lixin put it in his mouth, he immediately spat it out, his face scrunching up like an aggrieved puppy, “Bitter.”
The eyes behind the glasses were calm, and the doctor handed him another white crystal, “Rinse your mouth and try this one.”
Bai Lixin tasted it, “Sweet.”
After trying several different tastes, Bai Lixin was able to distinguish each one.
Finally, the doctor concluded, “Your sense of taste seems normal, but to be thorough, open your mouth and let me check your tongue coating.”
Bai Lixin saw the doctor put on a fresh pair of medical gloves and obediently opened his mouth.
When the rubbery texture touched his tongue, Bai Lixin reflexively wanted to pull back, but quickly suppressed the urge.
His tongue was held gently but firmly between the doctor’s two fingers, which began to rub it back and forth as if playing with it.
Bai Lixin awkwardly tilted his head back, staring at the doctor’s face to distract himself.
The man behind the glasses was focused on examining his mouth, his gaze serious.
Bai Lixin’s attention was drawn to the doctor’s deep-set eyes and thick eyelashes.
Such long and dense eyelashes—like two butterflies fluttering in a rainforest.
The bridge of his nose was also sharp. Logically, such long eyelashes would touch the glasses, but because of the high nose bridge, the glasses are placed in the most suitable position.
He was tall too. He himself wasn’t short, but this doctor was a head taller than him.
He must be nearly 1.90 meters, right?
“Open your mouth a bit wider, and stick your tongue out.”
Bai Lixin complied.
The doctor’s fingers brushed against every part of his mouth, and Bai Lixin could feel his tongue stiffening from the tension.
The doctor’s fingers were so long that when he reached forward, Bai Lixin felt like they were about to touch his throat.
After a long examination, the doctor finally withdrew his fingers, accidentally brushing the tip of Bai Lixin’s tongue. “Alright, you can close your mouth now.”
A soft tissue was handed to him, “Wipe the saliva from the corner of your mouth.”
Bai Lixin: “…”
The doctor gracefully removed his damp gloves, revealing long, slender fingers with distinct joints.
“There are no issues,” the man said gently, “Your tongue coating is light pink, with a balanced level of moisture. We can rule out any taste dysfunction. The strange taste in your mouth could be related to digestive issues or psychological factors. When was the last time you had a gastrointestinal endoscopy?”
Bai Lixin: “I’ve never had one.”
The doctor: “Would you like to schedule one? If you book it now, you can have it done in three days.”
Bai Lixin: “What about the cost…”
The doctor: “Don’t worry about that. I can arrange for you to have a hospital stay, which will reduce your fees by over 70%. You’re still a student, right? Students get additional subsidies. The total for the tests and your medication will be around a thousand yuan.”
Bai Lixin couldn’t believe his ears.
Having bought medication for his mother for years, he knew that psychiatric drugs were not cheap, sometimes costing hundreds for just one treatment course.
Now, a full-body exam along with medication for a thousand yuan seemed incredibly affordable.
According to the doctor, the gastrointestinal exam would require general anesthesia and a one-day hospital stay.
Since he needed to care for Zhou Zirui in the coming days, he scheduled the examination for the following week.
Before he left, the doctor handed Bai Lixin a business card. “My name is Dijia. My contact information is on the card. Feel free to reach out anytime if you have any questions.”
‘Dijia?’
Bai Lixin looked at the card.
[Dijia
First People’s Hospital of B City
Specially Appointed Senior Chief Physician
Doctorate
Specializing in: Psychology, Psychiatry]
It was followed by a phone number.
‘What a rare surname.’
Bai Lixin thanked the doctor and took his test order for the full-body exam.
By the time he finished his tests, it was already noon. On his way back to Bihai Bay, he bought a fruit basket from the Green Orchard on the roadside, and after some rest, he went to visit Song Yuantian.
Song Yuantian’s home was five houses away from Lawyer Zhou Guang’s, almost at the edge of Bihai Bay.
When Song Yuantian opened the door, he looked a bit surprised and dazed, as if he had just woken up.
Song Yuantian was wearing a simple plain-colored long shirt underneath, with a wool coat draped over his shoulders. “What’s the matter?”
His voice was cold and distant, making Bai Lixin feel an instant barrier to communication.
Perhaps because Song Yuantian had just woken up, Bai Lixin noticed that when the other party looked over, his gaze seemed to land somewhere behind his shoulder.
He tightened his grip on the fruit basket. “I came to thank you.”
Song Yuantian’s gaze finally shifted from Bai Lixin’s shoulder to his face, and his expression immediately relaxed, “Oh, it’s you, come in.”
The villa was decorated in an ancient and elegant style, giving off the illusion of traveling through time.
Wooden corridors, a bamboo courtyard, and flowing water—there was hardly any trace of modern construction.
The Border Collie was tied in the courtyard. It started barking as soon as it saw Bai Lixin, the chain rattling noisily.
“Huan Huan, be quiet,” Song Yuantian said, and the Border Collie immediately quieted down, retreating into its kennel.
Bai Lixin followed Song Yuantian into the house. It was decorated with elegant and rustic items Bai Lixin couldn’t name.
The decor was diverse, featuring both elegant porcelain and tribal-style ornaments like animal teeth.
Song Yuantian casually invited Bai Lixin to sit down, his gaze briefly drifting behind Bai Lixin before settling on him again, “I remember your name is Bai Lixin, right? You don’t seem to be in good shape lately.”
“My mental state has been bad ever since I fell into the lake that day,” Bai Lixin said sincerely, “Thank you for pulling me out of the water.”
Song Yuantian: “It was nothing. I told you before, it’s no big deal.”
Bai Lixin: “Not the last time, the time before that, when I fell into the lake. You were the one who saved me, right?”
Song Yuantian’s expression became slightly peculiar, and his gaze once again shifted behind Bai Lixin, “So you’re thanking me for that? Well, you’re thanking the wrong person. I wasn’t the one who saved you.”
Bai Lixin: “Is there someone else living here?”
“No, it’s just me and Lawyer Zhou Guang. Do you really not remember who saved you?”
Bai Lixin frowned and shook his head, “I don’t remember. I thought it was you.”
“By the way, have you been feeling unwell lately?” Song Yuantian poured a cup of hot tea and handed it to Bai Lixin. “For example, feeling cold or having trouble breathing?”
Bai Lixin shook his head, “No, why do you ask?”
“Oh, nothing. You just looked a bit pale. It’s getting colder lately, so I wanted to remind you to stay warm.”
Neither of them was very talkative. Perhaps to break the awkward atmosphere, Song Yuantian turned on the TV.
A close-up of a famous actress appeared on the giant screen.
The actress held a lipstick in her hand, her wavy hair falling gracefully over one side of her face, perfectly complementing her flaming red lips. She looked stunning, like a luxurious flower in full bloom.
Bai Lixin recognized the actress.
He wasn’t one to follow celebrities or entertainment news, but this actress was so popular that it was hard not to know her.
Her name was Hongyue, a holder of several prestigious awards. She had been in the industry for over ten years, but was only twenty-five years old.
She was one of the hottest actresses in the country.
“Oh, it’s Hongyue,” Bai Lixin said, trying to find a topic to lighten the mood. “Is she in a new show?”
Song Yuantian’s previously indifferent expression warmed slightly as he gazed at the actress on TV, “You know Hongyue too?”
Bai Lixin: “Of course, I like her quite a bit.”
Suddenly, a cold wind swept through the room, making Bai Lixin’s back shiver.
He couldn’t help tightening his collar and glanced around in confusion.
‘Was such a well-built villa really drafty?’
Song Yuantian narrowed his eyes and looked in Bai Lixin’s direction, “Let go of him.”
Bai Lixin was startled, “What?”
The wind grew stronger.
The ornaments hanging on the walls rattled loudly, and the vases on the display shelves started to shake.
Song Yuantian abruptly stood up from the sofa.
His lips pressed into a tight line, and his eyes grew cold, teetering on the edge of anger.
Bai Lixin looked at Song Yuantian nervously, and saw him pull a yellow talisman from his pocket. His fingers formed a strange hand sign, and he shouted, “Stop!”
The wind in the room paused for a moment before becoming even fiercer.
The vases on the display shelves crashed to the floor, shattering into pieces, and the windows moaned under the force of the wind.
Standing in the eye of the storm, Song Yuantian remained completely still, not even a strand of hair out of place.
Even as a materialist, Bai Lixin couldn’t help but realize something was very wrong.
He looked outside. The bamboo leaves were swaying gently, as if only a light breeze was blowing.
Bai Lixin shivered and muttered, “It’s so cold.”
The wind suddenly stopped.
The chaotic sounds ceased immediately.
Song Yuantian let out a heavy breath and sank into the sofa, his gaze complex as he looked at Bai Lixin, “You…”
Bai Lixin still had lingering fear in his eyes, “Mr. Song, just now… was that… something… dirty?”
“You kept staring behind me. Was that thing behind me?”
His back suddenly felt cold, and Bai Lixin shuddered involuntarily, instinctively reaching to touch his neck.
Song Yuantian’s expression remained subtle and hard to decipher. He glanced behind Bai Lixin, then back at him, before letting out a soft, heavy sigh, “Bai Lixin, do you really not feel like your body has changed from before?”
Bai Lixin: “It doesn’t seem like it.”
Song Yuantian sighed again, “Hold out your hand.”
Bai Lixin obediently extended his hand, which was immediately grasped by Song Yuantian.
Song Yuantian: “What do you feel? The temperature of my hand?”
Bai Lixin’s eyes widened in surprise, “Why is your hand so hot?”
“Heh,” the silver haired man withdrew his hand, “It’s not that my hand is too hot. It’s that your hand is too cold.”
Bai Lixin: “…”
Song Yuantian’s eyes became sharp, “Bai Lixin, think carefully about how you got ashore that day. What exactly did you do to attract such a terrible being?”
Suddenly, Bai Lixin felt short of breath and stared at Song Yuantian in shock, “What terrible being?”
What was it? Could you not scare him like this?
Do all metaphysicians speak in such vague terms?
Song Yuantian lowered his eyes, “Sorry, I can’t help you. I tried, but I can’t fight it. Good luck.”
Bai Lixin: “…”
Good luck? He didn’t feel the blessing at all.
