Chapter 111: I Keep Having the Same Dream (First Update)
"Matches the symptoms of the little boy? He also likes visiting haunted houses?" Dr. Gao successfully piqued Chen Ge's curiosity.
"Chronic lethargy, occasional bouts of irritability, a preference for staying alone in dark places to feel safe—as for whether he likes visiting haunted houses, I'm not entirely sure." Dr. Gao took a step to the side, revealing a young man behind him. "Men Nan, fell ill three weeks ago. He's my student."
The person behind Dr. Gao was just over twenty, thin-built, with a tight face, prominent cheekbones, and sunken eyes. Standing in the sunlight, fine beads of sweat seeped from his forehead. He seemed perpetually tense, head slightly lowered, avoiding eye contact with anyone.
"There's someone with the surname Men?" Chen Ge tried to greet him. "Hello."
The young man behaved oddly. Still keeping his head down, he rolled his eyes upward to glance quickly at Chen Ge and replied in a low voice, "Hello."
After sizing up the young man for a while, Chen Ge pulled Dr. Gao aside. "Wait, why did you bring this guy to my haunted house? If you're planning to let him go in and something happens, I can't take that responsibility."
"Men Nan is a cheerful, confident kid and one of my most promising students. He has a talent in personality psychology that even surprises me."
"Personality psychology?"
"One branch of psychology—simply put, it studies a person's unique behavioral patterns."
"Oh." Chen Ge nodded but still didn't quite get it.
"He suddenly fell ill three weeks ago, with no warning. Psychological disorders usually have a trigger, often related to family or living environment. But Men Nan lives alone, and his environment, the people he interacts with, and his daily routines haven't changed at all. That puzzled me."
"After multiple sessions of psychological counseling, his condition didn't improve—it worsened rapidly." Dr. Gao lowered his voice, clearly not wanting Men Nan to hear. "This kid rarely lost his temper before, but lately, his emotions are extremely unstable. He even got into a physical fight with his roommate over the asymmetry of animal patterns on the curtains, flipped over a cafeteria table because he couldn't count the sesame seeds on a pie, and splashed soup on a complete stranger."
"Those are some pretty bizarre reasons to get angry."
"When someone's suffering, even the slightest trigger can explode all their emotions. Men Nan's actions made me realize how much pain he's really in."
"But why come to me?" Chen Ge looked at Dr. Gao and Men Nan. The special guest hinted at by the black phone was likely one of these two.
"Wang Xin's condition has improved a lot. The uncontrollable symptoms started turning around the day she met you." Dr. Gao smiled. "I'm not a rigid person. Whatever method works to heal a patient and save a life is a good method. I understand the pain they're going through, so I'm asking for your help."
"Go on." Chen Ge didn't refuse Dr. Gao.
"Could you try the same approach you used with Wang Xin on Men Nan? Given the situation, Men Nan, Wang Xin, and the little boy we discussed earlier all show similar symptoms."
After hearing Dr. Gao out, Chen Ge hesitated. He hadn't expected Dr. Gao to come to him for this reason. It was probably because yesterday's treatment of Wang Xin had left a deep impression on the seasoned psychologist, prompting this request.
But only Chen Ge knew the truth. He had unlocked Wang Xin's heart by learning her past through the spirit board, and with the spirit's active help, it worked. That method couldn't be replicated—it was unique.
"Having trouble?" Dr. Gao noticed Chen Ge's hesitation. "If it's too much trouble, forget it. I just came to give it a shot. This kid has great potential, but relying on medication would have severe side effects on his mind and body. I'm worried it'll ruin his future."
"It's a bit tricky, but not impossible. If you want my help, at least let me ask him some basic questions." Chen Ge didn't outright refuse. One of Dr. Gao and Men Nan was a special guest, and every special guest was a hidden "asset" he couldn't afford to miss.
"I'll thank you on his behalf." Dr. Gao's face lit up with a smile as he called Men Nan over. "Men Nan, tell him what's troubling you."
The young man kept his head down, no matter who he spoke to, as if something was pressing on top of it.
Seeing him silent, Dr. Gao sighed and spoke for him. "Three weeks ago, this kid came to me, saying he thought he had depression. We're professionals, so after an afternoon of diagnosis, I found his symptoms weren't typical depression—just excessive fatigue and anxiety. I didn't think much of it at first, but then Men Nan's condition worsened. He'd go whole days without saying a word, and the slightest thing would trigger hysterical arguments or fights, as if he was venting something. After a lot of analysis, I reached a conclusion he refused to admit—he's terrified inside, absolutely terrified!"
"I suspected he had a phobia, but I checked his living environment and found no triggers. Finally, after pressing him repeatedly, he told me the truth." Dr. Gao looked at Men Nan with some pity. "Starting three weeks ago, he has the same dream every night."
At the mention of the dream, Men Nan shuddered. It was clearly something he dreaded recalling.
"What does he dream about?" Chen Ge had imagined many terrifying scenarios, but Dr. Gao's answer still caught him off guard.
"He dreams about washing his hair."
"Washing his hair?" Chen Ge was speechless, unsure what to say.
"I'll let him tell you the rest." Dr. Gao placed a hand on Men Nan's shoulder, gently rubbing it to help him relax.
After a long pause, Men Nan finally spoke. "It's always the same dream, getting clearer each time. I'll soon see who that person is."
His voice was hoarse, as if his throat had been scorched.
"See who? There's someone else in your dream?"
"Yeah, he always stands next to me, watching me wash my hair. He looks terrifying, like if I close my eyes, he'll rush over and strangle me."