IX
That morning, Su Tang sat in her office organizing Lu Shiyan's file.
She wrote carefully, stroke by stroke:
Patient: Lu Shiyan
Gender: Male
Age: 25
Occupation: Entrepreneur
Chief Complaint: Severe insomnia for three months, accompanied by anxiety, tension, and mild paranoia.
Preliminary Diagnosis: Anxiety-induced insomnia from prolonged stress, with mild delusional symptoms.
Treatment Plan:
Phase One (Days 1–7): Relaxation and adaptation. Help patient adjust to the environment and build trust. Reduce anxiety through regular routine, light exercise, and counseling.
Phase Two (Days 8–14): Intensive treatment. Develop personalized plan based on patient's progress, including art therapy, exercise therapy, group therapy, etc.
Phase Three (Day 15 onward): Consolidation and recovery. Help patient establish healthy lifestyle habits to prevent relapse.
Note: Patient has a reserved personality, strong defenses. Progress must be gradual. Do not rush.
After writing, Su Tang looked at the note and added one more line:
Patient background: Orphan. Lacks sense of security. Needs emotional support and companionship.
She put down her pen, leaned back in her chair, and exhaled.
Lu Shiyan.
Richest man in Jiangcheng.
Her patient.
Su Tang smiled to herself. "Mom, you said being a director was worthless. Let's see what you say when I cure the richest man in Jiangcheng."
She stood up and walked to the window, looking out at the courtyard.
Uncle Wang was teaching the "alien" tai chi, moving slowly as if in slow motion. Lin Xiaonuan sat on the steps playing on her phone. Dr. Zhang was washing vegetables nearby.
Everything was chaotic. Run-down. Unconventional.
But Su Tang found she didn't mind it.
At least it was better than the cold Su family mansion.
At least here, she wasn't the Su family's eldest daughter. Wasn't her mother's puppet. She was just a doctor who wanted her patients to get better.
A slightly unconventional doctor.
Su Tang stretched and returned to her desk to write her "unique treatment plan."
She wrote and smiled, like a child who'd stolen candy.
Lu Shiyan, just wait.
X
At 2 PM, Lu Shiyan woke to knocking.
He'd slept over ten hours last night and now a nap—the first nap he'd taken in three months.
"Who is it?" His voice was groggy.
"Su Tang." The voice outside was gentle. "Mr. Lu, are you awake? I'd like to talk with you."
Lu Shiyan sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Come in."
Su Tang entered with a folder.
"Sorry to disturb your rest." She smiled. "But I wanted to go over the treatment plan with you."
"Go ahead."
Su Tang sat across from him and opened the folder. "Mr. Lu, based on your condition, I've created a preliminary treatment plan. Phase one is relaxation and adaptation, about a week. During this week, you'll need to do a few things."
"What things?"
"First, regular routine. Wake at six, lights out at nine, one-hour nap after lunch."
"Nine?" Lu Shiyan frowned. "That's too early."
"It's not." Su Tang didn't flinch. "Your body needs rest. Nine is the baseline."
Lu Shiyan didn't argue—he'd slept well last night.
"Second, regular meals. Three meals a day. No skipping."
"I don't skip."
"You didn't eat last night."
"It was too salty."
"Then tell Dr. Zhang to use less salt." Su Tang smiled. "But skipping isn't an option."
Lu Shiyan paused. "What else?"
"Third, do the exercises every morning."
"No."
"Mr. Lu…" Su Tang's voice grew gentler. "The exercises will help your body. Improve circulation, relieve muscle tension…"
"No."
"Do you want to cure your insomnia?"
Lu Shiyan looked at her.
"If you want to cure it, you need to listen to me." Su Tang's tone was firm. "I'm the doctor. I know what's best for you."
They held each other's gaze.
Lu Shiyan looked away first. "Fine. The exercises."
Su Tang cheered silently but kept her composure. "Fourth, spend at least half an hour each day talking with other patients."
"About what?"
"Anything. The weather, gossip, life." Su Tang smiled. "You're too closed off. You need to learn to communicate with people."
"I communicate." Lu Shiyan said. "Every day. Meetings. Negotiations. Signing contracts."
"That's work, not communication." Su Tang shook her head. "Real communication is letting your guard down and sharing your thoughts and feelings with someone."
Lu Shiyan was quiet for a long time.
Finally, he said quietly, "I don't know how."
It was barely a whisper, like admitting failure.
Su Tang paused, then said gently, "That's okay. I'll teach you."
Lu Shiyan looked at her and saw something in her eyes—warmth without agenda. The simple desire to help.
Something inside him softened.
"Okay," he said.
Su Tang smiled brightly.
"Then it's settled." She stood up. "Starting tomorrow, you're my VIP patient."
Lu Shiyan looked at her smile and sensed something behind it.
But he was too tired to figure it out.
After she left, he lay back down and stared at the water stain on the ceiling, slowly closing his eyes.
He dreamed.
In his dream, he was in a large courtyard with rows of vegetables. Su Tang was beside him, laughing. Uncle Wang was teaching a child divination. The "alien" was flying in the sky…
A strange dream, but warm.
When he woke, he found himself smiling.
Lu Shiyan froze, touching his face.
He hadn't smiled in a very long time.
Outside the window, the sun was setting. Uncle Wang's off-key voice floated up from the courtyard: "The sun sets in the west, the red clouds fly…"
Lu Shiyan lay there, listening to the out-of-tune singing, and thought—
Maybe this place wasn't so bad after all.