Chapter Thirty-Three: The Overlooked Detail

The sick person is Zhuo Yan’s boyfriend?

Lu Yuan knew little about Zhuo Yan and had not reviewed her file, yet he subconsciously felt she was not lying. Zhuo Yan seemed to have found someone to confide in and began to recount the events involving her and Zhuang Dong. Lu Yuan listened in silence.

The sick person was Zhuang Dong. Half a year ago, Zhuang Dong had suddenly become erratic, acting paranoid and constantly on edge, as if wary of someone. To care for him, Zhuo Yan frequently took leave from work. One day, Zhuang Dong returned home in an excited state, telling her that there was truly another person living in his mind—a psychologist named An Shi had told him so, and there could be no mistake.

To manage his emotional state, Zhuo Yan feigned agreement while secretly investigating An Shi’s background. Upon discovering that An Shi was, in fact, a renowned psychologist in S City who had treated thousands of patients, her skepticism waned. These achievements were common knowledge, easily verified with a simple online search.

"Did An Shi ever treat your boyfriend?" Lu Yuan asked. He had a nagging suspicion that An Shi had never intended to treat Zhuang Dong, but rather, had been intentionally inducing a psychological state. It was a simple case of suggestion: when someone feels they are mentally unwell and falls into a cycle of panic and anxiety, they desperately crave external validation. When that validation comes from an authority figure, the psychological suggestion that they are "sick" is reinforced. Zhuang Dong was that victim, and An Shi played the role of the authority.

"No," Zhuo Yan shook her head. "Zhuang Dong visited An Shi’s home every few days, but each time he returned, his symptoms didn't improve—they only grew worse." As she spoke, hatred flared in her eyes, and she glanced darkly toward the bathroom.

Lu Yuan touched his nose. Being trapped in An Shi’s skin felt increasingly dangerous; he needed to return to his own body as soon as possible. He sorted through the facts: what was An Shi’s motive? There had to be something special about Zhuang Dong.

"How did you die?" Lu Yuan asked, puzzled.

Zhuo Yan remained silent for a long time. "Zhuang Dong killed me, right inside An Shi’s villa."

Lu Yuan instinctively assumed that Zhuang Dong had been hypnotized by An Shi, leading him to commit such an inhumane and heinous act. Since An Shi had also become a specter, it was logical to assume he was dead in reality as well, likely killed by Zhuang Dong.

Zhuo Yan shook her head. "I don’t know how An Shi died. I died before him."

Lu Yuan nodded. That made sense. Having arrived in this world before An Shi, Zhuo Yan had become a specter and remained unaware of what transpired afterward in the real world. Lu Yuan felt a flicker of relief; it was fortunate that Zhuo Yan had only recently become a specter and still retained a trace of her human conscience, allowing them to sit and talk calmly. If he had encountered a spirit that had been here for years, it likely wouldn't have bothered with conversation.

Yet, one thing nagged at him: if Zhuo Yan died first and became a specter first, why was An Shi’s power greater than hers? Shouldn't a specter’s strength grow from the foundation up, like cultivation in a novel? It was strange and illogical.

Lu Yuan shook his head, pushing the thought aside. He now understood the source of Zhuo Yan’s hatred. An Shi was one target; he possessed the skill to treat Zhuang Dong but chose to worsen his condition, reinforcing the delusion. Even if An Shi hadn't been able to cure him, Zhuo Yan wouldn't have felt such profound malice. The betrayal of a doctor’s oath was what she couldn't forgive. Her second target, of course, was Zhuang Dong—the man who had murdered her while in full possession of his senses.

Lu Yuan’s eyes flickered. If he could lure Zhuang Dong into this world to let Zhuo Yan vent her hatred, could he potentially increase her favorability toward him? The possibility was high.

"Since you’ve decided to send me to Mingzhi Primary School, I’ll do you a favor in return. Is there anything you need?" Lu Yuan reminded himself to treat Zhuo Yan as a peer rather than a monster to maintain this rapport.

Zhuo Yan’s gaze was inscrutable. "What if I told you to kill Zhuang Dong and turn him into a specter?"

Lu Yuan laughed awkwardly. "Murder is illegal."

Zhuo Yan, being a specter, was beyond the reach of human law, but Lu Yuan was still a living person bound by the constraints of society.

"I only want Zhuang Dong dead," she replied, unsurprised by his refusal. "Other than that, I need nothing."

This was a dilemma. His only path to gaining her favor was through An Shi or Zhuang Dong, but he had already exhausted An Shi’s utility, and he could not bring himself to commit murder.

"Keep reading," Lu Yuan said, rising to head toward the bedroom. "I’m tired."

Zhuo Yan watched him until the bedroom door clicked shut. Lying on the bed, Lu Yuan replayed their conversation, his mind cluttered. He felt as though he had overlooked something critical. Was Zhuo Yan lying? It was possible, but unlikely—there was no point in her deceiving him since he would never kill for her. Yet, the feeling of unease persisted. He had definitely missed something.