“Teacher, here you go.”
Inside a clinic, a little boy dressed in a blue and white robe handed a steaming cup of freshly brewed hot tea to a man shivering under a thick quilt, then used his warm little hands to gently cover him.
Zhang Junfang took the tea and sipped it lightly, his trembling body finally calming down a little.
“Teacher, teacher, are you okay?” Yan Qing asked anxiously. “Should we call a doctor to check on you?”
“I am a doctor myself.” Zhang Junfang reached out and softly rubbed the boy’s soft hair, soothing him in a gentle voice, “Don’t worry, it’s just a common cold with a slight fever.”
“I didn’t expect to catch a cold from air conditioning in the middle of summer.”
Saying this, he sneezed loudly again.
Seeing this, the little boy quickly rummaged through the medicine box, took out a thermometer, and placed it in Zhang Junfang’s mouth.
After doing all this, he scratched his head: “Teacher, teacher, Brother Zhao just called me and said he hopes you can do a follow-up check for Sister Xu. Her old illness flared up again.”
Zhang Junfang, clutching the quilt and with the thermometer in his mouth, twitched the corner of his mouth after hearing this. “Tell him I know, and I’ll be there in a few days.”
“Also, stay away from that Brother Zhao of yours. He’s a total yandere! Sister Xu’s mental illness? Ten out of ten times, it’s his fault.”
“Yandere isn’t a bad thing, right? From what I see, Sister Xu really likes him. Every time they video chat, she clings to Brother Zhao and looks so satisfied.”
The little boy scratched his head in confusion. He had only learned medical skills and some psychological treatment alongside Zhang Junfang, so he knew a bit about the term yandere but didn’t fully understand it.
Moreover, Zhang Junfang always said that theory must be put into practice—words alone are worthless. Yan Qing’s impression of yandere was stuck on the deeply loving Sister Xu and Brother Zhao.
Hearing this, Zhang Junfang nearly jumped out from under the quilt. They say proximity influences character. He had raised this little boy for so long; if he had gone astray, he wouldn’t know where to cry.
After thinking it over, Zhang Junfang decided to give his little boy a proper emotional counseling lesson. After a brief pause, he began, “Yandere is one of the moe attributes in ACGN subculture. Simply put, it’s a kind of ‘unsound psychological disorder,’ a pathological, twisted mentality born from abnormal love, where extreme emotions drive extreme actions.”
“For example, those two you often contact—their relationship has long surpassed that of normal spouses. One is absolutely obedient, dependent, and attached to the other. This relationship no longer falls under normal romance; it’s a deformation of love, even rare in slave-era societies.”
“However, Mr. Zhao’s yandere condition is relatively normal for now, thanks to Sister Xu’s perfect tolerance of him.”
“In psychology, there is a more terrifying type of yandere. They develop overwhelming emotions and obsessions toward certain phenomena that ordinary people cannot understand or accept, driving them to extreme behaviors like obsessive affection, possessiveness, stalking, or destroying anything they can’t have.”
“That kind of yandere is truly frightening.”
Zhang Junfang clicked his tongue several times, then glanced at Yan Qing. “In short, stay away from Brother Zhao. He’s not a good person. The things he’s done deserve the harshest punishment. Understand?”
“Meow~ I don’t understand~~” Yan Qing tilted his head with a clueless expression.
*****
Meanwhile, in the VIP ward bathroom of a hospital in Wanqing.
Ji Yuennian gazed at the bare-chested youth in the mirror—short hair resting on his shoulders, fair skin, well-defined chest muscles, and tall stature. His eyes were deep as a still pond, nose straight and prominent, lips a pale cherry red. He exuded a domineering and aloof aura, somewhat androgynous, giving off the vibe of a cold short-haired older sister.
Ignoring this strange impression, Ji Yuennian looked down at the healed scar on his abdomen, frowning slightly as he gently stroked it.
“Finally able to get out of bed. This wound healed pretty fast, though the zigzag scar looks a bit ugly. But scars are a man’s honor. From another angle, it’s pretty manly!”
“Plus, exchanging one knife for advancing the bill isn’t a loss. Hopefully, the Minor Protection Organization will deliver.”
Having lain in the hospital for two weeks, Ji Yuennian naturally wasn’t just gaming solo; he had also been exchanging intelligence with the Minor Protection Organization on his phone.
According to them, a revised is set to be enacted at the end of the year, with pilot regions including Wanqing City.
Long Qiang and Long Yi were sentenced to suspended execution until the end of this year, which conveniently coincides with the new law’s launch. Holding a knife to injure others, public assault, and disturbing social order would have at least a one-year sentence under the new regulation.
Thinking about those two cocky juvenile delinquents facing a year in prison, Ji Yuennian felt his stabbing pain was worth it.
Jiang Chi really is sharp-minded!
If it weren’t for some grudges between them, he might have considered recruiting him as a subordinate.
Speaking of which, had he forgotten something in the past two weeks? He had a lingering feeling of something slipping from memory, but everything Ji Yuennian needed to do seemed covered. Nothing important missing.
After pondering, he pushed the thought aside. What could he have forgotten? And if it was important, would he have forgotten it?
His gaze then fell on his chest muscles, muttering to himself, “Why do they feel bigger?”
His hand unconsciously pinched the skin. A strange tingling sensation spread through his body, causing his face to flush and heart to skip a beat.
Why does this sensation feel so familiar?
“Yueyue, what are you still doing in the bathroom? The discharge paperwork is ready.” Outside the door, Huang Qingchuan called out after finishing the formalities.
Ji Yuennian responded, suppressing the thought deep down, put on his clothes, and then walked out of the bathroom.
*****
Monday.
The mottled wall was covered with the traces of time, moss growing wildly in the damp corners. The alley reeked of decay and old rot, as if forgotten by time in some remote spot.
Jiang Chi waited quietly at the dark, damp alley entrance as usual for half a quarter of an hour. He carried a shoulder bag, his posture upright yet radiating an indescribable loneliness.
Only when the watch on his wrist beeped, signaling class was about to start, did he turn to leave.
She might come back tomorrow. Or she might never come back…
“Senior Jiang!”
At that moment, a soft voice suddenly broke the silence.
The voice was like a ray of light piercing through darkness, striking crisply in the almost deathly quiet alley, like a stone thrown into a still lake, instantly shattering the silence.
Jiang Chi’s figure froze abruptly.