Chapter 597
Chapter 597
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 597
>Chapter Title: Wu Cheng
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When the girl shouted that out, not only did the people in Li Huowang's circle scoot back a few steps with their stools, but even the other mental patients in their own circles distanced themselves.
The previously somewhat normal atmosphere in the room gradually grew tense, as the patients' murmurs turned into a clamor.
Just as Li Huowang sensed things might spiral out of control, Wu Cheng stepped forward. "Everyone, patients, no need to panic. This classmate Li Huowang did indeed make quite a few unintentional mistakes in the past due to his condition, but now!"
He paused for a moment before walking over to Li Huowang's side and clapping a hand on his shoulder like a good brother, giving it a shake.
"But now, his condition has been effectively controlled! It won't be long before he's probably discharged!"
"You've all seen the news from back then! Look, even someone who went that crazy could be cured. What do you all have to fear? No one's illness can be worse than his was back then, right?"
"So, everyone! Look forward! As long as you're in the hospital, fully cooperating with the doctors' treatment, taking your meds on time! One day, you'll all be able to return to society just like him!"
Seeing the patients' emotions gradually stabilize under Wu Cheng's reassurances beside him, Li Huowang couldn't help but gain a new respect for this junior fellow apprentice of Yi Donglai. The guy really had a way with words.
"Classmate Li Huowang, as our model patient, want to say a few words? Encourage everyone?"
Hearing Wu Cheng, Li Huowang quickly shook his head. He had zero interest in giving speeches to mental patients.
Under Wu Cheng's soothing, the clamor gradually returned to calm. Aside from the occasional sneaky glances toward Li Huowang from other stool circles, nothing else changed.
Li Huowang touched his nose. He'd thoroughly made a name for himself now. That untouchable aura from his time in the White Tower Ward was probably coming back to him.
But he didn't care. He just needed to stay quietly here until discharge.
"Come on, come on, Li, first time here, you don't know everyone yet. We're all one group from now on. How about a little self-introduction?" Wu Cheng's words made Li Huowang look toward the others.
"I'm Zhang Shui'e. H-hello." The elderly woman with anxiety disorder spoke up.
Seeing no one else follow, the buzz-cut young man with bipolar disorder jumped in right away. "Wei Shili."
As they introduced themselves one by one, Li Huowang learned that the depressive girl was named Zhao Ting, and the schizophrenic was Wang Wangshu.
To Li Huowang's surprise, even the autistic one, under Wu Cheng's guidance, spelled out his name on his phone: Zhang Jinzhong.
"Doctor Wu, impressive. You can even treat autism."
Wu Cheng smiled as he pocketed the phone. "This isn't treatment, just helping him express himself. For patients like Jinzhong with this type of autism, their train of thought is fragmented. They can't think linearly. For him, one second might be now, the next could be an hour later. But that doesn't mean he doesn't want to communicate. With the right tools, he can express himself just fine."
"Oh, I see." Li Huowang nodded in understanding, looking at the autistic patient beside him. He had to admit, this guy had it worse than him. He still had a shot at recovery, but this one would be stuck in fragmented thoughts forever.
Under Wu Cheng's lead, the patients began encouraging each other, opening up, even playing little games to break the ice. It left Li Huowang feeling a bit awkward.
The method was old-school, but it worked. By the end, though the others still feared Li Huowang a bit, they at least didn't show it and could talk normally.
The morning passed just like that. Lunchtime arrived.
Given Li Huowang's steadily stabilizing condition, he could now go to the cafeteria himself instead of having someone fetch his food for him.
He'd just stood up when Zhao Ting, the depressive girl, came over to his side, tears streaming down her face in agony. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have shouted back then. I got everyone to recognize you. I mess up everything I do. I'm really useless..."
Seeing her dig her nail into her own flesh, Li Huowang knew it was bad. She was starting to pile on massive guilt over something trivial again. If it kept building, her condition would worsen.
"Sis, you're great. You didn't do anything wrong. You have nothing to apologize to me for. You should've shouted out who I was. I'm dangerous, right? By shouting it, you were warning everyone! You were doing a good deed! Remember, you don't owe anyone anything. No need to blame yourself!"
"Really?" The pain on Zhao Ting's face eased a little.
"Yeah, don't overthink it, absolutely don't. Go eat. Take a good nap after, then take your meds. Looks like your dosage is a bit strong."
It took Li Huowang some effort to talk Zhao Ting away. The moment he turned, he saw Wu Cheng standing right behind him, smiling at him. "Not bad. You've dealt with depressives before?"
"Something like that. These patients get bullied easily. Sometimes I can't stand by and help out." Li Huowang followed the other patients toward the cafeteria.
"Bullied? Which hospital were you at before? No surveillance? That unregulated?"
"Not the big stuff you think. Just swiping a bite of your meat at meals, sneaking snacks from home. That kind of bullying. Do doctors handle stuff that small?"
"Don't underestimate mental patients. Even among us crazies, there are good ones and bad ones. Some are just petty, think they've scored big snagging a snack. They pick on depressives who won't even fart back. Try that on someone with severe mania or schizophrenia—they wouldn't dare."
Wu Cheng nodded and pulled out a notebook, jotting something down quickly. "Thanks. Some details, us doctors really don't get like you patients do. I'll report what you said upstairs."
“What’s the point? Where there are people, there’s jianghu. A mental hospital is no different—you can’t manage every little thing.”
Chatting idly with him, Li Huowang reached the cafeteria. He grabbed an iron tray from the side and lined up for food.
After getting a plate of scallion stir-fried tofu, he heard Wu Cheng from behind. "After lunch, stay in your room, don't wander. Treatment starts this afternoon."
"Treatment? I'm better. What treatment?" Wu Cheng's words left Li Huowang utterly confused.
According to Yi Donglai, he just needed to stay put long enough to get discharged. What was this treatment now? Better and still treating what?—