Chapter 610
Chapter 610
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 610
>Chapter Title: Yang Na
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In the reception hall of Kangding Hospital, whether it was family members visiting patients or the staff, everyone couldn't help turning their gaze to the southeast corner of the hall. It was all because a girl with delicate features and a slender figure was sitting there quietly.
In a place like this, girls like her were rarely seen.
Yang Na was wearing her pure white sweater under her red down jacket, a small backpack slung over her shoulder. She sat sideways on the bench, her clasped hands gripped tightly on her thighs, looking somewhat restless as she waited for something.
Today's Yang Na had clearly dressed up carefully, as if to cover the fatigue on her face. She had even put on some light makeup.
Amid the strands of hair draping over her left shoulder, a delicate and classical jade earring swayed gently with her glances left and right.
Yang Na picked up her phone with its furry case and checked the time before pulling out some light-colored lipstick and a mirror from her bag.
After reapplying her lipstick, she gently pursed her soft lips.
When she heard someone up front call her name, Yang Na hurriedly grabbed the white bag at her feet with both hands and trotted over.
The moment she joyfully stepped into a room, the delight and excitement on her face came to an abrupt halt. It was because she saw Li Huowang behind the iron bars.
"Why do you have to lock him up for family visits?! Other mental hospitals aren't like this! This isn't a prison!"
Seeing Li Huowang wronged like this made her voice rise in anger.
"Na'na, it's fine."
Yang Na ignored the caregiver's explanations and rushed to the iron bars, grasping tightly onto Li Huowang's hands that reached out from inside.
When she saw the silver-white iron handcuffs on Li Huowang's wrists, tears instantly beaded on Yang Na's eyelashes.
Li Huowang quickly comforted the girl before him.
"Don't cry. Don't be sad, Na'na. I'm really doing well now. No need to feel bad for me."
"This hospital's pretty good. The doctors are all responsible, the food's decent, the other patients are kind, and I've even made a bunch of friends inside."
"Plus, my illness is almost cured for real. I just need to stay a little longer, and I'll be discharged! Then we can meet up freely outside."
Under Li Huowang's comforting words, Yang Na's tears ultimately didn't fall.
"Na'na, how did you know to come here? Who told you I was at this hospital?"
Li Huowang was utterly surprised that Yang Na had come looking for him. He had never imagined their reunion would happen in a mental hospital.
Yang Na lowered her head and gently rubbed her cheek against the back of his hand.
"Auntie told me. She said your illness was better now, that you wouldn't go crazy anymore and could recognize people clearly."
"You know what? When I got that call, I was so happy I couldn't sleep for two days and nights. Your illness really is better."
Li Huowang felt a bit helpless. His mother cared about him deeply, but she had a way of meddling that sometimes made things worse.
He had planned to reach out to Yang Na only after he was discharged, but she had beaten him to it.
"Na'na, I heard you got sick? You feeling better lately?"
Li Huowang asked Yang Na with concern.
"Mine's really mild. It stabilized once I started taking meds."
As she spoke, Yang Na gave a light smile.
"You know what? When the doctor told me I was sick, I was thrilled. I even thought maybe we'd end up in the same hospital."
Yang Na was lying, and the worldly Li Huowang could tell right away. Any illness that needed meds to stabilize couldn't be called mild.
Mild cases were just depression—not depressive disorder—and required no medication. The gap between the two was wider than an ocean trench.
Depression was merely an emotion, like a dark cloud overhead. Given time, it would drift away on its own.
But depressive disorder was like keeping a black dog that robbed you of the ability to feel joy, draping everything in a pall of oppression.
The dog shadowed you everywhere, never leaving your side. The more you fixated on it, the bigger it grew.
Sometimes it'd swell up, other times it'd inexplicably shrink, but big or small, it never vanished.
Without treatment, that black dog stuck with you for life, smothering any chance of happiness.
If a life was fated to be nothing but endless despair, pitch-black as far as the eye could see, then self-destructive urges were hardly surprising.
And once you had the illness, even if you recovered and stopped the meds later, any major blow could bring it roaring back.
"Na'na."
Li Huowang looked earnestly into her eyes.
"Don't worry. Once I'm out, whatever you're facing, we can tackle it together."
Yang Na bit her lip gently and nodded hard. Then, as if remembering something, she quickly released Li Huowang's hand and lifted the translucent plastic bag from the floor.
"Look, Huowang—these are all your favorite snacks. I bought tons: liqueur chocolates, stone cookies, tomato chips. Hide 'em good so nobody swipes them."
"And I got some other stuff you'll use too."
As Yang Na went through each item one by one, the mood lightened up considerably, smiles creeping onto their faces.
This meeting was nothing like their past ones. Li Huowang's illness was better now; he was free from those hallucinations. At last, they could dare to hope for a future.
Yang Na never let go of Li Huowang's hands once, murmuring softly about the plans she'd made for after his discharge.
The moment he got out, she'd take him to all the fun spots, the best eats—to make up for every lost year.
Time flew. Family visit hours were nearly up.
"Does it scar on your chest there?"
Li Huowang gazed intently at the white sweater peeking from Yang Na's down jacket.
The smile faded from Yang Na's face.
"Six stitches. Left a little mark."
"Na'na, I'm sorry. Back then..."
Li Huowang's face twisted with intense conflict.
Yang Na smiled again, cutting him off.
"It's fine. Besides, no one but you will ever see it in the future. Long as you don't mind."
"Look, Huowang—the birthday gift you gave me? I still have it!"
Yang Na brushed her hair aside lightly, revealing the jade earring dangling below her round earlobe.
"Oh, right—Huowang, where'd you get this earring? My best friend says it's super valuable. Hope it didn't cost too much?"
She said it casually, like small talk.
But right after, she froze slightly, eyes flicking to Li Huowang behind the bars.
"Weren't you in the hospital the whole time? How'd you go out and buy stuff? Oh yeah—and that jade pendant."
Li Huowang's pupils shrank just a bit.
"Did I?"
"Yeah—the one worth four hundred grand."