Chapter 1 The Snail

"Is that voice in your heart still talking to you recently?"

In a separate consulting room of the Mental Health Center, a doctor in a white coat asked questions while looking through the medical records.

Sitting on the other side of the consultation table was a young man in his early twenties.

Quiet and well-behaved.Not aggressive.

This is his first impression.

And the young man's gaze also stayed on the window sill, on the potted green plant.

It was a pot of green radishes.Well maintained, with long branches hanging from the windows.

When the wind blows, the sun dances on the green leaves.

"...Jiang Yao?"

Dr. Wen Lingxi looked up from the medical records.

Realizing that his patient was distracted again, Dr. Wen smiled helplessly.

tuk tuk.

Doctor Wen tapped lightly on the table in front of Jiang Yao.

However, this attempt to regain the patient's attention was futile.

Jiang Yao's eyes were fixed on the pot of green plants, and he even forgot to blink his eyes.

One can't help but wonder, what's so good about that ordinary pot of green radishes that he can't take his eyes off it.

Jiang Yao was always watching the green plants.

Doctor Wen also observed him silently.

After several unsuccessful calls, Dr. Wen sighed and began to record in the medical records.

Jiang Yao, 21 years old.It has been 20 years since was diagnosed with autism.

When he was born, he was no different from other children.The parents also welcomed the arrival of this little life with joy.

But gradually, they realized something was wrong.

At first it was the eyes.

Jiang Yao in his infancy was not full of curiosity about the world like other children.

Whether it's a shiny little toy, or deliberately making noises to attract attention, Jiang Yao rarely responds to his parents' gaze.

He always only sees what he wants to see.

What is he interested in?no one knows.

Because he can't speak.

That's why his parents decided to take him to the doctor.

Jiang Yao's auditory organs and vocal organs are developing normally without any diseases.But he just refused to speak.

The parents held Jiang Yao, who was more than one year old, to see a doctor.After listening to the medical history, the doctor tactfully suggested that they go for autism screening.

Autism, also known as autism.

At that time, Jiang Yao's parents didn't know what kind of disease it was.

They didn't know until the medical certificate came out that it turned out to be a kind of mental illness that was difficult to cure.

Children with autism experience severe developmental disabilities.

The main manifestations are: social difficulties, delayed speech development, and stereotyped ritual behavior.

That's why Jiang Yao, who is only one year old, is unwilling to make eye contact with them and does not respond to their calls.

Children with autism are like living in a glass enclosure.

He cannot understand the outside world.

The outside world couldn't understand him either.

Most affected children have learning disabilities.Seriously, even unable to learn to eat and excrete.

To make matters worse, it is a disease that is very difficult to treat.

Only through continuous treatment and training can patients have the ability to live independently.

As for entering society and becoming a normal person?That was simply impossible.

Jiang Yao was diagnosed with autism when he was just over one year old, which was almost a devastating blow to his parents.

The relatives and friends around also advised them: Hurry up and have another one while they are still young.

This child can't be cured anymore, why don't you give him a younger brother, and when you get old in the future, there will be someone who can take care of him for you.

Jiang Yao's parents thought about it for a long time, but they finally did not accept other people's suggestions.

Instead, he tried his best to treat Jiang Yao's illness.

They don't want to give up on this kid, he's just sick, he's done nothing wrong.

They also don't want to have another child, burdening the second child before it's born.That's not fair.

Therefore, Jiang Yao has been hugged by his parents since he was more than one year old, and has been in and out of major hospitals.

With the unremitting efforts of his parents, Jiang Yao gradually learned to eat, dress, and other simple independent living skills.

At the same time, they were pleasantly surprised to find that although Jiang Yao was difficult to communicate with others, he possessed many amazing talents.

For example, he can never forget.He can recount verbatim even the newspapers he read a few months ago.

For another example, he likes to draw.Although he couldn't accept formal painting courses, his daubed works have a fantastic and magnificent beauty.It has amazed netizens countless times, and even been on the hot search.

That's enough.

Jiang Yao's parents thought with relief: at least, through painting, he can support himself.

Then the accident happened.

Even today, no one can explain how the accident happened.

——In the year when Jiang Yao was 20 years old, he suddenly disappeared.

It was a very ordinary day.The weather was sunny, and Jiang Yao's mother set up a drawing board and asked him to draw in the yard.

Accidentally, the paint fell to the ground.The thick paint stained Jiang Yao's trouser legs.

Mother went into the house and went to get a cloth to wipe.

Just turning around, Jiang Yao disappeared.

There is no gate in the yard.The wall is more than two meters high.

The only way to the outside world is the corridor where the mother is.

However, when the mother came back with the cloth, she only saw the easel standing quietly under the vine trellis.

There are still traces of paint spills on the ground.

The chair was empty.

The mysterious disappearance of a genius painter with autism shocked the whole Internet.

The incident was too bizarre, the police quickly filed a case for investigation, and netizens also spontaneously searched for people.

But Jiang Yao's whereabouts are still unknown.

Just like the legendary "Hidden God".On that sunny afternoon, in front of the vine trellis in his yard, he was taken away by the gods.

The police are powerless, and even the parents are about to give up in despair.

However, a year later, just like his mysterious disappearance, Jiang Yao suddenly appeared again.

He suddenly appeared at his door.

Naked and bloody.

The whole portrait was fished out of the pool of blood.

But not hurt.

The police suspected at first that it was the trace left after he fought the kidnapper, and it was the blood of the prisoner.

However, after the DNA of those bloodstains was extracted, it could not be matched with the DNA of any existing prisoners.

There is no way.Domestic DNA databases are still dominated by people with criminal records.If the kidnapper had no previous convictions, there would be no DNA in the database.

The police turned their investigation to the victim himself.

Everyone wanted to know what happened to Jiang Yao during the year when he disappeared.

But Jiang Yao lost his memory.

The memory seems to be fragmented from that sunny afternoon.

Jiang Yao remembered that the paint was overturned, and the bright and thick oil paint splashed on his pants.

Then what?

Then, heard someone screaming around me.He was standing at the door of the house, naked and covered in blood.

What happened in between?

For a whole year, can't you remember a little thing?

Can not remember.

His memory seemed to be cut off entirely.A whole year of memory was taken away, and then the head and tail were reattached.

It seemed that he was sitting in the yard one second, and stood at the door of the house covered in blood the next second.

Where have you been this year?What have you done?Whose bloodstain on his body is huge enough to kill him?Why come back naked?

I don't remember all of them.

Nowhere to look.

This strange disappearance case initially aroused the keen attention of netizens across the country.Discussions about his disappearance and reappearance have dominated the hot search headlines for several days.

But no one can explain all this.Everyone has their own guesses, and each guess has loopholes, which cannot be fully explained by science.

The police and doctors have exhausted all methods, but they still can't get a reasonable answer.

Can only let it go.

As for the parents, as long as the son comes back, it will be fine.

Not only did he come back safely, but his condition even improved.

Jiang Yao, who returned home, was suddenly willing to talk.

Can cry, laugh, and say "I want".

His parents were overjoyed by this and asked how he would be willing to communicate.

Jiang Yao looked in the mirror and said:

"There is a voice in my heart that keeps telling me: the world is beautiful, let me live well."

Perhaps it was what he experienced during that year that led to the creation of a second personality.

Jiang Yao's attending psychiatrist, Doctor Wen, told Jiang Yao's parents.

Before disappearing, Jiang Yao was like a plant.Quiet, well-behaved, can't express his feelings, even when he is hurt, he won't say it hurts.

Jiang Yao returned home, although he was still taciturn, he was already close to a normal person.

His parents saw hope again, but they were still worried, so they still sent him for regular check-ups.

That's why Jiang Yao will appear in this independent consulting room.

"..." After several calls to no avail, Dr. Wen sighed again, and recorded the failed diagnosis and treatment in the medical record.

The condition may recur.Family members are advised to observe closely.Patients are not advised to live independently.

Dr. Wen bowed his head and wrote such a comment.

On the other side of the desk, Jiang Yao's eyes still fell on the pot of green radishes on the window sill.

The breeze blew the curtains, and the long branches and leaves of the green radish swayed with the wind.

"very beautiful."

Jiang Yao heard the voice in his heart.

"On the way back, let's go to the Insectarium."

said the voice.

Jiang Yao frowned when he heard the word "Insect House".Laughed.

"...Do you like this?" Dr. Wen finally noticed his gaze, reached out and took the potted plant, and put it in front of him, "If you like it, I will give it to you. Take it back and raise it."

Jiang Yao raised his eyelids.Look at him, and look at the potted plants.

Then reach out and push the leaves away.Gently pick up a ladybug on the leaf of the pothos.

Red back panel with black round spots.

A beautiful seven-spotted ladybug.

"What should I say?"

the inner voice asked.

Jiang Yao: "Thank you."

He stood up and said solemnly to Dr. Wen, "Thank you."

Doctor Wen was stunned.

Jiang Yao held the ladybug carefully, with a smile on his lips.

...he really looks like a plant.

Docile and harmless, it transfers bugs from another plant to your own hands.

Didn't mean to hurt it, just loved it so wanted it to come to me.

Dr. Wen was absent-minded for a moment, then opened the medical records again.

Consider for a long time.He deleted the sentence "the condition may be repeated" and re-wrote a paragraph:

The patient's ability to communicate with the outside world has improved.

The treatment plan has not been adjusted yet.Continue to observe.

...

After finishing the recording, Dr. Wen got up and opened the door to invite Jiang Yao's mother in.

This is his habit of treating patients.Talk to the patient first, and then to the family.

Sitting in the waiting area was a well-dressed woman.

As soon as she saw Wen Lingxi, she immediately stood up and greeted her.

Anyone can tell at a glance that this is Jiang Yao's mother.Because she has the same gentle and harmless temperament as Jiang Yao.

If Jiang Yao's gentleness and harmlessness are derived from the natural isolation of autistic patients, then his mother Xu Jingxian is the lightness and elegance unique to ballet dancers.

The fine lines at the corners of the eyes show that she is getting older, but this does not hinder her appearance and figure.

She must have been a great beauty when she was young.

And Jiang Yao completely inherited his mother's beauty.

When Wen Lingxi led Xu Jingxian into the consulting room, he couldn't help turning his head and glanced at Jiang Yao.

The child was still sitting quietly on the sofa, looking down at the little bug in his palm.

Snow-white skin, lacquered eyes.The long eyelashes drooped like crow feathers, blinking slowly, with a frightening sense of fragility.

Dissociative Personality Disorder - better known as "Multiple Personality".

This is also the second disease that Jiang Yao is currently suffering from.

This situation is very common in children who have experienced severe trauma.

There is a theory that children, after being severely traumatized physically or psychologically, cannot accept reality and are unwilling to believe that terrible things happened to them.

So they imagine another person to take the pain instead of themselves.

What did Jiang Yao go through during the year he disappeared?

Although the police claimed that there were no traces of violence on his body, such a child... such a child who is unable to protect himself from any danger, but who has such an outstanding appearance...

Like a beautiful plant without thorns.

You can water him and open the windows to let him bask in the sun.

You can also snap off his stalks and wipe the sap from where he breaks.

He has no way to resist.

Wen Lingxi suppressed the pity in his heart, and turned to smile, facing Xu Jingxian.

"His current situation is relatively stable. His social skills are gradually improving." Wen Lingxi said, "So, about personality fusion..."

Personality fusion, that is, to integrate the separated personality into the original personality.

This follow-up visit was much earlier than the previously agreed time.

And Jiang Yao's parents always hoped that he could lead a normal life.

Wen Lingxi could see Xu Jingxian's anxiety, and was about to explain the personality fusion to her in detail, but Xu Jingxian interrupted him unexpectedly.

"No, Dr. Wen, I'm not here to take him for personality fusion."

Wen Lingxi raised her eyebrows suspiciously, but found that Xu Jingxian looked at Jiang Yao with a hint of anxiety besides worry.

Like a frightened bird.With wet wings curled up, he hid in the branches of the dark forest, shivering.

"Recently, he started to say some very strange things..."

Xu Jingxian spoke slowly, as if she was choosing her words carefully.

Wen Lingxi leaned forward slightly, showing concern: "For example?"

Xu Jingxian took a deep breath, her voice was clear but trembling slightly.

"Like, he said, snails lived in his ears."