Chapter 88 Saving the World Paused

Chapter 88: Saving the World: Paused

Lin Jianyuan carried the appreciation banner to the familiar waiting area.

He’d never realized before just how large these banners were. Even rolled up, it was over three feet long and quite conspicuous in his hand.

Lin Jianyuan wandered around the general clinic waiting area but didn’t see Dr. Cen.

This left him a bit puzzled. Had he misremembered Dr. Cen’s clinic hours?

He took out his phone and checked his previous medical records.

No mistake. Dr. Cen’s clinic hours were Tuesday mornings and Wednesday afternoons.

So Lin Jianyuan went to the information desk and asked the nurse, "Hello, I’m looking for Dr. Cen. Is he seeing patients today?"

The nurse said, "Dr. Cen?"

Strangely, Lin Jianyuan felt a sudden panic, half-expecting the nurse to say, "What Dr. Cen? We’ve never had a Dr. Cen here."

Fortunately, Lin Jianyuan really wasn’t mentally ill.

Sure enough, after a moment’s thought, the nurse said, "Oh, Dr. Cen Zheng, right? He’s transferred to the specialist clinic. Over there."

She pointed him in the direction.

Lin Jianyuan had initially thought Dr. Cen might have had some temporary errand in the specialist department or was there to see someone.

But when he arrived at the specialist outpatient area, he was surprised to see a sign by the door that read:

"Associate Chief Physician Cen Zheng"

Lin Jianyuan immediately felt a sense of occasion.

The exam room happened to be empty. Lin Jianyuan knocked on the door and exclaimed, "Dr. Cen, you’ve been promoted to associate chief physician! Congratulations!"

Dr. Cen looked up, and upon seeing him, also showed a pleasantly surprised expression.

"Ah, you’re here. I was worried you wouldn’t find me—I was just about to text you to let you know I changed consultation rooms."

Dr. Cen waved his phone.

The screen was still on the WeChat chat interface, with Lin Jianyuan’s name right at the top of the chat window.

Lin Jianyuan felt a warmth spread through him.

He handed over the appreciation banner, and Dr. Cen was very pleased. He called a nurse over at the door to come in and take a photo of the two of them with the banner.

Curious, Lin Jianyuan asked, "Dr. Cen, do you get a bonus for receiving an appreciation banner?"

Dr. Cen: "No."

Lin Jianyuan: "Huh? So it’s just for show?"

Dr. Cen: "Not exactly. It adds 0.5 points to my year-end review score."

Lin Jianyuan: "Oh, I see. Can those 0.5 points be turned into a bonus?"

Dr. Cen: "No. 0.5 points are just 0.5 points."

Lin Jianyuan: "Huh?"

Dr. Cen: "For each appreciation banner or letter of praise received, it adds 0.5 points. The maximum total added is 2 points."

Lin Jianyuan: "Oh, so if you get the full 2 points, do you get a bonus then?"

Dr. Cen: "Still no. 2 points are just 2 points."

Lin Jianyuan: "? So the year-end evaluation is just… an evaluation?"

Dr. Cen: "No. If the score is too low, they deduct pay."

Lin Jianyuan: "???" Well, he didn’t really understand how things worked at the hospital.

Anyway, Dr. Cen was still very happy to receive the banner. After all, it represented the patient’s appreciation.

When Dr. Cen asked about how Lin Jianyuan had been doing, Lin Jianyuan remembered the purpose of his visit.

—To pretend he was still a mental patient.

Continuing to play the role of a mentally ill person wasn’t about getting fake sick notes; he had discovered that having the identity of a mentally ill person was quite useful when working at the Management Bureau.

From now on, he would carry his mental illness diagnosis certificate with him on duty. That way, even if he started fighting thin air, it wouldn’t expose the existence of heretics.

At worst, concerned bystanders would have him taken to a psychiatric hospital.

No big deal. He knew people at No. 700 North Jiangchuan Road anyway.

As usual, Lin Jianyuan listed his "symptoms" to Dr. Cen:

First, irritability and aggression—he felt like punching every plant and flower he passed. (This symptom was borrowed from Shi Shaoning.)

Second, he still saw strange hallucinations. For example, LEGOs that could turn people into statues, or bronze figures that would send people flying if they got too close.

Lin Jianyuan even deliberately wore the bronze tag around his neck outside his clothes, making it easier for Dr. Cen to make connections and add some "solid evidence" to his mental illness.

"And recently, I haven’t been taking my medication regularly," Lin Jianyuan continued, adding details. "So the two weeks’ worth of medicine you prescribed last time took me almost a month to finish… But don’t worry, Dr. Cen. Since you care so much about me, I’ll take better care of myself and not let you down. I’ll make sure to take my medicine seriously from now on."

Dr. Cen: "..."

Dr. Cen stopped typing on the medical record.

His sharp gaze, magnified by his glasses, scanned Lin Jianyuan from head to toe.

Lin Jianyuan suddenly had a bad feeling.

He cautiously asked, "What’s wrong?"

Without changing his expression, Dr. Cen took out a stack of papers from his drawer.

In a gentle tone, he said, "Let’s have you fill out this questionnaire. You’ve done it before—we’ll treat it as a follow-up."

Lin Jianyuan’s heart sank.

But he obediently took the papers and began answering seriously.

He remembered this assessment—he had indeed taken it before.

While recalling how he felt back then, Lin Jianyuan tried his best to imagine how he would answer if he were actually mentally ill.

After pondering it for a while, he finally finished filling it out.

Lin Jianyuan secretly let out a sigh of relief.

He never expected Dr. Cen to say calmly as he took the questionnaire:

"You have a lot more patience now than before."

Lin Jianyuan: "?"

Oh no.

How could he have forgotten!

The first time he came to do the questionnaire, he got irritated as soon as he saw the dense list of questions.

At the time, he asked if he could skip it. Couldn’t he just take the medicine directly?

...Oh no.

He’d been acting normal for so long that he forgot how to pretend to be mentally ill.

Lin Jianyuan tried to stay calm: "Well, maybe it’s because life's been really good lately, so I’m more at peace."

Dr. Cen smiled and looked up at him.

"Then that means you’re better, right? So why do you still need to take medicine?"

Lin Jianyuan: "!"

Dr. Cen: "Do you remember what I told you at the beginning? Your condition was originally an acute, short-term episode. It was very likely to resolve completely."

Lin Jianyuan: "..."

Dr. Cen: "Before, you were worried that this illness wouldn’t go away. Now, congratulations—you’re almost completely better. Since you’ve already been cutting down on your medication on your own lately and your current state is quite stable, I think you can stop the medication altogether now. After all, all meds have side effects. You’re really doing very well now. Congratulations!"

Lin Jianyuan: "………………"

The corner of Lin Jianyuan’s mouth twitched slightly.

Dr. Cen sharply noticed this small detail and teasingly said: "What’s wrong? Not happy about not being mentally ill anymore?"

Lin Jianyuan was instantly startled. Damn! Are all psychiatrists micro-expression experts?

He suspected Dr. Cen had seen through his act of pretending to be sick!

Lin Jianyuan hesitated: "Dr. Cen, I..."

But he only hesitated for a second before quickly letting it go.

Oh well.

Don’t challenge a professional’s expertise with your amateur acting skills.

Lin Jianyuan smiled with relief and thanked him gratefully: "Okay, thank you, doctor!"

Dr. Cen: "You’re welcome."

Lin Jianyuan: "I’m really very grateful to you. You gave me a huge help during my most difficult time."

Lin Jianyuan stood up and sincerely bowed to Dr. Cen.

Then he said goodbye solemnly and walked out of the consultation room.

"..."

Cen Zheng withdrew his gaze from Lin Jianyuan’s retreating back.

He turned to the computer screen and continued finishing up the outpatient notes.

I misjudged him.

Cen Zheng had to admit that he might have truly misjudged Lin Jianyuan.

But... he still couldn’t quite figure it out.

Cen Zheng scratched his head.

If Lin Jianyuan had been pretending all along, why did he act so convincingly before but suddenly slip up now?

If Lin Jianyuan really had a mental illness before, why would he continue pretending to be sick when he’s clearly better now?

After all, today he just came to deliver a banner—he didn’t even ask for meds, sick leave, or a doctor’s note.

In other words—what’s in it for him??

Wait, what’s really going on here?

Why does he seem sick one moment and fine the next, sometimes ill and sometimes not???

Cen Zheng, who had just been promoted to senior professional title as an associate chief physician, found himself doubting his professional expertise for the first time.

Just as Cen Zheng was about to call up Lin Jianyuan’s initial medical record to study it more carefully, he suddenly noticed an envelope on the chair where Lin Jianyuan had been sitting.

Lin Jianyuan left him an envelope!!!

Holy shit!!!

Cen Zheng bolted upright in an instant!

He quickly grabbed the envelope and rushed out, holding it like a hot potato. His feet felt like they were on fire.

"Lin Jianyuan! Lin Jianyuan!"

Cen Zheng hurried out frantically.

He looked around—thank goodness! Lin Jianyuan hadn’t gone far!

Lin Jianyuan was on the phone. Cen Zheng took two steps forward, about to return the envelope to him,

when he heard Lin Jianyuan say to the person on the other end of the line in a playful, singsong voice:

"Wifey, wifey, I’m done with the appointment. Hahaha, just like you guessed, I only acted for two minutes before Dr. Cen immediately said I must be faking it~ Haha."

Cen Zheng: "?"

His outstretched hand paused.

The waiting area was full of people moving around. Cen Zheng felt his scalp tingle, and his brain suddenly started racing.

Lin Jianyuan remained completely unaware of the person chasing after him, still cooing over the phone.

"What can I do? I'm not an actor. And I get nervous around doctors! ... Ah, no rush, I still have some things to take care of. You go ahead with your work... Okay. Baby, I miss you too. Hehe. I'll tell you all about it when I get back~"

Cen Zheng: "………………"

Cen Zheng suddenly remembered what Lin Jianyuan had said to him during his hospitalization.

That shocking "condoms" theory...

—Wait, could this "wife" be that "air roommate" from back then?!

That "digestive system"?!

Was it the air roommate who taught Lin Jianyuan how to act, leading to Cen Zheng's misjudgment of Lin Jianyuan's condition, so that Lin Jianyuan could stop taking his medication forever?!

Cen Zheng: "!!!"

At that moment, Lin Jianyuan suddenly turned around for some reason.

The two of them came face to face.

Lin Jianyuan: "?"

Cen Zheng: "."

Seeing it was Dr. Cen, Lin Jianyuan couldn't help but be surprised: "Dr. Cen, what's wrong?"

Cen Zheng quickly stuffed the envelope into Lin Jianyuan's pocket and said, "Lin Jianyuan, there's something else I want to ask you. Come back with me for a moment."

Lin Jianyuan: "?"

Though he didn't fully understand the reasoning.

Lin Jianyuan still ended up with a new diagnosis certificate and a new prescription of psychiatric meds.

Great.

He could now get back to work certified (with his mental illness certificate).

Lin Jianyuan had come to 700 Jiangchuan North Road today for two reasons: first, to present Dr. Cen with the commendation plaque, and second, to meet the long-term stationed agent assigned here by the administration.

This stationed agent was also from the field team, a B-level combatant.

However, unlike Lin Jianyuan, he was a full-time permanent staff, long-term assigned. His job description and benefits were quite different. Lin Jianyuan didn’t ask for specifics.

Anyway, it was said to be quite laid-back.

In his free time, he even did some research.

Yes, that’s right—field team members could also do research.

And this combatant was working on a very location-relevant study—"On the Impact of Common Psychiatric Medications on Mental Resistance."

Exactly the issue Lin Jianyuan was most concerned about right now.

So, through his mobile terminal, he initiated an internal communication and successfully contacted this combatant named Wang Fu.

A few minutes later.

Lin Jianyuan: "."

Calligraphy Guy: "."

Lin Jianyuan’s mouth twitched: "What a coincidence."

Calligraphy Guy: "What a coincidence. Haha."

Wang Fu, in the eyes of outsiders, was a long-term patient living in a psychiatric hospital.

In reality, he was a full-time combatant with an intermediate professional title, working shifts while conducting research.

And he even had tenure.

This world was just too surreal.

Somehow, the administration had managed it—Wang Fu lived here long-term under the guise of a patient with a mild condition.

His condition was relatively mild, so his daily activities weren’t restricted.

He was also quite friendly and principled, so he got along well with all the doctors and nurses in the inpatient department.

Over time, the inpatient department even arranged a separate activity room for him—to develop his hobby, which was calligraphy.

"No wonder I heard back then that you were always hiding away practicing calligraphy," Lin Jianyuan recalled his previous hospitalization and suddenly understood. "So you were secretly doing research! So diligent, bro!"

Wang Fu: "."

Wang Fu paused mid-step, a hint of awkwardness flashing across his face.

Along with some secret satisfaction.

"No, no, not at all," Wang Fu modestly waved his hand. "Nothing special."

The inpatient building and the outpatient building were separate, with countless security gates in between.

Wang Fu pulled out his key card and led Lin Jianyuan smoothly into the inpatient building, heading toward the back room where he worked privately.

—This inpatient building was where Lin Jianyuan and his roommate had their first kiss, their first embrace. It was where they became a couple.

Looking at everything in the inpatient building, Lin Jianyuan felt an indescribable tenderness in his heart.

Just as he was feeling nostalgic, Wang Fu, who was leading the way, suddenly said:

"Oh, by the way, do you remember Xiao Liu, who was in the same room with us last time? Not long after you were discharged, he was discharged too."

Lin Jianyuan gradually recalled: "Oh, Xiao Liu. Right. How is he?"

So much had happened after his last discharge that Lin Jianyuan hadn’t kept in touch with Xiao Liu.

So Xiao Liu had been discharged too. He wondered if that redhead had caused Xiao Liu any more trouble.

Lin Jianyuan remembered telling Xiao Liu before he was discharged that he could reach out anytime if he needed help.

Since Xiao Liu never contacted him, he probably didn’t have any major issues, right?

Unexpectedly, Wang Fu said: "Xiao Liu was discharged and went back to school for a while. Then, a couple of days ago, he was readmitted."

Lin Jianyuan’s stomach dropped. Frowning, he asked: "Why?"

What did that Red-Haired do to Xiao Liu again?!

Wang Fu: "Because he slept with Red-Haired."

Lin Jianyuan: "?"

???

What?!

Xiao Liu slept with *what*?

Who slept with the Red-Haired guy?

What did Xiao Liu do to Red-Haired?!

Xiao Liu—slept with Red-Haired???

Xiao Liu, "slept with," Red-Haired—slept?!!!

"Where is Xiao Liu? He's where? Take me to see him."

Lin Jianyuan said, his voice urgent.

Saving the world can wait.

He's going to get the gossip first!