Chapter 35 I’m Watching [Him]

Chapter 35: I'm Watching [Him]

A new week began. After finishing two morning classes, Lin Juangui arrived at the student activity center.

When he returned from the training base yesterday, he had asked Mu Zhang for the psychologists' schedule. Mu Zhang didn’t reply to Lin Juangui’s message immediately, but soon after, Ge Miao sent Lin Juangui the schedule he needed.

So Lin Juangui hadn’t been wrong about Mu Zhang’s purpose in sending him to school.

Mu Zhang had business on Cloud Harbor Star, and someone working at the counseling office had direct or indirect interests tied to him. Therefore, Mu Zhang needed someone to help him tackle these difficult cases, and Lin Juangui was clearly an excellent candidate.

Compared to other students who were reluctant to fulfill their required hours at the counseling office, Lin Juangui’s attitude was much more relaxed.

For him, talking with these psychologists was like a strategic game—he could learn a lot from it, not just seek emotional comfort.

Lin Juangui knew his issues stemmed from many aspects; it was difficult to completely cure him, so he could only find other ways to entertain himself.

This time, the psychologist assigned to Lin Juangui was a middle-aged female Beta. She appeared friendly and approachable, and her office was warmly decorated, even with a touch of classical elegance.

When Lin Juangui entered, Yao Zhi happened to be leaving the office and recognized Lin Juangui’s figure.

Although Lin Juangui and Yao Zhi had a pleasant conversation last time, Lin Juangui hadn't accepted Yao Zhi’s social media friend request. This left Yao Zhi constantly replaying their interaction over the weekend, wondering where he had gone wrong.

He even retrieved and copied the automatically recorded video from his patient sessions, analyzing Lin Juangui’s facial expressions frame by frame at home.

But Lin Juangui’s smile and gaze showed no flaws. When Yao Zhi saw Lin Juangui’s haughty expression, he could only kneel silently before the holographic screen, trembling in awe.

Yao Zhi was a Beta, and with the inhibitor patch on Lin Juangui’s gland, he couldn’t sense any pheromones from Lin Juangui.

So why did just seeing Lin Juangui make him feel flushed and instinctively want to submit?

Yao Zhi took a controlled deep breath and went to the front desk to check if there had been a mistake—otherwise, why would Lin Juangui go to Dr. Song Jie’s office?

But the robot insisted there was no error in the program and couldn’t disclose more student details. Yao Zhi could only purse his lips and return to his office.

Lin Juangui sat on the soft sofa chair for a while, feeling very relaxed. When greeting Dr. Song Jie, unlike his condescending attitude toward Dr. Yao Zhi, he was very polite. “Hello, Dr. Song. I’m Lin Juangui.”

“Hello, Lin. I’ve read your case file. Last time, you had your session with Dr. Yao, right?”

Dr. Song Jie’s voice was gentle, flowing like water. Lin Juangui’s eyes curved into a smile, and he cooperated fully.

“Yes.”

“Few people are willing to tell their story a second time. If you don’t find it tedious, I’m willing to listen.”

Dr. Song Jie lowered her eyes and smiled, not following Lin Juangui’s lead to comment on her colleague. Instead, she asked Lin Juangui, “Did you follow Dr. Yao’s suggestion and start some light exercise last weekend?”

Lin Juangui nodded. “Of course. I tried jogging, but I got out of breath very quickly. I’m not really fond of exercise.”

“Any effort to change is a great start. At least you’re willing to face it positively. I hope you can keep it up.”

“Thank you.”

Lin Juangui’s gaze fell on the flowers on Dr. Song Jie’s desk. He asked her what variety they were.

The small pink blossoms were delightful and seemed to be thriving.

“A type of Moth Orchid. If you like it, I can give you a pot to take home.”

But Lin Juangui shook his head and sighed softly. “No need. I don’t have the patience to care for plants. It looks perfect here—taking it with me might only make it suffer.”

Dr. Song Jie watched Lin Juangui but didn’t ask why he felt that way. Instead, she smiled and said, “If you assume the plant’s outcome from the start, you might unconsciously steer it toward that end. Perhaps try a different perspective: just do your part—water it, fertilize it, place it on the balcony for sunlight—and leave the rest to itself?”

“Go with the flow and accept whatever happens? Or use it as an emotional anchor?”

Lin Juangui seemed slightly puzzled, frowning as he asked.

“To live well, everyone needs something to hold onto. Generally speaking, everyone has desires—those without money want wealth, those with money seek emotional comfort or fulfillment. No one is truly free of wants.”

Lin Juangui touched his chin and asked, “What if I want something but find that no matter how hard I try, I can’t obtain it?”

Dr. Song Jie had clearly heard this question many times. She countered by asking if Lin Juangui would lose the will to live without that thing.

Lin Juangui thought for a moment, then nodded seriously. “I used to think I could live without certain things, that I was free from desires. But the saddest part is having something, then losing it completely due to carelessness…”

“Is it irrecoverable?”

“Yes, in my eyes, it might be gone forever.”

Dr. Song Jie’s eyes showed regret. “In that case, without harming others, craft a believable fantasy where you can have it. At least spare your heart further torment.”

Lin Juangui’s face was now widely recognized. Dr. Song Jie knew his background; if he couldn’t obtain something, money couldn’t buy it. Thus, what he cared about must be emotional or spiritual.

Some hurdles in life can only be overcome alone. Dr. Song Jie’s advice and guidance were temporary; the key was whether Lin Juangui was willing to act.

Lin Juangui seemed to appreciate the suggestion, smiling more warmly than before.

Dr. Song Jie’s voice was soothing and gentle, had a calming, almost hypnotic effect.

Lin Juangui suddenly looked toward the window behind Dr. Song Jie, where beige curtains swayed slowly in the breeze. Noticing he wasn’t looking at her, Dr. Song Jie asked what he was thinking.

“I’m watching him.”

“Him?” Dr. Song Jie caught the key detail. “What is he like?”

Lin Juangui shifted his gaze back to Dr. Song Jie’s face. “Dr. Song must have seen many with this symptom? They might see one person or many, but I see myself.”

Dr. Song Jie nodded, making notes on her light-screen. She showed no surprise, only interest. “It seems another version of you wants to be friends. When did he appear?”

Lin Juangui stared at a fixed point, deep in thought.

“It started when my family was on the verge of bankruptcy, my parents tried to use my marriage to pay debts, I refused, and they locked me in the attic.”

Here, the Omega lowered his head and took a deep breath, as if unwilling to face that scarred past, yet he spoke on.

Dr. Song Jie frowned slightly but quickly resumed her gentle demeanor. “Do you talk to him?”

“Yes, we converse. But I know it’s not normal, and I don’t want others to think I’m talking to myself or crazy. Mostly, I just listen to him.”

Lin Juangui laughed self-deprecatingly, shoulders shaking. “No—in this state, I must be insane, otherwise I wouldn’t be sitting here.”

When the human spirit suffers severe trauma, it can develop various self-protective mechanisms. Lin Juangui’s case wasn’t rare, but his situation was notably more complex.

“Do you resent him?”

Lin Juangui thought back to when he first saw [Lin Juangui], shaking his head with a sigh. “At first, I wasn’t willing to accept it. I thought I’d gone mad. But later, I found he could offer better advice when I was unsure. Now, we coexist harmoniously.”

Dr. Song Jie nodded, relieved. “That’s good.”

At least for Lin Juangui, it still held some benefits and hadn’t affected his daily life, but overall, this situation already fell under the category of schizophrenia.

Song Jie added Lin Juangui as a friend and sent him a digital contact card. "What I can do at school is do my best to counsel you. Fortunately, your current condition doesn’t affect your studies, and there’s no situation where another self is occupying your body. Since you can accept him and he is helpful to you, coexisting with him is the best solution."

It’s not easy to have friendly communication with another version of oneself, and the fact that the other can offer Lin Juangui advice clearly shows that his brain is using this method to protect itself.

Song Jie also advised Lin Juangui, "If possible, I still recommend you come to my psychological clinic for a more comprehensive evaluation. Even the best of friends can have friction and disagreements. If you ever feel lost, you can come to me. I hope I can help you in some way."

"Okay, I understand. Thank you."

Lin Juangui was not afraid to speak openly about his psychological condition, especially in an era where mental health issues were as common as catching a cold. Being honest in his responses was also a means for Lin Juangui to achieve his goals.

Talking only about his condition would get too monotonous, so Song Jie asked Lin Juangui if he had ever grown plants before. Lin Juangui shook his head.

When he was still working at Zhou Corporation, he had a cactus on his desk, but it was always maintained by his assistant. He never had the energy to bother with such things himself.

But there was an exception.

After moving in with Huo Zeshen, Lin Juangui helped take care of the plants in the front yard. Although there was an automatic irrigation system, he would still give them a thorough check from time to time. When Huo Zeshen was busy at the hospital, Lin Juangui was the only one who was available to handle these tasks.

Song Jie stood up and handed Lin Juangui a potted plant from her desk. "I’ll send you care instructions. If you don’t want to keep plants, you could also try raising a small animal. Consider this an assignment. Will you complete it properly?"

Lin Juangui gave a light chuckle.

He had very beautiful eyes, but at that moment, they seemed shrouded in mist, making it hard to discern what he was truly thinking.

Since Song Jie had said so, Lin Juangui naturally had to demonstrate his willingness to cooperate. "Alright, I’ll give it a try. I hope Song Jie doesn’t have too high expectations of me."

Song Jie smiled warmly. "You can also ask him what he thinks about this. After all, raising it together would make it a shared achievement."

So that was what she meant.

Lin Juangui understood why Song Jie insisted he care for something—it was to give them more to talk about between him and [Lin Juangui]. This small thing would bring them closer, and even if disagreements arose, it would keep things from turning into a cold war, leaving room for reconciliation.

Truly the most professional psychologist here, subtly providing a treatment plan.

Time seemed to fly by while talking with Song Jie. When Lin Juangui noticed that this week’s counseling time had been fully booked, he asked Song Jie how many times a week she would be on duty at the school.

"That way, I won’t miss you when I come by."

Aside from three psychologists on duty, the other psychologists at the Student Activity Center counseling office worked according to a set schedule each term.

"I’ll be here during Tuesday work hours. If you can’t come to see me, you can message me to make an appointment, or we can do an online consultation."

"Okay, thank you, Song Jie."

As Lin Juangui was leaving Song Jie’s office, he "coincidentally" ran into Yao Zhi, who was stepping out of his office.

It was unclear how long Yao Zhi had been waiting in his office, but he had likely been intently listening to the movements in Song Jie’s office, lying in wait quietly for Lin Juangui.

Yao Zhi noticed the pot of Moth Orchid in Lin Juangui’s hands—one that Song Jie had brought with her when she first started her duty at the school not long ago.

Yao Zhi opened his mouth as if to say something, but Lin Juangui simply nodded and smiled faintly and then walked away.

"Leaving so soon, Student Lin? Won’t you come to my office for a chat?"

Just then, Song Jie happened to walk out with her bag. Seeing Lin Juangui still in the hallway and Yao Zhi calling out to him, she turned to lock her office door, her movements somewhat deliberate.

With her back to the two, Song Jie seemed to sigh helplessly. When she approached, she was smiling, while Yao Zhi’s eyes darted back and forth between Song Jie and Lin Juangui, his lips pressed together in dissatisfaction, his expression complex.

"I have to go for lunch now, so I’ll take my leave." Song Jie sidestepped Yao Zhi’s irritation with a dignified smile.

After all, she had only been working there for half a month. Although her reputation was far greater than Yao Zhi’s and her clients were more high-profile, she still didn’t want any direct conflict with a veteran like Yao Zhi, who had been at the college for years.

Yao Zhi, clearly, held no goodwill toward Song Jie, who had seemingly been assigned there unexpectedly, especially after she had taken a case he particularly liked.

With just a few glances, Lin Juangui could guess the dynamics between them. He had merely spoken the truth, yet Yao Zhi couldn’t tolerate it—it seemed their professional relationship wasn’t very strong.

Yao Zhi still wanted to say more, but Lin Juangui paid him no attention and turned to leave the counseling office. Song Jie followed right behind him, as if neither of them regarded Yao Zhi as worthy of attention.

No one cared whether Yao Zhi was angry or not. Once the elevator doors closed completely, Lin Juangui asked Song Jie if she was heading to the cafeteria. Song Jie shook her head and said, "I have lunch plans with a friend."

"I see. Then I’ll go find my friend for lunch. Goodbye, Song Jie."

"Goodbye."

Huai Fu had just finished class, so Lin Juangui went to the teaching building to wait for him so they could have lunch together.

The Omega cafeteria had the best food in the college, and Lin Juangui particularly enjoyed the fish soup there—creamy, rich, and delicious.

Huai Fu knew that Lin Juangui went to the Student Activity Center for an hour of psychological counseling every week. When he first enrolled, he had also gone for a month, only relaxing once the values on his mental health report normalized.

"Having to sit there for an hour every week feels like such a waste. And if people found out you keep going to the counseling office, wouldn’t it seem strange?"

"Hmm?" Lin Juangui smiled, not thinking that attending psychological counseling was anything to be ashamed of. "I met a good psychologist today. Talking with her was very comfortable, and I found it relaxing."

"Really?" Huai Fu propped his chin with a skeptical look, then glanced around to make sure no one was paying attention before whispering to Lin Juangui, "I was looking through school forums before, and they said to steer clear of counseling if possible—it’s not as ideal as people imagine."

Lin Juangui nodded. "I know. The psychologist I met last week gave me a rather... bad vibe. But this week, with a different doctor, it was better."

Huai Fu breathed a sigh of relief. "As long as you can tell the difference, that’s good. I was worried it might turn out like those student stories—where they already felt terrible, and after speaking their mind, it only made things worse."

There were such cases? The vast and complex information on the Starnet made it hard to distinguish between human and AI-generated content. Filtering useful information from it was like finding a needle in a haystack.

But the information Huai Fu provided was crucial, and Lin Juangui couldn’t ignore it.

"Is that so? Later, during lunch, can you show me where you read those things? I’m a bit curious."

"Sure."

After school ended in the afternoon, Lin Juangui returned to the villa with the plant Song Jie had given him. He initially thought of handing it over to the house manager for care but, after a moment’s consideration, said, "I’ll take care of it myself."

The house manager nodded in slight surprise. Lin Juangui placed the plant on the balcony outside his bedroom and called out [Lin Juangui].

A semitransparent figure stretched lazily, as if awakening from a long slumber, and asked what the potted plant on the windowsill was.

"Moth Orchid," Lin Juangui replied.

"Why show it to me?"

Lin Juangui sat down on the beanbag chair on the balcony and said to [Lin Juangui] with a smile, "I went to see a psychologist today. She suggested that you and I take care of this plant together to avoid disagreements and friction."

[Lin Juangui] seemed to find this amusing. "You’re not actually schizophrenic, and I can’t return to this body. Why is she worried about that?"

"Well..." Lin Juangui rested his chin on his hand thoughtfully. "She’s probably just doing her job as a psychologist. I called you out not just to show you the plant."

Earlier, [Lin Juangui] had mentioned that Lin Juangui’s friendship level with him could unlock some unexpected golden fingers. Lin Juangui didn’t know what the system might offer, but for now, as long as Lin Juangui didn’t call for [Lin Juangui], [Lin Juangui] would remain in a dormant state.

He needed to know more details to make the most of [Lin Juangui] at certain moments.

But [Lin Juangui] said, “Not really. I can still pop out and scare you whenever I want. Right now, I’m close enough to know what you’re doing even without appearing in front of you. As for the rest…”

[Lin Juangui] glanced around the balcony. “I can be your extra pair of eyes, so remember to show me a little more love, alright?”

Lin Juangui hadn’t expected to see his own face saying something so corny. He covered his forehead, holding back laughter for a moment before replying, “Ah, got it.”

That evening, Lin Juangui followed Huai Fu’s instructions and scrolled through the StarNet to look into those curious comments he’d heard. After reading, he sat there deep in thought for a while.

Just then, Rong Rui called. Lin Juangui snapped out of it and immediately answered.

“I’ve sent what you asked for to your account. Make sure to check it. But how did this guy offend you? Those photos made even me hot under the collar. If you’re planning to use these against him, I’d advise you to think twice. His family’s background goes way beyond Yungang Star.”

Rong Rui had hesitated when he found out who Lin Juangui wanted to investigate, but remembering how he’d once been banned from entering Yungang Star due to some past incidents, he felt he had no choice but to help Lin Juangui this time.

While Rong Rui was speaking, Lin Juangui had already unpacked the files sent to him. Photos of Liang Shanyue and several Alphas engaging in an orgy at a private party flashed before his eyes, and he smirked.

Lin Juangui flipped through the remaining photos one by one. When he saw Yao Zhi, it seemed he could already connect the dots of the whole story.

“Boss Rong, you’re a real stand-up guy. But don’t worry, I just want to learn more about this Mr. Liang. You know I’m studying on Yungang Star now—I have to understand the lay of the land.”

“Haha, I haven’t even congratulated you on starting school. When winter break comes, come visit me. Drinks are on the house.”

“It’s a deal then. Don’t go crying over your generosity later, Boss Rong.”

After ending the call with Rong Rui, Lin Juangui continued browsing through the photos. He opened Mu Zhang’s schedule for the past half-month and saw that Mu Zhang had left Yungang Star at noon that day. A couple of days earlier, he had visited a club downtown, likely to discuss some business deal with someone.

If Mu Zhang’s business required operations on Yungang Star, finding and exploiting the weaknesses of the planet’s ruler would indeed be an effective strategy. However, Lin Juangui believed this approach was too risky—there was no guarantee the other party wouldn’t turn on him anytime.

Based on the clues Lin Juangui had uncovered while attending Liang Shanyue’s birthday banquet, he felt Mu Zhang was targeting the wrong person.

As Rong Rui had warned, these were just scandalous photos. Someone like Liang Shanyue undoubtedly had strong mental resilience—he could easily pay to have AI scrub the content, and the incident would blow over quickly. He would only focus his energy on dealing with those who truly posed a threat to him.

Unless Mu Zhang could keep the situation escalating, Liang Shanyue would eventually uncover who was behind the scheme.

So the key now wasn’t Liang Shanyue’s side anymore—it was what kind of business Mu Zhang was involved in, and why it had to be located on Yungang Star.

Lin Juangui carefully reviewed all the plot points related to Mu Zhang. Yungang Star only appeared in the story when Mu Zhang visited Geng Xuelan. Later in the book, the two protagonists joined forces to expose a deranged biochemical organization, received awards for their efforts, publicly announced their relationship, and then the story concluded.

The plot had already veered completely off course. No matter how much Lin Juangui pondered, he couldn’t grasp the key information. He refused to remain a clueless pawn—he had to take the initiative.

[Lin Juangui] was summoned again. He asked if Lin Juangui had been feeling particularly insecure lately. Lin Juangui nodded frankly. “I need you to help me with something. I’m telling you in advance so I won’t be caught off guard when the time comes.”