Chapter 27 Insomnia Drug Trial

Chapter 27: Insomnia Drug Trial

A sudden knock on the door startled him just as his eyelids were about to close.

"Sui Yong, are you here?"

The juicer was also winding down. Chi Suiyong rinsed his hands briefly and glanced at Chu Yan sitting on the sofa before opening the door.

He opened the door just a crack, wide enough for his head. "What's up, Dalin?"

"My family just called, something urgent came up. I have to go, no way around it. Can you cover my night shift? I'll take yours next week."

"Sure. Send me the handover details in the group later. I'll be over in ten minutes."

"Thanks a lot! I'll treat you to a meal when I get the chance!"

"I'll hold you to that!"

The whole thing took less than a minute. After closing the door, Chi Suiyong turned around, still wearing the smile from their chat.

Chu Yan stood up and buttoned his trench coat. "Since Dr. Chi still has work to do, I'll head back first."

"How did you get here?"

Chu Yan hesitated, then quickly caught on that his blacked-out self had a phobia of cars.

"The company car—driver included."

Chu Yan looked back at the spotless sofa, clenching his fist in his pocket. "Dr. Chi, would you mind leaving a contact number?"

"What for?"

"Those two sweaters are handmade items. Customer service will handle any after-sales issues. If the size doesn't fit or it doesn't feel right, you can report it directly to the specialist, and someone will come to replace them."

The box with the clothes had a logo on it. Chi Suiyong had only ever bought that perfume called 'Order Forest' from the 'Yitai' brand, nothing else.

Even though it was just two pieces of clothing, they were still expensive. "I haven't done anything to deserve this. You should take them back."

Chu Yan said nothing. He walked over to the small bar counter, picked up the upside-down cup, and poured out half of the freshly squeezed juice.

Beside the cutting board were some orange peels still sitting there. They didn't look like the shiny variety from a fruit shop. Chu Yan remembered that when he was at Dr. Chi's house that day, Mom Chi had cut some oranges for him—the peels were wrinkly too, but they were exceptionally sweet.

He took a sip and confirmed his guess.

"Thanks for the hospitality, Dr. Chi."

Chu Yan was wearing a new ring on his right index finger—rose gold on the outer bands, black ceramic in the middle. His hand, simply adorned, pressed against the outside of the crystal glass, making his fingers look particularly slender.

After finishing, Chu Yan washed his cup and placed it upside down back on the coaster. "Dr. Chi, I'm off now. Good night."

"Chu Yan..."

Chu Yan didn't answer; he just opened the door and left.

It was still heating season indoors, so inside and outside felt like two different seasons. The orange scent on his lips faded with every breath, and the sweetness on his tongue soured. Chu Yan walked slowly to the underground parking lot, the warmth and scent he had absorbed from Dr. Chi held close to his chest.

Back home, after washing up, Chu Yan stood in front of the mirror for a long time.

Before going to see Dr. Chi, he had made sure he looked his best—from his hair to his accessories, all put together by a fashion guru like himself. It was the kind of look that would make anyone do a double take.

But Dr. Chi was still indifferent to him—he didn't even give him a smile.

In the mirror, Chu Yan saw dark circles under his eyes and eyelids that wouldn't stay open. A vague bewilderment clouded his self-admiration.

The version of himself that blacked out was a mess, and even worse when his eyesight hadn't fully come back. Yet that version of him had received all of Dr. Chi's gentleness and patience.

"So why is that?" Chu Yan asked himself in the mirror.

After getting no answer from talking to himself, he turned and went back to the bedroom. At least he had already achieved the goal of visiting Dr. Chi this time, and figuring out why Dr. Chi's attitude changed wasn't on his agenda.

The 'Lovey' he had taken from Dr. Chi's place now lay by his pillow.

It was a black, half-high-neck, pure cotton undershirt. Before Chu Yan had taken it, it had been draped over the back of the sofa in Dr. Chi's dorm, wrinkled from wear. Chu Yan knew this behavior wasn't exactly honorable—it was very likely that as soon as he left, Dr. Chi would notice the missing shirt and suspect him.

But... it was still better than asking for it outright. Besides, he had left something in exchange. Given the price and how practical it was, a worn undershirt could easily be replaced.

Would Dr. Chi think he was a pervert?

That was another new question.

But all these additional questions caused by Dr. Chi could be set aside for now.

Right now, he wanted to do an experiment.

Last night he had already passed the threshold of insomnia. If the 'Lovey' he brought home today still didn't help him sleep, then he could rule out Dr. Chi as an effective 'prescription.'

Chu Yan dug through his stuff and finally found a plush toy.

After dressing the toy in the 'Lovey,' he held it close. His tired eyelids finally gave up.

Just before losing consciousness, a few more thoughts crossed his mind.

There was a smell of nicotine on it, along with that sickly sweet scent of flavored cigarettes. When they first met, Dr. Chi had been wearing perfume—the rusty, decayed-rose scent was now gone.

Why had Dr. Chi stopped wearing perfume?

Why had Dr. Chi started smoking?

Why did Dr. Chi look at him like he was a stranger?

When he had fully recovered, he had hesitated about one thing: because of his brief memory loss, he had crossed paths with a complete stranger. Back then, he was not his childhood self. He had never been overly dependent on anyone. If that weakness was just because of the memory loss, then once he was clear-headed, he could simply deny the 'blacked-out' version of himself by claiming another memory loss.

But Chu Yan hadn't chosen to do that back then, thus leaving the door open for them to stay connected.

Dr. Chi also said that after the doctor-patient relationship ended, they could be friends. Although there was a bit of coaxing in his words at the time, a man's word is his bond. Dr. Chi can't just go back on his word.

Friends...

Other than Yunshang—no, Yunshang wasn't really a friend either—so then Dr. Chi would be his first friend.

According to Dr. Chi's definition of friendship, going to see him again wouldn't need any fancy excuses. They could watch a movie together, have a meal, or simply hang out as friends to help Dr. Chi, who was single, get through the holidays. No need to constantly come up with excuses.

And now he was in a tough spot and needed external help to get through it. Dr. Chi, as his friend, shouldn't be so cheap as to turn him away, right?

Chu Yan slept all the way until the evening of the next day.

As night fell, this little trial run with a 'sleep aid' finally came to an end.

Chu Yan didn't go back on his word. Instead, he felt a sense of clarity as he walked to the mirror and looked at his slightly puffy face after a full night's sleep. His eyes were clear, and for once, he could see an unexpected softness in his expression.

The question asked the night before in front of the mirror was finally answered.

"You look really stupid like this."

"But Dr. Chi only has patience for you when you're being stupid."

"Anyway, he's already seen you at your stupidest, hasn't he?"

Tilting his head, the corners of his eyes drooping slightly, "And so innocent-looking."

"Dr. Chi just doesn't know what to do with this version of you."

Another new entry in the phone memo.

"Insomnia medication test — successful.

Dr. Chi is my lovey, but I can't let him know.

Given Dr. Chi's personality, he'd dislike this kind of calculated approach. I need to meet him as naturally as possible, and only as friends."

*

Chi Suiyong hadn't returned to the dorm for over half a month since that night shift, until that weekend when he received a friend request on WeChat. Opening it, he was surprised to see it was a customer service representative from 'Yitai'.

He guessed that Chu Yan had tried to get his contact information that day without success and had gotten it through other means.

The customer service first sent a pitiful emoji: "Sorry, Mr. Chi, there's a quality issue with the vicuña wool sweater that was gifted to you. It needs to be sent back for repair. Could you provide an address so we can pick it up?"

Chi Suiyong replied, "No need to go to the trouble."

"It's no trouble, Mr. Chi. Such a quality issue is our oversight, and it's part of my job. We're truly sorry for the inconvenience."

"What if I don't return it?"

The customer service sent a crying emoji: "I might lose my job."

Chi Suiyong: "..."

"When?"

"Whenever it's convenient for you, Mr. Chi."

"Then tomorrow at 12:30 PM at He'an Hospital. Call me when you get here."

"Okay, thank you for your understanding. Sorry for disturbing you, Mr. Chi."

The two sweaters Chu Yan had brought during his sudden visit were still on the dorm coffee table, untouched. That evening, when Chi Suiyong returned to the dorm, he could no longer avoid them.

Just a sweater? And they're claiming there's a quality issue?

Chi Suiyong was a bit curious.

He untied the velvet knot on the outer packaging and opened the lid. As expected of a luxury brand, a neatly folded light yellow cardigan lay before him, its thick, warm color striking him.

Chu Yan had really good taste.

Chi Suiyong shook the sweater open, glanced at it briefly, then put it back. He had no real interest in the quality issue the customer service mentioned.

He just found it a hassle.

He now found everything about Chu Yan troublesome.

He thought for a long time about why Chu Yan had suddenly visited that day. To verify, he indirectly asked Director Xing and learned the truth: since being discharged, Chu Yan hadn't come back for a follow-up appointment.

That meant Chu Yan had lied, guessing the reason. The moment he confirmed it, Chi Suiyong felt an uncontrollable shudder.

Chu Yan's attitude on the day of his discharge had caught him off guard. He hadn't even dared to meet Chu Yan's eyes.

Everything that happened when Chu Yan was in that childlike state—they both kept silent about it. Chi Suiyong knew he was guilty, but what about Chu Yan? He seemed so carefree, as if he didn't even remember those things.

Chi Suiyong curled up on the sofa as unreadable emotions crept over him.

When his gaze swept over the back of the sofa, a strand of hair glinting silver caught his eye.

Chi Suiyong picked up the strand and held it under the light, studying it for a long time.

He had only stayed in this room for less than twenty minutes and had even washed the cup he used before leaving. Yet this strand of hair left behind reminded Chi Suiyong of how preoccupied he was.

The monotony of his two-point routine confined his days, so that the figure of Chu Yan, and everything about him, swelled and filled his thoughts.

Getting rid of everything related to this person was truly a daunting task.

Chi Suiyong took the lighter from the coffee table drawer.

The flame licked upward from the bottom, curling around his fingertip. As it seared his skin, the strand of hair—a token of someone's visit—was reduced to a tiny fleck of charcoal barely visible to the naked eye.