Chapter 1: Ill


    Name?


    Lu Yibei.


    How old are you?


    All eighteen.


    <em>All eighteen? Interesting</em>, the doctor who was writing the case file thought. He raised his head, looking at the young man before him with a strange gaze. He suppressed his curiosity and nodded.


    Care to tell me about yourself?


    Alright, Yibei nodded. Something is wrong with my vision. Im starting to see a lot of strange things.


    Does it hurt? the doctor asked.


    Nope.


    Symptoms like itching or tearing?


    Nope.


    The doctor frowned upon seeing his past medical history and asked again, You had a corneal transnt from a car ident? This might be the seque from the transnt. Have you been checked yet?


    Yes. Here is the report, Yibei said as he handed the certificate to the doctor.


    The doctor furrowed his brows while reading the report. Judging from theboratory test sheet, not only did his eyes show no sign of disease, but he also recovered fully. Compared to most corneal transnt patients, he could be considered a patient with the best recovery scenario.


    This is strange! Your report shows that you arepletely normal. Tell me, what strange things are you seeing?


    Do I have to? he gulped, his eyes wandering as he spoke. He felt a little nervous.


    The doctor smiled andforted him: Young man, dont be afraid. I have no other intentions; this is the basic process of seeing a doctor. I need to know what youre going through to help you.


    <em>Im not scared. Im just worried that youll be the scared one</em>, Yibei thought.


    You asked for it, Yibei sighed. Its strange, but sometimes I can see faint shadows appearing in the corner of my eyes, and asionally, I can hear strange sounds as well.


    What kind of shadows and sounds? the doctor asked.


    Hmm they are blurry shadows, most often at night. When I tried to turn to look at the shadows, they disappeared in an instant. As for the voices


    W-wait! The doctor interrupted, feeling that something was amiss. Are you being haunted?


    Yibei couldnt help but chuckle: Doctor, I came to you looking for a scientific exnation, not for you to engage in superstition.


    Right, my bad. I made a slip of the tongue.


    The doctor was justified in his superstition, however. There have been way too many rumours about this.


    Anyways, seeing double is amon side effect of corneal transnts. Seeing that your report is rtively normal, the probability of pathological factors is rtively low, but I cant rule out psychological and other factors just yet.


    The other factors refer to the residual memory of the optic nerve. Under certain conditions, the recipient of the cornea will see some images that the donor has seen before. This will disappear over time.


    The doctor considered this possibility as the reason why Yibei was seeing shadows. After all, it wasnt well-researched.Finndd the new??st ??ovels on n/??/velbin(.


    If you consider thetter, the doctor trailed off. Are the shadows you see blurred? Can you see clearer images?


    If he had seen clearer images, then the probability of disease would have been much higher.


    Yes, but do I have to share it? Yibei hesitated.


    Nope! Just speak to me.


    Alright Yibei said, taking a deep breath. Ive seen clearer ones a total of three times. When I was hungry one night, I went out to eat some skewers. At the crossroads, I saw a girl in a beige floral dress alongside a yellow and white corgi as big as a car. In a sh of light, she rode the corgi into the sky.


    Haha! the doctorughed at Yibeis remarks. Surely youve heard of the rumours of magical girls in our city? But thats just a rumour, after all.


    Of course, but I dont take rumours seriously. Wait, does this have anything to do with my eyesight?


    Of course. Things you often think about in your mind may affect your perception.


    Is he saying that Im a psycho? Yibei huffed.


    Right, the doctor continued. What about the other two times?


    It was raining five days ago, and I bumped into a senior in the mens locker room. As soon as she entered, she ran away when she saw me.


    In the mens locker room? A girl? She must have entered by mistake. I dont see the problem here.


    Of course, there is! Yibei interjected. Her huge head fell on the ground, and she fled without picking her head up!


    The doctor imagined the scene being described and felt a chill run down his back. His hand involuntarily let go of the teacup he was holding, and the tea soaked his clothes.


    Then, what did you do


    I called the police! Thats a normal reaction, right?


    The doctor didnt reply. He thought that the most expected reaction was to simply run away.


    When the police arrived, I took them to the scene, but her head wasnt there anymore. All that was left was her hairpin; it was kinda cute! It was pink with white polka dots, and


    As Yibei trailed off, the doctor adjusted his sses slightly.


    Could you have seen it wrong?


    Maybe, but the police dont think so. They think that something is wrong with me and suggested that Ie to the hospital.


    For thest one, Yibei continued. I was entering the hospital, and I saw someone muttering something to themselves like they were being watched. They spoke about him having lung cancer, and suddenly a huge, ck tumour grew on his body, and


    W-wait! the doctor interrupted. This is a hospital, my friend. Be serious; dont joke around.


    <em>This patient is so f*cking scary</em>, the doctor thought.


    Does it look like Im joking, doctor? Yibei asked with a serious face.


    R-right. Arent you afraid of those things?


    Of course, I am! What do you think?


    Indeed, he was frightened when he first saw the shadows but was surprised that he hadnt shown signs of mental illness.


    At most, he would see strange shadows by the street, ss balls nging above him at night, the sound of water dripping in the toilet, or someone sighing beside him when he was sleeping


    Yibei rolled up his sleeves and said, Look at my goosebumps!


    Are the shadows the cause of your goosebumps?


    This is a disease, no? Yibei asked. My eyes were injured in a car ident, so naturally, wouldnt I have otherplications?


    The doctor thought for a moment about facial paralysis.


    Right, his facial expressions didnt change at all.


    Doctor, its facial paralysis. Isnt it? I can get over it, but I want to stop seeing these strange things.


    The doctors eye twitched at this request, but he remained calm.


    Haha, the doctor chuckled. My friend, dont worry about it. I understand your situation; since you have no physical symptoms, you have to consider the psychological aspects of it. How about I help you take a look?


    The doctor nned to pass this patient on to another department.


    Youre taking me to a psychiatrist?


    Uh yes, but dont worry! Mental illness is not incurable as long as there is proper treatment.


    No need, Yibei stopped the doctor. I just escaped from there.


    So, youre a mental patient after all?!