Zhuang Wan immediately asked, "Mr. Xing, should I go with you?" Several colleagues from the finance department were in the hospital. If Xing Zheng went alone, it might arouse unnecessary speculation. There was already a lot of gossip among Shuang Mu's employees about Lin Mei.
Xing Zheng said "Mm," and Zhuang Wan followed, entering the private elevator with Xing Zheng. Xing Zheng's expression remained serious. Even though he didn't show any panic, Zhuang Wan could tell he was worried about Lin Mei.
Lin Mei had fainted due to extreme fatigue and arrhythmia. She hadn't slept a full night for seven or eight consecutive days and drank coffee every day. If she were any less fortunate, she could have suffered sudden cardiac death. Lily and several other colleagues were frightened after hearing the doctor's words.
Just as they were thinking of ways to contact Lin Mei's family, they saw Xing Zheng and Zhuang Wan approaching. Lily understood immediately. When Xing Zheng arrived, she proactively explained to him, "Mr. Xing, the doctor said Manager Lin fainted due to extreme fatigue causing arrhythmia. She probably hasn't slept for many days. Her complexion was already poor when she came to the company today."
"Is she awake?" Xing Zheng asked.
Lily replied, "Not yet. She's in the emergency room now. I was just about to notify her family to come..."
Xing Zheng said "Mm," and then said to Zhuang Wan beside him, "Go arrange a private room."
Zhuang Wan immediately went to do so.
Before long, Lin Mei was transferred from the emergency room to a private room. Lily and several colleagues from the finance department were all aware of the situation. Xing Zheng's personal visit indicated that he wasn't as indifferent to Lin Mei as the news suggested. She was merely an employee of one of Shuang Mu's partner banks. If something happened, sending Zhuang Wan would have been sufficient; there was no need for him to come personally.
Lin Mei had not yet woken up. Xing Zheng looked at the woman on the hospital bed, her face haggard. She seemed to have lost weight, her eye sockets appearing more sunken than before. She was unconscious, her lips pale and dry.
He himself had needed to take high-dose medication for three to four years to manage his daily sleep of two to three hours. His personal record was half a month without closing his eyes, which resulted in hospitalization. The doctor had lamented that if he hadn't been young, such self-abuse would have led to his death long ago.
Therefore, he understood the feeling of insomnia too well. Lin Mei likely hadn't experienced such severe insomnia before. Insomnia was often the initial physical manifestation of many mental illnesses. Xing Zheng looked at her intently for a long time, then contacted Zhou Yue, "Get her a check-up."
When Lin Mei woke up, it was late at night. She opened her eyes, her body aching and her eye sockets dry, with none of the comfort of waking from a good sleep. She looked around, confirming she was in a hospital room. Then, she heard the sound of a door opening. She looked towards the door, and upon seeing the person, her fingers suddenly clutched the blanket. Xing Zheng. Why was he here?
The moment she saw him, Lin Mei remembered those unpleasant experiences. Her insomnia had begun when Xing Zheng handed her surgical report to Xu Helie. She had been anxious day and night, and even after taking medication, when she lay in bed, her mind was filled with the image of a bloody mass of flesh. Her nightmares had become hallucinations, tormenting her every night.
Xing Zheng held a thermos, containing vegetable and lean meat congee he had cooked. He came to the bedside and began to feed her himself. Lin Mei remained unresponsive. Xing Zheng urged, "Open your mouth."
Lin Mei still didn't move. She was hungry but had no appetite. Perhaps because she had been hungry for so long, she felt like gagging. Xing Zheng said to her, "Be good, eat something." His tone was like coaxing a disobedient pet.
Lin Mei chuckled. Despite her hoarse voice, she spoke sarcastically, "Seeing you makes me sick, I can't eat."
After speaking, she saw the man's movements stiffen. Lin Mei didn't feel satisfied. Compared to what she had endured, this was nothing. He didn't get angry, which was also unexpected. After a long silence, he put the bowl and spoon aside, "Then feed yourself."
Lin Mei didn't react. Xing Zheng stood by, watching her. After a long while, his patience began to wear thin, "Are you going to feed yourself, or should I find another way to feed you?" He reverted to his usual commanding and coercive tone.
Given the choice, Lin Mei didn't need to think; she chose to feed herself. As soon as she finished the congee, she heard Xing Zheng say, "Tomorrow, go to Nan Da Affiliated Hospital for a check-up."
Lin Mei's hand, holding the bowl, paused in mid-air. She knew very well what Nan Da Affiliated Hospital was. Had Xing Zheng found something out that made him want to take her there? Thinking of this, her face became even paler than before, "You're the one who should be getting checked there."
She was seeking a sense of security by hurting him with her words.
Then she heard him say, "Do you think I don't know the indications for chlorpromazine?"
Lin Mei was speechless. She had medication in her bag. When she fainted earlier, he must have seen her bag. He also had chlorpromazine in his drawer. How could someone who had been ill for so many years not recognize it?
Lin Mei felt as if she had been stripped bare, feeling utterly humiliated.
Xing Zheng made arrangements, "After the check-up tomorrow, Zhou Yue will give you a completely new treatment plan."
The previous treatment plan she had used in Kyoto was clearly no longer viable. Her current symptoms were likely more severe than they were then.
"My affairs don't require your attention." Lin Mei found it incredibly ironic. If it weren't for him, how could she have ended up in such a state? He was clearly the instigator, yet he treated her with such condescending charity!
"Go to sleep. I'll take you for your check-up tomorrow morning." Xing Zheng completely ignored her refusal. Lin Mei instantly became agitated. She raised her hand and threw the bowl at Xing Zheng.
The ceramic bowl first hit Xing Zheng's shoulder, then fell to the floor, shattering into several pieces. He smiled and asked, "Feel better?"
Lin Mei: "Are you disgusting or not?"
She didn't feel better at all. If they had a big argument now, she might have found a way to vent her anger. However, he suddenly stopped engaging.
"Is it worth it to go against your own body for someone as disgusting as me?" He walked to the bedside, tucked the blanket around her, and touched her face with his long fingers. "Go to sleep, I'm leaving now."
He actually left so readily. A few minutes later, a hospital orderly came to clean up the mess. Lin Mei lay in bed, and the nightmarish scenes reappeared in her mind. The sound of an infant's cry echoed overhead, inescapable.
Even covering her ears was of no use. She became agitated, her brain buzzing with excitement, yet her body was exceptionally tired.
This condition persisted for nearly an hour, with no sign of sleep. Her mood grew increasingly irritable, and her chest felt tight. She got out of bed, wanting to get some fresh air.
Lin Mei put on her slippers and walked out of the room. The moment she opened the door, she saw the person sitting on the long bench in the hallway. Lin Mei's steps froze, and she stared fixedly.
The man who had just said he was leaving was now asleep, leaning against the bench, his face showing undeniable fatigue.