“Phew, finally back,” Ethan sighed with relief, calling out to the microphone near his bed.

Shortly after, his attending physician, carrying a white tablet and accompanied by a nurse, entered the room.

“How are you feeling, Ethan? Any new changes in this hallucination?” the physician asked kindly, sitting down.

“It was the same environment, doing the same thing. Only this time, the leprous master brutally killed someone right in front of me and used her for alchemy,” Ethan recounted the details of his vision.

“Mhm,” the doctor nodded, rapidly typing notes on the tablet.

After a moment of thought, Ethan hesitantly asked, “Doctor, what do these different hallucinations mean? What do they signify about my mind and psyche?”

“No, you shouldn’t worry about that. You should focus more on the duration of each hallucination and your mental stability,” the doctor advised, dismissing Ethan's concerns.

“Remember, they are all illusions. You've already overcome Hallucinatory Perception Disorder. Don’t fall back into it.”

“Just act according to the logic in those hallucinations and continue with our treatment here, and you’ll recover soon.”

Hearing this, Ethan tensed up, knowing how crucial this was for his discharge from the hospital.

The doctor, not forgetting to encourage his patient, added, “Actually, you're doing quite well now. When you first came, you couldn’t distinguish reality from fantasy. It’ll get better. Keep it up, stay strong.”

As they talked, light footsteps approached the door.

Both turned to see a young girl, about sixteen or seventeen, wearing a high-neck black sweater, peeping into the room.

Her skin was pale as jade, with black hair cascading down her shoulders like a waterfall. She was in the bloom of youth, radiantly beautiful.

Seeing the two young people’s hesitant expressions, the doctor chuckled understandingly, pushed his glasses up his nose, and walked towards the door.

“I have other matters to attend to. You guys carry on. Oh, and Ethan, remember to take your medication later.”

As soon as the doctor left, the girl walked in. She and Ethan exchanged smiles, and he instantly felt a sweet warmth in his heart, casting aside his worries about his illness.

“Stop smiling, it’s ugly. Guess what I brought you? Homework assigned by the teachers!” the girl said mischievously, pulling out a canvas bag.

Ethan's face fell. “Anna, after all these years of friendship, is this how you repay me?”

Anna, closing the door, produced a small handheld gaming console, shaking it triumphantly. “I’ve got this too~ Hehe, be good, call me queen and it’s yours.”

“Queen! You are my queen!” Ethan exclaimed, rushing to grab the console.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

Being cooped up in a psychiatric hospital was unbearably boring.

“Don’t play too much, remember to study,” Anna advised, sitting beside him while Ethan was busy turning on the console.

“Yeah, yeah,” Ethan replied, engrossed in the screen.

Her delicate, pale fingers tugged at his blue and white hospital gown, “Hey, don’t forget what you promised me.”

Ethan paused and looked up at her seriously. “Yeah, our plan to apply to the same university.”

Anna, shyly lowering her head, whispered softly, “Yeah, get well soon. I’ll wait for you.”

Suddenly, Ethan pulled her into a hug.

With her cheeks flushed, Anna didn’t resist but closed her eyes, whispering, “Big pervert.”

The two didn’t do much; just embracing was enough to make them feel blissfully happy.

After a while, Anna had to leave. It was her final semester in high school, and even sparing half a day was precious.

Though the visits were always brief, they were a beacon of hope for Ethan in his difficult days.

“I’ll walk you to the gate,” Ethan said, climbing out of bed and slipping into his hospital slippers.

As they headed towards the door, Ethan felt something was off and noticed the mortar he used in his hallucinations on the bedside table. His body trembled, but on a second glance, it was just his lunchbox.

“You alright?” Anna asked, noticing his reaction.

Seeing her concern, Ethan quickly joked, “Haha, scared you, didn’t I?”

Anna frowned and pinched his waist, “You’re not a kid anymore. Stop being so childish.”

“Don’t be mad, I just wanted to cheer you up,” Ethan said, reaching for her hand, which she initially shook off but eventually held.

Outside, other patients in the yard smiled at this innocent, sweet love.

Their walk was slow, but eventually, they reached the hospital entrance. Anna lingered, “I’ll visit you again next week. Take care of yourself inside.”

“Maybe skip next week. I know you’re busy with studies and only get half a day off each week. Don’t waste it on me.”

Anna playfully stepped on his hospital slipper, her delicate eyebrows coming together, “Silly, don’t make assumptions. I’ve never dropped below the top three. No pressure.”

“Ah!” Ethan clutched his heart, feigning pain, “That hurts,My queen.”

Anna's giggles echoed as she playfully punched Ethan, then turned and dashed towards the bus stop across the hospital entrance like a sprightly deer. Ethan watched until the bus carrying his girlfriend vanished from sight, and his smile gradually faded.

Reflecting on what he had just seen, he walked anxiously towards the doctor's office.

An hour later, Ethan lay restless in bed, turning over the thoughts of his future with Anna. On the table beside him were new medications prescribed for his latest symptoms.

The images of the mortar and Anna's laughter continuously played in his mind.

“What if my condition worsens, and I can’t leave the hospital before college starts? Then I won’t be able to attend the same university as Anna.”

Despite being in the hospital, Ethan was aware of the rumors outside; in the eyes of neighbors, he was entirely insane.

Facing such a reality, Anna, his childhood friend, had confessed her feelings for him just a day before his admission. Her affection was clear, even without words.

She was a good girl, and he, as a man, didn’t want to let her down.

“It doesn’t make sense. I’ve been following the doctor's orders completely. Why is my condition still worsening? Do I need to be transferred again? This is already the third hospital.”

“Dr. Lio should be reliable; he’s the best doctor my dad could find.”

As these worries grew, Ethan sat up abruptly and began studying, pouring over Anna’s books and worksheets, trying to distract himself from his lingering concerns.

Ethan continued with his homework, and before he knew it, it was deep into the night.

Just as he completed a math test, stretching and rubbing his temples, he wondered, “How late is it? It must be really late.” Ethan put on his slippers, preparing to visit the restroom before going to bed.

As he yawned and walked towards the door, he suddenly felt something odd at his chest.

Ethan pulled open his collar and saw a patch of dark brown substance clinging to his chest.

The strangely familiar color sparked a thought in his mind.

Ethan dabbed it with his finger and tasted it. The bitter-sweet flavor made his pupils constrict.

It was the sugar cube given by the silly senior sister in the hallucination! The item from the hallucination had appeared in reality!