The file bag was not large, and it should have contained paper-like items. Hidden here, it was definitely something that did not want to be discovered. Lin Mei recalled Xing Zheng’s mention of “love letters.” Driven by impulse, she opened the file bag. However, what was inside was not something Xing Yan had left for her, but rather… a stack of medical diagnoses.
They were densely packed with English. Lin Mei picked up the topmost one. The date was five years ago. Judging by the timeline, this should have been Xing Zheng’s second year studying in America. The diagnosis clearly stated Xing Zheng’s name. His age was listed as 19 (full years). The department was Psychiatry. After some basic information, there were large sections of diagnostic information.
Although Lin Mei’s English was good, it involved many professional terms that she could not easily identify. She had previously looked up information on bipolar disorder and recognized that word. Following it was “ptsd,” post-traumatic stress disorder, which she also knew. The last long string of words, she struggled to decipher for a long time, and then resorted to a search engine.
Soon, the answer was obtained: Borderline Personality Disorder.
This was a type of psychological illness Lin Mei had never heard of. She began to browse the information, and the more she read, the more she felt that these symptoms were extremely consistent with Xing Zheng. After finishing reading, Lin Mei picked up Xing Zheng’s diagnosis again. It also described Xing Zheng’s symptom manifestations: aggressive behavior, accompanied by frequent self-harm, episodic irritability, substance abuse and addiction… etc.
The doctor’s treatment recommendation was follow-up and medication control. Then, five or six medications followed, another long string of English. Lin Mei recognized a few words, and several of them were things she had seen in Xing Zheng’s drawer.
This diagnosis was from when he was nineteen. Now, nearly seven years had passed, and he was still using these medications. She dared not think about how severe his condition truly was.
Besides this one, there were many others. Almost every diagnosis presented new situations. The diagnoses in this file bag stopped when he was twenty-one. Lin Mei did not know where the later ones were hidden. Even though she had already guessed Xing Zheng’s condition and witnessed his episodes, the words on the diagnoses still delivered a huge shock to her.
It was nearing the time for Xing Zheng to get off work. Lin Mei took photos of his diagnoses, returned them to their original place, and left the study.
Lin Mei went to the living room and sat down, beginning to seriously study the information she had just found. It turned out that Borderline Personality Disorder was often comorbid with Bipolar Disorder. The information stated that the causes of Borderline Personality Disorder were more often due to traumatic experiences in childhood.
Lin Mei inferred that this should be related to his childhood lack of parental affection. She wondered how much harm he had suffered under Xie Qin Jia’s name in his youth. She remembered the scene of Xing Zheng persistently calling Xie Qin Jia “Mom.” Although it seemed like he was defying her, upon closer thought, she could understand his intention.
To put it sentimentally, he was merely a pitiable person who had been yearning for his biological mother to look at him more from childhood to adulthood. Lin Mei felt a pang of sadness for him, her eyes stinging. She put down her phone, picked up Lan Lan, and stroked the rabbit’s fur, falling into deep thought.
Perhaps everyone had a savior complex. She knew very well how dangerous it was to get close to Xing Zheng, yet she couldn’t help but feel sympathy for him. She wanted to know how his condition was now, whether it was still as severe as the diagnosis indicated.
After Xie Qin Jia was stimulated to the point of fainting that day, she completely fell into a cold war with Xing Sha. When Xing Sha spoke to her, she did not reply, and sometimes even resorted to physical actions. Xing Sha did not argue with her, indulging her, yet still refused to agree to help Zhao Corporation.
Xie Qin Jia, being spoiled, fussed for a few days. Seeing that Xing Sha still did not compromise, she went to negotiate with him. “What exactly do you want to help Jiang He?”
Xing Sha poured milk for Xie Qin Jia and handed it to her with care. “Rong Shi is already in the process of equity transfer. From now on, the company will be controlled by A Zheng. Whether to help Zhao Corporation or not is entirely up to him.”
The cup in Xie Qin Jia’s hand fell to the ground, and the white liquid spilled everywhere. “Xing Sha, are you crazy? You’re actually giving the company to him! Have you forgotten how A Yan died?!”
Xing Sha: “A Yan’s death was an accident, unrelated to A Zheng.”
“How is it unrelated? If he hadn’t been driving, how would A Yan have died?!” Xie Qin Jia rushed forward, grabbed Xing Sha’s arm, and argued furiously, “If you hadn’t promised me back then not to let him in the house again, I would have called the police long ago. Are you playing with me?!”
Xing Sha shook his head helplessly, unsure how to explain to her, and afraid that telling the truth would stimulate her, he fell silent. Xie Qin Jia was not stimulated to the point of fainting today as she had been before. She asked Xing Sha with a cold face, “Are you sure you want to give the company to him, right?”
“Even if you don’t like A Zheng, you cannot deny A Zheng’s capabilities,” Xing Sha told her. “I only have him as my son. The company will eventually be handed over to him. You have to accept reality.”
“Well said, accept reality!” Xie Qin Jia released Xing Sha. “I’ve said it before, it’s either him or me in this house. Since you insist on acknowledging this son, fine, we’ll divorce!”
Xie Qin Jia took out a suitcase, opened the wardrobe, and began throwing clothes into the suitcase. Xing Sha stopped her. “What are you doing? You’re so old, can’t you stop being so willful like when you were young?”
“Yes, I’m willful. Isn’t it good to divorce? Anyway, you Xing family members have always thought I wasn’t good enough for you!” Xie Qin Jia flung Xing Sha away and continued packing her luggage.
Xing Sha was unwilling to let her leave, and unable to stop her packing, he went downstairs to inform the household nannies and bodyguards not to let Xie Qin Jia out.
On Saturday morning, when Lin Mei opened her eyes, the spot beside her was already empty. It was only seven o’clock. Had Xing Zheng already gotten up?
Lin Mei washed up and went downstairs. She saw Xing Zheng in the living room feeding Lan Lan rabbit pellets. He was wearing a tracksuit, with a scarf around his neck. Lin Mei asked him, “Where did you go?”
“Running.” Xing Zheng stroked Lan Lan’s ear. “I was suffocated last night and needed to vent.”
Lin Mei’s face turned red at his words. Last night, when they were about to get intimate, she suddenly started her period, and Xing Zheng was forced to stop. He had been uncharacteristically gentlemanly and hadn’t asked her to do anything else.
“I’ll make breakfast,” Lin Mei went to the kitchen.
After feeding Lan Lan breakfast, Xing Zheng went upstairs to shower and came to the dining room to eat breakfast with Lin Mei.
As soon as they started eating, Xing Zheng’s phone rang. He picked it up; it was Xing Sha’s call.
Xing Zheng’s expression changed subtly. Lin Mei thought he was concerned about her, but unexpectedly, he answered it in front of her. “Dad.”
Lin Mei’s hand tightened. Xing Sha’s call?
The dining room was exceptionally quiet. Lin Mei heard Xing Sha on the phone say, “I’ll be there in five minutes. Be ready.”
Xing Zheng: “Mm.”
Lin Mei: “……”