Who Moved My Ashes Chapter 10
Chapter 10
Chen Man had only said a few simple words, but it was worse than any nightmare. Jiang Xichu closed her eyes but couldn’t sleep anymore.
Chen Man always did what she said. She had a good temper and was easy to discuss things with, but only for the small things. If something big happened, no matter what others said, she wouldn’t change her mind.
Jiang Xichu's breathing was very light, to the point where it seemed like she wasn’t even breathing. Her heartbeat slowed, and her confused brain gradually cleared. She didn’t know how long it took, but the sky gradually turned into the dark blue that indicated the dawn. Jiang Xichu opened her eyes and looked at Chen Man beside her.
Chen Man had fallen asleep, half her face stuck on the soft pillow and several strands of hair scattered around her ears. Jiang Xichu carefully stretched out a hand and gently pulled her hair to one side. Then, she slowly moved over and clung to Chen Man’s side.
It’ll be okay...
Jiang Xichu pursed her lips, then closed her eyes.
I can do it too. I can overcome any unforeseen obstacles and keep you safe, allowing you to live a quiet, ordinary life in this world by my side.
......
The next day, President Chen and Secretary Jiang took time off together. No one knew what it was for. At nine o’clock in the morning, as soon as the doors opened, Chen Man and Jiang Xichu appeared inside a warm and comfortable clinic.
This clinic was located in the center of the city. It was an absolute prime location, with a total of two floors; the first floor was the reception and family waiting room , and the second floor was the diagnosis room.
Jiang Xichu didn’t make an appointment, but the doctor here had known Chen Man since she was a child. It wasn’t that Chen Man had any psychological problems, but her parents wanted to prevent issues before they happened, so they took Chen Man to see the doctor regularly.
The doctor’s surname was Liu, and she was 51 years old. If you only looked at her face, no one could tell that she was 51 years old - she looked very young, as if she was in her thirties.
Chen Man nodded to Dr. Liu and greeted her, then she closed the door and left. Only Dr. Liu and Jiang Xichu were left in the huge room. The latter was a little nervous. When they sat down, she couldn’t help but straighten her back. To be honest, she didn’t feel sick. She just felt stimulated and would be better after a while. She came to see the doctor today just to have Chen Man feel at ease.
Dr. Liu saw her resistance and concern but said nothing, simply smiling gently at her, “Would you like something to drink?”
...
After two hours, Jiang Xichu came out of the room with Dr. Liu, who told her in a light voice: “If you could wait for a bit, I will talk to Chen Man about some precautions. Don’t worry, you’re in good shape, you don’t need to take medication, but there are some things your housemate should keep an eye on.”
Jiang Xichu smiled, “Okay, thank you for your trouble.”
“Haha, you’re welcome. This is what I’m here for.”
Chen Man stood to the side, quietly listening to them. Jiang Xichu went to Chen Man and gave her a comforting look, then went downstairs. Chen Man looked as she left and felt that she looked much better than when she had first arrived; she didn’t know if it was just an illusion.
Dr. Liu waved at Chen Man, “Man Man, come in.”
Dr. Liu also watched Chen Man grow up, so as soon as she walked in, she anxiously asked: “What is it? Is she suffering from depression?”
Dr. Liu shook her head slightly. “It’s not depression, but the situation’s not very good.”
Chen Man’s eyes widened, and her face turned into a frown.
“At present, the mild to moderate anxiety isn’t serious, but we must pay close attention to the situation. Otherwise, it will become severe and cause more problems.”
Chen Man grabbed onto the edge of her coat, wrinkling it. She forced herself to calm down, then asked, “What medication are you going to prescribe?”
“I won’t prescribe medication.” Dr. Liu looked at her quietly. “As I already said, this is mild to moderate, not very serious. Most psychological problems stem from a knot in the heart. If it doesn’t affect her normal life, there’s no need to take medication. Just untie the knot in her heart.”
Chen Man frowned. “But she didn’t look right last night. Doesn’t she need medication?”
“It was a stress reaction and she’s not abnormal every night, right? When I was chatting with her, I could see that she is a young person who is positive, looks forward to life, and is willing to live a good life. This is a good signal that she is willing to get better and be treated. The patient actively cooperating is more important than any medicine.”
Chen Man pursed her lips. “What should I do then?”
Dr. Liu smiled. “Give her company and take her out to relax properly. I don’t mean to relax all the time, it should be combined with work. Sometimes work is a kind of relaxation. In short, she needs you very much right now. In the future, she will work hard for you. Pay more attention to her so she can feel your company and care, and she will get better faster.”
Having said all this, Dr. Liu leaned back in her chair. “Of course, this is only the initial stage of treatment. Our main purpose is to let the patient recover, but she can’t rely on you too much. Once we reach the second stage, we can gradually help her restore her sense of independence.”
Chen Man felt surprised and strange. She pointed to herself, “Would my staying by her side really make a difference?”
She had been with Jiang Xichu the entire time, but Jiang Xichu has become like this now.
Dr. Liu didn’t understand and tilted her head, “What do you mean?”
It was difficult for Chen Man to say, “I shouldn’t have such a big role…I’m just her friend. The person she relies on the most isn’t me. Shouldn’t I send her to the person she cares about the most?”
Dr. Liu stared blankly, “Ah?”
Chen Man kept going, “Her parents have passed away and now there is only the stepmother and a half-brother left in her family. She has a bad relationship with her family and has no contact with them. If her family isn’t good, then her friends…I’m the only one left, but she doesn’t depend on me at all. Sometimes she’s bothered by me.” Chen Man suddenly stopped, and after a pause, she looked up. “She…she recently fell in love with someone. Wouldn’t it be more effective to let her stay with someone she likes?”
Dr. Liu was stupefied for a long time. ‘The person she likes, isn’t it you?’
Dr. Liu frowned and asked her: “But, Man Man, don’t you like her too?”
Dr. Liu said “too” because when she had her long talk with Jiang Xichu, she had discovered that her knot originated from Chen Man as well as her unusual feelings. In order to protect her privacy however, Dr. Liu didn’t want to say anything. When Chen Man heard this, she thought that Dr. Liu had misunderstood the word “too”. Dr. Liu could see that she liked Jiang Xichu and assumed that Jiang Xichu also liked her.
Chen Man slumped into herself. Then, she smiled wryly, “You figured it out. Don’t tell her. She doesn’t know that I like her, and I don’t want her to know.”
Dr. Liu: “......”
After a long pause, Dr. Liu came out of her silent state and looked at Chen Man oddly. “Why?”
Chen Man humbly lowered her head, “Because I’m just her friend, and she doesn’t like me.”
Dr. Liu: “...”
‘Where did this melon baby* come from?’
(TN: Melon baby (gua wazi) – it’s a joke used to people close to you saying silly or stupid; usually used to people in love. )