My own mother and father! My sister rushed in, eyes red-rimmed, and as soon as her backside settled onto the stool, she burst into a torrent of tears, like a sudden thunderstorm. I asked her what Officer He had said, but she only whimpered, “Wuuu, wuuu.” Pressing her further, the response was still just mournful sounds.

It took a good while for her to cry herself out. By the time she wiped her nose clean, the sky was already turning pitch black, and my stomach was growling loudly in protest.

“Sister, there are two options right now: one is to go get us something to eat, and the other is to tell me what Officer He said. You have to pick one. Which is it?”

“Oh, I’ll go get you something to eat!” With that, my sister dabbed at the corners of her eyes and stood up to leave.

I truly couldn't fathom what kind of question could reduce her to such a downpour of tears. Could it be that I had a terminal illness and the doctor had handed down a death sentence?

Soon, my sister returned, carrying a massive haul of food—another highly unusual action. Normally, if she went out, she wouldn't be back for at least two or three hours. I remembered when I had my tonsillectomy; she went out at eleven to buy lunch and didn't get back until one in the afternoon. It seemed whatever Officer He had to say was truly momentous.

“I bought Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs, Roasted Chicken, and I even took a taxi specifically to get those Wu Ji steamed buns,” my sister announced, turning over the small tray table by my sickbed and setting everything out before me. “All your favorites. Hurry up and eat!”

I didn’t have the slightest appetite. I took hold of her hand, looking at her with imploring eyes: “Sister, can you please just tell me what happened?”

At the sound of my voice, her eyes instantly reddened again.

“Tomorrow, I’m taking you to the psychiatric hospital… Wuuu…”

Ah! My sister’s answer was like a thunderclap on a clear day. For a moment, I didn't know what to say; the mystery’s solution was this. Why send me to a mental hospital? I was the victim! Someone tried to kill me; I barely escaped with my life. I am perfectly sane!

“Sister, what did Officer He say? I don’t have any mental illness! I was stabbed with a dagger! How could I possibly end up in a psychiatric hospital out of the blue?”

“Officer He went to the school to get a detailed understanding of the situation. He said there is no one named Hou Dayong in your class, nor is there a girl named Bai Huaqian. The seat next to you has been empty the whole time. That day, you fell asleep the moment class started, and when school let out at noon, a classmate saw you go to the cafeteria alone to eat. You mentioned Li Xiaoshu—she does exist, but her family doesn’t own a villa, and they live near Huancheng East Road, not in the West City. On the day you were injured, he was in Germany on an exchange program. Near the location where you were found, witnesses say they saw you running around alone on the grass in the early evening.”

Hearing all this, I felt the earth collapse beneath me. My vision swam, and everything around me began to spin in dizzying circles.

“Hou Dayong and Bai Huaqian don’t exist?” My voice trembled, a clear sign of my agitation.

“Mmm…” My sister started sobbing again, but this time she was markedly calmer than before; clearly, she was accepting reality more easily than I was. “The school also sent someone to the Public Security Bureau just now. The doctor says you have intermittent schizophrenia. The school advised you to withdraw because high school is not compulsory education, and your mental condition shows violent tendencies. I begged them desperately to give you one more chance, and a leader from the Public Security Bureau also stepped in to mediate. Only then did the school agree to let you stay, but only on the condition that you must undergo formal psychiatric treatment. You can only return to class after you are discharged.”

I had heard stories before about sane people being locked away in asylums. I never imagined the same fate would befall me. It’s rumored that in such a place, the most normal person is considered the most abnormal.

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