"If you say more than you should," she said coldly, "I’ll make sure my father no longer considers you a friend."
Dr. Yuan didn’t flinch. He only watched her, the thoughtful expression returning to his face as she turned and walked out of the room.
The door clicked shut behind her.
He stared at the empty space she left behind, hand still pressed lightly to his chest.
"So much pain," he murmured. "What exactly are you hiding, Gu Jin..."
Outside, Gu Jin stepped into the hallway and paused.
Her father was there.
Standing beside him, arms crossed and expression casual, was Long Yifan.
Gu Jin blinked, eyebrows twitching together in confusion. "What is he doing here?"
Long Yifan smiled, as if her irritation was expected. "Nice to see you too."
She ignored that. Her eyes moved between them—her father looking thoughtful, Long Yifan grinning like he knew something she didn’t.
"What were you two talking about?" she asked.
Long Yifan looked over at Mr. Gu, then back at her with an innocent tone. "Just the engagement."
Gu Jin rolled her eyes. "I already told you—I’m going to break it off."
"What?" Long Yifan was shocked. "When did you ever say..."
"Weren’t you the one who had said with heroic expression that you were ready to break off the engagement?" Gu Jin raised an eyebrow.
"You said that," Long Yifan agreed, nodding, "but I didn’t agree. And didn’t you say you were fine with it back then because I was worried about you? I didn’t mean it literally."
She gave him a long look. "You’re being dramatic."
"I’m being cheated," he replied, giving her the most pitiful puppy-dog face she’d ever seen. "You’re tricking me into a breakup!"
Gu Jin looked like she might laugh—but she didn’t. Her expression stayed firm.
"I’m not tricking anyone," she said calmly. "If you want to go against me, then you should be ready to deal with the consequences."
Long Yifan dramatically clutched his chest. "That sounds like a threat!"
Gu Jin didn’t answer. Instead, she turned to Mr. Gu. "Dr. Yuan asked for you. He’s waiting."
Her father nodded, casting one sympathetic glance at Long Yifan before walking past her and stepping into the room.
Inside, Dr. Yuan was sitting still, the faint traces of his earlier strain mostly hidden.
Mr. Gu sat down across from him, quiet.
Dr. Yuan hesitated, then said plainly, "She’s hiding something."
Mr. Gu didn’t look surprised.
"I know," he said softly. "But how bad is it?"
Dr. Yuan sighed. "Very bad. I used my psychic element to try and understand the depth of her condition."
Mr. Gu’s eyes widened slightly.
Dr. Yuan’s expression darkened. "The moment I connected with her, I felt pain I’ve never experienced before. It was... devastating. Like someone ripped my heart apart and left it bleeding. I almost couldn’t breathe."
Mr. Gu’s face turned pale.
"I barely managed to cut off the connection," Dr. Yuan added. "Her pain isn’t fake, and it isn’t minor. She’s carrying something massive. Something real."
Mr. Gu looked down at his hands.
"...Then what’s the solution?"
Dr. Yuan leaned forward slightly. "Her case is complicated. If you really want her to get better, you need to take a step back. Don’t force her to open up. Don’t pressure her with your love or concern."
He paused, then continued, "What she needs is a psychiatrist that you don’t know. Someone unknown."
Mr. Gu looked up. "Do you have someone in mind?"
Dr. Yuan nodded. "I’ll give you a name."
He reached into his coat and pulled out a card, handing it over. Mr. Gu accepted it silently.
"One more thing," Dr. Yuan added, voice low and serious. "Don’t let her emotions come back all at once. If they return too suddenly, she might not be able to handle it."
Mr. Gu looked sharply at him. "What do you mean?"
"I mean that her mind has been surviving by not feeling for a long time. If everything floods back at once, the shock might destroy her. Best case—she suffers a breakdown. Worst case..."
Mr. Gu finished the sentence in a whisper. "She becomes a vegetable."
Dr. Yuan nodded once. "Or worse—develops a permanent mental illness which will affect her body she will die. Anyways, she could be partially cured."
Silence stretched between them.
Finally, Mr. Gu said, "Then we’ll do it carefully. Step by step."
Mr. Gu’s hands tightened around the card, the edges digging into his skin. His voice trembled when he spoke again.
"...Is there any chance she can be completely cured?"
Dr. Yuan was silent for a moment.
He knew Mr. Gu would easily see the loopholes in his words.
Then he met Mr. Gu’s eyes with a quiet, heavy look.
"I’m sorry," he said gently. "It’s impossible."
The words hit like a hammer. Mr. Gu blinked, slowly shaking his head, as if refusing to believe it.
"No..." he whispered. "There must be something. She’s so young."
"I know." Dr. Yuan’s voice was calm, but firm. "But this isn’t something medicine or alchemy can just erase. Her mind has built this defense over years—maybe since childhood. It’s deeply rooted. Even if she recovers emotionally, the damage it’s done to her body has already begun."
Mr. Gu’s throat worked as he tried to find his next words. "...Then how long can she live ?"
Dr. Yuan looked down at his folded hands for a moment, then back up.
"If she agrees to therapy—real, consistent therapy—she may live another thirty years. Maybe more, if we’re lucky and careful."
Mr. Gu’s eyes widened. "Thirty years? That’s..." He counted quickly. "She’s only twenty-two."
"She might live past fifty," Dr. Yuan said quietly. "But not much longer than that."
There was a heavy silence.
"And if she doesn’t get help?" Mr. Gu asked, almost afraid of the answer.
Dr. Yuan exhaled. "She won’t make it past thirty."
Mr. Gu’s heart felt like it had been punched through. He leaned back, covering his face with both hands, trembling. "She’ll be gone... in eight years..."