"Three times, three times!"
Professor Su rushed over. After reading Haruko's hospitalization records and psychological report, and learning about all the incidents of Haruko attempting suicide, as a Doctor, there were some things she just had to say.
Professor Su sat opposite Ichiko, glanced at Ichiko's complexion, and said, "How do you feel right now? Can you listen to what I have to say?"
Ichiko paused upon hearing this, then quickly nodded.
"Since that's the case, I'll speak my mind." Professor Su was fuming. "How do you act as a parent? In just one month, she's been hospitalized three times for severe illness and twice on the verge of death."
"Don't tell me you don't know that the little one is congenitally weak and later suffered from malnutrition."
"I won't even mention the scratches on her arms. I can understand you not knowing when this type of psychiatric patient previously self-harmed without your knowledge."
"But now that you know, why didn't you stop her, why didn't you look after her properly?"
"Or are you seriously treating that kid like Lu Bu? Even Red Hare, ridden by Lu Bu every day, wasn't this durable!"
Professor Su spat out a string of words. Seeing Ichiko bowing her head deeply, she finally softened her tone, "If you blame me for speaking harshly, then just secretly curse me behind my back later. I don't mind."
"But you need to know, I'm speaking so harshly precisely to make you take this matter seriously!"
"This time, the little one was lucky. What about next time, the time after that? You know her mental state is unstable; she might get stimulated and try again at any time."
Ichiko bit her lower lip and kept nodding, "I'm sorry, Doctor, there won't be a next time. I will definitely watch over her properly."
Professor Su sighed, "Alright, I'm not just here to lecture you. Since I've taken over as the little one's attending Doctor, I need to understand her full situation. I hope you won't hide too much from me."
"Okay, Doctor."
Feeling that the Doctor in front of her was truly concerned for Haruko, Ichiko also chatted with the Doctor for an afternoon, recounting everything in detail from Haruko's childhood up to her university years.
However, as she listened, Professor Su's expression changed.
Just like Akina before.
"Wait a minute, you said that girl's feelings for you... are actually love?"
This is different from what Inari said!
Ichiko nodded gently, "Two psychologists analyzed it for me before. It was my incorrect guidance when she was a child that created this situation."
"Hiss, this is a bit tricky." Professor Su rubbed her brow. "From what I've heard, the main reason for the little one's mental instability is a lack of security, believing you don't care about her, which leads to suicidal thoughts."
"This is actually quite easy to solve; just find her a boyfriend."
"But the premise is that you two have the sisterly relationship that Inari mentioned."
Ichiko bit her lip, reached out, and softly interrupted, "Doctor, finding Haruko a boyfriend... won't work, right?"
Professor Su glanced at Ichiko, "Then do you love her?"
"I... I don't know."
Compared to love, it was actually the emotion of fear that she felt more strongly.
Alright, it seems before becoming the attending Doctor, I have to be a psychological counselor first.
Fortunately, Professor Su had experience in this area and said directly, "The little one's main issue is a lack of love. It's not something you can solve by just saying you'll watch over her, understand?"
"Let alone curing the root cause, even just treating the symptoms."
"If you can't see your own feelings clearly and keep hesitating, it won't have any therapeutic effect on her; it will only hurt her again and again, understand?"
Ichiko didn't speak, just buried her head again.
Professor said, "Since you don't love her, what do you do every time she confesses to you and says sweet words to you? Do you deceive her by saying you love her, or do you escape?"
"Instead of this, you might as well let go and find her a boyfriend, or a girlfriend."
"That kid Inari is not bad. Even out of sympathy, he would treat the little one named Chi well."
As soon as Ichiko heard that Haruko was to be handed over to Inari, she immediately became anxious, "No... no, Haruko cannot be handed over to Inari."
Professor Su rolled her eyes at Ichiko, "Then who do you want to hand her over to?"
"I..." Ichiko hesitated repeatedly, subconsciously wanting to escape again, but upon looking up and facing Professor Su's slightly narrowed eyes, feeling that faint pressure, she still followed her inner thoughts and said, "I don't want to hand her over to anyone."
"Then find the little one's other relatives. I remember she has a brother, right? If the brother can't do it, call her parents over."
Upon hearing this, Ichiko became even more anxious.
"No... no, we can't let Yuna Ge and her aunt and uncle come over."
She had just promised to look after Haruko.
Both Yuna Ge and Mother Chi, either before leaving or on the phone, had stated that since they weren't here, Haruko was entrusted to her.
With Haruko in this condition, Ichiko had no face to meet these 'family members' who cared deeply for Haruko and also for her.
Upon hearing this, Professor Su slapped the table hard, "This won't do! That won't do! What exactly do you want?!"
"You can't love her, you don't want others to love her, and you think it's not okay for her relatives to love her!"
"Let alone Haruko, even that kid Inari would be driven to death by you if he came over!"
Ichiko shrank her neck, completely at a loss for words.
Her own contradictions were actually felt by herself.
On one hand, she was afraid of Haruko, and on the other hand, she was dependent on Haruko.
Professor Su stood up calmly, her expression returning to normal, "The little one is still weak now, but she should be able to speak and eat in a couple of days. I advise you to think carefully during these two days. If she doesn't get the answer she wants..."
"Not cooperating with treatment is the best way to attempt suicide."
Leaving this sentence behind, Professor Su walked towards the door.
However, her steps were a bit slow, and the corner of her mouth was silently counting '321' as she turned.
When she was about to reach the door and counted to 1, Ichiko indeed spoke, "Doctor, then... can I pretend to love her?"
Professor Su turned around indifferently, "If you are prepared to be discovered at any moment and lose her, I have no objection."
That short sentence made Ichiko recall Haruko's question at Binjiang Bridge again.
"—Is your love for me fake?"
And the suicide note also mentioned this point.
Ichiko was silent for a long time, her hand hidden under the blanket trembling slightly, "Then Doctor, what... what should I do?"
"Force yourself to fall in love with her."
"Is this the only way?"
"Sending her to a psychiatric hospital is not a bad alternative."
After speaking, Professor Su left the ward without looking back, leaving Ichiko sitting alone on the hospital bed, feeling empty.
Outside the door, Wang Doctor, who had been waiting for a long time, asked, "Professor Su, isn't forcing her to love Haruko a bit too much? Matters of the heart are hard to dictate, aren't they?"
Professor Su replied irritably, "I'm just forcing her to face her own feelings."
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