“These reporters certainly are well-informed,” Chen Xuanqiu mused. Only then did she begin browsing the other web pages.
Although Chen Xuanqiu had transmigrated over two months ago, the ordeal of her kidnapping had left her knowing very little about this new world. She had only ever caught glimpses, the merest tip of the iceberg, from snatched fragments of conversation. Now, as she delved into the internet, a quiet astonishment settled in her heart.
Firstly, this realm was also called Earth—a fact Chen Xuanqiu had already ascertained. To distinguish it from her home world, she had subconsciously christened it ‘Earth B’.
Earth B appeared to be an almost perfect clone of her original world, save for one crucial distinction: the course of human history. This divergence had led to an entirely different geopolitical landscape. For example, the nation of Yongchang, where Chen Xuanqiu now found herself, simply didn’t exist on her original Earth.
Strangely, however, despite the divergent names of nations, smaller administrative units, down to the city level, seemed to be exact geographical clones of their counterparts on her original Earth.
‘This Earth B truly seems like a parallel world,’ she mused.
With each new discovery, Chen Xuanqiu’s astonishment deepened, and the hours quietly melted away.
As the night deepened and silence settled, Chen Xuanqiu finally drifted into a hazy slumber.
The following morning, Chen Xuanqiu awoke to a fully bright sky. Recalling her impending hospital visit, she quickly roused herself from bed.
She carefully bound her chest, dressed, and then moved on to her morning ablutions.
Once her morning routine was complete, Chen Xuanqiu descended the stairs. Only Li Auntie, the live-in housekeeper, was in the kitchen, busily preparing breakfast.
“Xiao Qiu, just wait a bit,” Li Auntie greeted warmly. “They haven’t woken up yet.”
Li Auntie’s greeting was exceptionally warm. Having served the Chen family for a considerable time, she could effortlessly differentiate between the “siblings.” One bore a mole on their face, the other did not, and their builds and manner of dress were distinctly dissimilar.
Unwilling to engage in small talk, Chen Xuanqiu offered a polite smile, then primly settled onto the sofa to await the others.
Not long after, the family members began to stir and emerge. Once breakfast was finished, Chen Xuanqiu’s mother assisted her with her makeup.
Throughout this process, Melissa made several attempts at physical contact with her “son,” but Chen Xuanqiu deliberately, though subtly, eluded each one.
Chen Xuanqiu’s caution stemmed from a clear reason. Her clothes were quite thin, and any accidental touch to her upper body by her mother would instantly reveal the binding beneath. Therefore, she meticulously maintained a safe distance.
With her makeup complete, the family of four finally departed.
Chen Degao backed the car out, his wife instinctively taking the front passenger seat, while their children settled into the back.
Chen Xuanqiu glanced at her sister beside her, who possessed an ethereal beauty, and an odd sense of trepidation stirred within her. She instinctively shifted closer to the car door.
“Mom, let’s go to the barbershop first to get Xiao Qiu’s hair cut,” Chen Xuanzhu suggested. “His hair is simply too long.”
Chen Xuanzhu’s beautiful eyes subtly flickered towards her “guilty” ‘brother’ as she spoke.
“Xiao Qiu does need a haircut,” Chen Degao, who was driving, remarked mildly. “It’s not ideal for a boy to have hair this long.”
“Qiu, what do you think?” Melissa asked, turning her head to solicit her “son’s” opinion, her eyes brimming with doting affection.
Before Chen Xuanqiu could even formulate a reply, her sister beside her narrowed her large eyes slightly and fixed her with a glare. A jolt went through Chen Xuanqiu, and she quickly interjected, “Cut it! Cut it immediately!”
And so, Chen Xuanqiu found herself being led by her parents to the barbershop.
Chen Degao, being a man of considerable standing, had naturally chosen a high-end establishment. The salon was not only vast but also exquisitely appointed, with gleaming leather barber chairs radiating an aura of luxury. It resembled a sophisticated office more than a mere barbershop.
Chen Xuanqiu had never stepped foot in such a luxurious place before. As she entered, she felt her legs wobble ever so slightly beneath her.
“Are you here for haircuts?” a young barber approached and asked.
As he registered the family of four entering, he instantly froze. ‘Good heavens,’ he thought to himself, ‘they’re all handsome men and beautiful women, and three of the women are even foreigners.’
“Yes, we’d like a haircut for my son,” Chen Degao said, glancing at Chen Xuanqiu.
“S-son? But isn’t she…” The barber paused, startled by Chen Xuanqiu’s appearance. He caught himself just in time, quickly correcting his tone. “What kind of hairstyle would this young man prefer?”
Chen Xuanqiu immediately felt the collective gaze of her family turn to her. Naturally, she was utterly clueless about hairstyles, but thankfully, the salon walls were adorned with various image posters.
She walked over to the posters, deliberating for a moment before pointing to a male-style, ear-length layered cut that verged on the ‘Shamatte’ aesthetic. “Cut it like this,” she instructed.
Chen Xuanqiu’s choice was strategic; she still wished to partially obscure her face, making overly short styles unsuitable.
The barber confirmed her choice, then guided Chen Xuanqiu to a gleaming leather chair and motioned for her to sit.
Half an hour later, Chen Xuanqiu sported a brand-new hairstyle. Gazing at her reflection in the mirror, a wave of satisfaction washed over her. While such a cut might appear ‘Shamatte’ on a man, her true identity as a girl lent it a strikingly heroic and spirited allure.
Fearing that a full wash would smudge her meticulously applied makeup, Melissa requested the barber simply use a hairdryer for a quick tidy-up.
Chen Xuanqiu cheerfully stood, but a moment later, she froze in disbelief at the counter. A mere haircut had cost four or five hundred yuan.
Having known poverty for so long, Chen Xuanqiu felt a genuine pang of distress, even though the expense wasn’t her own.
The family exited the barbershop and immediately set off for the city’s central hospital.
Chen Degao, being a man of considerable means, had secured an appointment with a specialist even on a weekend, thus bypassing the usual registration queue.
Chen Xuanqiu followed her parents to the consultation room, where a sign on the door clearly stated: “Psychiatry Department, Consultation Room Two.”
‘Psychiatry? Aren’t we here for a physical examination?’ she thought, her brows furrowing.
Believing she must have misread the sign, she turned a bewildered gaze upon her parents.
Her parents, however, offered no explanation, simply ushering her directly into the department.
“Brother Zhou, you’ve truly gone to great lengths for us,” Chen Degao said as they entered, greeting the middle-aged male doctor behind the desk. “Having to rush around for my affairs even on a holiday weekend.”
“We’re old acquaintances, there’s no need for such formality,” the middle-aged male doctor, surnamed Zhou, quickly waved off. Dr. Zhou was slightly plump, with thinning hair, and exuded an air of intelligence.
“Xiao Zhu, Xiao Qiu, quickly greet Uncle Zhou,” Chen Degao instructed his children.
“Hello, Uncle Zhou,” Chen Xuanqiu and her sister chimed in unison. However, Chen Xuanqiu’s voice was so soft it was entirely overshadowed by her sister’s.
“This must be Xiao Qiu, correct? Two years, and you’ve grown into quite the adult,” Dr. Zhou said, smiling at Chen Xuanqiu.
Chen Xuanqiu didn’t recognize the man at all, so she could only manage an awkward smile before taking a seat on the stool opposite the desk.
“Brother Chen,” Dr. Zhou began, his smile fading into a serious expression, “tell me about his specific situation.”
“Brother Zhou, the situation is this,” Chen Degao explained concisely. “Xiao Qiu sustained a minor injury while out of town recently and was hospitalized. During his stay, he repeatedly claimed to see a woman, yet none of us could perceive anything. That’s why I’ve brought him to the hospital, to understand what exactly is happening.”
Chen Xuanqiu, however, felt a shiver run through her. She gazed at her father, utterly bewildered. Even a fool would understand that he was referring to the bizarre incidents that had transpired during her hospitalization at Dengtai City Central Hospital.
‘How on earth did he know?’ she wondered, a wave of confusion washing over her.
Lost and uncertain, Chen Xuanqiu pondered the situation. A possibility quickly solidified in her mind: the police in Dengtai City must have informed her father behind her back.
“Brother Chen,” Dr. Zhou began, “hallucinations can stem from several conditions. Firstly, there are physiological causes, such as sleep paralysis, mental and physical exhaustion, and so forth. These can affect ordinary people occasionally and are often preventable by maintaining a regular lifestyle. Secondly, there’s organic mental disorder caused by brain lesions, which can typically be identified through a CT scan. Finally, there are mental health conditions, which are considerably more complex to evaluate.”
“Then, Brother Zhou, what course of action should we take?” Chen Degao asked, after a moment’s thought.
Chen Xuanqiu’s delicate brows furrowed. She was certain her own condition didn’t align with any of the possibilities Dr. Zhou had listed. ‘What if they can’t find the cause?’ she worried.
“Here’s what we’ll do,” Dr. Zhou stated, producing a referral slip. “You’ll take him for a brain CT scan first. We’ll tackle this one step at a time.”
With the referral in hand, Chen Xuanqiu and her family exited the consultation room.
“Mom, Dad, did the police in Dengtai City tell you something?” Chen Xuanqiu asked, unable to contain her curiosity any longer.