I Deduce the Female Lead Likes Me [Transmigration into a book] - Chapter 31: Defendant
After many years, Kou Shuang once again walked into the mental hospital and met Dr. Li. Dr. Li had a strong impression of Kou Shuang and Song Muxue. After all, it was uncommon for two such beautiful people to accompany a mentally ill patient to court.
Dr. Li’s first question was: “Miss Kou, do you have any symptoms?”
Kou Shuang: “…”
Song Muxue said calmly: “Kou Shuang is not ill.”
Kou Shuang: “We’re here for a consultation.”
Dr. Li gave an awkward laugh and said: “I thought you had neurasthenia and wanted some medication.” Even if the explanation was clumsy, it would become true if no one delved deeper. Dr. Li asked: “What would you like to consult about this time?”
“The family says he has an intellectual disability, is irritable and prone to crying when stimulated, has poor language organization skills, with sentences mostly composed of single words, but his comprehension is good. This seems to have been going on for some years,” Song Muxue asked: “In this situation, do you think it can be improved or even treated?”
Dr. Li pondered for a moment and said: “Based on the description alone, I can’t say for sure. It’s best if the patient comes in person. For mental illnesses, the earlier the treatment, the better. However, if comprehension is good, it might be a bit easier to handle.”
Song Muxue nodded and then asked the question Xiao Huzi was very concerned about: “What about the cost here?”
Dr. Li smiled knowingly and said: “Diagnosis is free. Specific charges depend on the diagnosis and subsequent treatment methods. The hospital, of course, advises the patient to come as early as possible. Financial considerations can be weighed, but understanding the condition early definitely has all benefits and no harm.”
Song Muxue nodded and said: “Thank you, I understand. I will convey this to the patient’s family.”
Although the results they got were a bit vague, they could still use a small piece of evidence to coax Xiao Huzi into bringing his brother for treatment. Xiao Huzi, like the sanitation worker mother, probably harbored fear, which was why he hadn’t thought of this earlier.
Kou Shuang looked left and right. After finally finishing asking about Huzi Brother, she asked: “Dr. Li, I’d like to ask about Sun Jiawen’s condition.”
Dr. Li was startled, then said: “Sun Jiawen, ah… Sun Jiawen has been recovering quite well recently. Her dosage has been significantly reduced. Do you want to visit her? In her current state, no appointment is needed.”
Kou Shuang nodded and said: “Then I’ll trouble you.”
But her heart sank. The more stable the surface personality, the more dangerous the inner personality. Since they were already reducing the medication dosage, was the inner personality still barely surviving? Or had she hidden herself well?
Sun Jiawen’s condition had improved, so entering the ward didn’t have as many rules as last time. Dr. Li led Kou Shuang and Song Muxue into the room, smiling as he introduced: “Sun Jiawen, your friends have come to see you.”
Sun Jiawen was watching a popular idol drama. Hearing this, she turned to look at the three of them, saying nothing.
Dr. Li said: “What should you say now?”
Sun Jiawen paused, then said: “Thank you.”
“Is this how you ‘educate’ patients?” Kou Shuang sounded incredulous. Even if Sun Jiawen really had a mental illness, she couldn’t be an elementary school student. What was the meaning of teaching daily conversations?
Dr. Li smiled and said: “This is an important indicator for us to gauge the patient’s mental state. Maintaining politeness indicates stable mental state, and remembering the medical staff’s words means memory isn’t disordered. There’s no intention of education or admonition. I have other matters in other wards; you can have a good chat with the patient.”
Dr. Li left the ward, leaving only Sun Jiawen, Kou Shuang, and Song Muxue.
Kou Shuang asked: “Who are you now?”
Sun Jiawen said: “I’m cured. You won’t see her anymore.”
Kou Shuang’s heart sank again and she said: “Has Lu Renjia visited you?”
Sun Jiawen’s expression was very cold. She said: “He visited. I refused. He’s boring, and you’re boring too. Life is all boring.”
What does this mean? Has the surface personality become nihilistic after the mania and delusions were cured?
For some reason, Kou Shuang saw a hint of the inner personality on that face.
Or, had the two personalities merged due to the “treatment” of the mental illness?
Sun Jiawen glanced at Song Muxue again and said: “What are you doing here? Do you have anything to say to me?”
Song Muxue said faintly: “I came with Kou Shuang. If I’m interfering with your chat, I can go out.”
Sun Jiawen scoffed, smiled, and said: “No need. Kou Shuang and I have nothing much to talk about. Please close the door, thank you.”
Then Sun Jiawen picked up the remote control and turned up the TV volume several times, looking as if she didn’t want to talk much. Kou Shuang, feeling helpless, stood there for a while, then left dejectedly.
As she closed the door.
“Idol dramas are good, but getting too engrossed in them will make you as stupid as the characters in the show. Don’t you agree, Kou Shuang?”
Kou Shuang turned back in surprise and asked: “What does that mean?”
“Nothing. If you visit me next time, bring me a large red lipstick,” Sun Jiawen stared intently at the TV, as if she hadn’t been the one speaking just now.
Large red lipstick.
Kou Shuang’s eyes widened.
“Remember to close the door when you leave,” Sun Jiawen repeated.
All other words could only be swallowed. Kou Shuang felt reluctant to leave, but tried to keep her expression neutral.
She had reason to believe that the inner personality had gained control but was unwilling to directly interact with her. Why? Was there some hint in the few words just now?
-I’m cured. You won’t see her anymore.
-He’s boring, and you’re boring too. Life is all boring.
-Idol dramas are good, but getting too engrossed in them will make you as stupid as the characters in the show.
The first sentence meant that Sun Jiawen’s second personality had disappeared, and the inner personality had completely taken over the body, which was why she was so lazy and cold, and felt that life was boring. What did the latter sentence mean? What did “getting too engrossed in them will make you as stupid as the characters in the show” mean?
Song Muxue’s phone suddenly rang, interrupting Kou Shuang’s thoughts. Song Muxue answered: “Hello?… Mm-hmm, okay, then 1 PM. I’ll rush back to the company right away. No trouble at all; you’ve worked hard.”
After Song Muxue hung up the phone, Kou Shuang asked her: “What’s wrong?”
Song Muxue said: “The sanitation worker I mentioned to you before, she said she found the suspect who abducted her daughter. I’m going back to the company right away to communicate with her about the next steps.”
••••
When Song Muxue arrived at the company, Ms. Wu Wenyu had already been waiting in the company lobby for a long time. She was restless. As soon as she saw Song Muxue appear at the company entrance, she immediately went up to her, eagerly saying: “Lawyer Song, did you just return from outside? Thank you for your trouble!”
Song Muxue smiled gently and said: “It’s alright, finding the child is important.”
She knew Wu Wenyu was anxious, so as she walked towards the elevator, she asked her: “How did you find the other party’s information? Did the police find anything?”
Wu Wenyu said: “No, no. The police are too busy; they won’t handle such a small matter… I found it myself. I hired a private detective and spent 30,000 yuan.”
Song Muxue was a little surprised and said: “The means by which private detectives obtain information are not necessarily legitimate. If they’re not legitimate, it cannot constitute evidence. You’ve already reported the case; why didn’t you wait for the police?”
Moreover, she knew Wu Wenyu’s financial situation. 30,000 yuan was not a small sum of money, and spending it on this, she felt, was not worth it.
Wu Wenyu’s expression was somewhat dejected. She lowered her head and said: “The police are too busy, and my daughter can’t wait. 30,000 yuan, if it can find my daughter, why wouldn’t I spend it?”
Song Muxue felt a little more pity. Police resources were already insufficient, and now a significant portion was being diverted to busy themselves with the city appearance project. She could understand Wu Wenyu’s anxiety.
Wu Wenyu looked up at Song Muxue and asked: “Now that I know who the culprit is, can I sue her?”
Song Muxue sighed, feeling she might not be able to clearly explain the difference between illegal and legitimate means to Wu Wenyu. So she asked Wu Wenyu for the private detective’s phone number, communicated directly with him, and clarified how the information was obtained. The other party repeatedly guaranteed its legality and stated that, if needed, he could provide a written description of the process.
Only then did Song Muxue hang up the phone.
Wu Wenyu said: “What’s wrong? Is the culprit too rich to sue?”
Song Muxue said: “No, I’m just confirming whether the information this private detective gave you is legal. Otherwise, if the other party counter-sues you for invasion of privacy, it would be a loss instead of a gain.”
Wu Wenyu’s eyes widened. She gasped: “Ah? That can happen? She abducted my daughter, and now she can sue me back?! Is there no, no justice anymore?!”
Song Muxue continued to explain: “Everything you do must abide by the law, even if it’s to obtain information about a criminal suspect. Otherwise, if everyone violates the law to uphold their own justice, then the law will lose its effectiveness, and justice will not be maintained.”
Wu Wenyu nodded, seemingly understanding, but not entirely. She said: “But if you don’t let me hire a private detective, I wouldn’t even know her name. How can I sue? Lawyer Song, tell me, my child is missing, abducted. What should I do?”
Song Muxue also felt a bit speechless. She couldn’t immediately come up with a perfect solution and could only pat Wu Wenyu’s shoulder. She looked at Wu Wenyu’s increasingly hunched waist and back, and her trembling steps, and couldn’t help but feel a pang of melancholy. A month ago, when she came to consult about this matter, there was still light and hope in her eyes. Every wrong has its source, and now that the defendant was found, she was confused by the distinction between what could and couldn’t be sued.
What does Lawyer Song mean? Can I sue or not?
Song Muxue decided to simplify the complex problem and told Wu Wenyu: “You can sue, but it’s best not to hire a private detective next time. I’ll draft a lawyer’s letter for you first and communicate with the other party to see if there are any misunderstandings.”
Wu Wenyu’s bewildered eyes became determined again.
She didn’t know why she shouldn’t hire a private detective, nor did she understand what a “lawyer’s letter” was, nor did she want to communicate with the criminal. But she trusted Lawyer Song.
Lawyer Song said she would help her, so she could sue and find her child.