Chapter 996: Perplexed and Smitten (56)
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“Why did you go to Hu Xin’s place for dinner? Is there no one here to make dinner for you? Have all restaurants outside folded?” An Xiaoning questioned.
“I went because I felt like it. What other reasons do I need? I just act according to my mood,” he answered straightforwardly.
“Do you fancy girls like her?”
“Must I really tell you that? So what if you know? You’re not my type anyway,” he answered haughtily.
An Xiaoning walked toward him and he avoided her without hesitation. “What are you trying to do?” he questioned.
“I hope you’ll have a proper talk with me and stop putting on airs. It makes me tempted to do you on the spot whenever we can’t see eye to eye, do you understand?”
“Why would such a woman like you exist in this world!?!” exclaimed a flabbergasted Henry. “Let’s answer each other’s question again, okay?”
“What?”
“How are you so strong?”
“I’ll answer one of your questions and you shall answer three of mine. How does that sound?” she suggested with raised brows.
“Isn’t that so unfair? Why must I answer three of your questions when you only have to answer one of mine?”
“Well, you must do that if you want to find out. Forget it if you don’t want to. The decision lies with you,” she said, smiling at him.
He conceded in the end because he really wanted to know the answer to his question.
“My grandmother left a secret manual about psychological techniques for my mother, and I managed to master all of the techniques taught in the manual. Not only did I gain incredible strength, I’ve also become immune to all types of poisons and I no longer feel cold in the winter. I can break a wall with just a slight push. Don’t you think it’d be a piece of cake for me to deal with you?”
Bewilderment was written all over his face, not expecting that to be the answer at all. “Such things still exist in this world?”
“What’s so strange about that if even you can exist? Okay, you can answer my questions now. As mentioned earlier, why did you go to Hu Xin’s place for dinner? Did she invite you over or did you go out of your own accord?”
“Why are you asking that question again? Didn’t I already tell you that it was because I was following my heart?”
“I’m asking you, why did you go there following your heart? Answer me,” she asked sternly.
“She said that someone of such high status like me would definitely not visit her residential district. I asked why and she said it’s because it’s a downtown district that’s more messy and crowded. Hence, I wanted to see just how busy and crowded it is and decided to go. It then began raining and she invited me to her house to take shelter.”
An Xiaoning immediately understood and said, “Oh, I see. Next question, do you fancy her?”
He looked at her and asked, “If I said that I do, are you going to do something to her?”
Shaking her head, she answered, “No, I’m not going to touch her just because you say that you fancy her.”
“I do like girls like her. She may be poor but she’s ambitious and doesn’t have an inferiority complex. She can stoop or stand yet she’s very meek and gentle too.”
Despite feeling a little disappointed, An Xiaoning did not say much and asked her third question, “Henry, tell me all your information.”
She knew that he had an ident.i.ty of his own, although he was just a second personality.
This ident.i.ty that he recognized had completely nothing to do with Jin Qingyan.
He answered sluggishly, “My name is Henry and I’m 24 years old this year. I’m a freelancer.”
“Freelancer? In which field?”
“Car racing.”
“What!?!” exclaimed a dumbfounded An Xiaoning.
“Are you deaf? I said I’m a racecar driver,” he repeated, giving her the side eye.
“I just didn’t expect it.” Jin Qingyan would rarely drive his sports car out, let alone go racing. Henry was such a stark contrast. An Xiaoning continued, “You were already 25 years old when I met you, yet you say you’re only 24 years old now. Don’t tell me, you already knew of your existence when Qingyan was nine years old?”
“I’ve already answered all of your questions. There’s no need for me to answer that.”
“This is included in your personal information too.”
“I don’t wish to answer it.”
“If you don’t, I’ll have no choice but to go back on my word too.”
“You… you’ve only answered one question and yet I’ve answered so many of yours. Is it not enough yet?” he retorted, seething with anger.
“Answer the last question.” Pursing her lips, she continued, “It’s the last.”
“Yes, I was the first to find out about my existence when Jin Qingyan was nine years old. It was during his birthday party where everyone kept calling me ‘Qingyan.’ That’s when I knew that there was another personality co-existing in the same body as mine. Throughout the years of our co-existence, I rarely took over, and whenever I did, it would only be for a short period of time. Unlike in the past, I can now take over every now and then.”
An Xiaoning began to tear up uncontrollably. At the very onset of dissociative ident.i.ty disorder, the two personalities would usually be unaware of each other’s existence. Henry knew about the disorder ever since Jin Qingyan was nine years old while the latter clearly only found out recently.
Noticing that her eyes were red, he asked, “Are you taking pity on me?”
“Are you r.e.t.a.r.ded?” Why would I even find him pitiful?
“Then why are you looking at me like that?”
“You already existed since he was a child. That just means that he’s been plagued with a psychological illness ever since he was young, although he may have seemed to be enjoying the luxurious life of a rich man’s son on the surface.”
An Xiaoning was certain that the divorce was the catalyst of the deterioration of his condition. I definitely am partly to blame!
Upon hearing her words, Henry questioned in displeasure, “Are you wis.h.i.+ng that I never existed?”
An Xiaoning felt like his question was redundant. She smiled at him and said, “Wishes don’t always turn into reality. I won’t bother thinking about redundant things. There’s a reason for your existence, I guess. Can we make an agreement?”
“What agreement?”
“You must promise me that you’ll never get intimate with any woman other than me. Besides, you also have to show up at the office whenever you’re supposed to. I can also agree to your requests.”
“I can only get intimate with you? I might as well just use my hands, then. I can compromise and go to the office whenever necessary. However, I don’t think you’ll agree to my requests.”
“Tell me about them.”
“I want you to stop putting me through treatment immediately. Don’t think I’m not aware that you guys are trying to get Jin Qingyan treated, although a feasible treatment option doesn’t exist currently.”
Without hesitation, she said, “Take it that I never said anything about the agreement.”
He got out of bed and headed to the dressing room before returning again soon after. “There are two closets inside the room meant for my clothes and belongings. You’re not to touch them. Relay my instructions to Jin Qingyan and tell him not to touch my things either.”
“You want me to tell you not to touch your things?”
“How many times do you need me to repeat myself? We’re not the same person.”
“How many times do you need me to repeat myself too? If you’re not him, what are you? Henry, you’re just his second personality, you’re also another form of him. You’re not a spirit who has possessed his body. Do you understand?”
“Why must you insist that he and I are the same person? That’s an insult to my existence.”
“Why must you insist that you two are separate individuals? You’re also insulting my intelligence.”
“…”