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墨書 Inktalez
The arrival of Luo Yu interrupted the small gathering of Song Yao and her friends. Upon seeing Luo Yu's anxious expression, Song Yao immediately guessed what was wrong, and her previously cheerful demeanor froze once again.
"Is it serious?" Song Yao asked, feeling a bit flustered. With Luci and the others present, she didn't know how to phrase her question, so she threw out a vague inquiry.
Luo Yu understood what she meant and shook his head gently. "It's under control; he's sleeping now." After a moment of hesitation, he glanced at the confused faces of Luci and the others, gritted his teeth, and said, "We need to tell everyone."
"What happened?" Luci furrowed her brow and looked at Song Yao. The girls present were not foolish; although the conversation between the two was ambiguous, they could sense something was off. Clearly, there had been an incident within their group that Luo Yu and Song Yao had noticed but hadn’t shared with the others.
Song Yao nodded solemnly. The sudden turn of events with Song Jiu had caught her off guard; she hadn't expected to keep it hidden for long. Moreover, this situation could escalate quickly. Thankfully, it was Wu Wentao who found Song Jiu first last night; if it had been her or Luo Yu, it might have turned into a major issue.
" Jiu Jiu is sick," Luo Yu stated directly, skipping any unnecessary small talk as he turned to Zeng Yadong with a sincere tone. "Could you arrange for the doctor on the island to take a look?"
"Sick?" Luci reacted just as they had before, completely bewildered by the serious expressions on Luo Yu and Song Yao's faces.
"Let's talk on the way," Luo Yu took a deep breath, feeling flustered. He couldn't recall the specific term Wu Wentao had used for the illness at that moment. After some deliberation, he hesitated before saying, "It's a mental health issue."
Zeng Yadong's expression shifted slightly as he asked Song Yao, "Your brother?"
"Yes. Is there a doctor on the island?" Song Yao sighed heavily and replied weakly, "We only discovered the problem last night."
Luci's face lit up with realization as she vaguely guessed what was happening. She didn’t ask further questions and immediately stood up to put on her coat.
"You all go back first; I'll follow shortly," Zeng Yadong said decisively. He wasn’t one to dawdle. Walking to the window to glance at the vehicle that had brought Luo Yu over, he cautioned them, "Don't say too much on the way; they're from their side."
Song Yao and Luo Yu exchanged glances, understanding what he meant. The term "their side" likely referred to Yongshu Reef and Garrison's faction. Since Zeng Yadong mentioned this, it seemed that Wu Wentao's speculation about them being part of the same establishment was indeed correct; the harmony they displayed during the day was merely superficial.
Due to her position, Tan couldn’t accompany them. Fortunately, she was perceptive enough to notice Song Yao and her friends' urgent expressions and didn’t insist on keeping them there unnecessarily. Instead, she stood by the window watching as their vehicle disappeared into the night.
The driver responsible for escorting them returned them to their lodging. Despite sensing the strange tension among his passengers, he adhered strictly to his orders—saying little and doing more—remaining silent throughout the journey until he dropped them off at their courtyard before driving away from Shaded Path, sparing Song Yao and her friends from having to explain anything.
The two guards at the entrance stood still like statues but greeted them with their eyes. There was no need for words; it seemed that security was tight around the clock without any gaps left unattended.
Song Yao and Luci headed straight to Wu Wentao's place, leaving the task of explaining everything to Luo Yu. Chef Jia and the others were still awake, gathered together waiting for them. Upon seeing Luo Yu enter, they all breathed a sigh of relief.
“ Jiu Jiu is sick,” Luo Yu stated bluntly, the simple four words leaving everyone waiting for an explanation in shock.
“Ah?” Cao Zheng was taken aback, his face filled with confusion. “What?”
Luo Yu sighed, accepting the warm water Dai Wei handed him. After taking a sip, he said, “ Jiu Jiu has some issues. I’m not sure how to explain it exactly. A doctor will be here soon; we can discuss it after the examination.”
The others, including Chef Jia, were momentarily stunned. They had been speculating about whether there was some conflict between Song Jiu and Wu Wentao, especially since things had escalated to gunfire last night. Although Song Yao explained that alcohol was involved, it lacked persuasiveness. Now, hearing Luo Yu's words, they all sensed something ominous; at such a critical moment, Song Jiu was unwell.
Seeing the varied expressions on everyone’s faces, Luo Yu felt it necessary to provide more context. After pondering for a moment, he recounted the events that had transpired. Despite lacking storytelling talent, his straightforward account conveyed the seriousness of the situation. When he mentioned Song Jiu's sudden display of violence and madness, everyone couldn’t help but shiver.
Reflecting on the days spent on the ship, they realized they hadn’t noticed anything unusual about Song Jiu. If it weren’t for Wu Wentao’s keen observation, Song Jiu’s condition could have led to serious trouble. They had been living in close quarters without any defenses; not everyone possessed Wu Wentao’s decisiveness. If that night it had been Chef Jia or Cao Zheng who encountered Song Jiu, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
“No wonder Nata came to sleep with us; it turns out Song Jiu was absent from the cabin those days,” Pockmarked Girl said with a dawning realization, her eyes filled with fear. “Where did he go? Was he hiding away in some corner talking nonsense all night?”
Chef Jia shot her a look and sighed. “No one noticed anything amiss. Jiu Jiu and Nata have been sharing a room for a while; who would suddenly ask about this?”
“That’s true; even if we asked, it would be pointless since we can’t communicate,” Pockmarked Girl nodded seriously, her expression odd as she turned to Fang Fei. “Wasn’t Blonde Woman sleeping with you? Didn’t she tell you anything?”
“Nope,” Fang Fei replied innocently. “She just said Jiu Jiu came back really late.” Among them, only Pockmarked Girl had a penchant for gossip; the others had no reason to pry into such matters.
As they continued discussing this issue, they suddenly heard what seemed like engine noises from outside. Peering through the door, they saw several cars driving in from Shaded Path, one after another entering the courtyard. The lead car came to a stop and turned off its engine; the back door swung open and a slender figure hurriedly emerged.
Speak of the devil—Barbie Doll was the first to arrive.
Before anyone could gather their thoughts, the other cars followed suit and parked in succession. The doors opened simultaneously, and seven or eight foreign men and women stepped out. Among them was a hawk-nosed man wearing a familiar white coat, clutching a red cross medical kit as he rushed in behind Natalia.
“You called her here?” Pockmarked Girl stuck out her tongue in surprise and exclaimed, “With this kind of setup, Song Jiu must have really pulled some strings.”
Chef Jia shot her a glare, and before he could say anything, two more cars drove up the Tree-Lined Path. The small courtyard had probably never welcomed so many guests since it was built. The leading convoy had already filled the available space, forcing the later arrivals to park outside.
"I'm looking for her," Luo Yu said with a half-smile, waving at Zeng Yadong, who rushed through the door. Zeng Yadong wasn't alone; although there weren't as many cars as with the Blonde Woman, five doctors in white coats had arrived, making quite an impressive showing.
"Damn," Cao Zheng felt sweat trickling down his forehead. He silently praised Pockmarked Girl for her earlier words and glanced at Luo Yu, whispering, "Let's go over there."
Luo Yu shook his head, pointing at the cars parked outside the courtyard. "You all go ahead. With so many people arriving at once, I wonder if there will be any issues. I'll keep an eye on things outside." After a pause, he added, "Besides, this small house can't fit so many people."
Natalia's arrival truly caught everyone off guard. While Luo Yu and the others were stunned outside, Song Yao and a few others inside were bewildered to see a group of Foreigners burst in. Wu Wentao even raised his gun; if it weren't for the white coats and Natalia leading the way, Old Wu—who was already on edge thanks to Song Jiu—might have impulsively fired off a round.
"Natalia," she completely ignored everyone else in the room and walked straight to the bedside, her eyes filled with concern as she began to speak.
Wu Wentao opened his mouth, pointing at the Blonde Woman and then looking at Song Yao. "What did you bring her here for?"
"I didn't," Song Yao replied, equally confused. They had clearly sent Zeng Yadong to fetch a doctor; how did an entire international rescue team show up?
"Make way, make way."
Before they could clarify things inside, commotion erupted outside again. Zeng Yadong struggled through the crowd of Foreigners and was taken aback by what he saw.
"Dongdong," Song Yao quickly pulled him over. Peering in, she noticed four or five doctors in white coats had followed him in and were staring down the Foreign doctor.
Zeng Yadong waved his hands repeatedly, shaking his head. "I didn't bring her here; I just ran into her at Old Yao's place."
"Old Yao?"
"Yeah, medical resources are precious. If Old Yao doesn't speak up, I wouldn't be able to find anyone either." Zeng Yadong shrugged and glanced at the affectionate gestures of the Blonde Woman sitting next to Song Jiu, unable to help but roll his eyes. He leaned closer to Song Yao and whispered, "What's her relationship with your brother?"
"I can't really explain it either." Song Yao felt overwhelmed and was sweating from anxiety. She sighed in frustration. "We'll sort that out later. Regardless of anything else, since the doctors are here now, let's get on with treating him."
As soon as she finished speaking, a well-dressed middle-aged woman from the Barbie Doll team approached them and greeted Song Yao in fluent Chinese. "You're right; unrelated people should step outside to give the doctor some space."
The courtyard was deep and the night was heavy.
Song Yao and Wu Wentao, the "unrelated parties," waited outside, peering through the window at six doctors practicing on Song Jiu inside. The scene felt bizarre to the extreme.
As a relative and someone in the know, Song Yao provided the doctors with a detailed account of Song Jiu's condition. The six doctors set up an impromptu stage, asking Wu Wentao to help secure Song Jiu to the bed before sending them out. The atmosphere suggested they were preparing for a consultation; anyone unaware might think that a prominent figure from The Establishment was in dire straits.
While waiting outside, the "unrelated parties" exchanged a few words and soon understood the reason for the night's grand display.
Zeng Yadong had gone to Old Yao to request personnel and happened to run into Natalia and her group, who were at Yao Jinsong's place late at night, seemingly discussing something important. Zeng Yadong didn't hold back, briefly explaining the situation and expressing the need for medical support. He then hurried off to find doctors and transportation without wasting a moment. Once Zeng Yadong left, Natalia couldn't sit still. Although she didn't understand Chinese, she had a translator with her. Upon hearing that Song Jiu was ill, she immediately halted the conversation and instructed her team to find accompanying doctors. Taking advantage of the overseas Establishment's operational convenience, they rushed over ahead of others.
There was nothing convoluted about it; it was merely a coincidence. Pockmarked Girl's jest turned out to be true—Song Jiu had indeed been saved by someone deeply caring.
Song Yao and Luo Yu were anxious, while Barbie Doll's expression was also grim. Cao Zheng and Yang Xiaomeng exchanged glances, feeling quite sour about it all. They hadn't known Song Jiu for long and hadn't noticed any extraordinary charm about her; it was one thing for Song Yao and Luo Yu to feel this way, but Blonde Woman had only shared a bed with her for a few days.
Waiting was always lengthy. With so many doctors involved, it took time. Before waking Song Jiu, they administered a sedative. From the window, it appeared to be merely a question-and-answer session—tedious and unclear regarding what exactly was being done.
Nearly two hours passed before the "consultation" concluded. The six doctors exited one after another, turned off the lights, and closed the door behind them, calling Song Yao, Natalia, and the translator into an adjacent room.
Yang Xiaomeng and Pockmarked Girl had more to say among themselves; indeed, these doctors not only treated ailments but also seemed skilled in matchmaking, as they had directly moved Natalia from being a bed partner to a family member's position.
"It's getting late; everyone should head back to rest," Chef Jia suggested, estimating that there wouldn't be any further developments that night. After all, treating an illness wasn't like battling zombies—more people wouldn't help but would only create chaos.
The doctors murmured among themselves for a while before reaching some consensus on certain matters. One doctor brought by Zeng Yadong represented them and invited Song Yao and Barbie Doll over directly: "He needs rehabilitation therapy."
Song Yao exchanged glances with Natalia but remained silent, waiting for him to continue.
"We assessed his mental state under limited conditions due to time constraints," the doctor paused briefly for translation before continuing. "From our preliminary understanding, besides post-traumatic stress disorder, his mental condition isn't good either." He paused again for translation before adding, "Further observation is needed tomorrow. Based on what we know so far, his issues cannot be resolved with medication alone; he requires appropriate rehabilitation measures."
"Doctor, please just tell us what we need to do," Song Yao said anxiously. She had heard these terms before but didn't fully understand them; combined together, they certainly didn't bode well.
The doctor waved for the translator to come over and exchanged a few words with the hawk-nosed man. Turning to Song Yao, he said, "To be honest, it's not easy to conduct this kind of mental rehabilitation treatment with the resources available on the island. However, we are fortunate that Dr. Willia has experience with similar cases, and we will develop a plan."
"However, he may not be able to participate in your activities for a while. There are many reasons that can trigger post-traumatic stress disorder. First, he needs a new environment, and we need to understand some related issues. During the upcoming treatment process, we will also need your assistance." The doctor carefully chose his words, trying to make sure Song Yao understood his meaning. Seeing that the two women remained silent, he continued, "If there are no objections, we plan to take him away tonight."
"Take him away?" Song Yao snapped back to reality and frowned. "Where to?"
"We will prepare a place for his recovery, still on this island," the doctor reassured her with a gentle smile. "To be precise, it will be handed over to Dr. Willia; we are just assisting from the side."
After hearing the translation, Natalia's delicate face broke into a smile as she took Song Yao's hand and chattered away in her native tongue.
The translator nodded slightly at Song Yao and softly said, "She wants you to rest assured; she will take good care of Song."
"Leave it to you then." Song Yao felt somewhat flustered. Despite Barbie Doll's sincere gaze, she found it hard to make a decision. At such a critical moment, not only was Song Jiu leaving the team, but he was also being handed over to the overseas establishment. Taking a deep breath, Song Yao tried to calm her mind and said seriously, "The decision is not mine. If he agrees, I have no objections."
Natalia smiled slightly, nodded her head, opened her arms, and hugged Song Yao before linking her arm with hers and pushing the door open as they left.
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