Only Chen Yuan and Professor Fu remained in the office.
The cultured professor extended a hand and said politely, "Please have a seat, Young Master Jiang. Let's talk in detail."
"Okay!"
Chen Yuan nodded eagerly.
He had been looking forward to this eting for a long ti. The last ti he'd spoken to Jiang Zhengfeng on the phone, his father had ntioned that this professor was incredibly knowledgeable. Despite his young age, he was already an expert in his field, enjoying an excellent reputation both at ho and abroad.
The thought that Jiang Yao's condition might finally be resolved made Chen Yuan very nervous.
Now, seeing Professor Fu in person, a great weight was lifted from his shoulders.
'Dad really is reliable. One look and you can tell this professor isn't so phony.'
The two of them sat facing each other on the sofa.
Professor Fu first picked up a glass of plain water and began calmly, "President Jiang ntioned that the one with the condition is a friend of yours, Young Master Jiang?"
"That's right," Chen Yuan replied. He thought for a mont before adding, "A very close friend."
"Is this person male or female?"
"She's... female," Chen Yuan said without any concealnt, though his eyes flickered.
"What are the specific symptoms? Please elaborate, Young Master Jiang."
"Oh... it's like this. I t my friend about eight or nine months ago, though we didn't et in person until so ti after the school year began. When we first t, her personality was like that of a young girl, the very cute type. But she's also a university lecturer, and she's incredibly dignified when she teaches."
Chen Yuan recalled, "I felt sothing was off back then, but I didn't think much of it. It wasn't until I got to know her better that I realized she's in two completely different states at school and in private!"
Hearing this, Professor Fu's brows furrowed deeply.
"Two different states?"
"Yes, Professor. The difference between her lively side and her dignified side is huge. Let put it this way: even the way she sits on the sofa is different."
"Oh? Isn't it normal for a woman to have different sides? You have to deal with people when you're out, but in private, you don't need to worry about your image."
Chen Yuan pondered this for a mont before retorting:
"I thought so too at first, but then she started asking to call her by different nas to distinguish between her private self and her work self."
"Distinguish???"
Professor Fu's expression turned grave. He repeated the word.
"I did as she asked. And sotis, if I called her by the wrong na, she would get angry... Then, just before winter break, about ten days ago, she told that she actually has a ntal illness and that there are two personalities inside her."
"She's aware of this herself?"
"She is! She told herself!" Chen Yuan said earnestly.
"Anything else?"
"Well... she speaks ill of the other personality. It seems she doesn't like the other one. And I never know when she'll change. Sotis she's one, and sotis she's the other..."
"Can you tell them apart, Young Master Jiang?"
"I can. They have different ways of speaking. Plus, one is a great cook, and the other is terrible..."
"I see..." Professor Fu pushed up his glasses. "It does sound quite complex, but I have a few questions for you."
"Please, go ahead."
"In her daily life, is she emotionally unstable? Prone to sudden fits of rage, crying, feigned indifference, hysterics, or talking to herself?"
"No, she's no different from a normal person." Chen Yuan thought back. Whether it was Yaoyao or Ningning, their emotions were quite stable.
When she's happy, she's happy; when she's not, she's not.
She doesn't have sudden ltdowns.
"Does she prefer to be alone? Is she unable to form trusting relationships with others, and indifferent to both criticism and praise?"
"No, I feel like she trusts a lot. And she has her own friends, who she gets along with well."
"What about at work? As far as I know, soone with a ntal illness can't be a university lecturer. There's only one such case abroad, and that was thirty years ago..."
As he asked this question, Professor Fu's expression gradually relaxed, and his brow smoothed out.
"She really is a teacher at the university, and she's very popular with her students, mainly because she's beautiful and has a good personality..." Every word Chen Yuan said was true, with no false information mixed in. After a mont's thought, he added, "And she's quite capable, too."
"This person is your girlfriend, isn't she, Young Master Jiang?" A slight smile played on Professor Fu's lips.
"Uh... yes, she is," Chen Yuan said, his cheeks flushing slightly. "We've been dating for a while now."
"Has she shown you her dical records? Does she know you ca to see ?"
"I've seen them. The records from Mingzhu City Central Hospital... I didn't dare tell her I was coming here. I just think people who are sick can be sensitive, and I was afraid she'd mind."
"You're a very gentle young man, Young Master Jiang," Professor Fu sighed.
"Not at all..." Chen Yuan quickly denied it, then asked nervously, "So, is her condition not that serious? I heard her say it's hereditary. Is there any chance of a full recovery?"
"Based on what you've described, it doesn't seem particularly serious."
"That's great!"
Overjoyed, Chen Yuan shot to his feet. "Should I sneak her dical records over for you to see, Professor?"
"There's no rush for that. Please, wait a mont. Let's discuss a few other things."
Professor Fu went on to share so specific knowledge about dissociative identity disorder with Chen Yuan, as well as many points to be mindful of in their relationship.
He even inquired about Chen Yuan's current life situation.
He stopped just short of asking which university he attended.
When he arrived, Professor Fu had been worried that Chen Yuan would be one of those difficult, spoiled young masters. But after talking with him, his favorable impression of Chen Yuan had grown imnsely.
He didn't seem like a spoiled rich kid at all, but rather a polite and well-mannered young man.
Their discussion lasted for an hour.
At 5:42 in the evening, a knock sounded at the door.
Jiang Zhengfeng walked in.
"How did it go?"
"President Jiang," Professor Fu said, standing up with a slight nod. "We had a very productive discussion. The situation is quite optimistic. And Young Master Jiang is so refined and agreeable... You have a fine son."
"Dad." Chen Yuan took a sip of water, his mouth completely dry.
But he was in high spirits. After talking with Professor Fu, he felt much more confident about the situation.
'So the situation wasn't as serious as I thought!'
This was the best news he could have hoped for.
Fu Weiping certainly knew just what to say to please Jiang Zhengfeng. As soon as he heard his son being praised, a broad smile spread across his face.
"Professor Fu, you yourself are a rare talent, one of a select few in the country."
"Thank you, President Jiang," he replied, lowering his gaze with a calm smile. "Could we have a word in private?"
"Of course. Let's step outside."
Jiang Zhengfeng nodded and walked straight out the door.
'This took Fu Weiping by surprise. I didn't expect the two of them to be the ones to clear out!'
'Logically, shouldn't Young Master Jiang be the one to step out for a mont?'
He turned his head and glanced at Chen Yuan, who was so happy he couldn't hide his smile, a thoughtful look entering his eyes.
...
「Outside the door.」
By the floor-to-ceiling windows in the corridor.
Jiang Zhengfeng gazed at the high-rises outside the window, his expression indifferent. He had reverted to his usual commanding presence.
"What's really going on?"
With Chen Yuan out of earshot, he dropped the act. An old fox who had navigated the business world for so many years, he knew from the phrase "have a word in private" that there was more to the story.
Fu Weiping didn't beat around the bush either. He lowered his voice and said, "President Jiang, based on what Young Master Jiang told , I think... he's being deceived."
"What do you an?" Jiang Zhengfeng looked at him.
"This friend Young Master Jiang ntioned shows no specific symptoms of multiple personalities. Her ntal state is very stable. It's fake."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure," Professor Fu said calmly. "No psychiatric patient has such well-rounded emotions, a healthy appetite, and the ability to form intimate, trusting relationships with others."
"So it was a prank."
"Correct. However, I don't know the motive behind this prank. Young Master Jiang is a fine young man; I'd hate to see him be deceived."
Professor Fu chose his words carefully.
"Understood."
Jiang Zhengfeng lowered his gaze, then walked back into the office.
...
"The professor was in too much of a hurry this ti. He has to catch a flight back for a conference, so there's nothing to be done."
At the entrance of Central Realm Mansion.
Jiang Zhengfeng spoke with a hint of regret. He patted Fu Weiping's shoulder and said quietly to Chen Yuan, "Don't you worry. If you need it, we can arrange for your friend to speak with Professor Fu face-to-face within the month."
"I understand. I'm already very grateful to the professor," Chen Yuan said, shaking Fu Weiping's hand.
Behind them,
a large crowd of the mansion's employees had gathered.
No one dared to speak; they just watched in silence. However, nearly every eye was fixed on Chen Yuan.
They all wanted to see what President Jiang's son looked like.
Inwardly, they all clicked their tongues in amazent.
For so many years, they had never heard a whisper about Jiang Zhengfeng having any children. What was even more shocking was that this Chen Yuan who had suddenly appeared was already a young man.
The secret had been kept way too well.
The young receptionist from earlier was completely dumbfounded, her face a mask of astonishnt.
She could never have imagined that the sweet-talking young man who called her "sis" was the son of her boss's boss!
'Wasn't he supposed to be a six- or seven-year-old kid!?'
A black car at the entrance of Central Realm Mansion carried the professor, who had co from afar, toward the airport.
The crowd following behind respectfully saw Jiang Zhengfeng and Chen Yuan off.
As the car's taillights disappeared around the street corner, the crowd's tense posture finally relaxed, and they grew bold enough to start whispering among themselves.
...
In the car, Jiang Zhengfeng felt a little strange.
He had just learned from Fu Weiping that this deceitful little girl... was Chen Yuan's girlfriend.
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