Since all these rules and superstitions are outdated, what's wrong with me indulging in some me

"After injuring the person, Ms. Zhang was also very frightened, and coupled with exhaustion, she fainted."

The administrative assistant remained calm, smiling and nodding. Her gaze lingered for a moment on Lu Changsheng's pale face and the bloodstains on his neck before she dialed a number.

Within minutes, medical staff quickly gathered around. A group carefully lifted the injured nurse onto a stretcher and provided emergency treatment and bandaging.

Another group planned to lift Zhang Ping onto a stretcher as well.

"No."

Lu Changsheng stopped them from doing so.

"Ms. Zhang is a little weak. You can carry her to the sofa in my office. She should wake up soon. Our treatment for today hasn't even started yet."

The administrative assistant nodded, his expression completely unreadable.

"Okay, but doesn't your wound need to be treated?"

Lu Changsheng touched the scratches on his neck, enduring the increasing dizziness and chest tightness caused by not taking the blue pill, and tried to make his voice sound steady:

"They're all minor injuries, nothing serious. Ms. Zhang's condition is more important right now, I can still manage."

The administrative assistant's smile seemed to deepen.

"Dr. Lu's dedication is admirable."

As she spoke, her gaze seemed to casually sweep over Lu Changsheng's slightly pale face and the cold sweat on his forehead.

"However, you don't seem to be feeling well. Don't you really need to rest?"

Her voice rose slightly at the end.

Lu Changsheng's heart skipped a beat. Was this a test to see if he had taken the blue pills...?

The next second, a perfectly timed, bitter smile, a mixture of exhaustion and lingering fear, appeared on his face:

"To be honest, I was a little frightened. Ms. Zhang suddenly became violent and even used a knife... This is the first time I've encountered such a violent situation since I started working here. Thank you and the nurses for arriving in time."

The administrative assistant stared at him quietly for two seconds. Something seemed to flash across his eyes, which always wore a standard smile, so quickly that it was impossible to catch it.

Finally, she nodded, her smile still flawless.

"I understand, given that it was an unexpected situation. I'll leave this to you. If Ms. Zhang shows any signs of aggression again, please ring the bell immediately. The director specifically instructed us to ensure your safety."

"I understand, thank you."

Lu Changsheng nodded in acknowledgment, but at the same time, he was startled.

The dean... gave specific instructions?

The administrative assistant said no more, turned around and left with a group of medical staff. Only a strange, faint smell of blood mixed with the odor of disinfectant remained in the corridor.

Lu Changsheng took a deep breath, suppressing the increasingly obvious feeling of blockage in his chest, turned around and walked into the consultation room, gently closing the door.

Inside the consultation room, Zhang Ping had already regained consciousness and was leaning back on the sofa.

She looked unusually listless, her face was ashen, and her eyes stared blankly ahead.

Hearing the door close, she slowly, very slowly, turned her head and looked at Lu Changsheng.

Lu Changsheng walked behind his desk and sat down, deliberately creating physical distance between himself and her, also giving himself some time to adjust his breathing and alleviate his discomfort.

He picked up the water glass on the table, took a sip of the already cold water, and the icy liquid slid down his throat, bringing a brief moment of clarity.

"Ms. Zhang," he said, trying to sound calm and professional, "how are you feeling? Is there anything bothering you?"

Zhang Ping didn't answer. She just stared at him, a chilling emotion gradually building in her empty eyes. After a long while, she finally spoke, her voice hoarse and almost broken:

"Dr. Lu, I didn't mean to hurt you... I couldn't control myself when I saw you were late."

Lu Changsheng nodded wearily.

"This is my problem. I'm not feeling well today."

He offered a sincere apology to Ms. Zhang Ping and reflected on his mistakes.

"You have to believe me, I genuinely want to help you, and I have no intention of sending you to the inpatient ward. If I really had that intention, I would have had my assistant take you away just now."

After her explanation, Zhang Ping's eyes brightened somewhat, but she still looked a little dazed.

"Dr. Lu...why did you lie to me?"

Lu Changsheng's heart skipped a beat, but he remained outwardly calm:

"Ms. Zhang, I don't understand what you mean. What did I lie to you about?"

"You told me you can't see 'it'."

Zhang Ping spoke slowly and deliberately, each word seemingly squeezed out from between her teeth, trembling with suppressed emotion, "You made me take medicine, told me it was a hallucination, told me to learn to ignore it... You said you couldn't see it."

She paused, leaned forward, and gripped the edge of the sofa tightly with both hands, her knuckles turning white from the force. Her gaze was fixed on Lu Changsheng's face, or more precisely, on the empty air above Lu Changsheng's head.

"But...I just saw it."

Her voice suddenly rose, sharp with accusation and a near-collapse of agitation, "Right above your head! 'It' is protecting you! 'It' is actually protecting you!"

Her breathing became rapid, and her chest heaved violently.

"You can see it! You can see it! You've always seen it! You're just like them—no, you're worse than them! You clearly know 'it' exists, but you pretend you don't, and you even made me take medication, making me feel like I'm going crazy! Why did you lie to me?!"

The consultation room was deathly silent. Sunlight streamed through the blinds, casting stripes of light and shadow on the floor, and the air seemed to freeze.

He remained silent for a few seconds.

"Ms. Zhang," his voice softened, carrying a thoughtful seriousness, "you say 'it' is protecting me, but 'it' protecting me doesn't conflict with the fact that I can't see 'it'."

"But you can't see 'it,' so why would 'it' want to protect you?"

Zhang Ping stared blankly and asked Lu Changsheng in return.

"I don't know why either."

Lu Changsheng shook his head, but thought to himself:

That little girl, Aokiji, must be frantic with worry after seeing Ms. Zhang attack him... She's really letting her concern cloud her judgment...

The rules told him he couldn't acknowledge 'its' existence, so after a moment's thought, he decided to try a different approach.

"Okay, Ms. Zhang."

He leaned forward, crossed his hands on the table, and looked earnestly into Zhang Ping's eyes. "Suppose—and I mean suppose—that 'it' you saw really existed, and as you said, it was right above me, trying to protect me..."

He noticed that Zhang Ping was holding her breath and staring at him intently.

"So, what does 'it' look like?" Lu Changsheng prompted, "And what did 'it' say to you?"

"It..." she began hesitantly, "...has red hair? And red eyes too..."

Her tone was full of uncertainty.

"While I was hurting you, it kept cursing at me and even bared its teeth at me..."