Chapter 005: Chen Lan

“Xue Er! Wake up. Wake up. Have you forgotten what day it is?”

“I feel really lazy… Fine, I’ll wake up right now”

That was my voice!

“Get off the bed right now or you’ll fall asleep once you hang up on my call.”

It’s him! the voice which I heard during the hallucination!

I immediately shot off from the bed…to find Dr Wei giving me a baffled look.

That was a dream.

Was that a dream? Or a part of my memory?

Then, this is the first time I’m recalling something.

Who was that guy who I saw during the stroll? Have I met him before? If so, he might help me remember something.

But, Where can I even search for him? If I only didn’t faint back then, I could’ve even asked his name.

I drooped down my shoulders in despair.

“Miss Parker?”

His voice?!

It was exactly the same voice as in the hallucination.

I immediately turned left. He was standing there and was looking quite worried. I didn’t even know what to say to him.

Dr Wei interrupted,

"You mostly faint when you try to recall your memories. So, did you do try to remember things during the walk?”

There was no point in hiding it.

“Yes, but this time I didn’t forcefully recall something.”

“Then?”

I turned left and looked at that guy,

“I might know him, I’m not sure. But I remembered something as soon as I saw him.”

“Miss Parker, I don't think we have met before”, the mystery guy answered.

Maybe it isn’t him……. But he looked vaguely familiar, and he was the first person to trigger the memories back. His was also looking the same as in that memory.

But he’s calling me Miss Parker, not Miss Xue’er.

“Laia, then do you remember what you recalled before you fainted?”

I don’t think it would be fine for me to say that as soon as I saw that guy, I recalled someone looking like him stretching his arms out for me.

I turned to look at Dr Wei. Now he was standing beside the mystery guy.

“I saw a man, and he was calling me Xue er.” I’m not telling you anything more.

Once I mentioned Xue er, the mystery guy frowned. Does he know something? He spent quite a few moments changing his expression to normal.

Dr Wei kept silent for a moment, and replied,

“Fine, don’t force yourself. You really gave me a fright once you fainted. Not only for me but also for Mr Chen.”

“Mr Chen?....”

Soon the mystery guy cut in,

“I’m sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Chen Lan.”

Chen Lan?........... Why does this name seem so familiar?

The throbbing began this time even before I could remember something. I clutched my head in discomfort.

“Laia! What’s wrong?”

Dr Wei’s voice slowly faded away.

I was hallucinating…..

“By the way, I'm Chen Lan”

The guy extended his hand out for a handshake. I shook hands with him and immediately pulled my hand away.

“I have things to do, I'm leaving."

The guy blocked my way and I felt that I was quite annoyed by him

“You helped me in the morning. So let me buy you a cup of coffee.”

“Let me be direct with you. Can you stop annoying me?” I turned away from him and left.

But I heard him shout from behind,

“Remember my name! I'm Chen Lan! And I’m not going to stop following you around!”

I seemed to leave without turning back.

My eyes blurred out.

I found Dr Wei and the guy- Chen Lan keenly looking at me in concern.

“Laia?”

I found myself still sitting in bed.

“Dr Wei, didn’t I faint?”

“No. You must’ve been hallucinating.”

“Yes.”

“What did you see. Any clarity?”

I didn’t know if I should tell him that I saw someone like the ‘Chen Lan’ who is standing here, in my memories. And the guy standing here says that he doesn’t know me. But I’m very sure that his voice is the same as in my memory, and in the newest obtained piece of memory, I heard it very clear. I don’t know why he denied that he doesn’t know me. I can’t tell him.

I looked at Chen Lan and turned back to Dr Wei. Chen Lan understood what I meant.

“I don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable. I’ll take my leave then. I just wanted to check on you since you fainted right in front of me. Take rest. Goodbye.” He didn’t seem offended and left with a smile.

Soon as he left, Dr Wei continued to question me,

“Did you remember something? Did you get at least a rough idea of what it was about?”

I should tell him anyway.

“I saw Chen Lan”

“What? Did you see the one who was here, in your memories?”

“I couldn't see the face clearly, but the voice was exactly his.”

“But he didn’t seem to know you.”

“Yes. I’m also not sure why, but you’ll certainly understand that he is the trigger. From the moment I met him, I’ve recalled 2 fragments of my memory so far”

“I must agree with the fact that he is the one who’s triggering your lost memories back. But are you sure that it was him in your memories?”

“His body frame was exactly the same as what I saw in my memory and I have no doubt about his voice.”

“Why he denied isn’t our concern now, but now we know that he can help you bring your memories back.”

I nodded in affirmation.

“And furthermore, you didn’t faint this time after recalling a memory.”

“That means, my condition is stabilizing.”

“Yes.”

Suddenly an idea struck up in my mind.

“Dr Wei, I think hypnotherapy can help me recall my memories back.”

He was unmistakably growing angry due to the question I raised.

“Laia, as a psychology student you must know how risky hypnotherapy would be for you in your current condition! Just once being able to recall memories vaguely without fainting doesn’t imply that you’re fine and ready for hypnotherapy!”

He was panting after nearly yelling at me in one whole breath and took a pause. Does he yell like this to his other patients?

“Sorry, Dr Wei…… Hypnotherapy may indeed be risky for me”

Dr Wei was replying to what I said, but I couldn’t hear him.

Tinnitus is back...

I must be remembering something again…. As expected, my visions blurred.

“Performing hypnosis is quite risky indeed.”

It was my voice!

I was standing in front of a mirror, and the place wasn't my dorm but somewhere else.

“But I don’t have a choice.” My voice broke and I was sobbing.

Why would I cry? Why would I talk about hypnosis in my memories?

I saw myself crying, in the mirror. I seemed to be talking to myself in the mirror.

“It is my fault….. I shouldn’t have accepted him at all…..”

Accepted who?

“I can’t let him suffer and get hurt because of me…….. Sorry Chen Lan”

Chen Lan?!

“I don’t want you to be hurt because of me……. As long as memories linger, they’ll bring pain…..….”

Memories?

“Sorry Chen Lan……… I’m left with no other choice but to completely wipe me out from your memories……”

…..