Chapter 190: A Heart’s Hidden Truth

Jiang Jingshi didn’t quite get it. “Dopamine high?”

The doctor replied carefully, “If dopamine gets out of balance, it could lead to nervous system issues. But we’d need to test to be sure.”

He brought over some equipment and had the female nurse attach it to Jiang Qian, then told her to lie on the bed so they could monitor her reactions.

The doctor sat by the bed, eyeing a record sheet.

“Lately, the one who’s spent the most time with Second Miss is Miss Xiao Meng, right?”

Fang Meng nodded. “Yes, I basically know everything about Qian Qian.”

The doctor thought for a moment. “Alright, I’ll ask Second Miss about things, and you fill in if I’m wrong. Remember, be honest.”

Both women nodded.

The doctor asked, “Second Miss, you haven’t had any similar heart discomfort before, right? This is the first time? Your heart’s always been stable?”

Jiang Qian, lying on the equipment, shook her head. “Well, it’s happened a few times, but never as bad as today. It always went away quickly.”

The doctor watched the equipment’s data. “Oh? Can you recall those times? Take your time and describe them in detail.”

Jiang Qian thought back. “The most recent one was when a boy in our class liked a girl.”

The doctor kept an eye on the equipment, noting no big changes.

Jiang Qian went on, “Then… that boy asked our class monitor for advice on confessing. I overheard it and shared my thoughts, but the monitor disagreed with me.” She gave a simple rundown of that day.

Jiang Jingshi listened intently from the side.

Fang Meng realized there had been something like that.

After she finished, the doctor spotted something and jotted it down. “What about the time before that?”

Jiang Qian recalled, “The last time I felt it was after arguing with Xiao Meng. I didn’t sleep well for those days, kept waking up at night, and felt off overall. Could that be why?”

The doctor looked at the still-steady equipment and shook his head. “Probably not. Keep going.”

Jiang Qian thought of Lin Zheng Ran, her heart racing. “Then, because of the argument, I asked our class monitor for advice. He said it would be better to talk it out with Xiao Meng directly.”

“It’s your class monitor again? You two get along well?”

Jiang Qian paused. “We’re okay.”

The doctor monitored the equipment’s data, which Jiang Jingshi didn’t fully understand, but Fang Meng noticed something.

Whenever Qian Qian mentioned Lin Zheng Ran, her heart rate and other numbers spiked noticeably.

The doctor caught that symptom too and signaled for the others to leave.

Jiang Jingshi and Xiao Meng stepped out, leaving just the nurse, the doctor, and Jiang Qian.

The doctor set down the sheet. “Okay, let’s skip the past for now. What’s your class monitor’s name?”

Jiang Qian looked at the doctor, remembering last night’s dream, and clenched her fingers slightly. “Lin Zheng Ran.”

“What’s your relationship with him?”

“Classmates… friends.”

“Does Second Miss like him?”

Jiang Qian’s face flushed, her eyes growing hazy, and the equipment beeped suddenly.

“What does this have to do with treating my condition?”

The doctor pressed on, “Does Second Miss like him?”

Jiang Qian hesitated, eyes downcast. “I don’t know. I haven’t thought about it…”

The doctor whispered something to the nurse, who then asked tentatively, “Miss Jiang Qian, I’ll describe a few scenarios. Close your eyes and imagine them.”

Jiang Qian shut her eyes but couldn’t relax, fists clenched tight.

The nurse said, “Picture this: It’s early morning in an empty park, just you and Mr. Lin Zheng Ran walking alone together. Got it?”

The doctor muted the equipment’s sounds and checked the data.

Jiang Qian nodded. “Yeah, I can imagine it.”

The nurse continued, “Then he tells you he likes you, and you two hold hands, embrace, and share a passionate kiss.”

The nurse paused every half-minute or so. Jiang Qian’s brows furrowed, her heart growing more uncomfortable, one hand clutching her chest as it beat faster.

The doctor gestured.

The nurse shifted gears. “Okay, relax now. Instead, imagine this: No Mr. Lin Zheng Ran, just a clear blue sky with Miss Xiao Meng and your sister there.”

“Mm.” Jiang Qian calmed down.

The nurse suddenly added, “You’re on a family picnic, and your phone rings—it’s Mr. Lin Zheng Ran calling to say he wants to break up. He hates you, doesn’t like you anymore, never wants to see you again, and you’ll never meet.”

Jiang Qian, midway through imagining, snapped her eyes open.

The doctor and nurse were taken aback.

Jiang Qian frowned and turned. “Wait, what does this have to do with my condition? Why imagine something like that?”

The doctor asked, “Is your heart still bothering you? I know that was upsetting, but how’s it feeling?”

Jiang Qian blinked, hand on her heart, and shook her head in surprise. “It seems better. Not as bad anymore.”

The doctor said, “When the nurse said that last part, you didn’t fully imagine the scene, did you?”

Jiang Qian nodded coolly. “I stopped halfway. Couldn’t go on. That kind of thing feels impossible.”

The nurse: “.”

The doctor noted something down. “Alright, Second Miss, you can sit up now. I know what’s causing it.” He had the nurse remove the monitoring equipment, and she smiled briefly as she did so and left.

Jiang Qian sat up on the bed. “You know the cause? What kind of illness is it?”

The doctor smiled first, then explained seriously:

“Well, Second Miss, your nervous system is a bit different from most people’s. You perceive emotions less intensely, so you might not feel sadness or joy as strongly, but that means you’re highly focused in what you do—it’s a unique trait.”

Jiang Qian nodded.

The doctor went on, “But this time, something specific has overly influenced your emotions, causing physical discomfort. That’s the root.”

Jiang Qian looked puzzled. “I don’t quite follow. Is it serious?”

The doctor said, “Simply put, it’s like… you have a bit of a lovesick mind, or lovesickness.”

“Ah?” Jiang Qian’s mouth dropped open in confusion. “Lovesick? Me?”

She pointed at herself.

The doctor: “I don’t mean anything by it—it’s literal. From the equipment, it shows you’ve been fixated on this Lin Zheng Ran lately. You’re naturally more focused than others, and recently, you’ve been thinking about him almost constantly.

If longing had a scale, most in love might feel it at five out of ten with some rest, but for you, it’s nine—with barely any break. Too much yearning leaves your body no time to recover.

I’d guess you’re dreaming about him every night, and last night you had some really happy dreams, which led to this state.”

Jiang Qian didn’t know what to say, her face burning red.

The doctor asked, “Are you two about to get together or break up?”

Jiang Qian stammered, “Br-break up, I guess. Our goals don’t match.”

The doctor:

“No wonder that’s the trigger. Given your situation, my advice is to rest more, relax, and shift your focus. Of course, seeing him more would help, but basically, you’re just missing him so much it’s affecting your body.”

Jiang Qian bit her lip, face flushed, and clenched her fists, head down.

She felt utterly embarrassed and wished she could vanish into the floor.