Chapter 279: Resonance

When Lei Yin was just a few meters away from Aikura Ai’s hospital room, he suddenly heard several sharp screams from ahead. He immediately knew something was wrong.

As he hurried into the room, he saw two nurses struggling to pin Aikura Ai down on the hospital bed while she screamed and fought back with all her strength.

Although she had described her condition to him before, seeing her pale, contorted face writhing in pain made Lei Yin finally understand why she had been so determined to end her life.

One of the nurses standing nearby lost her grip for a moment, allowing Aikura Ai to free her right hand. She immediately began pounding her head with such force it seemed as though she wanted to break it open.

Lei Yin couldn’t stand by any longer. He quickly stepped forward and restrained her arms.

With his help, the two nurses felt a significant reduction in pressure. One of them thanked him before efficiently fastening a strap on the left side of the bed across Aikura Ai’s body. The other nurse secured it on the right. After repeating this process three times, they had tightly strapped her down with three thick belts.

As one nurse prepared to inject a sedative, Lei Yin suddenly stopped her. “Wait a moment,” he said.

The nurse, looking flustered, replied, “Sir, please step aside. She needs the sedative immediately.”

Lei Yin spoke in a firm tone, “I said, wait.”

He then bent down and pulled something out of the bag he had brought with him.

The two nurses were taken aback to see that it was a simple motorcycle helmet.

While they were still puzzled, Lei Yin firmly placed the helmet—large enough to cover her entire head—on the struggling and screaming Aikura Ai.

After securing the helmet on her, Lei Yin watched her intently, observing every reaction.

One of the nurses, thinking he had only done this to stop the patient from harming herself, began to speak again, “Sir, we still need to—”

“Be quiet,” Lei Yin interrupted, his eyes never leaving Aikura Ai.

A short while later, both nurses were shocked to see that the once-screaming patient had suddenly gone quiet. Her struggles gradually ceased.

Noticing this, a faint smile appeared on Lei Yin’s lips. It was just as he had suspected.

A few seconds later, when she had fully calmed down, Lei Yin leaned close to the helmet and said, “Aikura, can you hear me? This is Gennai Masashi. Can you hear me?”

From inside the helmet, her slightly hoarse voice replied, “Gennai-kun?”

“It’s me. How are you feeling now?”

“I… I don’t know. It’s like those voices have all disappeared. What happened?”

“I’ll explain later. For now, just rest.”

“Okay… I understand.”

Lei Yin turned to the two nurses and said, “There’s no need for the sedative now. Also, could you please remove the straps from her body?”

“What… what did you just do?” one of the nurses asked in astonishment. She couldn’t believe that this man had calmed a patient who normally terrified people during her episodes.

“It’s complicated to explain right now. Please, just unstrap her,” Lei Yin replied.

“Alright…” The two nurses quickly began removing the straps.

Once they were done, Lei Yin said, “You don’t need to call the doctor. Also, I apologize for speaking harshly earlier.”

“It’s nothing. May I ask… are you a doctor?”

“I’m not a doctor. I just happen to know the cause of her episodes. If you don’t mind, could you leave us alone for a moment?”

“We’ll step out. If you need anything, please press the call button.” Although they were curious about what he had done to calm the patient, they left as requested.

“Thank you.”

After they left, Lei Yin leaned close to the helmet again and asked, “Aikura, are you alright now?”

“I’m fine, Gennai-kun,” Aikura Ai said softly as she slowly sat up.

“Don’t take off the helmet just yet. Wait a little longer.”

“Okay, I understand.”

Based on her previous descriptions of how long her episodes lasted, Lei Yin waited for about half an hour before carefully removing the helmet.

As soon as the helmet was removed, Aikura Ai squinted against the sharp light that streamed into her eyes. Once her vision adjusted and she saw the young man sitting in front of her, she became excited. “Gennai-kun, what just happened? Why did those voices suddenly disappear?”

Lei Yin pointed to the helmet in his hand and said, “It’s because of this helmet. It’s not an ordinary helmet—I had a layer of lead embedded inside. The lead blocks brainwaves, which prevents those voices from reaching your mind. That’s why the sounds disappeared.”

Still confused, Aikura Ai asked, “Gennai-kun, I don’t really understand what you mean.”

“The voices in your head aren’t hallucinations created by your mind. They’re actually the brainwaves of other people. After you were hit by the car, your brain underwent a special change, making it capable of receiving the brainwaves of those around you. That’s why it feels like there are countless voices speaking all at once in your head. Lead, as a metal, blocks all types of waves and radiation. By wearing this helmet, the brainwaves from others are blocked and can’t reach your mind. As a result, the voices disappeared. Do you understand now?”

Aikura Ai was shocked. “You’re saying that all the voices in my head are actually what other people are thinking?”

“Yes. Since you can’t control this ability that you’ve accidentally gained, whenever your brainwaves become active—during an episode—you feel like many people are shouting at you all at once.”

“Gennai-kun, I don’t want this ability. Please help me!” Aikura Ai grabbed his sleeve, pleading desperately.

Lei Yin comforted her, saying, “Now that we know the cause, I’ll think of a way to solve this problem for you.”

“Thank you, Gennai-kun.” Aikura Ai looked at him with deep gratitude.

Suddenly, Lei Yin said, “There’s something you must remember. Never let anyone know about this ability. Not even your parents.”

“Why not?”

“Because this ability of yours is extremely useful to people in positions of power. If they find out you can read other people’s thoughts, they will force you to work for them. I’m serious about this.”

Aikura Ai nodded. “I understand, Gennai-kun.”

“It’s not safe for you to stay here any longer. I want to transfer you to a specialized care facility I trust. Can you ask your parents to come here tomorrow? I’ll bring a doctor along to persuade them about the transfer.”

“Thank you, Gennai-kun.” Aikura Ai wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes as she spoke.

Looking at the pale and frail girl, Lei Yin said, “Don’t worry, you’ll get better.”

“Thank you, Gennai-kun.” She didn’t know how else to express the emotions surging in her heart, so she repeated her gratitude. One hand gripped the bedsheet tightly, while the other unconsciously clung to his sleeve.

※※※

After exchanging the formal kendo bow, the two individuals clad in kendo armor silently faced each other.

“Haah!” The swordsman on the left stepped forward and swiftly struck downward with a bamboo sword aimed at the opponent’s helmet.

The strike was fast and precise, seemingly about to land directly on the other’s protective headgear. However, at the last moment, the swordsman on the right deflected the blow with a sharp sideways slash of their bamboo sword. The strike not only blocked the attack but also flowed into a seamless follow-up: a diagonal cut that quickly swept across, landing on the opponent’s neck in an instant.

“Thank you for the match.”

“Thank you for the match.”

After removing their helmets, the girl on the left sighed. “If only you could participate in the interschool competition. Our girls’ team wouldn’t have lost so badly.”

Rumi bowed and said, “You flatter me. There’s still so much I need to learn. If there’s nothing else, senpai, I’d like to return to practice now.”

“Oh, sure.”

Watching her walk away, the girl couldn’t help but wonder: was it really just luck when I managed to land that hit during practice before?

Meanwhile, Shiraishi Akira, who had been observing the sparring session, walked over and said to Rumi, “Looks like you’ve fully recovered.”

Rumi smiled and said, “Thank you, Shiraishi-senpai, for taking care of me recently.”

Seeing her cheerful and innocent smile, Shiraishi Akira nodded, then turned and walked away.

When Rumi returned to the first-year practice area, a few first-year students immediately surrounded her and asked, “Rumi, what did Shiraishi-senpai just say to you?”

While removing her protective gear, Rumi replied, “Nothing much, just some casual greetings.”

One of the students, full of curiosity, asked, “Lately, Shiraishi-senpai doesn’t seem to practice with you much. Did you two have a fight?”

The kendo girl blushed and said, “Don’t misunderstand. There’s really nothing between Shiraishi-kun and me.”

“But didn’t he ask you out last time? Did he not ask you again after that?”

“That wasn’t a date at all. Shiraishi-kun is a very kind senior. A while ago, when I wasn’t in good spirits, he took me out for a walk to cheer me up. Don’t overthink it—there’s really nothing between us.”

Seeing her firm denial, the girls were skeptical but didn’t press further.

One of them immediately asked, “Rumi, are you telling the truth? Don’t lie to us.”

Rumi nodded earnestly. “Of course, it’s true. Shiraishi and I are just ordinary friends. I… I already like someone else. Ah! I didn’t say anything!” Realizing she’d slipped up, she blushed furiously and covered her mouth with her hands.

“Hey, clarify this for us. Is the person you like Shiraishi-senpai?” one girl asked, shaking her.

“No! I’m not saying anything else. Stop asking me!” Rumi felt her face burning and quickly ran to the restroom to avoid them.

“It seems like she’s serious,” one girl said, scratching her chin thoughtfully.

“No way. I need to find out more,” another said and started heading toward the restroom.

“I’m going too.”

“Keiko, what are you sneaking around with that towel for?”

“I… I was going to give it to Shiraishi-senpai to wipe his sweat.”

“No way! From now on, no one is allowed to sneak off. Hey, stop right there! Do you hear me?”

“Yes,” the girls replied reluctantly. Knowing this senior was in a foul mood after the poor performance at the Tokyo interschool competition, they quickly pretended to practice diligently.

Meanwhile, in the girls’ restroom, two girls were pounding on a stall door, shouting, “Rumi, come out and explain! Who is it that you like?”

“Stop asking! I don’t know anything!” the kendo girl cried, covering her ears in distress.

“No way. You have to explain today.”

“No!”

※※※

The next morning, Lei Yin brought a psychiatrist to meet with Aikura Ai’s father at the hospital.

After a brief introduction, Lei Yin got straight to the point. He explained that Aikura Ai’s intermittent headaches were not simply caused by brain damage but were psychological in nature, leading to hallucinations.

He then handed over the discussion to the psychiatrist, who began explaining the symptoms and treatment methods to Aikura Ai’s parents. Using a barrage of technical terms like “subconscious,” “projection,” “identification,” “introjective identification,” and “new object relations,” the psychiatrist launched into a lengthy explanation that left the middle-aged couple bewildered.

While the psychiatrist was speaking, Lei Yin glanced at Aikura Ai with a mischievous twinkle in his eye and gave her a playful wink.

Initially, Aikura Ai already found it amusing to see the supposedly serious psychiatrist rambling on so confidently to her parents. Now, seeing Lei Yin’s teasing expression, she nearly burst out laughing. However, to avoid alarming her parents, she buried her face in her knees and held back her laughter as best as she could.

After the psychiatrist finished his convoluted explanation, Aikura Ai’s parents nodded uncertainly, clearly only half-understanding. Lei Yin, maintaining a serious expression, said, “Actually, Dr. Amuro is a friend of one of my relatives. When he visited my house the other day, I mentioned Aikura-san’s condition to him. He told me that her symptoms were likely psychological rather than purely caused by brain damage. He even taught me some methods to address it.

“When I visited Aikura-san in the hospital, I tried one of the techniques he suggested, and fortunately, her symptoms improved. Seeing that it was effective, I decided to bring Dr. Amuro here to meet you and offer further assistance.”

Aikura Ai’s parents had already heard about yesterday’s events from the nurse, and upon hearing Lei Yin’s words, they were almost completely convinced and quickly expressed their gratitude.

At that moment, the psychiatrist immediately seized the opportunity and informed them that Aikura Ai would require further treatment in order to fully recover. He casually mentioned the address of the rehabilitation center he worked at.

After a brief consideration, Aikura Ai’s parents quickly agreed to transfer their daughter to the center for continued treatment.

Thus, Aikura Ai was smoothly transferred by Lei Yin to the rehabilitation center under Sakurai Mion’s name.

When they arrived, Aikura Ai’s parents were slightly surprised to find that Lei Yin had directly placed Aikura Ai in a special high-class single ICU room.

Not only was the outdoor environment beautiful and relaxing, but the interior facilities were top-notch as well. Additionally, a dedicated nurse was assigned to care for Aikura Ai’s daily needs, including meals and medication.

When Aikura Ai’s parents nervously looked at the charges, they were taken aback.

“I didn’t expect this rehabilitation center to be so affordable. Next time I have back pain, I’ll come here for a good rest,” Aikura Ai’s father said, rubbing his back, and casually glancing at the beautiful nurse attending to his daughter.

Aikura Ai’s mother coldly sneered, “Next time, I’ll specifically request a male nurse to take care of you.”

Aikura Ai’s father coughed awkwardly.

Lei Yin walked over to Aikura Ai’s bedside and smiled, saying, “Rest well. If you get bored, you can watch TV.”

“Thank you,” Aikura Ai whispered, her eyes slightly reddening.

Lei Yin casually responded, “There’s no need to be so polite between friends. Get some rest, and I’ll come visit you again tomorrow.”

“Mmm.”

After saying goodbye to Aikura Ai’s parents, Lei Yin slowly left the room.

“That boy is really something, Little Ai. Does he have a girlfriend?” Aikura Ai’s mother asked, sitting beside her daughter’s bed.

Aikura Ai smiled. “He already has a wonderful fiancée.”

“Is that so?” Aikura Ai’s mother seemed a bit disappointed.

Aikura Ai smiled again and then looked out the window. She happened to see Lei Yin walking toward the entrance of the rehabilitation center, talking on his phone.

She rested her chin on her knees and silently watched as he gradually walked farther away.

※※※

When Moriyama Ayumi, wearing a pink nurse uniform and holding a small bouquet of light white flowers, entered, Aikura Ai curiously asked, “Moriyama-san, what kind of flowers are these?”

The beautiful nurse, who was assigned to take care of Aikura Ai, smiled and replied, “These are violets. Do you like them? I passed by a flower shop near the rehabilitation center and decided to buy some.”

“Aren’t violets purple?”

“They come in other colors too, like red, yellow, and white, but purple violets are the most common. I thought it might brighten up the room a little. You don’t mind, do you?”

“Of course not. Thank you, Moriyama-san.”

“You’re still so polite,” Moriyama Ayumi said as she took the empty vase from the table and went to the restroom to fill it with water.

After arranging the flowers in the vase and making a few adjustments, Moriyama Ayumi placed it on the table beside Aikura Ai’s bed. Then, she eagerly asked, “How’s it look? Pretty, right?”

Aikura Ai looked at the white petals, which had the texture of silk, and nodded, saying, “Mmm, it’s really beautiful. By the way, do you know the language of violets?”

“Eternal beauty. Some people say it symbolizes coolness, but I think ‘eternal beauty’ sounds more romantic, don’t you?”

Aikura Ai smiled and nodded.

Moriyama Ayumi suddenly laughed and said, “I think Gennai-san is a really interesting person. Every time he visits, he always brings you something to eat, but he’s never brought any flowers. It’s like he’s afraid you won’t have enough to eat here. How should I put it? He’s quite down-to-earth, I suppose.”

Aikura Ai thought about it for a moment and realized that it was indeed true. She couldn’t help but laugh as well.

After carefully looking at her face, Moriyama Ayumi said with satisfaction, “You look much better today. How about I take you to weigh yourself and then we can take a walk on the grass below?”

“Okay.”

As they walked out of the room, Aikura Ai, as usual, carried the bag with a motorcycle helmet in it. Although she found it strange that the girl always carried this bag everywhere, even into the bathroom when showering, Moriyama Ayumi didn’t ask why. She knew very well that to work long-term in a high-paying, good-benefit private sanatorium like this, one had to do more and talk less.

After measuring Aikura Ai’s weight, the two of them went to the large grassy area below the sanatorium building. There, many patients were already walking around or sitting on benches resting.

“The weather is really nice today,” Aikura Ai sighed, feeling relaxed.

Moriyama Ayumi smiled and said, “If you spend more time in the sun, you’ll feel much more energetic. Let me take you to the flower garden; they’ve done a great job with the flowers there.”

So, Aikura Ai followed Moriyama Ayumi to the flower garden located on the east side of the grassy area. The garden was quite large, filled with various flowers, plants, and potted plants. Since it was the blooming season, the whole area was a vibrant sea of colorful flowers.

Aikura Ai really liked the garden and walked around it carefully, admiring the flowers. There, she also saw violet flowers in purple and pale yellow.

“Isn’t it beautiful?” Moriyama Ayumi asked as she walked next to her.

Aikura Ai nodded and said, “Taking care of so many flowers and plants isn’t easy.”

“You’re such a kind girl. Most people only care about whether the flowers look pretty, but very few think about the time and effort the gardener spends on them,” said Moriyama Ayumi.

“You’re too kind, Moriyama-san. Actually, when I was at home, I often watered and fertilized the flowers in the yard, so I know that growing flowers is quite hard work. And here, there are so many flowers and other plants.”

As they continued walking and talking, Aikura Ai saw a woman in a wheelchair ahead of them, smiling at her. Behind the wheelchair stood a young nurse, who seemed to be her caregiver.

The woman appeared to be around thirty, with shoulder-length straight hair and a calm, peaceful expression.

When Aikura Ai saw the woman smiling at her, she quickly nodded in return. However, when she lifted her head again, she noticed that the woman hadn’t said anything or made any other movement—she just kept smiling at her.

Just as Aikura Ai found it strange, Moriyama Ayumi quietly said, “Don’t mind her. Her name is Ms. Hirogura. Her brain was severely damaged by medication, and she always has this expression no matter what.”

Aikura Ai was taken aback and looked carefully. Sure enough, she noticed that the woman’s smile had no liveliness in it, almost like a smiling puppet.

Aikura Ai couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. She never expected that such an elegant woman would be a soulless fool.

“How did she end up like this?” Aikura Ai asked.

Moriyama Ayumi glanced at her and quietly said, “A few years ago, she took a large amount of sleeping pills in an attempt to commit suicide. Though she was discovered and saved in time, her brain was damaged by the drugs, and now she’s like this—neither alive nor dead. It’s very likely that she’ll stay this way for the rest of her life.”

Upon hearing this last part, Aikura Ai suddenly felt a chill in her heart.

A person’s life could be very short or very long, but if someone were to live like this for their whole life, it couldn’t just be described as “pitiful.”

Sighing, Aikura Ai said, “Why did she do that?”

“I heard it was because a man abandoned her, and she couldn’t handle it, so she tried to commit suicide. Hmph, is it really worth it for a man?” Moriyama Ayumi sneered.

Aikura Ai thought for a moment before saying, “If she had known this would happen to her, she definitely wouldn’t have done such a foolish thing. But at that time, she probably thought it was the only way out.”

“Life is only given once, and many things cannot be undone. Sometimes, when you make a mistake, it becomes a lifelong consequence.”

Aikura Ai didn’t speak. At that moment, she felt a whirlwind of emotions inside. She felt like Ms. Hirogura’s reflection. If it hadn’t been for that person stopping her at the time, perhaps she would either be dead now or be like her.

Sensing the atmosphere had become somewhat heavy, Moriyama Ayumi changed the subject, saying, “Let’s walk ahead a bit. There’s a small pond there, and it’s filled with many fish.”

“Moriyama-san, I’m a bit tired. I’d like to go back and rest for a while.”

Noticing the fatigued expression on her face, Moriyama Ayumi nodded in understanding.

When they returned to the room and opened the door, they saw a young man leisurely leaning against the window, reading a book.

Upon seeing them enter, he nodded and said, “Back already?”

“Gennai-kun, when did you arrive?” Aikura Ai asked with great joy.

Lei Yin put down his book and replied, “Not long ago. I heard from the nurse at the station that you were out for a walk, so I’ve been waiting here for you. How are you feeling today?”

Aikura Ai smiled and said, “I feel great. I just weighed myself, and I’ve gained another kilogram. I’m afraid that if this continues, I’ll soon be overweight.”

“With your figure, even if you gain weight, it won’t be by much. Moriyama-san, how is her condition now?”

Moriyama Ayumi, who didn’t dare be careless around the mysterious young man that even the director treated with great deference, quickly replied, “Miss Aikura initially had severe sleep deprivation and lost her appetite, which made her body weak. She also had mild anemia. But after some time of recovery here, her sleep and eating have returned to normal, and her weight is starting to gradually increase. I believe she’ll recover and be discharged soon.”

“I see, thank you, Moriyama-san.”

“You’re too kind. It’s what I’m supposed to do.”

“If you have something to attend to, you can go ahead. Don’t worry about us.”

Understanding that he wanted to speak with Aikura Ai alone, Moriyama Ayumi courteously excused herself.

After she left the room, Lei Yin said, “Now that you’re feeling better, why don’t you sit on the bed and talk?”

Aikura Ai nodded and quietly sat back down on her bed.

After she settled in, Lei Yin asked, “Does this nurse know about your situation?”

Aikura Ai replied, “She probably doesn’t. Every time I feel like I’m about to fall ill, I hide in the bathroom and wait until I’m fine again before I come out. Also, Moriyama-san rarely asks me any questions.”

Lei Yin smiled and said, “You’re doing well. Doesn’t it feel a bit like you’re sneaking around?”

Aikura Ai thought for a moment and then suddenly chuckled. “It does feel a bit like that.”

Seeing her cheerful smile, Lei Yin smiled too.

“Has Aiko or Mami come to visit recently?”

“Aiko and Mami came the day before yesterday, but since they’re preparing for their final exams, I told them not to come too often.”

“That’s good. It would be inconvenient for them to come at the wrong time.”

At this point, Aikura Ai suddenly became serious and said, “Gennai-kun, there’s something I want to ask you.”

“What is it?”

“Is the cost of this room really as low as I saw before?” She was already a college student. Although she didn’t have much experience, she deeply doubted the low fees for such a high-end room, as well as for the dedicated nurses like Moriyama-san and other treatment expenses. She didn’t want to owe people anything without understanding the situation clearly.

Lei Yin knew he couldn’t keep it from her forever, so he admitted, “To be honest, this sanatorium is run by a friend of mine. You don’t have to feel uneasy about it. If you consider me a friend, there’s no need to thank me. These things are nothing for me.”

Seeing his calm and steady gaze, Aikura Ai didn’t know what to say. In her heart, simply saying “thank you” didn’t feel enough to express her gratitude.

Lei Yin, not accustomed to being looked at this way by a woman, cleared his throat and said, “Actually, there’s another reason I came today. To put it simply, I want to take you to meet someone—someone who might be able to help you solve that problem.”

Aikura Ai’s face showed a mix of confusion and surprise.

Lei Yin glanced at her before saying, “But your body hasn’t fully recovered. How about we talk about it in a couple of days?”

Aikura Ai quickly replied, “No need, I’m fine. Really.”

Lei Yin thought for a moment and then said, “Since that’s the case, I’ll take you there now. Get ready, I’ll inform the doctor.”

“I understand.”

※※※

Although it wasn’t her first time in his car, she still felt a sense of tension, just like last time.

Not noticing her unease, Lei Yin started the car and casually turned on the music player. Soon, pleasant music filled the car.

While holding the steering wheel, he said, “The person I’m taking you to meet is an expert in the field of mental health, though his temper is a bit strange. You’d better not ask him anything. When we get there, just call him ‘Professor.'”

“I understand.”

Looking at her for a moment, Lei Yin said, “You don’t need to be so nervous. There will definitely be a way to solve this.”

“Mm.” Aikura Ai responded, then turned her attention to the road ahead.

After a while, Aikura Ai noticed that the car was driving very smoothly, with no slight vibrations like she felt in other cars.

She gently turned her head to look at him. He was calmly steering the wheel, his eyes quietly focused on the road ahead.

Seeing him drive so effortlessly, Aikura Ai suddenly felt a sense of calmness, and the tension she had been holding onto disappeared without her even realizing it.

After thinking for a moment, she suddenly asked, “Gennai-kun, do you plan to marry Naoko-san?”

Lei Yin nodded and said, “That’s for sure. I plan to marry her after I graduate.”

“Naoko-san is so beautiful. She will definitely be the most beautiful bride.”

A gentle smile unconsciously appeared on Lei Yin’s lips. “Yes, she will be the most beautiful bride.”

Aikura Ai smiled and said, “I think Naoko-san is really lucky, because she found someone who truly loves her.”

Lei Yin shook his head. “The truly lucky one is me. With her condition, she could easily find a better man. But she silently waited for me for over two years, even triggering her old illness because of it. A woman’s golden years are only a few years, and many couples break up after just a few months and fall out of love. She has done so much for me.”

After a brief silence, Aikura Ai said, “When you have your wedding, can I be invited?”

Lei Yin smiled, “Of course, not just you. I’ll invite everyone I know.”

“Thank you.” Aikura Ai smiled, then turned her head to quietly watch the scenery outside the window.

※※※

Half an hour later, Lei Yin’s BMW stopped in front of a slightly old two-story apartment building.

When they reached the door, Lei Yin pressed the doorbell a few times.

Soon, the door opened, and a man in a suit walked out from inside.

“Good afternoon, Gennai-san.” The man respectfully bowed to him.

“Is the gentleman inside?”

“Yes, he’s in the room.”

Lei Yin turned to Aikura Ai and said, “Let’s go inside.”

Aikura Ai nodded and quietly followed him in.

After settling her on the sofa in the living room, Lei Yin said, “Wait here for a moment. I’ll go call the professor down.”

“Okay.” Aikura Ai looked visibly nervous.

After Lei Yin went upstairs, Aikura Ai, feeling restless, began looking around the living room.

“Miss, would you like tea or soda?” The man who had opened the door earlier walked over and asked.

“Anything… is fine.”

“Would soda be okay?”

“Yes. Thank you.” Aikura Ai bowed to him.

“You’re welcome. Please wait a moment.” The man then walked to the kitchen to get the soda.

After waiting restlessly for about five minutes, Aikura Ai finally saw Lei Yin walking downstairs. She also saw a middle-aged man in his fifties wearing glasses following him, along with two younger men who appeared more serious, walking behind the older man.

When they saw them coming down, Aikura Ai immediately stood up. She noticed that not only was the middle-aged man sizing her up, but the two younger men behind him were also observing her with scrutinizing and wary eyes.

When they approached her, Lei Yin introduced the middle-aged man, saying, “Professor, this is Miss Aikura Ai from Kyoto. Aikura, this is the professor.”

Before the professor could speak, Aikura Ai had already bowed slightly and said, “Hello, I am Aikura Ai.”

Seeing how polite the girl was, the professor turned to Lei Yin and said, “The Japanese indeed value manners. Please send my regards to her, and kindly repeat what you just told her.”

Aikura Ai realized that what he was saying wasn’t in Japanese, and she couldn’t immediately tell whether it was Chinese or Korean.

Lei Yin turned to Aikura Ai and explained, “The professor doesn’t speak Japanese. He asked me to send his regards and repeat what he just said. Also, he needs to conduct some tests, so I will take you to another place with him shortly.”

“I understand,” Aikura Ai nodded, offering a polite gesture to the professor in return.

When they got into the car, Aikura Ai noticed that the two young men got into the car as well. They made a point of having the professor sit in the middle, with the two of them seated by the windows on either side.

During the drive, nobody spoke. Aikura Ai, seeing this, felt too embarrassed to continue talking to Lei Yin.

After about an hour, Lei Yin drove the car to a large, undeveloped forest near the border of Hachioji and Machida. There was a golf course under construction nearby, but it was far enough away that no one would come this way, perfectly matching the geographical conditions the professor had mentioned.

Once they got out of the car, the two young men carefully observed their surroundings, occasionally placing a hand near their waists.

At this point, Lei Yin said to the professor, “I remember there’s a large open space not far ahead. It should be suitable for the test.”

The professor thought for a moment and then told the two young men, “You two wait for me here.”

One of the taller young men replied, “Professor, for your safety, we must stay close to you.”

The professor shook his head, saying, “If there are too many people around, it will affect the test’s results. I hope you won’t make this difficult for me.”

The two men exchanged a glance, and the other young man finally said, “In that case, we’ll wait here. Is an hour enough?”

“That should be sufficient.”

“If you’re not out in an hour, we’ll come in to find you. Is that okay?”

“Alright, we’ll do it like that.”

As the three of them walked through the forest, Lei Yin could still feel the two young men watching him with wary eyes.

However, he understood why they were so nervous. The professor was no ordinary person; he was a national treasure-level researcher. If anything were to go wrong, it would be something they could never afford to handle. If it weren’t for his connection with General Yang Xiao and their belief that he were truly disciple of the late Grandmaster Yan Yuxiao, this national treasure figure would never have been “lent out.”

After walking for about ten minutes, they indeed found a large open space ahead.

Once they stood in position, the professor spoke to Lei Yin.

After hearing him out, Lei Yin turned to Aikura Ai and said, “If you start to have an episode during the test, please don’t wear the helmet. The professor wants to test if you really have the ability to receive brain waves, and he also wants to measure the range of your reception. Do you think you can handle this experiment?”

Although she was terrified inside, Aikura Ai nodded. Lei Yin smiled. “You’re a brave girl.”

Her face flushed at the compliment, which felt like something you’d say to a child.

After waiting for about twenty minutes, Aikura Ai suddenly said to Lei Yin, “Gennai-kun, is it really true that the professor can’t speak Japanese?”

“Yes, why?” Lei Yin replied.

Aikura Ai blushed and said, “I just heard him say that he shouldn’t have drunk so much tea before leaving the house. Now there isn’t even a convenient place, and it’s causing trouble.”

Lei Yin couldn’t help but laugh. He knew that the professor hadn’t said this and would never say something like that in public.

With a mischievous smile in his eyes, he turned to the middle-aged man and said, “Professor, this young lady just told me that you wanted to use the bathroom but couldn’t find one. If you don’t mind, you could use the bushes nearby.”

The professor paused for a moment, quickly realizing what was being implied, and his face flushed with embarrassment.

Clearing his throat awkwardly, he said, “Gennai-san, let’s begin the test. It seems that this lovely young lady can indeed receive brain waves from others.” He smiled at Aikura Ai as he said this.

Aikura Ai blushed even more and lowered her head in embarrassment.

When the test began, the professor had her hold one end of a measuring tape, and as he slowly released it, he walked backward.

When he had unwound nearly two hundred meters, Aikura Ai suddenly tugged on the tape.

The professor understood and immediately stopped, then looked down at the markings on the tape.

Walking over, the professor, looking very serious, said to Lei Yin, “Her brainwave sensing ability is extraordinary. She can detect brain waves from people within a radius of about 170 meters. That means she can hear exactly what people are thinking within that range. This is the first time I’ve seen such a strong sensing ability. Most people with brainwave sensing abilities can only perceive others’ brain waves by touching them, like using their bodies as conductors. As far as I know, there are no more than three people in the world who can sense at a distance, and their range doesn’t exceed 20 meters. The difference is huge.”

While the professor was speaking, Aikura Ai had already understood his words through his brain waves. She couldn’t help but cover her mouth in surprise.

Seeing her reaction, Lei Yin realized there was no need for translation, so he asked, “Then why does she only experience these episodes in the afternoon?”

The professor answered, “This might be because her mind is more active in the afternoon, which triggers this ability. It’s similar to how many people find it easier to focus and have more active thoughts in the afternoon. And strictly speaking, she isn’t truly an ability user. Her power is suppressed at other times and only erupts during a specific time period in the afternoon. This also explains why her receiving ability is so remarkable. I believe that if she could use this ability 24 hours a day, her reception ability would surely decline.”

Hearing this, Aikura Ai said firmly, “Professor, I don’t want this ability. Can you help me remove it?”

The professor, who didn’t have the ability to receive brain waves himself, looked confusedly at Lei Yin, waiting for him to translate.

Lei Yin then conveyed her message.

The professor thought for a moment and said, “Based on cases I’ve encountered, there have been instances where people with brainwave sensing abilities have been able to remove this ability through their own efforts. But her situation is more unique. First, her ability isn’t innate; it was an accident caused by a head injury. Second, her ability only manifests during certain periods, which is different from typical sensitives. So I’m not very confident.”

When Aikura Ai heard this, her face immediately became very grim.

Lei Yin then asked, “Is it possible to remove this ability through surgical means?”

The professor shook his head and said, “To be honest, we’ve always been very interested in brainwave sensing abilities and have done extensive research on it. However, after all these years, the only thing we know for sure is that the active region of this ability is located in the frontal lobe of the brain. We still know very little about the exact location or the mechanism behind it. The frontal lobe is considered the highest mental function in humans and is what differentiates us from other animals. If we were to operate on that area, even a slight mistake could be extremely dangerous, and the success rate is practically zero. Therefore, it’s impossible to remove the ability through surgery.”

Noticing that the girl’s complexion was growing paler, the professor looked at her and said, “It’s not that there’s no way at all. I have an idea, which is to help you practice so that you can use this ability at any time, instead of only experiencing it as an involuntary outburst during a specific time period. Only by learning how to use this ability can you also learn how to control it. Do you understand what I mean?”

Aikura Ai gently nodded.

Lei Yin asked, “How do you feel now?”

Aikura Ai replied, “Apart from the professor’s voice, I’m hearing some faint background noise, but it’s not as overwhelming as when I was in the hospital, when all the sounds flooded in at once.”

Lei Yin felt a wave of sympathy. With her broad range of reception ability, it must be like hearing hundreds of people talking loudly in her ears all at once. It would be more bearable if they were actually speaking because there would be pauses when they took breaths, but brainwaves never stop. That she hadn’t gone insane by now was already remarkable.

Thinking this, he suddenly asked, “Can you hear what I’m thinking?”

Aikura Ai was startled. She had been focused on listening to the professor’s voice and hadn’t paid attention to his, but now that he had asked, she listened closely. After a while, her face showed an expression of surprise.

She couldn’t hear his thoughts at all.

Seeing her expression, Lei Yin knew his guess was correct. Perhaps because he was essentially a spirit, different from ordinary people, his true thoughts likely weren’t coming from the brain of this body, but from his own spiritual form. This was probably why she couldn’t receive his brainwaves. He believed the situation with Kuang Dao was similar.

Not wanting anyone to notice his abnormality, he casually said to the middle-aged man, “Professor, could you give us a detailed guide on how to practice and control this sensing ability? It would be better if it’s a video with an actual person explaining it, as she would likely accept it more easily.”

“I understand. Actually, I brought a set of materials on this with me because I initially thought she was just an ordinary sensitive. When I get back, I’ll ask an experienced sensitive to come and give a live demonstration, then I’ll send the video tape to you.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Uh, Gennai-san, if there’s nothing else, we should head back now to avoid keeping the others waiting too long.”

“Alright. But Professor, are you sure you don’t want to take a break? There’s no bathroom in my car.”

“Cough, no, it’s fine.”

Noticing a faint smile at the corner of Aikura Ai’s mouth, Lei Yin knew the old man was probably cursing him in his mind. After all, he was a national treasure, rarer than a panda. Lei Yin didn’t want to trouble him further and said to Aikura Ai, “Let’s go, Little Ai.”

Aikura Ai was momentarily stunned by the new nickname but quickly nodded and followed him.

“Can you no longer hear other people’s thoughts?” Lei Yin asked as they walked.

“I can still hear them. Usually, it takes about half an hour for it to stop.”

“Then why haven’t you put your helmet on yet? It’s crowded outside.” Lei Yin said impatiently.

“Sorry, I forgot.” Aikura Ai suddenly remembered and quickly took out the helmet from her bag and put it on.

However, since the helmet was lined with lead, she couldn’t see outside. After walking a few steps, she almost tripped over a stone on the grass.

Lei Yin quickly steadied her and grabbed her hand, saying, “Hold onto me and walk slowly.”

“Thank you.” A soft voice came from inside the helmet.