Chapter 1039: You Really Look Like Her

Editor: Henyee Translations

Hearing Gu Yang describe Shen Ran’s condition, Gu Jin, Feng Jue, and Cao Cuo were taken aback. They had never imagined that the brightest and most cheerful of them all could be suffering from such deep depression.

During the light cone experiment, despite their exceptional talents, they were still young and vulnerable. The trauma they endured led to varying degrees of post-traumatic stress disorder.

For a long time, Gu Jin and Feng Jue struggled with sleep disorders. It was only through Gu Yang’s piano playing that they found relief. Each of them had their own ways of coping with their trauma, often leading to self-abuse.

Gu Jin’s self-torture was psychological. She repeatedly revisited their traumatic past, mentally disassembling her own world, which contributed to her sleep issues.

Feng Jue, during his blood transfusion sessions with Gu Yang, endured unnecessary pain from the former Gu Yang. Although he could have avoided this mistreatment, he chose to endure it as a form of self-punishment.

Cao Cuo’s approach was to immerse himself in distractions. While he appeared to be flourishing with his cats and internet café, he was essentially isolating himself and avoiding facing his own trauma.

Meeting Gu Yang’s clear, bright eyes, Shen Qin was momentarily stunned. The face before her was different from what she remembered, yet it felt inexplicably familiar.

Shen Qin lowered her gaze and said, “He’s my only family. I won’t hurt him. I keep him locked away because I’m afraid of what he might do if he’s free.”

Gu Yang understood that Shen Ran’s propensity for self-harm was the reason for his confinement. Allowing him to leave would only increase his chances of suicide.

“It’s that severe. Didn’t you take him to see a doctor and get him medication?” Gu Yang asked, frowning.

“It’s useless,” Shen Qin replied, her voice tinged with sadness. “He refuses to take the medication and resists treatment. He won’t go to a mental hospital. Every time he thinks about the light cone experiment or sees anything about the Blue Whale battle team online, his emotions spiral out of control.”

Gu Yang fell silent, reflecting on the trauma caused by the light cone experiment. While her sister and the Little Blood Bank had avoided its worst effects, the psychological scars remained.

Shen Qin’s efforts to isolate Shen Ran, to shield him from the outside world and avoid triggering his trauma, seemed well-intentioned. Yet, Gu Yang knew that such isolation might exacerbate his condition.

“You can’t keep him locked away and cut off from the world,” Gu Yang said. “The more you isolate him, the worse his condition will become. Sometimes, exposure and engagement are necessary for healing.”

Shen Qin fell silent, realizing that Shen Ran’s condition had worsened since she had locked him away. She had hesitated to tell Gu Jin and the others where Shen Ran was because she feared that seeing his old teammate—who reminded him of the deceased Wuyang—might agitate him.

It would have been ideal if Gu Yang were Wuyang, but Shen Qin knew she was not. Bringing Gu Yang to Shen Ran would only lead to disappointment.

At that moment, Shen Qin looked at Gu Yang and said, “You’re very similar to her. No wonder people mistake you for her. If I hadn’t seen her today, I might have thought you were her too.”

Gu Yang was taken aback by this revelation.

Gu Jin, Feng Jue, and Cao Cuo were equally surprised, their expressions reflecting their shock.

Gu Yang asked, “Who did you see?”

Shen Qin smiled softly. “Our Yangyang—she’s exactly the same as the Wuyang in my memory. She’s not dead.”