Chapter 476 - The Sanatorium (1/2)

She took a deep breath secretly. Then she took two quick steps and walked to the side of Zhou Yan. In a low voice, she asked, “Why haven’t we seen anyone here?”

Director Hu, who was leading the way before them all the time, answered her when Zhou Yan was just about to say something, “It’s lunch break now!”

Xia Yu frowned. She was clearly skeptical of the answer. Zhou Yan smiled and explained to her patiently, “Out of concern for these special patients, centers of this kind have strict time regulations on entry and rest. This place demands that patients should rest in their rooms before two o’clock in the afternoon.”

“Then, what about after 2 p.m.?”

“It depends on their health conditions. Some are allowed to stroll in a certain area under the supervision of nursing workers. Some may be advised to stay in a confined area.”

“Why?”

Zhou Yan stopped. As a psychologist who always dealt with patients of this kind, he understood the regulations here and was used to those things that might be difficult to understand and accept for common people. But it was Xia Yu’s first time to come here. In other words, this place with high walls and iron gates was cut off from the outside world which was totally different from here. How could he help her understand the rules here?

“Let me put it in this way!” Zhou Yan began to walk again, followed by Xia Yu. “The neurological rehabilitation center may be different from what you imagined before. This is the home to people who have or once had mental diseases, ranging from depressive disorder, delusional disorder, schizophrenia to anorexia or bulimia. There are many different kinds of mental illness. And these diseases have different symptoms. Some are serious, while some are mild. Besides, when these diseases do not come on, some patients look like normal people, but some of them have a serious self-abuse tendency and a serious propensity to violence. So, they will receive a professional examination after admission. After that, according to the results, these patients will be divided into different inpatient areas in terms of mild or serious symptoms by the rehabilitation center. People with mild symptoms will have certain areas of activity, and others with serious symptoms will be cut off from others totally. These measures are for the sake of the safety of patients and healthcare workers.”

“That’s true!” Director Hu turned around and smiled. “Doctor Zhou is very familiar with the conditions here. Generally speaking, our rehabilitation center has a very good environment. Probably, it can be regarded as the best one among those welfare neurological rehabilitation institutions in our country. The working staff here are all nice and patient. They will never abuse or hurt our patients.”

The director, who had been wearing a long face, stopped and explained to Xia Yu with patience, which made her feel flattered, but she always felt that he was boasting. So, she frowned and inquired tentatively, “I have heard before that you have good conditions here. But wasn’t there a news report lately that one of your patients was pregnant and injured by jumping off a building at the gynecology clinic?”

Once she finished her words, the director turned gloomy again.

“Assistant Xia, where did you get this rumor? Our center has always conformed to strict regulations. We only shelter women and children. How could a patient get pregnant and jump off a building?” He sneered and pretended to wear an unbelievable look. “Which newspaper or media gave out such a rumor? I will inform our dean of this. It is related to this center’s reputation which has been won by our great efforts for so many years. We won’t let off such a rumor! We’ll accuse them of defaming.”

Xia Yu really didn’t expect that he would defend in such an indignant way. Was he really telling the truth? Or did he want to conceal the truth on purpose? Since he said so and they came here for a reason, she stayed calm as before and then gave a forced smile. “Perhaps, someone started such a rumor. When it comes to online news, it’s difficult for people to tell the truth from the false, anyway.” After she finished her words, she glanced at Zhou Yan beside her and just met with his eyes. Zhou Yan was still as calm as usual.

“Move on!” Zhou Yan interrupted the topic in time.

Director Hu kept leading the way to move on. After walking about another hundred meters, they finally saw a sign at the corner, showing the Verification Department, the Clinical Laboratory, the X-ray Department, and so on. Suddenly, Zhou Yan stopped. “I want to have a word with Director Hu. Can you show yourself around in the center? Next time when I bring you here, you’ll become more familiar with it. But don’t go to the bungalows behind the X-ray Department.”

“Why?”

“It’s a segregated area. Only critically ill patients live there.” Zhou Yan said and then seemed to deliberately cast a look at Xia Yu.

Xia Yu agreed obediently without showing any objections. “I know. I won’t walk around randomly.” Xia Yu stood in situ and looked around. Perhaps, she was thinking about where to go first.

“What are you looking at?” Zhou Yan asked.

“I’ve read some reports about this rehabilitation center, but there are mostly some words with very few pictures.” Xia Yu withdrew her eyes and answered.

“Journalists are not allowed to enter, not to mention interviewing the patients.”

Xia Yu was very surprised, “Why is there such a rule?”

“Firstly, they want to protect these patients. After all, they are special. Though some of them have mental problems in our view, they still have independent personalities. So, cameras and the exposure are disrespectful to them.”

“Secondly…” Zhou Yan suddenly lowered his head and gave a sigh. “I heard that during an interview, an accident once happened. One of the interviewed patients had an attack suddenly and attacked the journalist. So, this center has been very cautious about this kind of thing ever since.”

Xia Yu was astonished by such an explanation.

“Really?”

“You don’t believe it?”

Xia Yu was stunned. Then Zhou Yan smiled. “Will you believe it if I say that every time I come here, I will buy a personal accident insurance in advance for me?”

Xia Yu finally realized the reason why there were so few materials and photos of this place on those reports. Partly, the rehabilitation center had strict external control, which prevented common visitors from coming here. And the people coming here needed some courage. People with special mental diseases might attack others suddenly, so very few journalists were willing to risk their lives to come here and interview those madmen. They could just report some gossip about the private affairs or small household affairs of celebrities easily. It was not only eye-catching but also relatively easy. After all, very few people were interested in a gloomy and confined madhouse and a group of lunatics.