Chapter 152: Chapter 152: A Sense of Crisis, Treatment Plan

Gu Qinghuan let out a soft chuckle, set the water down beside the table, and took a sip from her cup. Then she sat down across from him and began explaining the rules of Gomoku.

Fang Zhengping immediately felt like he’d been tricked, staring at her with a constipated expression—this was just a kid’s game!

“Come on, you won’t know until you try,” Gu Qinghuan said, making the first move.

Fang Zhengping had no choice but to follow.

In the first round, Gu Qinghuan completely wiped the floor with him. He lost before he even realized what was happening.

It wasn’t that his chess skills were lacking—on the contrary, he was quite good at Go. But his mind was still stuck on Go’s rules, and he fell right into Gu Qinghuan’s trap.

Gu Qinghuan flashed a triumphant smile. “Want to go again?”

Fang Zhengping gulped down some water, wiped his mouth, and said, “Again!”

He never thought he’d be so stubborn about winning back a game he lost. Maybe it was because Gomoku seemed so simple that losing made him even more unwilling to accept it.

He didn’t notice that he’d already fallen into Gu Qinghuan’s plan—his entire focus was now on Gomoku.

In the second round, he kept reminding himself of the rules, and played much better than before, but still lost in the end.

Gu Qinghuan could tell he’d switched gears—he’d improved a lot this round. If she didn’t have all those Gomoku strategies in her head, she might’ve actually lost.

Back in school, her deskmate loved playing Gomoku during breaks, both to pass the time and to exercise their minds. Thanks to her deskmate’s obsession, Gu Qinghuan had learned all sorts of “formations”—the Lightning, Plum Blossom, Thunder, Swallow, Inverted Triangle, Moon... That’s what let her win so easily now.

Watching Fang Zhengping’s frustrated expression, she secretly laughed to herself.

Gotcha, didn’t I?

“Ahem! One more round?” Gu Qinghuan asked, deliberately testing him.

Fang Zhengping’s mind was now full of Gomoku moves, and he was getting a little worked up.

“Again!”

In the third round, Fang Zhengping went first, playing steadily and almost catching Gu Qinghuan off guard. Luckily, she pulled out the “Azure Dragon” formation and managed to turn the tables.

After three straight losses, Fang Zhengping was completely hooked. He was good at Go, but this so-called Gomoku had made him suffer three defeats in a row—interesting.

Anyone who’s played Gomoku knows that, despite looking like a child’s game, it’s actually addictive—the more you play, the more you want to play.

This was exactly what Gu Qinghuan wanted.

Her goal wasn’t to beat him, but to help him break out of his closed-off emotions, to do something he enjoyed and distract himself, to temporarily forget his troubles.

Plus, with the “special” water she’d given him, he should be able to get a good night’s sleep tonight.

Just as Fang Zhengping was itching to play another round, Gu Qinghuan stood up and dusted herself off. “Uncle Fang and Auntie are still waiting downstairs. Let’s stop here for today!”

She really didn’t dare play anymore. With Fang Zhengping’s Go background, he’d soon figure out her strategies and beat her, which would ruin the effect she was after.

What she wanted was for him to feel unsatisfied, to keep thinking about the game, so he could break free from his emotional rut.

With the help of the spiritual spring water, the treatment would be even more effective.

Fang Zhengping felt like he’d been left hanging just as things were getting interesting. He was a bit resentful, but since she was a guest, he could only accept it.

“Will you come again next time?” He wasn’t in great spirits, but he knew Gu Qinghuan was someone his parents had invited to help.

Gu Qinghuan thought for a moment. “If your treatment goes well.”

Fang Zhengping stood up. “Next time, I’ll definitely beat you!”

Gu Qinghuan smiled. “I’ll be waiting to see that.”

The two of them went downstairs one after the other, surprising the three people in the living room—especially Fang Zhihai and his wife.

Since Fang Zhengping had retired due to illness half a month ago, this was the first time he’d come downstairs on his own, and he actually looked pretty good.

Fang Zhihai was so moved he almost cried. “Men don’t cry easily—unless they’re truly heartbroken.”

Ou Sumei’s eyes lit up when she looked at Gu Qinghuan. This girl really was something.

It was clear Gu Qinghuan had real skills, and the couple quickly got up to greet her.

Xu Huaian watched the two come down the stairs, and a strong sense of crisis suddenly welled up in his heart.

The way Fang Zhengping looked at Gu Qinghuan was like a hunter eyeing his prey. Xu Huaian remembered how, during his own treatment, he’d slowly fallen for her too.

And Gu Qinghuan had once said she admired soldiers.

In many ways, Fang Zhengping wasn’t so different from him—they were both soldiers, both suffering from post-war psychological issues.

But Fang Zhengping’s circumstances were even better: loving parents, a good family background, and he was good-looking too.

Xu Huaian’s mind raced. He hadn’t even secured his status with Gu Qinghuan yet—he couldn’t let anyone else ruin things.

For a moment, he regretted agreeing to help treat Fang Zhengping.

Gu Qinghuan had no idea what Xu Huaian was thinking, and even flashed him a discreet victory sign.

Xu Huaian forced a smile.

Next came dinner. The Fang family’s housekeeper was a good cook, and Gu Qinghuan was happy to enjoy a ready-made meal for once.

It was rare for Fang Zhengping to come downstairs for a meal, so Fang Zhihai and his wife kept their attention on their son, noticing that he seemed especially stable and had a good appetite. Their approval of Gu Qinghuan grew even more.

Actually, the spiritual spring water deserved most of the credit. Gu Qinghuan’s distraction technique was good, but it wouldn’t have worked so quickly on its own.

The couple’s attitude toward Gu Qinghuan did a complete 180—they were much warmer than when she first arrived, constantly urging her to eat more.

Even Fang Zhengping spoke up: “Comrade Gu, the sweet and sour pork is really good.”

“Really? I’ll try it.” Gu Qinghuan took a bite. It was good, but not amazing.

The meal was pretty average—nothing special—but of course she wouldn’t say that out loud. It’s a Chinese custom not to embarrass others; sparing someone’s feelings is a virtue.

“Mm, it’s quite good. Tasty.”

Fang Zhengping smiled, clearly in a good mood.

Their interaction made Xu Huaian so jealous he could barely stand it. He also took a bite of the sweet and sour pork.

“I have to say, compared to Huanhuan’s cooking, this sweet and sour pork is still lacking.”

His words were a bit pointed, carrying several implications: first, that Gu Qinghuan was “his”; second, that Fang Zhengping’s recommendation wasn’t all that; third, that he often got to eat Gu Qinghuan’s cooking.

As soon as he said it, Gu Qinghuan wanted to die of embarrassment. Why did he have to say that in front of everyone? Didn’t he see the Fang family all looking at them?

He usually wasn’t so tactless.

Fang Zhihai, on the other hand, thought Xu Huaian was just being honest. He’d eaten plenty of good food and knew the housekeeper’s cooking was only average.

Ou Sumei, being a woman, immediately picked up on Xu Huaian’s little scheme, but didn’t call him out. After all, the two of them were here to help her son.

In her mind, her son had high standards—she’d introduced him to plenty of wealthy, beautiful young ladies, and he’d never shown any interest. There was no way he’d fall for Gu Qinghuan, so Xu Huaian’s jealousy was unnecessary.

She was a bit uncomfortable, but didn’t say anything.

Fang Zhengping was surprised to learn that Gu Qinghuan was already married. Xu Huaian’s declaration of ownership made him feel a little disappointed, and he fell silent.

The atmosphere suddenly became awkward.

Ou Sumei quickly tried to smooth things over. “Really? Xiao Gu can cook too? Now you’ve got me curious—next time, you’ll have to let us try your cooking.”

Gu Qinghuan nodded awkwardly. “Of course, Auntie.”

Xu Huaian hadn’t expected his comment to cost his wife a meal. He cursed himself for his big mouth, feeling both annoyed and awkward.

He didn’t know what was wrong with him today—he just felt off.

Deep down, a sense of inferiority was at work.

Fang Zhengping was an only child, from a good family, with loving parents and good looks. Xu Huaian, on the other hand, was a neglected child from the countryside, with nothing to his name.

Comparing the two, even he found himself lacking.

Because of Xu Huaian’s awkward comment, everyone fell silent, and the meal ended quickly and awkwardly.

After eating, Fang Zhengping rushed upstairs to study Gomoku. His three straight losses had fired up his competitive spirit.

Gu Qinghuan then discussed Fang Zhengping’s condition in detail with Fang Zhihai and his wife. At the moment, he was in the early stages of psychological change—more like depression.

Thanks to her experience with Xu Huaian and Zhong Luoning, Gu Qinghuan was already familiar with many treatment methods.

She came up with a tailored treatment plan for Fang Zhengping. Not only would she assist, but his parents should also be involved to help him recover.

“His condition isn’t too serious yet. I have a few suggestions for you.

Apart from sleeping, try not to let him be alone—at least one person should be with him.

And by ‘with him,’ I don’t just mean sitting together, but actually spending quality time—going for walks, bike rides, practicing military boxing, chatting, and so on.

You could even travel together, visit nearby cities, experience different places and cultures, and keep him busy so he doesn’t dwell on things.

Encourage him to get out of his room and the house, to experience new things—it’ll do him good.

If possible, let him do some light physical work, or help out around the house with things he can manage.

If he’s kept idle and protected like a baby for too long, he’ll start doubting his own value and existence.

So giving him appropriate tasks can help him recover.

Also, if he has any hobbies, encourage him to pick them up again. Immersing himself in something he enjoys is better than overthinking.

I noticed he likes Go—you can play with him more and gradually get to know what’s on his mind.

In short, this is a long-term process. That’s all I can tell you for now.

Of course, I’ll also check in on him from time to time.”

After listening, Ou Sumei felt enlightened.

“You’re right. We’ll definitely stick to it. But, could you come by more often these days? Lao Fang is busy, and I’m worried I can’t handle it alone,” she said apologetically.

“Auntie, here’s the thing—my cousin is in the hospital with a stomach bleed and needs someone to look after her, so I might not be able to come every day.

How about this: if you have time, you can bring Mr. Fang to my place, and I’ll also visit when I can. Does that work for you?”

“Well, alright then,” Ou Sumei agreed.

Gu Qinghuan then took her leave at the right moment.

As they left, Ou Sumei gave them some health supplements.

“You said your cousin has a stomach bleed, so I’ve prepared some nourishing herbs for you to take back—they’re especially good for women,” Ou Sumei said thoughtfully.

She insisted on giving them, and Gu Qinghuan had no choice but to accept.

Fang Zhihai had his driver take them home."