Julian looked down at the chart in his hands. “With these levels, he doesn’t need to do Chelation therapy. The best thing is to remove the source of poisoning and monitor the level in his blood.”

Closing the folder, he rested his elbow on his desk. “The bigger issue is the symptoms and side effects. We can check, but we might have to wait for some to for them to manifest. Another problem is that this is suspected to be intentional poisoning. I am obligated to report this. The police could get involved.”

Bai Li laughed. Where did his father get such a cute friend from? “Prove it.”

There was no way the police would be able to catch his mother. Even if they did, the trail would lead back to someone random or an enemy of the family.

Not to mention Ping Zen might step in. The poisoning of the CEO and heir of Wen Shi would affect the company.

Bai Tao punched the wall. “What the fuck is she thinking?”

“Tao?” Julian was shocked at his friend's aggressive behavior.

Bai Li watched their interaction and confirmed that his father’s aggressive behavior wasn’t common.

“How can you be so calm?” his father asked.

He already got this diagnosis in his past life. Only the source was new to him. He was shocked by his mother’s methods, not that she had poisoned him. Wasn’t he suspecting that she sent his sister to kill him.

As an added benefit, he caught it early in this life. The side effects he would face were sure to be less than what he experienced before.

“I am numb to it.” He turned to Julian. “Something just crossed my mind. The drug would have a hallucinogenic component. Administered in small doses, it would cause withdrawal. It should not lead to long-term addiction. It would also be safe enough to use on children.”

Julian pulled out a notepad and jotted down a few notes. After, he started typing on the computer. “There are a lot of designer drugs, but we can screen for compounds that could be affecting you. Why did you think of those specific properties?”

He didn’t want to talk about it. He mentioned it to his father, and he planned to get a psychologist, but he didn’t want to talk about it with this random doctor.

Taking a deep breath, he started to talk. “I think my mother was gaslighting me. My memories of certain events are blurry, and I think I was susceptible to suggestions. I have recollections of feelings more than anything else. I think she might be doing something similar to Bai Wei.”

Though, with the use of drugs added, it was more than gaslighting. Moving more along the lines of brainwashing.

Bai Tao let out an animalistic sound that startled the other two people in the room. “Bai Li,” he said, his voice breaking.

His father pulled him into a hug. He didn’t know what to do with his hands. This was a first for him.

Tentatively he rested them on his father’s back. The longer he felt Bai Tao’s warmth, the more his fingers curled into his father’s shirt. Bai Tao’s back was broad.

When he was an adult, did his shoulders look like this?

“I’m fine,” He said. It was the truth. Worse things have happened to him.

Bai Tao’s arms tightened. “That is even worse. A fifteen-year-old boy shouldn’t be fine when he finds out that his mother has been poisoning him.”

The words inside of Bai Li wobbled. What would his father do if he knew that the reason for all of this was him? He was sure his father had an idea but confirming it was worse. He swallowed his words.

“You are not going back to that house.” His arms tightened more.

His father’s hold was almost painful, but there was a comforting weight to it. “I didn’t plan to.” He knew it was coming, but he really didn’t want to live with Bai Tao. “If I promise not to meet with my mother, will you allow me to go stay with grandpa?”

“No,” his voice was curt. Bai Tao didn’t even hesitate. “You can visit your grandfather for a few hours, but both you and Bai Wei will be coming to stay with me.”

He would have to take the good and bad with his father. He wasn’t used to this kind of care. It was annoying, though.

“It is unlikely that mothe...Ping An will try anything with grandfather there.” Bai Li was sure it was impossible. Ping Zen never stopped his daughter's actions only on the premise that she never acted up in front of him.

Easing out of the hug. He reached up and ruffled Bai Li’s hair. “Unlikely does not mean impossible. I will tell your grandfather what your mother did, but I don’t want you, kids, where I can’t protect you.”

Removing his arms from around his father, he held back his laugh at the irony of the situation. His father should be grateful for the ease with which he accepted situations. If his personality wasn't like this, his father would never have the chance to be in his life.

Could he win this argument?

He wasn’t in the frame of mind to deal with Lee Shan and Bai Fang. If they were awful people, he would be able to deal with it. What if the opposite happened? What if they were nice and welcoming?

First, he wouldn’t be able to trust their intentions. Even now, he had a hard time fully believing his father. Second, it would confirm how badly he wasted his last life. Third, he wasn’t emotionally ready to even deal with them.

“Dad…” Bai Li started.

“We will talk about this some other time. I am not so insensitive as to not know why you are hesitating.” Bai Tao rested a hand on his shoulder and gave a firm squeeze.

“Can you take a walk, Li? I need to speak with Julian for a moment.” Bai Tao was the calmest he’d been since they got to the hospital. Whatever was in his system seemed to have burned through.

A part of him wanted to stay, but he was not that curious to find out about the situation. Nothing much changed in his plan from yesterday to today. He just has more information that his mother was heartless.

“Sure,” he said, walking out of the room without looking back.

“What kind of hell was that kid living in him for him to be this calm?” Julian asked.

The door closed before he could hear his father’s reply.

This wasn’t a daycare or an amusement park. Where was he supposed to amuse himself in a hospital? He walked along the white halls wondering how doctors and patients didn’t go mad with the stark color scheme.

Spotting a nurse, he walked up to me. “Excuse me. Can you tell me the way to the garden or park? Is there a walk area?” He smiled what he considered his most charming smile.

What was with her reaction?

She blushed, looking away guilty. “It is…” She gave the directions without looking him in the face.

Walking off, he couldn’t hold back a laugh. It never crossed his mind since his rebirth. In his mind, he still thought of himself as a forty-year-old man, but that wasn’t the case. He was a handsome fifteen-year-old boy.

He was young enough that older women felt guilty for thinking he was attractive. It made him giddy. It was a startling realization that he could be naught and childish in certain situations and still getting away with it.

It took him two wrong turns and three blushing nurses before he found where he wanted to be.

People loitered around in wheelchairs and hospital gowns. A few orderlies and nurses were hanging around. Was this place only for patients?

No one pointed out that he shouldn’t be there, so he walked as if he belonged. He kept going until he saw a bench by a pond.

There was already someone sitting there, but he preferred to be away from the center of the park. The bench was under a tree.

“Can I sit here?” Bai Li asked the man’s back.

Without turning around, he gave his answer. “Feel free.” The man’s voice was deep and fathomless.

He stared at the stone bench. Bai Li felt deep fear and a need to flee. This man was dangerous. Why did he feel that way?

“Aren’t you going to sit?” That silky voice asked.

Bai Li shivered. Why did he feel the need to escape so often these days?