In the bustling halls of Green Valley Psychiatric Hospital, a hefty man named Chen Wei, standing at 180 cm and weighing 200 catties, munched on snacks while sharing his bizarre dreams with Dr. Liu.
"Doctor, do you think parallel worlds exist?" he asked, his mouth full of potato chips. "In my dreams, I meet another Chen Wei on a planet called Frostland. Two months ago, in 2056, an unexpected ice age struck suddenly. The temperature plummeted to -70°C, freezing many alive!"
Dr. Liu listened attentively as Chen continued. "The cold came overnight, turning the city into a frozen wasteland! I was lucky—I had hoarded food at home. For a whole month, I survived while others turned into ice sculptures. I even lost 30 pounds!"
Chen's eyes widened with excitement as he recounted the horrors that followed. "Just when I thought it couldn't get worse, meteor showers rained down from the sky, igniting everything in flames! I watched helplessly as my crush, whom I adored from afar, was consumed by the fire."
His voice trembled as he described the chaos that ensued: earthquakes, tsunamis, acid rain, and volcanic eruptions. "The world fell apart! Water and electricity were gone; food rotted away! For two whole months, I scavenged for anything—roots, bark, even bugs!"
He shuddered at the memories. "Those disgusting things were my only sustenance! It was humiliating to realize how far people could fall—like my former classmates who once looked down on me."
"Last night," he continued with a haunted look in his eyes, "I dreamt of a zombie outbreak. The dead rose again due to some unknown virus! I hid in a dark basement, enduring hunger and loneliness while the world outside crumbled."
Dr. Liu adjusted his glasses and jotted down notes. "Chen Wei, your situation is quite complex," he said after a pause. "I suggest you stay here for observation."
"I'm not sick!" Chen protested.
"Of course," Dr. Liu replied calmly. "Every patient believes they are fine. You may be experiencing excessive fantasies due to stress or perhaps too many online novels."
Chen's expression hardened. "But Doctor! My dreams are continuous! Each time I return to that world—it's always the same apocalypse! The details are vivid; I remember everything clearly!"
Dr. Liu sighed and wrote down his diagnosis: **Schizophrenia, deep paranoia**. "I understand your frustration, but it's essential to address your mental health first."
Chen felt a wave of despair wash over him as he left the office with his diagnosis in hand.
Outside the department, his girlfriend Mei Ling waited impatiently. When she saw him approach with the diagnosis paper in hand, her expression shifted from concern to disdain.
"Let me see that!" she snapped, snatching the paper from him.
"Schizophrenia? Deep paranoia?" She scoffed loudly. "You really have lost it!"
"Mei Ling..." Chen started but was cut off.
"Let's break up!" she declared coldly.
"Zixuan, please..." he pleaded.
"There's nothing left to say," she replied sharply. "We should part ways peacefully."
Chen felt his heart sink as she continued her tirade. "I didn't mind your flaws before because you had potential—at least you looked decent! But now? You're just a fat loser with no future!"
Her words stung like daggers. Chen knew he had changed drastically over the past few months—not just physically but mentally too.
"Give me another chance!" he begged desperately. "I'll start losing weight right now! Just give me a few months!"
Three years ago seemed like a distant memory when they first met at Jiang University during orientation week. Back then, Chen was confident and admired for his talent—handsome and athletic with a knack for singing that captivated everyone at their welcome party.
But as their relationship progressed, Mei Ling's true nature emerged—she often belittled him under the guise of motivation. "You're not good enough," she'd say after comparing him to other boys who showered their girlfriends with gifts.
Chen had cut ties with friends and classmates out of fear of her jealousy; he deleted contacts from his phone to keep her happy. He became increasingly isolated while trying to please her.
Now standing before her in this moment of rejection felt surreal—a culmination of three years spent trying to be someone he wasn't.
"When will you grow up?" Mei Ling continued relentlessly. "We're graduating soon! Have you even thought about your future? What will you do after college?"
Chen felt overwhelmed by her questions—postgraduate exams? A job? He had no answers.
"I used to overlook your shortcomings because we were young," she said dismissively. "But now? You have no connections and no prospects! You've delayed my youth long enough!"
As she stormed off, Chen stood frozen in place, grappling with the reality of his situation—the weight of her words heavy on his heart.
Amidst the chaos in his mind and life, he realized that perhaps it wasn't just about losing weight or dreaming of apocalypses; it was about reclaiming himself from the shadows of someone else's expectations—a journey that would require more than just determination but also self-acceptance and courage to change.