chapter 1 :discharged

S City, on the outskirts, Fourth People's Hospital.
The tall walls surrounded the extensive hospital grounds, locking it firmly within the confines of concrete and steel. Those outside could enter, but those inside could not escape.
Few of the patients sent to this hospital ever had the chance to leave, and most would spend their entire lives within its walls until their demise.
Why? Because this was a mental institution. The walls surrounding it were even taller than those of a prison, and the security measures to prevent patients from escaping were comparable to a prison's.
Any mental patient brought here had virtually no chance of escape unless a family member was willing to take them back.
This special hospital had existed in S City for many, many years, with countless patients coming in and eventually being taken out, a revolving door of life.
Ava An had lived here for five years, and scenes like this had become routine for her. But she always knew that she would eventually leave; it was only a matter of time.
Perhaps it was God's favor, but Ava An had obediently spent five years here, never crying or causing a scene, cooperating with injections and medications. Today, five years later, she was informed that her mental condition had finally improved, and she could leave.
On a winter afternoon, with the warm sun overhead, its golden rays gently falling on Ava An's frail figure, she stood in front of the heavy iron gate of the hospital, waiting for the iron door that had imprisoned her freedom for five years to slowly open.
Clang... Clang...
The pulleys of the iron gate scraped against the ground, making a piercing noise, like a summer thunderbolt, shattering the afternoon's tranquility.
A pair of feet in canvas shoes emerged from inside the gate, and as one's gaze moved upward, they saw straight legs clad in faded jeans from the knees to the pockets, embellished with a row of colorful embroidery. The exquisite hand embroidery was probably the most valuable feature of these jeans.
Looking further up, there was Ava An's delicate waist, covered by a simple white sweater, as pure as her face, devoid of any color.
The bone-chilling north wind cut through her emaciated body as her flowing hair danced in the wind. Her exquisite and delicate facial features were hidden among her hair, and one could faintly see her pale, still-sickly face, radiating a detached and elegant demeanor.
Honk!
Outside the hospital gate, just ten meters away from Ava An, a white car was parked. The owner of the car, leaning against the door, seemed impatient and tapped the steering wheel twice.
Ava An walked over, following the impatient honk, her steps somewhat brisk. She covered the ten-meter distance in the blink of an eye, extended her arms, and gave the person a sturdy hug.
"Emily, I'm finally out."
Emily Song furrowed her brow unhappily, tugged at the back of Ava An's clothes, and distanced herself. "Don't talk to me in that 'just released from prison' tone; it's annoying."
Ava An obediently nodded and bowed, "Yes, my esteemed lawyer, thank you for taking the time to pick me up in your busy schedule. I won't forget your great kindness, even in my next life."
This statement seemed to please Emily Song, and she gestured, "Get in the car. Considering you haven't been infected after staying with lunatics for so long, your mind is still clear, and you can tell who your benefactor is."
Ava An got into the car as instructed, and as soon as she fastened her seatbelt, Emily Song, who had already started the car, tossed a yellow document folder to her.
"Your phone, wallet, passport, ID, and driver's license are all taken care of." Emily Song was a lawyer, and she had already arranged these documents for Ava An before her release.
"Did you bring the jade pendant I asked for?" Ava An opened the document folder but didn't look at the other contents. Her first priority was to find the most important item to her.
"The jade pendant isn't in there; it's in the drawer in front of you," Emily Song pointed to the car's front drawer.
Ava An nodded, opened the drawer, and took out a silk box. She opened the box, revealing a round jade pendant inside. It was a simple circular design, seemingly not very valuable, but to Ava An now, it was her most precious possession.
Ava An held the jade pendant in her palm, gripping it tightly, her gaze fixed on the scenery outside the car window as it slowly receded. After a long time, as if she had finally made up her mind, her voice came as if from a distant horizon, "Emily, take me to Shengshi Corporation.