Chapter 1128: Schiller Not Working Today (Part 2) (Patreon)

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Schiller pushed open the door to his office again and found Mrs. Miller still standing inside. He slammed the door shut and walked away.

Mrs. Miller cleared her throat, and a loud voice came from inside the door: "Professor Schiller, if you don't explain to me right away why you gave the newspaper boy double the tip, I'll call your housekeeper..."

Schiller opened the door, sighed, and said to Mrs. Miller, "Dear lady, can't I pity those homeless little ones?"

"But your generous behavior will only make them not deliver newspapers properly to other people. Someone has already complained to me that one day he forgot to give a tip, and the newspaper's ink was a mess."

Schiller pressed his lips together, walked around the desk, and turned on the desk lamp, then said, "But if I don't give it now, tomorrow, the ink on my newspaper will also be a mess."

"I will go and discipline them, make them deliver the best quality newspapers to every subscriber, and if they don't want to do so, then get out of here."

Suddenly, she looked down at her watch and said, "It's time for the brand doctor to write prescriptions again. I have to go check if his spelling is correct... This is your old profession too!"

Mrs. Miller turned and left. Schiller muttered to himself, "Mrs. Miller is the true Arkham lady, too terrible..."

Schiller had just sat down on the sofa when the phone behind the glass partition wall rang again. He picked it up, and an unfamiliar voice came from the other end: "Hello, Professor Schiller, I have some psychology-related questions that I would like to ask you."

Schiller slammed down the phone, looked up at the ceiling, and mumbled, "Three, two, one..."

As soon as he finished saying "one," the phone rang again. He picked it up again, and the other person said, "Excuse me, Professor, I know this is the hospital's internal line, but I just hope to get your help."

"Okay, what's your question?"

"Can I meet you to talk?" The person's voice was not urgent, and although it was a question, it gave the impression that the answer would be affirmative.

Schiller paused, glanced at his watch, and said, "Are you sure? It's almost 9 o'clock at night now, you know that late-night talks are not good for your physical and emotional health, right?"

"I'm sorry, but I only have a short time free now."

Schiller sighed slightly and said, "The nurses have already gone off duty, and the hospital is about to close. Let's just talk on the phone."

"Okay, I just want to ask... Is it normal for me to like killing people?"

Schiller's movement paused for a moment, and he glanced at the phone, then said, "That's not normal. You need treatment. Are you free tomorrow? I think we can talk, and you can confide in me about whatever is troubling you."

"I'm sorry, I don't have time tomorrow. I have something I have to do, and it's something I must do."

The person's tone suddenly became high-pitched, and they spoke quickly to Schiller: "Isn't this normal? But what can be done about it?"

"Don't get excited. Before doing something, you need to consider the consequences."

Suddenly, a slight disappointed sigh came from the other end, and the voice said, "Is that all you want to say?"

"Yes, from your tone, you should still be young. Don't go down the wrong path. Think about your friends and family. Don't disappoint the people who love you." Schiller's tone was slow and forceful. He said, "No matter what grievances you have, violent means will only bring the worst results."

"Every psychologist says the same thing."

Schiller took a deep breath and said, "That's because we all hope you can live better. Believe me, we..."

A busy tone suddenly came from the other end of the phone. Schiller slowly put down the receiver, and in the moment he placed the receiver back on the phone, he exerted a slight force, making a crisp "click" sound.

Then, he crouched down and opened the cabinet, pulling the phone line attached to the wall. Afterwards, the phone no longer rang, and no one came to report that someone wanted to schedule a treatment.

Schiller sighed and sat back down behind the desk. Turning his head, he saw that the fallen leaves on the floor had been cleaned up, and his expression looked better. After a while, the door was knocked on again, and this time it was Jason who walked in.

He seemed to have run a long distance, his cheeks a bit flushed, but he looked spirited. When he saw Schiller, he waved a greeting.

As he ran up to the desk, Schiller reached out and patted his head, then said, "What's wrong? Why are you here so late?"

Jason was about to speak but had a hesitant expression. Schiller looked into his eyes and said, "Just say what you want to say. What's the matter?"

"Well, I... I want to move to Wayne Manor for a while." Jason's expression was conflicted, as if he was afraid Schiller would be angry. He immediately explained, "It's like this, Dick's condition hasn't been good lately. Tire and the others told me he seems a bit irritable and often argues with Bruce."

"I went to visit him at his house, and Bruce told me he's been very busy, often not home, so Dick might be feeling too lonely. So I want to go keep him company. Of course, I've heard the butler Alfred is a skilled marksman, and I want to learn some techniques from him."

"What's wrong with Dick?" Schiller didn't question Jason's decision, but asked.

To Schiller's surprise, Jason sighed in an exaggerated manner and said, "I think he may have entered the rebellious phase."

"He's been investigating his grandfather's case, but there hasn't been any substantial progress. Originally, he had started assisting Batman with cases, but lately Batman has been busy making an antidote and hasn't been going out to investigate much..."

"He doesn't understand chemistry or mechanical engineering, so he can't really help. Even Aisha has started preschool, so he may feel like no one is paying attention to him, no one values him. That's why he's been going to the Gotham Rooftops at night lately."

"One time, Selena happened to run into him. Selena told Bruce about it, and Bruce felt it was unsafe for him to do that, so he wants me to keep an eye on Dick."

Jason said with some helplessness, "Dick wants to help everyone, but if he can't, he'll feel anxious. He especially wants to help Batman, to find a way to enjoy his current life with peace of mind."

"It seems he has just entered the rebellious phase." Schiller concluded, "Or rather, it's not accurate to call it a rebellious phase. It should be described as an emotionally sensitive period of growth, with rebellion being just one form of expression."

"Have his biological parents come to visit him?" Schiller asked, not forgetting that Dick's birth parents were still alive, living a peaceful life in Brooklyn.

Jason shook his head and said, "Since his grandfather's case hasn't been solved, a shadow still hangs over them. He doesn't want his parents to show up too much and attract the attention of any potential enemies."

"When do you plan to move over there?" Schiller asked.

"Well, Professor, I know you've actually never liked me getting too close to Batman. I also know he has a lot of messy business, and too many people are watching him." Jason's face showed a depth of thought uncharacteristic of his age.

Then he looked up at Schiller and asked, "If I move there, will you be unhappy?"

Schiller shook his head and said to him, "If you want to save Gotham, you can only follow in his footsteps. I can teach you some theoretical knowledge, but I don't want to, and can't, save Gotham."

"Then what do you want to do?" Jason's eyes had a strange glow, the pure curiosity only seen in the eyes of young children.

"Me?" Schiller smiled and said, "I might want to save the world."

After Jason left, Schiller took a deep breath, but then he propped one hand on the armrest, squinting one eye and opening the other, looking bored, as if he didn't know what to do.

Suddenly, his gaze fell on the phone line he had cut, through the glass partition wall. After thinking for a while, Schiller went to the door and called a nurse, pointing at the phone and saying, "Please call a repairman to reconnect the phone line."

Suddenly, he paused, his eyes shifting, then said to the nurse, "Never mind, don't bother. Just hide the phone line in the cabinet, and make sure Mrs. Miller doesn't find it. I'm going upstairs to the hospital room."

After saying that, Schiller raised the corner of his mouth slightly and walked past the nurse. Seeing his quick departure, the nurse shook her head in some confusion and went to tidy up the phone line.

When Schiller pushed open Jonathan's hospital room door again, Jonathan was making the bed. He gave Schiller another up-and-down look, but before he could speak, Schiller said, "I'm not teaching this semester, so I have a lot of free time. I just found something fun, do you want to see it?"

"I'm not as idle as you." Jonathan's movements only paused briefly, then he continued making the bed. Schiller walked to the chair at the central desk in the room and sat down, turning his head to look at Jonathan, saying, "Are you really not interested?"

Two minutes later, the two were sitting in chairs on opposite sides of the desk, staring intently at the telephone in the center.

Leaning forward, Schiller said, "He just found my office and called the extension there. I cut the phone line, and by my calculation, he should be calling again soon."

Jonathan pressed his lips together and said, "Creating a pervasive sense of surveillance? Such an old-fashioned trick, does anyone still use it? Could it be those country bumpkins from Metropolis?"

"Shh." Schiller made a "quiet" gesture with his hand, and the two continued to stare at the phone. About 30 seconds later, the jarring phone ring sounded.

Schiller counted about five beats, then picked up the phone and said, "Hello, this is Doctor Schiller, the attending physician. Do you need the patient to take the call?"

After saying this, Schiller placed the receiver horizontally on the desk. He and Jonathan leaned in together, listening to the voice on the other end, which was affecting a serious tone.

"Hello, Professor Schiller, it's me. I couldn't get through to your office, so I had to call here to find you. I'm very sorry for disturbing your rounds."

Jonathan immediately gestured to Schiller, indicating he wanted a turn. Schiller gave him an "okay" sign, and Jonathan picked up the receiver, speaking in a chanting tone:

"Marilyn! Are you alright? I've really missed you so much. I never expected your family to be so opposed to our marriage! Every day here has been pure torment of longing for you!"

"Oh my goodness, Mr. Crane! Don't get so worked up. I know hearing your fiancée's voice again is making you feel terribly sad, but please take a deep breath immediately!"

"What are you two talking about?" The voice on the other end revealed a hint of confusion.

"I'm sorry, Marilyn! Don't cry! I know you miss me just as much! Though we are a world apart, the moonlight allows us to confess our hearts. My dearest love, please don't ever forget me--"

"Excuse me, patient's family member, the patient's emotions are just too agitated! I'm very sorry for interrupting your heartfelt reunion, but I must hang up the phone now."

"Lastly, I want to say that your fiancé truly loves you. Goodbye, Miss Marilyn!"

With a "click", the phone was hung up, and then an unrestrained laughter echoed out from the hospital room, joyful like that of innocent children.

Meanwhile, in a mysterious room, a figure stood still, listening to the busy signal on the other end of the phone, a big question mark practically floating above their head.

The psychiatric patient was quite delighted.

[Read at www.patreon.com/shanefreak, and thanks for the invaluable support!]

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Next Chapter>>Chapter 1129 Professor (Part 1)