Chapter 4: The Ear Cannot Find Peace (Part 2)

This was not all. As the sky gradually brightened, people in the student dormitories and faculty apartments began to wake up. Coughing, walking, laughing, scolding, rustling of clothes, murmuring in sleep, the sound of running water, gargling, urinating, and reading—all kinds of sounds from the two buildings flooded into Zhu Daodong's ears, making him extremely uncomfortable.

He had to see a doctor, Zhu Daodong thought to himself. He had never considered going to the hospital even when his head was injured, but now he was determined to go, as he suspected he was suffering from a mental disorder. If he didn't see a doctor soon, he would go mad.

Zhu Daodong had classes in the third and fourth periods in the morning, so he had enough time to visit the clinic. When he returned to the dormitory, he saw Long Yiping grading homework, which made him even more nervous. He quickly grabbed some clothes to change and a small bucket and fled the dormitory like he was escaping.

"What's wrong with him?"

As soon as he stepped out, Zhu Daodong heard Long Yiping mutter softly. This made Zhu Daodong's feet move even faster, as even Long Yiping could tell he was acting abnormally. This was a disaster.

At this moment, Zhu Daodong's mind was in turmoil. He didn't realize that it was precisely his abnormal behavior that led to Long Yiping's comment. If he had acted normally, calmly preparing everything before leaving, Long Yiping wouldn't have said anything.

When he reached the bathroom, he realized he had forgotten to bring soap in his haste. Zhu Daodong didn't have the mood to go back for it. He just rinsed himself with a towel under the tap and considered it a shower. Afterward, he didn't wash the dirty clothes as he usually did. Instead, he stuffed them into the bucket, threw it under his bed, put on his shoes, took some money, and left the school.

Shumu Ridge Middle School was in the northern part of the town, while the town health center was in the south. On his way, Zhu Daodong's ears were even more disturbed. Especially when he walked through the street, although there were few pedestrians, it felt like he was in a bustling market. All kinds of complex sounds flooded into his ears, whether he wanted to hear them or not. When he passed by the government dormitory, he even heard some moaning sounds, which made his face turn red, and he ran past as if escaping.

The town health center did not have a specialized neurology department, so Zhu Daodong had to see a general practitioner. The hospital was quiet, but only for others. In Zhu Daodong's ears, he could clearly hear the sound of IV drips from the wards upstairs. Although he didn't go up to check, the sound of the drops falling, as if right next to his ear, made him feel very anxious.

"Where do you feel unwell?" A doctor in his fifties sat in the general practitioner's office. When he saw Zhu Daodong walk in, he scanned him from head to toe, starting with a visual examination. However, the doctor was puzzled. The young man who walked in had a rosy complexion and was full of energy. Although there was sweat on his nose, it was clearly due to nervousness and had nothing to do with his condition.

"Doctor, I suspect I have a mental disorder," Zhu Daodong said honestly.

"Mental disorder? Young man, you shouldn't say that lightly," the doctor smiled. "Since you say you have a mental disorder, have you noticed anything specific?"

"I am now extremely sensitive to external sounds. I can hear the slightest rustle, and my ears are filled with all kinds of sounds," Zhu Daodong explained.

"Ha ha, that doesn't necessarily mean you have a mental disorder. Young man, don't panic. Let me listen to your heart rate," the doctor said with a smile, trying to use a calm tone to help Zhu Daodong relax.

"But I—"

"Please don't speak. Let me listen. Hmm, your heart is strong and there are no abnormal sounds. Young man, have you been overworked or not getting enough rest recently? The symptoms you described are likely tinnitus," the doctor said responsibly after checking Zhu Daodong's heart and lungs, finding everything normal. Additionally, during their conversation, Zhu Daodong spoke clearly and logically, which was not a symptom of a mental disorder.

Tinnitus is an abnormal sound sensation that occurs without any external stimuli, often a precursor to hearing loss, caused by auditory dysfunction. However, other factors, such as overwork and lack of rest, can cause tinnitus without hearing loss or dizziness.

A mental disorder, on the other hand, involves confusion and abnormal mental and cognitive states. Zhu Daodong did not exhibit these symptoms, so the doctor could not diagnose him with a mental disorder.

"Recently, I haven't been sleeping much, and... Doctor, could this be related to drinking?" Zhu Daodong did not argue further. In teaching, the doctor could not compare to him, but in treating patients, he could not match the doctor.

"That's it. Young people need sufficient sleep and should drink less. A small glass a day can promote blood circulation, but excessive drinking can damage the stomach and liver," the doctor felt he had found the cause of Zhu Daodong's symptoms: excessive drinking and lack of sleep, which could lead to tinnitus.

"But my ears—?"

"Don't worry. Get more rest, eat fresh vegetables, and remember, don't drink excessively. In a few days, you'll recover," the doctor advised.

"Do I need any medication?" Zhu Daodong asked naively.

"If you want medication, I can prescribe some vitamins and glucose. The vitamins will supplement your nutrition, and the glucose will help with hangovers. If you drink too much in the future, remember to drink a glucose solution afterward, or your tinnitus will recur."

Glucose contains abundant tartaric acid, which can react with alcohol to form esters, reducing the concentration of alcohol in the body and helping to sober up.

"Thank you, Doctor."

With the prescription, Zhu Daodong paid and got the medication. At the pharmacy, he asked the nurse for some medical cotton. After leaving the health center, he divided the cotton into two small balls and inserted them into his ears. The cacophony of sounds immediately diminished. Looking at the vitamins and glucose in his hand, Zhu Daodong knew he had found the true "medicine."

When he returned to the school, Zhu Daodong felt much better. Although he still occasionally heard sounds that others couldn't, and that he didn't want to hear, it was much better than the flood of sounds he had experienced before. He had even tested it by quietly removing the cotton balls, and the reading sounds from the teaching building almost made him deaf. The effect was like standing next to a loudspeaker.

Back in the dormitory, Zhu Daodong improved the cotton balls. The ones he had used were too large and easily noticeable. If the school found out he was blocking his ears, he would be considered crazy. After the improvement, the cotton balls were smaller and wouldn't be noticed unless someone looked closely at his ears.

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