novelraw Chapter 503: Like the Newly Sprouted Willow Branches
Chapter 503: Like the Newly Sprouted Willow Branches
Ignatius Leclair returned from the old-fashioned three-story villa and saw the white-haired old doctor mumbling under his breath by the door.
The man’s handsome brows and eyes carried a hint of amusement as he spoke in a low, detached voice, "Why don’t you come inside, sir?"
Old Mr. Wen quickly shook his head and said, "The chairs in your house aren’t comfortable to sit on. I came to check if Mr. Leclair has any lingering aftereffects."
"Have you ever heard of subconscious reprogramming, sir?" Ignatius Leclair entered the door and spoke casually.
Seeing Ignatius Leclair’s complexion extraordinarily good and without any apparent aftereffects, Old Mr. Wen, who had originally intended to leave, suddenly froze as if someone had pressed a pressure point on him. Then, with some hesitation, he followed inside and asked, "You’re saying you’ve undergone subconscious reprogramming? That’s the jargon of madmen—there’s absolutely no way anyone can reprogram the subconscious. I don’t believe it."
"Believe it or not, sir, hypnosis a few more times and you’ll see for yourself." The man stood tall and straight, his posture commanding like an imposing mountain peak. His refined features resembled the sharp yet delicate strokes of a masterful ink painting—elegant and strikingly handsome.
Old Mr. Wen stared closely at the most esteemed young heir of the Southeast Pacific aristocracy, his face overtaken by worry and inner turmoil. If something happened to this man, not only his own reputation but his family’s honor dating back three generations could be obliterated. But subconscious reprogramming—it sounded utterly insane. For someone to perform such an act on the heir to Southeast Asia’s most powerful family, what unimaginable secret would have to be hidden?
Ignatius Leclair watched the old doctor wrestle with himself, waging an internal war, yet did not urge him. With grace, he poured himself a glass of water and quietly waited for his decision.
Who knows how much time passed before the old doctor wore a look of resignation, his expression heavy with resolve, and solemnly said, "I can hypnotize you, but only once a week at most. Moreover, this method is exceedingly dangerous. If you ever notice anything wrong, you must inform me immediately and stop the hypnosis."
The old doctor pondered that as long as the frequency of hypnosis sessions remained low and the process paced gradually, it likely wouldn’t cause overwhelming harm to his psyche.
"Alright." Ignatius Leclair nodded indifferently.
The second hypnosis session, deliberately conducted with a specific intent, led Ignatius Leclair to recall their first encounter.
It was a summer evening. The glow of the setting sun had dyed the sky with crimson hues. After a business trip lasting half a month, he entered the Leclair mansion and saw Bessie Leclair playing in the garden out front with a few of her young friends.
Someone had brought a golden retriever along. The dog ran wildly all over the garden, and he furrowed his brows deeply, his face cold and displeased.
"Country bumpkin, go pick up the ball for us," Bessie Leclair called out crisply and disdainfully. "No reading books, no writing homework."
"Bessie, I hear this country bumpkin is in your class? The teacher even called her out for criticism today."
"Bessie, doesn’t she lack any talents whatsoever?"
"Bessie, if I were you, I’d die of embarrassment."
"What nonsense are you talking about? She’s my servant; she carries my backpack for me. My uncle felt sorry for her and allowed her to attend school," Bessie replied, then shrieked sharply. "Delphine Carter, are you deaf? Go pick up the ball."
A soft fabric tassel ball that the golden retriever had been playing with rolled to his feet, and then he saw a slender girl, wearing a white shirt and blue pleated skirt school uniform, walk over with her head lowered to pick it up.
The girl’s figure was like a newly sprouting willow branch, bathed in the faint golden glow of the evening sunlight.
She squatted down to pick up the ball, tugged at the unmoving tassel, and then raised her small face to look at him dazedly. Her tiny face, petite nose, and diminutive chin were unremarkable, but her eyes—dark and luminous—were like two plump grapes, oddly innocent and adorably silly.