"Beep, beep."
The pale corridor lights trailed the scent of disinfectant, finally stopping before the crimson glow of the "In Surgery" sign.
The red light was like a scythe raised high by the Grim Reaper, playfully resting against the neck of the patient inside and the hearts of the family outside.
The middle-aged man from before sat on the floor, his eyes unfocused. He leaned against the white wall, lost in unknown thoughts.
"Beep!"
The next second, the light above the operating room changed, and the doors swung open from the inside.
The man didn't stand up. He merely raised his eyes quietly to watch the masked doctor walk out.
"..."
"I'm sorry..."
The doctor looked at the man sitting on the floor. She crouched down to eye level with him before speaking.
"The cancer cells had metastasized to too many areas. Combined with your mother's sudden strenuous exercise and extreme emotional agitation, it caused severe abdominal bleeding. We did everything we could."
"..."
Seeing that the man still showed no reaction, the doctor hesitated for a second before finally adding,
"Your mother passed away peacefully. My condolences."
Truthfully, doctors—especially those in the oncology department—often lose their ability to empathize after treating so many patients.
It wasn't that they didn't want to; it was that they couldn't.
But at this moment, instead of merely explaining the post-mortem procedures as she should have, she offered those words.
It was simply because the patient brought in today was truly too extraordinary.
In her decades of medical practice, it was the first time she had seen anything like it.
She had witnessed the agonizing end-stage pain brought by cancer far too many times and was intimately familiar with the patients' reactions.
Under the torment of cancer pain, patients often couldn't even muster a wail. Their unimaginable suffering could only be gauged by their heavily contorted expressions.
But the elderly woman they tried to save today... Even though her mind was perfectly conscious and her body was entirely breaking down, the expression on her face had been utterly serene...
Even relaxed.
Because of this, the doctor could confidently speak those words of comfort to the family.
And after those words were spoken, the previously numb man finally reacted.
He looked up at the doctor in front of him, the rims of his eyes gradually turning red.
He struggled for a long moment before wiping away his tears and offering a trembling nod.
"Yes... thank you... thank you..."
"Come on, Yan Huan, An Le, Bai Yi—let me offer you a toast!"
Meanwhile, inside a resplendent restaurant in the Luoqiao District.
The person in charge of Golden Lion Entertainment's event raised his wine glass and spoke with a hearty laugh.
Being toasted by an elder immediately caused An Le to blush with reserved shyness. She hurriedly stood up and waved her hands.
"Th-that's too polite... What should I..."
Seeing her stand up without grabbing a drink, Yan Huan thoughtfully picked up her juice glass and handed it to her.
Only then did she have something to clink glasses with.
"Hey, don't say that! We owe you big time today! Truly worthy of being top-tier honor students from Far Moon Academy! Heroes emerge from the youth!"
The person in charge was overjoyed, his face blooming into a wide, wrinkled smile exactly like Principal Hermes's.
But to be fair, his current joy was completely genuine, much like Principal Hermes when he saw money.
If Yan Huan hadn't provided clues about the elderly woman's whereabouts, and if An Le hadn't caught the falling woman at the critical moment...
If that old woman had slipped and fallen from the twenty-seventh floor in public, blowing the incident completely out of proportion, he, the person in charge, would probably have been forced to take a flying leap himself.
Now, nobody fell, the family wasn't knocking on their door demanding answers, the hospital authorities weren't pressing charges, and the performance could continue in person tomorrow...
Anyone who wouldn't be thrilled by this turn of events would have to be a saint.
"Tell you what. Next Monday—let's make it next Monday—I'll have someone deliver a silk banner to your school for each of you!"
Hearing this, An Le immediately blushed and firmly refused,
"P-please don't do that!"
"Hahaha, no worries. Come on, a toast to you! Juice is perfectly fine for you kids."
The person in charge was already buzzed. He motioned his glass toward Yan Huan, An Le, and Bai Yi before downing his wine in a single gulp.
While he had only poured a small glass of wine, An Le's glass was filled to the brim with juice.
Seeing him drain his glass, she felt it would be impolite not to follow suit.
As a result, she tilted her head back and gulped down the entirety of her drink. Unable to swallow it all at once, her cheeks puffed out, making her look exactly like a chubby hamster.
Beside her, Yan Huan, who had only taken a sip, turned his head and couldn't help but burst into laughter, nearly doing a spit-take.
"Pfft!"
"Uuu..."
Seeing Yan Huan laughing at her, she instantly grew shy, yet she still couldn't manage to swallow the juice in her mouth...
Embarrassed and anxious, she aggrievedly raised her hand and lightly punched Yan Huan's shoulder in an attempt to stop his teasing.
"Sorry, sorry, sorry..."
Struck by a fist as soft as a marshmallow, Yan Huan understood her fluster and offered an entirely insincere, smiling apology.
"..."
While the two true heroes of the day were goofing off, Bai Yi, who sat quietly on the side receiving unearned credit, felt a bitter taste in her mouth.
If Yan Huan and An Le had each played their part to help Golden Lion Group nip the escalating crisis in the bud, then what exactly had she done?
Was her only contribution successfully bringing them along?
The reality was that she hadn't done a single helpful thing the entire time. Worse yet, because her performance had been interrupted, she had lost control of her emotions and cursed at the patient.
At the time, she hadn't understood what came over her.
But thinking back on it now, she felt deeply ashamed of her inferiority, genuinely believing she deserved the worst.
Immediately following that thought, a question she had been trying to avoid finally surfaced in her mind.
'Would Yan Huan really like someone like me?'
The overwhelming confidence that used to define her had vanished without a trace, leaving Bai Yi's mind in a mess.
She didn't drink her juice. She merely pursed her lips and sat down, weighed down by heavy thoughts.
Next to her, Jiang Xion studied her expression for a moment before asking with concern,
"Yi-yi, have you been under a lot of pressure lately?"
"Pressure..."
Hearing this, Bai Yi shook her head.
"I don't have any pressure. Everything is perfectly fine...
"I get to sing and do what I love. I've been recognized and signed by a major company, so Mama can't nag me anymore. And you've returned to Linmen, Uncle Jiang...
"I go to school regularly, and even though unpleasant things happen, I've still made a lot of friends."
'Everything, absolutely everything, is heading in a positive direction. So why am I acting like this...'
'Being such a buzzkill?'
With Bai Yi so confused, Jiang Xion felt even more perplexed, yet he still tried to help her pinpoint the root cause of her mental shift.
"But Yi-yi, a change in a person's mindset always stems from a reason. I've been married to your Mama for many years now, and I've practically watched you grow up...
"You weren't this kind of child originally. So if you've changed, there must be a cause for it...
"Think about it carefully. If it's too difficult to talk about, you don't have to tell me. But you need to figure it out for yourself, alright?"
Listening to Jiang Xion's patient guidance, Bai Yi finally set aside her immediate distress and began to retrace the source of her issues.
Aside from all of those things...
As Bai Yi pondered, something suddenly clicked in her mind.
However, unable to confirm it, she lowered her head in sheer bewilderment, reaching out to gently rub the pocket watch resting against her chest.
"Hum-hum-hum~"
After finishing their meal, An Le stood in the hotel lobby, her hands clasped delicately in front of her lower abdomen as she waited for someone.
Bai Yi lived in the Kyogo Ward, so she and her uncle had driven off right after dinner.
An Le lived in the Luoqiao District, and Yan Huan lived in the South Ward. The two districts weren't too far apart, basically two peas in a pod when it came to being rougher neighborhoods.
Consequently, both Yan Huan and An Le politely declined Jiang Xion's offer to drive them home, planning to head back together.
Yan Huan had gone to the restroom, leaving An Le waiting for his return.
On her shoulder, Little Finger suddenly materialized, glaring at An Le with a foul expression.
Sensing its resentment, An Le looked at it in confusion.
"What's wrong, Little Finger?"
That question only made Little Finger's expression turn uglier. It could only scoff coldly and say,
"What do you mean, 'what's wrong'? Why did you bother involving yourself in that person's life or death this afternoon? And last time too—you used Superconductor on that ride-hailing driver, so why did you still stuff money into his arms?! What a waste!"
Hearing this, An Le could only explain, "...Because that elderly lady looked like she was in so much pain, and I just happened to have an ability that could help alleviate it... As for the driver, I had no choice. He insisted on getting out of the car to beat up Xiao Huan, so I could only compensate him like that..."
"No, her suffering is none of your business, so why help her? Her life or death has absolutely nothing to do with you, okay?"
Little Finger rolled its eyes and complained mercilessly,
"And using your superpower in public! Aren't you afraid of being exposed?!"
An Le blinked, offering a shy smile as she explained,
"But... that elderly lady got to feel relaxed one last time before she passed away... And look, they even treated me to a massive feast."
"Heh, what's the use? Her family didn't even bother to look at you... You're just being sentimental."
Little Finger turned its head away in annoyance, clearly harboring strong objections to An Le's actions.
But An Le simply looked at it with gentle eyes, pursing her lips as she spoke softly,
"But... the first time we met, when you were lying covered in bruises on my windowsill, I took you in and cared for you because I saw that you were in pain, too..."
Those words left Little Finger momentarily stunned. It couldn't help but turn back to look at An Le.
Feeling her gaze, which was as gentle as water, Little Finger immediately averted its eyes.
Although it still let out a cold hmph, its voice was noticeably quieter when it spoke again,
"That's completely different. I repaid you with my superpower..."
"But Little Finger also absorbs emotional energy from me~"
"Ugh, you're so annoying! Why are we keeping such close tabs anyway?"
Finding itself losing the argument, Little Finger grew flustered and puffed up in shameless denial.
An Le didn't push the matter further. She merely checked the time with an expectant gaze and whispered,
"None of that is the main point anyway. What matters is what happens next..."
"Next?"
Little Finger looked at An Le blankly, only to watch a rosy hue slowly paint her cheeks as she said shyly,
"Didn't we agree to take Xiao Huan's first time...? I prepared so much before coming today..."
"Hiss~"
Right! It had almost forgotten about that!
If Yan Huan had come here today with a motive—to confirm An Le's status and gather information on her Modifier—
Then An Le had come fully prepared as well.
Beneath her dress, she wasn't just wearing the highly suggestive lingerie she had specially purchased; she also had unopened little balloons in her bag...
A full ten of them.
She didn't know if that would be enough. If not, she would just have to go buy medicine or something tomorrow morning.
An Le clenched her fists, her face slightly flushed, but her eyes were sparkling brightly.
It was obvious at a glance that she came prepared for battle!
"No wonder you wouldn't let me use the last charge of Superconductor for the week on that nurse today. So this is what you were saving it for~"
Little Finger opened its mouth before breaking into a suggestive grin, playfully tapping An Le's back with its tail.
"You little pervert! You really thought this through!"
"Uuu... It wasn't because of that! Using it on the nurse was just plain wrong!"
An Le's small face burned crimson, unable to meet Little Finger's suggestive gaze that seemed to see right through her soul.
Thus, she had no choice but to lower her head and inspect the gear she had brought.
'Lube and things like that... I don't know if I'll need them, but it's good to have them ready.'
'Should I put on some lipstick?'
'I didn't put on perfume earlier. Wouldn't it be a bit weird to suddenly spray some now?'
"An Le?"
"Y-yes!"
At that moment, Yan Huan's call suddenly came from behind her. Her rummaging hands froze instantly, and she snapped to attention.
Hearing his approaching footsteps, she belatedly rushed to snap her bag shut.
Therefore, when Yan Huan walked over, all he saw was her with a flushed face and dizzy, swirling eyes.
"What are you doing? Why are you acting so suspiciously?"
"N-nothing, Xiao Huan..."
Yan Huan looked at her familiar, shy expression, yet his mind kept flashing back to her gentle, unfamiliar demeanor from this afternoon.
Along with that, even the memory of their previous kiss unexpectedly deepened in significance.
He quickly looked away, turning his gaze outside the lobby,
"Let's go. I'll walk you home first, then grab a taxi back to my place."
"Okay, Xiao Huan..."
'Hm?'
'Wouldn't she normally decline at this point?'
'She's always so afraid of inconveniencing others. Even if her home was far away, she'd usually say something like, "My place isn't far, I can go back by myself."'
'Why skip that routine today? On the contrary, she seems almost...'
'Impatient?'
'Well, whatever. After all, she has changed so much already. A minor detail like this is nothing.'
"Let's go."
And so, they hit the road.
The streetscape in the Luoqiao District was slightly better than in the South Ward. At least in terms of urban planning, there was a unified neighborhood aesthetic.
Unlike the South Ward, which was packed with migrants, filled with an ungodly mix of architectural styles, and plagued by filthy, chaotic streets that were simply an eyesore.
"I originally invited you to watch the performance, but we ended up waiting all that time for absolutely nothing."
"I-it's fine. We managed to help someone, and we got to eat such delicious food tonight..."
"Yeah, that place definitely wasn't cheap."
"..."
"Speaking of which, I haven't seen your parents in ages. How about I come up to say hi? I wonder if they still remember me..."
"They remember! But... as for tonight, Mama and Papa said something came up at the last minute and they had to go out together. They won't be back until late, so it's not a good time..."
"They went out together, huh? No problem. I know the way now, I'll just visit next time."
"Mhm..."
Chatting about this and that, they drew closer and closer to An Le's home under her lead.
Of course, if Yan Huan actually knew where An Le's home was, he would have realized they were drifting in the wrong direction.
Before coming, An Le had done some research online. There was an incredibly nice hotel nearby, which would serve as the absolute perfect battlefield for their first time.
'Ah, there it is!'
As they talked, An Le caught sight of a signboard on the street corner not too far away.
It clearly displayed the name of the hotel: "Ai Chao Hotel".
'That's the place...'
"Thump... thump... thump..."
Looking at the glamorous hotel with its beautifully decorated entrance, An Le's small heart betrayed her, accelerating bit by bit.
'Tonight is the night...'
'The day I take away Xiao Huan's most precious first time!'
'S-so nervous!'
'An Le, you can do this!'
"I-I'm going to do it..."
Having cheered herself on in her mind, An Le finally took a deep breath and stopped right in front of the Ai Chao Hotel.
Just as Yan Huan thought they had practically arrived and curiously scanned the area for a residential complex...
An Le silently raised her hand, gathering the power of Superconductor.
'Xiao Huan...'
'I'm sorry.'
'But, from here on out, I...'
'I will do my absolute best!'
"An Le, where's your house? It doesn't look like there's a residential complex anywhere around here, is there?"
At this moment, Yan Huan, having finished his scan of the area, still hadn't realized anything was amiss. He simply shifted his gaze back to An Le, who was slowly turning her head.
When he saw her expression—lips pursed, face entirely flushed, yet eyes gleaming with extreme excitement...
He froze in his tracks, his heart skipping a massive beat.
Not good!