"So, you and Cheng Zimiao have decided not to tell your parents about the divorce for now?" Aili said, slapping Bao Chenggong beside her as she grew anxious. "Blabbermouth, you haven't told anyone, have you?"
Bao Chenggong let out an "ow" and grumbled indignantly, "Who are you calling a blabbermouth? I have professional ethics too. Gossip is gossip, interviews are interviews—do you think I'm some unprofessional reporter who brags at the dinner table?"
Aili said, "You do look like one," and Bao Chenggong, daring to be angry but not to speak, rubbed his arm and muttered, "I'm going to sue Attorney Ai for intentional injury…"
On a weekend afternoon, sunlight slanted through the floor-to-ceiling windows into the coffee shop, gentle jazz flowed lazily, and the group laughed for a while, as if back in their school days.
Today was Shi Ran's confession session.
She had just roughly recounted her experiences over the years, with Aili and Bao Chenggong playing off each other like a comedy duo—one gasping, one pressing for details, one marveling, one smoothing things over. Shi Ran poured out everything she had been holding in, and by the end she was drained, sinking loosely into the sofa with her eyes closed, resting.
Chen Anke, sitting nearby, had already heard the story once. Now she was intently scrolling through her video comments, her lips curling upward more and more as she read. She said smugly, "I really have a knack for online trends. Shi Ran, look—almost ten thousand likes."
Shi Ran squinted and looked at her video.
The video wasn't long—a few hours of filming condensed into just a minute and a half.
The cover was made of hand-drawn simple sketches pieced together, eye-catching and unique, laid out sparsely on a white background. The moment the video was clicked open, the drawings seemed to come alive, colors and warmth spilling out from the lines, transforming into living, breathing kittens.
"That Shen Lizhou guy really has some skill with drawing," Chen Anke said. "I photographed the registration file you had him fill out back then—didn't he draw a portrait of every kitten? After I got home, the more I looked at it, the more familiar it seemed. When I watched the video closely, every single one had matching material. He's like a human camera, capturing a distinctly characteristic moment with incredible accuracy and putting it on paper, and he draws so adorably too. Tsk tsk, professionals really are different."
"Is he a professional?" Bao Chenggong asked. "He never studied art, did he? I remember his family ran an auto repair shop."
"Didn't he study art? I vaguely remember some foreign school wanting to admit him back then—did I get that wrong?" Aili also leaned in to look. "I also recall someone saying his mother taught painting. Oh, there were so many rumors about him back then—even some jealous guys spreading that his mother was crazy."
"Professional or not, the drawings are absolutely brilliant." Chen Anke took her phone back and happily looked at the comments. "He draws well, I edit well—great on great. Look at this traffic!"
Shi Ran pulled out her own phone to search for Chen Anke's account. Under the search bar, her previous search keywords were still there.
【Mental illness education】【Probability of inheriting mental illness】【Suicidal tendencies in mental illness】…
She paused, cleared the history with one tap, and went to look at Chen Anke's video comments.
【Artist, come out—I want to commission a profile picture for my little menace】
【Accidentally watched it ten times. The feeling of 2D and 3D merging—goosebumps everywhere】
【An art student speaking seriously: this artist is definitely not at an ordinary hobbyist level. Look at these lines…】
In the comments, a user named 【Yuyuzi】 had enlarged and posted screenshots of each sketch, and below, 【Shengsheng Manor Wang Lixiang】 replied to each one, posting photos of the real cats with their information, health status, and adoption status. Many local netizens were asking questions underneath.
Reading through them one by one, she saw that many were already marked "Adopted."
"Brother Lixiang gained a lot of followers from this too," Chen Anke said. "I've asked my influencer friends to shoot a few series at Shengsheng Manor as well. His account should be able to grow from there. Hey, Shi Ran, when you open your veterinary hospital, you can have Shen Lizhou come do some promotion for you—draw high-definition ID photos of cats on the spot. It takes him less than a minute to do one sketch. You can bill him by the hour…"
"…" Shi Ran was speechless. "Does he need my pocket change? His car costs millions."
Bao Chenggong's eyes widened. "Shen Lizhou drives a car worth millions now? I remember his family was pretty poor? Did he succeed in business or something? Is he a young entrepreneur? Would he accept an interview? We're launching a feature series on people recently…"
"A feature series?" Aili perked up. "Interview me! It'll be good advertising for me—I barely have any cases right now…"
"It's the kind about successful people," Bao Chenggong said seriously. "We don't cover small fry."
"Who are you calling small fry?" Aili punched him hard. "I think you're a small man. A vain, shallow small man."
The two of them shoved each other playfully, bickering as they went.
Chen Anke was already coordinating schedules with Wang Lixiang while enthusiastically messaging her blogger friends to check their availability.
The air was filled with the sweet aroma of coffee and cake, and the sunlight outside the window was just right.
Amidst all this warmth and bustle, Shi Ran's mind wandered. She thought about the content she had searched regarding mental illness.
Depression. It's a problem with the neurotransmitters in the brain that completely robs a person of the ability to feel happiness. Everything becomes meaningless—even getting up, eating, and showering become tasks that require immense willpower.
Bipolar disorder. Also called manic-depressive illness. Emotions swing like a roller coaster—there are the lows of depression, but also sudden manic episodes where one is so energized they go days without sleep and impulsively make countless reckless decisions.
Schizophrenia. This is the most stigmatized mental illness of all. Many people associate it with madness and violence, but in reality, the vast majority of schizophrenia patients are introverted, withdrawn, and afraid of contact with others. They can't distinguish between what's real and what isn't, their speech becomes disorganized, their behavior becomes strange, and they may experience delusions—firmly believing they're being watched, framed, or controlled by some mysterious force. Their likelihood of harming themselves is far higher than harming others.
…
Shi Ran found it truly difficult to connect these illnesses with the Shen Lewei she remembered.
She recalled that when she was in high school, Shen Lewei should have still been in elementary school. Every time she ran into him, he would sweetly call her "Kitty Sister." Shi Ran never quite understood why he gave her that nickname, but kittens were so adorable that she happily accepted it, and would call him "Puppy Brother" in return.
She had once taken Puppy Brother to see a movie.
Puppy Brother had also given her a birthday gift. It seemed to be handmade. He had puffed out his chest and said that when he grew up and made lots of money, he would give her an even better gift…
But he never got the chance to grow up.
How could this happen?
Shi Ran's nose suddenly stung with emotion.
She took a deep breath and swallowed a large gulp of iced coffee.
The bitter taste slid down her throat, all the way to the bottom of her heart.
Even she—someone who hadn't spent much time with Shen Lewei—found it impossible to accept…
What about Shen Lizhou?
Was he okay?
Shen Lizhou looked at his reflection in the mirror.
He felt he didn't look very well today.
His face was pale, as thin and transparent as paper, with a faint shadow of dark circles beneath his eyes, making him look unfamiliar and haggard.
It had been too long since he'd properly looked at himself.
He picked up his car keys and walked out the door.
Shi Ran's car was already parked at the entrance.
Seeing Shen Lizhou, her car slowly glided over. She lowered the window, sunglasses perched on top of her head, and called out to him with a bright smile: "Shen Lizhou!"
Shen Lizhou paused. "You're driving yourself?"
"Yeah. Since I'm asking for your help, I can't very well have you drive me around." She said it as if it were the most natural thing. "Hurry up and get in."
Shen Lizhou took a few seconds to react, said "Okay," and opened the door to sit inside.
A faint, refreshing scent of citrus washed over him.
The car was decorated to the brim—plush toys hung from the rearview mirror, a row of blind box figurines stood steadily on the center console, the organizer tray was shaped like a Shiba Inu and held lip balm, lipstick, hand cream, and wet wipes… and on the passenger side sat a tissue box shaped like a lounging orange cat.
They were all Sheng Wanwu merchandise.
Big and small, packed tightly together, like a fuzzy little zoo.
Shen Lizhou quickly scanned the plushies and buckled his seatbelt. "…You like Sheng Wanwu?"
"Of course," Shi Ran said. "I'm a loyal fan. I buy every single series." She muttered, "Just unlucky—in all these years, I've only ever gotten a hidden edition once. And that was back when I was in Lian City. What about you? Do you like them too?"
The car was like another home for its owner, and Shen Lizhou was a guest who hadn't been mentally prepared for any of it. He felt a little restless, his gaze seemingly unwilling to land on those plushies, yet unable to escape such a concentrated assault. After a long moment, he said, "They're alright."
"Alright?" Shi Ran shot him a disapproving glance, clearly wanting to say "no taste" but holding back. She simply said, "You probably haven't seen their SSR series. The one with the little girl and the little white cat. Heard of it? It's gorgeous, super dreamy—designed by the founder himself. It's just that they haven't released it in a long time. Some people say he's run out of ideas, but I don't think so."
Shen Lizhou was silent for a moment, then couldn't help but ask in a low voice.
"…Why don't you think he's run out of ideas?"
"There's no 'why' to it." Shi Ran laughed. "Of course, it's because I don't want him to run out of ideas. I still want to buy his new works."
Shen Lizhou lowered his gaze and said softly, "I see."
As Shi Ran chatted, she secretly observed him from the corner of her eye.
The young man's skin was clean and translucent, the tips of his ears tinged with pink. His features looked even more delicate and handsome in the sunlight. He seemed to have just showered, carrying a fresh scent of soap.
She thought Shen Lizhou looked perfectly normal—there was no sign of any mental illness.
Shen Lizhou stared straight ahead, motionless.
Miss Shi always sized people up openly and without concealment. Every so often, she would glance at him for no apparent reason, leaving him unsure how to react.
Finally, the car stopped at an intersection in the heart of the CBD.
This was the most expensive piece of real estate in all of Lian City. Glass-curtain-walled skyscrapers stood in tight ranks, and the signs of luxury boutiques glittered in the sunlight. Outside the window, people came and went—white-collar workers in refined attire and young shoppers carrying shopping bags.
Shi Ran had said she wanted his input, but she hadn't actually intended to rely on his help. Before coming, she had screened every eligible property in the city and narrowed it down to only the top five.
The property consultant was already waiting there—a young man in a tailored suit who smiled as he stepped forward to greet them. "Miss Shi, hello. I've reserved all the units you were interested in. Let's start with this street-facing flagship at Hang Lung Plaza—12 meters of frontage, 4.5-meter ceiling height, the best location in the entire commercial district…"
They walked into the storefront, and the consultant rattled on about foot traffic and consumer spending power. Shi Ran had viewed this one in VR earlier and had the best impression of it. Seeing it in person, it was indeed impressive—a spacious frontage, clean and tidy, with people passing by constantly. She was decisive by nature and was about ready to sign after seeing enough. Just as she was about to ask about the price, she heard the man beside her suddenly speak up.
"This one isn't great," Shen Lizhou said. "The entrance faces the subway station, so foot traffic is indeed high. But there's a large chain barbecue restaurant next door that operates until the early morning. The heavy oil smoke—cats and dogs are sensitive to smells and can easily get stressed. Also, that restaurant does great business, so the parking spots are packed every day. If clients bring their pets, they'll have to circle around for ages just to find parking."
Barbecue restaurant? Shi Ran was taken aback. She stepped out to look—and sure enough, there it was.
It was still early morning, so the place hadn't opened yet. Both sides were quiet, and Shi Ran hadn't noticed it at all when she'd walked in.
"Let's look at the others," Shi Ran said.
The property consultant led them on.
"This one is the ground-floor commercial unit at Greentown Court—quiet environment, stable clientele, separate utilities. It used to be a high-end beauty salon…"
"The location isn't bad," Shen Lizhou said. "But could you check with the property management whether they allow medical procedures that involve incisions?"
A phone call was made, and the answer came back: only vaccinations and basic check-ups were permitted—no surgeries. Shi Ran declined without hesitation.
On to the next one.
"It's next to an office building, far from residential areas—no stable foot traffic…"
They went through them one by one.
Shi Ran noticed that every issue she and the property consultant had thought of—and every issue they hadn't—Shen Lizhou had already considered thoroughly. His speech was steady, his logic clear, and every sentence was delivered gently yet struck right at the heart of the matter.
Property consultants feared smart clients like this the most.
He rubbed his head in frustration as he flipped through his materials, then finally gritted his teeth. "Miss Shi, I do have one more property I've been holding back—I was saving it for a banking client. It's the ground-floor commercial space at Yuexi Center, across from MixC Mall. Two floors totaling 500 square meters, 5-meter ceiling height, with a dedicated medical sewage system and fire escape, plus a 24-hour independent entrance. It used to be a foreign-funded high-end medical aesthetics clinic. The renovation cost nearly ten million, and the basic conditions are absolutely the best in the city."
Shi Ran perked up with interest. "Where is it?"
The property consultant gave the address, and Shen Lizhou's face suddenly went pale. He opened his mouth but no words came out. The consultant had already started leading the way, and Shi Ran followed. He walked at the back, his steps slightly slower than before.
They finally arrived. The consultant opened the door, and Shi Ran's eyes immediately lit up.
Ready-made consultation rooms, a pharmacy, treatment rooms—the plumbing and electrical work was all done properly. The ceiling height was sufficient for all large equipment, and the sinks and drainage pipes were all medical grade.
"Perfect." Shi Ran walked through the entire space three times, a satisfied smile spreading across her face. "Ceiling height is enough, load-bearing is enough, drainage is enough, location is enough. First floor for the waiting area, regular consultation rooms, and pharmacy. Second floor for the operating room, ICU, inpatient ward, and recovery center. The backyard can be converted into a separate isolation area and animal activity zone…"
Shen Lizhou stood with his back to her, slowly closing his eyes.
He seemed to smell the scent of motor oil and rust.
He seemed to see the dark, greasy stains on the floor, the discarded tires piled in the corner, and the dust-covered tools.
A repair wrench had once been slammed hard against his back. The man who was called his father had once grabbed his hair here and smashed his head against the wall, forcing him to kneel on the ground and wipe clean every drop of oil and blood.
After his father froze to death, his mother had lost her mind for a time. She had mistaken him for his father, locked him inside this abandoned auto repair shop, and demanded he earn money to bring back.
In the dead of winter, the place held only cold, hard tools. The moonlight cast a ghastly pallor over the oil stains, like the face of a corpse. He curled up in the corner, unable to sleep all night, unable to tell whether the sound around him was the wind or his father speaking.
It was too cold. The night was too long. For a moment, he felt he might die just like his father, frozen to death in this cold corner, unnoticed by anyone, unknown to anyone.
"Shen Lizhou?"
Someone gently patted him.
Warmth transferred over, along with her crisp voice: "What are you thinking about?"
He turned around and saw Shi Ran standing in the middle of the room.
Sunlight poured in through the glass window behind her, landing on the tips of her hair, coating her entirely in a warm, glowing light.
She smiled and asked, "What do you think of this place?"
"I…" His voice was a little hoarse. "…I don't think it's very good."
"Why?"
"It's just…" This time he didn't give a reason, only said in a low voice, "It's just how I feel."
Shi Ran looked at him steadily for a few seconds.
He thought she would keep pressing, or hesitate and weigh things. But she only nodded, as if nothing had happened, turned to the real estate agent and said, "Then let's look at some other places."
Shen Lizhou was stunned for a moment.
They had been looking all day, and this place really was the most suitable.
Those vague, inexplicable feelings of "not good" that he couldn't even articulate—he himself felt they didn't hold up. But Shi Ran had already walked out of the shop first, urging the agent to continue looking for properties.
His heart was inexplicably pounding heavier and faster. He pressed his chest, feeling short of breath.
The agent walked ahead, flipping through the listings.
Shi Ran followed behind, feeling that Shen Lizhou's expression just now looked a little sad.
Such a handsome man—why would he show that kind of fragile, hard-to-refuse look?
As they walked out of the shop, Shi Ran was lost in thought when she suddenly heard Shen Lizhou's voice calling her: "Shi Ran."
"Hm?" She turned her head and followed Shen Lizhou's gaze. She saw an old man crouching by the roadside, holding an old dog on a leash.
The dog was lying on its side on the ground, limbs stiff, tongue hanging out, eyes half-closed, letting out intermittent weak whimpers from its throat. The old man was at a loss, constantly stroking the dog's head, looking around anxiously.
The surrounding crowd was bustling, but no one stopped for them.
Shi Ran hurried over.
"Hello, grandpa, I'm a veterinarian," she said. Then she crouched down, first checking the dog's gums—somewhat pale—then feeling its groin—cold.
She quickly placed her hand over the dog's heart and found the heartbeat fast and weak. She asked, "Has it had heart problems before?"
The old man was taken aback: "I… I don't know…"
Shi Ran didn't ask further. She only said, "It's okay, don't be nervous." Then she first unclasped the tight leather collar around the dog's neck, then gently pulled its tongue out a little to keep its airway open.
"Is there anything we can use to cushion it?" She looked up, searching. Shen Lizhou immediately took off his jacket and handed it over. Together, they positioned the big dog on its side, with its head and neck resting on the jacket, slightly elevated.
Then she placed one hand gently on the old dog's chest, stroking it slowly in rhythm with its breathing, while her other hand held its icy paw, warming it with her own body heat, murmuring softly: "It's okay, breathe slowly, just rest for a while and you'll be fine."
She was very patient, kneeling half on the ground, stroking it again and again.
After about ten-plus minutes, the old dog's breathing gradually calmed, and its tail slowly began to wag.
The old man's eyes reddened: "My old companion…"
"He's fine now, grandpa." Shi Ran let out a sigh of relief and stood up, leaving two deep red marks on her knees, and said, "It was probably acute arrhythmia just now. When you take him out in the future, try to choose cooler times, and don't walk for too long… Would you mind lending me your phone?"
The old man handed over his senior phone, and Shi Ran typed in the medications needed and the precautions for taking them.
"Just buy them at the nearby animal hospital," she said with a smile. "Once my clinic opens, you can bring him in for a check-up—I'll give you a free visit."
The dog wagged its tail and rubbed against Shi Ran's knees, brushing away the dust. The old man gradually recovered his composure and said, "Thank you, miss… Oh, you're opening an animal hospital? Are you planning to open it over there? I saw you coming from that direction." He pointed to where they had just come from and said, "That place won't do."
"That shop is unlucky. Several owners in a row have come and gone without lasting long. The first owner ran an auto repair shop there—drank too much one winter and froze to death. His wife was mentally ill, and the child inherited it—some went mad, some died. Very inauspicious. That place isn't cheap either. You two young folks starting out on your own—you need to keep your eyes open and pick a good location."
The color drained from Shen Lizhou's face bit by bit.
Instinctively, he clenched the wrinkled jacket in his hand, its wide hem hanging down, covering his hand at his side.
Then he dug his nails hard into his own fingers.
His nails sank deep into his flesh, and sharp pain shot up along his nerves. He slowly let out a breath.