"Your recovery rate is truly amazing, Ye Yun," said the doctor, wearing a white lab coat, as he adjusted his black-rimmed glasses and flipped through Ye Yun's medical reports.
"Hahaha..."
Lying on the white hospital bed, Ye Yun awkwardly let out a laugh, his gaze following the light reflected on the doctor's glasses.
For some reason, even though it was a bright and sunny afternoon, he suddenly felt an unexpected chill.
Since he woke up, this doctor had dragged him through one check-up after another, and Ye Yun was starting to understand the feeling of being utterly exhausted.
Luckily, it wasn't his money that was being spent; he told himself that it was basically a free physical check-up. He comforted himself... or at least tried to.
Looking back, Ye Yun couldn't help but want to cry. The doctor's appearance was incredibly deceiving.
The first time he met the doctor, he was deeply stunned.
Her long hair cascaded like a waterfall, her skin was as white as snow, and her bright eyes sparkled like stars, exuding a cold, unreachable aura.
Even the simple white lab coat couldn't hide her stunning curves. Her chest was so large that it seemed the fabric of her coat might burst at any moment. The sharp curve of her body made Ye Yun nervous that her clothes might tear apart any second.
The name tag on her chest read "Zhao Qianrou." Hmm, not only was she beautiful, but her name was pretty as well, Ye Yun thought to himself.
But this enchanting-looking doctor was the one who was driving him crazy. She seemed like a mad scientist, about to dissect a fascinating new specimen. Ye Yun couldn't shake off the feeling that she might do something terrifying, like tearing him apart to understand the secrets of his body.
Her appearance was great—everything about her looked perfect. But it was that occasional clinical, experiment-like attitude that made him feel uneasy. If only she were a bit more human, Ye Yun thought, sighing inwardly.
"Zhao-jiejie, my brother just has a strong adaptability,"
Ye Qingqing, covering her mouth with a playful smile, said, "Like a cockroach."
Ye Yun was speechless, staring at his sister. Was that really the way to describe your brother? Was she infected by the system too?
He couldn't help but think that.
"Oh, I see."
Zhao Qianrou looked at the "none" in the patient's family column and pushed her glasses up, falling into thought. Originally, she thought the boy might have awakened some kind of ability. But now, it seemed that he was an orphan?
That could explain his impressive recovery rate. After all, orphans with weak physiques and poor environmental adaptability wouldn't survive long.
Sigh! She had hoped for a lucky break, to study an Awakener up close. But now, seeing Ye Yun's expression, her thoughts were full of mixed emotions.
Ye Yun's lips twitched as he saw the doctor's look of regret. Somehow, he felt like flipping the table over.
"Well then, I'll have the discharge papers ready for you soon!" Zhao Qianrou collected the medical records, then suddenly bent over and gave Ye Yun a bright smile. "I wish you a speedy recovery, Ye Yun, little brother."
Her exquisite face was so close, especially her lips, which looked like soft petals, that Ye Yun couldn't help but feel embarrassed, quickly turning his head. "It's fine, you can leave now. Don't disturb the patient's rest."
Ye Qingqing, watching her brother being teased, couldn't stop smiling. Her eyes were like crescent moons.
"Okay, okay..."
Zhao Qianrou smiled and left. As she reached the door, she turned back and said something that made Ye Yun want to explode.
"Oh, by the way, to be honest, you look quite cute when you blush."
"You're so annoying!"
Ye Yun's face turned even redder, and he grabbed the pillow beneath him, preparing to throw it at her. But then, realizing it would be rude to throw a pillow at a doctor, he sighed helplessly. What a fairy...
"Host, you're really such a pure and innocent child. (How are you going to build a grand crystal palace with such a poor foundation?)"
Of course, just as he was about to collapse from frustration, the system had to cut in with another comment.
Ye Yun: "Sigh..." I'm too tired to respond, this is exhausting.
After leaving the hospital, Ye Yun noticed that the snow had finally stopped. As he looked back on the past couple of days, he still felt like it had all been a dream, like he was floating in some kind of surreal haze.
"Brother, what's wrong?"
Ye Qingqing, with her big, watery eyes, looked up at Ye Yun. She was a sensitive little thing, and she could tell that something was off with him.
"It's nothing. I'm sorry for making you worry," Ye Yun sighed, offering her a warm smile as he gently patted her head. He couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed—how had he let his little sister worry about him?
"We're going home," Ye Yun said with a smile, extending his hand toward her.
"I'm not a little kid anymore. I don't need you to hold my hand to cross the street," Ye Qingqing replied, her face scrunched in mock distaste. Still, she obediently reached out to hold his hand.
"Such a little devil," Ye Yun muttered under his breath.
Under the setting sun, the two siblings' shadows stretched long and far, and in this cold winter, they were each other's entire world.
Their home was a small employee dorm, barely 20 square meters, with just a bathroom and a shared living space.
Though Wang Shan, who had helped them countless times, had once offered them a better place at a reduced price, Ye Yun and Ye Qingqing had turned it down without hesitation. It wasn't about pride; it was about not wanting to owe too much to others. Once you owed someone too much, things would get complicated, and relationships would change.
Wang Shan had already helped them enough, and they didn't want to be greedy. They were used to hardship from a young age, and that was something Wang Shan appreciated about them.
Inside their small room, the décor was simple. A bunk bed occupied one side of the room, with Ye Yun on the top and Ye Qingqing on the bottom. There was a small desk for both meals and studying, a few chairs, and the small refrigerator Ye Yun had saved up for a long time to buy.
As soon as Ye Yun opened the door, Ye Qingqing dashed in at full speed, kicking off her shoes before diving into her bed and hugging the teddy bear Ye Yun had bought her for her birthday last year. She closed her eyes with a smile, clearly pleased with her little treasure.
"Finished your homework?" Ye Yun asked, narrowing his eyes at her.
"Hmmph," Ye Qingqing grumbled, not even bothering to open her eyes. "I finished it a hundred years ago. Now go cook, I'm starving!"
Ye Yun gave a satisfied nod, a little self-consciously thinking that this sounded just like him—quick with his brain and fast at picking things up.
Every year, he'd been exempt from tuition fees, so he never had to worry about school. With everything settled, he turned to the fridge, ready to prepare dinner, as he usually did.
After dinner, Ye Yun cleaned up the dishes, but instead of feeling anxious about his sister's upcoming exams—despite the fact that tomorrow was the big day for her—he wasn't worried in the slightest.
He had mastered all the theoretical knowledge he needed. He'd even confirmed his potential to become an Awakener, so there was nothing to stress about.
Ye Yun hadn't planned to tell his sister about Liu Yang. What good would it do? It would only cause her unnecessary worry. He had made up his mind to handle the situation alone.
Had he not received help from the system, he might have chosen to endure quietly for his sister's sake. But now that he had the system, there was no way he'd let this injustice go unpunished.
"By the way, system," Ye Yun suddenly asked, thinking of his part-time job. "If I can get the genetic material from Carlos, can I fuse it?"
He recalled working at Wang Ji Carlos Material Recycling Shop, where they dealt with rare Carlos materials. If he could just get access to the materials there, he wouldn't have to risk hunting down a Carlos to obtain its genetic material.
"Answer from the system: Not exactly. Genetic fusion requires Evolution Points, and Evolution Points can only be acquired by finding the body of a Carlos," the system replied.
"Different levels of Carlos will provide different amounts of Evolution Points. The stronger the Carlos, the more Evolution Points you'll gain. (So, for a better future, Host, you better start working hard!)"
"Wait, then why did I already fuse with the Red Gold Lion King's genes?" Ye Yun asked, puzzled.
"Answer from the system: That was a beginner's benefit. (Seriously, with such poor imagination, you don't even know about the system's must-have starter pack? How embarrassing! Host, you should just leave the group!)"
"I'm sorry for my poor imagination!" Ye Yun shot back, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Wait, so you're saying I can get a lot of Evolution Points from Wang Shan? If I stock up on those, I can fuse whatever I want?" Ye Yun suddenly had a moment of realization, a grin spreading across his face.
He couldn't help but feel giddy at the thought. This was a game-changer! It was as if the future of his "blessed" life was unfolding before him, like a vision of happiness—er, he meant success, definitely success.
D*mn it, the system is rubbing off on me.