Era Square.
Sun Coffee Shop.
This was a rather upscale coffee shop, standing independently outside the square with three stories. It served as a leisure spot, yet exuded luxury in every detail.
The shop was famous for its hand-ground coffee, boasting a unique flavor and “prices” that far surpassed its competitors, making it the top coffee spot in Eight Seas City.
In a private room on the third floor of the coffee shop, the serene environment enveloped a woman who sat with her legs crossed, newspaper in hand.
On her left hand, the slender ring finger bore a diamond ring symbolizing marriage.
Her fine eyebrows were furrowed tightly. She didn’t seem like someone leisurely sipping coffee in the afternoon; rather, she resembled a “leader” conducting a surprise inspection.
Her jet-black hair was styled in soft, wavy curls. A women’s suit accentuated her graceful curves, while her hip-hugging skirt revealed a pair of long, shapely legs sheathed in sheer stockings.
Red-soled, diamond-encrusted pointed heels swayed with her crossed legs. Afternoon sunlight streamed through the window, falling on her exquisite face and highlighting her fiery lips.
She was an extraordinarily glamorous noblewoman, yet she habitually restrained her expressions, radiating the aura of a powerful career woman.
The combination of her seductive appearance and stern demeanor felt jarringly mismatched.
Yet the teardrop mole at the corner of her eye seemed to neutralize this contradiction, striking a delicate balance.
“Miss Zhao, your coffee.”
The server pushed open the door and respectfully placed the coffee on the table.
“Mm.”
Miss Zhao gave a slight nod and said to the server, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
The server turned and left, somewhat flustered.
A simple “thank you” was ordinary politeness, but coming from this noblewoman’s lips, her presence overshadowed such mundane courtesies, creating an unwarranted sense of expectation.
It was precisely this unwarranted expectation that, when it arose, left people inexplicably uneasy.
Miss Zhao set down the newspaper and delicately lifted the coffee for a sip.
Then she glanced at the watch on her wrist. The minute hand crept slowly toward four o’clock in the afternoon.
Five minutes left.
She murmured to herself inwardly, her brows furrowing again.
She disliked people who were late.
At the same time, at the coffee shop’s entrance, Shen An finally arrived, panting heavily.
Damn this phone!
The thought of tossing the wretched thing away crossed his mind once more. Why did a phone with mind-reading capabilities lack even basic map navigation?
He had wandered around the whole way, relying on his mouth and legs, circling back and forth before finally finding the place.
Having run too fast, his legs felt shaky.
Already starving, Shen An leaned weakly against the doorframe upon reaching the coffee shop, intending to catch his breath.
The server standing outside noticed and approached curiously, eyeing the bloodstains on Shen An’s white shirt. “Hello, sir. Do you need any assistance?”
Shen An waved him off weakly. “I… I have an appointment with Madam Zhao.”
At this point, he couldn’t worry whether the server knew who Madam Zhao was. He was just following the System’s instructions.
“Madam Zhao?”
The server paused, then said softly, “You mean Miss Zhao?”
“Yes, yes, that’s right.”
Shen An nodded.
“Miss Zhao is in a private room on the third floor. I’ll take you there.”
The server’s attitude grew even more deferential. He turned and signaled to the front desk.
Private room?
Following behind the server, Shen An caught his breath and began analyzing rationally.
Judging by the coffee shop’s decor and grandeur, it was undoubtedly a high-class venue for showing off sophistication.
The server knew this Madam Zhao—or Miss Zhao—meaning she wasn’t an ordinary customer.
At least a regular.
And a private room.
It seemed this Miss Zhao was no ordinary person.
This meal was looking promising.
But why did he call her Miss Zhao?
Had the System gotten it wrong?
The terms “miss” and “madam” carried subtle differences in many contexts.
Harboring a bit of doubt, Shen An followed the server to the private room on the third floor.
The server knocked lightly, then opened the door. “Miss Zhao is waiting inside. Please.”
“Thank you.”
Shen An straightened his collar and stepped inside.
The server glanced once more at the bloodstained white shirt.
He couldn’t help but wonder… Would a normal person wear clothes stained with blood?
The private room was quite spacious, resembling a hotel suite.
Shen An entered the inner area and finally saw “Miss Zhao.”
One glance was enough for him to judge: “That aura—she’s no ordinary person.”
Understanding dawned on him.
No wonder the server called her Miss Zhao. With that face and figure, she didn’t look much different from a woman in her early twenties.
If not for the diamond ring on her left ring finger, Shen An might have called her “miss” too.
A closer look revealed faint lines at the corners of her eyes, traces left by time.
They weren’t noticeable at first glance, but became evident upon scrutiny.
Yet this did nothing to diminish Madam Zhao’s charm.
In fact, compared to green, inexperienced girls, this Miss Zhao possessed a deeper allure. The faint wrinkles at her eyes were like badges of experience.
It was the kind of mature, refined elegance tempered by the years—a lazy sensuality that rippled with every smile and gesture, effortlessly captivating anyone who beheld it.
The ripe yet restrained older sister type—exactly Shen An’s preference.
“Madam Zhao? Hello. I’m terribly sorry to keep you waiting.”
Shen An greeted her politely first, a warm smile on his face.
Miss Zhao was inwardly startled.
Such a young professor!
Then, taking in his somewhat disheveled and sloppy appearance, the bloodstained white shirt, and his pallid, almost ghastly complexion, she couldn’t hide a flicker of astonishment.
This…
Perhaps geniuses were just this unconventional?
She quickly masked her surprise, stood politely, and extended her hand with a touch of respect. “I’ve only just arrived myself. You must be Professor Shen? You look so young.”
Pro… Professor Shen??
Shen An shook her hand, equally astonished.
He didn’t linger on the silky touch at his fingertips, releasing after a courteous grip before sitting down.
For a moment, the atmosphere fell silent.
Shen An was stunned by the title. Professor Shen? Was that the identity the System had arranged for him?
Miss Zhao didn’t rush to speak. She narrowed her eyes, her alluring phoenix eyes scrutinizing him cautiously.
According to the information she had, he was an exceptionally skilled psychologist, though with a rather unique personality.
To put it nicely, he was unbound by outdated conventions. To put it bluntly, he was a bit off.
If she had a better option, she wouldn’t take this risk.
And looking at Shen An’s outfit… he resembled a homeless person more than a doctor.
Truly… a unique personality.
The two locked eyes for a moment before Shen An cleared his throat, breaking the silence.
“Um, Madam Zhao…”
“Just call me Zhao Li,” Miss Zhao said with a slight smile.
Zhao Li?
A nice name.
Shen An chuckled lightly. “Then, Madam Zhao Li, what can I do for you?”
According to the commission details, though he was the one accepting it, from a passive standpoint, he was the invitee.
After all, she couldn’t possibly know about the Healing System.
Zhao Li was surprised. “Professor Hu didn’t tell you?”
Professor Hu??
Things were getting stranger.
Shen An placed both hands on the table, dead serious. “And who might Professor Hu be?”
Zhao Li was taken aback by the question.
She let out a polite, dry laugh. “Professor Shen, you really know how to joke.”
Shen An shook his head, utterly serious. “I’m not joking. Who is Professor Hu?”
“Are you Doctor Shen An?”
Zhao Li began to suspect he might be the wrong person.
Ah, this…
Doctor?
Shen An coughed lightly, staying calm. “Yes, that’s me. Doctor Shen An.”
To bolster his claim, he pointed to the blood on his shirt. “See, I just finished a surgery. Got a bit careless with the blood.”
Zhao Li’s hand trembled as she held her coffee, her smile strained. “Psychologists these days have it rough, doing surgeries too…”
Shen An: ????
He offered an embarrassed but polite smile. “I mean the clinical kind—cutting into patients.”
“Huh?”
“No, I mean guiding them! Right, guiding. I just finished guiding a patient with suicidal tendencies. He grabbed a knife and tried to stab himself. Luckily, I stopped him in time.”
“He was fine, but I got nicked a few times, hence the blood.”
“Oh… I see… Heh heh.”
Zhao Li put on an expression of “sudden realization.”
But inwardly, she strongly doubted her choice.
This Professor Shen An seemed utterly unreliable no matter how she looked at him.
Though awkward, Shen An maintained his amiable smile.
This was nothing compared to what he’d faced before.
Just then, a comical ding came from the pink phone in his pocket.
Shen An’s expression shifted. He immediately pulled out the phone and stood. “Sorry, I need to take this call.”
“It’s fine, it’s fine…”
Zhao Li listened to this ridiculously comical ringtone, her smile growing even more forced.
Shen An slipped into the corner and opened his phone.
It was a message from the System.
“Professor Hu is a character set by this System. He is a renowned psychology professor who will serve as your introducer for this commission, and also as your ‘teacher.'”
“Madam Zhao’s commission was issued through Professor Hu.”
Shen An read it silently, his urge to hurl the damn phone away growing stronger.
Couldn’t it just say everything at once?
Patching things up afterward, huh?
But on second thought, Shen An realized this setup was actually more reasonable.
After all, the other party had no idea the System existed. They needed a clear pretext to establish contact.
“Professor Hu… your student… seems… a bit…”
While Shen An quietly caught up on the details, Zhao Li pulled out her own phone and contacted Professor Hu.
She had never actually met him.
She had only heard that he was an extremely famous psychologist, renowned internationally, though he rarely made public appearances.
It had taken her considerable effort, pulling strings through various connections, to reach him.
“A bit abnormal, right?”
“No, no, that’s not what I meant.”
“It’s fine. You’re not the first person to say that. But while my disciple has his quirks, when it comes to treating patients, you can rest assured—his skills are on par with mine.”
“Uh… actually, Professor Hu, it seems like… he doesn’t know you exist.”
“Oh, that’s our little code. Just tell Professor Hu that he’s your teacher, and he’ll know I arranged it.”
“You know how it is with doctors of his caliber—plenty of patients seek him out. He has to set some barriers.”
Zhao Li: …
It seemed not just Doctor Shen An was a bit off—Professor Hu was abnormal too.
But at this point, she had no other options.
With no choice, Zhao Li replied, “Okay.”
A moment later, Shen An returned and sat back down.
“Sorry about that. The hospital just called—that patient with suicidal tendencies had another episode.”
“No problem. How is he now?”
“Oh, I already settled it with a solid punch.”
“Huh?”
“Ahem, Madam Zhao Li, let’s get back to business.”
Zhao Li blurted out, “Professor Hu is your teacher.”
“I know.”
Shen An scratched his head. “Look at me, forgetting for a second there.”
Heh…
Zhao Li took another sip of her coffee, masking her exasperation with a smile.
As he watched her drink, Shen An’s stomach let out an untimely growl.
He licked his lips, feeling like he might faint from hunger.
As Zhao Li set down her coffee, it was as if she had put the earlier awkwardness behind her.
She slowly uncrossed her legs and looked at Shen An with a serious expression.
“Here’s the thing, Doctor Shen.”
“Wait.”
“What is it?”
“Hmm, I just think talking like this feels a bit off.”
“Huh?” Zhao Li blinked in confusion. “What would feel more appropriate to you?”
“How about we grab some food first?”
Shen An looked at Zhao Li with utter sincerity.
Zhao Li glanced discreetly at her watch: 4:15 p.m… Food?
“To be honest,” Shen An said, clasping his hands and propping up his chin, “I haven’t eaten in days.”
Zhao Li fell silent.
Shen An sighed. “Can’t you even fulfill this tiny request, Madam Zhao Li?”
“It’s not that. To be honest with you…”
Zhao Li said tactfully, “This café is actually mine.”
“Really? Sorry to trouble you, then.” Shen An’s smile brightened even more.
“No, no, what I mean is… the shop only serves coffee.”
“No food?”
“No.”
“Really no food?”
“Really.” Zhao Li shook her head firmly.
Shen An looked utterly disappointed. He let out a wail and clutched his head in frustration.
Why…
Why…
All I want is a meal!
“Um, Doctor Shen, are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I just had an episode too.”
Zhao Li’s mouth twitched. She pressed a hand to her forehead with a helpless chuckle, suddenly feeling a headache coming on.
All she wanted was a normal doctor!
