Go to the dock and grab some fries Pokémon's spawn point...

Academy, Villa.

“So, you just came back as casually as that?”

The Head Maid looked somewhat speechlessly at Ye Cheng, who had just climbed in through the window, and asked uncertainly.

Ye Cheng nodded: “Yep, Xiaxia, you have no idea how dangerous it was just now. Good thing I was quick-witted, or I wouldn't have made it back.”

“Damn it, those hospitals are way too unethical. They just leak patients' private information like that. I'm going to report them!”

Ye Cheng put on an indignant expression.

Head Maid: “...”

Come to think of it, it was probably about time for his check-up. The Head Maid furrowed her brows. She had always kept in mind that Ye Cheng had spreading cancer cells in his body.

Sometimes, when she thought about it, it still made her feel uneasy, even giving her nightmares when she slept. But Ye Cheng, as the one directly affected, seemed to have an incredibly good attitude, showing no signs of anxiety at all.

How did he manage to stay so calm? Did he have some kind of backup plan?

“Alright, I'll finish this up, and then I'll take you to the hospital for a check-up. Don't worry, it's a private hospital under our Young Lady's name. None of the data will be uploaded, and we can even look up some of the records.”

The Head Maid arranged the follow-up matters, and Ye Cheng nodded.

“Great, I can always count on you, Xiaxia.”

Ye Cheng put on a look of deep affection.

Head Maid: “...”

She turned her head to the side, her face slightly flushed. From an angle Ye Cheng couldn't see, she lightly clicked her tongue, as if muttering something under her breath.

“By the way, Xiaxia, what are you making? Isn't this a bit too nourishing to eat first thing in the morning?” Ye Cheng scooped up a spoon and stirred vigorously in the big pot of “Papaya Milk Soup” in front of him.

He filled a bowl and slurped a big mouthful.

“Mm, not bad. It would be even better with a bit more sugar. Not as sweet as iced tea, but stickier than iced tea. Pretty good.”

Ye Cheng acted like he was drinking sago pudding, slurping down several mouthfuls eagerly. He even chewed a bit while drinking, totally at ease.

Head Maid: “...”

Good thing she had made a lot, or Ye Cheng alone would have eaten it all.

“By the way, Xiaxia, your talent is already so good, why are you still secretly taking supplements?” Ye Cheng asked casually.

Head Maid: “???”

In the blink of an eye, the Head Maid's face flushed bright red. She stomped on Ye Cheng’s foot: “This isn’t for me. It’s for our Young Lady.”

The stomp landed squarely, but it didn’t hurt much. Unlike the Young Lady or the President, who would stomp hard enough to break your arch, Xiaxia’s stomp was soft, almost like she was playfully acting spoiled.

“Alright, Xiaxia, you go on upstairs. I’ll just help myself to a bit more down here.”

Ye Cheng waved at the Head Maid. She picked up the prepared “Talent-Enhancing Supplement” and headed upstairs.

“Knock, knock, knock.”

“Young Lady?”

The room was very quiet. It seemed she had already been asleep for a while. The Head Maid tiptoed in, gently placed the prepared items on the computer desk, and then quietly backed out.

Whether it was eaten hot or cold, it would work fine. When the Young Lady woke up, she could immediately boost her talent by devouring it. As for whether it was real or fake... well, that didn’t matter.

There was a very famous medical theory: the placebo effect. Even if a medicine was essentially useless, as long as the patient was constantly told before taking it, “This is the cure for your illness,” the chances of recovery significantly improved. Even a simple, ineffective cold capsule could make the patient feel healed.

That was the placebo effect.

“I hope it works.” The Head Maid sighed softly before closing the door.

Clatter, clatter. She came downstairs, ready to call Ye Cheng to head out. From the kitchen came the clatter of pots and pans.

“Hey, Xiaxia, you’re back. Next time, add a bit more sugar, it’ll taste even better. Not bad, keep it up!”

Ye Cheng put down the pot he was cradling, licked his lips, and, like a sneaky mouse, casually spouted nonsense with a straight face.

Head Maid: “...”

She hadn’t even had a single bite herself.

A few minutes later.

The Head Maid drove a small electric scooter, a helmet on her head, with Ye Cheng sitting behind her. They sped down the road. Ye Cheng also wore a helmet, with a little duck ornament on top.

“Xiaxia, you’re really a woman full of a sense of security.”

Head Maid: “...”

“What do you mean?” The Head Maid was taken aback. She didn’t quite grasp the deeper meaning of Ye Cheng’s words but believed he wasn’t just saying it randomly. So she pressed for an answer.

“Oh, I mean, Xiaxia, you seem to have put on a bit of weight. I’m feeling a little cramped back here.” Ye Cheng blinked his eyes and answered honestly.

Head Maid: “???”

“Hey, Xiaxia, what are you doing? The sense of security is overflowing! Enough, enough, I don’t need any more—”

The Head Maid’s face flushed red, and her ears hidden beneath the helmet turned hot. She wasn’t fat, okay? This was charm, this was fullness, this was...

Xia Family Private Hospital.

The Head Maid sat on a bench in the hallway, holding Ye Cheng’s test report in her hand, anxiously waiting outside.

“Rumble—” The radiation-proof door opened, and Ye Cheng walked out fully dressed, cheerfully greeting the Head Maid sitting outside.

“Hey, Xiaxia! It’s been 283 seconds since we last saw each other. How have you been!”

Head Maid: “...”

“Stop joking around. Sit here and rest for a while. I’ll go get the test report.” The Head Maid shot Ye Cheng a glare, sighed helplessly, and stood up to print out his check-up results.

Because it was a private hospital, and by virtue of the Head Maid’s “royal privilege,” it only took less than ten minutes to get results that would normally require at least half an hour, or even half a day.

Don’t ask—just say it’s all about effort, fairness, and justice.

While waiting for the report, the Head Maid held her hands tightly together. Her palms were sweaty from nervousness.

She was afraid of seeing news that the cancer cells in Ye Cheng’s body had spread further. If that happened, he wouldn’t be able to laugh anymore. Time drags on, and the Head Maid had already dreamed of such a scenario several times while sleeping.

It made her heart feel heavy.

She turned her head to glance at Ye Cheng again. He was still glued to his phone, swiping through dumb, mindless short videos, a goofy grin plastered on his face as if nothing in the world concerned him.

Head Maid: “...”

“Aren’t you worried at all?” The Head Maid frowned.

Ye Cheng didn’t look up, continuing to watch the silly videos on his phone. “Worried? Of course I’m worried. I’m so worried I can’t even sleep at night.”

“Yeah, really.”

Head Maid: “...”

“Aren’t you afraid of dying?” The Head Maid sighed and pressed further.

She knew that Ye Cheng was an orphan, and she was afraid that he kept everything bottled up inside, that he was burying it all alone until he reached his limit and broke down.

As for why the Head Maid thought so much and so deeply, it was because... she had been the same way before. Back in the slums, she had kept everything bottled up inside.

To avoid causing trouble for her family, she always wore a stiff, forced smile on her face, like a mask welded onto her.

When she took it off, she couldn't even tell which version of herself was real. How utterly pathetic.

"I'm scared, you know. I'm still young, so of course I'm afraid to die," Ye Cheng said while scrolling through short videos on his phone.

The Head Maid's chest heaved as she snatched Ye Cheng's phone away, looking very serious. "I'm not joking with you right now. Answer me seriously!"

Ye Cheng: "..."

Why wouldn't anyone believe him? What decent, ordinary person isn't afraid of death? He was still young, so of course he was afraid.

This was exactly why Ye Cheng hated telling people about his illness. Why did everyone have to get all dramatic about it? If you're sick, you get treated. If it's a minor illness, you tough it out. If it's a terminal one, you die. Another day survived, brothers!

Ye Cheng had a pretty optimistic and positive mindset. Of course, maybe that was just because he had no other choice. As long as there was a way to keep living, he would grab it with both hands.

But for some reason, people around him always seemed to think using the same brain-dead logic they saw in those cringey short dramas.

They always assumed he was hiding his sadness or something... Damn it, just because he couldn't cry on command, did they want him to take a couple of punches just to squeeze out some tears?

It was like that time a reporter from some TV station randomly interviewed passengers on a high-speed train and asked, "Did you manage to get a ticket home for the New Year this year?"

Brilliant!!!

Oh, I get it. The rich are suffering while the poor are living it up, right? I know the drill, I know the drill...

Still, the Head Maid meant well. Ye Cheng decided to get serious for a moment. He took a deep breath, placed both hands on her shoulders, and put on his most earnest and affectionate expression.

Whether it was because Ye Cheng had dreamy eyes that made him look sincere no matter what, that's beside the point. The Head Maid was completely mesmerized by his charm, standing still, gazing at him with a hint of infatuation.

Her cheeks flushed slightly, her eyes darted away, and her heartbeat quickened...

"I'm really scared to die, Xiaxia. Trust me, trust me! I'm truly scared to die!"

Trust me! I'm totally serious!!!

The Head Maid was moved. They say women in love can't be reasoned with or understood, and she was clearly a perfect example. Her mind was already a complete mess.

All she could think about was protecting Ye Cheng, giving him a sense of security. Maybe it was her natural instincts as a Head Maid, or perhaps the maternal glow she'd developed from years of taking care of Young Lady Xia Tong.

Without any warning, the Head Maid pulled Ye Cheng into an embrace, holding him close to her chest, gently patting his back, and whispering comfort.

"Mm, I understand. I'll definitely help you. Don't be afraid..." Her voice was uncharacteristically soft.

Talent, talent, talent...

A moment later, Ye Cheng was left alone in the hallway. The Head Maid had gone to the lab to pick up the reports. Before leaving, she comforted him again, telling him not to be afraid and that they would find a solution.

Ye Cheng: "..."

"Ah, Xiaxia, you're a good woman," Ye Cheng couldn't help but sigh. He was actually a little touched!

Inside the lab.

The Head Maid stared at the test results on the report. The knot of anxiety in her chest finally loosened. Ye Cheng's condition hadn't worsened, but... it hadn't improved either.

Still, that was pretty good news. As long as it wasn't getting worse!

By the time they left the hospital, it was nearly noon. The Head Maid smoothly disposed of Ye Cheng's test report, along with all the data and files stored on the cloud. The doctors there also maintained absolute confidentiality.

"What are you planning to do next?" the Head Maid asked.

Ye Cheng shoved his hands into his pockets. "I don't know. Maybe go to the pier and get some fries."

The Head Maid looked confused...

Soon enough, the two of them were riding a little electric scooter toward an orphanage on the outskirts of Dahai City. This was the orphanage where Ye Cheng had grown up, and also the place where you could catch yourself some pocket monsters!