episode_0069

Xu Nian hid in a corner of the hospital, observing the surroundings.

How to put it? Just moments ago, she had sensed a dangerous gaze—one so intense it sent a surge of peril racing through her, blurring her vision.

So she swiftly flicked open her fan, completing her disguise in the blink of an eye before vanishing from the spot.

Now, she was Dr. Xu Nian, the elegant fox-woman.

Dressed in a standard white lab coat, her face exuded an air of intellectual beauty, a pair of red-framed glasses perched on the bridge of her nose, with a beauty mark near the corner of her eye.

Having spent three long years transformed from a handsome male college student into a loli, suddenly being tall again felt unfamiliar—even the extra weight on her chest now hindered her movements.

Was this [Elegance]’s disguise?

It seemed a little too overpowered.

She felt like a completely different person.

And when she touched herself, the sensation was undeniably real.

Soft, squishy—like kneading a ball of fermented dough.

How on earth did this flesh grow?

No idea.

Maybe it was just mystical power at work.

Why had Xu Nian done this?

Because it seemed like the most instinctive way to evade danger.

She hadn’t hesitated at all—the moment she sensed the threat, she acted.

But still, something felt… off.

Never mind. She should go see what was happening.

Earlier, there had been an unusually violent commotion from the upper floors—enough to make her itch with curiosity.

Ever since shifting her mindset and boosting her Joy value, Xu Nian had often felt the urge to seek out excitement.

Maybe this was just another trait of a Joy-path follower?

If another plane crash or something similar happened, it’d probably draw out a whole crowd of Joy-path thrill-seekers.

But Xu Nian also knew that Su Qingya and the others were currently upstairs.

“Excuse me, you look unfamiliar—I don’t think you’re one of the doctors here.”

A nurse suddenly approached, suspicion in her voice.

Was a doctor’s disguise too conspicuous in a hospital?

“Are you new here? How do you not recognize me?”

Xu Nian feigned sternness, her tone brimming with confidence.

Even her voice had changed—just listening to it made one imagine a tall, voluptuous woman, her words laced with extreme gentleness.

“I—I’ve worked at this hospital for three years.”

“Three years, and you still don’t know me? Guess I really don’t leave much of an impression.”

Xu Nian’s words carried a faint, teasing smile. The nurse’s expression wavered for a moment. “Is that so? My apologies. Well, since you’re here, Doctor, there’s a patient who needs your attention.”

???

This was beyond Xu Nian’s expertise.

After all, she had only become a doctor—not actually trained as one. Even if her words could trick others into believing she was a physician, she couldn’t actually treat patients.

Before she could respond, a frantic parent rushed over with their child.

“Doctor, please help! My child swallowed a piece of soap!”

“Soap?”

Xu Nian was stunned. She turned to the nurse. “You’re a nurse—you must know basic medical care. Why didn’t you handle this?”

“He said he didn’t trust me.”

“Exactly! How can a nurse treat patients? What if something goes wrong?”

“How big was the piece?”

“About this big.”

The parent gestured—roughly smaller than a dime.

Xu Nian pretended to think for a moment.

“Drink more hot water.”

She said it offhandedly, then shot the nurse a meaningful look, hoping she’d take over.

Without another word, she turned and walked away.

The nurse didn’t argue. Strangely enough, the parent actually went and fetched a cup of hot water.

Before heading upstairs, Xu Nian glanced back—only to see colorful bubbles inexplicably floating in the air.

As she climbed the stairs, she noticed nothing unusual at first.

This wasn’t like the amusement park from before, where eerie hints had been dropped. And she had no more simulation attempts left.

She had to be careful. Extremely careful.

Yet, for some reason, Xu Nian spotted a little girl in a hospital gown standing silently in the hallway, staring out the window at who-knows-what.

People walked past her as if she weren’t there—doctors, nurses, patients. No one approached her. Even those who passed by seemed to look right through her.

Xu Nian didn’t pay much attention. She wasn’t one to meddle, so she decided to ignore it.

But something about the girl’s lonely figure tugged at her heart.

“Hey there, little one. What’s wrong? Why are you all alone?”

She approached, hoping to cheer the girl up.

At first, the girl didn’t react—until Xu Nian stepped to her side, making it clear she was being spoken to.

The girl didn’t answer, just stared at Xu Nian.

Xu Nian sensed her isolation—she seemed unsure how to respond.

So, with a flick of her folding fan, Xu Nian briefly obscured the girl’s vision—then conjured a fox plushie.

“Here, this is for you.”

Still no reply. Unfazed, Xu Nian kept smiling and tucked the toy into the girl’s arms.

“…Why are you giving this to me?”

“Because you look sad. A cute plushie might help, right?”

Most little girls liked these things, after all.

“Weird.”

The girl said nothing else, but she didn’t refuse the gift either.

Xu Nian couldn’t tell if she was happy or not.

Oh well. Finding Su Qingya was more important.

But just as she turned to leave—

She felt a tug on her coat.

Looking back, she saw the girl staring at her.

“Do you want me to stay and play? Sorry, but I have things to do.”

“…Why?”

“Hm?”

Finally, the girl released her grip. Her eyes held an unsettling dullness.

“Why am I always alone? No one pays attention to me. No one comes near me. If you didn’t want to stay… why did you approach me at all?”

Her murmur was barely audible, but Xu Nian caught fragments of it.

She had only acted out of pity, wanting to make a child smile. Had she gone about it the wrong way?

Why did the girl seem… angry now?

“I don’t need your pity.”

No—!

A sharp sense of danger flooded Xu Nian’s mind.

Faintly, she could hear someone murmuring frantically.

The words weren’t directed at her—yet she could hear them clearly.

A voice, laughing wildly.

“You were born a tragedy. Sickly, abandoned by your parents. You’ll remain forever alone in this hospital, steeped in the stench of medicine. No one cares. No one loves you. To them, you’re just a weed by the roadside—withering unnoticed one day.”

“Loneliness shrouds you. You long to be a normal child—to have loving parents, friends to play with.”

“Your solitude could rebirth you, but that’s not what you want. Your power brings you nothing you crave. You yearn for affection, for companionship, yet you’re always alone. Even this power only deepens your isolation.”

“But today, you’ll meet someone. She’ll speak to you. You’ll think it’s a stroke of color in your gray life—until she, too, walks away after a fleeting moment of concern.”

“If that’s how it is… then use your power. Make her stay. Make everyone stay. Force them to play with you, to give you the love you need. Even if it’s hollow… as long as you have it, you won’t feel alone, right?”

“They owe you that much.”

“Hahaha~ You fell for it!”