Mr. Gu said, “It’s precisely because everything is too peaceful. Day after day, there’s nothing to look forward to anymore. But I don’t want to give up on myself this early.”
“Ever since I joined this Life Restart Tour Group, I’ve felt full of energy every day. I think it’s been good for my health too. Maybe it’ll help me live a few more years.”
Yu Zhining looked at Mr. Gu’s flushed face, his hands trembling slightly with excitement, and the urgency in his voice as he spoke…
Expressionless, he cut straight to the point. “You stopped taking your medication for hyperthyroidism, didn’t you?”
Mr. Gu’s expression darkened. “I’m cured. Why should I keep taking it? The health administrator traveling with our group said I didn’t need to! Don’t I know my own body?”
Just after he finished snapping at Yu Zhining, an elderly woman nearby waved to him. “Old Gu, hurry over. Teacher Qin said there’ll be a briefing on the situation in Northern Europe later. I’m sure you’ll be interested!”
Mr. Gu immediately stood up. “Coming.”
With that, he turned and walked toward the old woman.
Judging by his condition, Yu Zhining was almost certain Mr. Gu had stopped taking his hyperthyroidism medication.
There was definitely something wrong with this Life Restart Tour Group. Otherwise, why would they tell people to stop taking their medicine?
Just then, Bai Xian sent him a message: “Director, I’ve collected the samples. Should I take them back to the center for testing first?”
Yu Zhining glanced at the table across from him. There was still a cup of herbal tea sitting there.
He replied, “Wait for me at the entrance. Take one more thing back with you for testing.”
—
In a secluded spot near the garden’s side gate, Yu Zhining met up with Bai Xian.
Bai Xian was carrying an insulated takeout bag.
Yu Zhining had just finished instructing him to hurry back and begin the tests as soon as possible.
The two were about to part when they suddenly heard footsteps coming from nearby.
Yu Zhining instinctively looked up—and saw Yu Xiaxing and Yu Zheng walking toward them.
Although the Life Restart Tour Group had reserved part of the resort, it was, in essence, still an ordinary semi-open resort. Anyone could come as long as they paid.
But what were those two doing here? Had they finished their renewal missions?
As soon as they approached, Yu Xiaxing’s eyes landed on the insulated bag in Bai Xian’s hand.
She leaned over naturally. “Did you order takeout? What did you get?”
She glanced inside the bag, and her face instantly filled with shock. She immediately grabbed Yu Zheng and took two steps back, saying in horror, “Brother, Yu Zhining stole poop!”
His sister had started the attack, and Yu Zheng joined in without missing a beat. He looked at Yu Zhining in horror. “Third Brother, you have pica! You’re so scary!”
Yu Zhining: “…”
Those two little demons were guaranteed to bring trouble wherever they went!
Someone as emotionally detached as Yu Zhining had his temper riled up by Yu Xiaxing every single time!
“These are samples that need to be tested! I’m only investigating whether those elderly people are being controlled by drugs,” Yu Zhining explained coldly.
Bai Xian also added, “And Director didn’t steal it. I was the one who stole it.”
The atmosphere suddenly fell silent.
After a long moment, Bai Xian, who was unfamiliar with the other two and feeling somewhat awkward, remembered that he still had urgent work to do. He said, “Director, I’ll be going. I’ll hurry back and send you the test report tonight.”
Yu Zhining nodded, and Bai Xian left first.
The remaining three continued standing in silence.
Then Yu Xiaxing suddenly looked at Yu Zhining and said calmly, “Yu Zhining, have you had dinner?”
Yu Zhining had no idea what she was up to now. Had she realized she’d misunderstood him and felt too embarrassed to continue the subject, so she was simply changing the topic?
In any case, he had been investigating all day and had no appetite. But he probably should eat something.
His tone softened slightly. “Not yet.”
Yu Xiaxing naturally invited him, “Then let’s go to the restaurant and eat.”
Yu Zhining was even more surprised. Why had she suddenly become so gentle? She wasn’t making sarcastic remarks at him at all.
After a brief hesitation, he agreed and walked over to Yu Xiaxing’s side.
He had arrived earlier than they had and already knew where the resort’s restaurants were.
He was just about to say that he would lead them to one when Yu Xiaxing added, with complete sincerity, “Eating poop on an empty stomach is bad for your health.”
Yu Zheng immediately followed up. “Third Brother, my sister has never cared about anyone else this much. I’m so jealous of you.”
Yu Zhining stared silently at the two little demons for a while, then calmly asked, “Do you need me to pay for your meals later?”
The two of them nodded in unison, looking at him expectantly. Yu Zheng asked, “What are you treating us to?”
“I’m treating you both to a trip to hell.”
Yu Zhining decided not to stoop to their level. He turned and walked toward the restaurant.
After taking two steps, he looked back and waited for them. “Are you eating or not?”
The two of them were genuinely hungry, so they immediately followed.
—
The three of them found a table by the window and sat down, each ordering a simple meal.
During the meal, Yu Zheng checked his phone several times before saying to Yu Xiaxing, “I called Professor Zhong, but he didn’t answer. He hasn’t replied to my messages either. Where are we supposed to find him later?”
Yu Xiaxing didn’t know either.
Yu Zhining immediately knew which Professor Zhong they meant, so he volunteered, “I know where he is.”
Yu Xiaxing and Yu Zheng both looked up at him.
Yu Zhining spoke slowly. “Professor Zhong isn’t a guest at the wellness center, but he joined the tour group with those people.”
“One of the group’s activities is called ‘electronic detox.’ They believe the internet is full of poisonous information.”
“For the sake of their physical and mental health, they confiscate all the members’ phones. That’s why you haven’t been able to reach him.”
“For the past two days, I’ve been listening in on the conversations among the elderly guests, and I’ve learned about their family backgrounds as well.”
“Professor Zhong has been widowed for many years. He has a daughter who currently handles external publicity at Qizhi…”
“Professor Zhong has recently been pursuing Aunt Qin.”
Yu Xiaxing lifted her glass and took a sip of water, deep in thought.
Yu Zhining also fell silent, watching her.
He had given her plenty of information, but he still hadn’t revealed one crucial detail: where Professor Zhong actually was.
He hadn’t planned to do this from the beginning. He had simply blurted out all that information without thinking, only to suddenly realize that Yu Xiaxing was his rival.
Why should he help her?
Besides, she had actually taken the initiative to ask Yu Zheng to accompany her without asking him.
If she had asked him too—just like when they were children, when she would tug at his sleeve and say, “That person bullies me every day. He keeps calling me Meatball. Third Brother, go beat him up for me”—he would have agreed.
Yu Zheng raised his eyes and glanced back and forth between the two of them.
“Why have you two gone quiet again?”
Yu Xiaxing glanced at Yu Zhining, then looked away.
She put down her glass and stood up. Turning to Yu Zheng, she said, “I’m done eating. Shall we go find Professor Zhong?”
Yu Zheng stood up after her. “Do you know where he is?”
Yu Xiaxing said, “The resort is huge, but the residential area isn’t. We’ll stake out the accommodations. I refuse to believe he won’t come back to sleep tonight.”
With that, the two of them started to leave.
Yu Zhining watched her back.
She really wasn’t going to ask him for help.
Expressionless, he said, “Those elderly guests are in the Life Corridor right now.”
