Doctor will never die in a hellish situation.

This is a sign that your feelings have been reciprocated!

"Alright, in exchange, you don't need to use honorifics anymore. You can call me A-Qin or A-Yu, it's fine." Qin Duanyu took her hand and walked towards the botanical garden located on Second Avenue.

"Ah Qin... never mind, I'll just call you Doctor, it's more natural that way," Melanie said with a smile. The form of address didn't really matter; maybe tonight she could start calling him Darling or Honey.

"No problem. You must have just finished your morning exercise and haven't had breakfast yet, right? Would I have the honor of sharing breakfast with such a beautiful lady?" Qin Duanyu nodded and bowed, extending her hand.

Taking advantage of the moment he looked down, he secretly activated his God's-eye view and checked that Lappland and Blue Poison were still fast asleep in the room. Things were developing in the direction of the plan, and he was finally relieved.

The breakfast stall from Yan that I went to with Kal'tsit last time is definitely out of the question. Old Lin, that fellow countryman, would definitely betray me. Fortunately, I had even taken that into account and marked a Victorian-style dim sum restaurant in advance.

"Doctor, it's been so long since I've had such an authentic Victorian breakfast. Why are you only eating so little? Is it not to your liking?" Melantha asked with some doubt as she took a small bite of the buttered fried bread.

"As the saying goes, beauty is food for the eyes. Being with you, I don't mind not eating anything." Qin Duanyu was slightly taken aback at first, then said in a teasing tone, making the girl blush to the roots of her neck.

Seeing that he had successfully diverted Mei Jiansheng's attention, he appeared calm on the surface, but in reality, he breathed a sigh of relief.

What a joke! There are still two breakfasts to eat. If I were to finish this lavish breakfast, I'd probably die of overeating before I even had a chance to be torn to pieces.

After a safe and uneventful breakfast, the two arrived at the botanical garden at seven o'clock.

"I'm sorry, both of you, the botanical garden's facilities have been damaged and it's temporarily closed to the public..." Before the staff member could finish speaking, Qin Duanyu pulled out Herman's pass.

The latter immediately understood, knowing that the two people in front of him were the mayor's distinguished guests, and respectfully led them to the flower garden.

"Oh, Doctor, these flowers... white tulips! Peonies!" Melantha had originally planned to focus on winning over the Doctor and make aromatherapy products as a secondary goal, but the variety of flowers in Siesta's botanical garden far exceeded her expectations.

"This young lady has a good eye. The botanical garden spends a lot of money every year to maintain the growing environment of these precious flowers." The staff member said with a proud look, and then said tactfully, "Since there are discerning people here, I won't bother you any longer."

Although Herman wouldn't say anything if these precious flowers were actually picked, Rose Sword Saint was clearly not the kind of person to waste resources. After enthusiastically introducing the flowers, she pulled Qin Duanyu, who was completely bewildered by what she had just heard, to the picking area.

"Oh, Doctor, don't pick the roots and stems together! I only need the petals." Just as Qin Duanyu was helping to collect the flowers, Melantha's feigned helplessness came from behind her. "I never expected that someone as good at commanding battles would be so clumsy at such a simple task. Let me teach you."

The kind that teaches you step by step.

The two were practically embracing, but Mei Jiansheng was the one standing on the outer circle. She tried to calm her breathing, and with trembling hands, she held Qin Duanyu's arm, carefully instructing him on how to prune without damaging the plant.

"Did you learn it, Bo..." Melansha finally finished her gardening lesson after using almost all her strength. She breathed a sigh of relief and turned to ask Qin Duanyu, but "forgot" that the two of them were standing very close at the moment.

Tweet!

A burning sensation came from my cheek.

"Doctor, you're so mean! You're taking advantage of me!" Melantha complained first, then ran away playfully, "Ugh, I'm not talking to you anymore!"

Qin Duanyu didn't expose the girl and continued working with her head down.

From God's perspective, he could see the girl crouching behind the flowers, her large black tail swaying back and forth, looking like a lion poised to pounce, or a cat secretly observing with piqued curiosity.

Melantha moved with the lightest of steps toward Qin Duanyu. Whenever he turned around in feigned confusion, Melantha would hide again, playing the role of a statue.

Seeing the girl's unusually lively demeanor, Qin Duanyu also felt playful and cooperated fully in the performance.

Finally, after getting close to Qin Duanyu and letting out a low growl, which successfully startled him, Melansha revealed a happy smile. This also showed that she had let down her guard in front of Qin Duanyu and was willing to let him see her in her entirety.

"Doctor, as a reward for your hard work, this is for you!" Melantha looked at the almost full flower basket, took out a bracelet woven from blue baby's breath, and put it on Qin Duanyu's wrist without saying a word.

P.S.: The meaning of blue baby's breath is that I truly like you.

Section 158, Chapter 47: Time Management Masters and the Longest Day (2)

Around eight o'clock in the morning, after collecting enough petals, Qin Duanyu coaxed and tricked Melansha into the botanical garden's laboratory, where various advanced purification and distillation equipment far surpassed those in Melansha's own room.

In addition, freshly picked petals are much more effective than dried petals purchased online and shipped, and the variety is also much richer. Melanie quickly got an idea and threw herself into the work of developing incense like a mad scientist.

Qin Duanyu repeatedly instructed the staff not to disturb Melansha before hurriedly leaving.

A few hundred meters away from the botanical garden is an open-air stage. Although there aren't many people there yet, it's one of the sub-venues of the Obsidian Festival, where many big-name singers will be performing later.

According to Bo's plan, he will meet with Lappland nearby.

8:30, perfect!

Qin Duanyu glanced down at her watch, perfectly timing everything; so far, progress had been very smooth.

"Doctor, over here." A weak voice came from behind. Although Lappland had a smile on her face, her eyes showed a hint of fatigue.

"Why are you so listless? Have you been too tired lately?" Qin Duanyu pinched Lappland's ears with concern. Even they were drooping, which meant the dog was indeed not in good spirits.

"That strange feeling from a few days ago has returned, and it only got a little better yesterday, but it won't affect today's date." Lappland nodded reluctantly, then leaned against Qin Duanyu.

Her fluid movements made one wonder if she was faking it or if she was genuinely tired.

"It's alright, I booked the observation deck at a nearby restaurant. You can rest for a while after breakfast. I specifically asked, and they offer Syracuse specialties." Qin Duanyu said with a smile, smelling the faint aroma.

"I feel like the Doctor is being unusually attentive today, which is different from usual. Could it be that he went to Texas behind my back?" Lappland looked up at him and couldn't help but tease him.

Based on her understanding of Qin Duanyu, this guy only showed his calculating side when commanding battles or when interests were involved. In his daily life, he was very casual and basically did whatever he wanted. When he was working at Rhodes Island, he even carried a die with him to decide what to have for lunch.

However, this also shows how much the doctor valued today's date, and the girl was secretly pleased.

"How could that be? I've been lying in bed all this time. How could I have had a chance to see her?" Qin Duanyu secretly rejoiced that the hood had covered her forehead, preventing her from seeing that she was sweating profusely.

The two arrived at a restaurant called Trattoria Aldini and, guided by a Rupo waiter, went straight to the third floor to a private room facing the open-air stage.

A Syracuse-style breakfast is much simpler than a Victorian breakfast with its many dishes; it consists of just two cups of coffee and a seafood pizza.

After Lappland finished his coffee and regained some of his energy, the final adjustments were being made on the stage. The sounds of singers testing their voices could be faintly heard, and the crowd became noticeably restless, with cheers rising and falling.

Although the atmosphere in the private room was less lively, it was clearly a more suitable environment for the two of them. They moved chairs to the window and sat quietly, waiting for the performance to begin.

As the melodious, operatic prelude began, a slightly overweight middle-aged singer wearing sunglasses walked onto the stage, completely igniting the fans, who erupted in a deafening roar of cheers.

"...Merciful Father, I have fallen into a kingdom where I cannot see sin, please forgive my arrogance..." Halfway through the song, he seemed to have forgotten the lyrics and handed the microphone towards the fans.

"...No one to talk to, no one to tell, it's so hard to bear, behind the glory lies a loneliness." Lappland hummed softly, a complex expression in her eyes, probably thinking of her days in Syracuse.

Qin Duanyu sighed. The two dogs seemed unwilling to talk about that past. Even though they had become so close, whenever he brought up similar questions, they would tacitly deflect the topic from each other.

"No matter what happened in the past, at least now and in the future, I will be with you." Qin Duanyu held her hand and said with some worry.

"My fusion rate has reached 13%, so it wouldn't be surprising if I suddenly died at any time. Aren't you worried that your previous investment will go down the drain?" Lappland asked with a half-smile, toying with the cross on her chest with her free hand.

More insane than anyone else, yet more rational than anyone else, Lappland was such a contradictory individual.

She could deeply sense that Qin Duanyu possessed something similar to her; beneath that seemingly silly exterior lay an indescribable and terrifying monster, just as Qin Duanyu concealed the madness within her bones through her gentle and refined demeanor.

Therefore, Lappland treated him with an equal and somewhat intimate attitude. However, after spending a long time together, what was thought to be merely mutual exploitation turned into a situation where she seemed to be unable to live without Qin Duanyu, like... a tamed wolf.

Lappland had considered leaving, but whenever those warm hands stroked her head, whenever the voice of that guy giving orders echoed deep in her heart, those thoughts would vanish.

Although she readily showed her affection for Qin Duanyu and enjoyed the thrill of scheming against Texas, her inner rationality always told her one thing: Infected people have no future.

This seemingly casual tone revealed her biggest concern.

“You signed a contract of servitude with me, so you can forget about escaping for the rest of your life. Don’t even mention it’s just Oripathy; even if a professional team dares to come looking for you, I’ll tear them apart.” Qin Duanyu gripped her hand tightly, looking directly into those silver eyes as he spoke earnestly.

"Heh, that's quite a confident statement, but not unpleasant." Lappland smiled faintly and rested her head on his shoulder. "Let's listen to the music. I've been looking forward to Mr. Jay's performance for a long time."

That being said, as Qin Duanyu was immersed in the music, he felt Lappland's warm breath on his neck. He turned his head in confusion and found that the dog had been fast asleep for a long time.

Suddenly, he lost interest in listening to the music and instead rested his head on Lappland's head, enjoying the warm feeling of them snuggling together.

The sleeping Lappland was unexpectedly adorable, as if she could let down her guard when she was with Qin Duanyu.

She kissed me when I wasn't looking last time, so it's not too much for me to kiss her back this time, right? Looking at Lappland leaning on her shoulder, Qin Duanyu had some bold ideas.

Trying to maintain a sitting posture so as not to wake the other person, I gently touched my lips to his smooth forehead, carefully leaving my mark.

At this moment, Lappland suddenly shifted uncomfortably and slumped into a chair in a relaxed, sprawling position. Qin Duanyu seemed startled by this and ran out in a flash.

"Fool!" Lappland muttered under her breath, a slight smile playing on her lips.

Looks like you had a good dream.

Section 159, Chapter 48: Time Management Masters and the Longest Day (3)

Qin Duanyu hurriedly went to the front desk, left a note saying "I'm going out for a walk," and asked the waiter to give it to her after Lappland woke up. Then she rushed to the beach at the other end of the restaurant.

Besides the embarrassment of being caught red-handed stealing a kiss, there is another important reason.

It's 10:30 now.

Blue Poison's side is already late!

Although it only delayed her by a few minutes, the feeling of the plan slipping out of her control made Qin Duanyu feel a strange sense of crisis. Fortunately, Bo had a plan in mind and had prepared bicycles at the date location in advance.

The only mode of transportation Qin Duanyu knows how to use.

After pedaling hard for a while, relying on the system's God-like navigation, he successfully reached Sunbathing Beach No. 3, a kilometer away, in just two minutes.

Unlike the first two large beaches that can accommodate tens of thousands of people, Beach No. 3 is much smaller, only accommodating a few hundred people at a time. However, the sand here is finer, and the scenery is far better than the other two, making it perfect for couples.

He parked his bicycle and looked at the girl with pink hair and blue clothes sitting quietly on a bench not far away. She looked a little unwell, but she didn't look around anxiously because she had been waiting for a long time. He couldn't help but sigh that Bo's plan was flawless.

"Sorry, Blue Poison, I slept in a little too late this morning," Qin Duanyu said with an awkward smile, feigning apology to Blue Poison.

The girl was still wearing the blue beach outfit she had bought that day, with a sports bag with the Rhode Island logo next to her. When she saw Qin Duanyu, her bright blue eyes lit up slightly, and her previously tense face broke into a radiant smile.

"Doctor, there's no need to apologize. I've only been here a short time. But I just asked around, and it seems this beach isn't open to the public. Apparently, it's been booked by someone from the city government..." Lan Du said with some regret. But as long as Qin Duanyu was with her, she wouldn't mind sitting on the bench all day.

"That's right, I've got this place all to myself today. No more tough guys building sandcastles, no more naughty kids causing trouble, so you can swim and play in peace!" Qin Duanyu pointed to the empty beach and said loudly.

"Doctor... thank you, but wouldn't it be a bit inappropriate if it's just the two of us?" The slight unhappiness from the wait had long since vanished with Qin Duanyu's arrival; instead, the happiness had come too suddenly, and she was a little unaccustomed to it.

No wonder the Doctor emphasized bringing a swimsuit in his email; it turns out he even used his connections with Siesta for me. Thinking of this, Blue Poison couldn't help but hug Qin Duanyu's arm tighter.

“What’s wrong with that? I noticed you really wanted to go swimming before, and as my lovely operative, of course I have to help you fulfill that wish.” Qin Duanyu said as she walked to the entrance of the bathhouse and took out her pass.

"Sir, are you sure you haven't made a mistake? This is a visitor's permit for the botanical garden." The staff member at the gate carefully checked the document Qin Duanyu handed over and asked with some doubt.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, it's this." Qin Duanyu was startled and quickly took out another permit from her pocket, thus avoiding the frustrating situation of being turned away. However, this also alerted Blue Poison.

"Botanical Garden?" She had let go of Qin Duanyu's hand at some point, and frowned as she stared intently at him.

"It's the perfumer and Miss Myrrh. They wanted to visit the Siesta Botanical Garden, but it's temporarily closed to the public due to the earthquake, so I had this pass made for them," Qin Duanyu said calmly, wiping the cold sweat from her forehead.

"I see. Then let's go inside first." Blue Poison nodded, seemingly finding his words reasonable. "By the way, you haven't had breakfast yet, have you? I brought some homemade cakes."

She took a box out of her handbag, revealing a horrible cake inside that could cause mental pollution.