Rhodes Island does not exist.

This is probably the guest the doctor mentioned this morning.

"The door is open, please come in." Realizing it was time to get into work mode, the doctor immediately placed his suitcase on the table and said to the other side of the door.

"squeak--"

The hinges made a hoarse, hissing sound.

In this mountain village, rust is a common sight in the old houses, with various parts corroded.

"Hello... hello..."

A small head with pigtails timidly peeked into the room and glanced at the professor with evasive eyes.

"Alright, Violetta, hurry up and go inside. Stop dawdling here." Then, a man's voice came from behind the little girl.

So the little girl in the pink dress with flaxen hair was half-pushed and half-sent into the room by a man who looked like her father.

Without a doubt, both of them are Kuranta.

"Hello, doctor. I'm Simon Nowitzki, who made an appointment last week. This is my daughter, Violetta." The man, holding the little girl's hand, approached the doctor and introduced her with a slightly nervous expression.

It seems the daughter's personality is probably inherited from her father.

"It's alright, don't be nervous, I know everything." The doctor reassured her with words, then patted the old and oddly shaped chair next to him, "Let your daughter sit in the operating chair first, I need to give her a physical examination."

“Ah, yes, yes.” Simon nodded repeatedly, then patted his daughter on the back. “Go, Violetta, let the doctor examine you.”

Although timid, the little girl was well-behaved. Encouraged by her father, she quietly underwent all the doctor's medical examinations.

During this time, Skadi stood aside and watched the entire process unfold.

Of course, she didn't just watch.

In some projects, the doctor also had her serve as a temporary assistant, providing some help with the medical examinations. This is why the medical examinations were completed much faster than usual.

"Please wait a moment... I am calculating the result."

A pale green light flickered in the doctor's pupils as he gently placed his hands on his open suitcase, while the father and daughter beside him looked uneasy.

“…” Skadi hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but then stopped herself.

"All right."

The glint in the doctor's eyes faded, and he looked away from the suitcase, returning his gaze to his patient.

"Doctor, my daughter's illness...?" Simon's voice was a mixture of tension and unease.

"The outlines of the internal organs are blurred, abnormal shadows are visible, the Originium particles in the circulatory system are abnormal, and there are a small amount of crystals on the body surface... This is an early infection of Oripathy. Your choice was correct; you brought her here before the condition began to deteriorate."

As the doctor spoke, he took off his gloves.

"Then, can it be cured?" Simon asked the question that concerned him the most.

"There is no cure for Oripathy, and I must tell you that first." The doctor shook his head. "There is no medicine in the world that can completely cure Oripathy."

“Ah…? Then we…” Simon’s voice suddenly fell into despair.

“But just because it can’t be treated doesn’t mean it can’t be controlled.” The doctor patted Simon on the shoulder. “Your daughter is currently in the early stages of Oripathy, so as long as it can be controlled in the early stages, your daughter can live a normal life.”

"Is that so...? Thank you, doctor." Simon's voice trembled.

"I'll give you some medicine in a bit. Take it home and use it on your daughter according to my instructions. Come back to me when you've finished it. Also, your daughter is now infected, so it's best not to let her go out to avoid being seen by others, which could be detrimental to your life."

The doctor refocused his attention on the suitcase and began preparing the medication, while giving instructions.

"Yes, yes, thank you doctor... thank you doctor!" Simon was already moved to tears.

He probably came with some doubt and little hope when he brought his daughter.

-

"call."

After seeing the father and daughter off, the doctor sat quietly on the dilapidated sofa.

"During the physical examination just now, you asked me to help you with some things." Skadi, who had been hesitant to speak earlier, was finally able to say something now.

"Yes, thank you," the doctor smiled at her.

"I want to ask, since you only see patients alone on a daily basis, who helps you with those tasks?"

Thinking about the previous physical examination, Skadi asked.

“Nobody.” The doctor shook his head. “I can usually do everything by myself.”

“Maybe, but it hasn’t always been like that,” Skadi sighed.

"Skadi...?" The Doctor asked, noticing the underlying meaning in Skadi's tone.

“You can’t do everything yourself,” Skadi said, looking at the Doctor. “Especially your dream of building an institution. There will always be someone to assist you and help you with things you’re not good at.”

"Hmm... I think so too." The doctor nodded silently.

“Then you should get used to letting others help you, instead of always giving to others.” Skadi gradually approached him, her gaze landing on the Doctor’s face.

“I will,” the doctor nodded.

“Then why won’t you even rely on me?” Skadi retorted. “Don’t always think you can do everything by yourself.”

The doctor was speechless for a moment.

"Doctor, I hope you can rely on me more."

Skadi leaned down and met the Doctor's eyes.

"When you need help, just call my name... No matter how far apart we go in the future, as long as you call my name, I will definitely appear."

-

Thank you segment.

Chapter 302 Side Story: An Untimely Valentine's Day (Part 2)

Sunset.

Doctoral students often have flexible working hours, but no matter how flexible they are, the rule of leaving get off work on time will not change.

After all, his job is by appointment only, so if he doesn't have an appointment today, he can go home.

However, today is somewhat different from usual.

How much?

After all, he used to go home alone, but today he has a partner.

It's like birds that fly aimlessly now have a nest to rest in.

Although the nest was only a temporary shelter.

"This is my work for today." The doctor carried his suitcase and walked along the road through the town.

"Is this today's work, or is this how it is every day?" Skadi asked the Doctor, raising her eyes to look at him.

"If we're talking about the details, it's different every day, but I think it's essentially the same," the doctor replied.

“If we’re talking about details, there won’t be any identical things,” Skadi shook her head. “Even the sea creatures in the ocean have individual differences.”

"Are there differences between those mass-produced organisms?" the doctor laughed.

“Of course.” Skadi’s expression was quite serious. “Perhaps you’ve heard the Minotaur philosopher say something like this: No two leaves on a tree are the same.”

"I've heard of it... haha."

"What are you laughing at?" Skadi asked.

“No, no.” The doctor waved his hand. “I know the person who said that before.”

“Ha…” Skadi sighed upon hearing this. “Although it sounds absurd, it makes sense if it’s you.”

“You seem to be used to these kinds of comments about me.” The doctor looked at her.

“What else?” Skadi shrugged. “I guess I’ve lost the ability to react with surprise to your situation.”

"But you don't seem like the type of person who would be surprised," the doctor chuckled.

“It’s not exactly a necessary relationship anyway.” Skadi shook her head, then, as if she had just thought of something, asked, “We’ll be passing through the small market soon. What would you like to eat tonight?”

"Anything is fine, right?" The doctor didn't think much about it and answered instinctively, "Anything you make is fine."

"I'd appreciate any cheesy pickup lines." Skadi responded precisely.

"Just stating the facts," the doctor smiled.

“Really?” Skadi glanced at him and then said, “Then switch your suitcase to your right hand.”

"Hmm?" the doctor asked, puzzled. "Is there any difference between the left and right hands?"

"The difference is quite significant. Just change it when I tell you to." Skadi's tone carried a hint of urging.

"Yes, yes, since you've given the order, I'll change it." Seeing that Skadi probably didn't intend to explain anything, the Doctor obediently transferred the suitcase from his left hand to his right.

As he completed this movement, a slightly cold sensation immediately climbed up his fingertips, enveloped his left hand, and then occupied the gaps between his five fingers.

Smooth, cool, and familiar.

This is Skadi's hand.

"Ah... is it because I was carrying something in my left hand that I couldn't hold hands, so you asked me to switch hands? I really didn't notice that, I'm sorry." The doctor said apologetically with a wry smile.

"I really don't know what that woman Kal'tsit saw in you," Skadi said with her usual cold expression, while keeping her fingers intertwined with the Doctor's. "Although you are very knowledgeable, you seem to have no normal human consciousness at all."

"What, Kal'tsit?" The Doctor seemed somewhat surprised upon hearing Skadi's words.

"Hmm... So you didn't know? Then just pretend I didn't say anything." Skadi's face showed a rare smile. "Don't worry about it. Kal'tsit's name shouldn't be mentioned today. Just forget about her for now."

"Ha..." The Doctor could only respond with a half-understanding to Skadi's statement.

“Now that you’ve already finished get off work, I’ll decide what to do with the rest of the day,” Skadi said, taking the Doctor’s left hand and looking him straight in the eye.

She seemed much more lively than usual.

After all, she never used to smile.

Today, she is as radiant as a flower.

"Sure, I guess I'll be entrusting you with managing my meals and daily life for the next few months?" the doctor said.

“No, no, no.” Skadi shook her head. “I’m talking about the rest of the time, not just eating and sleeping.”

"Hmm... is there any difference between the two?" The doctor didn't quite understand.

“Of course there are.” Skadi smiled slightly. “But you don’t need to know too much right now. Anyway…”

She tiptoed and brought her lips close to the doctor's ear, leaving a soft whisper.

"...Leave it to me."

-

Tonight's dinner was unexpectedly lavish.

Even considering the entire six months spent in the valley, it was incredibly abundant.

It even makes one wonder how Skadi managed to find these rare ingredients in this remote and impoverished area.

However, PhD students would never ask such a question.

He doesn't investigate the process by which things come into being.

"do you know?"

As night fell, Skadi stood by the living room window and pulled the curtains halfway open, letting in just the right amount of moonlight.

“Sometimes, I also think about what our relationship really is.” She leaned against the windowsill, the curve of her waist and abdomen forming an arch bridge on the vertical wall.

"Our relationship...?" The Doctor sat on the sofa, holding a book with unreadable words, his eyes peering out from the pages to meet Skadi's gaze.

“Age-wise, the difference between us is like that between an older man and a high school girl.” Skadi let her silver hair fall down in the moonlight and fiddled with the hair tie between her two fingers, making the elastic make a soft and alluring snap.

"Is this analogy appropriate? It sounds like you're trying to glorify yourself." The professor was unsure how to respond to this question.

"Given the age ratio between the two of us, that's about right, isn't it?" Skadi nodded. "So what kind of story do you think could possibly exist between a middle-aged man in his forties or fifties, constantly busy with his career, and a high school girl in her late teens or early twenties?"

"Realistically speaking, there probably won't be any stories at all," the doctor shook his head.

"Then... what is this relationship between us?" Skadi unfastened the brass clasp of her cloak, left the windowsill, and slowly walked towards the Doctor, her long hair flowing freely in the moonlight.

One step, two steps.