Chapter 38

The car entered the main road, where the morning rush hour traffic was already converging. Shi Ye leaned against the car window, her mind still replaying the distorted image and the flickering elevator lights at her front door. The excuse of low blood sugar wouldn't fool Qi Jin, but since he didn't press the matter, she felt relieved, yet also strangely uneasy.

She stole a glance at Qi Jin in the driver's seat. Qi Jin was focused on the road ahead, his profile appearing somewhat hard in the morning light, but the weariness in his eyes softened that sharpness. Her fingers gripping the steering wheel were long and strong, her knuckles slightly white, as if she was using some force.

"bite--"

A very clear and incredibly familiar electronic notification sound exploded in Shi Ye's mind without warning!

It wasn't the crackling noise from previous system malfunctions, nor the eerie din of a collapsing world. This sound was crisp, steady, and full of presence, like the notification tone of a cell phone receiving an important message, resounding directly deep within her consciousness.

Shi Ye's body stiffened abruptly, and he almost jumped up from his seat.

[System restarting...]

[Core protocol self-test...passed.]

[Emotional simulation module calibration...complete.]

Error log analysis... Some data is missing, but core task data is intact.

[Host binding status: Stable.]

[Current main quest: Correct the plot, bring together key characters Qi Jin and Lin Xiaoyu, and achieve a happy ending.]

[Remaining time for the mission: 23 days.]

[Task Progress: Qi Jin's affection for Lin Xiaoyu is 51/100; Lin Xiaoyu's affection for Qi Jin is 50/100. No change.]

[Recent abnormal events have been detected, and system stability has been improved with enhanced anti-interference capabilities. New accessibility feature: Optimized task prompts.]

To encourage hosts to actively complete tasks, a new reward mechanism has been added: points are awarded for each stage of task progress, which can be used to redeem 'Emotional Experience Fragments' (trial version) or real-world currency.

A series of cold, smooth, and emotionless electronic sounds swept through her mind like a machine gun.

Shi Ye: "..."

It took her a full five seconds to process all that information.

The system... is alive?

Not only did it survive, it was even "enhanced"? Improved anti-interference capabilities? Does that mean that the static and garbled text from future world crashes won't affect it as much?

Is this a good thing?!

And what the heck is this "fragment of emotional experience"?! A trial version?! What do they take it for? A beta tester?!

What made her want to vomit blood was that the mission hadn't changed! It was still to matchmake Qi Jin and Lin Xiaoyu! Her favorability rating hadn't increased at all! And two days of time had been mercilessly deducted!

"The host seems to be experiencing significant emotional fluctuations." The system's voice returned to its usual calm electronic tone, even sounding "healthier" than before. "It is recommended that you calm down and focus on the mission. According to data analysis, the frequency and intimacy of the host's contact with the mission target Qi Jin have increased recently, but this has not effectively translated into an increase in Qi Jin's affection for Lin Xiaoyu. Please pay attention to the direction of the mission."

Shi Ye roared inwardly, "Mission direction?! Qi Jin's mind is entirely on me! How am I supposed to steer the focus towards Lin Xiaoyu?! Put a spell on her?!"

"The system does not provide support through surreal means." The system answered methodically, "It is recommended that the host start by creating shared experiences, building a romantic atmosphere, and arousing protective instincts. Based on Lin Xiaoyu's personality analysis, she is more interested in design, art, and warm daily topics. Qi Jin, on the other hand, is more likely to resonate with topics related to business, logic, and efficiency. The host can find common ground between the two."

Shi Ye: "..." Did this system upgrade also load the "Complete Guide to Romance" database?

"In addition," the system added, "unstable fluctuations have been detected in the world's underlying data, but the system's current stability is sufficient to shield against most interference. Please do not worry excessively about the impact of the 'Honkai' and focus on the core mission."

No need to worry too much? Shi Ye recalled the unusual behavior at his doorstep and in the elevator earlier, and sneered inwardly. Easier said than done.

"Was the unusual thing that happened at my doorstep just now also an 'unstable fluctuation'?" she asked.

"Data scanning in progress... Minor spatial data disturbance detected and recorded. No substantial threat to the host," the system replied. "The system will continue to monitor and will issue an early warning if any danger is detected."

It sounded plausible, but Shi Ye didn't believe a word of it. This damn system had previously claimed it was about to overload and explode, but now it's back, bouncing around and issuing tasks.

“That ‘helper’…and ‘wrong’, what’s going on?” She recalled the words on the computer screen.

"Due to a malfunction, some relevant data records are missing, and complete information cannot be provided," the system said. "'Helper' may be related to the system's own repair mechanism or external intervention. 'Error' is unclear. It is recommended that the host prioritize completing the main quest; stabilizing the world line is the foundation for resolving all anomalies."

We've come full circle back to the mission.

Shi Ye closed his eyes in despair.

"Timely Visit".

Qi Jin's voice pulled her back to reality. She opened her eyes and found that the car had stopped on a quiet street corner sometime during the night. It wasn't near her home, nor was it near Qi Jin's company.

"Where is this?" she asked.

"Near Dr. Chen's clinic." Qi Jin unbuckled his seatbelt. "Your follow-up appointment is due."

Shi Ye was taken aback and glanced at the date on her phone. It was indeed the scheduled follow-up appointment date, which she had completely forgotten. Qi Jin, on the other hand, remembered.

“I’ll go in with you,” Qi Jin said, his tone as natural as if he were saying, “The weather is nice today.”

“No need!” Shi Ye immediately refused. “I can go by myself.”

Qi Jin turned to look at her, his eyes calm: "You're not feeling well."

"I'm fine..."

"Shi Ye," Qi Jin interrupted her, "I didn't sleep well last night, and I almost fainted just now. Let the doctor take a look."

It wasn't a discussion, it was a statement.

Shi Ye looked into her unwavering gaze and knew that arguing was pointless. "...Alright."

The two got out of the car and walked towards the rather professional-looking private psychological clinic building. Along the way, the electronic voice in Shi Ye's mind continued tirelessly "optimizing" the task prompts:

[It is recommended that the host use the waiting time for the follow-up appointment to discuss the future development of Lin Xiaoyu's design exhibition or the national competition with Qi Jin, guiding Qi Jin to pay attention to Lin Xiaoyu's talent and hard work, and increasing his favorability towards her.]

Shi Ye: "..." I'm going to see a psychologist, not to be a matchmaker!

[Task Hint: A natural introduction is key. You could start by expressing concern about Lin Xiaoyu's competition pressure.]

Shut up! Shi Ye roared inwardly.

The system went silent.

Upon entering the clinic, the receptionist recognized Qi Jin and greeted her with a smile: "Ms. Qi, Ms. Shi, Dr. Chen is already waiting."

They were led to Dr. Chen's office. Dr. Chen was a gentle-looking female doctor in her forties. When she saw Shi Ye, she gave a warm, professional smile: "Shi Ye, how have you been feeling lately?" Her gaze inadvertently swept over Shi Ye's dark circles, which were the same as Qi Jin's, and the small bandage on Qi Jin's forehead, but she didn't ask any further questions.

Shi Ye sat down on the comfortable sofa, while Qi Jin sat in the armchair diagonally opposite her, showing no intention of leaving.

Dr. Chen glanced at Qi Jin, then at Shi Ye, and smiled, "Miss Qi, are you coming along today too?"

“She’s with me,” Shi Ye said first.

Dr. Chen nodded, opened the medical record, and began his routine questioning. He inquired about sleep, appetite, mood swings, medication reactions…

Shi Ye answered each question objectively. She mentioned that the medication seemed to help stabilize her emotions, but occasionally she would experience sudden fatigue and...something "unreal" feelings. She didn't mention the system, the collapse, or the harrowing events of the previous night.

Dr. Chen took careful notes, occasionally asking about a few details. Qi Jin listened quietly without interrupting, his gaze always fixed on Shi Ye, with a focused observation.

“It sounds like the medication is working, but we also need to pay attention to the side effects,” Dr. Chen said gently. “The ‘unreal feeling’ you mentioned may be related to the dissociative tendencies in a depressive state, or it may be an effect of the medication. We can try adjusting the dosage next week. Also…” She paused, “Shi Ye, have any particularly stressful events happened in your life recently? Or… any changes that have made you feel strongly uneasy?”

Shi Ye's heart tightened. A stress event? Did the near-collapse of the world and the forced connection count?

“…some,” she said vaguely, “but not…in the traditional sense.”

Dr. Chen seemed thoughtful: "For example? If possible, could you describe that feeling of 'unreality' or 'unease' in more detail? What triggered it?"

Shi Ye opened his mouth, but didn't know where to begin. Should he say, "I feel like the world is a novel, and the system in my brain has just upgraded and is forcing me to matchmake my fiancée with my junior"?

She subconsciously looked at Qi Jin.

Qi Jin caught her gaze and calmly said, "Dr. Chen, she recently experienced some... accidents. It involved personal safety and may have caused some post-traumatic stress."

Dr. Chen's expression turned serious: "What exactly is it?"

"Brakes failed, attempted accident, rear-ended," Qi Jin stated succinctly. "The police are investigating."

Dr. Chen looked at Shi Ye, his eyes filled with understanding and concern: "I see. This is indeed a very serious stressful event. Shi Ye, would you like to talk in detail about how you felt at the time, and your reactions afterwards? Including nightmares, flashbacks, hypervigilance, and so on."

Shi Ye breathed a sigh of relief. Qi Jin had given her a reasonable, worldly framework for explanation. Within this framework, she could describe some of the real fear and chaos without having to touch upon the supernatural absurdity.

She began to recount her experience from the previous night, omitting the electrical malfunctions and pixelated images, focusing only on the harrowing nature of the car accident itself and the lingering fear. Dr. Chen listened patiently and offered guidance as needed.

Qi Jin remained seated quietly, but when Ye described the panic she felt when she hid in the alley, her clasped hands tightened slightly.

The consultation lasted approximately forty minutes. At the end, Dr. Chen adjusted the prescription, advised Shi Ye to rest more over the next week, avoid stimulation as much as possible, and scheduled a follow-up appointment for one week later.

Stepping out of the consultation room, Shi Ye felt as if she had just fought a battle, somewhat exhausted. But the heavy, chaotic feeling in her mind seemed to have eased a little because of this "legal" outpouring of emotions.

"Thank you," she said to Qi Jin.

"No need." Qi Jin walked towards the elevator. "I'll go get the medicine and then take you back to rest."

The elevator descended. In the cramped space, the system's persistent voice echoed again:

[Task Hint: With the follow-up appointment over and Qi Jin's emotions stable, it's a good time to guide the conversation. It's suggested to start by expressing concern for Lin Xiaoyu's pressure during the competition, then mention the business support Qi Jin can offer, creating an image of a 'reliable senior' and increasing Lin Xiaoyu's importance in Qi Jin's eyes.]

Shi Ye looked at Qi Jin's expressionless profile reflected in the metal door of the elevator, and then thought of Lin Xiaoyu's bright, dreamy eyes.

Try to bring them together?

One only has himself in his heart, while the other only has designs and his crush in his heart.

This task is practically defying the laws of physics.

The elevator doors opened.

Shi Ye followed Qi Jin toward the pharmacy, when a sudden thought of giving up all hope popped into her head.

Okay.

Didn't you upgrade the system? Isn't there a reward system?

I'll play along with you.

Let's see if you can successfully bring them together first, or if I'll be driven crazy by this broken world or Qi Jin's deep affection.

“Qi Jin,” she suddenly spoke.

Qi Jin stopped and turned to look at her.

Shi Ye looked into her eyes, forcing a natural, even slightly sickly and dependent smile (heaven knows how long she had practiced): "You'll fully support Xiaoyu's competition, right?"

Qi Jin raised an eyebrow slightly, seemingly surprised that she suddenly brought this up. "Hmm."

“She seems very nervous and under a lot of pressure,” Shi Ye continued, trying to sound worried. “Professor Wang has high expectations for her, and she herself really wants to prove herself. If you could encourage her more and help her think of some business ideas, she would definitely be very grateful.”

Perfect! It expresses concern, implies that Qi Jin can help, and highlights Lin Xiaoyu's "need to be encouraged" and "talent is worth investing in"!

System, give me points!

Qi Jin looked at her quietly, his eyes as deep as an ancient well, revealing no emotion.

A few seconds later, she slowly spoke, her voice calm and even:

"Timely Visit".

"Um?"

Are you trying to set me up with Xiaoyu?

Shi Ye's smile froze instantly.

The cold wind blowing from the elevator shaft seemed to penetrate her spine all at once.