Lin Fan pointed towards the mountains that lay like colossal beasts, sprawled across the land in the distance. "Is that Luofeng Mountain over there? Can you see it clearly?"
"It looks like a huge mountain!" Wang Ying exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "It would be wonderful to explore it during the day."
"Sure, I'll go with you then," Lin Fan replied, thinking to himself, "As long as we don't go to the quarry, there shouldn't be any major problems."
Wang Ying pondered for a moment. "That won't do. You have to see the villagers during the day. So many patients are counting on you." She added, "Besides, I've already been to Mount Tai and Mount Hua for sightseeing. Whether I climb Luofeng Mountain or not doesn't really matter to me."
Lin Fan pinched her cheek affectionately. "You're so sensible!"
Wang Ying felt a little unaccustomed to the gesture. "Don't pinch my cheek! I'm not a child anymore."
"Oh really?" Lin Fan grinned mischievously and scooped her up into his arms. "You're so petite, how are you not a child?"
"You scoundrel, put me down!" Wang Ying felt her dignity as an older sister was severely offended.
Lin Fan paid no heed, chuckling as he spun her around in circles.
"Don't do that! Stop spinning, be careful!" Wang Ying almost cried out in alarm.
After much playful teasing, Lin Fan finally set her down. In the soft moonlight, Wang Ying's beautiful eyes shimmered with a tender glow. She hadn't felt this happy even during her first love.
Lin Fan gently put his arm around her slender waist. "Shall we go back?"
"Mhm," Wang Ying nodded obediently, then softly pressed her hand against his. "I feel like I've returned to my teenage years!" The warmth radiating from his body filled her heart with love.
Back at the clinic, Wang Ying dashed into the inner room and buried her upper body under the blanket. As winter approached, the temperature difference between morning and evening grew. Her outfit, a strapless top and bare legs, offered little warmth. Fortunately, Lin Fan, with foresight, had turned on the electric blanket before they left. Wang Ying felt an immediate wave of warmth.
"Sister Wang Ying, I haven't done anything yet, why are you burrowing into my covers?"
"Who's burrowing into your covers?" Wang Ying sat up, huffing indignantly. "Your covers smell musty, I wouldn't want them!"
Lin Fan chuckled, his eyes gleaming like a wolf spotting a lamb as he advanced. "Is that so?"
"What are you doing?" Wang Ying lowered her head, blushing, feigning ignorance.
"Sister Wang Ying, I miss you so much!" Lin Fan's voice was filled with emotion as he leaned down, seeking her lips.
"Xiao Fan~" Wang Ying couldn't resist and tilted her head up.
A passionate, lingering kiss ensued.
A long while later, Wang Ying, her cheeks flushed, nestled in Lin Fan's arms. "I'll go get my pajamas from the car," she murmured softly.
"Pajamas? Why bother?" Lin Fan held her tight, reluctant to let go. "Do you even need clothes?"
"You're terrible!" Wang Ying playfully hit his back with her small fist. "This is a clinic, not your home. What if someone comes in the morning?"
"Don't worry, we'll just tell them the truth," Lin Fan said, his hands growing bolder.
"Behave!" Wang Ying shot him a glance before gracefully descending the stairs.
Lin Fan chuckled, "She still said she wanted to go home? She even prepared pajamas. Tsk, tsk, you say one thing and mean another!" Lost in thought, Lin Fan wandered into the living room.
Soon, Wang Ying returned with a light-colored nightgown. Seeing Lin Fan's expectant gaze, she frowned. "Xiao Fan, what are you aimlessly wandering around for?"
Lin Fan walked up to her, his intentions clear. "I'm craving you!"
Wang Ying rolled her eyes. "You're such a sight!"
"My dear sister~" Lin Fan eagerly embraced Wang Ying.
"Ah!" Wang Ying yelped. "Don't be so rough!" She gently patted Lin Fan's back as she yielded, lying down on the sofa.
...
Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Yunqing City, in a luxurious villa, Zhou Yi hurled a wad of cash at a man's face. "Did you not eat? Get lost!" The man, around thirty, was muscular but appeared weak and had irregular features with pale skin, suggesting he was a kept man. He picked up the money without a word and slunk away.
Next, Xiao Zheng, Zhou Yi's secretary, hurried in. Zhou Yi sat on the sofa, took a sip of water, and then looked up at Xiao Zheng. "Xiao Zheng, how's the investigation going?"
Xiao Zheng sighed. "Boss, there's very little information we can find about Lin Fan."
"Lin Fan grew up in Luofeng Village. Since his parents died early, he's been living with his elder brother and sister-in-law."
"His brother might also be dead. His brother left to work six years ago and hasn't been heard from since."
"So..." Zhou Yi interrupted with a scoff. "He's been living with his sister-in-law all along, hasn't he?"
Xiao Zheng nodded. "Yes, boss. However, his sister-in-law is a traditional woman. Although the villagers in Luofeng Village whisper about them, I believe they've maintained a proper brother-sister-in-law relationship and haven't overstepped boundaries."
Zhou Yi pondered for a moment. "What about his ancestors? Did you find anything?"
Xiao Zheng smiled wryly and shook his head. "Boss, his ancestors for three generations were farmers. There were no barefoot doctors among them."
"I suspected as much," Zhou Yi waved her hand. "That's not important. What's important is how he acquired his abilities."
Xiao Zheng chuckled helplessly. "Boss, this is where it gets miraculous."
"Lin Fan was just a poor village boy, utterly useless, he couldn't even afford decent clothes. But a year ago, he fell off a cliff in Fengyu Canyon and was unconscious for an entire year."
"Miraculously, he not only survived but was also washed back to Luofeng Village by the river. You know, Fengyu Canyon is sixty kilometers away from Luofeng Village!"
"Even more miraculously, his sister-in-law couldn't afford to send him to a hospital. He remained unconscious, without food or drink, for a full year, and yet he's alive!"
"Even hibernating animals would die after such a long period. It's truly astounding that he survived."
Xiao Zheng took a deep breath and suddenly asked, "Boss, I read a mythological story in some unofficial history. Would you be interested in hearing it?"
Zhou Yi blinked. "What mythological story? Does it have anything to do with Lin Fan?"
"Perhaps it does, I can't be sure."
"Then tell me."
Xiao Zheng nodded and continued mysteriously. "Legend has it that in ancient times, humans had just evolved into their current form. The Earth was inhabited by gods, spirits, demons, and monsters coexisting."
"The demons frequently waged wars, attempting to rule the entire Earth. They sought to exterminate the gods and spirits, and enslave all of humanity. Thus, they launched a massive war, known as the Cataclysm of the End Times!"
"However, the strongest forces are often defeated by the united efforts of the weaker ones. This Cataclysm of the End Times was no different."
"The demons were defeated by the combined forces of gods, spirits, and humans."
"This war took place in the northernmost part of Tianjiang Province, around the Fengyu Canyon area."
Xiao Zheng paused, then whispered conspiratorially, "So, I wonder if Lin Fan obtained some ancient artifact in Fengyu Canyon?"
"That's a bit far-fetched, isn't it?" Zhou Yi took a deep breath. "Continue investigating along this line. I'll try to get some information from Professor Li tomorrow."
"Understood, boss."