Just An Ordinary Day

The next day, Danzhu still emerged from the bedroom with two panda eyes.

However, she seemed to be in much better spirits than yesterday.

Lin Li had woken up quite early, perhaps because she had gone to bed early. She had already eaten breakfast and was lying on the sofa, playing on her phone.

Elysia sat beside her and waved as she watched the two sisters come out of the room.

"Breakfast is over there. I made it a few minutes ago, it shouldn't be cold yet. Eat up quickly."

"Mhm, thanks, Sister Elysia." Cang Xuan, though still a bit sleepy, managed a smile.

After breakfast, there was still some time before work, so Cang Xuan started talking about the rent.

"Lin Li, Danzhu and I have decided to stay here for a year for now, so..."

"Twenty-four thousand!"

Lin Li immediately turned off her phone and shot up from her seat.

"My bank account number is..."

"..."

Lin Li recited a long string of numbers, but Danzhu and Cang Xuan were still a bit bewildered.

Why was she so excited about paying rent?

"Uh, Lin Li, could you say that again, slower?" Cang Xuan asked, only just opening her phone.

"Oh, right, I'll send you my account number so it's easier for you to copy."

"Okay."

Next came the money transfer.

Lin Li watched her "Assets" increase from over seven thousand to nearly thirty thousand, the upward curve of her lips impossible to suppress.

I can't spend it all... wait, I can't even spend any of it!

Although... it takes a hundred thousand to upgrade one stat to intermediate, this small step is mine...

Huh? Why did another ten thousand get added?

Lin Li's thirty thousand quickly became forty thousand, and she was a bit confused.

At that moment, Elysia spoke up:

"Oh right, Xiao Li, during the meeting yesterday, I told them we'd be giving bonuses to soldiers who dealt with small and medium-scale Honkai outbreaks. It should have arrived by now, right?"

"Mm... yes, it arrived."

Lin Li suddenly understood.

"Mhm, are you happy, Xiao Li?"

"Happy (●ˇ?ˇ●)"

It was obvious without even asking that Lin Li was happy.

"That's good." Elysia stood up, tidied the bowls and chopsticks on the table, and said, "Ah, you all have to go to work again, and I'll be alone again."

"..."

The three of them couldn't respond, not knowing what to say.

"Oh well, I'm just reflecting," Elysia said with a smile. "Alright, hurry up and go, it won't be good if the Doctor gets impatient."

"Okay."

Danzhu and Cang Xuan exchanged a look and left first.

Lin Li was pulled along by Elysia, who then kissed her on the cheek before watching her leave.

The three of them walked to the laboratory together and found that the Doctor hadn't arrived.

It was already almost eight o'clock. Could the Doctor also be sleeping in?

Danzhu found it strange. She knew the Doctor had been working overtime in the lab last night, and judging by her serious expression, she must have worked for a very long time.

"Lin Li, if the Doctor isn't here, can we slack off together?" Danzhu pulled over a chair, sat next to Lin Li, and half-reclined to play on her phone.

"Uh, don't use the word 'together' so casually. If the Doctor finds out, she'll think I told you to slack off," Lin Li said. "Besides, I'm here to do odd jobs in the lab anyway. I'm mostly slacking off most of the time. You're a researcher, unlike me."

The one thing she wanted to see most right now was the Doctor sending her a message saying she was taking the day off, then she could go out and have fun.

But unfortunately, that didn't happen, and it was unlikely to.

"Oh, you can't say that," Danzhu argued. "Look, the Doctor isn't here, which means it's not working hours. Plus, Cang Xuan and I finished what we needed to do last night. Cang Xuan is organizing the lab equipment now, so it's only natural for me to rest for a bit here."

"How can you say 'only natural'? Hurry up and come help me organize!" Cang Xuan, who had been unhappy, exploded upon hearing this and shouted.

"Ah... coming, coming. Honestly, why are you shouting so loud?" Danzhu pouted and walked over reluctantly.

I guess I got too carried away just now and forgot Cang Xuan was here. I didn't even think to lower my voice.

Fortunately, organizing the lab equipment didn't take too long, and Danzhu came back over.

Still in the familiar spot, she sat down, a look of contentment on her face.

"If the Doctor saw you like this... would it really be okay?"

"Okay? What would happen? The Doctor is focused on research and wouldn't care about this, don't worry." Danzhu waved her hand dismissively. "Besides, I'm just taking a short break. When Cang Xuan starts, I'll go over too, I'm not just playing here the whole time."

"...Alright."

After Lin Li finished speaking, she suddenly felt a chill down her spine.

Her peripheral vision subtly glanced at the operating room. She saw a blurry figure slowly standing up, seemingly stretching.

Wow, could that be the Doctor? Did the Doctor sleep in the operating room last night? That would explain why the Doctor wasn't in the lab.

So, did the Doctor hear Danzhu talking so loudly just now?

She had tested it yesterday. Although the operating room had soundproofing, it wasn't very good. The Doctor could hear her even when she was talking to herself inside.

"..."

Lin Li silently mourned for Danzhu in her heart for three seconds.

As expected, a minute later, the operating room door opened silently. Mobius, wearing a white coat, adjusted her glasses and looked at Danzhu, who was lounging with her legs crossed at Lin Li's workstation, a slight smile playing on her lips.

Alright, alright, plotting loudly, huh? Slacking off like this...

Mobius walked behind Danzhu and patted her right shoulder.

Since Lin Li was sitting to Danzhu's left, Danzhu thought it was Lin Li touching her shoulder and said:

"Oh, Lin Li, why are you still so childish even though you're so old? I stopped using this trick in elementary school."

"..."

Lin Li didn't speak, and the hand on her shoulder didn't move.

"Forget it, if you want to put it down, then put it down. Whatever."

Danzhu didn't pay it any mind and continued playing on her phone.

When Cang Xuan inadvertently glanced in Danzhu's direction, she was also stunned by the scene.

It seems my silly sister hasn't realized the seriousness of the situation yet? Perfect timing for a photo.

Lin Li stiffly turned her head and looked up. She saw Mobius's smile growing increasingly dangerous.

The latter lifted a strand of her hair, a light green color, and placed it in front of Danzhu's eyes.

"Huh? Green hair? Lin Li, where did you get the Doctor's hair?"

Danzhu asked curiously, touching the strand of hair.

Then, she finally realized something was wrong.

Wait, why are both of Lin Li's hands on her phone?

Then... where did these two hands come from?

"..."

Gulp.

In an instant, Danzhu felt as if she heard her own heart stop.

At that moment, Mobius also spoke softly, saying:

"Danzhu, is the work I've given you too easy? You like slacking off so much, hmm?"

"!!"

Danzhu turned her head, her eyes meeting Mobius's slightly narrowed, emerald green gaze.

Like a snake, it sent a chill down her entire body.

"Uh... Doc, Doctor..." Danzhu said, her voice trembling slightly.

"Tsk." Mobius lowered her hand and shook her head. "What a coward. You dare to slack off, did you ever consider the consequences?"

"You say I'm always focused on research and wouldn't care about this... If I didn't care, why would you be here?"

"...I'm sorry..." Danzhu lowered her head further.

Lin Li also put away her phone.

Although her job mostly involved slacking off, it was still better not to let the Doctor see it, as it would seem disrespectful...

"No need for apologies, just slack off. If you had the guts to argue with me a bit, I might have appreciated you more." Mobius said, waving her hand. Danzhu immediately scurried back to her workstation.

However, Mobius didn't let Danzhu take the chair away, because after Danzhu left, she sat in it.

"It seems lying in the operating room really isn't that comfortable." Mobius said as if to herself, glancing at Lin Li beside her. "Turn your head, let me see your eyes."

"Mhm."

Lin Li turned her head, looking at Mobius's beautiful face.

There were already faint wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, but they were very hard to notice.

She didn't know whether to say the Doctor took good care of herself or worried too much every day.

"Hmm... wrinkles at the corners of my eyes before thirty, that's normal, right?"

"So beautiful... it wasn't bouncing around on you last night, was it?" the Doctor asked.

"No, it stayed in my eyes the whole time," Lin Li replied after a moment's pause. "Elysia said she really likes this color."

"..." Mobius was silent for a moment. "If she likes it, she likes it. You don't need to tell me; it's not like it's for her to see."

"I'm so envious of you all... Never mind, it's good that you're alright."

Mobius interrupted her own musings and said, "Lean closer."

Lin Li obediently complied.

Then, the Doctor leaned forward slightly, resting against her.

"I didn't sleep well last night. Let me lean on you for a bit."

"Uh... Doctor, sleeping with your head on the desk would be more comfortable..."

"Less nonsense." The Doctor glared at Lin Li, but in Lin Li's eyes, it looked more like... a pout?

"..." The thought of that word made Lin Li's scalp tingle.

"Do you want me to tell you the truth? You smell really nice, and it makes me feel more comfortable resting," the Doctor said, closing her eyes. "Also, keep an eye on me. If my head leaves your shoulder, you'll regret it."

"Okay, okay."

Lin Li didn't dare refuse... Why did this situation feel so familiar?

Last night, when she was blow-drying Elysia's hair, she also didn't dare refuse.

After all, Elysia's oppressive aura was too strong back then... wrapped in a bathrobe, her eyes looked incredibly dangerous, as if if she dared to say "no"... she wouldn't be able to sleep that night.

Elysia's oppressive aura was even stronger than the Doctor's.

Smelling the faint scent of blood from the Doctor, Lin Li gradually calmed down.

She supported the Doctor's body with one hand and played on her phone with the other. Yeah... this was nice.

It was just a little unaccustomed to holding her phone in her left hand.

Mobius didn't rest for long.

Lin Li didn't even notice when she opened her eyes.

She smelled the floral scent on Lin Li, and the corners of her mouth curved upwards.

It seemed letting Lin Li in was a very correct decision. She hadn't rested this well even when leaning on Bianca before.

Hmm... Should she have Lin Li sleep with her for a night later? Although Elysia might be very angry.

No, why should she care about Elysia? She was Lin Li's boss now; she could do whatever she wanted.

Mobius had a brilliant idea in mind.

"Uh, Doctor, are you awake?"

Lin Li's gentle voice sounded.

Mobius found it extremely pleasant and slowly got up.

"Mhm, you can keep playing here. I'll call you if I need anything later."

"Mhm, mhm." Lin Li nodded obediently.

After Mobius left, she rubbed her slightly sore shoulder.

Resting her head on someone's shoulder, it felt no less comfortable to rest on the Doctor's than on Elysia's.

Afterward, Lin Li continued to scroll through her phone, not knowing what else to do.

Although the Doctor had told her to wait here for tasks, she had actually been sitting here the entire day, right up until eight in the evening when Elysia came to pick her up from work.

After packing up, Danzhu cast an envious glance at Lin Li and walked out of the laboratory.

Lin Li looked at the Doctor still in her seat, exchanged a look with Elysia, and walked forward.

"Doctor, you should get some rest early."

She saw that the documents the Doctor was holding were the ones she had asked her to print this afternoon. They seemed to be a research paper, but she couldn't understand much of it.

"Oh? Caring about me?" Mobius turned her head, raising an eyebrow. "Then stay and keep me company tonight?"

"Uh, I'll have to pass on that. I'm hungry, so I'm going to go eat with Elysia... Goodbye, Doctor!"

With that, Lin Li pulled Elysia and ran out of the laboratory.

Mobius frowned and muttered to herself in her chair:

"Do I look that scary?"

"Hmm... this paper is written quite well. It falls right into my research field, and it even has quite a bit of my old flair."

Mobius contentedly flipped through the paper before her, reading it word by word, and finally let out a laugh.

"Klein... that's an interesting name. Bianca, you really know how to recommend people. Just like Mobius, it represents 'infinity'..."

After a long while, she stretched her body, placed the files in a drawer, and walked out of the research institute.

Elysia and Lin Li had dinner at the cafeteria, and it wasn't even nine o'clock after they finished.

Since they couldn't engage in strenuous activity after eating, she pulled Lin Li along for a walk, wandering until they arrived at the training grounds.

"Wait, we're not going home to sleep? What are we doing here?"

"Mhm, of course, we're going to get some exercise, Xiao Li. You've been sitting there all day today. Doing this every day is definitely bad for your health. If you don't exercise soon, you'll turn into a useless person," Elysia said with a smile. "So, starting today, I'm going to supervise you running five laps every day."

"No... no need for that much..." Lin Li took a few steps back.

Although she had thought about exercising before, it was already past nine o'clock! This was the time she should be lying on the sofa watching TV.

"Oh, it's absolutely necessary. Extremely necessary," Elysia said, pulling her over with an air of unquestionable authority. "I'll run with you."

"Noooo..."

"Mhm?"