Deng Hongjie pushed open the door, followed closely by a woman whose hair and clothes were slightly dishevelled, as if she had rushed over without even catg her breath.

  Her features bore a striking resembo Ling Xiaoyu, with delicate brows and warm eyes, though the traces of worry between her brows made her beauty appear somewhat haggard. She was dressed simply yet elegantly, the faint st of perfume lingering in the air — the kind of woman who exuded sophistication even in a flustered state.

  Ephraim's eyes flicked over her and reition immediately clicked into pce.

  Ling Jialei.

  This body's only surviving family member — his older sister who had raised him aloer their parents passed away eleven years ago. At that time, Ling Xiaoyu was only twelve, while Ling Jialei — ten years his senior — had been just a young woman of twenty-two, barely stepping into adulthood herself.

  Her eyes turned red the moment she saw him awake. The relief on her face was fleeting, quickly overtaken by panic wheiced the faint sounds of pain esg from his throat. Without a sed thought, she rushed to his bedside, carefully cupping his face with both hands.

  "Xiao-Yu, Xiao-Yu... you hear Jiejie? Where does it hurt? Tell Jiejie, hmm?"

  Her voice was soft, coaxing — the kind of voice that could dissolve a heart of stone. Ephraim's shameless soul trembled in guilt. He blinked up at her, summoning a weak smile as if gathering every st ounce of strength to reassure her.

  [Rachel: Such a pretty dy. Getting scammed doesn’t her suit at all.]

  [Ephraim: I'm not scamming her... I'm just borrowing her sympathy. Temporarily.]

  [Rachel: Temporarily until when?]

  [Ephraim: ...Indefinitely?]

  [Rachel: You have the moral bae of a wet tissue, babe. But it’s fine. You do you. Seems eaining enough.]

  [Ephraim: Hmph. I may be a wet tissue. But I am a wet tissue who'll get the mission done.]

  His pale fingers feebly covered hers, voice trembling just the right amount. "It's... better now, Jiejie. Earlier... it hurt more. Don't worry..."

  A perfect blend of frailty and bravery. A textbook white good child performance.

  Sure enough, Ling Jialei's eyes immediately reddened again, her fiips trembling lightly as she brushed back the hair from his forehead.

  Deng Hongjie, who had been standing stiffly behind her, finally snapped out of his daze and hurried forward. "I'll call the doctor—"

  "No, Deng-ge... I am fine. I promise." Ephraim tinued his meek, saihan-thou act, before nodding faintly. "Don't call them... Right now... I just o have you two near me... I failed my fans today after all... even though... I worked so hard... They... must have been so excited a—"

  "Oh, baby... Think about yourself at this moment. Not others. Your fans will uand." Ling Jialei's voice cracked as she squeezed his hand, “And tell you what… I will buy you anything you want when you discharge. Let you travel and have some fun if you want to… My precious angel has suffered so much.”

  Ephraim's weak smile deepened, soft and fragile. "Thank you, Jiejie... But... I don't need anything fancy... Do you think I DoorDash some boba here?"

  Ling Jialei blihen smiled fondly. "Of course not, honey. No trash until you're discharged. I’m not taking any risks with yht now."

  Ephraim's face fell slightly, lower lip jutting out in a small pout. Why are you smiling like an angel while saying that?

  Behind her, Deng Hongjie was quietly wiping at his eyes, looking more and more distressed by the sed. The man had never seen the lively young man in such a frail state before. His heart ached at the sight, filling the room with reassurances and soft promises that everything would be alright.

  Ephraim basked in the overwhelming care, something he had rarely experienced in his past life. The warmth settled in his chest, making him feel almost... guilty.

  Almost.

  "Aw, you two care about me so much..."

  "Of course we do—wait, why are you smiling like that?"

  Ephraim's lips curled into a brighter smile, the very picture of innoce. "This is nice. I should get hospitalized more often."

  "DON'T EVEN JOKE ABOUT THAT!"

  Ling Jialei pressed her fingers against her temples, exasperated. "I 't believe you still have the energy to talk nonseer waking up. You're impossible, Yuyu."

  [Rachel: Yep. She seems like an older sister alright. Ling Xiaoyu may have been a rather elegant and scheming guy in others' eyes, but to these two, they must have beeo a more easy-going and boisterous version of him... This is good for you, sweetheart. You act a bit more naturally around them.]

  [Ephraim: That’s his is a new life, after all. I might as well enjoy myself while I go about saving people.]

  Later, a barrage of tests was ducted, leaving the hospital staff fbbergasted. Just ho, he'd been writhing and pale, body riddled with mysterious symptoms — now, he was the picture of health.

  Despite the bill, they insisted he stay anht for observation. Nothing came of it. By the m, Ephraim was bright-eyed and ready to leave, looking more like a pampered little master than a terminal patient.

  The doctor examihe test results once again, flipping through the papers with furrowed brows before letting out a sigh.

  "There doesn't appear to be anything wrong with you at the moment, Mister Ling. However, as a precaution, I would advise you to stay at least anht so we monitor for any recurring symptoms—"

  "I want to leave, Doctor." Ephraim's soft voice cut in, firm despite the polite tone. He pursed his lips, pointedly ign the heated gazes burning into the back of his head from the two overprotective pilrs standing behind him.

  The doctor blinked, caught off guard. "But Mister Ling, what if something happens again? Besides, you colpsed—"

  "Then I will inform you immediately." Ephraim's eyeshes fluttered, his pale fingers resting delicately on the edge of the hospital bed. "But as you see... I am perfectly fine now. I don't wish to stay in the hospital any longer."

  His voice was soft, fragile, but his words were unyielding.

  The doctor hesitated, gng at Ling Jialei as if seeking backup. However, though her face was filled with reluce, she did not interfere. Her brother had made his decision, and she would respect it.

  Finally, the dhed again and nodded. "If that is your decision, I won't stop you, Mister Ling. But please... if you notiything amiss, reach out immediately."

  The discharge process began shortly after.

  Despite the bill of health, Ling Jialei and Deng Hongjie looked anything but reassured.

  "He needs rest. No work calls. No schedules. Nothing for a while." Ling Jialei decred with the authority of a seasoned general, flig her hair back as she marched ahead.

  Deng Hongjie nodded along importantly. "Yes! No stress! I'll handle everything!"

  Ephraim trailed zily behind them, arms stretg over his head. "Y'all do realize I'm not actually dying, right?"

  "ZIP IT A US WORRY."

  Ling Jialei shot him a gre before climbing into the backseat of the car, dragging her little brother in after her without giving him room tue.

  Deng Hongjie separated from them at this point, taking another car to hahe necessary arras for Ling Xiaoyu's work schedule. Before leaving, he promised to push for at least a two-month hiatus to allow proper recovery.

  Hearing that, Ephraim's heart bloomed with satisfa — this erfect for his pns.

  Of course, he couldn't show it on his face.

  He simply lowered his head, eyes dimmed in false regret, looking every bit the devastated young idol forced into a break against his will.

  So he rested his forehead against the car window, gazing out like a lonely little edge lord as the family driver started the car.

  Ling Jialei caught sight of this and thought her baby brother must truly be sad. Without a word, she brought his head to her chest, carefully threading her fihrough his hair—just silently providing him with a safe, soothing enviro.

  Too bad such a toug se didn’t soothe Ephraim’s ent sorrow but instead jured some brand-new guilt out of thin air.

  [Ephraim: …I feel like a scumbag.]

  [Rachel: Nothing to feel bad about. It’s a waste if you don’t take advantage. A pretty dy’s giving you tereatment—lie back, rex, a me load the data for Little Xiaoyu’s regret missio.]

  [Ephraim: I don’t remember accepting it.]

  [Rachel: I don’t remember you rejeg it either, baby boy.]

  [Ephraim: …]

  He pouted but didn’t deny her. He did want to kly what kind rets Ling Xiaoyu had left behind.

  Rachel didn’t need an answer—she went ahead and loaded the data. Ephraim squeezed his eyes shut, brag for the iable nausea. It hit him like a train, but he forced himself to stay still, reining in his disfort as best as he could.

  When the wave finally subsided, Ephraim reopened his eyes and looked down silently.

  [Ephraim: …Do I really have to?]

  [Rachel: It’s not that hard. You like any breathing objestantly anyway, cupcake.]

  [Ephraim: Okay… Ouch.]

  The regret mission came in the form of a voice rec from the inal body’s owner—soft, sulky, and tired.

  “My Jiejie… She always told me not to like Wang Jianyuan. She rusted him, and she even took me out of the try when she realized I started liking him back… She worked so hard to help me achieve my dream, transferred the family busio a new try, and eve up a foothold iertai industry there just to make things easier for me. And I followed her.

  I didn’t unicate with Wang Jianyuan much. I thought I’d given up on him… but then I begged Jiejie to let me go bae for vacation. I promised not to seek him out. She relutly agreed.

  But when I saw he had a stand-in… I got irrationally mad because I realized I still liked him. I made things difficult for that puy—Xu Jinyao… spread rumors… smeared his name a little… But what was the result?

  Jiejie was right. Wang Jianyuan was never worth it. I feel horrible… but I’m not strong enough to start over, and I’m not fident enough not to disappoint Jiejie again.

  So… if someone else could take my pce… If that someone could find someoer… Someone Jiejie could feel safe handing her baby brother over to… Someone who could finally ease her worries… That… would really help…”

  Well, there went Ephraim’s whole pn to milk the terminal patient ad speedrun his mission out of this world.

  He was still going to keep the gimmick for a bit longer—he wasn’t oo waste a perfect opportunity—but maybe… not as much as before.

  How could he not try to carry out such a heartfelt request after hearing all that?

  Steeling his heart, Ephraim smiled faintly.

  “Jiejie… You told me I could go anywhere once I get discharged, right?”