Chapter Eighteen

  After finishing dinner and taking a bath, the two of them snuggled up in bed, chatting about what happened today.

  "Are you saying she came to find you just to remind you to be careful?" Si Luo Chen asked, holding Qian Tong in his arms.

  Nodded in response to Qian Tong.

  "Did she mention a solution then? After all, she should be most familiar with her brother's methods."

  "No, she just told me to mind my own business and not worry about things that have nothing to do with me."

  "Still has a conscience."

  "...She's not bad, Luochen." Although I wanted to explain for Gu Qing, but when I said it out loud, it seemed like something was off.

  Sure, here is the translation:

  As expected, the woman behind him fell silent.

  "Luò Chén?" Xiàng Qiān Tóng had just thought of standing up straight to look at her, but was tightly hugged by Sī Luò Chén.

  "Don't move around, it's comfortable like this."

  "...you don't like her?" he asked Xiang Qiong Tong.

  "Who?" He asked knowingly.

  "Attention, please."

  "She's your friend, I have my likes and dislikes to say. I just think she should have thought of these things earlier, but she only notified you today, and Xiao Ke called me tonight, the things are too closely connected." As he said this, he suddenly remembered something else and asked: "By the way, do you still remember who your father, Gu Qing, received a call from in your office? What was the content?"

  She thought for a moment and told Qi Tong what had happened that day: "I heard the voice of a man, but I couldn't hear the content. However, Mr. Gu's original words were 'You can forget it, even if I die, I won't give you a single penny. The things you've been doing outside, don't think I don't know about them.' Then that man said something else, Mr. Gu was taken aback, his face turned bright red, and he fainted."

  Si Lu Chen listened and said calmly: "This tone sounds like his son."

  Xiang Qiong felt a little downcast: "I also guessed it, but... for the sake of money, to be so angry that one's own father dies, it's really..."

  "Since ancient times, people have died for wealth and birds have perished for food. There is no father-son relationship in the face of profit. As psychologists, haven't we seen enough of these harsh realities? Mental illness is different from mental disorder. Those people who sent their family members to mental hospitals as if they were mentally ill never appeared again. It's as if their existence was a stain." He let out a cold laugh and continued, "But...we choose to believe in the beauty of the world." Si Luo Chen grasped Xiang Qian Tong's waist, pressed his lips against her ear, and whispered in a low, intoxicating tone.

  No one should make these cruel realities sound so gentle and pleasant, right?

  "Don't worry, nothing will happen." The pleasant voice sounded again from behind him.

  Xiang Qian Tong knew that with the strength of the Si family, intervening in this matter would naturally be able to achieve peace and quiet. However, Xiang Qian Tong did not want to and was unwilling, she did not hope to have any relationship with Si Luo Chen's family, this was her pride.

  "Lu Chen, I'll handle it well, can't I just handle it myself?"

  Si Luo Chen naturally understood the meaning of this sentence, and hooked up the corner of his mouth. His hand slowly slid down Qian Tong's arm, holding her slender hand, placing it on his lips to gently kiss, comforting: "I believe in Shao Ke's ability, let's see what she can find out first, and then we'll think of a way together. I'm basically detached from the Si family now, I want to help but can't do much, I can only stand by your side... don't mind that I'm not helping much, okay?"

  "How could it be? You're both capable and beautiful, I don't know how many people wish they could marry you."

  No matter what happens, as long as you are there, it's enough.

  Si Luo Chen heard this sentence, hummed softly and said: "Want to marry, I may not agree. Want to marry also want to marry someone you like, don't you think so, Qian Tong?"

  Qian Tong's face flushed again and she was teased by her once more.

  "Lu Chen, stop messing around and get some rest. Tomorrow is a brand new week, a fresh start." He turned around, looking at the stunning woman behind him who was so beautiful that just one glance would make her blush.

  Ever since crossing that distance, every time I look at her or she looks at me, my heart beats faster. Is this what they call the feeling of being in love?

  Si Luo Chen smiled abnormally, his eyes rippling with waves of light. He stretched out one hand to hold onto Xiang Qian Tong's face, leaned in close, and gently planted a kiss on Xiang Qian Tong's lips.

  One union one division, with a hint of intoxication.

  "Alright, sleep tight." Then he burrowed into his bed.

  Qian Tong held back her heartbeat and lay down as well, turning off the light: "Goodnight."

  "Good night."

  The next day, Shen Lue specially came to the clinic as the person in charge of the rehabilitation center to discuss with Anna and Professor Bobby about the psychological counseling that Si Luo Chen and Xiang Qian Tong were doing outside. For the clinic, having the support of local national institutions is more direct and effective than any large order. The attitude of the clinic towards Si Luo Chen and Xiang Qian Tong also underwent a subtle change.

  A celebration was specially held for this, Professor Bobby ordered a large cake, and Professor Anna bought champagne.

  The two of them were already used to it and thought nothing of it; society was always this realistic.

  Susan was very upset about this and her work was also somewhat behind schedule. Because she knew that no matter how hard she tried, it would not be enough to overcome the cooperative project of the rehabilitation center, and her attitude towards Si Luochen and Xiang Qiantong had also cooled down a lot.

  "Are you unhappy?" asked Sena, as they rarely had lunch together.

  He ate his sandwich with a blank expression and replied, "Nothing, I'm used to it."

  Since childhood, such things have been happening frequently, and Si Luo Chen has long been used to it. Status and identity, reality and luck, these are obviously just things that belong behind a person, but because of them, some people deliberately keep their distance.

  I don't know if they hate this person or the things they don't have.

  She raised her eyes and saw Xiang Qian Tong opposite her, with a slight curl at the corner of her mouth. No matter what happened, she would always be by his side.

  The following week, both Xiang Qian Tong and Si Luo Chen entered a busy work state. However, Xiang Qian Tong discovered that once Si Luo Chen became engaged in his work, he transformed into a completely different person, becoming so focused that he almost forgot himself.

  Either she didn't face the patient or stared at the medical record with no expression. As for others in the clinic, she basically never spoke to them, including Qian Tong.

  Although Si Luochen usually doesn't talk much and has no expression, she still communicates with her colleagues. Now, however, it can be said that she is being extremely frugal with her words.

  At noon, when asked if he wanted to go eat, he simply replied: "Not hungry yet."

  “……”

  Qian Tong kindly sent lunch to her office, and she just said lightly: "Thank you."

  “……”

  But after work, this cold exterior changed again. Si Luo Chen would smile and put his arm around Xiang Qian Tong's shoulders as they walked home together, occasionally going on a movie date or having a midnight snack, just the two of them.

  This sudden change in tone, Qian Tong jokingly said that she would give Si Luo Chen some psychological counseling, but instead Si Luo Chen looked down and said: "Qian Tong, actually... I'm under a lot of pressure."

  Qian Tong looked at Si Luo Chen with a puzzled expression and asked with concern: "What's wrong?"

  "That day when I went to the rehabilitation center, I did psychological counseling for a soldier and only then did I realize that I couldn't empathize. So recently I've been hiding in my office looking at case files, but found that most of our clinic's cases are aimed at families and career people, and for post-traumatic stress disorder groups, especially soldiers who have experienced the battlefield, these are basically useless. I'm worried that I'm not up to the task of working at the rehabilitation center, and don't even have the qualifications to help them."

  It was because of this that Qian Tong stopped in his tracks and grabbed Si Luo Chen, saying: "Why didn't you ask me? Wouldn't it be faster for the two of us to think of a solution together?"

  Si Lu Chen raised an eyebrow and responded faintly, "I've reviewed the cases you're in charge of. You've handled many high-difficulty patients, including those with multiple personality disorder. These are all types of patients I've never encountered before. I've also seen how you diagnose and treat patients, as well as communicate with them. I discovered that you can completely put yourself in their shoes to think and then exchange ideas. Professionally, you're far stronger than me. It's making me wonder if my experience over the past few years in China was all a lie."

  Never thought that Si Luo Chen would also have such an insecure side. "Luo Chen..." Xiang Qian Tong couldn't bear to see her like this.

  "So I want to find a solution myself. I admit that in many places, I am not as good as you, such as finding clients and socializing with people in the industry, these things I am not as good at as you, but I will work hard to keep up with you." Such sincere words, yet filled with tender emotions, made Qian Tong's heart full of sweetness.

  "Dummy, all experiences are the result of communication."

  Xia Lu Chen turned his face away and said with a scowl: "I don't want to."

  "Well then I recommend you read a few books, okay? The content of the books is really good. I also learned some experience from reading them, huh?"

  Si Luo Chen didn't object or respond, but in Qian Tong's eyes, this was equivalent to tacit consent. He took her hand and walked on the way home, saying: "Today Gu Qing called me, she found out that the call she received on the day her father passed away was from her second brother Gu Feng."

  "As expected."

  "Some of Gu Quan's dealings were discovered by Gu Feng, who used this as a threat to force Gu Quan to transfer all his assets to him."

  "Is there something threatening?"

  Shaking his head at Qian Tong.

  "I think it's almost time for some news from the other side, we'll talk about it then. It's been a bit too quiet lately, which doesn't feel right." Generally, family disputes erupt within three days after the death of the head of the household, but now more than a week has passed and everything is still calm, it seems that our opponent can hold their breath for a long time, aiming to win with one blow.

  "You mean before the storm?"

  Si Luo Chen nodded.

  As they walked hand in hand along the road back home, they found a figure standing under the Qian Tong Building, with an expression of surprise.

  "Is it Shaokuo?" they chorused.