Chapter 2: No Heartbeat

The doctors, nurses, and the interns watching the drama all cast mocking glances toward Li Guanqi.

"Dr. Li?"

It was a rather vague title. Li Guanqi was indeed surnamed Li, but he was merely an intern who had not yet obtained his medical license; strictly speaking, he was not a doctor. However, among the licensed physicians present, none were surnamed Li.

The woman in the red dress stared straight at him, her finger tapping against her crimson lips. Her eyes were vacant, carrying a touch of pure, innocent stupidity.

She recited, word by word: "Li... Guan... Qi?"

Very good. The evidence was irrefutable. Li Guanqi’s heart, which had been hanging by a thread, now felt completely dead.

"An acquaintance?" the attending physician asked in a low voice, his tone laced with scrutiny.

Li Guanqi was at a loss for words, unsure how to answer. If he said he didn't know her, she was clearly calling out his name, and their "vibes" were suspiciously similar.

The supervising physician sighed, shoved an assessment form into his hand, and said with a hint of irritation, "Don't bring personal feelings into your work. You follow up with this patient."

The way she had shouted "Synchro Summon, Black Rose Dragon!" with such perfect synchronization meant the matter had been officially categorized as a personal entanglement. After all, this madwoman, whom even tranquilizers couldn't subdue, had become as docile as a kitten the moment she "recognized" Li Guanqi.

As if finding some sense of security, she stopped shouting and causing a scene. Even Li Guanqi himself didn't believe there was nothing going on between them.

The nurses covered their mouths, giggling as they filed out of the ward, whispering to one another.

"Young people these days, they really know how to play."

"And during working hours, too..."

"What do you know! We’re just part of their little game."

Listening to the increasingly outrageous gossip, Li Guanqi’s face went from pale to flushed, eventually settling into a deep, embarrassed red.

"It’s over."

He didn't need to guess; after Xu Fei—that loudmouth—added his own embellishments, a headline would surely appear in the gossip group tomorrow:

[Shocking! Wealthy Heiress Feigns Madness and Storms the Psychiatric Ward Just to See Her Lover!]

"Just destroy me already. I’m tired," Li Guanqi mourned internally.

Only he and the eccentric wealthy woman remained in the ward, the atmosphere thick with a mix of awkwardness and ambiguity. For all he knew, someone was still eavesdropping outside the door.

Li Guanqi took a deep breath, picked up his pen, paper, and the assessment form, and sat down in front of the girl in the red dress. He leaned forward slightly to bring his eyes level with hers and asked in a gentle, professional tone, "Name?"

"Are you asking me?" The girl in the red dress pointed to herself, looking puzzled.

Li Guanqi nodded helplessly, observing the changes in her expression, trying to find some clues.

"Twin Flower, flowers~" The girl in the red dress puffed out her cheeks and pouted, "You haven't forgotten me, have you!"

"Twin Flower?" Li Guanqi frowned, pressing impatiently, "I’m not asking for your online nickname. I’m asking for your real name. What is your surname?"

He wondered if this girl couldn't distinguish between the virtual and the real.

"I don't have a surname. I used to be a Numbered Citizen," the girl in the red dress muttered sullenly. "Just call me Twin Flower. One is blue, one is red."

"Numbered Citizen?" Li Guanqi was baffled again. He felt completely out of sync with her wavelength; even asking for a name was this difficult. She seemed to live in another world—what was a "Numbered Citizen"?

"How strange..."

Li Guanqi adjusted his posture to look more professional. "Very well, Miss Twin Flower." He sighed, trying to maintain his professional demeanor, and continued in a gentle tone, "Do you have your phone with you? Can you contact your family or friends?" Please, just let a family member come and take this thing home.

"No," Twin Flower shook her head, looking pitiful. "The Supercomputing Ring is broken."

"Supercomputing Ring?" Li Guanqi frowned again at the unfamiliar term. It was over—this girl was seriously ill. She had hallucinated an entire world with all sorts of lore. That was pretty explosive even for a psychiatric ward.

Before he could continue, she turned the tables, firing questions at him like a curious child: "Dr. Li, which fortress is this?"

"Why is no one dueling?"

"A Level Two Fortress?"

"That’s not right... there are so many people here..."

"Stop!" Li Guanqi hurriedly raised a hand to prevent her from spiraling further. "This is Earth. Xia Long, Xunyang City. It’s not some Level Two Fortress. Mars hasn't even had a human footprint yet. It is August 14th, 2026, my dear."

He took out his phone and showed her the date, hoping to bring her back to reality and keep her from being lost in her virtual world.

"Huh?" Twin Flower blinked, falling into confusion. "Xunyang City? August 14th, 2026?" She furrowed her brows, repeating the words to herself in a whisper.

Li Guanqi didn't dwell on it and moved on to official questions. "Do you have any specific physical symptoms?"

Twin Flower’s gaze drifted as she shook her head repeatedly, unsure if it was a response or an unconscious act of self-denial.

"Have you felt particularly sad, anxious, or nervous lately?"

"What are your eating habits?"

"Do you drink alcohol or use any drugs?"

"Is there a history of mental health issues in your family?"

"Do you hear or see things that others do not?"

He asked a barrage of questions, but Twin Flower just kept shaking her head.

Li Guanqi put away his notepad and forced a polite smile. "What is the attack power of 'Black Rose Dragon'?"

"2,400!" A sharp glint flashed in Twin Flower’s eyes as she answered instantly.

"My life is ruined," Li Guanqi thought, his heart sinking.

He studied the girl in front of him carefully. After a long moment, he put down his pen and paper and lowered his voice. "Where have we met?"

This question wasn't part of the medical intake. He was simply too curious—how could he possibly be entangled with a young lady of this caliber without remembering it? Female card players were rare, her vibe was so authentic, and judging by her attire, she was clearly some wealthy heiress. She was even a one-in-a-million type of madwoman. How could he forget someone so distinctive?

Impossible. Absolutely impossible.

"Hiss..." Twin Flower pinched her chin, inspecting Li Guanqi closely. Their faces were so close he could feel her breath. "You really are strange today. You don't seem like the Dr. Li I know."

Li Guanqi frowned. "Got the wrong person?"

Getting the wrong person at least proved he hadn't lost his own memory. Could there be another Li Guanqi in the world? He laughed at himself, amused that he had inadvertently fallen into the patient's rhythm and was being led by the nose.

Seeing his expression, Twin Flower arched an eyebrow, a devilish smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"I have a way to confirm if you’re the Dr. Li I know."

Her voice was crafty, as if she were about to play a little game.

"What way..." Li Guanqi asked subconsciously.

Suddenly, his eyes widened, filled with shock. The girl in the red dress moved like a phantom, appearing before him in an instant. She grabbed his hand and pressed it firmly against her chest.

Li Guanqi’s palm trembled.

His heart hammered like a drum, his throat felt dry, and he felt as if he were caught in some irresistible enchantment. The girl pressed her forehead against his, looking down at him like a queen surveying the knight she had entangled.

"Can you feel it? My heartbeat."

Her voice was low and magnetic, carrying an indescribable magic that struck straight at his soul.

Time froze.

Her image was burned into Li Guanqi’s eyes like an inescapable nightmare, an irresistible temptation.

She.

Had no heartbeat.