Julian was violently shaken: "What did you say?"

Chapter 18

That morning in the office, Julian had heard a voice.

She had said she was willing to give up the chance to be a lead surgeon just to be his First Assistant.

Julian had thought it was a hallucination.

But now, the intern before him had said the exact same words.

That Dr. Ke really was his former First Assistant.

They had completed countless perfect surgeries together... he should remember her!

Julian’s head began to ache again.

Seeing his pained expression, the intern thought he had said the wrong thing and fell silent: "Dr. Julian, it’s just something I heard. If this touches on privacy, I... I apologize! I won't ask anymore!"

With that, he turned and ran off in a hurry.

"Wait..." Julian looked at his back, one hand clutching his head while the other stretched out to stop him.

But he caught nothing.

The pain coming from his head grew increasingly intense, as if a needle were stabbing inside.

He gradually lost his strength; first one knee hit the floor, then his entire body collapsed, instinctively curling into a ball.

At the same time, a figure in his mind became clearer and clearer.

She wore a white lab coat. In winter, she always wore a white sweater underneath.

In summer, it seemed she often wore white clothes under her lab coat as well.

The pocket on the chest of her lab coat often held two pens—one for herself, and one for him, as he often forgot to bring his own.

They hadn't met at the hospital; they should have known each other earlier, even before they went to school.

The patients at the hospital trusted him; if they couldn't find him, they would find her.

"Dr. Julian" and "Dr. Ke"—these two titles always appeared together.

She accompanied him on ward rounds, discussed patient conditions with him, and her desk was right diagonally across from his.

When sunlight shone through the window, it would hit her beautiful profile just right.

He often saw it, and his heart would skip a beat unconsciously.

Fragments of scenes flashed before Julian’s eyes, and in every frame, there was a slender figure.

But no matter what, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't see her face.

Nor could he remember her name.

Dr. Ke... Ke...

Julian suddenly felt a tightness in his chest, and then a sweet, bloody taste surged into his throat.

He couldn't hold it back and vomited blood!

After that, he was dragged into darkness by an invisible force.

……

Julian had another long dream.

In the dream, he was standing face-to-face with that "Dr. Ke," whose face he still couldn't see clearly.

"Dr. Ke" smiled slightly and said to him softly: "Julian, you must forget me."

Julian felt his throat blocked, unable to speak.

He used all his strength to ask that one question: "Why?"

"Dr. Ke" took a step back: "Only by forgetting me can you survive."

Julian shook his head unconsciously: "No... I can feel that you are very important to me... but I can't remember your name, tell me..."

"Dr. Ke's" figure grew fainter and fainter: "That doesn't matter; your survival is what’s most important."

Julian reached out to her desperately: "Wait... wait!"

But he couldn't take a step forward, only able to watch helplessly as she departed.

At the same time, in reality.

Nina sat by the hospital bed, looking at Julian with extreme impatience.

She asked in her mind: [Is this method effective? Can he forget Clara Ke completely this time?]

The system’s tone was strictly professional: [It cannot be guaranteed. The target’s obsession with Clara Ke is deep. As a system, I can only erase memories from his cerebral cortex. But some things are inherently difficult to control.]

Nina took a deep breath to suppress the anger in her heart: [Then what can you even do, you novel-system?]

The system’s voice became even colder in an instant: [Please allow me to remind the Host that the system exists only to issue missions and monitor the target’s affection level toward the Host.]

[Since yesterday, everything you have done toward the target has already exceeded the functional scope of the system.]

[There is a price to be paid for violating the rules.]

Chapter 19

The emotionless tone of the system caused Nina to shiver instinctively.

[What price?]

The system was silent for two seconds.

In those two seconds, Nina broke out into a cold sweat.

A year ago, she had suddenly entered this world within a book, and this entity calling itself the "System" appeared in her mind.

It told her this was a novel.

Julian was the male lead of the book, and the person whose body she now occupied, Nina, was the female lead.

She had to accumulate 100 points of affection from Julian to leave the world of the book.

If she failed, she would remain in this world forever.

Fortunately, she had the "Female Lead System."

When she first met Julian, she used the system to make him fall in love with her at first sight.

Everything that followed went very smoothly.

The only troublesome part was that Julian had a Clara Ke by his side.

Nina hadn't originally taken her to heart because even the system said Julian had no feelings for Clara.

But after her affection score reached 50, no matter what Nina did, it refused to rise any further.

That was when she turned her attention to Clara Ke.

What kind of charm did such an unremarkable woman have to remain by Julian’s side for so many years?

But if she were truly unremarkable, how could she have stayed by Julian’s side?

Soon, under the influence of Nina's Female Lead System, Clara Ke contracted a terminal illness.

Nina felt that as long as Clara died, Julian’s full attention would be on her.

However, on the day Clara died, Julian’s affection for her plummeted, even coming close to zero!

Two seconds later, the system’s cold voice rang out: [If the mission succeeds, you will return to your original world. But the system will no longer grant you a wish.]

[If the mission fails, you will stay in this world and turn into a mindless lunatic.]

[That is the price.]

[Cheating is risky, Host.]

Nina clenched her hands tightly: [Why didn't you tell me sooner!]

The system showed no trace of guilt: [I already warned you the day you used the skill. It is only today that the system has confirmed the true price.]

Nina was truly enraged.

If the mission succeeded, it would be fine, but if it failed...

No, she absolutely could not fail.

She did not want to stay in this world, and she certainly did not want to become a mindless lunatic!

Just then, Julian on the hospital bed slowly opened his eyes.

As he opened them, his vision was not yet fully clear.

He only saw a blurry figure sitting beside him.

He subconsciously called out: "Clara?"

The gentle smile Nina had just prepared froze instantly on her face: "What did you say?"

Julian’s consciousness cleared at that very second.

He saw the person before him clearly and forgot what he had just called out: "Nina... what happened to me?"

The system prompted Nina in her mind: [The target’s consciousness was chaotic just now; he doesn't remember who he called out to.]

Nina secretly sighed in relief and readjusted her expression: "You fainted; it was just exhaustion after the surgery, nothing serious."

"Do you want to rest here at the hospital, or go home?"

"If you stay at the hospital, I’ll go buy you some food now. If you go home, how about I cook for you myself?"

Nina thought this was the limit of what a virtuous wife and mother could do.

She had never even entered a kitchen in her original world.

However, under her "expectant" gaze, Julian spoke in a flat voice—

"Has Clara Ke been found?"

Chapter 20

The moment Julian uttered the three words "Clara Ke," an alarm blared in Nina's mind!

[Warning! Warning!]

[The target’s affection for the Host is dropping rapidly. Cause unknown!]

[59... 52... 40...]

Nina’s mind went blank; she had never been this panicked before!

She screamed in her mind: [What is happening? What is going on!]

The system did not answer her.

Nina felt the blood drain from her face, leaving her cold.

She watched as Julian slowly sat up from the hospital bed, his eyes cold and emotionless, and her heart grew cold with them.

She was still unwilling to give up, assuming Julian’s consciousness was still muddled.

Suppressing the panic in her heart, she tentatively spoke: "Julian, what are you saying?"

However, the alarm in Nina's mind did not stop.

Amidst the sharp, continuous blaring, Julian spoke calmly: "Nina, is it you?"

Nina stood there, stunned: "What do you mean 'is it me'? I’m the one who has been here accompanying you all along."