Chapter 2

Chapter 2

If there were no unexpected incidents, Xu Qiao worked five days a week, four day shifts and one night shift.

Day shifts were from eight in the morning to five in the evening.

At seven fifty, Xu Qiao emerged from the changing room in her white coat, greeted her colleagues as she passed them, and first went to the third floor of the clinic to check on the recovery of her two patients.

Espers merely had better constitutions than ordinary people, with enhanced resistance to certain bacteria and viruses, but they still fell ill when their health was compromised, and injuries required treatment all the same.

Patient One had early-stage skin cancer. Because they didn't want to queue at the hospital, they came to "Doctor Hua's Clinic," and chose Xu Qiao, who had been practicing for less than two years, due to her lowest fees, albeit with some skepticism.

Wearing a mask, Xu Qiao calmly examined Patient One’s wound and said, “The recovery is going well; you can be discharged now.”

Esper doctors' treatments were divided into three levels:

- Basic Treatment: Ordinary treatments from the Old Era, requiring no mental energy, low cost, and longer course.

- Intermediate Treatment: Combining mental energy with medical equipment and drugs, moderate cost, and shorter course.

- Advanced Treatment: Consuming large amounts of mental energy to instantly restore the patient to an optimal state for healing, high cost, and extremely short course.

For severe external injuries or internal conditions, most espers in the base opted for the economical intermediate treatment, which utilized the doctor's mental energy to operate equipment for rapid removal of lesions and quick healing of deep wounds, significantly reducing bedridden time, followed by conventional recuperation to achieve full health.

Patient Two was a three-year-old rambunctious child who accidentally severed part of his finger. The grandfather rushed him to this nearby clinic, where Xu Qiao performed the reattachment surgery.

The child's parents were mercenaries outside the base, and the grandfather was the caregiver.

As Xu Qiao bent down to examine the child's finger, the grandfather looked into her clear, clean eyes, which seemed to retain the innocence of school days, and praised her with a smile, “Doctor Xu, you truly are young and accomplished. I was a bit hesitant yesterday, but I never expected you to treat our Qiangqiang so well. Your skills are no worse than those of experienced doctors in big hospitals.”

Xu Qiao simply smiled, patted the little boy's head, and asked the grandfather, “The bones and nerves inside have healed. Only the surface wound remains. Do you want further treatment or to let it heal at home?”

The grandfather looked embarrassed and regretful, “My son and daughter-in-law entrusted me with their grandson. It was my carelessness that led to this. Not only did he suffer, but it also cost ten thousand points.”

Xu Qiao listened silently.

Seeing her not responding, the grandfather felt awkward and asked hesitantly, “Doctor Xu, my son and daughter-in-law might return tomorrow. This ten thousand points is my retirement savings. I’ll bear the cost myself, but I don’t want them to scold me for being useless. Could you help me out a bit more and use some more mental energy to fully heal Qiangqiang? After all, it’s just a minor surface wound, and it won’t consume much mental energy.”

Not wanting Patient One to overhear, the grandfather spoke softly, his wrinkles deepening with a pleading look.

Facing away from Patient One, Xu Qiao quietly refused, “I’m sorry, we have rules at the clinic.”

A C-level doctor’s mental energy was limited. For such bone reattachment surgeries, Xu Qiao could perform only seven per day; any more would affect her condition.

If she helped the little boy now, what if she encountered a critical case during the day and lacked that bit of mental energy?

Although she might already possess B-level mental energy, Xu Qiao needed to maintain the pretense.

Moreover, the grandfather only needed to pay another hundred points to fully heal the child’s finger. If he was unwilling to spend even that amount, why should he expect her to use valuable mental energy worth a hundred points for a stranger?

“You can think about it. If you need anything, you can tell the on-duty nurse.”

After saying this, Xu Qiao left the ward and headed to Room 206 on the second floor.

Half an hour later, the on-duty nurse arrived and requested a discharge form for the little boy.

One hundred points could buy ten bottles of intermediate nutritional fluid, enough for a low-level esper to last three days. It was understandable that the grandfather was reluctant to spend it.

There was a ninety-minute lunch break, during which Xu Qiao joined her colleagues in the cafeteria.

The clinic provided a meal with one meat dish and one vegetable dish, which was quite good compared to companies that only offered nutritional fluids.

Xu Qiao placed her tray on the table and opened her tablet, browsing through rental posts while eating, focusing on the rent prices in nearby neighborhoods.

"Why are you looking at this?" Zhao Lu sat beside her and asked curiously after glancing at the tablet.

Zhao Lu was twenty-seven years old. Compared to the other mature and steady doctors at the clinic, Zhao Lu preferred to be close to Xu Qiao.

Xu Qiao replied, “Xiaoyang wants to rent out his place, so I'm checking the market rates.”

Zhao Lu commented, “It must be expensive over there. A single room probably costs three thousand points a month.”

The second ring of the base accommodated over five million espers, with property prices increasing closer to the central district.

Xu Qiao's family lived in Ping'an Community in the western part of the second ring, just one kilometer from the West Gate of the central district. The area had supermarkets, hospitals, and schools nearby.

Most other communities consisted of tall buildings with several households per floor, but Ping'an Community had six-story apartment buildings with only two households per floor, offering spacious and comfortable living.

By then, Xu Qiao had summarized the market rates. For Lu Yang’s three-bedroom, two-hall apartment without a yard, the rent ranged from seven thousand to ten thousand points.

In the evening, after work, Xu Qiao cycled home, had a simple dinner, and then opened her communication bracelet to message Lu Yang: “Is it convenient for me to take some photos at your place for the rental post?”

Lu Yang had just left the school cafeteria and had two classes left for the evening. Upon receiving the message, he replied, “Sure, my room might be a bit messy.”

Both Xu Qiao and Lu Yang had spare keys to each other’s homes. With Lu Yang’s permission, Xu Qiao went directly over.

The sunset was casting bright light into the living room through the balcony, illuminating half of it.

On one wall hung a wedding photo of Uncle Lu and his wife.

Xu Qiao put away all the photos before taking pictures, then replaced them afterward.

The empty Lu household, now home to only a middle school student, was quiet and desolate, except for the warmth of Lu Yang’s bedroom.

Xu Qiao took eight photos of the three bedrooms, two halls, kitchen, bathroom, and the small courtyard outside. After Lu Yang confirmed them, she began editing the rental post.

Though the decoration of the Lu household wasn’t new, Xu Qiao set the rent at ten thousand points because the view of the small courtyard outside provided positive emotional value.

The next day, after Xu Qiao woke up, she turned on her silenced communication bracelet and found several new messages from strangers, all inquiring about the Lu family's house. Some thought it was too expensive and tried to bargain, only to be rejected and then resort to insults. Others were asking about the landlord's situation, while some wanted to schedule a viewing.

Dealing with these trivial messages took quite a bit of time.

After breakfast was ready, Xu Qiao called Lu Yang over to eat together.

Xu Qiao: "Have you packed everything?"

Lu Yang: "Yeah."

Xu Qiao: "Then go to school. I'll be back early tonight, so let's move your things over first. That way, we can arrange viewings tomorrow."

Lu Yang: "Let's move them now. There's not much, and I'm stronger than you."

He knew that Xu Qiao was a C-level Esper with a physique stronger than an ordinary police officer in the Third Ring. However, in his eyes, Xu Qiao had fair skin and a slender figure, resembling a fragile beauty in movies who needed protection from high-level Esps. Lu Yang didn't want Xu Qiao to do any heavy lifting.

Xu Qiao put down her chopsticks, resting her right elbow on the table, and invited, "Come, let's see who's stronger."

Lu Yang's gaze fell on Xu Qiao's raised right hand, with its long, delicate fingers, white as jade.

Arm wrestling?

Lu Yang couldn't imagine how he would grip her hand tightly, nor did he want to be overpowered by her. If they were to compete, he'd wait until he awakened his mental body.

He sped up eating, placed his bowl down, and stood up, saying, "I'll move the stuff."

Xu Qiao: "…"

Those who preferred renting in the Second Ring's upscale neighborhoods were mostly professional mercenaries. These mercenaries often went on missions outside the base, where risks were high but rewards were greater. Some liked buying houses, while others preferred living in the moment, spending their points on enjoyment rather than spending millions of points on a house they might not live in for long.

People started coming to view the Lu family's house. There were couples and pairs of mercenaries, small teams of three or four mercenaries, and solo mercenaries who looked fierce. Most were C-level Esps; higher-ranked mercenaries could rent in the central area for better living conditions.

Xu Qiao and Lu Yang patiently selected among them.

Xu Qiao hoped for good-tempered and easygoing neighbors. Lu Yang, considering Xu Qiao's safety, wanted to find a female tenant who posed less of a threat.

The base severely punished crimes, but some Esps might commit crimes in a fit of passion, leaving the base for good after committing murder or arson.

"Why won't this couple work?"

Smiling as she saw off a pair of mercenary lovers, Xu Qiao turned around and glared at Lu Yang angrily.

Lu Yang pursed his lips, watching the male mercenary's retreating back, and said, "The man kept sneaking glances at you."

Xu Qiao: "…Fine, this time I'll listen to you, but if I find someone suitable next time, I'll finalize it even if you object, unless you don't need me to handle it anymore."

Lu Yang recalled her busy scene, replying to messages even during meals, and agreed.

In the afternoon, Xu Qiao was examining a patient when the screen of her communication bracelet suddenly lit up.

After the patient left, Xu Qiao checked her bracelet.

Another message from an unknown number read, "Is the house posted by Little Chi Pond still available?"

"Little Chi Pond" was the username Xu Qiao used when registering on the forum.

Xu Qiao: "Yes, it is."

Unknown number: "I'll rent it."

Xu Qiao was silent for a few seconds before asking, "Don't you want to see the house first?"

Unknown number: "If you need me to, I can."

Xu Qiao fell silent again, surprised by this tenant's decisiveness after being picky and haggling so many times.

Still, she wanted to get to know the tenant during the viewing to avoid ending up with a difficult neighbor.

Xu Qiao: "When are you available?"

Unknown number: "Anytime, whenever you're free."

Xu Qiao thought for a moment and replied, "How about tomorrow at 1 PM?"

Unknown number: "Sure, see you tomorrow."

The conversation ended, and a new patient came in. Xu Qiao suppressed her surprise at the decisive tenant and focused on her work.