Chapter 160: Further Examination (Transition Chapter)

Chapter 160: Further Examination (Transition Chapter)

"Ding-dong! Congratulations, host! You've completed the task! You've unlocked the 'Grow Old Together' ending. Your reward will be delivered shortly. Would you like to log out now?"

After more than thirty years, hearing that voice buried deep in his memories again, Lin Huaiqing snapped back to reality.

Thirty years was too long—long enough that he'd nearly forgotten he wasn't originally from that world. All of it had just been a task.

The moment he confirmed he was logging out of the world, Lin Huaiqing tried desperately to burn Qin Li's face into his memory.

Because he knew leaving meant forgetting. But he didn't want the system to just wipe his memories of Qin Li like that.

Before he died, he'd promised Qin Li he would never forget him.

"Host's mental state detected as unstable. Further examination recommended."

Suddenly, an electronic voice chimed in. The next second, Lin Huaiqing was jolted awake, his eyes snapping open to find himself already lying in a cold machine.

"Don't move yet! The machine is scanning your brain right now."

Lin Huaiqing looked dazed. Hearing the staff member's voice, he had no choice but to close his eyes again. After what felt like an eternity, the transparent fiber shell slowly opened.

"Alright, you can go wait in the observation room for now."

Still dazed, Lin Huaiqing was led to a well-furnished, fully equipped observation room.

He'd never been to this place before. Instead of being released right away, he was brought here, and a faint sense of unease began to creep into Lin Huaiqing's heart.

Could something be wrong with him?

"Lin Huaiqing, right? Wait here a moment—your exam report will be ready soon." The staff member who'd brought him here just gave a quick instruction and hurried off.

And left him alone in the room.

All four walls of the observation room were one-way glass. He couldn't see out, but people outside could see his every move.

Honestly, he hated this feeling—it was like being treated like a prisoner.

Before long, a woman who looked to be in her forties walked in. She wore a professional suit and carried a stack of documents that looked like his exam report.

"Lin Huaiqing, right... Please, take a seat. Don't be nervous. I've already looked over your exam report—nothing major wrong. It's just that, as part of the routine check, I'd like to ask you a few questions."

The more formal the conversation got, the more uneasy Lin Huaiqing felt inside. Still, he could only force himself to stay calm.

"Alright, go ahead..."

"First question: your average task completion time used to be ten days, but this time it took you a full thirty-seven. Did you run into any problems in the virtual world?"

Lin Huaiqing knew the system kept records of everything, so there was nothing to hide. He just told the examiner the truth.

"Yeah, I developed feelings for a virtual character, but isn't that inevitable? I'll try to adjust and make sure it won't affect my work."

He'd expected the examiner to chew him out, but surprisingly, she didn't react much.

She just held a pen and quietly jotted something down.

"Alright, second question. Regarding the virtual character Qin Li, did you invest too much emotion in him? Rate it from 1 to 10."

Since when was there a scoring section?!

"Don't worry, we're just collecting data for a survey. Whatever score feels right, just write it down."

Despite his doubts, Lin Huaiqing took the pen she offered and, after some hesitation, wrote down "8."

"Third question: in terms of satisfaction with your partner, how satisfied were you with the character Qin Li? Rate it from 1 to 10."

These questions were getting more absurd by the minute.

Lin Huaiqing scratched his head and thought it over for a long time before finally writing down "9."

There was no denying Qin Li was the absolute gold standard when it came to treating his partner. That man was a beast—willing to sacrifice his own lifespan just to extend Lin Huaiqing's.

As for why it wasn't a perfect score, the missing point was on his end—in real life, he still hoped to find a female partner.

Work was work, and life was life. He could still keep the two separate.

"Last question: would you accept shock therapy to help you forget what happened in the virtual world?"

The examiner phrased it euphemistically, but really, it was about preventing him from getting stuck on his emotions and developing mental health issues.

In the end, it was for his own good.

But since he'd already promised Qin Li he wouldn't forget him, he couldn't go back on his word.

"I'd like to decline the shock therapy." He'd already taken the special meds while in the hibernation pod. That should be fine, right...

"Alright, your observation period's over. You can head home now."

He'd expected more pushback, but surprisingly, they let him leave that easily.

Lin Huaiqing glanced at the clock on the wall—it was already past midnight.

It was already this late, and the Time-Space Bureau was in a remote area. Hailing a taxi would probably be tough.

Even with a ride-hailing app, he doubted any driver would be willing to drive this far to pick him up.

Lin Huaiqing lowered his eyes, looking lost as he stood at the entrance of the Time-Space Bureau, unsure what to do.

Worst case, he could just crash in the staff lounge for the night and leave tomorrow...

Just as Lin Huaiqing was about to turn back, a car horn blared from the road not far away.

That SUV was parked right at the entrance, like it was deliberately waiting for him.

But he wasn't that narcissistic—he didn't know that many people at the company, and besides, it was this late. His teammates were either still working or already home resting. How could they possibly be waiting for him on purpose?

The moment Lin Huaiqing took a step, the car window automatically rolled down. In the driver's seat, Qin Zhizhou sat there with an equally haggard but handsome face, waving him over to get in.

Standing still for a moment, Lin Huaiqing remembered that Qin Zhizhou was the Time-Space Bureau's psychologist and head of the medical department.

After all, he was senior management. Since he'd taken the initiative to invite him, it would be rude to refuse. He jogged over and climbed in.

The lighting was too dim for Lin Huaiqing to tell what kind of car Qin Zhizhou drove, but the interior matched its owner—simple and understated, yet a quick online search would definitely show it was far from cheap.

The car was spacious. Even with the windows closed, the air was fresh and clean, and the seats were soft and comfortable without a speck of dust.

Clearly, the owner had a bit of a cleanliness thing going on.

Qin Zhizhou sat in the driver's seat, not in a hurry to start the car. The atmosphere inside was so quiet it was awkward. Lin Huaiqing was the one to break the ice first:

"Director Qin, have you just finished working overtime?"

Normally, people at this management level arrive on time and leave before the end of the day. They don't have to travel between worlds, working day and night to finish tasks.

So why does Qin Zhizhou look even more exhausted than he does?

Qin Zhizhou gave Lin Huaiqing a meaningful look through the rearview mirror. After a long moment, he spoke in a low voice:

"Don't call me Director—just call me Zhizhou."

"Huh?! Is that okay?" Have the two of them really gotten that close?