Sophia Yi

Ethan Yuwen arrived at the city hospital, checked his phone, and saw that it was precisely 10:35 AM. He opened WeChat and found the number that Lan Gao had sent him for her cousin, Sophia Yi—13XXXXXXXX. Ethan dialed the number, "Hello, Dr. Yi? This is Ethan Yuwen, Lan Gao's colleague. I've arrived at the hospital. Are you available now?"

"Hello, Mr. Yuwen," a calm, warm voice replied. "Lan Gao told me about your situation yesterday. Please come to Room 406 on the fourth floor of the outpatient building. I'm not busy at the moment."

Ethan stood before the entrance of the outpatient building, a six-story structure with an impressive atrium that extended all the way to the glass-domed roof. Sunlight poured through the skylight, illuminating the walkways on each floor. He took the escalator up to the fourth floor and followed the signs to find Room 406 with ease.

At the door, Ethan paused to straighten his clothes, ensuring everything was in place. He then knocked gently three times. A soft, pleasant female voice from inside responded, "Come in." Ethan pushed the door open to find a female doctor seated at her desk, typing on a computer. She immediately stood up when she saw him. "Mr. Yuwen, please have a seat."

Ethan hesitated for a second, taking that moment to glance over the woman in front of him. Her hair was long and glossy, cascading over her shoulders like a black waterfall. She had a fair, delicate face with a pair of gold-rimmed glasses perched on her nose. Her makeup was minimal but elegant, like a lotus blooming from pure water. She wore a light blue uniform under her white lab coat, and her slim figure added to her graceful appearance.

Sophia Yi extended her right hand, gesturing for Ethan to sit down. Realizing it wasn't polite to stare, Ethan quickly approached, gently shook her hand, and took a seat in front of her desk.

"Mr. Yuwen, Lan Gao briefly mentioned your condition to me. Could you tell me more about what you've been experiencing?" Sophia asked as she began typing on the computer again.

"Dr. Yi, I think I've been a bit overworked lately. I've noticed some short-term memory problems, like forgetting things easily. My sleep has also been poor, with constant dreaming that makes me feel like I'm half-awake all night. Oh, and occasionally, I've experienced auditory and visual hallucinations," Ethan explained.

As she listened, Sophia typed notes into her computer. Then she put on a pair of disposable gloves. "Let me check your eyes," she said, moving her chair closer. With one hand, she gently held open Ethan's eyelids, while with the other, she moved a finger in front of his eyes. "Follow my finger," she instructed, moving it in different directions. She then took a small flashlight and shone it into his eyes. "Your eyes are slightly bloodshot. Have you been spending a lot of time on your phone or computer?"

"I've been using the computer quite a bit, but not much on my phone," Ethan replied.

Sophia made more notes on her computer before saying, "Let's check your blood pressure. Please take off your jacket and roll up your sleeve." She proceeded to measure his blood pressure with a sphygmomanometer and stethoscope. "130/90—slightly elevated," she noted.

After putting away the blood pressure equipment, Sophia asked, "Any other symptoms like dizziness or nausea?"

"No, nothing like that."

"Based on your symptoms and your work and lifestyle, it seems you're dealing with mild neurasthenia. I don't think further tests are necessary. I'll prescribe some medication for your nerves, and with proper rest and a balanced routine, these symptoms should improve soon."

Sophia printed out a prescription. "Here's the medication I'm prescribing. You can pick it up at the pharmacy on the first floor and start taking it today. The dosage instructions are on the prescription, but if you have any questions, feel free to contact me."

Ethan stood up and took the prescription. "Thank you so much, Dr. Yi. I really appreciate your help. If you're free sometime, I'd love to treat you to a meal as a token of my gratitude."

"No need to thank me. Just make sure to take your medication and get enough rest. And remember, you can reach out to me if you have any concerns," Sophia said gracefully, extending her hand for a farewell shake.

After leaving Sophia Yi's office, Ethan picked up his medication from the pharmacy and returned to work instead of going home. It was already lunchtime by the time he got back to the office, so he headed to the cafeteria, where he happened to run into Lan Gao. She waved at him from across the room, motioning for him to join her.

As soon as Ethan sat down, Lan Gao asked, "Mr. Yuwen, did you go to the hospital this morning? How did it go?"

Ethan replied, "Yes, I did. Thank you. Your cousin saw me, and it's nothing serious—just mild neurasthenia. She prescribed some medication, so I should be better soon."

Lan Gao grinned mischievously. "What do you think of my cousin?"

Ethan lowered his head in mock contemplation before looking up with a serious expression. "Dr. Yi is highly skilled, and her examination was thorough. It's truly a blessing for patients to have such an excellent doctor."

"That's not what I meant. I'm asking what you think of her as a person," Lan Gao pressed, clearly unsatisfied with his response.

Ethan remained calm. "As a patient, I think it's important to focus on the doctor's expertise. Anything beyond that is outside the scope of what a patient should be concerned with."

"Mr. Yuwen, even though you're about to become a respected scientist, you still have to live in the real world. She's such a beautiful woman, and you didn't feel even a little something…?"

"I can't just lose my head over a beautiful woman, can I? I'm a patient, and she's the doctor. Besides seeking relief from my symptoms, I shouldn't have any other thoughts," Ethan replied, keeping his composure.

"To be honest, my cousin is single. She's been too busy with work to find the time for dating, despite the family's pressure. She's very accomplished—she has a Ph.D. from Columbia University's medical school. She would have stayed in the U.S. if her family hadn't insisted she return to China. But you're quite accomplished yourself, Mr. Yuwen. A Ph.D. in physics, she's a Ph.D. in medicine—you're a pretty good match. How about you give me your birthdate and I'll have a master see if you two are destined for each other?" Lan Gao teased.

"How can you believe in something as superstitious as that, despite being around a physicist like me?" Ethan chuckled.

"Mr. Yuwen, science isn't as narrow as you might think. You study natural science, but fortune-telling is part of social science," Lan Gao retorted.

"All right, you enjoy your meal. Social science isn't my strong suit. But if your cousin is free, I'd like to take her out for a meal to thank her," Ethan said as he got up, clearing his tray before leaving the cafeteria.

Later that afternoon, after completing his usual work, Ethan sat in his office, reflecting on the events of the past few days. The theories about time that Yenjing Feng had mentioned, the mysterious disappearance of the red car, his apparent teleportation to avoid a car accident, causality—it all left him deeply puzzled. To unravel these mysteries, he needed to speak with someone—someone like Yenjing Feng.

Ethan found her number in his contacts, wondering if Yenjing Feng would still remember him after so many years. He dialed the number, and after three rings, the familiar, clear voice answered, "Hello, Ethan."

"Hello, Professor Feng. I'm surprised you still have my number saved after all these years," Ethan replied, somewhat taken aback.

"I've had many students over the years, and most didn't keep in touch after graduation, but you were one of the more memorable ones. So, how can I help you?" Professor Feng's voice was calm and steady.

"Well, Professor, I've run into some issues recently and was hoping you could offer me some guidance. Do you have time? I'd like to discuss it with you in person."

"I'm retired now, so I have plenty of time. Why don't you come by tomorrow? Add me on WeChat, and I'll send you my address."

"Thank you, Professor Feng. I'll see you tomorrow morning then."

The next day, Ethan woke up at 7 AM as usual. After a simple breakfast, he decided to stop by a tea market. It had been over ten years since he last visited his former professor, and he wanted to bring a small gift as a token of respect.

Ethan chose tea because he clearly remembered how Professor Feng always carried a glass thermos filled with tea leaves during her lectures, the leaves standing upright in the water, beautifully suspended. He picked out a box of Huangshan Maofeng tea and had it elegantly wrapped.

He then checked the location Professor Feng had sent him—"Shihu Garden." Ethan couldn't help but marvel at the name. "I've heard that her husband is a successful businessman, but I didn't realize he was this wealthy," he thought. Shihu Garden was the most exclusive villa complex in the city, home to the elite, including many prominent business figures and highly educated professionals

.

Shihu Garden was located in the northern part of the city, surrounded by mountains and overlooking a large, mirror-like lake that reflected the clear blue sky and nearby villas. The area was covered in lush greenery, with shaded pathways winding through the complex, creating a serene and secluded atmosphere. The villas in the garden were designed in various architectural styles, ranging from European to classical Chinese, all with large, well-maintained gardens.

Ethan drove to the entrance of Shihu Garden, where he was stopped by security. After he provided Professor Feng's name and the villa number, he was allowed to enter. Following the directions on the stone markers along the paths, he soon found Professor Feng's villa. He parked his car and, holding the tea box, walked up to the door. He hesitated for a moment before ringing the doorbell.

A moment later, the door swung open to reveal a middle-aged woman in a white blouse and black pants—clearly the housekeeper. "Good afternoon, Mr. Yuwen. Please come in. Professor Feng will join you shortly. You can wait in the living room."

The housekeeper led the way, and Ethan Yuwen followed. The Su-style courtyard was indeed a marvel of intricate design, with its winding paths and serene water features. After walking for several dozen steps, they finally reached the entrance to the living room. Ethan couldn't help but think, "The layout here truly embodies the essence of 'winding and serpentine, hidden yet not concealed.'"

Once seated in the living room, Ethan looked around. The furniture was impeccably chosen, consisting entirely of Qing Dynasty-style pieces.

"Ethan Yuwen, sorry to keep you waiting," came a clear, melodious voice that immediately drew Ethan's attention away from the furnishings.

"Professor Feng, it's no trouble at all. If anything, I'm intruding upon your tranquil and idyllic retreat," Ethan replied, rising respectfully.

"You must have come for a reason. Is it related to your research or something else?"

"Yes, Professor Feng. I have encountered some issues, but they are not related to my research. Scientific research is often a process of trial and error, and only when enough errors have been made can the correct result unexpectedly emerge. What confounds me are some inexplicable occurrences that have happened to me recently."

"Oh? Please, tell me more."

"Well, let me think about where to start… Ah, yes. It's about the theory of time you mentioned at the funeral home. You likened time to a great river with a flow that is not constant. Each of us is like a swimmer in this river; our direction and position affect our relative and absolute speed in it.

Why is the flow of time not constant? And how do our position and direction influence the relative and absolute speed of time?"

"Oh, that was just my personal reflection on time, a blend of both emotional and rational insights. The departure of Mr. Wang had a profound effect on me. For an individual, time is the journey from the beginning of life to its end. If we use these points as reference, a person with a longer life experiences time more slowly compared to one with a shorter life, and vice versa."

Ethan lowered his head in thought for a moment before lifting it. "Your understanding of time does have some merit, but I still feel it is too subjective."

"Time is inherently an abstract concept. It's a parameter humans use to describe the movement of matter or the occurrence of events. Consider this: what is time before humans existed and after they cease to exist?"

"So, is time objectively real, or is it merely a subjective sensation? I've always believed that time is objectively real and measurable."

"Well, if you say time is measurable, then 'measurement' itself is a subjective act, dividing time into years, months, days, hours, minutes, seconds, and even milliseconds… It can be subdivided to \(10^{-43}\) seconds, known as the Planck time unit. Without human delineation, time becomes an incomprehensible concept."

Ethan sat there, suddenly finding Professor Feng's theory impeccable.

"You didn't come here just to discuss this, did you?"

Ethan felt as though Professor Feng could read his thoughts. "Yes, Professor Feng. The real issue is…" He then pulled out his phone and opened the video titled "The Mysterious Man of Instant Transfer" sent by Gaolan. "Have you seen this video? The person driving the car in the video is me. I've analyzed it thoroughly, and based on the movement of surrounding vehicles and pedestrians, I can conclude that the video hasn't been edited. Moreover, I was there myself and can't understand what happened."

After watching the video, Professor Feng handed the phone back to Ethan. "I assume your questions about time are related to this video?"

"Yes. I've researched the relevant details. The surveillance cameras on the bridge typically use the PAL system, recording 25 frames per second. This means that the interval between my car's disappearance and reappearance in the video spans just the time between two frames. What could possibly happen in such a brief period?" Ethan's expression betrayed a hint of alarm.

"Well, 40 milliseconds is not particularly short; many things could occur in that time," Professor Feng said calmly.

"40 milliseconds isn't considered very short?" Ethan seemed even more astonished, his tone involuntarily rising.

"Have you considered that light travels at approximately 300,000 kilometers per second? In just 1 millisecond, light travels 300 meters, and in 40 milliseconds, it travels 12,000 meters. That's enough to get from Beijing to Washington, D.C.," Professor Feng said with a smile.

"Are you suggesting that something supernatural occurred? Such feats are impossible for humans. I couldn't possibly make evasive maneuvers in 40 milliseconds," Ethan said, still struggling to believe.

"No supernatural phenomena occurred. The speed of light is a fundamental aspect of nature. However, perhaps some mysterious force assisted you, or you possess some unique potential."

"Professor Feng, I truly cannot comprehend this." Ethan appeared somewhat disheartened.

"Let me explain using the theory of physics. This is related to Einstein's theory of special relativity: the faster an object moves, the slower time appears to pass relative to it. Does that help clarify things?"

They exchanged a smile. "Now I understand. It seems my mind is only attuned to the terminology of physics."

Ethan rose and bowed deeply to Professor Feng. "Thank you, Professor Feng, for resolving this issue that has been troubling me. Although I seem to have gained even more questions from our discussion, I've already taken up much of your time today. I'll return to ponder these matters, and when it's convenient, I would like to seek your advice again."

Professor Feng also stood up. "It's no trouble at all. I find your questions quite intriguing. I hope our discussions will help you unravel these mysteries step by step."

"Then I'll take my leave," Ethan said as he moved toward the living room door.

"I'll see you out."

"It's chilly outside; please, don't trouble yourself."

After Ethan left, Professor Feng watched his retreating figure through the glass window, a mysterious smile playing at the corners of her eyes.