"Ding! Congratulations to the host for completing the task and successfully sabotaging Shangjia's opportunity. You will be rewarded with a large gold treasure box and 10 luck points.
---
Host: Qi Lin
Protagonist Level: G+
Upgrade Experience: 70/100
Luck Value: 7 (full value 100)
Love Value: 9 (full value 100)
Power Value: 6 (full value 100)
Wealth Value: 9 (full value 100)
---
"Oh, without realizing it, my luck value has reached 70 points, and it's almost time for an upgrade."
Looking at the status panel, Qi Lin touched his chin with a smile on his face.
"I remember that in the beginning, the protagonist's level was still G, but now it has become G+. It must be because the luck value exceeded 50 points, thus upgrading to G+."
Qi Lin speculated.
"Open the golden treasure chest."
Luck values are just appetizers, but what Qi Lin looks forward to the most is the gold treasure chest.
Every time he opens one, there's always a thrilling feeling, like opening a mystery box.
System: "Ding! You have opened the large gold treasure chest, and the host has gained the 'Magic Locksmith' skill."
"The 'Magic Locksmith' skill allows you to unlock anything from mechanical locks, handcuffs, combination locks, electronic locks, to vault locks. There is no lock in the world that can stop the host. You can go wherever you want."
Listening to the system's boast, Qi Lin thought of a hero from the alliance.
Mundo: Go wherever you want!
"This skill is useful. Now I won't be afraid of getting locked in a dark room. I can even go to the protagonist's office or home to look for evidence of illegal activities."
"When it's all over, I'll disappear and hide my merits and reputation. I wonder if that girl Chen Lili will be moved when she finds out that I've left."
Chen Lili's pure and beautiful face flashed in Qi Lin's mind.
To be fair, Qi Lin made the right bet this time, even though Chen Lili wasn't as moved as Lihua Daiyu.
However, the balance in her heart had shifted, and Qi Lin's status had gradually surpassed that of Shang Jia, her actual boyfriend.
While talking, Qi Lin had arrived at the door of the operating room.
It seemed like a coincidence.
"Ding~"
An electronic bell chimed, and the automatic doors of the operating room opened.
Tang Yinxuan was being pushed out by the nurse.
Zhao Zhiren, who looked prepared, removed his mask.
"Doctor! How is my daughter?"
Tang Shu rushed up, his face full of anxiety and unease.
Zhao Zhiren replied calmly, "It was just a minor operation. The procedure went very smoothly. The patient's heart valve has been completely repaired. As long as she takes care of herself, she'll be a healthy, normal little girl from now on."
As soon as these words were spoken, Tang Shu and Lin Qiu burst into tears.
They had been terrified for days and nights, unable to sleep.
Knowing their daughter will now lead a normal life, they both felt an overwhelming sense of relief.
"Thank you, Dr. Zhao! Thank you! I don't know how to ever repay your kindness!"
Tang Shu and Lin Qiu, overcome with emotion, knelt down in gratitude.
Zhao Zhiren, looking slightly helpless, quickly stepped forward to help them up.
"What are you doing? I was just doing my job. Besides, if you really want to thank someone, you should thank Qi Lin. I only agreed to perform this operation because of him. This little girl's fortune is all thanks to his intervention."
"Yes, yes! Dr. Zhao is absolutely right."
The couple stood up, laughing through their tears.
"Xiao Qi, your godfather and godmother both know how good you are to Yinxuan. Just say the word—whatever you want, we'll get it for you, even if it's the stars from the sky."
Tang Shu looked at Qi Lin, eyes filled with gratitude.
Qi Lin wanted to say, "What I want is your daughter."
But Qi Lin also knew there were no feelings between him and Tang Yinxuan.
Her childhood sweetheart, Kunta, was still in the picture.
Until he eliminated the protagonist, the world's rules wouldn't allow Qi Lin and Tang Yinxuan to be together legitimately.
Besides, Qi Lin considered himself a "Protagonist Hunter," a villain.
There was no reason for him to form a relationship with the heroine. Playing with her in front of the protagonist was far more thrilling.
"I haven't thought about it yet. I'll let you know when I do."
Qi Lin said with a smile.
Tang Shu thought Qi Lin was just being modest, and admired him even more.
"Dingling bell~"
Qi Lin was about to check on Tang Yinxuan, but his phone rang.
Glancing at the screen, he saw it was Chen Lili calling.
Apparently, she had realized he had left without saying a word and didn't have time to thank him, so she felt a little guilty.
Chen Lili would probably want to make it up to him somehow, right?
Smiling, Qi Lin answered the phone, "Lili, what's up?"
Chen Lili's tone was slightly annoyed, "Brother Lin, you left without even saying goodbye. I didn't get a chance to thank you."
Qi Lin chuckled, "What? Did you get a promotion?"
Chen Lili nodded, a hint of joy in her voice. "The dean personally met with me, saying that I'm young and motivated, with a bright future ahead. He also signed a formal medical contract with me. From now on, I'm officially a doctor."
Physicians are the lowest level of doctors, with attending physicians, associate chief physicians, and chief physicians ranked above them. Each promotion takes several years.
And Chen Lili was working at one of the top hospitals in the country.
"Then let me congratulate you first."
Qi Lin said with a smile.
Chen Lili bit her lip, hesitated for a moment, her pretty face blushing slightly as she said, "Brother Lin, I know it's all because of you that I got promoted. The person I should be most grateful to is you. So, do you have time tonight?"
See?
This is what it means to play the long game.
Last time they went to the movies, Qi Lin had to take the initiative.
Now, Qi Lin helped Chen Lili secure her position, and she was the one returning the favor by offering him dinner.
And Qi Lin had a hunch there was something beautiful in store tonight, likely taking his relationship with Chen Lili a step further.
"Whether I have time depends on what you want from me. If you're asking for lessons on acupuncture with golden needles, I'm too busy."
Qi Lin said in a lazy tone.
Chen Lili:...
She felt like a bird trapped in Qi Lin's grasp, unable to escape his perceptive eyes.
It was true she wanted to treat him to dinner, but it was also true she needed more advice on acupuncture techniques. After all, if the hospital came to inspect her, her secret would be revealed.
"Brother Lin, can't you just pretend to be oblivious? You were the one who pushed me into treating patients in the first place.
Now, the hospital is focusing on training me, and they're discussing traditional Chinese medicine.
If you don't teach me, my secret will be exposed. I don't care.
But if you don't go to dinner with me tonight, I'll cry for you."
Chen Lili resorted to her last trick, sounding adorably pitiful.
She was naturally sweet, and her voice was so endearing.
Qi Lin scratched his ear, "Are you crying now? Come on, little bird, cry for your brother."
Chen Lili: "Brother Lin~"
She was used to Qi Lin teasing her, stomping her feet in playful frustration.
"Alright, alright, choose a place. If it's not good, I won't come."
Qi Lin smiled and finally agreed.
"Thank you, Brother Lin! I knew you were the best."
Chen Lili laughed happily and hung up the phone, satisfied.
Tang Shu had been watching the entire exchange between Qi Lin and Chen Lili.
At this moment, the middle-aged man was stunned.
Was this still the polite little security guard?
His technique for flirting with girls was so familiar, it was almost ridiculous.
"Xiao Qi, this little girl…"
Tang Shu hesitated for a moment and asked.
Qi Lin smiled and said, "Yes, just like Yinxuan, she's my god-sister. She's very annoying. I did her a small favor, and she insists on treating me to dinner. Uncle Tang, do you want to join Auntie Lin and me for dinner?"
Tang Shu waved his hands repeatedly: "No, no, I'm just asking."
Qi Lin waved his hand: "Okay, I'll leave first. I'll see you later, Aunt Tang Shu."
Seeing Qi Lin leave, Tang Shu and Lin Qiu couldn't let go for a long time.
"I didn't expect Xiao Qi to be so popular with girls."
"Boys who are handsome, cheerful, generous, and helpful are indeed very popular. If I were still young, I would like him too."
The couple was feeling quite conflicted at the moment.
In the past, they were always worried about what would happen between Qi Lin and Tang Yinxuan. After all, Qi Lin was just a security guard, and the thought of their daughter marrying one didn't sit well with them.
Now that they realized Qi Lin had such great influence and was quite popular with girls, they actually began to feel complicated, worrying that Qi Lin might have found a girlfriend.
This was quite ironic.
Meanwhile...
Chen Lili had just hung up the phone and was heading back to the lounge to change clothes. The dean had just given her a special leave, and Chen Lili had gladly accepted it.
She wanted to use this opportunity to ask Qi Lin for more advice on using golden needles to find acupuncture points, and she also wanted to express her gratitude to him.
However, when Chen Lili arrived at the lounge door, she found someone already waiting there.
Upon seeing his girlfriend, Shang Jia's face lit up and he hurried over to greet her.
Seeing Shang Jia, Chen Lili's expression turned cold as she remembered how he stepped back during the moment when she had decided to treat the female patient.
"Aren't you afraid I'll drag you down? Why did you come to find me?" Chen Lili asked directly, her temper sharp as usual.
Shang Jia, knowing what was coming, had already prepared a response.
"Li Li, you've misunderstood me. You're my girlfriend. How could I ever be afraid of you dragging me down?"
He smiled bitterly.
Chen Lili, still frowning, asked coldly, "Then explain to me why, when I went up to treat the patient, you stepped back?"
Without saying a word, Shang Jia took out his phone and showed her his recent call records.
He explained, "This is my teacher's phone number, Academician Wang. I was worried you might make a mistake, so I called him for help."
"My teacher has long since retired. For your sake, I begged him to come and assist you. When you were in the dean's office earlier, my teacher came to the hospital. If you don't believe me, you can ask around."
Shang Jia's story had just the right mix of truth and lies, cleverly playing on Chen Lili's emotions. She wasn't experienced enough to catch on to his cunning reasoning.
"Is what you're saying true? You stepped back to call your teacher for help?" Chen Lili asked hesitantly.
Shang Jia patted his chest confidently. "More real than gold. If I'm lying, may lightning strike me!"
"Boom~"
Thunder rumbled outside.
"..."
"Ahem, that thunder has nothing to do with me, I swear," Shang Jia said awkwardly.
"Pfft~" Chen Lili couldn't help but laugh at his goofy explanation.
"Alright, alright, I believe you."
Seeing that Chen Lili had finally forgiven him, Shang Jia was overjoyed.
"Li Li, I knew you still cared about me," he said, reaching out to hug her.
Chen Lili, however, dodged him, her pretty face showing a trace of anger. "What are you doing? We're in a hospital! And have you forgotten what I said? You still haven't passed my parents' test. Only when you do that will you..."
"..."
Shang Jia awkwardly smiled as his attempt failed.
But then, he rolled his eyes and said, "Li Li, didn't you just become a permanent employee? That's something worth celebrating. Let's go out for dinner later to celebrate, okay?"
Chen Lili's face flushed slightly as she felt conflicted.
Shang Jia's timing always seemed off. If he had asked her to dinner under normal circumstances, she wouldn't have refused, especially since he was her boyfriend.
But this time, she had already invited Qi Lin to dinner, so how could she agree to Shang Jia?
Feeling a bit flustered, Chen Lili, who rarely lied, found herself doing so again.
"I'm sorry, Shang Jia, but my family has guests tonight, and my parents said I must go home to entertain them."
"..."
Shang Jia had been rejected the last time he asked Chen Lili to watch a movie. Now, he was being turned down for dinner too.
He began to wonder if Chen Lili no longer liked him.
"Lili, do you not like me anymore?" Shang Jia asked, looking directly at her.
Panicked, Chen Lili quickly averted her gaze. "What are you talking about? I do have guests at home. Don't you believe me? If we don't have this little bit of trust, then our relationship..."
Shang Jia quickly interrupted, realizing where the conversation was headed. "No, no, it's not that I don't believe you. Forget it. There will be plenty of opportunities to eat together in the future. Just tell your parents I said hello. I've been thinking about visiting them soon. It's time to take our relationship to the next level."
Chen Lili quickly left.
Watching her walk away, Shang Jia felt disheartened.
After thinking for a while, he pulled out his phone and called a friend.
"Come out and have a drink with me. I'm in a bad mood."
His friend responded, "What's up? Did you get dumped?"
Shang Jia replied, "No, but something happened at the hospital today. I'll explain everything when we meet."
His friend said, "Alright, let's meet at the usual place. Chuyun Town?"
Shang Jia nodded, "Yeah, that works."
On the other side...
Chen Lili had just hailed a taxi and told the driver, "Take me to Chuyun Town."
What a strange coincidence, wasn't it?
Chen Lili didn't usually eat out much. Her mentor was quite strict, so she rarely had the opportunity. However, Shang Jia had taken her to that restaurant several times, and she thought it was good.
Without thinking, she subconsciously chose the same place for dinner.
After making a reservation at Chuyun Town, Chen Lili returned home.
Of course, she couldn't go out to dinner still wearing her hospital clothes.
Plus, Chen Lili had a touch of OCD. After a day at the hospital, she always had to shower when she got home to rid herself of the hospital grime.
Looking in the mirror, she saw her graceful figure reflected back at her and even found herself captivated.
She slipped into the white spaghetti-strap dress she had picked out, a color that required flawless skin to pull off. Otherwise, it could make a person look washed out.
For Chen Lili, with her porcelain white skin, this wasn't a problem.
Once she was dressed, she stood ready to leave but suddenly hesitated.
For some reason, she remembered what Qi Lin had said last time: "Hey? Where are your white stockings? I was hoping you'd wear them."
Blushing, Chen Lili muttered, "I'll ask Brother Lin about the acupuncture points later. He might not want to tell me. Maybe..."
When she finally stepped out, now wearing black leather shoes, she had already slipped on a pair of white stockings.
Her shapely legs in the soft, milky white pantyhose were breathtaking.
Her delicate feet, clad in white stockings, slid into her shoes, as if stepping directly onto a man's heart.
---
The name "Daiyu" is a reference to Lin Daiyu (林黛玉), a character from the famous Chinese novel Dream of the Red Chamber (红楼梦).
Lin Daiyu is known for her sensitivity, fragility, and deep emotions. She is often portrayed as melancholic and easily moved to tears, particularly in situations involving love, loss, or beauty. If "Lihua" is part of her name in this context, it might symbolize "tears like falling flowers" (泪如雨下, or "tears fall like rain"), which fits with her emotional nature.
Therefore, "wasn't as moved as Lihua Daiyu" means that Yingxu didn't experience the same level of deep, overwhelming emotion as Lin Daiyu would have, implying they were less touched or emotionally affected by the situation.