This day... finally came to an end.

Gu Shen left the Dream Speaker and stood on the street, taking a deep breath of the cold wind to refresh himself.

The side effects of the Truth Ruler had almost been completely absorbed, but he still felt a bit light-headed when walking.

In November in Jiangnan City, it would start to get chilly after sunset.

He adjusted his coat. So much had happened today - the group insomnia, the attack from the Longevity Foundation, the pocket watch dream... a series of events that came one after another, leaving him breathless.

Fortunately, it was all over now.

The evening breeze blew, and the music from the café on the street drifted out. People walked by on Lipu Street, couples held hands and laughed, children chased and played. The bustling noise of the crowd relaxed Gu Shen's mind, making him feel less tense.

"Dr. Gu."

Under another street lamp, a petite and lovely girl was waving her hand.

Qu Shui wore a fluffy knitted hat, a cartoon camel-colored sweater on her upper body, paired with a pleated skirt, and knee-high pink socks. She looked full of youth.

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"Sorry for keeping you waiting," Gu Shen apologized, feeling bad for making her wait for so long.

As he approached, Gu Shen noticed that Qu Shui had put on makeup. Her face was rosy, and it was hard to see her previous pale and haggard appearance. Her face was full of vitality, and she smiled brightly under the street lamp.

"It's alright, I just arrived too."

The girl hugged herself for warmth and said, "Dr. Gu, your work must be tough, right? It's getting late, let me treat you to dinner!"

Gu Shen hesitated for a moment.

He had come here to investigate the case.

But she had waited for him for so long and insisted on inviting him... It would be impolite to refuse.

"How about I treat you instead?"

After thinking for a moment, Gu Shen said, "Let's just eat something nearby, and then we can go to the riverside."

...

...

For Gu Shen, eating was something that could be ignored when not necessary.

In fact, children who grew up in the mountains were like this. For them, having one meal or two meals a day was not a big deal. What was more terrifying than being hungry for a day or two was not being able to see a future where they could eat their fill. When Gu Shen first left the orphanage two years ago, eating steamed buns with pickled vegetables was a common meal for him. Occasionally, he would have two meals of northwest wind to improve the taste.

The city was a magnificent skyscraper, even more magnificent than Qinghe. The top of the city offered an infinite and splendid view, but it was also a more cruel pyramid than Qinghe, with each layer supported by nameless people lying at the base, countless "ordinary people" who couldn't be seen.

So even if there was enough "spending" balance in his bank account, Gu Shen still lived according to his previous habits. In the neon-lit night of the city, you could always see a lonely teenager running through the alleys, blowing the cool evening breeze, eating freshly baked sweet potatoes from a roadside stall, and hot pancakes.

For such a teenager, the past seventeen years of his life had taught him perseverance, hard work, self-discipline... and many other virtues.

But in return, life had not taught him "romance".

"Here... freshly baked, for you."

Qu Shui looked at Gu Shen strangely as they walked out of a secluded alley on Lipu Street.

Gu Shen held two bags of sweet potatoes and handed one to her, but Qu Shui didn't take it.

She looked a bit embarrassed and asked, "Aren't you going to eat? It's delicious."

"I'll... pass." Qu Shui's expression was a bit awkward. She looked at Gu Shen's attire again and asked, "Dr. Gu, do you usually eat this?"

"Yeah." Gu Shen blew on the sweet potato, peeled off a soft and sticky skin, and took a bite. "It's really delicious. Are you sure you don't want to try?"

If Chu Ling were here, he would take her to eat this.

"I want to try... something more formal, is that okay?" Qu Shui thought for a moment and said gently, "There's a nice restaurant near the riverside. If you don't have money, I can pay."

"Something more formal..."

Gu Shen suddenly realized.

He suddenly realized that treating his friend with sweet potatoes might be seen as "stingy" in terms of social behavior... Of course, that was not his intention.

After spending two years in Qinghe, eating a lot of sweet potatoes, when Gu Shen arrived at Lipu Street in the city, he was deeply impressed by the roasted sweet potatoes from this small stall. This might be the first time that the city had shone brightly in his heart.

For the first time, when he tasted the sweet potato, Gu Shen couldn't help but think, "No wonder it's the city. Even sweet potatoes are roasted better here than in other cities."

...

...

Twenty minutes later.

Gu Shen arrived at a revolving restaurant, a private room with elegant seats, soft lighting, soothing music, and a quiet atmosphere.

He adjusted his sitting posture, but no matter how he sat, he felt uncomfortable.

This restaurant was located along the riverside, occupying the entire twenty-ninth floor. Diners could overlook the night view of the riverside, with cruise ships and lights. If it was a festival or if they were lucky, they might even witness a grand and magnificent fireworks show.

"Is this your first time at this kind of restaurant, Dr. Gu?"

After sitting at the table, Qu Shui's posture was very relaxed. She didn't look like a sixteen-year-old girl at all, and her previous shyness was completely gone.

Gu Shen thought for a moment.

By "this kind of restaurant" in Qu Shui's words, she probably meant the price... He had just looked at the menu, and having a meal here would probably cost around 2,000 yuan per person.The day before the review began, that old fellow had been speeding around in his luxury car, dining at all the top restaurants in Dateng City. Gu Shen, who had been tagging along for free meals and drinks, didn't forget to sneak a peek at the menu after each meal, finding the prices similar to the current restaurant.

Thanks to Mr. Shu.

For taking him out to "see the world" in advance, so he wouldn't be overly shocked at this moment, and could even confidently reply,

"I've been here before, but I don't eat here often."

Qu Shui chuckled quietly.

"Here, I've cut this steak for you... Here you go."

Watching her skillful knife handling, Gu Shen was certain that this young lady, Qu Shui, came from a wealthy family. It made sense... The fees for a Dream Talker's psychological counseling weren't cheap, eight hundred an hour. For a sixteen-year-old girl to come several times a week, how much pocket money must she have?

"Thank you."

Gu Shen curiously asked, "You should still be in school, right... Aren't your parents worried about you being out so late?"

Qu Shui lowered her head slightly, her eyes flickering for a moment, and she softly laughed, "Dr. Little Gu should know... I've been undergoing treatment recently... So I've taken a leave from school."

Gu Shen noticed that when Qu Shui spoke, she subconsciously retracted her hand into her sleeve.

He had seen it before... This girl had more than one scar on her wrist.

Self-harm due to a breakup.

It was hard to imagine that this seemingly delicate girl would do something so extreme.

"Don't hurt yourself anymore." Gu Shen said softly, "Your parents would be heartbroken."

"Thank you for your kindness..." Qu Shui whispered, "I live alone now, my parents... are no longer with us."

Parents... are no longer with us?

Gu Shen was taken aback at first, then he understood what she meant by 'no longer with us'...

He fell silent.

Hearing this, Gu Shen felt a string in his heart being plucked. He was never good at comforting others, so he could only gently say, "Then you need to take even better care of yourself. I'll go pay the bill... Let's head back early after we finish the business at the riverbank. I'll drop you off at your doorstep."