“How did it look?”
“Flat, like noodles.”
“…” Although Sophia was a doctor, receiving such a vivid phone call early in the morning made her chuckle. “Got it. In Western medicine, it’s called a bovine tapeworm; in traditional medicine, it’s referred to as a ‘white segment worm.’ Yes, it can grow up to eight meters long. Congratulations! You raised it well—big and strong! Because it grew to its maximum size, that’s why you’ve experienced years of poor nutrient absorption, nausea, and occasional abdominal pain. It wasn’t your stomach; it was the worm! Be sure to test your stool again next month to ensure no eggs remain.”
“…” The man on the other end was speechless.
Expelling an eight-meter-long worm felt like something worthy of a world record. But hearing that there might still be more inside? He couldn’t fathom it. Where had these worms been hiding? Just living inside his body like that? The thought of harboring such a long creature made him feel both disgusted and terrified. A chill ran down his spine as fear took hold.
“Dr. Smith, don’t scare me!”
Sophia laughed. “I’m not trying to scare you. Head to the hospital. A combination of Modernn and traditional medicine will work best!”
“Dr. Smith, are you advertising now?”
The two ended the call with a laugh.
Having helped another patient, Sophia felt a deep sense of accomplishment. She had been very busy lately, and today was a rare day off—time to relax and recharge so she could better serve her patients.
She planned her day carefully: reading at home in the morning, having lunch at Liam’s restaurant, and visiting the university library in the afternoon to borrow some professional books for study.
Life requires continuous learning. Without it, one is bound to fall behind.
Even Sophia acknowledged this. People often don’t realize when they’ve been left behind by the times, just as they don’t notice themselves aging.
After spending the morning reading, Sophia hailed a cab to Liam’s restaurant. She had invited Nancy and Chloe, who were already there and waved at her when they saw her.
“Sophia!”
The three of them sat down together. Not long after, Chloe arrived. Upon seeing Sophia, her first question was:
“I heard Scott Livinus is dating someone?”
Sophia was taken aback. “Where did you hear that?”
“Your mother-in-law and Andrea’s mom mentioned it to my beauty salon. They said the date is with Scott Livinus. Isn’t this worth talking about? Do you know how many families dream of marrying into the Scott family? Marrying Scott Henry is already impressive, but marrying Scott Livinus? That’s something people don’t even dare to dream about!”
Sophia chuckled. “That’s quite exaggerated. But Miss Andrea is beautiful, and they seem like a good match.”
Her comment prompted Nancy and Chloe to stare at her.
“What?” Sophia asked, confused.
Chloe sighed. She was experienced and could tell that there was something unusual between Sophia and Scott Livinus. Nancy, too, often joked about pairing them up.
“Be honest with me,” Chloe asked. “What do you think about him? Do you like Scott Livinus?”
Sophia paused, completely unprepared for such a question.
Like him? She genuinely didn’t know.
But dislike him? That didn’t seem to be the case either.
She shook her head honestly.
Nancy was irritated by the news of Scott Livinus dating someone. “How could my big brother agree to a blind date? He’s always hated such things.”
Sophia smirked. True, he had always hated blind dates. But he still went through with it.
And Andrea seemed to have caught his eye. He didn’t refuse her invitation to dine at his home.
Chloe pressed further. “Has he ever confessed his feelings to you? If he’s going on blind dates, he’s obviously thinking about marriage. Where does that leave you?”
Sophia smiled faintly. This wasn’t something she needed to worry about. Scott Livinus would be just fine without her intervention.
Chloe seemed genuinely upset, painting Scott Livinus as a heartless man. She angrily declared, “I can’t believe he’s like this. Sophia, you shouldn’t lag behind—go on a blind date too!”
Sophia blinked. “Me? A blind date?”
“Yes!”
Sophia laughed. “Chloe, I’m not even divorced yet. This divorce case has been dragging on, and I don’t know when it’ll end. If I go on a blind date now, what am I supposed to say? ‘Hi, I’m still married. If you want to be with me, you’ll have to wait for my divorce’?”
“Who told you to say that?” Chloe grinned. “Don’t worry. I’ll introduce you to someone understanding. Besides, while you’re still married, everyone knows your husband’s infidelity is public knowledge. Any decent person would understand your situation. Plus, you don’t have kids. With your looks and medical skills, finding someone won’t be hard.”
Sophia stayed silent. Chloe quickly added, “It’s settled! I’ll set up a meeting this weekend!”
Before Sophia could object, Chloe sent a message to the man.
Chloe was always efficient.
She quickly arranged for Sophia to meet the man that weekend.
The meeting spot was a high-end café near Liam’s restaurant. Known for its handcrafted coffee, the café catered to white-collar workers from nearby office buildings.
Sophia had a hectic morning and didn’t even have time for a sip of water. It wasn’t until lunchtime, after sending her colleagues to eat, that she managed to slip away.
The café featured a microphone stand, hinting that it transformed into a bar with live music performances in the evening.
As Sophia entered, she saw a man in a suit stand up.
This was a mature and charismatic man. Chloe had mentioned he was 33 years old, never married, self-made, and the owner of a publicly listed company. He had a significant net worth, maintained a clean reputation, and had excellent character.
These were Chloe’s exact words.
“Hello!” His voice was deep and pleasant, carrying a rare warmth. “I’m Logan.”
“Sophia.”
“Would you like something to drink?” Logan smiled. “The coffee here is excellent, and the pastries are highly recommended.”
Sophia smiled and ordered tea.
Logan looked surprised. “Nothing else?”
“No, tea is healthier. I’ve already had lunch and don’t need pastries.”
Logan was taken aback. “I thought women couldn’t resist dessert at any time.”
Sophia shrugged with a smile. “I’ve heard that when a woman truly wants to do something, nothing can stop her. But in this case, I truly don’t want dessert.”
