Chapter Two: Need to Pay More

“You’re a world-class professor,” the middle-aged man said, unconsciously touching the right side of his face. “But as you know, I lost my right ear in my reckless youth. If you want me to take on this unknown and risky task, you’ll have to pay more.”

“Hmph!”

Zhang Feng nodded, his mind drifting to thoughts of that girl’s stunning figure and beauty, her long black hair, and an urge he could no longer suppress—to lock her in his room and have his way with her. Though he had aged, his desires, left unsatisfied for years, had only grown stronger.

To put it plainly: age had made him more depraved.

Meanwhile, Shen Liangxin removed her white lab coat, revealing her lithe figure beneath her purple-rimmed glasses. If Zhang Feng saw her now, he would hardly be able to restrain himself.

A sickening, lustful sensation flickered through her mind. Shen Liangxin frowned. “What disgusting thoughts is that professor having about me?”

She had made some headway in her research on quantum entanglement—not just in the realm of physics, but in the real world as well. Sometimes, life to life, person to person, there existed a resonance beyond classical physics—a special connection that seemed almost to transcend reality, a privilege reserved for conscious beings.

This was the most definite answer Shen Liangxin had reached so far, though she had not published her findings, lacking a complete theoretical framework.

She changed into casual clothes—blue jeans—her youthful energy and the refined elegance shaped by higher education now on full display.

Exiting the underground laboratory, Shen Liangxin looked up at the sky. The sun was already in the west, the white clouds tinged with the glow of dusk. Night was falling.

“Hm~”

Pressing her fair fingertip to her rosy lips, Shen Liangxin hesitated, then decided to leave campus to find something to eat. The cafeteria meals were good and varied, but they never changed throughout the years of university—they had long since lost their appeal.

Elsewhere, Li Fengyin had spent over an hour in the internet café. Glancing at the time—5:12 p.m.—he thought it was about time for dinner. His mind had seemed to malfunction earlier—a sensation he’d experienced before. At first, it had frightened him, but now he was almost numb to it.

After all, reality was still reality, nothing special ever happened. It was easier just to ignore it.

Clicking the “AFK” button at the internet café, Li Fengyin headed out through the back gate of Huaqing University, where many food options awaited.

The place was crowded, but cheap, tasty food was the real draw. Li Fengyin ordered a donkey meat sandwich and leaned against the alley wall, scrolling through his phone. At that moment, a girl exuding scholarly charm walked past, wearing purple-rimmed glasses. He paused, raising his head to watch her back. “I wonder when I’ll ever have such a beautiful girlfriend…”

He didn’t even see her face clearly, yet his heart pounded furiously. He lowered his eyes, tears stinging at the corners. If only he were a little better, he thought.

He took his sandwich and turned to leave the alley. Behind him, Shen Liangxin seemed to sense something as well; she glanced back, catching only the silhouette of a handsome boy walking away. She’d seen plenty of boys like that before, but this faceless figure struck her as strangely familiar.

“How odd. Quantum entanglement…”

Shen Liangxin frowned. “Did it transfer?”

She took off her glasses, then put them on again, but even with the interface reloaded, she could no longer sense the professor. This was the first time this had happened since she’d become entangled with a cat.

Li Fengyin ate his sandwich, heading toward the small building where Sunshine Internet Café was located. Along the way, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d established some kind of connection with the girl who had moved him at first sight.

“This is ridiculous. My thoughts are growing more and more unreliable.”

He sighed, muttering to himself, “Maybe I should go to the hospital for another check-up. It’s so hard just to live a normal life.”

Unbeknownst to him, Shen Liangxin followed at a distance. She needed to confirm whether the quantum entanglement had shifted to this boy. It was possible—in which case, her experiment hadn’t failed after all.

But there had to be a reason for this change.

Watching the boy in his white T-shirt and pale blue jeans walk toward the internet café, Shen Liangxin frowned again. “Is he just another aimless student? Well, everyone’s free to make their own choices. I need to be sure.”

“Hmm?”

As if sensing something, Li Fengyin turned around before entering the internet café. The street behind was as busy as ever, nothing out of the ordinary. Shen Liangxin hid beneath the stairs, unseen.

“I must admit, this is quite thrilling!”

With an adventurous glint in her eye, Shen Liangxin pouted. “It feels so deep and mysterious… though it’s only a fleeting sensation. Never mind, I’ll just go into the café.”

The unsurpassed safety of Huaguo gave its people peace of mind, but when crime did occur, it was often hard to prevent.

Not far from the Sunshine Internet Café, a man in casual clothes with short hair and an unruly air leaned against the street, making a phone call. “I’ve confirmed the woman’s location. If nothing goes wrong, tonight may be our chance.”

Lowering his wrist, watch gleaming, the man muttered, “University students usually spend two to three hours online, that’s normal. By then it’ll be dark—should be the perfect opportunity.”

When the call ended, the middle-aged man in the Imperial Tower relaxed. Since the professor was willing to pay a high price, he had hired the top assassin in Huaguo. Kidnapping an unsuspecting university student would be child’s play.

“Hi~”

Shen Liangxin made no effort to hide and boldly sat down in the corner beside Li Fengyin.

Seeing the girl who had caught his heart, Li Fengyin felt as if he were dreaming. He couldn’t look away from her exquisite face, which was even more beautiful and spirited than he’d imagined.

“Are you here to use the computers, too?”

After a few moments of hesitation, Li Fengyin blurted out this rather empty question.

“Surfing the net is just for fun. Actually,” Shen Liangxin leaned in, gazing into his deep, cool eyes, “I have a favor to ask. Would you help me with an experiment?”