Bai Su obediently took the water and held a mouthful in her mouth. Then, she found it a bit odd. "Hm? Mmmph mmm mmmph?" (Where did you get this water from?)

She cracked herself up after saying it.

Yelias, however, understood her. He simply raised his hand. "My superpower."

"Alright, you can swallow. Now stick out your tongue and let me take a look."

Bai Su obediently did as she was told.

’Eating with a doctor... what a novel experience.’

The look in Yelias’s eyes softened. "You’re fine now. Be more careful when you eat. Rabbit Beastmen aren’t good with high heat. You should avoid scalding hot food from now on, and try to only drink lukewarm water, nothing over 60 degrees Celsius."

Bai Su nodded obediently. "Understood, Doctor."

Hearing her address him like that, Yelias couldn’t help but laugh. "Sorry, it’s an occupational hazard."

Seeing him laugh, Bai Su’s eyes crinkled in a smile as well. "It’s great, though. A free consultation! I’m the one getting a good deal."

Yelias gave a resigned smile.

Bai Su tilted her head. "What were we talking about just now? Oh, right. Grandpa’s opinion of you. He rarely ever mentioned you."

"It was when he was giving me the ring, he said..."

She subconsciously touched the ring hanging around her neck, hidden under her clothes.

A flicker of light crossed Yelias’s eyes. "What did he say?"

Bai Su recalled what Grandpa had said to her when she received the ring. "Grandpa just said that this ring was split in two—that you have one piece, and I have the other. He also said his grandson is someone who doesn’t take care of himself, and told me to look after him."

The-Yelias-who-doesn’t-take-care-of-himself was speechless. "..."

He couldn’t help but chuckle. "I’m not *that* bad when it comes to taking care of myself."

Bai Su thought for a moment, her brow furrowing slightly. "Grandpa also said some rather ominous things. He said this ring is extremely important, and that I should put it on and never take it off. He also said that by giving this ring away, his mission was accomplished, and it wouldn’t matter if he died..."

Yelias’s brow knitted together sharply. ’Is that how it was?’

Bai Su looked at him curiously. "Are you always busy with work?"

Yelias quickly concealed the sharp glint in his eyes. "Work was a little busy before, but it’s been much better lately."

’Because Grandpa had died suddenly.’

He couldn’t accept it, so he had trusted associates take over part of his workload and temporarily halted his core research projects.

He wouldn’t return to the institute until he discovered the truth behind his grandfather’s death.

Furthermore, after his grandfather’s sudden death, a few of the clan elders from his grandfather’s generation had grown restless. They had even tried several times to force "Grandpa" to appear and use the family’s heirloom ring to restore order.

He had already sensed that something was amiss.

Either there was a traitor in the family, or someone was colluding with outsiders to scheme for the Lanton Family’s core technology.

That was why he had no choice but to disguise himself as his grandfather to come out and keep order.

Bai Su nodded, then asked him with renewed curiosity, "What kind of work did you do before? I heard that even though you’re a doctor, you don’t see patients in a hospital."

Yelias smiled faintly. "I do medical research at the Lanton Family’s core research institute."

’Only by advancing core medical technologies can the upper limits of global medicine be raised.’

’But if this caused other powers to covet what the Lanton Family had, then it would be putting the cart before the horse.’

Yelias had been investigating for so long, yet he still had no leads.

’If Grandpa hadn’t given the ring to Bai Su, he wouldn’t have been killed so easily.’

’There was a power in the ring that would have protected him.’

’But judging from what Bai Su said today, it seemed Grandpa had foreseen that someone would try to harm him.’

’If that was the case, though, why would he rather die than not protect Bai Su?’

He knew his grandfather well enough. Reasons like her saving his life, or her resemblance to his deceased younger sister—Grandpa would not have given away the ring for those, even if it meant his own death.

Unless...

’The person who killed Grandpa didn’t just want Grandpa dead—they wanted to kill Bai Su, too.’

’That must be why Grandpa gave the ring to Bai Su.’

’The only thing Grandpa would protect with his life was the core interests of the Lanton Family.’

’But what about this young female was connected to the core interests of the Lanton Family?’

He had kept watch over the restaurant for days while disguised as his grandfather, but he had not detected any suspicious activity in the vicinity.

He had his "spiderwebs" spread throughout the forest surrounding the restaurant; if anyone approached, he would have known.

’The previous incidents had just been small-time riffraff making trouble; it didn’t seem to be the same group that killed his grandfather.’

Seeing him staring into space, Bai Su waved a hand in front of his face. "Yelias?"

"Hm?" He came back to his senses and gave her a gentle look. "What is it?"

Bai Su looked at him strangely. "What were you thinking about? I’ve been talking to you and calling your name for ages."

Yelias smiled faintly. "My apologies, I was lost in thought. What were you saying?"

Bai Su said, "I was saying you should get some proper rest. Work is important, but we should also learn to slow down and enjoy life. Don’t make Grandpa worry."

Yelias let out a small laugh and nodded. "Alright. I’ll do as you say."

He suppressed the emotions welling up inside and began to focus on savoring the delicious food on the table.

This hot pot was truly delicious. He looked at Bai Su. "Your cooking is very good."

There was an indescribable quality to it; every bite felt warm and comforting, inexplicably reminding him of a warm family atmosphere.

Bai Su beamed. "I’m glad you like it! Feel free to come over and eat anytime. Even though the restaurant is closing next month, there’s always a place for you at my table."

Yelias smiled faintly. "Alright."

’When Bai Su smiled, her eyes would curve into crescents and sparkle brightly. She didn’t seem like a little rabbit, but more like a sincere little puppy.’

He could clearly sense that she wasn’t just being polite, but was genuinely welcoming him.

’It was strange. How could someone enjoy such a lively atmosphere so much?’

He was curious, and he actually voiced his question.

Hearing his question, Bai Su was stunned for a moment, then she smiled, her voice a little soft. "Isn’t a lively atmosphere nice? This little restaurant is very lively. It feels like home."

She looked at Yelias, guiding the conversation back to him. "Do you ever feel really stressed or tired?"

Yelias smiled faintly. "Of course I do."

’Especially for those in their line of research, the pressure was sometimes unimaginable.’

Upon hearing this, Bai Su looked at him with some curiosity. "Then what do you do to cheer yourself up?"

Yelias paused, looking at her.

’He almost thought she was trying to curry favor with him, to make him happy.’

’But her eyes held nothing but pure curiosity, with no hint of infatuation.’

The look in Yelias’s eyes deepened. "Sex allows me to relax and relieve stress."

Bai Su suspected she had misheard. "Huh?"

Yelias was perfectly frank. "I have a strong libido. My needs are quite high."

Bai Su: "Ah... oh, okay."

Her face flushed crimson. She never expected Yelias to suddenly bring up such a direct topic.

Yelias, however, didn’t seem to shy away from the topic in the slightest, with no hint of bashfulness or awkwardness on his face. "Finding release relaxes my mind and body. It also speeds up blood circulation. It’s an activity beneficial to one’s physical and mental well-being."

’That day in the submarine, after he had fished her out, he had placed her on the bed, completely uncovered.’

’He had just sat quietly on a nearby chair, relieving himself for over three hours while looking at her body.’

’Having a visual reference was different. He hadn’t been this aroused in a very long time.’

’Her body was breathtakingly beautiful; it was hard not to be attracted to it.’

’That was his consultation fee.’

The completely oblivious Bai Su gave an embarrassed laugh. "Oh, is that so... I thought Doctor Yelias was the ascetic type, completely uninterested in any females."

’After all, on the day they first met, she had been in that state, and he had been completely unmoved.’

’She was even beginning to doubt the accuracy of descriptions in novels.’

But Yelias just smiled like a gentleman. "How could that be? With you, at least, I’m very sexually interested."

Bai Su blinked blankly. "Huh? Me?"