Video Editor

Su Daqiang and Wang Xiuying have to go to the seafood market at four o'clock every morning, because there are many people at the early market, and if they are late, they will not be able to get the freshest seafood.

The freshness and quality of seafood are also crucial to the business of the entire day.

But no sooner had they left with their insulated boxes than Fan Lin would appear downstairs at the apartment building.

Fan Lin sometimes carries her favorite snacks or gifts she bought for Suning the day before.

And Su Ning always waited for her inside the door, just like they always did.

Once the door was closed, shutting out the sounds of the bustling city outside, only their heated breaths remained in the room…

Fan Lin is four years older than Su Ning and has been working in the entertainment industry for several years. She always acts like a caring older sister.

It's as if it can read Suning's mind, always able to find out what Suning wants.

Moreover, knowing that Su Ning was preparing to return to Zhejiang University to resume classes, she never bothered her too much.

As long as she was fed beforehand, Fan Lin would sit next to him and read the script, occasionally glancing up at Su Ning's handsome profile.

If Su Ning gets tired of studying, she will tell her some interesting stories about the entertainment industry.

Which actor secretly uses eye drops when filming a crying scene?

Who are digital actors?

Which director always likes to cook hot pot on set?

However, she kept asking about Teacher Mei and Teacher Guo indirectly, which made Su Ning realize what she was thinking.

"I heard you studied acting with Teacher Mei?"

"Is Mr. Guo really as fond of performing crosstalk as rumored?"

"Is Director Kong really that good to you?"

Every time I ask, my eyes are filled with undisguised anticipation.

Suning didn't think much of it. After all, the entertainment industry is a big melting pot, and it would be a fool not to take advantage of the resources.

Of course, Su Ning wouldn't be foolish enough to beg Teachers Mei and Guo just because of a few words from Fan Lin, since his relationship with them was really just a gentleman's friendship.

When Fan Lin kept asking questions, Su Ning had no choice but to make a promise: "I will definitely introduce you two when there is an opportunity in the future."

These words finally made Fan Lin's eyes light up.

Then she would lean in and give him a light peck on the cheek, or change into a uniform that Su Ning liked and give him a live performance, which made Su Ning realize that women are emotional creatures.

However, their relationship gradually warmed up through these small interactions, transforming from initial politeness and small talk into intimacy and dependence, with even the air filled with a sweet and sour smell.

What frustrated Su Ning more and more was that every time he got intimate with Fan Lin, a "ding-dong" sound would always ring in his mind.

The sound didn't come from any household appliance; it was more like a notification sound that was directly drilled into the brain, crisp and clear, yet carrying an indescribable strangeness.

Immediately afterwards, a line of light blue text will appear before your eyes...

System repair progress: XX%

The first time it was 0.1%, the second time it was 0.2%, and each time Fan Lin came, the progress increased by 0.1%, exactly matching the number of her visits.

By the sixth secret meeting, the progress bar had reached 0.6%.

At this moment, Su Ning stared at the line of text and couldn't help but mutter to himself, "System? What a load of rubbish! I think it's a system that only cares about sex, not about feelings."

So he began to doubt himself uncontrollably.

Did he/she contract some strange disease?

Otherwise, why would he experience auditory and visual hallucinations every time he gets close to Fan Lin?

Once, when Fan Lin came, he deliberately made up an excuse that he had a cold and was not feeling well, and did not accept her advances.

Sure enough, he waited in his room all morning, but the [ding-dong] sound didn't ring, and the progress bar didn't move...

This "experiment" made him even more uneasy. Could this "system" be related to matters between men and women?
This inexplicable "hint" weighed on his heart like a stone, making him restless.

He didn't dare tell his parents, afraid they would worry.

He dared not mention it to Fan Lin, fearing it would ruin the intimacy they had worked so hard to build, since he could easily be seen as crazy.

After agonizing for several days, he finally took advantage of a weekend to lie and say he was going to the library to look up information, and took a bus to the best hospital in Qingdao.

I made appointments with neurology, psychiatry, and even ophthalmology.

I had three CT scans, reviewed the eye chart twice, and filled out a thick stack of questionnaires from the psychologist. It was all done by evening.

……

The outpatient building of the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University was bustling with people. The smell of disinfectant mixed with the salty and damp sea breeze entered Su Ning's nostrils, making his already tense nerves even more uneasy.

He clutched his appointment slip and paced back and forth outside the neurology clinic.

He still had the old medical record he brought back from Hangzhou in his pocket, with the words "cause of memory loss to be investigated" on it, which felt like a thorn in his heart.

"Su Ning, it's your turn." The nurse's voice came. He took a deep breath and pushed open the door to the examination room.

The attending physician was a senior doctor with gray hair, wearing thick glasses, and flipping through the test reports he had previously submitted.

"Sit down," the doctor said, raising his eyes and pointing to the chair opposite him. "The results of the brain CT, MRI, and EEG are all in. Take a look."

Suning took the report, his eyes quickly scanning each conclusion before finally settling on the words "no obvious abnormalities found".

The CT scan showed clear sulci and gyri of the brain, with no bleeding, no tumors, and not even traces of common mild concussions.

The MRI report also indicated that the shape and volume of the hippocampus were within the "normal range".

But this "normal" brain of his deliberately kept his past memories hidden.

"Based on the examination results, your brain structure is very healthy, with no organic lesions." The doctor pushed up his glasses and tapped the report lightly with his finger. "The hospital in Hangzhou did a similar examination for you before, right? Our conclusion is consistent with theirs—there is no obvious damage to the hippocampus, but there is selective amnesia. This condition is very rare in clinical practice, and there is currently no clear treatment plan. The possibility of a full recovery is almost zero."

“Then…” Su Ning’s fingers tightened slightly as she gripped the report, her knuckles turning white. “I’ve been experiencing auditory hallucinations regularly lately. Is that also because of amnesia?”

"Oh?" The director stopped writing, looked up at him, and his eyes became more inquisitive. "Could you be more specific? For example, the auditory hallucinations, when they occur, and whether there is any pattern?"

Su Ning's Adam's apple bobbed as he awkwardly organized his thoughts: "It's just... I hear a 'ding-dong' sound every time, a very crisp sound, a bit like the notification sound when a phone is charging, but I'm sure it's not coming from any of the appliances in the house, it's more like... it's ringing directly in my head." He paused, then added, "And the time it rings is always the same, it seems to coincide with the time someone comes to my house."

"The sound of a phone charging?" The doctor repeated thoughtfully, quickly noting it down in the medical record. "This is very likely a form of psychological suggestion. During the brain's self-repair process, amnesia patients sometimes transform real-world sounds into recurring hallucinations—for example, if you often hear the sound of a phone charging, your brain may 'copy' that sound in a specific scenario as a form of emotional support."

He put down his pen, looked at Su Ning, and softened his tone: "Have you been thinking a lot about regaining your past memories lately? The pressure is too much. Actually, there's no need for that. Health is the most important thing in life. You're in good physical condition now, you can eat and sleep well, and your studies haven't been affected. As long as these 'auditory hallucinations' don't interfere with your normal life, just observe them for now. As the saying goes, what you think about during the day, you dream about at night. Maybe once you relax, the voice will naturally disappear."

"Thank you, doctor. I know what to do now." Su Ning nodded, but she wasn't really at ease.

He couldn't tell the doctor that the "ding-dong" sound was accompanied by a light blue progress bar, nor could he say that it was all related to matters between men and women.

Just before he was leaving, the director suddenly called him back and added, "By the way, regarding the auditory hallucinations, in the future, when you charge your phone, don't put it on the bedside table. It's best to take it outside the bedroom to charge. Reducing the stimulation from these sounds might help alleviate your symptoms."

"Uh? Okay, I got it." Su Ning hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly agreed.

As he stepped out of the consultation room, sunlight streamed through the corridor windows, making it difficult for him to open his eyes.

He looked down at the medical record in his hand; the words "no abnormalities found" were particularly glaring.

The doctor's words made perfect sense, but only he knew that the "ding-dong" sound and the progress bar were not simply a "psychological suggestion".

They are like a secret hidden in his mind, slowly revealing a corner of their mystery with each "transformation of the boy".

He clutched his medical record book and strode out of the hospital.

The sea breeze blew in his face, carrying a familiar fishy smell, but it couldn't dispel the confusion in his heart.

If it's not an illness, then what exactly is the "system" in his brain?
……

Su Ning clutched the hospital report, her steps heavy.

The words of the department head in the outpatient building were still echoing in my ears, but the thought of that "ding-dong" sound that always rang at a certain time kept the knot in my heart untied.

When he opened the door, the entryway light was on, and Fan Lin was sitting on the sofa in the living room, holding an apple. When she saw him come in, she immediately stood up with a smile.

"You're back so early today?" Fan Lin greeted him, reaching out to take the backpack from his shoulder. "Your aunt and uncle just called to say you went to the library to look up information and won't be back until later."

Su Ning put the report on the coffee table and sat down listlessly: "I didn't go to the library, I went to the hospital for a check-up."

"A checkup? Are you feeling unwell?" Fan Lin immediately leaned closer, her voice full of concern, and reached out to touch his forehead. "You were fine when you left this morning, why did you suddenly go to the hospital?"

“It’s the one I mentioned to you before, the strange noises I keep hearing.” Su Ning pointed to the report on the coffee table. “The doctor said I have no physical problems and my brain is healthy. Those noises are probably just psychological, caused by too much stress.”

Fan Lin picked up the report and flipped through it. Although she couldn't understand the technical terms, she could still recognize the words "no abnormalities found".

She breathed a sigh of relief and sat down next to Su Ning, her hair brushing against his cheek, carrying a faint scent of shampoo: "It's good that you're alright. I thought you were really sick. You've been working too hard preparing for your exams lately, don't keep pushing yourself, take a break when you need to."

As Su Ning looked at her face getting closer, her heart skipped a beat for no apparent reason.

He couldn't resist, reached out and grabbed Fan Lin's wrist, leading her into the bedroom.

The moment the door closed, he could clearly feel the warmth of Fan Lin's palm and his own increasingly rapid breathing...

He seems to have never been able to resist Fan Lin.

But after the two had poured out their hearts to each other, a crisp "ding-dong" sound suddenly rang in their minds.

Su Ning's heart tightened, and she subconsciously looked up, whereupon she saw the line of light blue text appear:
System repair progress: 0.7%

He stood up abruptly, his voice urgent: "Sister Lin, did you hear that? That sound just now! A 'ding-dong' sound, didn't you hear it?"

Fan Lin was looking down at her clothes when he suddenly moved, startling her. She looked up blankly and asked, "What was that sound? I didn't hear it."

Looking at Su Ning's tense face, she reached out and tugged at his arm. "Have you been really too tired lately? You were fine just now, why are you suddenly so tense? You're like a tireless little teddy bear, you start overthinking as soon as you get close to him."

Ignoring Fan Lin's resentment, Su Ning looked into Fan Lin's sincere eyes and her doubts deepened.

Her expression didn't seem feigned; if there really was a sound, there was no reason she wouldn't hear it.

Could it all really just be my own hallucination?

Or is it that the so-called "system" only exists in his consciousness?

……

Just then, the sound of a key turning in the lock came from outside the door; it was Su Daqiang and Wang Xiuying returning.

The two women, carrying large bags of groceries, entered the door smiling and calling out, "Suning, Linlin, come out and help! We bought fresh mackerel and oysters, which Linlin loves!"

Su Ning and Fan Lin quickly left the bedroom. When Wang Xiuying saw Fan Lin, she immediately handed her the oysters in her hand: "Linlin, you said you liked to eat these last time, so I bought a lot more today. I'll make you oyster and tofu soup tonight, and steam some mackerel so you can taste my cooking."

"Thank you, Auntie, you've gone to so much trouble again." Fan Lin took the groceries, smiled and thanked her, then quickly carried them to the kitchen.

Su Daqiang patted Su Ning on the shoulder and said in a low voice, "Su Ning, your mother and I can see that you and Linlin get along well, so we're relieved. Linlin is a sensible girl, and she's from the same place as us, so you'll get along well in the future."

Su Ning was stunned. He hadn't expected that his parents had already figured it out and even tacitly approved of his relationship with Fan Lin.

He felt a warmth in his heart and nodded: "I know, I will treat her well."

At dinner time, the table was piled high with food.

The steamed mackerel was tender and fresh, the oyster and tofu soup was fragrant, and Wang Xiuying even specially made spicy stir-fried clams, which Fan Lin loves.

The family sat around the table, with Wang Xiuying constantly serving food to Fan Lin, while Su Daqiang chatted with Su Ning about preparing for the exam and occasionally asked Fan Lin a few questions about her daily life on set. The atmosphere was lively and cheerful.

Fan Lin enjoyed the meal and chatted with Wang Xiuying from time to time about everyday things, talking about Qingdao's old streets and time-honored brands. The two got along very well.

She whispered to Su Ning, "Su Ning, your parents are such nice people. It's so comfortable staying at your house."

Looking at her smiling eyes, Su Ning temporarily suppressed her doubts.

Whether the "ding-dong" sound and the progress bar were real or not, at least for now, he was with Fan Lin and his parents, and this sense of security was real.

After dinner, Fan Lin was about to go home, so Wang Xiuying specially packed a lunchbox of mackerel for her to take home for her family to try: "Come often in the future, Auntie will cook delicious food for you. Our two families live close by, only a ten-minute walk apart, so don't always be so polite."

"Thank you, Auntie. I'll definitely come often." Fan Lin took the lunchbox, said goodbye to Su Daqiang and Wang Xiuying, and winked at Su Ning. "I'll come over again tomorrow to help you with your homework."

As Su Ning watched Fan Lin walk out the door, the warmth in her heart hadn't dissipated, but the progress bar of "0.7%" flashed through her mind again.

He couldn't figure out whether it was his own illusion or a secret hidden in his mind.

...(End of chapter)