Just 3 Centimeters Away… And Everything Changed

“It doesn’t seem that bad, after all,”
Ye Qing said, resting his chin on one hand tiredly, voicing his thoughts.

“For now, it’s indeed not that bad. But that’s only for the time being,”
Hadi also propped his chin up with both hands, then smirked at Ye Qing, playing coy.

Ye Qing thought for a moment, then asked, “Are you saying there will be a worse situation than now?”

Hadi shook his head, then let out a deep sigh.
“Chenlian is actually very lucky. She has people who won’t abandon her.”
Hadi smiled and looked at Ye Qing.

Ye Qing sighed, lowered his hand that had been holding his chin, and spoke as if reminiscing.
“That guy… how should I put it? I just can’t bring myself to abandon him.
If it were someone else, maybe I could get along with them for a while, and then when we changed classes or graduated, even if we parted ways, I wouldn’t feel any regret or think about them all the time. In short, a temporary friend.
But that guy is different. He’s the first friend I’ve ever had where I thought, ‘I’m so glad to have a friend like this.’
He’s the only person besides Yuxuan that I can truly open my heart to.
We spent countless hours together and became inseparable. I think Yuxuan feels more or less the same.”

Ye Qing paused there, then continued with a sorrowful tone.
“But that guy suddenly stopped talking. Even when I asked, he wouldn’t say anything.
Until he was hospitalized—even when he finally said goodbye to me at the end—I never noticed what was happening to him.
In the end, all I could do was watch him lie there in that white hospital bed, unable to do anything.”
Ye Qing clenched his hands into fists on the table.

“Staying by his side became the only thing I could do back then.
At least doing that eased some of the sorrow.
Actually, when I learned that he had probably lost his memory, I kept replaying scenarios of us meeting again in my head.
But I could never figure it out… How was I supposed to face him?
And then that incident happened…
For me now, the only thing I can do is help Chenlian and Yuxuan from the sidelines.
But… I really don’t know how to face the current Chenlian. Honestly, I’m at a complete loss…”
As he spoke, Ye Qing covered his face. Tears had started flowing at some point.

Looking at Ye Qing like this, Hadi had no intention of offering comfort.
Sometimes comfort only backfires. At a time like this, offering advice was better.
“Young lad, all you can do now is take it one step at a time. There’s no need to rush.”

Having said this, Hadi leaned back in his chair, resting all his weight on it, sinking into the cushion.
“Staying by someone’s side—that, in certain circumstances, is the greatest help you can give that person.”

“Actually, neither Fuzi nor I accepted Chenlian with completely pure intentions.
On my part, I need a patient I can observe in real time. That’s indispensable for developing a drug to inhibit mutated cells.
And as for Fuzi—”
Hadi chuckled softly.
“Fuzi probably wanted a daughter. Although she’s only 24 now, she still feels that way.
As a result, that feeling has made Fuzi into Chenlian’s current mother.”

“So sometimes, the feeling itself isn’t what matters most.
What matters most is that the things you do with that feeling are the right things.”

Ye Qing had looked up at some point and was now looking at Hadi, his eyes slightly reddened.
“I understand what you’re saying, Doctor.”

“Actually, Ye Qing, are you interested in joining my Mutation Research Division?
There are lots of interesting things, you know! For example, you could try turning into a giant too, or—”
Hadi said this jokingly, but Ye Qing cut him off decisively.

“Doctor, I think I have absolutely no interest in such a perverted club.
So while I am very unthankful for your invitation, please allow me to very unceremoniously decline it!”
After giving his refusal with a very contemptuous look, Ye Qing made a theatrical bow.

[As if! Turn into a giant? Go experience the thrill of a roller coaster again?
I absolutely, firmly do not want any ‘surprise activities’ like that!]

“Is that so? What a shame,”
Hadi shook his head theatrically.

[No! Not a shame at all!]

“Young lad, have you heard of the Hand of God?”
Hadi’s attitude changed as he asked the question calmly.

“The Hand of God?”
Ye Qing was somewhat surprised. He had never heard of it, but it sounded profound. He decided to answer honestly.
“No, I haven’t.”

“Some people call a certain miraculous cell by that name.
They say it can grant the wishes of its host, making the impossible possible.
Through the transformation of the ‘Hand of God,’ a person can obtain the changes they desire—even rebirth.”

Ye Qing was stunned.
“Doctor, are you saying that mutated cells are the Hand of God?”
Coming back to his senses, Ye Qing asked incredulously with a shocked expression.

“Some people call it that,”
Hadi said flatly, then added,
“And in fact, it is.”

“What do you mean?”
Ye Qing was starting to have trouble understanding.

[The Hand of God? Does that mean the thing that turned Zhang Haoyang into what he is now was an act of God?
Does that mean this was all his own wish? No, impossible.]

“Impossible!”
Ye Qing firmly denied Hadi’s statement.
“If that were true, then God would be far too cruel!”
As he said this, Ye Qing suddenly thought of Zhang Haoyang’s mother.
It was absolutely impossible for him to acknowledge that the thing which had shattered her spirit could be anything like God.

“Young lad, that may be just a说法, but it is also a reality.
Continuously accepting the deeds of God is a fundamental part of how we humans survive.
Because none of this cares whether you accept it emotionally or not.
Creatures that cannot adapt are doomed to extinction.”

“Impossible! I will never acknowledge such a God! Never, even if I die!”
Ye Qing stood up excitedly, his voice filled with anger and resolve.

Hadi looked at Ye Qing, who had suddenly become agitated, and spoke calmly yet powerfully.
“Then try to fight against it, young lad!”

Ye Qing was taken aback by Hadi’s words.
[Fight against God? That’s a joke! That kind of thing can even directly transform an entire human being.
But at the very least… at least do what you can do.]

“I don’t know exactly how I’ll do it, but I will protect Yue Chenlian.
From now on, I won’t let Chenlian get hurt ever again.
Within my ability—no, even if it costs my life, I will continue to protect her by her side!”
Caught up in the moment, Ye Qing said these words. Only afterward did he realize it and blush, covering his face.
[What am I saying!? Ah, ah! Black history! Sealed away!]
Thinking this, he mentally put a big X over the memory.

“Hahahahaha! Very impressive indeed, young lad!”
After laughing for a while, Hadi gave a thumbs-up to Ye Qing, who was still covering his face.

[No! I didn’t hear that! I didn’t hear anything! Old man, can you not laugh so loud? Careful, or I’ll beat you to death!]
Ye Qing turned his back, clenched his fists, and internally redirected his feelings of embarrassment onto his target.

“Doctor, forget you. I’m leaving!”
He turned his head to glare at Hadi with a resentful expression, then angrily opened the door.

He turned around and took a step out of the room—
and nearly collided with someone, stopping himself just in time.

At that moment, Ye Qing was only three centimeters away from Chenlian.
They were practically pressed together.