Half an hour later, the blue light of the emergency room lit up at the end of the hallway.

Maya curled up on a bench, wiping away tears, while Julian patted her shoulder and comforted her in a low voice.

"Congenital heart valve insufficiency."

Vivienne took off her mask, the stray hairs on her forehead damp with sweat. "Luckily you brought him in time. There’s no major problem; he can be discharged after some observation."

As she handed over the medical instructions, her fingertips brushed against the back of Julian’s hand. "Don't worry, everything is fine now."

Maya suddenly lunged forward and hugged Julian. "If it weren't for you... I really wouldn't have known what to do!"

"As long as Pepper is okay."

His phone vibrated in his pocket; his friend had sent a new message.

Scarlett had posted a rare update on social media—a photo of the two of them from five years ago.

He swiped the screen and deleted the message. When he looked up, he met Vivienne’s gaze.

She held up her phone and shook it; on the screen was a photo of Clementine wearing a tiny pink apron.

Julian finally let out a laugh. The early autumn night wind blew through the hospital corridor, and his tense heart suddenly relaxed.

After spending these days together, he found her to be a very good person.

Compared to the friends he knew before, Vivienne didn't talk much.

She wasn't cold; she just rarely offered her opinion unless he asked.

But once there was a problem, she was always the first to provide the best solution.

Though she was quiet, she was reliable in everything she did, even making him feel as though she were omnipotent.

Thus, imperceptibly, he felt a natural sense of closeness and trust toward her.

Maya, holding the revitalized Pepper, was about to push open the glass door of the pet hospital when Julian suddenly realized his wallet was missing.

He searched all his pockets but couldn't find it.

The money wasn't important, but inside was a photograph of his kitten.

"Maya, take Pepper back first! I have to go look for my wallet."

He stuffed the pet treats into Maya’s hands and turned to run back.

At the corner near the emergency room, Vivienne was running out with his wallet in her hand.

"I thought this might be yours."

She smiled and shook the wallet; the metal clasp was even stained with a bit of the dog's saliva.

As Julian took the wallet, his fingertips brushed against the warmth of her palm.

The image of her calmly giving orders during the emergency that morning flashed through his mind, and he blurted out, "Thank you so much, Dr. Vivienne. Are you free for lunch? Today really..."

He was interrupted before he could finish.

"Just call me Vivienne."

reached up to adjust her silver-rimmed glasses, her lashes casting a small shadow beneath her eyes. "There’s a new Hunan restaurant nearby opened by a friend of mine. His soy-braised ribs are very authentic. Want to go try them?"

Hunan cuisine happened to suit Julian’s palate perfectly.

Since there weren't many Chinese restaurants in the neighborhood where he lived, he naturally agreed.

When the two walked into the restaurant, the owner poked his head out. Seeing them entering side by side, his eyes lit up. "Vivienne! Is this your boyfriend?"

"Oh, no, he’s a friend."

Julian felt a bit embarrassed, and in that moment, he noticed the tips of Vivienne’s ears quickly turn a shade of crimson.

The owner gave a meaningful smile and hummed a tuneless version of "The Moon Represents My Heart" as he turned away.

When the steaming soy-braised ribs were served, Vivienne silently picked out the bright red chili peppers and placed them on a white porcelain saucer.

"Actually, thanks to your quick reflexes today."

She picked up the serving chopsticks and placed a rib into Julian’s bowl. "Many pet owners panic during emergencies and miss the best window for rescue."

The sunlight streamed in through the window, plating her profile with a soft golden glow, making her look incredibly gentle.

"My old cat... I had no idea what to do when it fell ill."

He unconsciously rotated the celadon bowl. "I was actually very nervous today, too. It’s all thanks to you."

Vivienne paused. "That's not true. You were much calmer than most people, and you have a natural talent for this."

When paying the bill, the owner pressed two osmanthus candies into Julian’s hand. "The way this 'friend' of yours looks at you is exactly how I looked at my wife when I was chasing her."

He started to protest with a flushed face, but Vivienne beat him to it by scanning the code to pay.

As they walked out of the restaurant, she pulled a flyer from her canvas bag; the kitten-shaped paw prints shimmered under the sun.

"There's a stray cat rescue event next Saturday."

She pointed out the meeting time. "We need volunteers to help soothe the cats and feed liquid food to those recovering from surgery..."

Julian cut her off before she could finish. "I'll be there!" His fingertips accidentally brushed the back of her hand; the ink on the flyer still held a lingering warmth.

The tips of Vivienne’s ears turned red again, but her eyes crinkled into a smile. "Then... see you on the day of the event?"

"Okay!"

The autumn wind swept up the sycamore leaves on the roadside, overlapping their shadows into a blurred silhouette.

Julian watched Vivienne’s back as she walked toward the hospital, feeling as though she possessed a certain magic.

A magic that made people want to draw closer without even realizing it.

His phone rang with a new message from his friend: Scarlett was still frantically searching for him, and asked if he planned to clear things up.

He typed and deleted words in the chat box, but in the end, Julian did not reply.

Saturday morning arrived quickly, with sunlight spilling into the room through the gaps in the curtains.

Julian was adjusting his collar in front of the mirror when his phone vibrated.

He didn't need to guess to know it was a message from Vivienne. After checking it, he hurried downstairs to see Vivienne leaning against her car, holding Clementine.

"Morning," she greeted him with a smile, handing Clementine over. "I wasn't going to bring her, but she can keep you company on the way."

Clementine affectionately nuzzled Julian’s face, letting out a purr.

The two drove to the stray animal rescue station, chatting and laughing along the way.

As the car drove through a secluded alley, two masked men suddenly rushed out, tapping on the window with daggers.

In broken English, they demanded, "Hand over the money!"

One of them stared menacingly at the two of them.

Vivienne reacted quickly, saying calmly, "The cash is in the back, I'll take you to get it."

The moment she opened the car door, one of the thugs grabbed her by the collar.

At the critical moment, Julian grabbed the car's alarm and set it off loudly. The thugs panicked, and one swung his knife at Vivienne.

Vivienne dodged immediately, but her arm was sliced, leaving a long wound.

In the chaos, nearby passersby heard the alarm and rushed over. Seeing this, the thugs fled in a panic. "You're hurt!" Julian looked at Vivienne’s bleeding arm, his voice trembling.

"It’s okay, just a scratch."

She forced a smile but nearly fainted when she tried to stand up.

Julian quickly called for an ambulance and accompanied her all the way to the hospital.

At the hospital, Julian waited anxiously for the test results.

When the doctor said it was only a superficial wound that hadn't damaged any tendons or bones, the weight in his heart finally lifted.

"It’s my fault. If it weren't for me..."

He lowered his head in self-reproach.

"Don't say that," Vivienne interrupted him gently. "Anyone in my position would have done the same."

Julian nodded, but he still felt a sense of guilt, regretting that he hadn't been more cautious.

In the days that followed, Julian visited Vivienne at the hospital every day.

He brought her homemade nutritious meals and chatted to keep her company. Their relationship grew increasingly close through these interactions.

A week later, Vivienne recovered and was discharged.

Another half-month passed, and she had to go on a business trip for a few days, entrusting Clementine to Julian’s care.

"I'll have to trouble you for a while."

As she handed the cat food and toys to Julian, her eyes were full of trust.

Julian happily took Clementine, vowing that he would take excellent care of her.

And so, Julian spent his days walking Clementine in the park and his evenings preparing cat meals for her.

When the day came to return her, he felt quite reluctant to let go.

He spent several hours talkatively holding the kitten before finally notifying Vivienne to come and pick her up.