(Special thanks to Devin1 for a million consecutive red rewards, earning the title of Silver Patron!)
Joe Di's memories of his past life are incomplete, but he feels that in his current life on Earth, he never attended university. Hearing Fang Xue's question, he hesitated before replying, "I learned from a herbalist named Xue Tuo, never went to medical school."
Xue Tuo was actually the top physician in Jade Nation, yet Joe Di had just called him a mere herbalist.
"Xiao Mu..." A voice filled with excitement and surprise called out. A middle-aged man approached, followed by four or five firefighters in camouflage uniforms.
From the dew on their clothes and their exhausted expressions, it was clear these people had been searching outside all night.
"Dad." Yvonne Moore tried to run to him in excitement, but as soon as she took a step, she fell to the ground.
The middle-aged man hurried over to help Yvonne Moore up. Joe Di breathed a sigh of relief. Though he could see the buildings of Lethe Temple, the distance was certainly not close. Now that someone had found them, at least he wouldn't have to keep carrying Yvonne Moore.
"Dad, it was Big Brother Joe Di who saved me. He carried me all the way here." Yvonne Moore immediately thought of her rescuer.
The middle-aged man clearly adored his daughter. He went straight to Joe Di, grasped his hands tightly, and said repeatedly, "Thank you, thank you, thank you for saving my daughter."
From his emotional expression, Joe Di could see that the gratitude was sincere.
"Dad, Big Brother Joe Di is also a medical student. When I was bitten by the snake, it was Big Brother Joe Di who saved me," Yvonne Moore added from the side.
Hearing his daughter's words, the man became even more delighted. "My name is Frank Yu, director of Aibo Hospital in Linchuan City. Joe Di, if you want to work at a hospital, you can come to mine anytime."
As he spoke, Frank Yu had already taken out a business card, wrote a few words on it, and handed it to Joe Di. "You can use this card to start work at Aibo Hospital whenever you wish."
He didn’t specify what position Joe Di would take; there were plenty of roles at Aibo Hospital, and it wasn’t hard to arrange one for him. The fact that Joe Di could detoxify under such conditions showed his medical skills were quite good.
"Thank you, Director Yu." Joe Di accepted the card without hesitation. Having just arrived here, he thought that if he couldn’t find anywhere else to go in the future, this job would be a good option.
With someone to guide them, Joe Di naturally didn’t rest any longer. The group trekked along the mountain road for most of the day, and by dusk, they reached a highway winding around the mountains.
Frank Yu asked Joe Di many questions along the way, but Joe Di’s answers were always vague. As for saving Yvonne Moore, he only said he happened to know the antidote for that kind of snake.
Frank Yu didn’t realize Joe Di wasn’t clear about his own past; he just assumed Joe Di didn’t want to talk much and stopped asking.
A minibus was already waiting by the roadside. After Joe Di got on, he quickly fell asleep. The minibus bumped along the winding mountain roads, turning left and right for over eight hours before finally stopping outside a temple.
As soon as the vehicle stopped, Joe Di woke up, but Fang Xue and Yvonne Moore were still asleep.
Frank Yu, worried about his daughter's health, suggested Joe Di accompany him to Linchuan City. After Joe Di declined, Frank Yu didn’t insist. He rested briefly outside the temple before starting the minibus again, heading for Linchuan City.
...
After Frank Yu and the others left, Joe Di walked away from the parking lot and stood before the massive temple gates. Three golden characters gleamed above the entrance: Lethe Temple.
It was the early hours of the morning, and not a soul was in sight. The golden characters of Lethe Temple glimmered under the moonlight, exuding an indescribable air of mystery.
Joe Di sat down beside a stone statue outside the temple. Within moments, he drifted off to sleep again.
He had no idea how much time had passed before a burst of noise startled him awake. Joe Di opened his eyes to find the area bustling with people.
Lethe Temple seemed to be deep within the Lethe Mountains, yet its popularity was undeniable. Groups of tourists and worshippers came to burn incense. Some kind-hearted visitors, seeing Joe Di’s disheveled hair, ragged clothes, and cloth bag, offered him bread and water.
"David Di..." A surprised voice interrupted Joe Di as he was eating. He looked up to see a young woman in a fitted dress, carrying a cartoon backpack, staring at him in disbelief.
Behind her stood a boy who looked even younger, carrying a large travel bag and dressed in black sportswear.
Although Joe Di had gained some memories of his past life thanks to the gray stone, they were far from complete. At least, he didn’t recognize either the boy or the girl before him.
"David Di, you don’t recognize me? I’m Cathy Liang, your high school classmate..." Cathy Liang didn’t finish her sentence. She sensed that David Di must have suffered some emotional trauma and was now a bit dazed. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have come to such a remote place like the Lethe Mountains and ended up in this state. She sighed inwardly, realizing there was little she could do to help.
"Here’s a thousand yuan. Take it—you might need it. I wish I could do more for you," Cathy Liang said, taking out her wallet and handing David Di ten bills.
"I have a few hundred as well," the young man behind Cathy Liang quickly added, pulling out several bills and handing them to David Di.
Joe Di stuffed the last piece of bread into his mouth, stood up, and waved his hand. "Thank you, Cathy Liang, but I don’t need the money right now. There’s just something I’d like your help with."
"Ah..." Cathy Liang exclaimed, then breathed a sigh of relief. "David Di, I thought you’d lost your mind because of what happened with Zoe Shen."
Even so, Cathy Liang still felt a bit uncertain. In her eyes, there was something in David Di’s gaze she’d never seen before.
David Di knew the name Zoe Shen—it was the woman he’d divorced in his previous life.
But right now, David Di had no interest in worrying about who Zoe Shen was. In just a few days, he’d made up his mind: to survive here, he’d have to rely on his former identity.
His memories from his past life were incomplete, so when he encountered someone familiar from before, he wanted to ask a few things.
"Go ahead, I’ll help if I can..." Cathy Liang hesitated, her tone growing uncertain. "But David Di, if it’s about Zoe Shen, I really can’t help. Besides, well..."
David Di smiled. "I did hold onto things about Zoe Shen for a while, but after everything I’ve been through, that’s all in the past. What I need your help with is something else."
(Author's note: The third update will be posted at 9 p.m.)