345-347

Chapter 345: We've Seen It All as Doctors  

Joe's Bar.  

As the system notification rang in Adam's mind, his brain seemed to explode.  

Bang!  

Big Bang!  

It was as if his brain had undergone a cosmic explosion.  

Countless nebulas formed, stars appeared.  

The photographic memory he previously had as a half-finished product had now transformed into a high-definition version.  

The complex mathematical formulas he struggled with last night were now easier to understand, and inspiration kept flowing.  

The world seemed to slow down at that moment, becoming clearer than ever.  

"My IQ just broke through 180—I've officially stepped into the realm of super geniuses. I'm now in the same category as Peggy and Sheldon."  

Adam was ecstatic.  

Although he still couldn't engage in deep intellectual discussions with Peggy and Sheldon without prolonged study and contemplation, something that was once impossible had now become possible.  

And with Adam's boundless energy, that possibility would soon become a reality.  

Just imagining Peggy’s shocked expression, her mouth hanging open in disbelief, filled Adam with motivation.  

That final push from genius to super genius—it was Christina who gave it to him.  

Though Christina was arrogant, competitive, and had the face of a middle-aged woman from the Southern Universe, she had provided him with those crucial three intelligence points. Looking at her now, Adam felt a newfound appreciation.  

If they were just friends, her appearance didn't really matter.  

Adam wasn't a racist or a member of the "looks matter" club… well, at least not when it came to ordinary friends.  

After having a few drinks at the bar, the group returned to the hospital.  

The hospital had an on-call room for resting.  

It was a small, narrow space with two or three bunk beds arranged side by side, accommodating four to six people.  

Like the locker rooms, there was no gender segregation.  

If you were tired, you could just walk in, lie down, and sleep.  

If someone needed privacy, they could lock the door from the inside, and everyone else would understand. People generally respected that unspoken rule.  

Technically, with the hospital’s mandatory 566-hour training regulation, it was already two or three in the morning. To maximize their chances of getting assigned to surgeries, they should have taken this as a rest day and come back at five in the morning to compete for cases.  

But aside from Adam, Christina and the others didn’t seem too concerned about strictly following that rule.  

Despite having endless energy and theoretically being the one who should stay in the hospital the most, Adam had an obsessive-compulsive adherence to following procedures and regulations.  

In this regard, he was even more rigid than Christina and the rest.  

If they got caught, they would just admit fault and accept their punishment.  

But Adam couldn’t tolerate even the slightest risk in his path to growth.  

That’s why, even though he was an incredibly capable intern, he was also known for playing it overly safe.  

Green Clinic 

"That giant tumor removal surgery last night—beautifully done!"  

Leonard was in high spirits. "I knew it! You have the same passion and talent I did back in the day. As long as no one takes your opportunities, people like us are destined to shine!"  

"Heh."  

Adam responded with a polite smile.  

This was the third time Leonard had said something like that.  

"I’m saving all the good surgeries for you here," Leonard continued excitedly. "I've already spoken to Sherry. Any time there's an opportunity, she'll send you over to other departments. Take as many surgeries as you can, show them why I trust an intern with this much autonomy!"  

"Thank you, I definitely will."  

Adam smiled.  

After their conversation, Sherry sent him to the emergency room.  

This special treatment made Bald Chris and Chubby Stu a little jealous.  

Working in the ER, where you could interact directly with patients, was far better than doing endless rounds and writing up case notes.  

If Adam got lucky, he could catch a case requiring surgery, and as the first doctor on the case, he would naturally become the primary in-charge and follow it into the operating room.  

The most frustrating part?  

Even though Chris and Stu were technically responsible for managing Green Clinic’s patient beds, whenever a major surgery came up, Dr. Green would call Adam back without hesitation—not only to let him participate but to give him as much hands-on practice as possible.  

Sometimes, Dr. Green would just supervise while Adam performed the entire procedure.  

That was a privilege usually reserved for senior residents, if not beyond that.  

Most residents could only perform minor procedures independently. When it came to major surgeries, attending physicians had to take over.  

Even seasoned senior residents didn't get as much hands-on surgical time as Adam did.  

It was only because Sherry had an exceptionally good personality and got along well with Adam that there wasn’t any backlash.  

If this had been Dr. Bailey, or any other ambitious resident, there would have been protests and resistance long ago.  

"Your arms aren't sore, are they?"  

As soon as Susan saw Adam, she playfully squeezed his arm. "You were up till dawn with that giant tumor case, and now you’re back after just a few hours of rest? You really are an energy machine~"  

"Not sore at all."  

Adam chuckled helplessly.  

Clearly, his feat of holding up the massive tumor had cemented his reputation for sheer physical endurance.  

"Adam, there's a patient in Room 5. Let's go check it out."  

Susan teased him briefly but then shifted back to business.  

"Alright."  

Adam had no objections.  

Room 5 

Following Susan inside, Adam saw a young white man sitting there, looking uneasy.  

"I'm Dr. Lewis, and this is Dr. Duncan."  

Susan introduced them briefly before asking, "Mr. Gale, what seems to be the problem?"  

"...I…"  

The young man hesitated.  

"Mr. Gale, we're doctors. There’s nothing you can't tell us."  

Susan reassured him.  

"Can… Can I speak to Dr. Duncan alone?"  

The young man avoided eye contact with Susan.  

"Of course."  

Susan exchanged a glance with Adam and nodded.  

"I’ll leave this to you, Dr. Duncan."  

"Got it."  

Adam smiled.  

As she left, Susan whispered teasingly, "I didn’t know your charm worked on men too."  

Adam’s mouth twitched slightly.  

Once the door closed, he turned to the young man. "Mr. Gale, you can tell me your symptoms now."  

"I… I want to get a contraceptive injection."  

The young man finally mustered the courage to say it.  

"…"  

Adam nearly pulled a muscle in his back from sheer surprise. His expression was a clear "That’s it?", but he held back his sarcasm and asked seriously, "Can I ask why?"  

Getting this injection wasn’t just expensive—it was uncomfortable, both physically and mentally. Most young men wouldn’t go out of their way to get it.  

The usual approach would be the classic "I'll just be careful" mindset.  

"It helps me stay calm."  

The young man said anxiously, "I looked it up online… if I take enough doses—"  

"You’ll chemically castrate yourself."  

Adam interrupted. "Did you read that part?"  

"I know."  

The young man nodded solemnly.  

"So… you want to be chemically castrated?"  

Adam was speechless. "Can I ask why?"  

"No."  

The young man snapped, "Can't you just give me the shot?"  

"Absolutely not."  

Adam shook his head. "I’m just an intern—I don’t even have that authority. I should call Dr. Lewis—"  

"No, don’t!"  

The young man stopped him.  

"Mr. Gale, we’re doctors. We’ve seen it all—nothing can shock us."  

Adam reassured him. "And doctor-patient confidentiality is a thing. No matter how embarrassing your issue is, you can trust us. But we need to understand in order to help you."  

"Alright…"  

The young man stood up, pacing back and forth before finally making up his mind.  

He looked Adam dead in the eye and, with complete seriousness, declared:  

"I’m in love with a cow."  

Adam: "…" 

Chapter 346: Gale is Stunned  

Medical Center.  

Emergency Room.  

After hearing what the young white man said, Adam’s immediate thought was: I really am still too young.  

"I pass by a farm on my way to school. They look so beautiful."  

Seeing Adam frozen in place, the young man seemed to let loose, looking at Adam as he began to describe his feelings in detail.  

"They're so magnificent. I even dream about them. But people turn them into leather shoes and hamburgers. How can they treat such beautiful cows this way?"  

"Wait, something’s not right!"  

Adam was only shocked for a moment.  

Then, from the young man's expression and description, he immediately sensed that something was off.  

If this guy truly fell in love with a cow, as he claimed, he wouldn't refer to them as they.  

After all, people who keep pets always give them names and refer to them like family members.  

Not to mention, if this guy really had such an extreme attachment, he'd be far more specific.  

Take Rajesh’s "Little Gui" for example—that guy talked about his pet as if she were his girlfriend.  

That’s true love.  

"So, you want a contraceptive injection… are you trying to prevent something, or are you over it?"  

Adam regained his composure and examined the oddball in front of him.  

"To prevent it," the young man replied awkwardly, forcing a smile. "I just have the impulse—it’s purely physical—but I know it's wrong, so I haven't… you know…"  

"Good."  

Adam nodded. "Because that would be wrong."  

"So… can you give me the shot?"  

The young man looked at Adam expectantly.  

"You’re really willing to chemically castrate yourself just to suppress a momentary impulse?"  

Adam scrutinized his microexpressions.  

"I don’t want to, but I don’t have a choice."  

The young man grimaced in pain. "I know it’s wrong."  

Yeah, talking big is definitely wrong.  

Adam mentally rolled his eyes. But he also sensed that the guy wasn’t faking it—he really seemed to be struggling.  

That puzzled Adam.  

Because it meant his earlier assumption was incorrect.  

That’s right.  

As soon as he noticed the flaws in the young man’s words, Adam formed a hypothesis.  

His first thought? Some twisted fraternity initiation challenge.  

During his time at Columbia University, Adam had received invites to join fraternities but declined.  

Having seen American Pie in his previous life, he had a natural aversion to frat culture.  

Besides, the tallest trees catch the most wind.  

A lot of people didn’t like him and were jealous of him.  

And at elite universities, fraternities weren’t just student organizations—they held real power.  

Successful alumni funded them, allowing top fraternities to own private mansions on campus.  

Parties, girls, wild nights—everything was on the table.  

That’s why so many freshmen, despite knowing how twisted some initiation challenges were, still eagerly signed up.  

It wasn’t the first time jealous fraternity members had targeted Adam with their freshman initiation dares.  

And it wasn’t just fraternities.  

Columbia’s sororities were just as bad.  

At first, they had some sense of dignity. But one year, they straight-up made "sleeping with Adam" an initiation goal.  

They had no shame, but Adam did.  

No matter how they tempted him, no matter what seductive tricks they pulled, Adam saw right through them.  

That year, the sorority nearly failed to induct any new members.  

They had to change the "sleep with Adam" challenge into a test for the sorority president instead.  

And when that president graduated, the next one faced the same problem. In the end, they just scrapped the challenge entirely.  

Now, looking at this young man—who was about the right age for college, had a ridiculous impulse, and clearly struggled with it—Adam had to consider the possibility.  

But Adam had graduated from Columbia four years ago. In that time, neither the frats nor the sororities had tried to involve him in their nonsense again.  

And this guy did seem genuinely distressed.  

Still, just to be safe…  

Adam decided to probe further.  

"You don’t have to go to such extremes."  

An idea formed in his mind. Keeping his expression neutral, he said, "You’re not the only one who’s ever felt this way."  

The young man froze in shock, his mouth hanging open.  

No way.  

There are others like me?  

No way.  

Doctors have actually dealt with this before?  

No way.  

"Don’t look so skeptical."  

Adam kept a straight face. "Because of doctor-patient confidentiality, I won’t name names. But let’s just say, a certain fraternity president once took his initiation challenge way too seriously.  

"Most guys just bring a sheep into a room, pretend to do something, and call it a day.  

"But he? He was too committed.  

"He wanted to prove himself so badly that he—"  

Adam paused. "Well, let’s just say the senior members watching from outside were horrified.  

"After that, he could never hear a sheep’s bleat the same way again."  

The young man's jaw nearly hit the floor. Stammering, he asked, "So… what happened to him? Did he see a doctor?"  

"Yep."  

As Adam told the story, he watched the young man’s reaction closely.  

When he mentioned fraternities and initiation challenges, there was zero reaction.  

The shock on the guy’s face was real.  

That ruled out the possibility that he was part of some frat prank targeting Adam.  

"He truly loved that sheep. He wanted to let go, but instead of extreme measures like chemical or physical castration, he opted for psychological therapy."  

Adam smiled. "That’s why doctors really have seen it all. I’m not kidding. If there’s anything you’re not telling me, just be honest. The more details you share, the better we can help."  

The young man was convinced—but still hesitated.  

"Let’s take this step by step."  

Adam gave him a reassuring, professional smile. "Do you really love a cow? Or is this just a metaphor—does 'cow' actually refer to a woman?"  

In the East, he’d be sure this was just a metaphor.  

But in America?  

Or rather, in the world of TV medical dramas?  

Adam wasn’t so sure.  

Because the story he just told?  

In this world, it wasn’t something he made up…  

The young man's eyes flickered. Avoiding Adam’s gaze, he lowered his head. "It’s a cow. She’s beautiful. I’m in love. I just want to prevent anything from happening."  

"And who is she?"  

Adam sighed in relief. So it really is just a metaphor—thank God I’m not dealing with something worse.  

"For you to come up with such an absurd and embarrassing metaphor, this must be about someone serious. Your friend’s girlfriend?"  

The young man’s face contorted in shock.  

Adam studied his expression and shook his head.  

"Not that, huh? Well, the next few possibilities aren’t much better."  

The young man’s face twisted in agony.  

Chapter 347: A Good Deed a Day  

“Mr. Gale, do you have anything you’d like to say?”  

Adam looked at the distressed young white man and continued, “If not, then let’s wrap up for today. I’ll help you get in touch with the most compassionate therapist.”  

Although he was curious, he wouldn’t pry if the other person didn’t want to talk.  

In reality, Adam had already figured out most of the young man’s distress.  

His past familiarity with Japanese adult films, anime, and similar content made it so that nothing in this situation could truly shock him anymore.  

After all, every possible classic storyline had already been filmed in Japan.  

In this regard, Adam was indeed qualified to tell the young man, “As doctors, we’ve seen everything…”  

Seeing Adam stand up, the young man panicked. It was already embarrassing enough to come see a doctor—switching to another one would mean another person knowing his secret.  

That would be even more humiliating!  

Besides, though this Dr. Duncan was young, he seemed quite professional.  

Clenching his teeth, the young man reached into his backpack, pulled out his wallet, and handed a photo to Adam.  

“As expected,” Adam thought, holding back a chuckle.  

The photo showed a stunning woman in a bikini, leaning against the kitchen counter with a radiant smile.  

Well, well—this plot was all too familiar.  

“Your stepmother?”  

Adam’s professional smile shifted to a more serious, clinical expression.  

“How did you know?”  

The young man was shocked. “It’s like you already knew everything!”  

“Well,” Adam said in a professional tone, “for you to make up such an outlandish story, this woman must be very close to you.  

“She’s not your brother’s girlfriend, which means the situation must be even more serious—likely involving deeper ethical issues.  

“She looks young, in her twenties or at most just under thirty, which means she’s only a few years older than you. That rules out the possibility of her being your biological mother. And judging by your features, you two don’t share any genetic similarities.  

“So, she’s not your sister either.  

“What other possibility is left besides a young stepmother?”  

“…Yes,” the young man admitted, now that Adam had pieced it all together. He seemed relieved that Adam wasn’t looking at him with judgment. “She likes to walk around the house in a bikini—or even less. I—I can’t stop thinking about her, no matter how hard I try.”  

Tsk!  

Adam silently clicked his tongue in amusement.  

A bikini was already revealing enough. What was “even less” supposed to mean?  

“Is your father not home?” Adam asked.  

“He’s on a business trip in Europe.”  

The young man’s emotions started to spiral. “So, it’s just the two of us at home. She does this every day—and she even gives me massages! Every time she finishes, I have to lie there for an hour before I can get up…”  

“She’s seducing you.”  

Adam carefully observed the young man’s microexpressions. With his advanced perceptive abilities and psychological training, it was nearly impossible for someone to lie to him.  

And yet—  

Adam wasn’t entirely convinced by the young man’s story.  

The same event, described by different people, could lead to completely opposite conclusions.  

Just like how powerful individuals accused of misconduct often insist that their victims were “playing along.”  

But obvious lies couldn’t fool Adam.  

And this young man wasn’t the type to fabricate a story just to undergo chemical castration.  

That left another possibility:  

A mental illness.  

Maybe his stepmother’s seduction didn’t actually exist, but his perception made it real to him. Overwhelmed by his own extreme moral compass, he sought drastic measures to prevent himself from crossing a line.  

If that were the case—if even he believed his own words with absolute sincerity—then even Adam might struggle to tell the truth from delusion.  

At this point, the possibilities were:  

• He was telling the truth.  

• He had a psychological disorder. 

Because everything he said was, in his mind, true.  

“Isn’t it obvious?”  

The young man grew more agitated. “But she’s my mother! I can’t do this! That’s why I came to you—to get a contraceptive injection so I can stay calm until my dad gets back or until I leave for college. Can you help me?”  

Since the young man didn’t seem to exhibit any clear symptoms of a psychological disorder, Adam chose to assume his story was true for now.  

Most men, in this kind of situation, would make choices more in line with… well, Japanese media.  

But this young man was willing to risk permanent chemical castration just to avoid betraying his father or breaking moral boundaries.  

In that sense, he really was a good son.  

Adam nodded to himself.  

This was someone worth helping.  

With that in mind, he grabbed a pen and paper, scribbled down a few lines, and handed the note to the young man.  

“What’s this?” the young man asked, confused.  

“It’s a contact,” Adam said with a smile. “I have a friend who runs a charity. They have an office in New York and are looking for volunteers. You can work there part-time—they’ll even provide you with a dormitory.”  

Adam chuckled. “Isn’t moving out a lot simpler than chemical castration?”  

The young man blinked, then broke into a relieved smile.  

“Thank you—thank you so much!”  

Adam wasn’t surprised that the young man hadn’t thought of such an obvious solution.  

He was clearly a quiet, introverted type. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have come up with such an extreme plan.  

And as a soon-to-be college student with limited financial means, moving out hadn’t even seemed like an option.  

Poverty had limited his imagination.  

Overwhelmed by temptation, he had fixated on solving the problem at its root—himself.  

“You’re a good son,” Adam said as he stood up. “Stay true to that. I believe you’ll make a great impact in charity work, too.”  

Someone with such a strong moral compass would likely do well in philanthropy.  

Caroline’s Ellis Charity Foundation could always use more people like him.  

Who knows—maybe, years down the line, another Caroline would rise from among their ranks.  

That would be Adam’s good deed for the day.  

At the Nurse’s Station  

“What kind of case was that?”  

Susan asked with a smile.  

“A moment of poor judgment.”  

Adam laughed and gave her a brief summary.  

Susan chuckled, unfazed.  

After four or five years in the ER, she had seen and heard her fair share of bizarre cases.  

This one wasn’t even that unusual.  

“You handled it well,” she complimented. “Though, only you could’ve pulled that off. What other doctor just happens to have a part-time job with immediate housing lined up?”  

“It was just a coincidence,” Adam said with a modest smile. “A friend of mine happened to be looking for volunteers.”  

Given his billionaire status, he preferred to stay as low-key as possible in his medical practice.  

If the young man’s moral integrity hadn’t impressed him, Adam wouldn’t have gone out of his way to help.  

Susan gave him a knowing look but didn’t press the subject.  

They chatted for a bit longer before she was called away.  

Just then, Alex wheeled a laughing African American man into the hall.  

Adam’s eyes narrowed as he stepped forward.  

(End of Chapter)