Chapter 26: What a Coincidence, You Are Here Too

Marta suddenly remembered something and added, "There is another sentinel in need of mental soothing this afternoon. You should prepare yourself and review the videos I sent you; I will accompany you later."

She paused, a teasing glint in her eyes as she added, "There's one more sentinel."

Lu Meng was a bit dazed. A sentinel? Which sentinel? The one needing mental soothing? She felt a little confused, but didn't pay it much mind, simply replying, "Okay!"

"I have some matters to attend to, so I'll head back for now and return this afternoon," Marta said. "A service robot will bring your lunch, so eat well and get some rest."

"Got it."

Lu Meng felt that the head guide’s instructions were like those of a nursery director or a housemother, which felt both intimate and heartwarming.

After Marta left, Lu Meng looked at the sentinel on the bed. He had not yet awakened, but the flush on his face had faded significantly.

About half an hour later, the sentinel slowly opened his eyes.

"You're awake?"

The girl's voice was so gentle that he couldn't tell if he was still dreaming. It wasn't until her face entered his field of vision that he realized it was real. Her face carried a warm smile, and her eyes, bright and clear as shimmering water, were beautiful.

The sentinel stared blankly, momentarily forgetting how to react.

Lu Meng waved a hand in front of him, her voice tinged with concern. "Are you alright?"

The sentinel quickly regained his senses and sat up in a flurry. "I'm fine. You are..."

Lu Meng offered a friendly smile. "I'm the new guide. My name is Lu Meng."

The sentinel was dazzled by her smile and quickly averted his gaze in embarrassment. "H-hello."

Amused by his nervousness, Lu Meng couldn't help but ask, "What's your name?"

The sentinel’s face turned bright red. "My name is Kesen."

"That's a lovely name," Lu Meng praised, then asked, "Do you feel any discomfort?"

Not daring to look at her, the sentinel shook his head. "No."

Discomfort? On the contrary, he felt better than he ever had. This mental soothing session was a world of difference compared to the painful experiences he had endured before. He felt as if he were lying on a cloud, his body and mental sea completely at ease—so comfortable, in fact, that he felt a strange sensation... At the thought, his face reddened even more.

Lu Meng looked at his shy expression, completely baffled. What was wrong with this kid?

"It's good that you're not feeling uncomfortable." Lu Meng handed him a wet towel. "You should wipe your face; you've broken into quite a sweat."

Kesen took the towel blankly, stealing cautious glances at Lu Meng as he wiped his face.

"Guide Lu, was it you who performed the mental soothing on me just now?"

Lu Meng thought for a moment. "Not entirely. Daisy, who was supposed to soothe you, wasn't feeling well, so I filled in for a bit. But the head guide said my mental power is quite low, so it might not have been very effective."

Kesen nodded as if he understood, then asked, "Can I book an appointment with you next time?"

"Of course!" Lu Meng was happy that someone wanted to book her. "Though I won't be able to start taking patients until next month."

"That's perfectly fine!" Kesen replied quickly. He looked at her and asked, "May I add your optical network contact?"

Lu Meng didn't think twice. "Sure..."

"Mengmeng!"

Both Lu Meng and Kesen were startled. Lu Meng looked toward the source of the voice, her eyes widening in pleasant surprise. "Wen'er!"

Standing at the doorway was none other than Wen'er, whom she hadn't seen for several days. He looked a bit pale, but the moment he caught sight of Lu Meng, his expression softened.

Lu Meng walked toward him, beaming. "What a coincidence, Wen'er! What brings you here?"

Seeing her happy smile, Wen'er recalled the name he had called out in his urgency, feeling a belated sense of trepidation and inexplicable shyness. He couldn't help but wonder: did she mind him calling her that, or did she not care at all?