417-419

Chapter 417: The Sinister Salted Fish 

Apartment 520 

A gorgeous woman stepped out in a bathrobe, her wet, long hair swinging as she moved. It’s a scene every decent guy’s seen before—except that the five pairs of keen eyes surrounding her completely ruined the familiar vibe. 

Adam stole a glance at her before politely averting his eyes and turning toward Monica, the lady of the house, as if to ask, “What’s going on here?” 

Monica replied, “We’ll talk about it later.”  

“Casey, this is our good friend Adam.” 

“Adam, this is my cousin—from both Ross and me.”  

As Monica introduced everyone, her tone lagged slightly whenever she mentioned Ross, clearly hinting at something. Ross immediately lowered his head.  

“Hi.” 

Adam greeted with a smile. 

“Hi.”  

Casey, covering her chest with her left hand and slightly raising her right, let her fingers move subtly as she fixed her gaze on Adam—her smile lingering at the corner of her mouth. 

“Ahem.” 

Ross coughed heavily. 

“I’ll go change my clothes.”  

Noticing the awkwardness of the moment, Casey also grinned and walked into what used to be Rachel’s room—the guest room, now. [Click—door closes] 

“See? That’s a perfectly normal reaction for a man!” Monica immediately leaped up, pointing at Adam as she glanced over at Chandler and Ross. 

“Exactly!”  

Pregnant Rachel complained, “Every time you see her, it’s like time slows down, you hear a beautiful melody, even catch a hint of her perfume, and Casey just lights up? All lies—you guys are completely smitten!”  

“I’m not lying.” 

“It’s true, and it wasn’t even planned.”  

Chandler and Ross scrambled awkwardly to defend themselves. 

“I believe you,” Rachel retorted sarcastically. “Because if you planned to kiss Casey, you’d really be a scumbag—damn it, she’s your cousin!”  

“Distant cousin!” Ross blurted out. 

Seeing Adam’s shocked expression, Ross quickly added, “Legally speaking, we’re in the clear!”  

“Ho, ho, ho!” Monica raised her hand in disbelief and shot a look at her own brother, “You actually thought that through?” 

… 

Ross was at a loss for words, his face reddening.  

“Who was it that leaned in for a kiss with Casey?” 

Rachel sneered, “I’m really curious if Monica will buy your excuse.”  

“I…” Ross stammered, his face turning beet-red. 

“Calm down,” Adam soothed. “I know a guy whose first time was with his distant cousin.”  

“Really?” Ross’s eyes lit up. “So what happened between them?” 

Monica and the others stared in surprise.  

“Oh, here’s the story,” Adam said, barely containing his laughter. “Back when they were still young, at his uncle’s funeral, he and his distant cousin were in the kitchen—chatting on opposite sides of a shelf holding pickled herring. At first, just like you, Ross, neither of them meant a thing by it. But then, at one moment, their eyes met and the fire of youth just exploded.”  

“Ugh, that’s disgusting!” someone exclaimed. 

“They actually did that at their uncle’s funeral?” 

“What happened next?” 

While Rachel and the others condemned it, Ross grew more animated, pressing for details. 

“After that, they ended up in a Japanese car.” 

Adam laughed. “Even now, whenever that guy sees or smells pickled herring, he gets this guilty yet awkward thrill.”  

“Guilty?” Ross objected. 

“Yeah,” Adam replied seriously. “I mean, that’s his cousin, isn’t it inherently wrong?”  

“She's a distant cousin!!!” Ross insisted. “Legally there’s no problem!” 

“So?” Adam shrugged. “We’re not talking law here—we’re just morally teasing him.”  

Ross’s face darkened. By now, if he still didn’t realize Adam wasn’t on his side, he’d be a fool. 

“Hahaha!” 

“Exactly—we’re just morally looking down on you.” 

“You’re so convinced—do you really have the nerve to bring this up at a family reunion, Ross? I wonder if you dare.”  

Rachel and the others burst into laughter. “What’s so funny?”  

After a while, a now-dressed Casey emerged from the guest room. It was clear her long delay had a purpose— 

She had taken her time to get dolled up, and Ross just stood there, transfixed and dazed. Adam noticed that even Chandler seemed a bit mesmerized. 

“Nothing,” Monica said dismissively, giving Chandler a sharp twist on the back before quickly changing the subject.  

Originally, she’d planned to have the guest room for Casey, but as soon as Chandler saw her, he couldn’t help but stare. With no choice, she ended up sending Casey over to Ross’s place—only to have Ross take it even further and try to make a move. So, poor Casey ended up coming back. After all, as long as she was around, Chandler was far less of a problem than Ross. But now that things have reached this point, neither Chandler nor Ross have improved a bit—they still act like perverts at every turn. Looks like Casey can’t stay here any longer. A husband and a brother, both infatuated with their cousin… it’s a disgrace for the whole family! 

“Everyone, let’s eat—this is Adam’s apology feast,” Monica called out. 

“What about Joey?” Adam asked, genuinely curious. 

“Where else would he be? The pretty one obviously has a date,” Adam added. 

Monica grumbled, “If it were tomorrow night, he could join us, but you switched it to tonight.” 

“Sorry,” Adam replied apologetically. 

“Are you doctors really that busy? Can’t you even spare one night?” Phoebe questioned. 

“No,” Adam shook his head before launching into the story of Alice Gray. “…Although she still remembers medicine for now, who knows when she’ll forget. So I have to pass on every bit of her experience and knowledge as quickly and completely as possible.”  

“Wow! That’s incredible,” Casey exclaimed. 

“For the patients, I’m with you!” Phoebe added with a thumbs-up.  

“I never expected Meredith’s mom… which means our chances for get-togethers will be even fewer,” Chandler said with a shake of his head. 

“Yeah,” Adam nodded. “But I promise—I won’t miss any of the important moments we share.” 

“I believe you,” Chandler said with a smile. 

“OMG!” Rachel fanned her face, looking utterly moved. “Do you have to be this touching? I’m about to cry.” 

“Have you picked out a name for the baby yet? Leonard’s really curious,” Adam’s remark quickly snapped Rachel out of her sentimentality. 

“Don’t ruin the mood with that talk!” Rachel snapped, playfully smacking Adam. 

“Chandler, what about you and Monica?” Adam asked, turning to the two he valued most. 

“We?” Monica and Chandler exchanged a surprised look before laughing. “We just finished our honeymoon a little over two months ago—we’re not thinking about that right now.” 

“Yeah, take your time,” Adam said with a knowing smile. 

After the meal, Adam pulled Chandler aside onto the balcony for a few words before he left. He really admired what Lily and Matthew had said—that as long as they never miss the significant moments in each other’s lives, the best of friends will always remain that way. 

Chapter 418: Owen Li Straight-Up Calls Him a Pro 

Apartment 520 

In the early hours, everyone headed back to their own places. 

“What were you whispering about on the balcony with Adam?” 

Inside the bedroom—after finishing her morning routine—Monica casually asked while applying her skincare products. 

“Joey’s business,” Chandler replied from the bed. “Adam told me to remind Joey to stop messing around. His buddy Barney, who’s as famous as Joey in New York, has already caught that seductive virus—and he’s still undergoing treatment.” 

“What?” 

Monica’s eyes went wide. “You mean he actually got infected?” 

“Adam said that if Joey doesn’t watch himself, then with the public service ad he did for the hospital back in the day—combined with his now modest fame as a soap opera actor and his firsthand experience—it’s a done deal that someone will pay him to do another ad.” 

Chandler quipped, “Maybe they’ll even hire him as a spokesperson.” 

“But that’s the seductive virus, isn’t it?” Monica replied, exasperated. “Do you remember what happened last time when Joey, who didn’t even have the virus, did that ad?” 

“Oh, I definitely remember,” Chandler laughed. “He went over a month without a date, and his family wouldn’t let him come home for Christmas—they were scared he’d infect them.” 

“Yeah…” Monica sighed, feeling uneasy. “Joey’s been slacking off for over ten years without any issues. I almost forgot about it—it always felt so far removed from us.” 

Well, that uneasiness was more like lingering fear. 

After all, Monica had had her share of relationships back in the day. 

And Chandler, too. 

Plus, Chandler even had that fling with the legendary Aurora—who traveled the world and always seemed to have more than one boyfriend wherever she went… 

“I heard some nasty diseases can lie dormant for years, right?” Monica mused, her worry growing. 

“We’re fine,” Chandler quickly reassured her. 

“You don’t understand!” Monica cried, her face clouded with distress. “What if we end up infecting our kids someday?” 

“They won’t… But if you’re worried, we can get tested.” 

Chandler continued, “Adam works at the hospital. We can quietly ask him to run some tests for us—it’s really convenient.” 

“Did Adam say something to you?” 

Monica pulled away from Chandler’s embrace and glared at him. “He even asked if we wanted to have kids. Is he worried we might pass it on?” 

At that, she launched into an emotional tirade and self-reproach: 

“I hate you! When you first came over to my place, I was totally smitten. If you had felt the same, we would have been each other’s only one—then we wouldn’t have these worries! And I hate myself, too! Why was I so unrestrained back then? What harm would waiting a few more years have done…?” 

Chandler groaned. Back then, he was in college and Monica was still in high school—they were clueless. There was no way either of them could have been the one and only for the other. And, to top it off, Monica was two-faced back then—how was he supposed to choose? Which one? My wife’s compulsions are killing me. 

“I swear, I really didn’t…” Chandler tried to explain, but looking at Monica’s frantic expression, he knew words were futile. 

At the very least, sleep was out of the question tonight. So he got up and pulled Monica along. 

“What are you doing? It’s this late—I’m not in the mood!” he protested. 

“I’m not in the mood either. Adam’s on duty at the hospital tonight, so we’re going to sneak over and have him run some tests to rule out any risks. That way, you and I can finally sleep easy, don’t you think?” 

“Alright.” 

Monica instantly perked up. 

Adam had just returned to the apartment and was about to head to the hospital when he received a call from Chandler and Monica. 

“Come over then,” they said. 

Adam replied with mock surprise. After hanging up, he couldn’t help but smile. This had been part of his plan all along—even if he had underestimated Monica’s reaction speed. 

Letting slip that they should come to the hospital to rule out “filthy diseases” was just an excuse. What he really wanted was for Chandler and Monica to get a fertility test. Adam knew Chandler was fine, but Monica truly longed for a child of her own. After all, she’d broken up with that beloved older man back then precisely because he already had kids and didn’t want any more. 

Both Chandler and Monica had issues in that department, making it incredibly difficult for them to conceive the fruit of their love. Even though Adam—the real go-getter—had already talked Chandler into leaving his body-damaging job as a coder and dragging him out for morning runs, the true results were still up in the air. 

If they continued to struggle with conceiving, time would be the most critical factor. After all, a woman’s prime childbearing years are only a few, and Monica’s were nearly over… 

Plus, as she aged, her chances of conceiving would drop while the risks of pregnancy steadily increased. That was one of the key reasons why, in the original timeline, Chandler and Monica eventually gave up on having kids and opted to adopt. By then, they simply didn’t have much time left to try. 

Now, with Adam helping out, they started planning all of this during their two-month honeymoon. If the test results weren’t promising, they’d immediately start “stacking up” time—a few years’ wait, hoping things might eventually work out. 

What would it cost? Just a few tearful, heart-wrenching moments. And think of all the life experiences they’d gain along the way… 

At that point, Owen Li straight-up said, “Now that’s some pro-level insight!” 

Medical Center 

Adam waited outside. 

Before long, Monica and Chandler rushed in. 

“Aren’t we just getting our blood drawn?” Chandler remarked, holding a purple-gold bowl reminiscent of the one Tang Sanzang used on his epic journey—half laughing, half exasperated. 

“Both,” Adam said in a straight face. “We’re doing a full check-up.” 

“Cut the crap—let’s get moving!” 

Monica, in full boss mode, declared, “This time, I’m making an exception—go ahead and daydream about Casey in the bathroom.” 

Chandler just managed a bitter smile. 

“Go on—I still need to take Monica for her tests.” 

Adam patted Chandler on the shoulder with a grin, “The lady’s spoken. This is a rare opportunity, so make the most of it!” 

Resigned, Chandler clutched the bowl and shuffled into the bathroom. Meanwhile, Adam led Monica over to another female doctor. After all, women and men are different—these kinds of tests aren’t as straightforward for women. 

“Christina, what are you doing here?” Adam asked as he came out after settling Monica in, bumping into Christina. He immediately frowned, “Weren’t you supposed to be watching Dr. Gray?” 

“I wanted to,” Christina shrugged. “But she’s resting now, and someone volunteered to keep an eye on her. There’s no point in me just sitting there, so I thought I’d take a walk and see if anyone else needs me. Don’t worry—I’ll check in every half hour.” 

“Someone volunteered? Who?” Adam asked, surprised. 

“Go see for yourself,” Christina replied with a strange look. 

Now intrigued, Adam immediately walked over. 

“Holy shit!” 

When he reached the ward and peeked inside, Adam was utterly dumbfounded. 

Chapter 419: Second Place is Also Legendary 

Medical Center, Outside Alice Grey’s Upgraded VIP Ward 

“Holy shit!” Adam exclaimed, his eyes wide with disbelief. 

Christina smirked. “Now you understand, right? Do you still need me to take care of her?” 

“…” Adam’s mouth twitched, and he found himself at a loss for words. 

His gaze drifted back into the VIP ward. There, on the bed, Alice Grey rested her head against a man’s chest, her hands draped across him in a cozy, affectionate pose—like an old married couple fast asleep. The man, dressed in a white coat with a round, moon-like face, was none other than the chubby little George O’Malley. 

This is caregiving on a whole new level, Adam thought. Clearly, Christina didn’t need to stick around anymore. 

“What’s going on here?” Adam finally asked, unable to hold back his curiosity. 

Sure, he’d jokingly mentioned the story of Yin Liting and Yang Buhui to George before, and he was aware of wilder tales from Japan. He knew Alice Grey, with her Alzheimer’s, had mistaken George for her husband—Meredith’s father. And George did have some history with Meredith. But Adam had only been teasing, nothing more. He never imagined things would escalate like this. 

George had checked into the hospital that afternoon, had surgery that evening, and now—just hours later—he was sharing a bed with Dr. Grey. What kind of magic does this guy have with women? Adam wondered. Some sort of charm aura? A best-friend-turned-backstabber move? 

“I’m just as shocked as you are,” Christina said, rolling her eyes. “I was taking good care of Dr. Grey, never leaving her side. But then George barged in, and when Dr. Grey scolded him again, he suddenly lost it.” 

“And then?” Adam asked, his brow furrowing. 

He didn’t like this vibe. Dr. Grey was a patient—her outbursts weren’t intentional. George, as a doctor and a junior, shouldn’t be picking fights with her. If you don’t want to get yelled at, just stay away, Adam thought. Why provoke her? This was irresponsible, both to the medical community and to humanity’s well-being. Silently, Adam resolved to give George a serious talking-to later. 

“I tried to stop him,” Christina said quickly, sensing Adam’s disapproval. Their goals aligned perfectly, and she could read his displeasure instantly. “But he snapped too fast, too emotional. He wouldn’t listen to me.” 

“Just tell me what happened,” Adam interrupted, cutting to the chase. 

Christina took a breath. “George said he didn’t like how Dr. Grey treated Meredith and that he wouldn’t let her keep doing it. I immediately tried to shove him out, but then Dr. Grey’s attitude flipped. She stopped scolding him and gently agreed.” 

Adam’s eyes narrowed. “And then?” 

“Then George got cocky,” Christina continued. “He said Dr. Grey shouldn’t treat him like that either. She nodded, scooted over on the bed, patted the spot next to her, and told him to come sleep with her. And, well, here we are.” 

Adam glanced back at the bed, where George and Dr. Grey were snuggled up together. “So, her memory’s gone back to when they were newlyweds?” 

“Probably,” Christina sighed. “The stimulation must’ve flipped her memory.” 

Adam’s frown deepened. Alzheimer’s patients didn’t have static memories—they could shift to different life stages at any moment. Most of the time, their perception didn’t match reality, hence the term “senile dementia.” Occasionally, they might sync up with the present and seem lucid, but that was rare. Dr. Grey had only had Alzheimer’s for a few years—her fifty-plus years of prior memories made up over ninety percent of her life. 

Christina caught Adam’s drift. For them, Dr. Grey’s value lay in her decades of surgical expertise, honed day after day in the operating room. Ideally, her memory would stay as recent as possible—more years meant more refined skills and knowledge. But now, triggered by George, she’d reverted to her early married days with Meredith’s father. According to Meredith, her dad left when she was five, and her mom raised her alone for the next twenty-plus years. That meant Dr. Grey might have lost over two decades of experience—the legendary era when she’d pushed herself to the limit, perfected her craft, and invented groundbreaking techniques. 

If her medical knowledge had regressed along with her memory, the loss would be catastrophic. 

“Damn George!” Christina muttered. At first, she’d been amused by his audacity, not thinking it through. But now, with Adam’s nudge, the gravity hit her, and she couldn’t laugh anymore. She cursed under her breath, genuinely upset. 

“All we can do now is hope her medical knowledge and experience haven’t shifted,” Adam said, his voice heavy. “We’ll check tomorrow. If it’s unchanged, great. But if it has, we need to block George from ever getting near her again.” 

“Got it!” Christina said through gritted teeth. “Next time I see him anywhere close, I’ll kick him out myself.” 

Adam nodded. He knew she wasn’t joking. A legend like Dr. Grey meant different things to different people. For struggling students, shadowing her might teach them a little. But for ambitious, gifted prodigies like them, keeping up with her—learning directly from a living legend—was a once-in-a-lifetime chance that’d make any doctor green with envy. 

“Adam, how are we going to confirm this tomorrow?” Christina asked, her voice tinged with worry. 

Legends were legends because they were untouchable. Even if Dr. Grey’s knowledge had rewound twenty years, she’d still been a rising star back then. Most people wouldn’t be able to gauge her level. 

“Don’t worry,” Adam said with a smile. “I’ve got this. Pinpointing the exact year of her memory might be tricky, but figuring out if she’s stuck twenty-plus years in the past? That’s a piece of cake.” 

“…” Christina froze for a second. 

She’d almost forgotten—Adam’s future potential was anyone’s guess, but right now, in this era of medicine, you could count on one hand the people his age who outshone him. Dr. Grey was a legend, sure, but not the only one. 

She nodded, trusting him completely. Then a thought struck her, and she looked at him, half-amazed, half-skeptical. “Wait—you can really figure out the specific year her memory’s in?” 

Adam had said it’d be “tricky,” not impossible. That was like the difference between cooking stewed tofu and crafting delicate silken tofu—leagues apart in difficulty. If he could pull that off, it’d be mind-blowing. 

“Heh,” Adam chuckled, saying nothing more. 

“Hiss,” Christina gasped, sucking in a sharp breath. Any thought of outdoing Adam evaporated. But she wasn’t discouraged. Standing in awe of a giant, aiming high and landing in the middle, was better than settling for less and getting nothing. Against someone as terrifyingly brilliant as Adam, first place was out of reach. Second wasn’t bad, though. That could still be legendary. 

(End of Chapter)