Hawking's voice continued on the TV: "If the universe is truly infinite, then we will eventually meet our past selves."
The TV area in the living room was like a sacred temple of science.
Meanwhile, on the sofa, Penny and Ethan were completely in another parallel world.
Penny held a mug, leaning on one end of the sofa.
She noticed Ethan sitting quietly, sunken into the sofa, looking somewhat distracted.
"You don't look quite right, a bit tired. Was it tough at the clinic?"
Ethan paused slightly, silent for two seconds, before speaking: "It was alright, I just met a... special Patient."
"Was he rude?" Penny's eyes sparkled with gossip. "I have a lot of experience with that. If a customer displeases me, I don't get angry. I just sneeze a few times into their food, or spit in it."
Ethan couldn't help but laugh: "Okay, next time I'll definitely call you to come sneeze on the Patient's wound."
"Hahaha, I don't know how things work at the clinic." Penny smiled and winked. "Maybe... you could leave a towel, or scissors in their stomach?"
"Good idea, I'll consider it." Ethan responded seriously.
Ethan's seriousness made Penny smile.
Ethan's mood, which had been affected by the old man with the chainsaw, finally relaxed a bit. He looked at the four people in front of the TV and suddenly became interested.
"Hey, Penny," Ethan suddenly changed his tone, with a smile, "want to see something cool?"
"Of course." Penny propped her chin. "But I hope what you mean by 'cool' isn't another lecture."
"Don't worry, it's much more exciting than that."
Ethan leaned in close and whispered a few words, his breath almost touching her ear.
Penny was slightly taken aback, then raised an eyebrow: "Are you sure?"
Ethan nodded.
Penny looked at the four engrossed science geeks in front of the TV, then at Ethan: "Alright, let's try it."
She cleared her throat: "Hi, Doctor, my chest hurts a little, could you examine me?"
Ethan: "Of course, but I'll need you to take off your top."
"Okay." Penny paused, her voice becoming very sexy, "Do I need to take everything off?"
"Uh, yes."
"Alright then."
The air was subtly silent for two seconds.
"Penny," Ethan said, "you actually have a mole on your chest. You know, in China, that means 'having great ambitions'."
"Having great ambitions?" She blinked, "What does that mean?"
"It means—you'll be very accomplished in the future."
Penny: "Are you complimenting my ambition, or... my ample bosom?"
"Hmm." Ethan smiled slightly, "Both."
The two glanced at the several academic elites in front of the TV. They were completely focused, not moving an inch.
Then Ethan spread his hands at Penny.
Penny couldn't help but exclaim: "Unbelievable!"
Both of them laughed.
After a while, Penny suddenly tilted her head and asked: "By the way, Ethan... how did you know I had a mole on my chest?"
"—What?"
"Didn't you just say you didn't see anything?"
The air instantly froze.
Ethan was startled, completely stiff.
Penny crossed her arms, staring at him, a mischievous smile appearing on her face.
"You did look, didn't you?"
"I swear, I was just—"
"Observing the Patient's symptoms?"
"Exactly, exactly, from a doctor's perspective."
"Hahaha!" Penny finally burst out laughing. "Relax, Doctor, I'm not going to sue you."
She winked, her tone teasing: "Actually, I'm quite happy you looked, at least it proves my figure didn't disappoint you."
Ethan coughed: "From a medical perspective, you... are very well-developed, very healthy."
Penny: "So next time I come to you for a breast exam, will it be free?"
"If it's you," Ethan said seriously, "I can even pay you."
"Hahahaha!" Penny collapsed onto the sofa with laughter. "If you were my boyfriend, we could play doctor-examines-Patient games."
The two laughed again.
Halfway through her laughter, Penny's gaze involuntarily fell on his profile.
Ethan quickly noticed her gaze. He touched his face and asked, somewhat confused: "What's wrong? Is there something on my face?"
Penny blinked: "Leonard said you're all Doctors, but the gap between Doctors is too wide."
As she spoke, she gestured with her chin towards the four 'science geeks' in front of the TV, who were engrossed in Hawking's lecture.
"You seem quite normal. As for them—you know."
Ethan smiled: "Perhaps it's because I also studied psychology. Psychology studies human emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. Physics and engineering study natural laws."
He paused: "But people are unpredictable, especially..."
Penny immediately interjected: "Especially women, right?"
Ethan choked a bit, awkwardly coughing twice: "Uh... what I meant to say was—psychiatric Patients."
"Heh, it's pretty much the same." Penny pouted: "So, you mean, because you've studied people, you know how to interact with them? Conversely, they only study natural things, so they can only interact with nature or their own kind. As a Doctor, you have to take classes and study something in school before you can deal with it, even if that 'thing' is a person."
As a Doctor, you have to take classes and study something in school before you can deal with it, even if that 'thing' is a person."
"Uh, you can understand it that way too."
Ethan gave up trying to explain.
After a while, Penny couldn't help but speak again: "Seriously, you're completely unlike them. Why do you still live together? And seem to have a good relationship?"
"Sheldon and I have known each other since childhood." Ethan explained with a smile, "He was very smart as a child. When he was eleven, he even wanted to build a nuclear power plant to supply electricity to our city—and ended up surrounded by the FBI."
Penny's eyes widened in surprise: "Are you serious?!"
"Very serious! In many people's eyes, he really seems like a weirdo, and sometimes Leonard and the others can look that way too. But I know. They just like niche things, and there are few people in the world who understand them."
Ethan continued: "Actually, they're all pretty easy to get along with. As long as you don't mock the things they cherish, they'll treat you as a friend—even family."
Penny looked into his eyes, and a subtle flutter suddenly arose in her heart.
"Oh—you're just too kind." She blurted out.
"Hmm?" Ethan was slightly startled, "Weren't we talking about Sheldon? Why are you suddenly praising me?"
"Because you are that kind person." Penny said seriously.
Ethan smiled and shook his head: "Thank you."
After a brief silence, it was Ethan's turn to ask: "What about you? How did you end up moving here?"
Penny hesitated, but finally decided to tell the truth: "My live-in ex-boyfriend and I broke up, and I had to find a new place to live. Luckily, this was the smoothest house hunt I've ever had, otherwise I'd be homeless."
"Everything happens for a reason." Ethan smiled, "So what are your plans next?"
Penny perked up: "Of course, to continue chasing my dream—to be an actress!"
"I've always wanted to be an actress!" When talking about her dream, Penny immediately became excited: "I've only played one 'GG' and two extras so far, but I'm still trying to find opportunities. The competition in Los Angeles is terrifying, so I wanted to try my luck here—there are more stage plays and independent films here."
Ethan frowned: "The independent film circle... not many people, even fewer good people. If anyone is rude to you, remember to call me."
Penny raised an eyebrow and said teasingly: "Did you ever give me your phone number?"
"Uh—it seems... I didn't."
"I'm sorry, I forgot." Ethan quickly took out his phone to give to Penny.
A check was pulled out of his pocket along with the phone, gently sliding and floating to the ground.
"What's this?" Penny bent down to pick up the paper.
She saw the string of numbers at a glance—then she froze.
"One hundred thousand dollars?!"
Ethan: "Uh... that's the treatment fee I received at the clinic today."
"Treatment fee?!" Penny almost choked. "So I comforted you for half the day, and you didn't tell me you earned 100,000 dollars in one day!"
Ethan spread his hands: "It was just an accident, and I don't think that's the main point."
Penny held the check up to the light, staring at the zeros: "My God, I make twelve dollars an hour, plus tips where customers might grope my butt. And you... earned several years of my income in one day!"
She looked up at him, her smile a bit stiff: "That's so demoralizing."
Ethan was embarrassed: "It sounds exaggerated, but I swear this time it was really an accident!"
"How are you going to spend this money?" Penny leaned closer, her eyes sparkling.
"Pay off the clinic's debt, I guess."
"What about the rest?"
"The rest... I'll pay it back slowly."
Penny reacted for two seconds: "100,000 isn't enough to pay it back? Do you have that much debt?!"
"Hmm, probably about... 700,000."
Penny almost couldn't catch her breath: "Seven hundred thousand?!"
"Yeah."
"My God, what did you do? Buy an entire hospital?"
Ethan scratched his head: "Pretty much. I bought the small building where the clinic is."
Penny's eyes widened, and she sat up straight on the sofa: "You bought it? Not rented?"
"Uh, yes."
"You're actually a... Doctor with your own clinic?!"
"Uh~"
"I think, from now on, you shouldn't talk about your misfortunes. Your misfortunes only make others seem more miserable."