Against the Algorithm

Chapter 48: Checkups and Consequences

Yao sighed, clearly realizing there was no use arguing—and that if she so much as tried, she'd have both Sicheng and Lady Lu on her before she could reach the elevator. "Fine," she murmured, returning to her laptop. "But if they draw blood, someone better bring me takoyaki after."

"You're getting a whole feast after." Sicheng replied smoothly, leaning down to brush a kiss to the top of her head.

Yue fake-gagged. Pang snapped a photo. Lao Mao muttered something about looking into escape routes. But no one argued. Because Lady Lu had spoken. And when she made an appointment?

You showed up.

The appointment had been scheduled in advance—quietly, efficiently, and with Lady Lu's exacting standards. As before, the clinic had cleared the waiting room and blocked the time to accommodate the entire ZGDX team. From Rui to Yue, from Lao Mao's overtraining to Pang's eternal war with sodium, every concern had been noted, tracked, and was now due for follow-up.

And this time, the atmosphere was different. Because it wasn't their first round of corrections—it was the check-up to see if they'd actually listened. One by one, the team filed into the clinic and faced Dr. Cho's steady-eyed husband with varying levels of dread. Lao K had, in fact, improved—gaining lean muscle as recommended. Lao Mao had managed to reduce his protein shake obsession. Even Yue had grudgingly added real food to his diet (under threat of being sent on a business trip with their father) .

But Pang?

Pang sat on the exam table with a sheepish expression and a half-eaten energy bar in his hand.

The doctor sighed, lifting his clipboard. "You've gained weight in all the wrong places."

"I bulked." Pang muttered.

"You're bloated," the doctor corrected dryly. "Still eating too many processed carbs. You haven't made the shift to clean eating. Your stamina score is down compared to your last match profile."

Yao, seated quietly near the window in the private lounge area while the team rotated through, looked up briefly at the word "processed," clearly unsurprised. Once the team had finished their rounds, each with updated meal plans, new strength routines, and fresh warnings, Yao was quietly called into Dr. Cho's office. This time, she didn't go alone. She glanced to her side. And Sicheng stood without needing a word. He joined her inside, taking the chair beside her with easy familiarity, his arm lightly brushing hers, a quiet reminder that he was there—and staying.

Dr. Cho, professional as ever, greeted them warmly before starting her evaluation. Vitals were stable. Blood work showed solid improvement. Her iron levels were climbing. There was no sign of severe fatigue or vitamin deficiency. And, most importantly, her weight had finally returned to a healthy range. "You've been eating regularly," the doctor observed with a quiet smile, flipping her chart closed. "Your improvements are clear."

"I've been trying." Yao nodded shyly, her fingers brushing the edge of her sleeve.

Then Dr. Cho's gaze softened, and she leaned forward just slightly. "I also want to say—there's been notable progress in another area." Her eyes moved to Sicheng briefly before returning to Yao. "The last time we spoke, you were still extremely touch-averse. You froze during the reflex test. You flinched when I adjusted the cuff on your arm. But this time? You didn't react at all."

Yao blinked, startled.

"You're becoming more comfortable with physical contact," Dr. Cho continued. "It's not just tolerating it now—it's familiarity. You're still shy, but your body doesn't read it as danger anymore. That's a huge step, Miss Tong."