Medical Sage

”Dad, I, I...” In the study of a high-end apartment in Northern Mountain City, a young man’s voice, filled with pain and self-reproach, came through the phone.

”You rotten kid, what in the world happened?” Hua Zhinan’s father, Hua Ming, had built Jinnan Jewelry with his own two hands. He was capable and remarkably steady, a man who had long reached the stage where he never let his feelings show. But now, his face was ashen. The veins on the hands clutching the phone bulged as he took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain calm.

”Boss Hua, you know the rules. A gambler pays his debts. Please transfer the fifty million as soon as possible,” a sinister chuckle echoed over the line. The tone was deeply unsettling. ”Remember, you only have three days. Otherwise, we can’t guarantee your precious Young Master’s safety.”

”Fifty million... I... I understand. Please, give me three days. I will transfer the money as quickly as possible, so please, you must guarantee my son’s safety.” Hua Ming’s fingers trembled as he gripped the phone with both hands, enunciating each word carefully.

”Dad!”

”Excellent. We’ll be waiting for your good news, Boss Hua.” The line went dead.

THUMP!

”That worthless son! He’s a disaster!” Hua Ming could no longer contain his fury. With a loud CRACK, he smashed the phone onto the ground, splitting it in two.

”What are you saying? Zhinan was just confused for a moment! He’s your son, don’t you know him? He would never have gambled so much before!” Wang Ying sobbed, pulling at her husband’s arm. ”Old Hua, you have to think of something! He’s our only son.”

”Think of something? I want to think of something, too! But this isn’t five hundred thousand or five million, it’s fifty million! We could sell everything we own and still not raise that much money in time!” Fuming, Hua Ming paced back and forth in the living room, his face etched with anxiety.

He knew his wife was right. His son, Hua Zhinan, while not exceptional among his peers, was certainly not some degenerate gambler who would squander away a fortune. And losing a hundred million in Macau? Impossible! It was obvious someone had set a trap for his son. But what could he do, even knowing that? His son was being held in Macau, accused of losing a hundred million! A gambler must pay his debts. What other choice was there?

”So what do we do now? Zhinan is still being held there. If we don’t get the money in three days, will they... No, absolutely not!” Wang Ying covered her face and began to weep. He was her only son. If something were to happen to him, what would she, his mother, do? The thought alone sent her into a panic.

”Cry, cry, cry! That’s all you know how to do! As if crying will bring our son back!” Hua Ming, on edge himself, snapped at her.

”Then what should we do? Wait, what if we call Xiaofei? I heard Zhinan say that Xiaofei is doing really well for himself now. Even President Wang of Jin Zun Jewelry only agreed to work with us because of him,” Wang Ying said, her eyes suddenly lighting up, too worried about her son to argue with her husband.

”Xiaofei? Zhinan’s college roommate?” Hua Ming paused. He did recall his son mentioning several times that his college roommate, Chen Fei, was now a big shot. Many influential people in the province apparently gave him face. Even President Wang of Jin Zun Jewelry’s willingness to partner with their Jinnan Jewelry seemed to be a favor to his son’s roommate. But even if I mortgage Jinnan Jewelry, I can only raise thirty-five million at most! With such a massive shortfall, would he be willing to lend us fifteen million? It seems like he and my son are close, but society is a harsh place. Friendships are fine until money gets involved. And fifteen million is a terrifyingly large number. Even if he has that kind of money, would he be willing to lend it? He had no confidence at all.

”How will you know if you don’t try? Or can you pull fifty million out of a hat for me right now?” Wang Ying shot her husband a glare before immediately finding her phone. She had Chen Fei’s number saved from the many times she had invited him and her son over for dinner. In front of her husband, she dialed the number.

「In a Flying Leopard squad car」

When Wang Ying called, Chen Fei was leaving the base, on his way home. He was taken aback when the caller ID showed it was Hua Zhinan’s mother, Aunt Wang.

”Hello, Aunt Wang. Is everything alright?” he asked immediately after answering.

”Oh, Xiaofei, hello! It’s... you have to help our Zhinan! He’s going to be ruined otherwise!” The moment she heard Chen Fei’s voice, Wang Ying thought of her son being held in a Macau casino, and her plea came out in a choked sob.

”What? Slickhead’s in trouble?” Chen Fei’s expression hardened as he sat bolt upright. ”Wait, slow down. Tell me exactly what happened. Don’t worry, nothing will happen to Slickhead.”

As he offered his reassurance, a terrifying glint flashed in his dark eyes. A frightening, bone-chilling aura emanated from him, sweeping through the car. The Member of Flying Leopard in the driver’s seat jumped in fright, nearly losing his grip on the steering wheel. In his eyes, Chen Fei was a true god of death. For someone like that to suddenly get angry was terrifying!

Hearing Chen Fei’s confident tone, Wang Ying felt a wave of relief. She quickly recounted the details of the call from Macau. ”...Someone must be setting him up! Otherwise, no matter how foolish Zhinan can be, he would never make a mistake this huge! Losing a hundred million gambling!”

”I agree. Aunt Wang, I trust Slickhead. Someone is definitely pulling the strings here,” Chen Fei said coldly, a dangerous light in his eyes.

”I know! My Zhinan is usually so well-behaved. How could he suddenly be so foolish? But Xiaofei, things are what they are. We’re planning to sell Jinnan Jewelry, but that will only get us about thirty-five million. I was wondering... could you possibly... lend us some money?” Wang Ying finally brought it up in a hushed tone.

”What? Aunt Wang, you’re going to sell Jinnan Jewelry? You can’t do that! Isn’t that Uncle’s life’s work?” Chen Fei exclaimed in shock.

”Sigh. Young man, the jewelry store is my life’s work, but that foolish boy is my son,” Hua Ming’s voice, full of despair, came over the line. He had taken the phone. ”I can always start another business if the store is gone, but if my son is gone, he’s gone for good. We wouldn’t be shameless enough to ask you for a loan if we weren’t absolutely desperate. But don’t worry, young man. Five years. I swear I’ll pay it all back in five years at most! On top of that, I’ll pay you an extra thirty percent in interest. What do you think?” His voice was like that of a drowning man grasping at straws.

”Uncle Hua, please don’t say that! Zhinan is my brother. His problem is my problem! I’m not going to stand by and do nothing. Besides, fifty million is not a big deal. The real issue is that he’s being set up... Okay, how about this, Uncle and Aunt? I’ll get someone to put together a hundred million for you. But don’t send any money to Macau yet. Wait for news from me,” Chen Fei said decisively.

This was no joke. Given his relationship with Slickhead, what was fifty or a hundred million? Even five hundred million or a billion would be fine, as long as he could come up with it! What really pissed him off was that Slickhead had clearly been framed. Damn it. I don’t know who you are, but if you want to play, let’s play hard. We’ll see who caves and spits up blood first!

”Ah! What? One hundred million? Xiao... Xiaofei, you’re not joking, are you?” On the other end of the phone, Hua Ming and Wang Ying were stunned.

This wasn’t one million or ten million. It was one hundred million! Yet he spoke of it so casually, as if it were pocket change. Even a company like Jin Zun Jewelry, a chain valued at seven or eight hundred million, probably couldn’t talk with such bravado. After all, a company being valued at that much and being able to produce a hundred million in cash on a whim are two completely different things. Chen Fei is so young; how could he have such resources? Hua Ming couldn’t believe it, and neither could Wang Ying.

”No, Xiaofei, it’s not that we don’t believe you,” Wang Ying began, hesitating, ”it’s just...”

”Uncle, Aunt, why don’t you hang up and wait a minute? I’m going to call my friend now,” Chen Fei said, cutting her off.

”This... this...” Wang Ying stared blankly at the phone and, without realizing it, hung up.

Only after the line was dead did she snap out of it. She looked at her husband, dumbfounded. ”Old... Old Hua, do you think... do you think Xiaofei was telling the truth? Can he really come up with such an enormous sum of money just like that? That’s a hundred million!”

”Impossible. Absolutely impossible. He must be joking,” Hua Ming said, shaking his head vehemently. How could a young man like that...? That’s a hundred million yuan! And he said he could raise it immediately? On such short notice? Even a billionaire worth five or six hundred million wouldn’t dare make such a boastful claim, let alone a young man who was just his son’s friend... It’s impossible!

”Sigh... let’s just wait and see. What if... what if it’s true?” Wang Ying, however, clung to a sliver of hope. She forced herself to sit calmly on the sofa and wait.

Meanwhile, Chen Fei was already dialing a new number.