Their current situation could be likened to being stuck riding on the back of a tiger [1].
Chen Xiaolian and Roddy discussed the matter for a moment. However, they were unable to come up with any solutions.
Sometime late at night, Da Gang was finally healed to the point where he could regain his consciousness. Seeing Chen Xiaolian beside him, his face became blank for a moment. After collecting himself, he said in a whisper. “Thank you.”
Chen Xiaolian replied with a faint smile. “We are friends; there is no need for thanks between friends.”
“Even between friends, thanks must be said. In this world, no one should owe others anything,” Da Gang’s eyes turned dim. “That is what my mother taught me when she was still alive.”
Feeling the melancholy within their current topic, Chen Xiaolian quickly laughed. “How do you feel? Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?”
Da Gang got down from the bed and slowly walked two steps before frowning. “It seems I am a lot better now. The only thing of note is this feeling of weakness and a slight pain. But…”
“It seems your const.i.tution is quite good. Your rate of recovery is quite good,” Chen Xiaolian smiled. “Don’t worry, those are all superficial injuries. At your age, all you need to do is to rest properly and you will recover quickly.”
Da Gang looked at Chen Xiaolian. “I know that going to the hospital requires money, I…”
“You don’t have to worry about the medical expenses.”
“Debts must be repaid,” Da Gang shook his head. “I do not have any money now. In the future…”
Chen Xiaolian looked at Da Gang and suddenly had an idea. “There is a way.”
He slowly said. “Last time, I invited you to come with me to Jinling. Now…”
Da Gang had a complicated look on his face.
Chen Xiaolian continued in a low tone. “This time’s incident is quite big. Even though I did help solve the matter, there is no guarantee as to whether or not there will be any future complications. Those who beat you up might return to exact vengeance. And the police…”
Da Gang frowned.
Chen Xiaolian quickly said. “Why don’t you follow me to Jinling for some time? As it so happened, I recently rented a fitness centre. If you feel indebted toward me, you can help me out there. You can help out with sweeping the floor and keeping watch…”
Suddenly, Da Gang smiled.
As he smiled, a faint spark of life shone from within his originally dim eyes. He silently looked at Chen Xiaolian. “I am not going.”
“Eh?”
“I know that you want to help take care of me,” Da Gang shook his head. “Those things you said, sweeping the floor and keeping watch, those were simply meant to make me feel better. I will accept your good intentions. But… I will never leave my home here.”
He slowly stood up. “The hospital fees that I owe you, I will slowly pay you back. The school will give me a salary. Although it is very little, I will work hard to save.”
Seeing the firmness shown by Da Gang, Chen Xiaolian could only sigh.
Everyone had his or her own way of life. Although his intentions were good, he could not force it upon others.
“Thank you,” Da Gang’s expression revealed traces of guilt and he said in a whisper. “Ever since I was young, up until now, with the exception of my mother, you are the only one to treat me this well. You are a good person.”
Chen Xiaolian laughed. “All right, all right. It’s bad enough that I get the good person card from a girl. You are a male. Why are you giving me a good person card?”
On the second day, Da Gang had greatly recovered. However, he insisted on returning home.
Before leaving, Chen Xiaolian told him. “About the hospital fees, there is no need for you to worry about it. I had already found those people who beat you up and upheld justice for you. They also compensated you with some money. This money…”
“I do not want it,” Da Gang shook his head and looked at Chen Xiaolian with an expression of relentlessness. “That is something you got from them. I know, if not for you, those people would not have given me even a penny worth of compensation.”
Chen Xiaolian smiled wryly. “This money is originally meant to be a form of compensation for you…”
“You keep it,” Da Gang smiled and said in a deep voice. “You could come all the way from JInling to help me; I will remember this act of friends.h.i.+p.”
Chen Xiaolian sighed. “At the very least, don’t bring up the matter about the hospital fees anymore, all right?”
Da Gang considered it and nodded his head. “All right!”
In the morning, Chen Xiaolian and Roddy brought Da Gang back to his home. When they reached the hut behind the school, Roddy saw the plastic-wrapped windows; the dark, damp room and he could not help but frown. “Brother Da Gang, I think you should come with us to Jinling. This place… it is really…”
Da Gang smiled. “Even if it is worse, it is still home.”
He picked up the dirty clothes on the surface of the bed and said. “Please sit first. I will go cook up some hot water for you.”
Chen Xiaolian laughed. “What do you mean drink water? Come on, it’s getting late, we’ll go out for a meal!”
Da Gang hesitated, but Chen Xiaolian had already dragged him out. “Since we are friends, eating a meal together is a must. We will be heading back today after all. Just consider it giving us the chance to play the role of friends… besides, we got a huge sum of money from those b.a.s.t.a.r.ds. Eating a good meal is nothing.”
Da Gang looked on helplessly and placed down the kettle in his hands. “Very well, give me a minute. I will go lock the door.”
He turned back, headed into the room and changed into a set of clean clothing. The clothing was his work clothes. It was very worn and its sleeves and collars have been frayed. However, it appeared to have been washed clean.
Da Gang wore the clothes and carefully locked the door before heading out together with Chen Xiaolian and Roddy.
Walking through a nearby street, Chen Xiaolian found the biggest and most luxurious looking restaurant and pointed at it. He smiled and said. “We’ll eat here! Yesterday, the amount of compensation given by Boss Duan is quite considerable. We’ll eat a good meal here!”
Da Gang, who was still hesitant, was pulled by Chen Xiaolian into the restaurant.
In the afternoon, the restaurant’s business was quite good. The private rooms were full and the three of them chose a place to sit by the windows.
Roddy did not hesitate to order a huge amount of food. Originally, he had wanted to order some beer as well. However, after considering the fact that Da Gang had just recovered from such a serious injury, he decided against it.
Da Gang appeared embarra.s.sed as he faced the abundant amount of dishes on the table. Chen Xiaolian directly sent out his chopsticks and gathered a variety of vegetables for Da Gang’s bowl. Then, he laughed. “Bro, think about it this way. These dishes were all obtained in exchange for your blood. Not eating it would be a waste! Come! If you do not eat properly, the two of us would not be able to eat properly as well.”
Hearing that, Da Gang smiled. “All right! I will eat! I will do my best to eat it!”
Chen Xiaolian winked at Roddy. Roddy understood immediately and got up saying he needed to go to the toilet. Then, he secretly ran out of the restaurant.
After a moment, Roddy returned slowly and secretly made an ‘OK’ sign toward Chen Xiaolian.
Roddy had quietly gone out to do something. He took the opportunity to return to Da Gang’s house and left a bag of money on his bed.
The three of them were about the same age. After eating for a while, the atmosphere warmed up and they began to discuss about some interesting topics.
At that moment, a man who did not look very old sat down on the table beside them. After sitting down, the man ordered two side dishes and a bowl of rice.
Chen Xiaolian noticed that the man’s clothes were very clean. The man wore a pair of thick gla.s.ses and appeared familiar. After looking at him carefully, Chen Xiaolian quickly recognized the man.
Coincidentally, the man turned his head around and the two of them made eye contact. Chen Xiaolian blurted out. “You are… Doctor Mu?”
The man was taken aback and he nodded subconsciously. Then, he recognized Chen Xiaolian. “Oh, it is you?”
Doctor Mu was the doctor in charge of Da Gang back in the hospital.
When Chen Xiaolian had arrived at the hospital, he had inquired about Da Gang’s injuries from Doctor Mu. Later on however, they no longer had much contact.
When Da Gang was being discharged yesterday, Doctor Mu was not in the hospital. Thus, they did not have the chance to meet up. Unexpectedly, they would end up meeting each other here.
After looking at Chen Xiaolian’s table, Doctor Mu’s face suddenly revealed surprise. He stood up and walked over. He then looked at Da Gang. “Eh? You… you, why are you out of the hospital?”
Chen Xiaolian and Roddy exchanged glances and they both felt awkward. Doctor Mu’s expression turned ugly to behold and he said. “Don’t mess around! You are suffering from such a heavy injury, why are you out here having a meal instead of staying in the hospital? Also… how can you eat these things? You…”
Chen Xiaolian quickly grabbed Doctor Mu’s hand and pulled him down onto a chair. Then, he patted Doctor Mu’s shoulder and smiled. “Doctor Mu, Da Gang had already been discharged from the hospital.”
“Discharged from the hospital?” The doctor nearly jumped out and he furiously spoke out. “How could you do that? His injuries are extremely severe; he needs to receive treatment form the hospital. How could… Nonsense! What a farce! Who is the one who processed your discharge procedures?”
Chen Xiaolian smiled awkwardly. “Truthfully, it is nothing. We saw that Da Gang is nearly all healed up. And the daily cost for the intensive care ward is too big…”
“Nonsense!” Doctor Mu interrupted Chen Xiaolian and said in a solemn manner. “Do you know how dangerous this is? His body is suffering from many external and internal injuries. There are even internal bleeding! You are not getting hospital treatment? What will you do if something happens? How could your relatives be so muddleheaded?”
He paused for a moment before shaking his head. “This won’t do! I was on rest s.h.i.+ft yesterday. That was why I was not on-duty yesterday. But now that we have met, I cannot ignore this! He is my patient and I am responsible for him! You must follow me back to the hospital!”
He stared at Da Gang. “Young man! Are you worried about the medical expenses? Let me inform you, your injuries are no joking matter. At such a young age, you should take good care of your life! Just think about it, you still have a long life ahead of you, you cannot act in such a foolish manner!”
Chen Xiaolian tugged Doctor Mu’s wrist. “Doctor, look at him carefully. Doesn’t he look much better?”
This Doctor Mu appeared to be a rather by-the-book person. After having vented out his anger, he carefully looked at Da Gang and let out an ‘eh” sound. He then moved over and grabbed Da Gang’s wrist. Subsequently, he reached out with his hand to nudge Da Gang’s eyelids upward and said in a low tone. “Don’t move!”
He pulled out a stethoscope from the bag he carried with him and used it to listen to Da Gang’s chest. After putting down the stethoscope, Doctor Mu’s expression became distant. “This, this… how is this possible…”
Just yesterday, this patient was critically ill with tubes inserted into him. Today, he could already run around, dine, and drink in a restaurant?
“Impossible… could it be, did I make the wrong diagnosis back then? However… he was clearly suffering from fractures and internal bleeding…” Doctor Mu’s face revealed traces of guilt – if he had been the one to make the wrong diagnosis, then that meant this young man was not suffering from such heavy injuries. It was his misdiagnosis that caused this young man to suffer so much inside the Intensive Care Unit ward…
Thinking about that, Doctor Mu quickly stood up. “This won’t do! I need to go back to the hospital! I will go check up your medical records! And the pictures taken back then, I need to go examine them!”
He hesitated for a moment and looked at Da Gang. “You… you should still come back with me to the hospital. Don’t worry about the hospital fees. If there is any problem there, I can help you think of something…”
Chen Xiaolian felt moved by this.
This Doctor Mu was a very good person, an ethical and responsible person.
Chen Xiaolian hesitated before saying in a whisper. “Doctor Mu, there is really no need. Just look at him. Isn’t he all right now?”
Doctor Mu sighed. He knew that they would certainly refuse. As for him, he could not possibly force them to go to the hospital. Additionally, his mind was currently wavering – did he really misdiagnosed him?
He mulled over the issue and then pulled out his name card from his pocket. “This is my number… if he feels any discomfort, call me immediately! Then, quickly send him to the hospital! I… I’ll be leaving first.”
Doctor Mu straightened himself and walked out of the restaurant absent-mindedly. It was likely that he was heading back to the hospital to check up on Da Gang’s medical records.
After such a scene, their dining atmosphere had come to a halt.
Da Gang watched as the doctor left and whispered. “He… is a good person.”
Roddy sighed. “It is rare to see such a good doctor nowadays.”
Chen Xiaolian shook his head. “Truth be told, most doctors are good people. It is just that the healthcare system is very messed up. Let’s not talk about this.”
However, the three of them were unable to continue eating after that. Besides, they have had their fill. Thus, they simply paid up and left.
“Then, this is goodbye,” Chen Xiaolian smiled.
Da Gang shook his head. “You two are going back using the train, aren’t you? Since I have nothing to do, I will accompany you there.”
After considering it, Chen Xiaolian did not refuse.
At any rate, Da Gang’s body had fully recovered. Additionally… Roddy had left a bag full of money in his house. If Da Gang returned and saw it, he would probably run to the train station to find Chen Xiaolian. Since that was the case, he might as well have Da Gang accompany them to the train station. Then, when Da Gang returned home to find the bag of money, he won’t have enough time to return it to him.
Chen Xiaolian readily agreed. The three of them then stood by the street to flag down a cab.
At that moment, a Multi-purpose Vehicle slowly stopped by the street.
The door of the MPV opened to reveal Yu Jiajia sitting inside.
“It’s you guys?”
Yu Jiajia looked at Da Gang and was somewhat surprised. “You… how are you…”
“He has already been discharged. There is no problem with his body,” Chen Xiaolian smiled. “Back then, the hospital made a misdiagnosis. There were actually no major issues.”
Unfortunately, he would have to turn Doctor Mu into a scapegoat.
Yu Jiajia looked on with scepticism before s.h.i.+fting her gaze onto Chen Xiaolian’s body. “You guys…”
“We are about to go to the train station.”
“You are leaving already?” Yu Jiajia’s eyes turned gloomy, but quickly recovered.
“En, we have stayed here for two days. Since Da Gang is now all right, we will have to return. We still have some matters to do back home,” Chen Xiaolian smiled softly.
Yu Jiajia bit her lips. “Since I am here, I’ll help by sending you guys over to the train station.”
Chen Xiaolian was about to reject, only to have Yu Jiajia stare at him. She said slowly. “Since we are friends, do you have to reject this little offer of mine? Or are you looking down on me?”