Chapter 258: An Unexpected Turn of Events
Li Hongji hesitated for a moment before carefully asking, “Tang Xiu, you don’t need to wait for a few days before going abroad! Can you take two days before you leave? Besides, those patients are kinda pitiful, and they come from faraway places! If they can’t see you, they will be very disappointed! You can rest assured that, after you’ve given medical service for two days, I’ll immediately announce your leave because of an important matter, saying you won’t come back to our Star City Chinese Medical hospital within a short time.”
Tang Xiu was silent for a moment before nodding, “So be it then! I have something to do tomorrow, but after I’m done with it I’ll come here give treatment for two days.”
Pleasantly surprised, Li Hongji said, “Great! I’ll inform everyone immediately!”
“Knock, knock…”
The ward’s door was knocked.
As he looked at the crowd of people outside who were about to enter the room, Tang Xiu stared blankly for a moment as a surprised expression filled his eyes. It was because he knew someone from among them, the Seaside Strait Manor’s owner in Jingmen Island, Tang Dong.
The expression on the old man’s face on the sickbed turned gloomy as he asked with a heavy tone, “Why are you here?”
Tang Dong himself was obviously surprised upon seeing Tang Xiu here. He faced Tang Xiu and nodded at him. Forcing out a smile, he then replied to the old man, “Uncle, my father heard that you’re visiting Star City for treatment, so he wanted me to come and see you. Moreover, I also have acquaintances in Star City. Hence, my visit this time is also to deliver a number of goods to him ready to trade.”
“Hmph.” The old man snorted coldly, “It’s damn rare of your father to remember me, eh?! So be it. Since you have come and have also seen me, just go and take care of your business!”
Tang Dong smiled wryly, “Uncle, even if I want to take care of my business, I’ll still have to find my acquaintance first! If I leave now, I won’t be able to conclude the business transaction.”
The old man shouted angrily, “Whether you’re able or unable to do your business, how the hell would it be related to this place? You’re an adult, yet how could you be so frivolous? Would it be even possible for you to do your business transaction here? Hmph…”
Tang Dong forced out a wry smile, “Uncle, the person I’m gonna have a transaction with, is exactly here.”
The old man was surprised for a moment before he flew into a rage.
At this moment, a trace of smile revealed on Tang Xiu’s face as he said, “Tang Dong, how many cargoes did you bring this time?”
Tang Dong extended his fingers as he smiled, “Five.”
Tang Xiu nodded, “Where are they?”
“I’ve sent some people to escort them to the last transaction site. I originally wanted to see my uncle before calling you afterward! But I never thought I would bump into you here. How is it? You also have relatives or friends hospitalized here?”
Tang Xi pointed to the two villagers on the sickbeds and replied, “Yes, they are injured, so I came to see them. It’s the same for me. I didn’t expect such a coincidence, this elderly turning out to be your uncle. President Li, even if I don’t speak, perhaps your hospital is even afraid to charge him for the hospitalization and medical treatment fees, right?”
Li Hongji let out an embarrassed smile, “Of course, of course!”
The old man partly sat on the sickbed head as he looked at Tang Dong and Tang Xiu with astonishment. He didn’t expect that his nephew would know Tang Xiu and even had business deals with him. Out of curiosity, he asked, “Tang Dong, your cooperation with Divine Doctor Tang, what kind of business is it?”
Divine Doctor Tang?
Tang Dong looked at Tang Xiu with a strange expression and replied truthfully, “Uncle, you too know about our family’s manor! Tang Xiu bought those fierce beasts’ bones as well as the other materials from its body for a high price. I already sold him four dead fierce beasts and its bones, and this time I brought five.”
The old man was astonished, “Doctor Tang, what are you making in the end? Aside from being a doctor in this hospital, you seem to also be a student. Have you started your own business?”
Tang Xiu said lightly, “I do have a little business that makes some money and support my family. You have a distinguished status, so you don’t know the hardships of little people like us!”
The old man was speechless.
He was surnamed Tang and was called Tang Guosheng, whereas his children at the bedside were Tang Yunpeng and Tang Min.
At this moment, Tang Yunpeng frowned, “Divine Doctor Tang, although my father has a high status, he still understands the hardships of the people! If you know nothing about him, I ask that you don’t talk irresponsibly like this!”
Tang Xiu shot a cold glance at him and didn’t reply.
Tang Guosheng scolded in a low voice, “Yunpeng, don’t talk rubbish!”
Despite scolding, he was secretly surprised inside. He could tell that Tang Xiu had correctly guessed his identity, yet he didn’t have the slightest fear of him. It was as if his status and identity was nothing. He knew that if ordinary people knew his identity, he was certain that they would be greatly shocked and would immediately start acting respectfully in front of him. For example, the President of Star City Chinese Medical Hospital, Li Hongji.
Tang Yunpeng showed a slightly forced smile as he got scolded. He intended to give Tang Xiu a lesson, but the latter was, after all, a divine doctor, and his father’s illness also needed his treatment. So he could only repress the idea inside his heart.
Looking at Tang Xiu, Tang Guosheng laughed, “Divine Doctor Tang, I made you laugh at me. These children of mine are good for nothing and love to talk rubbish, so please ignore them. It’s just that I’ve never thought that you’d have such a great ability despite being so young.”
Tang Xiu said indifferently, “No problem.”
Tang Dong, on the other hand, could see the indifference on Tang Xiu’s expression. He quickly said, “Tang Xiu, I really never knew that you’d unexpectedly be a Divine Doctor. Had I known it earlier, I would’ve already asked you to examine my uncle.”
Tang Xiu said, “Treating it now isn’t too late! Even though he has some breathing problems, it wouldn’t be a problem for him to live for more eight to ten years! After I’ve cured his asthma, he could still live for more than ten years.”
“Great!” Tang Dong was pleasantly surprised.
Tang Dong’s complexion suddenly flickered. He suddenly recalled something and quickly said, “Tang Xiu, since you’re hailed as a Divine Doctor that even my uncle flew from thousands of miles to Star City for your treatment, then, could… could it be possible for you to treat my Third Brother? If you can treat him, I’ll give all the fierce beasts’ bodies and bones to you for free, I’ll not ask a dime for them!”
Tang Guosheng on the sickbed, Tang Yunpeng and Tang Min at the bedside, all of them had their spirits startled as their eyes instantly stared at Tang Xiu intensely.
All would be delivered for free?
Tang Xiu looked at Tang Dong with astonishment. One must know that the price of a fierce beast’s body and bones was around five million yuan, and it would continue rising later on! And this man said he would send all of them to him for free? The price itself, wasn’t it rather too big a number?
“What’s his illness?”
Tang Dong replied with a heavy tone, “His brain was hit hard and he has been in a coma for 19 years. The most famous medical experts throughout the world have determined that he is in a vegetative state.”
Tang Xiu nodded, “If there’s an opportunity, I’ll try it. But I’m very busy for the time being, so I have no time.”
Tang Guosheng asked anxiously, “Divine Doctor Tang, y-you… you can treat someone in a vegetative state?”
Tang Xiu said lightly, “Whether or not I can treat it, I can only tell after I examine him. He has been in a coma for 19 years, yet he’s still alive until now. It seems that you have spent quite the laborious efforts!”
A painful expression flashed on Tang Guosheng’s face. He tightly gripped his wrinkled palm. After a few seconds of silence, he said bitterly, “He’s my youngest son. He was 25 years old when he entered into a vegetative state, and coincidentally, he was injured in this Star City.”
Star City?
Tang Xiu was stupefied as his heart turned tense all of a sudden.
After being silent for a moment, Tang Xiu asked with a deep tone, “What’s the name of your youngest son?”
"Tang Yunde!" Tang Guosheng answered in a low and deep tone.
“What did you say?"
Tang Xiu’s complexion changed greatly and turned pale, disbelief showing in his eyes.
Tang Yunde?
It was a familiar name yet an unfamiliar one, for which he firmly carved it inside his hear for twenty years. And for all these years the owner of this name was also the target of his hatred.
Tang Guosheng was flabbergasted as he looked at Tang Xiu, “Divine doctor Tang, how come you…”
Tang Xiu glared at Tang Guosheng with a coldness suffusing inside his eyes as he asked a series of question, “Tang Yunde? Did he live in seclusion 19 years ago in Star City? 25 years old at that time? Comes from Beijing? And was once a famous soldier?”
Tang Guosheng was astonished, “How did you know about that?”
Tang Xiu’s unsightly face turned grimmer. He understood in an instant. He then turned to look at Li Hongji and snapped with a stern tone, “GET THEM OUT OF STAR CITY CHINESE MEDICAL HOSPITAL, AND GET THE HELL OUT OF STAR CITY. I WILL NEVER TREAT HIS ILLNESS EVEN IF HE DIES!!”
“WHAT?”
Li Hongji was shocked. He was dumbstruck and stupefied as Tang Xiu suddenly raged violently.
Tang Xiu’s eyes were as though a wolf’s, watching Tang Guosheng, Tang Yunpeng, Tang Min as well as Tang Dong with icy, deadpan eyes. He turned around and rapidly left. Only when he was at the stairs did he stop. Leaning his back against the wall, he panted roughly.
Tang Yunde!
How he used to hate the owner of this name. He originally thought he would no longer hate him after he had grown up, even believing that any contact between them would never occur.
Yet, he suddenly heard this man’s name and even saw his father and siblings. The accumulation of hatred that had been buried deep inside his heart for so many years erupted once more.
This hate not for himself, but it was for his lonely and forsaken mother who brought him up.
Tang Xiu’s hands were trembling. He took out a cigarette pack from his pocket, lit it up and deeply sucked it twice. Slowly, the anger inside his innermost world returned back to normal.
Inside the ward.
The Tang Family was shocked by Tang Xiu’s reaction. They were clueless as to why Tang Xiu would show them such an intense hatred. Tang Xiu’s expression just now, it made them think they were his mortal enemies.
What happened?
Tang Guosheng’s lips shivered and wriggled a few times. He looked at the door in a daze. Suddenly, he seemed to realize something as his eyes turned wide with disbelief. He then shouted with a stern voice, “Quickly catch up to him! Find him and bring him back!”
Tang Yunpeng awoke from his daze, asking with a confused expression despite sobering up, “Father, what kind of situation is this?”
Tang Guosheng was as if unable to hear his son’s question. Inside his mind, he repeatedly recalled the call from his youngest son before he turned into a vegetative state:
“Father! You will be a grandfather again. Little Yun is pregnant now, it’s been three months already…”
Could it be…
Tang Guosheng’s old body was slightly trembling. He knew that he had a missing grandson or granddaughter that he had never seen. 19 years ago, he had sent a large number of people to find his youngest son’s wife—his daughter-in-law whom he had never met before.
However, he only knew that his youngest son’s wife was called Little Yun, there was no other information. Therefore, they were naturally unable to find anything from the investigation. He always imagined that his youngest son would wake up one day, and then he would hear from him about his daughter-in-law and his granddaughter or grandson.
Unfortunately, he was struck with disappointment.