“Thank you, Auntie, but I have not done all this for my own sake. I only wish Chen and Auntie well.” Ouyang Qing’s eyes shone with innocence, her face guileless. One’s heart would stir at the sight of her lovely face.
“I know you mean well. Oh yes, Chen has mentioned that he will arrange a few specialists to diagnose me tomorrow. I guess they will send the diagnosis to the Nan family,” Bai Hua said in a low voice.
“Auntie, what do you mean?”
“I understand Chen is filial, but there are a lot of people who don’t wish for me to return. Thus, there are some plans I have to make.”
Ouyang Qing caught her meaning.
“But I don’t know the contact details of those specialists. Auntie, do you know them?”
“I don’t know them either. I only know that their leader is Director Zhou from the Capital. That man is renowned internationally. Do you know him?”
“Are you talking about China’s top traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, Zhou Linbo?”
“Yes, that’s him. I’ve heard he’s the leader of those specialists. His opinions will greatly influence the opinions of others.”
“So Auntie, what do you mean?”
“You know what I mean.”
“Yes, I understand. I have a few useful friends. It should not be difficult for me to track down the hotel Director Zhou is staying in, since I know his full name. I will get down to it now.”
…
Two hours later.
A woman with her face partially covered with a face mask, walked towards a hotel room in one of the hotels under Nanshi Corporation.
Director Zhou opened the door after the doorbell rang. The woman removed her face mask, revealing her beautiful, innocent face.
“Hello, Director Zhou. I am Ouyang Qing.”
“Hello, Ms. Ouyang. Please come in.”
Although Zhou Linbo was not familiar with Ouyang Qing, he had heard of the prominent Ouyang family.
Someone had called him on the hotel room’s telephone just now and said that the Second Miss from the Ouyang family would be visiting him. Director Zhou had put on his shirt quickly after the call, preparing to welcome her.
The hotel room was big, even having a lounge area.
Zhou Linbo sat opposite his beautiful guest after pouring her a drink.
“Ms. Ouyang, are you sick? Do you need me to treat you?”
“No, I’m here for another matter today. I have something to discuss with Director Zhou.”
“Please continue, Ms. Ouyang.”
“Actually, I’m here on behalf of my boyfriend. He is too busy, so he has asked me to help him pass a message to you.”
Zhou Linbo was confused. Who is your boyfriend?
“My boyfriend is Nan Chen,” said Ouyang Qing, her face full of bashfulness.
“Oh, so you are Mr. Nan’s girlfriend. Both of you are indeed a matching couple with enviable good looks.”
“Thank you for your compliments, Director Zhou. Have you come to Flower City to treat Auntie?”
“Yes. Sir Chen has invited my team and I to come here from the Capital.”
“Then do you know what illness Mrs. Nan has contracted?”
“I know. I have heard it is colon cancer.”
“Yes. It is the diagnosis from a prominent hospital in Tokyo. I guess Director Zhou will not have a different opinion?”
Zhou Linbo was shocked, “Ms. Ouyang, whatever do you mean? Although there are many differences between western and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, we often collaborate nowadays to make up for each other’s shortfalls. We have high regard for western doctors. For example, we can treat many chronic diseases western doctors can’t, and the opposite is true as well.”
“Yes. Director Zhou, don’t worry. What I mean is, please don’t be surprised if your diagnosis is different from that of the hospital in Tokyo. You only need to provide the necessary treatment according to the previous diagnosis.”
Zhou Linbo was lost.
“So does Ms. Ouyang mean we should not provide our opinions? Then why did you call us here?”
Ouyang Qing stood up. She walked to the window and drew the curtains.
“Director Zhou, you should understand the Nan family’s prominence in Flower City. There are some things I can’t spell out clearly. I don’t know the full story, but I have heard a little from my boyfriend. Would you like to hear them?”
Zhou Linbo was dumbfounded, so he signaled for her to continue.
“Many people in the Flower City do not wish for Auntie to return. But my boyfriend being filial as he is, has been trying hard to fetch Auntie home. Now that she’s finally back, he does not wish for anyone to disrupt his plans.”
Zhou Linbo was perplexed. He had absolutely no idea what Ouyang Qing was getting at.
But he vaguely felt that this was a warning to him.
“I still don’t understand. Please explain it to me.”
“Fine, then I will make myself clear. The diagnosis from the hospital in Tokyo is final. She is suffering from cancer and needs to receive long-term treatment with traditional Chinese medication. If the diagnosis is wrong, Auntie may not be able to stay in the Flower City. My boyfriend does not wish for anything to spoil his plans.”
Ouyang Qing took a check out of her purse.
Zhou Linbo finally got her meaning.
While he still did not understand the details, he was clear on the role he was supposed to play in this whole scheme.
Finally, I understand what it means by ‘the rich are full of secrets and schemes’. I have assumed my visit here is only to treat a patient. To think that I am so confident in my capability and have no fears at all. Who would have imagined that I won’t even be able to demonstrate my superb medical skills now!
“Ms. Ouyang, do you mean I am supposed to stick to the same diagnosis during the consultation tomorrow? And that our recommendation should be long-term conservative treatment with traditional Chinese medication?”
“It is the request of my boyfriend, Nan Chen, not mine,” Ouyang Qing corrected.
“I understand now. However, if you wanted to stick to the same diagnosis since the start, then why invite us all the way here?”
“Director Zhou is the expert, so are the other specialists. With the affirmation from you and the other specialists, the outsiders will believe Auntie’s illness is real,” said Ouyang Qing while pointing at the check.
Zhou Linbo hesitated. The amount on the check is very tempting. I can accept it with a peace of mind if it is meant only as consultation fees. But it does not seem right for me, as a top medical specialist, to earn money in this manner.
“Please take back the check. I know what I am supposed to do.”
“Do you think this amount is too little?” Ouyang Qing lifted a brow.
“Of course not. But as a doctor…”
Zhou Linbo was, after all, a person with status. He was worried the situation would come back to bite him if he pocketed the money now. In the past, others had to pay him a handsome sum as his consultation fees, but this was the first time he has encountered such a matter. Thus, he felt uneasy.
