Nestled in the Aegean Sea, Santorini was one of the world's most famous vacation destinations. Beneath the bright sunlight, Tutkason lounged lazily on a beach chair, enjoying a sunbath at his seaside villa of white walls and blue roofs.
Not far away, several graceful women were playing water volleyball in the pool. Such a "match" might have thrilled Tony, but Tutkason had long grown tired of these shallow pleasures.
Since taking over his father's European branch, Tutkason had quickly used his sharp mind to reorganize the company's management and boost performance, earning his father's full approval. Life had become comfortable and easy.
But deep down, Tutkason wasn't someone content with comfort. He still longed for the days when he'd been a boxer—but those days were gone...
He waved for Charmu to come over. "What's the situation with Jason? Has he disappeared yet?"
Charmu looked nervous. "Sir, I'm terribly sorry! That kid just keeps winning. He's already defeated Britain's Royal Guard boxer Charlison and the Short Cannon, Siham. Now... now he's earned the right to challenge for the championship. Rumor has it the fight's coming up soon."
"What?" Tutkason sat up sharply. "Who's the current champion?"
"David Morrell."
"Damn it! Did that brat take something? How did he get so strong? We basically built him a staircase to the top! Charmu, what have you been doing? If you hadn't been with me for twenty years, I'd have had you taken out already!"
Charmu hurried to explain, "Sir, I didn't expect him to take down two top-tier opponents like that! But don't worry—I've already set up another plan. I'll make sure that kid never becomes champion—and I'll ruin his reputation while I'm at it."
"Oh? You're sure about that?"
Charmu glanced toward the women playing in the water, then leaned close and whispered something into Tutkason's ear. Tutkason's anger eased as he nodded approvingly.
"Good. An eye for an eye. But listen carefully—this time, keep it tight. No more mistakes. If anything goes wrong again, I'll have you and that kid both dealt with. Understand?"
"Yes, yes, Sir. Don't worry. I'll handle it myself this time. There won't be any mistakes."
...
Meanwhile, David Miao had just finished fitting Jason Luo's new tooth. As they stepped out of the dental clinic, Jason ran his tongue over the all-ceramic crown, grimacing. "Uncle Miao, your friend's a real shark! Four grand for one tooth? That's daylight robbery!"
Mr. Miao chuckled. "Dentistry's expensive business. That was the friends' discount! Don't play poor, kid. You're a champion now—what's a few thousand to you?"
"That's different! I risk my life in the ring, and he just sits there making easy money!"
"Enough, you stingy brat. Next time you lose a tooth, just glue it back in yourself."
Just then, Mr. Miao's phone rang. After answering, his face turned serious. "What? Okay... I'll be right there!"
Jason couldn't drive, so Mr. Miao had picked him up earlier. Seeing the urgency, Jason asked, "What's wrong? Should I just grab a cab back?"
"It's one of my medical aid patients. He's in serious trouble—severe coronary heart disease, and another acute attack just hit... Forget it, it's on the way. You're coming with me. We don't have time to waste—this is life or death."
They hurried into the car and sped toward Chinatown. On the way, Mr. Miao explained that the patient, Shen Sihai, had become too ill to work. His family survived on his wife's odd jobs, barely scraping by—sometimes they couldn't even pay rent. For minor issues, Mr. Miao could help, but in this case, only a coronary bypass surgery could save him. The operation was expensive, and worst of all, Shen didn't even have health insurance...
The car stopped before an old apartment building. They climbed to the fourth floor, where Shen's family lived in a small twenty-square-meter partitioned room.
Inside were only Shen Sihai and his nine-year-old son. The boy had made the emergency call himself, clearly used to asking Mr. Miao for help.
Shen lay drenched in sweat, his face pale and lips darkened. Mr. Miao immediately performed CPR and had Jason help administer medication. After more than ten minutes, Shen's breathing steadied at last.
Only then did the frightened boy start to cry. Mr. Miao sighed. "Mr. Shen, this can't go on. The attacks are coming too close together. If this happens when your boy's at school, you could be gone before anyone finds you."
"Doctor Miao, thank you for saving me again. I'll take things one day at a time. What else can I do? My little Ben's grades are so good—I can't let his studies suffer, even if it costs me my life. Heh, that's just fate."
As he spoke, Shen's wife rushed in, covered in sweat. Seeing Mr. Miao there eased her worry, and when she saw her husband speaking normally, she smiled with relief. "Doctor Miao, you're a real savior! Without you, my husband would've died a hundred times over. And this young man is...?"
Mr. Miao gave a casual introduction. "My nephew. We were together when I got the call. Emily, you really shouldn't keep working like this—it's too risky. What if I'm in surgery and can't answer your call next time?"
Emily looked pained. "But... we don't have any money. The landlord's already—"
Mr. Miao cut her off gently. "Forget that for now. His health comes first. I'll cover your rent for the time being. As for the surgery, I've already contacted the local chamber of commerce to try and raise funds."
The couple thanked him repeatedly. Mr. Miao still had to take Jason back, so he didn't stay long.
Jason had stayed quiet the entire time. Once they got back in the car, he finally asked, "Uncle Miao, how much does a bypass surgery like that cost?"
"Hard to say, but judging from his condition, at least sixty thousand. If he had insurance, it'd be a lot cheaper."
Sixty thousand!
Jason had earned over two hundred thousand from his last fight, including bonuses and appearance fees. Sixty thousand could save a family. After a moment's thought, he made up his mind.
"Uncle Miao, I'll cover the cost. Shen Sihai's condition is serious—if we delay, it might be too late."
Mr. Miao immediately pulled the car over, staring at him. "Jason, you're not joking, right? You only just got out of tough times yourself. That's sixty thousand dollars!"
"What? You think I'd be stingy about this? Sure, if it was for a car or a bag, maybe I'd hesitate. But sixty thousand to save a life—to save a family? That's worth it."
Mr. Miao studied him closely for a long moment. "Good kid. It's rare for someone your age to think like that. Still, let me check with the chamber of commerce—maybe they can cover part of it."
"No need, Uncle Miao. Let them use their funds to help others. My means are limited, but I'll handle this one. It's fate that our paths crossed."
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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