When Ye Chen heard Xia Yingluo wanted to borrow money, he didn't hesitate for a second.
"All right, how much?"
"100,000," Xia Yingluo said.
Ye Chen frowned. "Yingluo, what on earth happened?"
After all, Xia Yingluo was still a student—why would she suddenly need so much money?
"Dean Zheng from our Orphanage is hospitalized: cerebral hemorrhage. He's dying. The doctor said they won't operate unless we pay 100,000 for the surgery."
Ye Chen frowned again. "Wait for me; I'll be right there."
Inside the ICU Ward of Jiangzhou Hospital, attending physician Zhang Yuan lifted Dean Zheng's eyelid, glanced at the monitor, and said flatly, "He's gone. Prepare the funeral."
"Yes, Dr. Zhang," the nearby nurse replied, picking up a white cloth to drape over the body.
Zhang Yuan stared at the patient with cold indifference, not a trace of guilt in his eyes.
"If his family had paid the 100,000 surgery fee for an immediate operation, the old man might have been saved. Sadly, the geezer was broke, and those Orphanage kids at the door have no money either—so he can only wait to die."
Xia Yingluo burst in: "What are you doing?"
The nurse, startled by Xia Yingluo's entrance, said, "Little girl, he's already dead."
"Nonsense! I saw Dean Zheng's hand move just now," Xia Yingluo protested.
Tearfully, she pleaded, "Dean Zheng is a veteran who bled on the battlefield. For years he poured every penny into us orphans and helped countless poor children. He's a good man! Doctor, please save him! I've already borrowed money from classmates!"
Zhang Yuan snorted. "What does his war record have to do with me? Without payment, this Hospital won't operate."
With that, he waved impatiently.
"Security—get this brat out of here."
Two guards stormed in.
Just as they were about to drag Xia Yingluo out, a shout rang from the doorway.
"Stop!"
Ye Chen had just arrived; he'd been delayed a few minutes buying a box of Silver Needles at the pharmacy downstairs.
"Yingluo!" Ye Chen rushed into the ward.
Seeing him, Xia Yingluo threw herself into his arms.
"Ye Chen… Dean Zheng is gone."
Ye Chen looked toward the bed.
Possessing Divine Medical Skill, he saw Dean Zheng's condition at a glance.
Though the monitors showed death, the man was in false death—he could still be saved.
Ye Chen stepped to Dean Zheng's side.
Moving lightning-fast, he inserted the Silver Needles one by one into the old man's body.
Zhang Yuan was stunned. "Kid, the man's gone—what are you fooling around for?"
Ye Chen ignored him, focusing entirely on the acupuncture.
"Hey, I'm talking to you—are you deaf?"
Seeing Ye Chen pay him no heed, Zhang Yuan grew furious.
"Are you even a doctor? Sticking a few lousy needles into a corpse—won't you let the dead rest in peace?"
"This is the ICU; we charge by the hour. The previous bills aren't settled—what stunt are you pulling?"
"Stop this instant!"
Zhang Yuan kept yapping at Ye Chen's ear.
When the final needle slid in, Ye Chen exhaled in relief.
Dean Zheng had suffered a sudden cerebral hemorrhage; without Ye Chen's Divine Medical Skill and timely arrival, he would have died for certain.
What enraged Ye Chen most was that prompt Hospital care could have prevented Zheng's condition from ever becoming this critical.
Facing a veteran who'd given his life savings to the Orphanage and rescued over a hundred children, they were this heartless.
Zhang Yuan gave a cold grunt and told the nurse, "Call the funeral home—have them collect the body."
Ye Chen said icily, "You quack—the patient is clearly still alive and salvageable, yet you abandon treatment."
"Alive? He has no heartbeat and no vital signs. If he comes back, I'll let you take my position as department head."
The moment those words left his mouth, the bedside monitor emitted a series of beeps.
Heart rate, blood pressure—every indicator returned to normal.
"How is this possible?"
Everyone was stunned.
Zhang Yuan especially stood dumbfounded.
He had personally confirmed death—how had the patient suddenly revived?
Ye Chen withdrew the needles and removed the monitoring leads.
Dean Zheng woke, looked around, and asked, "W-where am I?"
Xia Yingluo explained, "Dean, you collapsed last night from exhaustion. We brought you to the Hospital."
Zhang Yuan gaped at Dean Zheng.
"This is impossible—he was clearly dying; how did he suddenly recover?"
He knew Dean Zheng's condition best.
Even with surgery, recovery couldn't be this fast.
Dean Zheng suddenly remembered something. "Will this hospitalization cost a lot? The Orphanage is short on funds—I can't afford treatment. I need to check out now."
Hearing this, many eyes brimmed with tears.
He had poured every wage and every saving into the Orphanage children, yet he himself couldn't even pay for medical care.
"Dean, you're fine now. My classmate already cured you—you can be discharged," Xia Yingluo comforted him.
"Good, good," Dean Zheng nodded.
Just now Ye Chen had not only treated the cerebral hemorrhage but also cleared other hidden ailments.
Now Dean Zheng was healthier than anyone and had no need to stay hospitalized.
"Dean, let's head back. A bit of rest and you'll be perfect," Ye Chen said with a smile.
Ye Chen and Xia Yingluo helped Dean Zheng toward the exit.
"Stop—you can't leave yet."
Zhang Yuan blocked their path.
Ye Chen frowned. "What now?"
Zhang Yuan snorted. "Leave if you like—settle the medical bill first."
Dean Zheng quickly asked, "Doctor, how much is the fee?"
"A total of 32,000 yuan."
"What? That much?" Dean Zheng's face paled.
He had already given every penny to the Orphanage—where could he find that sum?
Ye Chen said coldly, "I'm the one who brought him back. On what grounds does your Hospital charge this much?"
"This is the ICU—hourly rates plus resuscitation costs. That's the price."
As he spoke, Zhang Yuan flung the itemized bill at Dean Zheng.
"See for yourself. Last night's resuscitation fees. Without our timely care, you'd be dead."
Dean Zheng stared at the bill, dumbstruck.
He knew nothing of medicine; the list of charges was Greek to him.
Each item ran into the hundreds or thousands.
Ye Chen took the bill and his gaze turned icy.
"Are you sure this is the medication list for Dean Zheng?"