When Xiao Chen handed over his bank card, Li Hanhou was stunned. He didn't take it right away but instead looked at his mother lying in the hospital bed.
"Mr. Xiao, this isn't right…" Mother Li shook her head, gratitude mixed with hesitation on her face. "We can't accept your money."
Xiao Chen smiled. "Auntie, Dahan and I are colleagues—and good friends, too."
"But the medical bills are quite large—over fifty thousand yuan," she insisted. "It's too much… We just met today; how could I take so much from you?"
More than the money, she was wary—she didn't know Xiao Chen well. What if accepting this help meant owing a favor that might someday put her son in trouble?
"Auntie, please don't worry about that," Xiao Chen said sincerely. "Focus on getting better. If you really feel uncomfortable, then treat this as a loan to Dahan. I can just deduct it from his salary or count it as an advance payment."
"Mom, Brother Chen is a good man," Li Hanhou added warmly. "Let me go settle the hospital bills first."
Mother Li looked at her son, then at Xiao Chen's sincere expression. After a pause, she finally nodded. "Alright, Mr. Xiao… thank you. We'll call it an advance on Dahan's salary."
"Good," Xiao Chen said with a smile. He had no intention of asking for the money back anyway—it wasn't about repayment, but about helping someone with a pure heart and deep filial love.
At that moment, a young doctor nearby scoffed. "What's this act? Are you sure there's even money on that card? If you really have it, pay up and discharge the patient already."
Before the doctor could finish, Li Hanhou stepped forward, grabbed him by the collar, and threw him out into the corridor.
The man rolled several times before hitting the wall with a scream.
"Well done, Dahan!" Xiao Chen grinned and gave him a thumbs-up. "People like that deserve it."
Feeling relieved, Li Hanhou said, "I'll go pay the bill now."
"Help! Someone's hitting a doctor!" the young man yelled, standing up shakily. "You dare hit me? Try it again!"
Smack!
Li Hanhou obliged, slapping him across the face with a simple smile. "There, I tried it. What now?"
The onlookers were dumbfounded. Was this guy serious?
Xiao Chen chuckled—this loudmouthed doctor really had it coming.
"You—!" the young man sputtered, clutching his reddened cheek, but didn't dare continue.
"Move," Li Hanhou said, shoving him aside. "I'm going to the payment counter."
"Hmph! You think you can stay here after hitting me? My family runs this hospital!" the doctor shouted. "Even if you have money, you're getting kicked out!"
Li Hanhou stopped, frowning. Was that true?
"Oh? Big words," Xiao Chen said coldly, walking toward the doorway. "Since when did a public hospital become your family's property?"
"That's right—it is," the doctor sneered. "My father's the director of the oncology department. You hit me and still want treatment here? Forget it!"
Xiao Chen raised an eyebrow. "Your father's the director? So what? Even the hospital dean doesn't have the right to deny treatment to a patient."
"Who says I don't have the right?"
A middle-aged man with a receding hairline entered just then, frowning when he saw the handprint on his son's face. "In this oncology department, I, Chen Dahai, make the rules. You hit my son—and you still expect treatment? Even if the cancer could be cured, I wouldn't allow it!"
"Dad! You're here!" the young man shouted. "They attacked me when I was just asking for payment!"
"Don't worry, I'll handle it," Chen Dahai said grimly.
"Oh, so the arrogant one has backup," Xiao Chen sneered.
Chen Dahai glared. "And who are you?"
"Dad, he's just a fraud," his son spat. "He was pretending to diagnose the patient by checking her pulse."
"A fraud?" Chen Dahai laughed coldly. "You dare come into a hospital to scam people? Kid, I could have you arrested with one phone call."
"Really?" Xiao Chen said calmly, holding up his phone. "Because I can make you famous across the entire country with one click. I've already recorded everything you just said, Director Chen. Once I upload it, you'll be quite the celebrity."
Chen Dahai's face darkened instantly. He knew the power of the internet—and the danger of public outrage.
The crowd murmured in shock. Did he really record it?
Yao Qihuang, who had been silently watching, finally smiled slightly in admiration. Clever man, he thought. Knows when to strike.
Before Chen Dahai could react, a group of security guards ran in with batons.
"Director Chen, we're here!"
Relieved, Chen Dahai smirked. "Good. Arrest these troublemakers and hand them to the police later. People like them endanger public safety."
"Yes, sir!"
The guards surrounded Xiao Chen and Li Hanhou.
"Stop!"
Yao Qihuang finally stepped forward.
"Who are you?" Chen Dahai frowned.
"Dad, he's with that fraud! Another con man!" the son shouted.
"Ah, so you're a team," Chen Dahai sneered. "Take them all!"
"Heh… a con man, am I?" Xiao Chen laughed. "You really don't know who you're talking to."
"Old liar, more like," the young doctor snapped.
Yao Qihuang's expression turned stormy. In his decades of medical service—saving countless lives—no one had ever called him that.
Without a word, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number.
"Hello, Teacher! What a surprise," came a respectful voice on the line.
"Teacher?" Yao Qihuang said coldly. "Apparently, I'm an old liar now. Seems I'm unworthy of that title, President Li."
"Wh-what? Teacher, what do you mean?" the man on the other end stammered.
"You have one minute to get to the oncology ward. If you don't show up, you're no longer my student!" Yao Qihuang snapped, then hung up.
Chen Dahai's heart skipped a beat. President Li? Could it be… Dean Li Sheng of the Second Hospital? Cold sweat trickled down his forehead.
"Why are you just standing there? Arrest them!" the young doctor urged.
"I dare you!" Li Hanhou roared, stepping protectively in front of Xiao Chen and Yao Qihuang. The guards froze in place.
Chen Dahai raised his hand to stop them. "Sir… may I ask who you are?"
"Didn't your son just call me an old liar?" Yao Qihuang replied icily.
Chen Dahai forced a smile. "He's young and ignorant, please don't take it to heart, sir. But… who exactly did you call just now?"
Yao Qihuang ignored him, feeling only contempt. Father and son both brought shame to the word doctor.
Then a voice came from down the hall—breathless and urgent. "Teacher! I made it in time, didn't I?"
A slightly chubby middle-aged man rushed through the crowd, stopping in front of Yao Qihuang and bowing deeply, sweat beading on his forehead.
Yao Qihuang eyed him with mock severity. "Look at you—sweating all over. A doctor who can't even take care of his own health?"
"Teacher, I ran straight from the office! The elevator was packed, so I climbed the stairs!" the man panted.
Yao Qihuang sighed. "We'll fix that later. I'll prescribe something to help you recover. Too much sitting will ruin your health."
The man brightened. "Thank you, Teacher! I knew you still cared!"
"Enough flattery. Settle this matter first," Yao Qihuang said, his tone turning sharp. "Apparently, I'm a liar now."
"What?!" The man's eyes blazed. "Who dares insult my teacher?"
He turned on Chen Dahai and his son, fury etched across his face.