Roughly five minutes had passed before Dr. Simon Zhao returned to his seat beside Caleb Chen's hospital bed.
But his face was pale, and his legs wouldn't stop trembling.
He wasn't sure what nerve he had hit earlier with that last attempt, but whatever it was, it had definitely hit back. His knee was still throbbing from where the needle had accidentally impaled him instead of his patient.
"Junior Brother," Simon said stiffly, trying to sit without wincing, "I came a bit rushed today, so I wasn't properly prepared. But don't worry—I have a custom-made set of silver needles at home. They're much stronger than the ones I brought. Once I get them, I will be able to treat you!"
Caleb looked at him with sincere gratitude. "Thank you, Senior Brother."
"Why are you being polite?" Simon smiled. "We're brothers—same sect, same family. Don't worry, I'll be back tomorrow."
Caleb blinked. "Wait, tomorrow? Not tonight?"
"I wish I could, but I need to… check on my leg first." Simon glanced down sheepishly. "Something's definitely not right with it."
Caleb sighed, resigned. "Alright then, Senior Brother… take care of yourself."
"I will. See you tomorrow!" Simon got up, limping heavily toward the door.
Just as he pulled it open, he came face to face with someone who made his soul shiver.
Rayden Wolfe.
The young man's lips curled into a friendly, innocent smile. "Dr. Zhao? Heading out already?"
Simon forced a polite grin through the pain. "Mr. Wolfe, yes—I was just leaving. I'll be back to check on my junior brother tomorrow."
Rayden nodded thoughtfully. "Good, good. You can go… but before you do, there's one tiny thing I'd like to discuss with you."
Simon froze. "Oh? What is it?"
Rayden clapped a hand lightly on Simon's shoulder. "Since your junior brother is hospitalized here, and I prepaid all the medical bills out of goodwill… now that you're here, could you help me settle the cost? It's nothing much. Just five hundred thousand yuan. Thanks in advance!"
Dr. Simon Zhao: "…"
He stood there speechless, his face twitching.
Junior Brother… you were right.
He's really, really annoying!
With trembling hands and a heart full of regret, Simon handed over the full amount—500,000 yuan in cold, hard cash.
Rayden smiled like a satisfied fox, pocketed the money, and whistled his way out of the hospital.
His next destination? Wolfe Medical Center.
It was early evening when he arrived, and Sophie Quinn looked up from her desk, surprised to see him.
"Why are you here?" she asked, adjusting her coat.
"You said you wanted to treat me to dinner. Wouldn't want to keep a lady waiting," Rayden replied with a smug grin.
Sophie raised an eyebrow. "It's not even time to get off work yet."
Rayden shrugged and made himself comfortable in a nearby chair. "You go ahead and finish up. I'll just chill here and play with my phone."
But Sophie had already grabbed her handbag and tossed her lab coat over a chair.
"Forget it. I'm done for today. Besides, the thing that was stressing me out has been resolved thanks to you. I think I deserve a little break."
Rayden looked surprised. "You're actually skipping work?"
"Like you haven't done worse," Sophie teased, sticking out her tongue. "Let's go!"
"Where are we eating tonight?" she asked as they walked to the car.
Rayden grinned. "Follow me. I'm taking you somewhere that's delicious and budget-friendly."
"Alright, I'll trust you—for now."
About thirty minutes later, they arrived in a bustling old street district and pulled up beside a humble, decades-old diner.
Sophie blinked in surprise. "Wait… here?"
She looked around at the rustic brick walls, mismatched chairs, and the smell of sizzling garlic wafting through the air. The place was clearly popular with locals, but not exactly the kind of place one expected a Wolfe family heir to frequent.
"You look surprised," Rayden chuckled.
"I am! I thought a young master like you would only dine in Michelin-starred places."
"What? You think I can't appreciate real food?" Rayden asked, pushing open the restaurant door. "This place has been around for over 20 years. Their taste never changes. Authentic, delicious, and cheap. We came at the perfect time, too—any later, and we wouldn't even get a table."
Sophie giggled. "So you do come here often."
Rayden gave her a dramatic look. "Tell me honestly—do I seem like the kind of man who brings every girl here?"
She gave him a playful glare. "You do."
Rayden shook his head solemnly. "You're the first."
Sophie's heart skipped a beat.
"Any other girls?" he added with a grin, "I'd just take them straight to a hotel."
Sophie's mouth dropped open. "You—!"
Rayden held up his hands and laughed. "I'm kidding! Relax! But seriously—you are the first woman I've ever brought here. In my past life… and this one."
The sincerity in his voice made her cheeks flush. She looked away quickly, her heart thudding.
"Grrr… I don't want to talk to you anymore," she muttered. "I'm going to order."
The two of them sat down and began picking out dishes from the menu. One after another, plates of aromatic, steaming food filled their small table. Spicy pork belly, stir-fried noodles, dumplings, and tofu hotpot.
Every bite was better than the last.
"This is amazing," Sophie admitted between mouthfuls. "You were right."
"See?" Rayden winked. "I've got good taste."
They ate happily for a while. But midway through the meal, Sophie set her chopsticks down.
"I'm full," she said, leaning back.
Rayden frowned. "That's it? You barely ate. Is it not good?"
"No, it's delicious," she said quickly. "I'm just trying to lose weight."
He paused, then remembered something he had said the day before. Words that might've hit a nerve.
He sat up straight and spoke gently. "Actually, I don't think it's good for women to be too thin. Like, if you're as slim as a bamboo stick, you'll get knocked over by the wind."
Sophie rolled her eyes. "Don't most men like skinny girls?"
"Maybe some," Rayden replied. "But not me. I like curves. Your figure right now? It's perfect. So please—don't try to change it."
Sophie's heart skipped again.
Was… was that a confession?
She tried to play it cool, but her voice came out a little too loud. "You're not my boyfriend! What do you care whether I lose weight or not?"
Then she reached out and started pulling the dishes back toward her.
Rayden looked alarmed. "Hey! What are you doing?"
"I'm eating!" she declared. "I need to be full before I have the energy to lose weight!"
Rayden chuckled and nodded. "That's a solid strategy. Here—take the chicken leg. Stay strong."
"Thanks! If I ever succeed in losing weight, I'll let you share the credit!"
Rayden smiled.
And just like that, they returned to eating, the moment of tension replaced with laughter and comfort.
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