Chapter 22 Angry Doctor
"Okay, Mrs. Patient, all clean now. Let's have some breakfast," he said after drying my body. He began to feed me. I don't like that he makes me eat other foods besides apples, but I know it's good for me.
"I am sorry, Mrs. Patient. I know you like only meat and apples, but you need to have bread and vegetables too," he says, coaxing me like a child. I do feel that these days I have gotten used to his care, but my anger has shifted. Now, whenever he uses the towel as a barrier, it upsets me, and I really don't know why. I also don't like him being far away. My perception ability has steadily become stronger. During my peak, I could feel anything within 20 feet; now, it's about 2 feet. But I don't feel comfortable unless he is less than a foot away. I am not sure if it's a side effect of relying on him for 15 days, but I can't seem to get enough of his presence.
"Okay, Mrs. Patient, let me wipe your face." He uses the towel to wipe my face.
Damn it, can't you use your hand? Am I that dirty to you? For heaven's sake, you're the one who bathes me. Haa, so annoying. I often find myself getting upset when he is near me. I think I am tired of being in a coma; it has messed with my emotions way too much.
[Doctor Zhen Jian]
"There, all clean. Good job at eating your bread and veggies, Mrs. Patient," I say while holding her wrist. It has become normal for me to check her pulse while speaking through these 15 days. Our routine is a bit mundane and ritualistic, but that is how I like to do things. I hope that giving her a routine to fall back on will allow her to wake up faster.
I do feel strange, though. I started to take baths daily to ensure I stay healthy; otherwise, no one would be able to take care of her. Sometimes I feel like somebody's watching me while I bathe, but when I begin to look around, the sensation is gone. I look at the still unmoving patient of mine and always laugh, thinking I'm just imagining things. I still keep the tub in the same spot—never know when she will have an emergency or when she will need to use it.
I place her on the recliner as normal, allowing her to catch some sunlight. She remains within arm's reach in case she falls over or anything emergency-related happens. I see a rich man walk into the clinic with his guards. That's odd, I think, but welcome him anyway.
"Hello, sir. Welcome. I am Doctor Zhen Jian, and this is my clinic. Is there anything I can help you with today?"
The two guards stand behind him. The man looks overweight, with a large protruding stomach and many golden necklaces around his neck. He doesn't looks at me like looking at me would dirty his eyes. He is filled of disdain, but I don't care. My job is to heal anyone who walks through that door. As long as he doesn't harm another, I will do my best to aid.
The man says, "I need something to reduce my nausea while traveling," while looking around.
I nod. Someone of his size must have problems with digestion, so on an unstable road, he must have many issues. I hand him a packet full of pills and say, "Take these once before beginning your voyage and then again after every 4-6 hours, depending on whether you will be on the road 30 minutes after taking it."
"Did that make sense?"
"Huh, of course. Do you think I am a moron?" he says, still not looking at me. Just as he turns around, he looks at Mrs. Patient.
"You, sell her to me as well. Round the price up for both the packet and her."
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[Patient Huo Lian]
Huh? Both my doctor and I said in unison, though no one heard me. What did this lardass say?
"Excuse me, sir. I do not understand what exactly you are saying," my doctor says. He probably has never even heard of slavery before.
The fatass finally locks eyes with my doctor and says, "I want to buy her from you. How much is she?" He speaks as if I were a commodity.
Haa, haaa. My anger rises. He thinks of me as a thing he can possess. He thinks I am beneath him. He is disrespecting me to my face?!!!
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[Doctor Zhen Jian]
"I want to buy her from you. How much is she?" the pig-like man asked. Can people even buy others? What type of concept is this? It makes me sick; it makes me so upset. I glance at Mrs. Patient. I don't know how, but I can feel her anger. It mirrors mine.
I grabbed Grampa and, without removing the sheath, I smacked the epitome of nausea himself in the stomach, sending him flying, followed by his two guards. They looked strong, so I hit them harder under their chins. I was afraid of killing the fat man if I hit him anywhere else. With all that cushion, hitting him in the stomach should be fine, right? Anyway, I don't care what or who they are—they shouldn't disrespect Mrs. Patient like that. Who would even consider buying another? That's impossible.
I emptied the packet's contents back into the jar under the counter and brought the stool closer to Mrs. Patient. I grabbed her wrist and apologized.
"I am sorry, Mrs. Patient. I made that man speak that sentence twice." When I grabbed her wrist, her pulse was fast. She might have heard the bang and become scared. "Don't worry. The bang earlier was...uhh...uhh...they dropped something before leaving. Yeah, I'll clean it later."
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[Patient Huo Lian]
Really, though, who is he trying to fool? Even a child wouldn't believe that—a loud sound, then three out of the five people are gone. Hahaha, my doctor is too funny. He usually practices sword swings, and his body looks… strong, but I didn't think he was a martial artist. I have never tried to perceive his strength. Maybe I will try to look a bit closer...damn it, I keep getting distracted. I will do it later. Ahem.
Hmm, he is sitting pretty close, almost to the point our shoulders are touching. Just a bit, I just need to move a bit, a tiny bit...uhhh, come on, move, damn it. Damn it, move!
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[Doctor Zhen Jian]
I was staring with a frown at the three laying unconscious at the front of the clinic. Hopefully, people don't get scared. Haaa, I don't usually get angry. I wonder why I felt so upset. Maybe I really felt my patient's anger and acted on it. Well, empathy would help me in my profession, but anger should be controlled.
Hmm. I felt something soft and warm on my shoulder. Looking to my right, I see that Mrs. Patient and my shoulders were touching. Did I bump into her by accident, or did she fall onto my shoulder? I'll check how she is doing.
"Mrs. Patient, are you feeling well?" Her heart rate seems stable. "Mrs. Patient, do you want to stay...?" Her heart rate is the same. "Or do you want to go back to bed?" Her heart rate rises like crazy. Hahaha, okay, got you loud and clear. "But excuse me, I am going to hold you up. I think that man made you quite upset and made your body almost fall over." I slip my hands to her waist and make her lean into me.
[Patient Huo Lian]
Yes, hardwork always pays off. I even get a super bonus reward. But for some reason this is making me nervous.
[Doctor Zhen Jian]
Okay, now she won't fall. But I should still ask her permission. "Mrs. Patient, is it okay to remain like this?" Hmm, her heartbeat is only slightly above normal. Let me ask the inverse to be sure.
"Mrs. Patient, do you want me to give you some space?"
[Angry Patient Huo Lian]
Some space?!! Did he really just ask me that? You motherfucker, after I spent an hour of all my effort to lean on you, you want to take my reward from me, including the super reward?!! Do you not think this chief will flay you alive? What the hell? Keep your ass there and sit quietly, or I will nail your...
[Doctor Zhen Jian]
Oh, her heart rate went up like never before. She must have been really scared after the fat pig came. I put more strength in the hand holding her waist to reassure her.
"Mrs. Patient, while I am here, I will never let any harm come to you." I am staring into her closed eyelids right now, but her heart rate slows down with my words. With my other hand, I bring my stool even closer to the recliner to better have her lean on me.
Sigh, I wish I had hit them harder.