The blow left a long dent in the sedan door. The driver, who had only just stepped away from the car, immediately shouted in anger. “Idiot! Do you know how much that will cost to repair?” The attacker blamed Peter for avoiding the strike. The talkative member laughed at him, while the flatterer cursed because an unauthorized attack had disrupted their formation. The bald leader struck his club against the road. “Enough! You came for one man, not to destroy your own car.” The large man told the driver to stop complaining. He said the repair cost could be deducted from the payment of whoever failed to hit Peter. The argument ruined their positions. Two men gathered near the sedan, one stepped back because he feared being charged for the damage, and the younger member looked even more uncertain. Peter remained among t

A young woman who claimed to be Regina Xiao’s fan took out her phone and began recording. She hoped the appearance of the famous actress’s assistant meant Regina herself might come to the clinic. Lina immediately stopped her. “Recording is prohibited in the patient area. Patient information and faces must be protected.” The fan lowered her phone reluctantly. Toby used the attention to raise his voice. “Miss Regina needs Doctor Peter now. He must come with me.” A mother who had guarded her queue number since morning lifted the card in her hand. “We all need the doctor. You have not registered or waited.” A patient who enjoyed pretending to be neutral tried to mediate. “Perhaps we should let him pass. Regina Xiao is a major celebrity, and her schedule must be more di

Peter left the clinic earlier than usual because his shoulder and ribs still needed rest. He chose a route passing Mr Wong’s Traditional Medicine Shop so he could make sure the herbal supplies used by the clinic had not encountered any problems. From the end of the street, he saw a crowd gathered in front of the shop. A truck was parked near the entrance, while several men carried wooden shelves, scales, medicine boxes, and sacks of dried ingredients into the vehicle. Peter stopped his electric bike at the side of the road. He walked closer and found Mr Wong sitting in front of the shop with several documents on his lap. The old man’s face looked exhausted and his eyes were red. The shop sign still hung above the door, but the interior was nearly empty. “Mr Wong, what happened?” Peter asked. Mr Wong slowly lifted his head. “The s

Mr Wong admitted that record keeping had always been his weakness. Many transactions in the shop had depended on memory and trust, making it difficult for him to prove the true amount of profit or loss. Peter did not use the admission to blame him. He said the failure could help them build a better system at the clinic. He asked Mr Wong to remember suppliers who often delivered late, ingredients that were easily falsified, and simple methods for identifying quality. Knowledge like that had more practical value than an empty title when used within the proper limits. Several people saw them carrying boxes and documents during the walk. No thugs or residents followed, so Peter could speak without pressure from the crowd. Mr Wong asked whether the position was truly needed or only an excuse to stop him from feeling pitied. Peter said the clinic genuinely needed someone to manage its herbal supplies, espe

Another loud knock sounded at the door of Apartment 307. Toby knocked three times in quick succession, then added two more before Peter reached the front room. His behavior suggested that everyone inside was expected to hurry merely because Regina Xiao was waiting in the corridor.Peter opened the door and confirmed their identities. Regina stood slightly behind Toby in a dark coat that neatly covered her clothes. Her hair was carefully styled, her makeup remained flawless, and oversized glasses concealed part of her face so the other residents would not recognize her easily.“Regina Xiao,” she said briefly. “We came as arranged.”Peter glanced at the wall clock behind him. They were almost thirty minutes late, but he did not argue about it in the corridor.Toby showed no embarrassment. Instead, he examined the dim hallway light, the old ventilation system, and the paint beginning to fade from the walls.“A famous doctor truly lives here?” he asked. “The lighting is poor, the air is s