SWNOVELS Chapter 8
Matthew returned to Carlson Pharmacy, and the staff were still very respectful toward him despite the fact that Joseph wasn't there. In the ward, Natalie's condition was well; Joseph had specially sent two nurses to take care of her.
A little while after he took a seat, he heard the sound of flustered footsteps from outside the door. Subsequently, Joseph's driver, Louise, burst into the room. His face beamed when he saw Matthew and said in a hurry, "Mr. Larson, y-you're finally here!"
"What happened?" Matthew asked curiously.
"We're running out of time. Could you please come with me? I'll tell you what happened as we go," Louise implored anxiously. "Mr. Harrison is in trouble!"
Matthew shot up from his seat instantly; Joseph was kind to him and he couldn't just sit still now that he was in trouble.
"Let's go!" Matthew followed Louise out of the door, who drove them toward the direction of the city center.
On the way, Louise briefed him about what happened. Apparently, it all started with Stanley Carlson, who had a big boss backing him up named Billy Newman, also known as the First King of Eastcliff. In Eastcliff, even the heads of the top ten prominent families had to bow down their heads to him when they saw Billy.
Billy's only daughter encountered an accident a year ago and had been comatose after that. Despite consulting with countless doctors, none of them could treat her condition. Stanley, who found the effects of the mini Rejuvenating Pill from Joseph to be wondrous, immediately asked for another one from him as a gift to Billy for his daughter's use.
There was no doubt about the pill's effects; after Billy gave it to his daughter, it worked miraculously on her, though she still hadn't woken up. So, Stanley called Joseph over to treat Billy's daughter personally.
Aware of his own limited abilities, Joseph rejected the invitation initially. Unfortunately, there was another genius doctor at the scene at the same time, who incited Joseph to perform his miraculous acts. Out of a moment's annoyance, Joseph applied the needles. Instead of saving Billy's daughter, her situation worsened.
The other genius doctor took advantage of the opportunity and told Billy that Joseph was only a quack who had stolen the pill from himself. Enraged, Billy wanted to kill Joseph, and that was when he blurted out to him about Matthew. So, Billy gave him two hours to get Matthew to the scene. Otherwise, Billy would kill him!
Louise then went back to Carlson Pharmacy and waited for half an hour before Matthew finally returned. However, Louise had no time to relate all the details during the short time they were there.
"Mr. Larson, the other genius doctor is Benjamin Watkins from one of the top ten families, the Watkins. In Eastcliff, his medical skills are considered the best!" In a low voice, Louise continued, "Mr. Harrison said that this man is coveting the prescription in your hands, which was why he accused Mr. Harrison of stealing the pill from him. So when you see him later, you have to beware of this man!"
Matthew frowned, thinking about what a horrible man this Benjamin Watkins was when he could still long for the pill's prescription in such a dire situation. After Louise had finished explaining all these to Matthew, he led him into Billy's home.
Billy lived in a huge manor, estimated to be more than a hundred acres, surrounded by precious plants with a lavishly decorated interior like a palace. In a room on the second floor, Matthew saw a group of people, and Joseph was among them. Next to him stood a middle-aged man, Stanley, whose face was pale.
On the other side, sat a burly middle-aged man who had an imposing manner. His hair was slightly gray and his brows shot in the directions of his temples, projecting a naturally dignified and powerful aura. Without the need of an introduction, Matthew knew that this must be the First King of Eastcliff, Billy Newman!
"Mr. Larson!" Joseph exclaimed agitatedly. "Y-You're here!"
Billy surveyed Matthew, a young man dressed in cheap clothes, and he frowned. "Is he the genius doctor who you mentioned?"
"That's right!" Joseph nodded hurriedly.
"This is absurd, taking any Tom, Dick or Harry as a genius doctor!"
Just then, an elderly man with white beard, who was next to Billy, suddenly laughed. "Mr. Harrison, we're considered peers who should know a common truth-there are no shortcuts when it comes to medical practice. It takes time to be skillful in medicine, but here you found a young man who lacks experience and even facial hair to pose as a genius doctor? Do you really think that Mr. Newman was too kind to you that you have the nerve to trick him?" The white-bearded elderly man was none other than Benjamin Watkins, the top doctor in Eastcliff!
Billy's face turned stone cold. He thought, How could such a young man be a genius doctor?
Suddenly, Matthew raised a question, "If age could determine one's medical skills, then wouldn't a tortoise be better than you?"
"What did you say?!" Benjamin shouted in anger.
"I said that someone like you had lived in vain all these years!" Matthew said indifferently.
"How dare you!" Benjamin roared. "You're just a quack, so how dare you make a scene here! Somebody, throw him out!"
Matthew asked him instead, "If you throw me out, who will save Miss Newman's life? You?"
"I—" Benjamin was stumped as he didn't have the ability to save her.
"So are you saying that you can save my daughter?" Billy asked solemnly.
"It's not difficult to save her." Matthew cast a look at Billy and went on in a cold voice, "The key is to treat her hidden illness. That is the tricky part!" "W-What... did you say?" Billy's face stammered, bewildered.
"You know what I meant! When Miss Newman was born, she weighed no more than four pounds and her mother passed away due to dystocia!"
"What are you spouting?" Benjamin laughed. "Hey, young man, you're really ignorant, aren't you? How could a woman die of dystocia for delivering a baby who weighed four pounds? Did you mistake it for twenty pounds?"
Even Joseph had panic written all over his face. How could this be possible?
"Shut up!" Billy shouted suddenly, and Benjamin jumped.
"Mr. Newman, he's obviously a liar, saying Miss Newman has a hidden illness without even taking a look. How is this possible?" Benjamin threw Matthew a cold glare. "By ranting a bunch of nonsense to mystify the situation doesn't make you a skilled doctor. Are swindlers nowadays so unprofessional?"
Billy cast Benjamin an icy stare and hissed, "Mr. Larson's right. When my daughter was born, she was a little short of four pounds and her mother really did pass away because of dystocia.”
"What?" Benjamin and Joseph gushed simultaneously as this was completely out of their expectations.
"How did it turn out like this?" Benjamin asked, puzzled.
With gritted teeth, Billy said in a deep voice, "My wife was hemophiliac and lacked platelets in her blood. Everytime she got a wound, it wouldn't heal and would bleed profusely. It happened during labor that she lost a huge amount of blood, and that was how the tragedy happened!"
Benjamin and Joseph gave each other a look, both feeling incredibly shocked. Matthew could tell something like this from just one glance? Looking at Matthew as if he had found his savior, Billy stammered, "C-Can you really save my daughter?"
"As I said, it's not difficult to save her," Matthew replied calmly. "Although her hidden illness is a little more complicated, it's still nothing!"
Taking a deep breath, Billy bowed down deeply to him. "If you could save my daughter's life, I'll split half of everything which I own with you!"
"What?!" Everyone who was present there was shocked. Billy was known to own half the city's wealth because half of the businesses in Eastcliff belonged to him. And now he was willing to give half of his fortune to Matthew? That was very generous of him!
Matthew chuckled. "I don't need any of that, but I'll help you, seeing how much you love your daughter!"
This stunned Billy as he had never met someone like Matthew who had such little regard for money!
"Yes, continue with your masquerade," Benjamin said with gleaming eyes. "If you can't save Miss Newman today, then you'll have to return the pill which belonged to my family, including the prescription!"