On a chilly morning in November in New York, a significant crowd had already gathered outside the doors of "Comet." Today marked the day for recruiting editors and other staff members for the magazine.
Due to Monet's successful management of "Comet" over the past two months, the workload had significantly increased. Relying solely on Monet, the vice president, and the three staff members who had been slacking off, the workload had become overwhelming. As a result, Monet decided to hire several more people, and also replace those who had been underperforming.
Two good friends, Bisley and Oakji, were among the applicants for the editor positions. While waiting in line, they whispered to each other, "I thought we came early enough, but it seems like there are so many people who arrived even earlier than us!"
"That's quite normal. Just look at the benefits and treatment at 'Comet.' It's incredibly hard to find a job this good nowadays!"
"True, and we also get to be the first to see the latest 'Little Jack's Journey through the Future!'"
"Bisley, have you noticed that Mr. Monet's writing style has changed a bit recently? And his prose is not as good as before."
"That's to be expected. Think about it, Mr. Monet is now contributing to three different magazines simultaneously and managing 'Comet.' It's natural for there to be some differences. But once we're at 'Comet' and help share some of his workload, he'll be able to focus on his creative work again."
Just as Bisley was discussing animatedly, he noticed that Oakji suddenly had a vacant expression and stopped talking. Being a good friend, Bisley knew that Oakji usually had this expression only when he saw a beautiful woman. So, he followed Oakji's gaze and, as expected, saw a tall and elegantly made-up woman standing at the end of the line.
After a few seconds, Oakji snapped out of his trance and clenched his fist, whispering, "I've decided. Even if it's for this blonde beauty, I must pass the interview!"
"Wait, how can you be so sure that this blonde beauty will definitely get hired?" Bisley asked curiously.
"Come on, that's obvious! Let me ask you, if you were Mr. Monet, would you not hire this lady?" Oakji retorted.
"Of course I would. Having such a stunning beauty around, even if she just stands there like a decoration, would make each day delightful!"
"Exactly! We're all men here. I believe Mr. Monet would think the same way!"
"You've got a point!" Bisley nodded in agreement.
As it turned out, Oakji's speculation was accurate. When Monet saw the blonde beauty named Christina, he had already decided to keep her around, even if it was as a receptionist who greeted clients and made coffee. However, what surprised Monet was Christina's remarkable competence. Although it was evident that she was new to the publishing industry and science fiction novels, she quickly adapted. Not only did she outshine the other new recruits like Bisley, but she even surpassed the previous experienced staff members. This led Monet to reflect inwardly, "Appearances can truly be deceiving!"
What surprised him even more was her attitude towards relationships. A beauty like her naturally had many suitors, but she treated everyone with consistent politeness, even declining an invitation from the boss, Rick.
"Rick, do you know that I was actually happy when I found out that Christina turned down your invitation?" Monet teased Rick.
"Why? Does that mean you have a chance now?" Rick retorted, not too pleased.
Monet quickly waved his hand, saying, "I absolutely would not get involved with a subordinate romantically, especially not with someone as smart and capable as Christina!"
"I'm not Nicole. You don't need to explain to me like this," Rick joked.
"I'm just speaking the truth!"
"Alright, alright, let's drop this topic. I remember you're quite acquainted with a doctor. Can you ask him if there's any expertise in treating jaundice?"
"Jaundice? You have jaundice? But you don't look like it at all!" Although Monet wasn't a doctor, he knew that the most prominent external symptom of jaundice was yellowing of the skin. Rick didn't seem to display any of those signs.
"I never said it's me who has jaundice. It's actually Madeline. Maybe due to postpartum weakness, a virus invaded her body," Rick explained.
"Oh, so it's Madeline. Didn't she consult a doctor? I thought she's quite wealthy!" Monet asked in confusion.
Rick shrugged and replied, "Of course, she did consult many doctors. However, all of them said that this type of jaundice is quite unique, and they can't treat it."
"Since she's already consulted so many doctors and still hasn't found a solution, I might not be able to find a more capable doctor either," Monet muttered to himself. But then he added, "Nevertheless, it's worth a try. What if I can find a specialist in treating this?"
Monet first sought out Dr. Yule, but after explaining the situation, Dr. Yule provided a lengthy diagnosis: "Madam Madeline should be suffering from obstructive jaundice, a condition caused by the obstruction of the bile ducts. Her skin has turned a green-brown hue due to the accumulation of bile salts in the blood, which irritates the nerve endings in the skin. Additionally, due to the blockage of the bile ducts, bile cannot enter the intestines, so her stool will likely be pale or clay-colored. The frequent diarrhea is a result of the lack of bile acids and fat-soluble vitamins in the intestines."
But when asked about treatment, Dr. Yule simply shrugged and said, "Unfortunately, there aren't effective treatments available for this condition at the moment."
Whether in the past or in the present, Monet felt that the cruelest aspect for a doctor was knowing the intricacies, mechanisms, and even the progress and development of a patient's illness, yet being unable to treat it. Monet could empathize with Madeline's anxiety as well. Suffering from an illness was distressing in itself, and on top of that, this illness was visually unpleasing. Her once fair and delicate skin had turned an unsightly green-brown shade, something no woman would be able to endure.
While on the way back from Dr. Yule's clinic, Monet suddenly thought of "China's Robin Hood," Dr. Chen Yuqin. He invited him over and, to his surprise, after diagnosing the case, Dr. Chen Yuqin pulled him aside and asked in a low voice, "Mr. Monet, I do know of a remedy that might be able to cure Madam Madeline's illness, but you must promise to keep it confidential!"
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