Across from the Affiliated Hospital of the Medical College was the Friendship Department Store, and beneath it, a small plaza that had long ceased to be used as one. The city had leased this tiny space to someone who turned it into a large outdoor seating area for cold drinks. It was a prime spot, where tired and thirsty shoppers could take a break, enjoy a refreshing soda, and escape the heat.
Shen Xingkong sat under one of the umbrellas, looking relaxed, though his eyes were constantly scanning the surroundings.
About half an hour later, a man dressed in a black long-sleeve T-shirt walked into the seating area. He had a hood pulled over his head, covering most of his face, making it impossible to see what he looked like. As soon as he entered, he paused, glancing around as if searching for something.
Shen Xingkong chuckled inwardly. Looks like the guy's finally here.
"Hey, friend, looking for me?" Shen Xingkong called out, putting down his soda cup and waving to the man in the black T-shirt.
The man looked over at him but then quickly turned his head away, clearly not believing that Shen Xingkong was the person he was supposed to meet.
"Idiot…" Shen Xingkong muttered under his breath, standing up and walking over to him with a smile. "Friend, I'm the doctor you're looking for."
"Huh? You?" The man was taken aback.
Recognizing the voice from the earlier phone call, Shen Xingkong's smile grew wider. "Don't worry, I'm not a scammer, and I'm not a threat. Sit down, and we can talk. Hey, boss, bring another soda!" Shen Xingkong added, showing some hospitality by offering the man a drink.
Hesitantly, the man followed Shen Xingkong to the table and sat across from him, finally pulling back his hood. Shen Xingkong was surprised to see that the guy was about the same age as him.
The tea shop owner brought over the soda, and the man took a sip before forcing a weak smile.
"So, you're really a doctor? You can actually cure illnesses?" He still wasn't convinced of Shen Xingkong's abilities.
"Heh…" Shen Xingkong chuckled, sipping on his soda through the straw as his eyes narrowed to slits. "You don't need to doubt it, man. I wouldn't offer my services if I couldn't deliver. Now, tell me, what's the problem, and how much are you willing to pay?"
"Me? I'm not sick…" The man quickly shook his head.
"Not sick? Are you messing with me?" Shen Xingkong's expression darkened.
"No, no, let me explain." The man became flustered, his face turning red as he struggled to find the right words. "It's not me who's sick; it's… it's my sister…" As he spoke, his gaze dimmed with sorrow.
"Your sister? What's wrong with her?"
"She's been suffering from a strange illness for seven years now. No hospital, no doctor has been able to cure her… She's in so much pain… She's tried to cut her wrists a few times… If I hadn't found her in time…" The man's voice was filled with sadness, his fists clenched so tightly on his thighs that his knuckles turned white.
"What about your parents?"
"Don't mention them…" The man suddenly stood up, his voice rising sharply as he glared at Shen Xingkong. "They're heartless. They only care about themselves. They don't give a damn whether my sister lives or dies."
"Alright, calm down. Sit down and tell me everything." Shen Xingkong wondered if this guy had some mental issues but decided to keep him calm.
"My sister was seven years old when she started… started sleepwalking…" The man slowly calmed down and began to recount his family's story.
"Sleepwalking? That doesn't sound like much of an illness," Shen Xingkong said, puzzled.
"At first, that's what my parents and I thought too, until one day… she… she killed our pet dog while sleepwalking…"
"What?" A shiver ran down Shen Xingkong's spine.
Just imagine having a sleepwalker in your house who suddenly gets up in the middle of the night, walks into the kitchen, grabs a knife, and kills the family dog. How would you feel?
Shen Xingkong couldn't help but look at the guy across from him with a mix of sympathy and horror. This guy had been through a lot over the past ten years, and the fact that he was still alive was a miracle. If Shen Xingkong had been in his shoes, he'd probably have a nervous breakdown within three days and go insane after a month of sleepless nights, constantly fearing that he'd end up like that poor dog.
"From that day on, my parents started fighting constantly… They never stopped. Whenever my sister went to sleep, they'd tie her up with ropes… So I'd often hear her screaming in her sleep from nightmares… You know, it felt like my heart was being ripped apart…"
The man's heart might have been breaking, but Shen Xingkong's head was pounding. The thought of that scene sent chills down his spine. You're sound asleep, and suddenly, in the dead of night, you hear a girl's bloodcurdling scream. It might be better to just let her sleepwalk—even if she died, at least it would be quick.
"Eight years ago… my parents finally got divorced. Neither of them wanted my sister—they saw her as a burden. The court gave custody of my sister to my dad and sent me to live with my mom. I couldn't trust my dad to take care of her, so I visited her as often as I could," the man said, his voice like a distant echo.
"You're a good brother," Shen Xingkong said sincerely.
"Five years ago, I went on a summer trip with my classmates. When I came back to check on my sister… she… she was almost dead from starvation…" The man's anger was palpable, as he crushed the soda cup in his hand, spilling the drink everywhere, though he seemed oblivious to it.
"How could that happen?" Shen Xingkong asked, bewildered.
"My dad… my dad ran away. No one knows where he went. His phone was disconnected, and he never… came back…"
"Bastard…" Shen Xingkong was beginning to understand the guy's anger. "So what happened to your sister after that?"
"My mom refused to take her in, so I had to bring her food every day. She stopped going to school and spent all her time alone at home, sitting there from dawn till dusk, and from dusk till dawn…"
"Another heartless bastard." Shen Xingkong couldn't believe such parents existed. Where was their humanity?
"You…" The man suddenly grabbed Shen Xingkong's hand, startling him. "Are you really a doctor? Can you cure my sister?" His eyes were filled with desperate hope.
Shen Xingkong sighed inwardly, quietly observing the young man before him, who was about his own age. After a long pause, he slowly shook his head. "I'm sorry, I can't."
"You really are a fraud…" The man stood up abruptly, glaring at Shen Xingkong.
"I'm not a fraud. You are." Shen Xingkong's voice was unusually calm, his face expressionless.
"How am I the fraud?"
"The ad I placed in the newspaper was very clear, and you can read, can't you? I even told you when we met—I charge a lot for my services. If I cure your sister, how are you going to pay me? Your dad ran away, and your mom doesn't care. Kid, I'm touched by how much you care for your sister, but unfortunately… I'm not a charity," Shen Xingkong said with a shrug, completely unfazed.