Chapter 2

Zhen Fan returned home, smiled with a sense of reminiscence, and thought, An Jie is a good woman. Although she is only three and a half years older than him, she always considers herself the elder sister and takes good care of him. Meeting An Jie was a matter of chance; he happened to help her pick up her wallet at the entrance of the medical school, and she treated him to a meal, after which they became close.

Of course, it was mainly because An Jie is an assistant professor at the medical school and a graduate of the same school, while he is also a medical student. However, many students of traditional Chinese medicine end up not becoming doctors; some become pharmaceutical representatives through connections, some become apprentices in pharmacies, and some, like Zhen Fan, become salespeople for car parts, completely unrelated to their major.

The next morning, he arrived at the airport in An Jie's car.

"Give me a call when you arrive safely!"

An Jie tiptoed to straighten Zhen Fan's hair and collar, and her body smelled very good as she leaned over.

"Smells so good, have you thought about it, An Jie?"

"Thought about what? What have you thought about?"

"Marry me, so I can smell such a fragrant An Jie every day!"

"Go to hell, you're not serious! Pfft, pfft, pfft, what's this talk of death, get rid of the bad luck!"

"Do you believe in these things?"

"For good luck, I hope you have a safe trip!"

"That's it—see you, An Jie, you go back!"

"Take care, and... wait for me there. I'll have you give me a massage in the future, it will cost a lot..."

The airport was a bit noisy and restless, as domestic airports often are, with people everywhere. However, it was Zhen Fan's first time flying, and he didn't mind it; at least it was better than the train or the subway.

After checking his ticket, passport, and boarding pass, he helped a young woman with her child.

"Thank you!" The young woman, petite and slightly flushed, looked at Zhen Fan and felt reassured. There shouldn't be any human traffickers on the plane, right!

Finding his seat, he returned the child to the young woman and received a string of thanks. It was quite difficult for a woman to travel abroad with a child around two or three years old, especially since her husband was in the United States and doing well.

When the plane took off, Zhen Fan's body jolted, and he felt uncomfortable with the seatbelt.

"First time?"

The person next to him smiled kindly, an amiable old man.

"Yes... a bit uncomfortable."

Zhen Fan smiled awkwardly.

"You'll get used to it!"

The old man said this and closed his eyes to rest. Zhen Fan didn't want to talk much either and closed his eyes to rest.

His first time abroad and his first flight was nothing special. When he woke up, there was nothing to do but watch the flight attendants. The pretty flight attendants were quite refreshing.

"The flight attendants of Air China are quite beautiful, but it's not necessarily the case for American flights!" The old man, who had woken up earlier, said with a smile, "Unlike our system, it's common to see middle-aged women there!"

The old man seemed to be of a certain age, and Zhen Fan coughed a few times and nodded. Chinese flight attendants need to look good, while in foreign countries, it's just a job. He had often researched the United States, the capitalist country that everyone aspires to, after getting his green card and preparing to inherit the estate.

"Planning to travel?"

The old man was quite talkative, but there wasn't much else to chat about during the dull flight.

"Not really... visiting family, I guess."

Zhen Fan answered casually.

"Los Angeles?"

"Um, Temecula, a small city!"

"Ah, I've been there, the land of wine, maybe we'll meet again." The old man seemed excited, "I go there often, it's a one and a half hour drive from the city. If time allowed, I could be your guide. By the way, where are you staying?"

"Um, in the Wine Valley area..."

"It seems we have a connection. I go there often. I'm called Mo Hua, and you are..."

"Zhen Fan, the Zhen from 'Zhen Huan' and the Fan from 'ordinary'."

"Great, great, when you land today, come to my place. I live on Bernard Street, and I run a Chinese restaurant. I'll treat you, please do me the honor!"

The old man's unexpected enthusiasm made Zhen Fan a bit embarrassed.

"Well... okay!"

Since he would arrive in Los Angeles around 11:00 AM local time, he could have a meal and then set off, a one and a half hour drive, which would fit the schedule.

Mo Hua's restaurant on Bernard Street was quite prominent and grand. It seemed more like a hotel with dining, entertainment, and accommodation, Zhen Fan's first impression, probably a four-star place, though he didn't say it out loud.

There were private rooms, and the two of them were seated in one. The dishes were not many but were of high quality. Zhen Fan couldn't really comment, but they looked good and could stimulate the appetite.

"I don't come here often, but you can. I'm old, and my children manage it. I'll give you a VIP card, 20% off, while regular cards are 5% off, to make money from tourists!"

The old man winked and smiled shrewdly.

"I won't refuse then!" Zhen Fan took it, and after chatting with the old man for a long time on the plane and in the car, they became quite familiar. It would be pretentious not to accept it.

"Don't be polite, we are like old friends at first sight!"

"But I can't just take your card without doing anything. I'll give you a piece of advice. The fish tank in the center of the hall, you should move it. It's not good to have it there. This place is doing well, with a thriving business. If you place the fish tank there, it will create a 'water and fire clash' situation. You must not be feeling well recently, and old illnesses may recur, and medicine won't help!"

"Right!"

Mo Hua slapped his thigh and suddenly became energetic.

"I've been having trouble sleeping, frequent rheumatism, and digestive issues. I'm only sixty-two, in my prime, and I have prostate problems..."

"..." Zhen Fan coughed a few times.

"Don't worry, move it, and it will be fine!"

"That's good, that's good. I had a feng shui master check it, and he said it was a thriving business, and the water would balance it. I didn't know you were so knowledgeable about feng shui. But... if the fish tank is moved, what about the thriving business? It might burn!"

"That's easy, place a welcoming pine tree. The fire isn't strong enough to affect the owner. The master you hired might have made a mistake!"

Zhen Fan took a bite of duck meat, which was tender and smooth.

"Ah—"

A woman's scream.

"Help—"

It was in English, and Zhen Fan understood.

"Let's go see!"

Mo Hua, who was about to scold the feng shui master, quickly stood up, and Zhen Fan put down his chopsticks and followed.

The restaurant was already crowded with people, Chinese tourists, Americans coming for Chinese food, security, and the manager, all forming a large circle.

"Did you call 911?" Mo Hua pushed through the crowd and saw a little girl with a brown bob hairstyle, about seven or eight years old, lying in the arms of a blonde woman, her eyes rolling, and making a "gagging" sound.

"Called, it might be a fish bone stuck in her throat. The doctor on the phone told us not to move her, and they will be here soon!" A middle-aged man in a black suit stepped forward, looking distressed. He was probably the manager!

"How long?"

"About ten minutes, the traffic is very congested..." The manager stammered, at a loss.

Mo Hua's face turned cold. It was clear that the little girl's life was in danger, and whether she could last ten minutes was uncertain. If such an incident happened in his hotel, he might not be able to run it anymore!

The fish bone that could cause such a blockage must be large and deeply stuck, possibly requiring surgery. It was unclear how the little girl had swallowed it.

The little girl started to convulse, a sign that she was in critical condition.

"Save my daughter!" The woman, in a panic, grabbed the pants of the people around her, not caring who it was, her desperate eyes hoping for a glimmer of hope.

"Relax, ma'am, the doctor will be here soon!"

"God, what should we do?"

"Hurry, hurry, damn 911!"

Many people were sympathetic and even anxious for the woman, but no one could do anything, they were helpless.

"It's over, it's over!"

Mo Hua seemed even more desperate than the woman. If the little girl died and the woman sued, it would cost a lot of money, and the hotel might go bankrupt, ruining his life's work!

"Do you trust me, Old Mo?"

Zhen Fan looked at Mo Hua.

"Tell me, do you have a way?"

"Trust me, bring a cup of water, in a porcelain cup, quickly, the little girl can't last much longer!" Zhen Fan, for the first time, looked serious in front of Mo Hua.

"Okay, okay! Bring a cup of water!"

Mo Hua shouted in a hurry.

The manager had already rushed over with a cup of water in a white porcelain cup.

"Drink it, it will be fine!"

Zhen Fan squatted in front of the little girl and was about to pour the water into her mouth.

"Hey, young man, don't do anything rash, the doctor will be here soon!"

The voices around the woman made her hesitate. She pursed her lips and looked at Zhen Fan, who nodded. The little girl was already foaming at the mouth, and waiting for the doctor would likely be the worst outcome.

"Please, sir, help my daughter!"

The woman bit her lip and trembled, determined to grasp even the slightest ray of hope.

Without delay, Zhen Fan held the little girl's chin and poured the water into her mouth, and a gurgling sound was heard.

"God bless!"

An obese white woman made the sign of the cross on her chest.

The little girl's trembling body gradually stabilized, her rolled eyes slowly calmed, and she squinted, her eyes slowly moving, seeing the face in front of her, and softly called out:

"Mom?..."

"God, thank God!"

The woman tightly hugged the girl to her chest, crying and laughing.

This scene deeply moved the onlookers!

"Amazing, it was just a cup of water?"

"What a good person!"

Zhen Fan squeezed out of the crowd, found his luggage in the private room, and prepared to leave.

"Good kid, you really have a trick up your sleeve!" Zhen Fan's finger movements were quick and subtle, but Mo Hua noticed something, like drawing a symbol in the air above the cup, and his fingers touched the water in the cup, "What's the trick?"

"Transformed a cup of Nine Dragon Water, a small trick, nothing special!"

Zhen Fan smiled.