When Halifa Oliver received the medical report, her mind also went blank.
She finally understood why Steven would visit her.
He was here to say farewell. The man who had disturbed her for her entire life was about to leave.
On their way back, Halifa Oliver and Steven kept silent.
The two sat quietly in the car, just like when they first knew each other.
Just then, Steven’s phone rang.
Steven glanced at the caller. It was Rasfa.
He hung up immediately, but the phone rang again.
It was Rasfa again. Frowning, Steven hung up once again.
However, the phone rang for the third time. Steven finally put the call on loudspeaker. “Asshole, stop calling me.”
“Steven, you bastard idiot fool! Have you forgotten that I’m your private doctor? Quickly come here and let me check you. Even if you really have AIDS, I won’t let you die. Quickly, come.”
Halifa Oliver turned to look at Steven, stunned. “Are your private doctors all like that?”
“Err…”
Steven took his phone and turned the loudspeaker off. “Chen, why is it you?… I don’t have AIDS.”
“No matter what disease you have, you better come here right now, or we’re done.”
“Chen, what I have is incurable.”
“To me, no disease is incurable. Don’t compare me with those quacks outside.”
“You really won’t be able to save me this time. Nobody can,” Steven said.
“Only I can decide the life or death of my patients. Nobody else can, nobody!”
“Chen…”
“Do you believe that I’ll actually go to your house and beat you up?”
“I’m not at home now.”
“I don’t care. Gimme an address or come to my place.”
“I’m busy right now.”
“F**k, you’re about to die. What are you busy about?”
“I’m not dead yet.”
“I don’t care what you’re doing. Anyhow, come here immediately. If you die, the world will think that my incapability as a private doctor has killed an important client.”
“Am I just your client?”
“If you think we’re friends, you should have visited me first.”
“Fine. I’ll find you in the afternoon.”
“Afternoon it is. I’ll only wait for you for a day.”
Steven hung up and Halifa glanced at him.
Steven felt rather embarrassed. “He’s my friend, a very good doctor. I should introduce him to you. I promise that he can cure most of your illnesses.”
“I don’t want a private doctor who calls me an idiot. If my doctor dares to do so, I’ll throw him into the sea and feed the sharks.”
“You better think of a new way. I can promise that you won’t be able to kill him with that method.”
“I’ll try.”
“Please don’t. You’ll never kill him on the sea,” Steven said.
“Steven, move to my place. I’ll find the best doctor for you.”
“I don’t need pity. Also, I know the best doctor in the world.”
“You mean that rude young man who can’t even speak English properly?” Halifa said. “Apart from his arrogant tone, I don’t see why he would be outstanding.”
Steven gave a bitter smile. “Indeed, he was too confident this time.”
After being diagnosed with progeria syndrome, Steven had done some investigation.
To his despair, the disease had no cure.
In fact, it could not even be suppressed. Doctors did not even know the cause of the disease.
Progeria syndromes were very random, occurring in both young people and old people.
Of course, Steven was somewhat lucky. He had at least lived for enough years already.
It was hard to imagine how painful it would be for a young person to be diagnosed with the syndrome.
Nevertheless, the older one gets, the more one would be afraid of death. Older people generally would not possess the fighting spirit of younger ones.
Steven sighed, “Halifa, send me home.”
This was probably their most peaceful encounter in many, many years.
“Steven, I’ll help you to find a doctor, the best doctor.”
Steven shook his head. “No need.”
When a person still has hope, he would use all he has to survive.
Even if it is just a straw, he would grab it with all his might.
However, when the person is totally desperate, he would begin to calm down instead.
Rationality would return. Steven was precisely in such a state.
With his constantly aging body, he had no more strength to struggle and resist.
His fate had been sealed. Apart from facing reality quietly, there was nothing he could do.
As for Chen Zhao’s request, he was really grateful.
But Chen Zhao could not help him…
Apart from God, nobody could save him.
Thinking about his life, Steven knew that God would not save him.
It seemed likely that he would end up in Hell.
Nonetheless, he had to visit his old friends, including Chen Zhao and Rasfa.
…
“Yu, where are you now?”
“I’m in college, Mr. Steven.”
“What do Chinese people normally give each other as gifts?”
“What?”
“I’m visiting a Chinese friend. I would like to give him a gift, but I don’t know what I should give.”
“Mr. Steven, may I ask how old your friend is?”
“Less than thirty years old.”
Yu Wenhui was surprised that Steven actually had such a young Chinese friend.
“Maybe jade,” Yu Wenhui replied after thinking. “Jade is a very good present in China.”
“Come here now and we’ll go and buy a piece of jade.”
“Okay.”
Yu Wenhui quickly rushed to Steven’s place. She realized that Steven was dressed very formally, as if he was going to visit an important person.
In LA, there were many large jewelry shops that would sell jades.
Their main customers were Chinese tourists, and jade was a popular choice.
With Yu Wenhui’s help, Steven bought an exquisitely-crafted dragon-shaped jade.
“Drive the car. Call me when we reach. I need to take a nap.” Steven looked very tired.
“Mr. Steven, where are we going?”
“Mountain Town, Mirror Lake, No. 21. Turn left below the pet hospital billboard on Highway 21.”
Yu Wenhui nodded. When they arrived at Mountain Town, she asked around and finally found the road that led to Mirror Lake.
