Chapter 27

Zheng Xing always felt that he was born to be a detective.

He showed his talent from the moment he started reading the Detective Conan comic book, always managing to find the real culprit before anyone else.

After graduating from high school, he failed to get into university, so he decided to become a detective.

But reality is often much harder than ideals.

Detective work is a declining profession, especially since Zheng Xing had just come of age at the time, and few employers were willing to believe him.

After drifting along like this for several years, stuck in a rut, Zheng Xing's ambition was worn away.

But he still loved being a detective. Even though his dream was shattered and he knew he could never become a great detective, he persevered and made a living as a detective.

He can help people find their cats and dogs, and investigate extramarital affairs.

Five or six years passed like this, and they managed to barely survive.

Zheng Xing is now just a drifter, living a life of mediocrity, only thinking about how to squeeze some money out of his employers' wallets. He has completely lost the drive he had when he first became a detective.

The professional ethics he upheld in his earlier years have also become a laughing stock.

It was precisely because he lacked that spirit of getting to the bottom of things that Yang Lin was so perfunctory in entrusting him with this task.

He just wanted to get by day by day, and he never thought about what he would do or what would happen in the future.

Until Hu Zhenzhen gave him this opportunity.

Zheng Xing's cloudy eyes cleared up, and the thing he thought had long since disappeared, called ideal, was revived in his heart.

The price of 40,000 yuan and the RV are certainly attractive.

But Zheng Xing knew in his heart that what truly rekindled his ambition was Hu Zhenzhen's words.

"The time has come to prove your detective skills."

Yes, the time has come to prove him right.

Some opportunities only come once in a lifetime. Zheng Xing realized this and was determined to seize them and not let them slip through his fingers.

He jumped off the RV.

"Please rest assured, I guarantee I will complete the task before 10 p.m. tonight."

He ran without looking back. He was almost thirty years old, but he had rediscovered the drive he had when he was eighteen.

Zheng Xing grew up in Xihua District and knew the whole area well. Even in the complex alleys, he would never get lost.

Investigating Chen Kai's case isn't actually difficult; all it requires is connections.

Coincidentally, Zheng Xing was very popular among the lower-level employees.

His destination was the car wash on the next street.

"Chaozi, are you at work?"

He called out from the doorway, and the boss lying inside responded, "No!"

"I need to talk to you! Come out now!"

Zheng Xing called out, and the person inside slowly came out. "Hey, where have you been making your fortune lately? Haven't seen you in a long time."

Zheng Xing chuckled and said, "Whether I can make a fortune depends on you, Chaozi. Did you graduate from Xihua Elementary School?"

Does this have anything to do with him?

Chaozi scratched his head and quickly gave him a heads-up, "Let me make this clear first, I have to watch the shop, so I can't help you much."

Zheng Xing waved his hand, "I don't need your big help. Aren't you known as the king of connections in elementary schools? Help your brother out by finding someone."

It was just a matter of exchanging a few words, so Chaozi didn't refuse. "Who is it?"

"Chen Kai, check if this person is from Xihua Elementary School."

“Hey, you’ve come to the right person,” Chaozi grinned. “No need to ask anyone else, I know him. He was quite famous back then.”

Chen Kai is a simple name, but there aren't many people with the same name.

At least in Chaozi's memory, there was only one Xihua Primary School with this name.

"Back in elementary school, they were a big shot. They took over the soccer field, and other kids had to get to know them if they wanted to play soccer."

"What happened to him? How can you find him?"

Chaozi asked curiously.

Zheng Xing said directly, "The employer requires that Chen Kai is now an elite and works under my boss."

"Your boss?" Chaozi asked in surprise. "You have a boss? Aren't you just setting up a stall on the roadside?"

“If I get to the bottom of this today, I’ll be set for life, you know?” Zheng Xing bumped his chest. “This is important. I’ll talk to you about it later. First, tell me about Chen Kai’s current situation. How much do you know about him?”

"How are you doing lately..."

This isn't someone you know very well; Chaozi doesn't really know much about them.

"I don't know about Chen Kai, but I have heard about the others in his group."

"They all came from Fubao Orphanage. The orphanage was abandoned before the New Year, and many people came back to visit. Among them were a few of the ones who used to hang out with Chen Kai. I heard that they later became bodyguards and sent a lot of money to the old director."

"Orphanage?" Zheng Xing frowned. "Where is that orphanage?"

Chaozi pointed behind him, "It's just a few blocks to the east, not far. What? You're planning to go?"

"Go," Zheng Xing said, zipping up his jacket and rubbing his face. He looked much more refreshed. "My future is hanging by a thread today."

The two have been friends for many years, and Chaozi hadn't seen him so energetic in a long time.

Zheng Xing looked so enthusiastic, and watching him, he inexplicably became passionate as well.

He pushed out his motorcycle parked in the store, pressed a switch, and the electronic roller shutter door was lowered directly.

Zheng Xing had just finished tying his shoelaces and was about to run when he heard the sound of the roller shutter door closing. He looked up in surprise, "Why are you closing the door in broad daylight?"

Chaozi flashed a smile, revealing a set of white teeth. "I can't help it, my good brother. I just love watching the excitement. You said you've staked your future on this, so how can I not get involved in such a big show?"

He hopped on the motorcycle. "Don't just stand there, time's tight, get on!"

Zheng Xing laughed along, jumped up in a carefree manner, grabbed the motorcycle helmet hanging on the handlebars and put it on his head, "Good brother!"

Upon arriving at Fubao Orphanage, Zheng Xing had basically figured out what was going on.

After the orphanage closed, the original main gate was sealed off, and the signboard was removed long ago, leaving only a small door for daily entry and exit.

There are no more children in the courtyard; only the old headmaster lives alone.

Zheng Xing knocked on the door, but no one answered; it seemed no one was home.

He walked around the area and asked the surrounding shops, only to learn that the old director seemed to be ill and didn't have much time left.

Perhaps it was a stroke of luck that heaven finally smiled upon him.

Zheng Xing came out of the store and happened to see a car parked in front of the orphanage.

The car wasn't luxurious; it was a low-key model that held its value well. But only those who had left the orphanage before would return, and Zheng Xing knew without even thinking that the car must belong to one of them.

He guessed it might be Chen Kai.

It was a hot day, and Chaozi was sweating profusely, so Zheng Xing treated him to an ice cream. The two of them stood in the store enjoying the air conditioning while staring at the car parked in front of the orphanage.

He wasn't kept waiting long before Chen Kai was wheeled out.

The old dean inside was very firm in her stance. No one knew what Chen Kai had said, but she suddenly closed the door and refused to open it no matter what.

Zheng Xing watched for a while before Chen Kai drove away dejectedly.

He took photos of the entire process and sent them to Hu Zhenzhen in real time.

However, Zheng Xing learned a lesson from Yang Lin's commission and knew that he couldn't just look at the surface. He had to find out the old dean's condition and give it to his boss before he could consider his job done.

After Chen Kai left, he pretended to be a community worker and finally knocked on the door of the orphanage.

"Hello, we are from the community. Recently, the community has been holding an event to distribute free medical supplies to the elderly."

Zheng Xing went to a nearby pharmacy and bought some nutritional supplements, bandages, alcohol, and other common supplies. Then he changed into a decent clean short-sleeved shirt and went to the pharmacy with Chaozi.

He was ugly and tanned, not like a staff member, but fortunately, Chaozi had the appearance of a well-behaved child since he was a child.

Although the old dean was a little suspicious, he still let the person in.

"Alcohol and bandages are provided free of charge, but for medications like cephalosporins that may cause allergies, we need to look at your previous medical records to make sure you are not allergic before we can give them to you."

The former dean was initially reluctant, finding it troublesome.

But Zheng Xing was good at talking and coaxing people, and after chatting for a while, he actually managed to persuade her.

The former director had spent his entire life savings on the orphanage, so he didn't have much money left, and the medical records he produced weren't from any major hospital.

Zheng Xing carefully photographed the medical record and sent it to Hu Zhenzhen.

"Tianpu Hospital?"

Hu Zhenzhen frowned. "This doesn't sound like the name of a legitimate hospital."

Yang Lin was still in the RV with Hu Zhenzhen, waiting for the results. Upon hearing this, he offered to introduce her to the new person.

“That’s not exactly a proper hospital. It’s called a private hospital, but it’s not much bigger than a clinic. But you know, our neighborhood is poor. It’s full of poor people. They can’t afford to go to a proper hospital, so they prefer to go to that one.”

Only then did Hu Zhenzhen gain a true understanding of the poverty here.

"Is this hospital very cheap?"

Yang Lin was silent for a moment, then said, "You can't say that. It's not much cheaper. It's just that common medications like painkillers and blood pressure medications are cheaper."

Hu Zhenzhen sensed something amiss from his silence.

Hearing is believing, seeing is believing. If you really want to know what's going on at Tianpu Hospital, just go there and you'll find out.

Hu Zhenzhen stepped on the gas and took Xiao Chen and Yang Lin to another location.

"Mom, is that the hospital?"

Jiang Chen leaned against the glass, pointed at the building across the street, and asked Hu Zhenzhen a question.

It's no wonder Jiang Chen didn't recognize it; it looked completely different from any hospital he'd seen before.

The low, two-story building looked like it was made of clay, and it wasn't even painted on the outside, retaining its earthy brown color.

Hu Zhenzhen couldn't figure out how the house was built, but she could tell it was definitely a shoddy construction project.

Can a place like this really be used as a hospital?

Faced with Xiao Chen's question, Hu Zhenzhen could only give a vague answer, "This seems to be a hospital, but it's not a proper one."

Jiang Chen turned his head back and stared at the house.

"Is the person who took care of Uncle Chen receiving treatment there?"

Hu Zhenzhen's mood was also somewhat heavy, and she hummed in response.

A minute later, Jiang Chen snuggled into Hu Zhenzhen's arms, leaned against her shoulder, and patted her back like a little adult.

"Don't worry, Mom, I'll definitely find you a better hospital in the future."

ah?

Hu Zhenzhen was both amused and exasperated.

That sounds thoughtful, but something seems a little strange. She didn't leave Xiao Chen with the impression that she was going to the hospital.

However, this can be seen as a sign of filial piety from the child, and Hu Zhenzhen was quite pleased with it.

"Then Mom will have to rely entirely on Xiao Chen."

Jiang Chen clenched his little fist and gave a firm "Mmm," saying, "Xiao Chen will definitely take Mom to a big hospital."

“Before we take Mom to the hospital, let’s help Uncle Chen together,” Hu Zhenzhen quickly interrupted her son who was about to take her to the hospital. “Let’s send the hospital director who raised him to a big hospital, okay, Xiao Chen?”

Jiang Chen crawled out of her arms.

"Mom, let's go together."

Hu Zhenzhen thought he meant he wanted to do this with her, and agreed with a smile.

The hospital director's medical record stated cervical cancer.

Cancer has a high mortality rate, but it's not 100%. If you go to a good hospital, you can have a chance to control the disease.

Hu Zhenzhen got out of the car and decided to take a detour to Tianpu Hospital before trying to persuade the old hospital director to go to a big hospital, to see what it was really like inside.

Jiang Chen insisted on coming along.

Hu Zhenzhen wanted to ask him to wait in the car, but Jiang Chen patted his chest and gave her a reply.

"I am a man."

"Mom is in danger, but Xiao Chen will protect you."

Hu Zhenzhen couldn't bring herself to refuse. She took Jiang Chen's hand and said, "Alright then, Xiao Chen, you have to keep a close eye on Mommy, or Mommy might get lost."

Jiang Chen tensed up, his face stiffening, and nodded seriously.

The hospital was even more bustling than Hu Zhenzhen had imagined, with people coming and going all looking rather old.

There are only a few young people like Hu Zhenzhen, and even fewer with children.

Even though she deliberately chose an inconspicuous outfit when she went out today, she still looked like a rich person here.

Hu Zhenzhen's "rich person's aura" is undeniable, making her an absurdly high head-turner.

She regretted it as soon as she pulled Jiang Chen inside.

In Hu Zhenzhen's imagination, even if the hospital was in a bad state, it should still be clean and tidy.

But in reality, the corridors of Tianpu Hospital are only dimly lit, so even during the day they are pitch black and seem gloomy.

The floor was dirty, and all the people coming and going were patients; there wasn't a single nurse in sight.

Hu Zhenzhen even spotted a thief stealing a wallet near her seat in the waiting area.

However, the moment her gaze swept over him, the man noticed and pretended to stop.

Hu Zhenzhen's eyelids twitched; she had a feeling that there was something wrong with the security at this hospital.

She even called Yang Lin out of the car.

Regardless of whether he can fight or not, Yang Lin is at least a strong man, and having him around can intimidate people.

Yang Lin stood next to Hu Zhenzhen, and the number of glances that were secretly sweeping over him decreased significantly.

"Register, internal medicine."

Hu Zhenzhen lined up at the only registration window. The person in charge of registration glanced at her and asked, "No internal medicine department. Do you want a regular appointment or a specialist appointment?"

No internal medicine department? Are there hospitals that don't have an internal medicine department?

Hu Zhenzhen frowned in disbelief, "Then let's go for an expert appointment."

"Twenty, cash or WeChat?"

Hu Zhenzhen scanned the money with WeChat, took the number, and waited outside the so-called expert's clinic.

Like any other hospital, there were many people waiting outside the specialist appointment area.

The cost of seeing a specialist here is the same as at a major public hospital, so why do people choose to seek medical treatment here?

Hu Zhenzhen didn't understand at first, but after watching for a while in the waiting area, she finally figured it out.

Not needing to undergo any tests means saving money in the eyes of the elderly.

Patients leaving the clinic, regardless of their illness, all carried medication.

No one was getting CT scans or MRIs. It seemed like that drug was a cure-all. Everyone who went in came out with a packet of the drug.

Why does it seem like a scam?

The entire medical process is ridiculously short; a patient can be seen in just two or three minutes.

The medications in each patient's hand looked no different to the naked eye.

Hu Zhenzhen only had to wait fifteen minutes before it was her turn.

The door to the consultation room was half-open. Yang Lin helped Hu Zhenzhen hold Jiang Chen's hand, and the two of them, one big and one small, stood guard at the door.

"Where do you feel unwell?"

The doctor in the seat didn't even glance at her, but casually asked a question.

Hu Zhenzhen wasn't sick at all, but she wanted to see how the doctor diagnosed her, so she made up a minor illness on the spot.

"My stomach hurts, and the pain is terrible when my period starts."

After she opened her mouth, the doctor looked up in surprise. Seeing how young Hu Zhenzhen was, he raised an eyebrow and said, "Menstrual cramps? There's no cure for that. I'll prescribe some painkillers for you. Take one when it hurts."

Without waiting for Hu Zhenzhen's reply, the doctor poured out ten painkillers from the bottle beside him. "I'll prescribe ten for you, thirty yuan. Come back when you run out."

Menstrual cramps can be managed with painkillers, but that won't work for other illnesses, right?

Hu Zhenzhen added, "My shoulder has been very painful lately, and I can't even lift my arm. Doctor, I'd like to have my shoulder checked again."

The doctor used the same old tricks.

"Shoulder pain, frozen shoulder, huh? Here's what I'll do. I'll prescribe some painkillers for you to take home, and also two plasters. Come back for a follow-up appointment in two weeks."

Hu Zhenzhen had just heard him say something similar.

"Doctor, can it be diagnosed as frozen shoulder without an examination?"

At this point, Hu Zhenzhen was certain that the hospital was a complete fraud.

Even a quack doctor should press on the patient's shoulder a couple of times and ask how much pain they are experiencing. But the experts at this hospital can't even do that; they just use painkillers to gloss over the problem.

Hu Zhenzhen even suspected that their medical licenses were bought.

Or perhaps these so-called experts don't even have a medical license.

The doctor did not directly answer Hu Zhenzhen's question. Upon hearing her question, the doctor, who was regarded as an expert by the patients, only said: "From the moment you walked in, I could tell that you were here to cause trouble."

"Speak, who sent you?"

The way he's talking doesn't sound like a doctor; it sounds more like a street thug marking up territory.

"I was just making a normal appointment to see a doctor, and that's considered nitpicking?"

Hu Zhenzhen didn't understand his logic, nor did she intend to.

She stood up. "I think I understand the level of medical care at your hospital. I'm sorry, doctor, I don't plan to buy these painkillers. Please take them back."

Hu Zhenzhen's voice was loud, and many patients waiting in the corridor heard what she said.

The young man who accompanied his grandmother to the doctor reacted the fastest, immediately saying, "Grandma, did you hear that? The girl in that room is unhappy, and they might start arguing in a little while. Let's avoid this trouble and go home first."

He had accurately predicted that his grandmother didn't want to get involved in troublesome matters.

Exaggerate a few things to stir up trouble, then take the old lady home first, so you can take her to another hospital for treatment.

The two of them leaving was like flipping a switch.

The patients waiting in the corridor looked at each other, getting restless.

Leaving triggered a chain reaction.

Once one person stands up, a second and a third follow.

The door wasn't completely closed, and the doctor inside could clearly see everything in the corridor.

"Damn it, I knew you were here to cause trouble on purpose!"

He shouted angrily, "Get out! You're not welcome here, and you're not welcome to come to this hospital again!"

After saying that, he tried to push Hu Zhenzhen away with his hand.

Jiang Chen, who was standing at the door, saw it and rushed in like a small cannonball, bumping into the doctor's leg.

"Don't you dare bully my mom!"

The doctor was bumped by Jiang Chen and his face turned pale with pain. "Damn it, you little beast."

He was about to make a move when Hu Zhenzhen reacted quickly and pulled Jiang Chen back.

This man is a rude and despicable piece of trash.

Hu Zhenzhen finally understood that there was no way to communicate with these kinds of people through words; they were all opportunistic.

If you appear powerful to the naked eye, they will behave themselves with their tails between their legs; if you seem easy to bully, they will immediately change their tune and become vicious beasts who bully others.

"Yang Lin!"

Hu Zhenzhen called out.

The moment Jiang Chen rushed in, Yang Lin had already started walking after him. He was fat and tall enough that when he stepped into the room, the doctor's desire to take action diminished.

"Boss, are you alright?"

Yang Lin asked immediately.

He still relies on Hu Zhenzhen to pay his salary, so he can't let something happen to his boss while he's around.

"fine."

After receiving Hu Zhenzhen's answer, Yang Lin turned to the doctor.

He looked like a tough nut to crack; when he glared at the doctor, the veins on his arms bulged, making him look like he could throw a punch at any moment.

"Boss, shall I help you get revenge?"

Yang Lin was ready to take action. As long as Hu Zhenzhen agreed, he would show this man what a fist the size of a sandbag really looked like.

"Stop!" the doctor exclaimed urgently. "This is a hospital! How can you hit someone like that? This is medical malpractice!"

Hu Zhenzhen laughed in exasperation.

He wasn't so righteous when he was about to make a move.

“Even when causing a dispute with a doctor, you need to consider whether the other party is a doctor,” Hu Zhenzhen questioned him, “Do you have a medical license?”

"Of course I don't!"

The doctor shouted, "How can you be a doctor without a license? I not only have a license, I also have a pharmacist's license!"

"Yeah?"

Hu Zhenzhen casually retorted with a question.

She glanced at the Xijingmen area circled on the system map and asked Yang Lin, "This area should also be within the Xijingmen Street area, so why would it be rented out to someone as a hospital?"

Yang Lin rubbed his hands awkwardly. "This is the boundary. Half of it is your land, and the other half isn't. When I took over the job, this house was already here. If you want them to move out, you need to pay them compensation for the demolition."

The demolition compensation was no small sum, and since the land on the border was of little use, Yang Lin didn't want to cause himself any trouble.

Who knew that the hospital would have a conflict with the boss? Now things are in a more complicated situation.

The doctor, who was listening nearby, immediately widened his eyes.

Is this woman the owner of this land?

He scanned Hu Zhenzhen's clothes and appearance from head to toe, and he couldn't tell that she was such a rich person.

The doctor felt a bit scared afterward, and his legs went weak when he thought about what he had just done.

He offended someone so badly just now, will he get revenge? Is it too late to apologize now?

Before he could figure it out, the door was pushed open by the dean in a flurry of activity.

"Who would dare cause trouble at the hospital?"

The dean looked menacing, ready to settle scores.

Hu Zhenzhen didn't even glance at him, and continued to ask Yang Lin, "How much is the demolition compensation?"

Yang Lin could tell she was very unhappy, so he became even more respectful. "Boss, I had someone look into it before, and it would cost 1.5 million."

"Are you two the only ones causing trouble in the hospital? Don't you know this is a private place? I can call the security guards to throw you both out."

The dean, who arrived late, hadn't even figured out what was going on and started spouting nonsense next to Hu Zhenzhen.

This statement undoubtedly adds fuel to the fire.

Yang Lin's eyelids twitched as he listened, and he cursed him a hundred times in his heart.

How can this person be so stupid? Can't they even read the slightest bit of the room?

"Throw me out, ha..."

Hu Zhenzhen repeated the sentence, "On my own turf, I, the master, am being kicked out? How utterly ridiculous."

She turned to look at Yang Lin, took out a card from her wallet, and tossed it to him.

"Yang Lin, there are five million inside. I want to see this place razed to the ground today."

"Yes, boss!"

Knowing that his boss was furious, Yang Lin quickly responded.

At this moment, the doctor who had been left out finally got a chance to interject, "Dean! She's the rich woman who bought Xijingmen Street!"

"How is that possible?"

The dean looked on with a ridiculous expression. "Isn't the owner of Xijingmen Street a man surnamed Yang?"

After saying that, he suddenly realized something, looked at Yang Lin, and then at Hu Zhenzhen, and then he understood their relationship.

Recalling Hu Zhenzhen's words, the dean's face immediately turned deathly pale.

What did they just say?

To raze this hospital to the ground—