Chapter 360 If Two Million is Less, You Can Add More
It was a little different from what I'd imagined. Crook was dressed casually, in black trousers and a silk shirt with floral prints. Typical Filipino features—mixed-race.
They have European and American genes, as this country was colonized by many European and American countries for hundreds of years. They also have the stubborn inheritance of local indigenous genes.
He has distinct features, dark skin, thick lips, but brown hair. He is not tall, nor is he pot-bellied, but just a little fat.
He spoke a long string of words, but I only understood three words: "Mister Wan."
He Yun translated for me: "A warm welcome to Mr. Wan, the miracle doctor from China. Thank you for your hard work. Although I have never been to China, that sacred land has a great appeal to me."
Mr. Zheng smiled at He Yun and said, "It should be translated as: Although I haven't been there, I have long yearned for China. This fully expresses Mr. Crook's meaning."
He Yun winked at me, meaning that he only graduated from junior high school.
Mr. Zheng made a "please" gesture and we walked towards the room.
The three of them sat down and He Yun served coffee.
Crook spoke to Mr. Zheng again. Mr. Zheng translated for me, saying, "Mr. Crook wants to inquire about my treatment plan."
I said, "Tell him what we had talked about."
Mr. Zheng translated it.
Crook spoke for another three or four minutes.
Mr. Zheng translated it and said that what Crook meant was that they had not yet completely convinced his eldest brother Cruz. Given Cruz's medical background, he still did not quite believe in traditional Chinese medicine.
The reason for inviting Mr. Wan here was the unanimous decision of their family meeting. So, if Cruz behaves impolitely when they meet tomorrow, he must ask Mr. Wan for forgiveness.
I nodded and said, "I understand."
After listening to Mr. Zheng's translation, a smile appeared on Crook's solemn face.
Compared with the Chinese people's euphemisms, Crook was very straightforward. Through Mr. Zheng's translation, Crook expressed this meaning: as long as I can cure his elder brother, he will give me two million dollars.
Mr. Zheng had just finished translating when He Yun reminded me, "Don't be polite. If you say no, no, he really won't pay."
Mr. Zheng said, "It's impossible not to ask for it, but if you say you don't want that much, you must give an exact number. If he agrees with that number, he will definitely keep his promise."
Two million US dollars, more than 10 million RMB. This is the first time I've ever received such a large sum in a single transaction.
He Yun interjected, "For his family, this is a very small amount of money. The main reason is that they are somewhat skeptical about whether you can completely cure him."
Crook looked at the three of us communicating in Chinese, but he couldn't understand a word, and a flush appeared on his face.
I knew that this redness from the neck all the way down to the face was called anxiety. Sure enough, he said a few more words to Mr. Zheng. Mr. Zheng translated it for me:
"If Mr. Wan thinks it's not enough, you can add more."
I was confused for a moment. How much should I add?
He Yun gently touched my feet from below, put his hand where Crook couldn't see, and grabbed me with his five fingers.
Five million? My head is spinning.
Five million is more than 30 million RMB.
I looked at Mr. Zheng. He didn't seem to have any reaction. I could understand—he had deep ties to the Crook family. He couldn't possibly be completely biased towards me. So, he couldn't express himself.
I thought about it and said, "Now is not the time to negotiate the price. Let's talk about it after we examine Cruz's condition tomorrow."
After listening to Mr. Zheng's translation, Crook said another string of words.
Mr. Zheng said: "Crook said you are a very honest person."
The meeting was over in less than half an hour. Crook clasped his hands together, took three steps back, waved, and turned away.
Mr. Zheng said to He Yun, "You will be fully responsible for everything Mr. Wan does here, including everything related to his return home. Your daily needs, translation, and guidance—everything is up to you. I'll come back tomorrow morning."
I walked Mr. Zheng to the door and returned to the room. He Yun said, "Mr. Wan, if you ask, you have to ask for at least five million."
I didn't answer him. I just smiled.
He sat down and introduced me to some of the customs and precautions of the Philippines. He said that I should pay special attention to tipping. Of course, he prepared pesos for me and decided how much to tip each time.
I thought about it. This guy was very flexible, but after all, he was just trying to make a living, and all he cared about was money. And I couldn't speak English, so Chairman Zheng couldn't always be around me. So, I had to obey his instructions in everything.
He can deceive me, cheat me, scare me, and coax me. I shouldn't have the intention to harm others, but I must always be on guard against them. I must set rules for him now and let him know how powerful I am.
After listening to his introduction, I smiled and said, "Thank you very much. I will pay you some labor fees when the time comes for your service."
He smiled slyly, "It depends on the situation. If the disease isn't cured, you won't have any income. This place isn't like back home. Back home, if you don't get cured, but you've worked hard, the host will give you a thank-you fee. That doesn't happen here."
Of course, if you really cured him, he won’t give you a penny less than what you ordered.”
I understand what He Yun means. If I don't make any money, there's no need to pay him for his services. If I did, he would definitely accept it.
I pointed to the mineral water on the cabinet and said, "I'm a country bumpkin and can't get used to coffee. Bring me the mineral water."
I'm ordering him around, and I have to set the rules for him right now—I'm the host. I'm the master, the guest invited by Chairman Zheng. You're just a translator and waiter.
He took a bottle and said, "People drink cold water abroad. Do you want to boil it?"
I said, "It's okay to drink it cold, just wash these two cups."
He said, "I'm not thirsty."
I said, “Let’s wash first.”
He was a bit puzzled and washed the cup, then placed it on the table. I twisted it and said, "Whether it can be cured depends on his condition. If there's a one percent chance, give it a 100 percent effort. Come, let's have a drink first, clink glasses, and wish you a happy cooperation."
"You want some wine? I'll buy some."
"No need, this is wine." I said, pointing to the glass of mineral water.
"This mineral water." he reminded me.
"Wine." I picked up the glass and clinked it with his, then took a sip.
He took a sip, and then his expression changed. He stared at me. After a long moment, he asked, "Did you conjure that?"
I shook my head and said, "No, that's the wine in the hotel, including that bottle."
He didn't believe it, so he found two more cups. By the time he went to get another glass of mineral water, I had already tampered with it.
I said, "You unscrew it yourself and pour it into the cup."
He unscrewed the bottle and poured half a cup. After taking a sip, his eyes widened and he stammered, "How is that possible? All the rooms are filled with mineral water."
I said, "Take a break. Take this glass of wine and drink it slowly."
He wanted to say something else, but I said, "See you tomorrow morning."
After he left, I took a shower and lay in bed, going over tomorrow's possible scenarios in my mind. I desperately wanted to make this money. I desperately wanted to cure this disease!
At this time, around nine in the evening, I called Xiaolin and told her I had arrived safely. I briefly explained the situation here, but didn't mention the money.
She asked, "What time is it over there?"
I said, "Nine o'clock in the evening. There is no time difference between the Philippines and China."
"Oh, I thought it was late at night over there."
I said, "Husband, come out. You should also check your phone to get an idea of the situation in the Philippines."
She said, "I don't care, you are Master Wan."
I burst out laughing: "Master Wan, he's deaf and dumb here. I just played a trick of turning mineral water into wine to intimidate the translator. Otherwise, if he sold me out, I would help him count the money, one hundred, two hundred, three hundred..."
Xiao Lin said, "You're talking nonsense again. Go to bed early and call every day. Your mother has asked several times today how far away you are and why you haven't called back yet."
I made a "boo" sound into the phone and asked, "This is a kiss across the sea, do you hear it?"
She said, "Hateful. Normally, he didn't show much, but now he's just pretending."
After hanging up the phone, I wondered why I was so happy. Was it because I had a pile of money in front of me?
That’s not all.
It is time to promote the prestige of China and Taoist medicine!
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