Chapter 9: Consultation Fees

Having spent a lifetime in the officialdom, what kind of people has Mr. Wen not encountered? He has seen many who are cunning and those who deliberately pretend to be incorruptible in front of him.

Certainly, there are some reasons for this. His grandfather is a kind-hearted old man who often dispenses medication at cost price, especially for patients from families in difficult circumstances

The old man was taken aback; his psychological price point was one million. As long as his illness could be cured, he would be willing to let his daughter take out one million, even if it meant losing face. However, he did not expect that Fang Chen only asked for a labor fee of eight thousand to ten thousand

As soon as money was mentioned, Fang Chen became unclear. In the past, when he treated patients, he would double the cost based on the original price of the medicine. This is quite common in traditional Chinese medicine. For instance, if a prescription of herbal medicine consisted of twelve ingredients and the cost price was 30, he would charge 60.

What would I deceive you for? You are an old man, not a young lady!" Fang Chen said with a smile

not taking a single cent

Forget it, call me whatever you like, but the medical expenses are set at 500,000. Of course, I can only pay you after you finish treating me, because... I, an old man, have no money. I need to inform my little daughter.

Fang Chen estimated that, under the circumstances of yesterday, using golden light to treat Old Man Wen would only be able to eliminate a small amount of the tumors, impurities, and viscous substances in the esophagus at a time. Even with daily treatments, it would take at least two months to clean it all out.

For Fang Chen, treatment is easy, yet it is also very laborious

"Rest assured and speak freely to me, as long as you can cure my ailment, I will pay any amount. Do not be misled by my position as an official; my youngest daughter is a legitimate businesswoman, and she has wealth." Mr. Wen noticed that Fang Chen seemed somewhat hesitant, thinking that perhaps the price was a bit high, and he felt embarrassed to bring it up.

"Young man, what is your name?" After a moment of deep reflection, Old Wen suddenly uttered a remark that was off-topic

Considering the time, he has been treating the old man for nearly two months, and charging 10,000 yuan should be a reasonable price

"You rascal." Wen Lao chuckled and then quickly asked, "How much does it cost?"

At this moment, he could see that the young man in front of him spoke without a hint of hesitation in his eyes; he was speaking from the heart

What problems could I have? Let's get started... I will do my best to cooperate with you, little doctor, haha. The old man did not know why, but every time he chatted with Fang Chen, he felt very at ease, as if they were close friends and had a bond that transcended age.

As for this, Mr. Wen, to be honest, I am not sure how much it will cost. How about this: if I do not cure your illness, I will not charge you a single cent. If, by some stroke of luck, I do manage to cure you, you could give me around 10,000 to 8,000 as a token of appreciation for my efforts. What do you think?

What do you call me? Master Wen? Old Master Wen feels that this title has a somewhat derogatory connotation.

Your surname is Wen, isn't it? Did I get it wrong?

"Fang Chen." Old Wen nodded silently: "You young man are quite impressive, truly impressive. I will remember this name. However, regarding the medical expenses you mentioned, I cannot commend you. Ten thousand or eight thousand in today's society, what can that accomplish? Therefore, about the medical fees... I will take charge of this matter. Regardless of whether you can cure him or not, it will be five hundred thousand.

Mr. Wen, since you trust me so much, let us not delay any further. I will begin your treatment from now on... The first phase is tentatively set for two months; we can discuss any issues that arise later. Is that acceptable?

Thus, one has never saved much money in a lifetime

Hiss!

In the blink of an eye, regardless of whether Fang Chen can be cured or not, there is already five hundred thousand

"You little rascal, you didn't deceive me, did you?" Old Man Wen was somewhat agitated. He was the patient, and his thoughts were certainly different from Fang Chen's. Upon hearing that there was hope for a cure, the old man appeared somewhat exhilarated.

"It's fine, it's fine, there's no rush, but really, you don't need to give so much." Fang Chen felt that this money was somewhat burdensome.

But now, he does not need medication; he only needs to use his special abilities. However, at this moment, he is unaware of any limitations or side effects associated with using these abilities, so it is indeed difficult to determine this price

It is easy because there is no need for him to do anything at all; he only needs to concentrate, and his supernatural ability will go to help Old Man Wen with his illness

Of the sixty, half is the cost of goods purchased, and the other half consists of labor costs, rent, and so on

Haha, you rascal, I finally see what you are afraid of? So it turns out you are afraid of having too much money?

"Mr. Wen, please do not scare me. Really, I do not need such an expensive treatment for my illness..."

Although the family business is profitable, his grandfather worked his entire life and did not save much. In the end, he only bought two three-bedroom apartments in the county town, both of which were purchased with loans. One apartment is for his parents to live in, and the other is said to be reserved for his future marriage.

Fang Chen ultimately accepted this jade under the old man's insistence

It seems that Wen Lao often goes off-topic and answers questions that are not asked. However, those who understand him, or those familiar with the officialdom, are well aware of what it signifies when a high-ranking official takes the initiative to ask for your name

Ten thousand yuan, in a previous life, Fang Chen needed to work for a month to earn this amount, and after deducting expenses such as rent, utilities, and inventory, there would be less than five thousand left.

Let us not speak of the medical expenses; once the treatment is complete, I will give it to you. However, I do not want you to suffer a loss, my child, lest I find myself in a situation where I can no longer help, and my family refuses to give you any money..." As he spoke, the old man took a jade pendant from around his neck. This jade was a gift from his youngest daughter on his sixtieth birthday, not overly expensive, amounting to around one hundred thousand.

Fang Chen has never seen the world; this is not a sarcastic remark, but the truth. In his previous life, his family was well-off, but it was merely a middle-class household

However, it is exhausting, referring to the fact that after treating Old Man Wen, his body becomes extremely fatigued, as if every nerve cell is exceptionally weary

Moreover, it is uncertain whether it will recur after a thorough cleaning, so Fang Chen also does not dare to make any guarantees

Only Fang Chen is not within the system; he is unaware of these intricacies. Upon hearing the old man ask for his name, Fang Chen slapped his forehead.

Money is hot to the touch, and jade is also hot to the touch; Fang Chen now feels a slight sense of worry

Look at my memory; I've been chatting for so long and still haven't introduced myself. Hehe, my name is Fang... Chen, with "Fang" meaning upright and "Chen" meaning stars.

He is not an idiot either. It is naturally a good thing to receive money and gifts from others, but you must also have the ability to handle it. Otherwise, after taking their money and goods, how will you explain yourself later

This is just a small token of appreciation, a way to thank you for saving my life yesterday. I have never owed anyone anything in my life, except for you, young man. You saved me once yesterday, and when I think back on it, I can't help but feel a sense of nostalgia. Moreover, if you can cure my esophageal cancer, I truly wouldn't know how to repay this kindness... Just take it, young man, and don't make this old man unhappy. You haven't seen me angry; when I get angry, to use a popular phrase, even I am afraid of myself.

"It is not to be used, Master Wen." Fang Chen did not know the value of this jade, but seeing the old man take it off from himself, it must be a personal item that had been with him for many years; this is indeed a token of affection