Chapter 352 James's Treatment Method
James heard the ruckus behind him and couldn't help but grin. That old, familiar rush was back, like he was in the City of Mysteries again, before he got hitched to the Johnsons, not giving a damn about anyone.
One of his bodyguards, seeing James still smiling, thought he must've lost it. "Dr. Smith, Walter's not the forgiving type. You messed with him today; he's not gonna let it slide."
The bodyguard was trying to be nice, hinting that James should apologize. But James just shrugged, "No worries, I hold grudges, too."
James followed the bodyguard into Derek's room.
Edwin saw him and lit up, stepping forward, "Finally, Mr. Smith, you're here."
Everyone in the room turned to look at James, their jaws practically hitting the floor. Edwin and the other docs had seen him at the hospital and knew how bad his burns were, totally wrecking his face. But now, the scars were almost gone. Just a few pockmarks left, and the nasty flesh color had vanished. It actually looked fine from a distance.
Derek and his crew were stunned at how young James looked, about the same age as Walter.
"Mr. Smith, your face," Edwin said, eyes wide, totally baffled.
The other doctors crowded around, checking out James's face from every angle, muttering, "Unbelievable! How did such bad burns heal so fast?"
"This changes everything we know about the human body."
"A miracle, seriously."
"Mr. Smith, what did you do? What meds did you take?" The doctors were all over him with questions.
Seeing their reactions, James just touched his nose with a wry smile. He knew his fast-healing scars would freak people out.
But he couldn't really explain it. Even if he tried, they probably wouldn't buy it. Most folks didn't get the whole Qi thing. Even James found it hard to explain why Qi was a thing.
So he quickly changed the subject to Derek, "You must be Derek?"
He walked up to Derek, showing the respect a junior should. Even though they hadn't met before, James could tell Derek wasn't afraid of death and wasn't a jerk.
As he got closer, he started checking out Derek's condition, already making a rough diagnosis in his head. Derek stared at James in surprise.
James began diagnosing Derek, nailing his condition. Everyone went quiet, watching him closely.
Just then, the door creaked open. Walter, eyes all puffy, tiptoed in. But nobody even glanced his way.
"Derek, you've been hitting the bottle pretty hard these past few years, huh?" James let go of Derek's hand, grinning.
Derek chuckled, rough and raspy, "Booze is my second life."
James nodded, "Yeah, booze can be a real friend. Helps you forget your crap and remember old pals. People who love drinking aren't really into the booze; they're into the memories of lost friends and the good old days."
Derek's body stiffened, his eyes narrowing. He'd never told anyone, not even Vincent, his closest buddy, that he drank to remember the friends he'd lost and the life he'd lived. But James had nailed it.
"Impressive." Derek gave James a thumbs up, starting to see why a big-shot doc like Edwin thought so highly of this young guy.
James smirked, "Derek, your health issues are mostly from all that drinking. Do you regret it?"
That question was kinda bold. Even Vincent and the others, along with Edwin and Joe, frowned a bit.
Walter wanted to snap at James, but something about James's plain face made him hesitate, feeling a weird fear.
Derek was taken aback, not expecting such a question. He thought for a moment, then burst out laughing, "Never regretted it."
"Good." James said, genuinely impressed, showing his respect for Derek.
Derek might not have the same presence as Grandpa Alistair, but his attitude towards life was something even Grandpa Alistair couldn't match.
"In that case, how about a drink with me?" James's eyes sparkled.
Even Derek, usually so composed, was puzzled. Wasn't James here to treat him? Why was he inviting him for a drink?
He glanced at Edwin. Everyone thought James had lost it. Derek's health was in shambles, and he was inviting him for a drink? Was he trying to kill him?
Walter's face turned red with anger, eyes glaring at James.
Joe couldn't hold back, "Dr. Smith, are you serious? Derek's condition got worse just a few days ago from a couple of drinks. Alcohol will just kill him."
But James just smiled, "It's cool. With Derek's condition, a little booze won't hurt."
Edwin gently tugged at James's sleeve, whispering, "Mr. Smith, are you sure? In Derek's state, even a drop could be fatal."
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