Chapter 353 Thirty Year Old Wine
Anyone with common knowledge would be smart enough to know alcohol would just kill Derek with his condition.
Edwin was getting pretty ticked off. What was up with James today? He'd really messed up big time. If it were anyone else, Edwin would've already chewed them out.
But James just grinned, "Nah, for Derek, this is the way to go."
Edwin's frown got even deeper. James was his guy. If Derek kicked the bucket, Edwin would be in hot water, too. It wasn't that he was scared of dying, but this just wasn't the right move.
"Dr. Smith," Edwin started.
James cut him off, "Edwin, have I ever let you down?"
Edwin was taken aback and didn't know what to say. James took the chance to ask Derek, "Derek, do you trust me?"
Derek didn't answer right away. He stared hard at James, trying to figure him out.
But James's eyes stayed calm, making it impossible to see through.
Derek had met a lot of people in his life. But rarely had he come across someone like this, especially someone not even thirty. It threw him for a loop.
Vincent, seeing Derek's hesitation and urge to agree, couldn't help but say, "Derek, you gotta think this through."
Joe and the others rushed up to talk Derek out of it, while also blaming James for saying such reckless stuff.
James just smiled quietly, watching Derek to see what he'd decide.
To James, Derek's illness wasn't that big of a deal. Fixing it wasn't hard. He had at least five ways to cure Derek. The most efficient and thorough one was this method.
For an illness like Derek's, regular medical methods were a long shot, or it might even be incurable—a death sentence. But James wasn't some average doc. He could use Qi in his body to channel it into Derek's, fixing him up.
But this method was too wild to reveal. Otherwise, people might think he was some kind of freak.
"Alright." After a moment of thinking, Derek nodded firmly.
Everyone was immediately shocked and rushed to talk Derek out of it, while also blaming James for being reckless. Joe even bluntly said, "Dr. Smith, do you know who Derek is? If something happens to him, can you handle it? Not just you, none of us can take that heat, got it?"
Joe's harsh tone was full of real anger.
Others also laid into James. James didn't blame them. After all, this kind of thing was hard for regular folks to get. He'd let the results do the talking.
He didn't argue, just kept a faint smile. Seeing him still able to smile, Joe and the others got even more pissed. They regretted ever thinking highly of him. He was clearly a nutjob, a stubborn fool.
"Enough," Derek said, his tone impatient and commanding, making everyone shut up.
"Dr. Smith's got a point. Look at me, I'm already on my way out. Whether I drink or not, I'm still gonna kick the bucket. It's just a matter of a few more days," Derek said, all chill and indifferent about life and death. "Instead of dragging it out, I'd rather have one last good time."
Derek then told Vincent to bring his favorite drink. He wanted to have a proper drink before he checked out.
Seeing him like this, everyone felt a deep sadness, like they were watching a man give fate the middle finger one last time.
At the same time, their dislike and hatred for James grew. They thought James was just a cocky jerk.
Walter tried to talk Derek out of it, but Derek wouldn't budge. Frustrated, he glared at James and warned, "James, if my grandpa's in danger, I'll end you."
James just ignored him. Soon enough, Vincent had someone bring in a jar of wine, aged for years. Even with the lid still on, a whiff of its aroma could be seen.
Seeing the jar, Derek's eyes softened, and a nostalgic look crossed his face.
"Derek, thirty-year-old wine, I got it," Vincent said, his eyes red and voice choked up.
Everyone felt the same. Even Edwin, who was used to seeing life and death, felt bad. He had thought bringing James in could save Derek, but he never expected this. If he had known, he wouldn't have called James.
But it was too late for regrets. James had already gotten Derek's okay. Now he could only hope James wasn't just blowing smoke and actually had a way to save Derek, though he didn't really believe it.
Derek slowly reached out, touching the thirty-year-old wine, his eyes full of emotion. "Thirty years, man, time flies."
James was also moved, realizing that this jar of wine was from his comrade's daughter.
And he carried it with him, clearly thinking of having a drink before he died. In a way, James was fulfilling Derek's wish.
Derek examined the jar for a while before making up his mind and resolutely opening the lid. Instantly, a rich, fragrant aroma filled the air, intoxicating everyone.
"Thirty-year-old wine, that's the stuff," Derek suddenly laughed, tears in his eyes. At this moment, his image in everyone's mind rose once again.
James also laughed. He went over, picked up the jar, and began pouring wine for Derek. "Here, Derek, let me pour you a drink," James said.
The jar was really heavy. But in James's hands, it seemed as light as a feather. He lifted it effortlessly, astonishing everyone in the room, especially Walter, who was deeply shocked. He had secretly tried lifting the jar before. He could lift it, but not as easily as James did.
James then poured himself a glass, set the jar down, and handed one glass to Derek and kept one for himself. "Here, Derek, I rarely admire anyone. You're special. I toast to you."
With that, James downed his glass first.
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