In the first-floor lobby of the hotel, a man lay collapsed on the ground, his body wracked with convulsions from violent coughing, throwing the scene into chaos.
A frantic hotel employee pleaded with the surrounding crowd, "Is there anyone here with medical training? A doctor or a nurse? Please, help this gentleman...!"
He had already called for an ambulance, but the guest's condition was so severe, he feared the man wouldn't last until it arrived.
No one stepped forward to help.
Just as Iris Jennings and her friend walked in through the main entrance, they saw the commotion. Iris immediately pushed forward. "Everyone, make way! I'm a medical student, I can save him! Can someone tell me what happened?"
"I don't know. He just twisted open his water bottle, took a sip, and this happened."
A water bottle lay on the ground, its contents spilled everywhere.
Iris Jennings immediately reached a conclusion. "He looks like he's severely choked on water, which has caused fluid to build up in his lungs. That's why he can't stop coughing."
"So what do we do?"
"We need to perform first aid immediately, or he'll suffocate and die!" Iris Jennings had someone bring over a throw pillow and, with the help of a kind bystander, propped up the man's back. Then she began to press on the man's chest with forceful, rhythmic compressions.
The onlookers saw this and began to murmur among themselves:
"Isn't that the technique for CPR? Does that work for choking on water?"
"I don't know. I'm not a doctor."
"She did prop up his back, so it should work, right?"
"What terrible luck, choking like this from a simple sip of water. Must be bad karma, huh?"
"Look, he's foaming at the mouth. You don't think he's possessed, do you?"
Iris Jennings administered first aid with brimming confidence, but when there was no effect after a minute, she inevitably began to panic.
'This is what my professor taught me. Why isn't it working?'
Someone already began to question her. "Do you even know what you're doing? His convulsions are getting worse."
"Hey, kid, don't 'save' him to death. You'll be held legally responsible, you know."
"If it's not working, just stop! What if you end up hurting him?"
"Are you sure you're a medical student? Is this really the skill level of medical students these days?"
"I'm recording this. If she kills him, I can provide the video as evidence..."
In that instant, Iris Jennings was utterly panicked. It felt wrong to continue the treatment, but it also felt wrong to get up and leave.
'I thought it was just a simple case of choking, that he'd be easy to revive. Word would spread at my university, and I'd become famous. It would help me graduate with flying colors and land an internship at a major hospital. But if this man doesn't wake up…'
Just as Iris Jennings was at a complete loss, a hand suddenly grabbed her arm and unceremoniously shoved her aside.
"Ah...!" Iris Jennings cried out, falling to the ground in a clumsy, undignified heap.
Aria Sterling, who had shoved her aside, knelt in front of the man. She raised her right hand, a talismanic seal invisible to ordinary people coalescing in her palm, and then slammed it hard onto the man's chest...
At that same moment, Landon Hawthorne, having just finished a meeting, also walked over.
He entered the inner circle of the crowd and saw Aria Sterling kneeling on the floor, her palm still pressed against the man's chest.
Landon Hawthorne couldn't help but narrow his eyes.
Iris Jennings was just trying to figure out how to pass the buck when this woman showed up.
She grabbed Aria and held on. "Who are you? Why did you stop me from saving him? Do you have any idea you could go to jail for endangering his life? You..."
"PTUI..."
The man on the ground suddenly turned his head to the side and spat out a huge mouthful of water.
And his convulsions stopped instantly.
Only Aria Sterling could see a resentful spirit within the water the man had coughed up, which fled the moment it was expelled.
Iris Jennings, who had been about to pin the blame on Aria Sterling, was speechless. "..."
She was dumbfounded.
'Why did he get better after she slapped him just once?'
'It must be because my treatment was starting to work. This woman just swooped in and stole the credit at the last second.'
'So shameless! How dare she steal my glory!'
Instantly, the tone of the surrounding crowd's discussion shifted:
"See, *this* girl knows what she's doing. One smack and he stopped convulsing and even spit out the water he'd choked on."
"And that first one called herself a medical student. What a liar, right?"
"All that time she spent pretending to do compressions, and all it took was one good slap from someone else."
"If all medical students are as useless as her, the future of our country's healthcare system is in serious trouble."
"She should learn from the other girl. Why waste time putting on a show when one simple move could solve the problem?"
"Exactly! Delaying a patient's treatment time is practically murder..."
These comments fell on Iris Jennings's ears like sharp knives, slashing her pride and confidence to ribbons.
'When had she ever been so misunderstood and ridiculed?'
Unwilling to accept this, she pointed at Aria Sterling's back. "I was the one treating him! This woman just came out of nowhere..."
At that moment, Aria Sterling stood up and shot Iris Jennings a sidelong glance.
Iris Jennings's voice died in her throat. It was Aria Sterling.
She couldn't believe it, nor did she want to. Her face contorted with rage as she demanded, "What are you doing here?"
'Aria Sterling has been married to Landon Hawthorne for days now. Why isn't she dead from his curse yet?'
'Why did she have to show up here and steal my credit?'
'Aria Sterling must have done this on purpose to humiliate me and make everyone laugh at me.'
Furious, Iris Jennings grabbed onto Aria Sterling. "You're so malicious! I was the one who saved him, and you came to steal my credit! How can you be so vile?"
Aria Sterling's gaze was cool and detached. Faced with Iris Jennings's fury, she replied with an understated calm, "Who are you? Do I know you?"
"You..." Iris Jennings was both stunned and flustered.
After all she'd said, Aria Sterling's simple retort made her feel like a performing clown.
"I was clearly the one who saved him!" Iris Jennings argued. "I'm a medical student! Have you ever studied medicine? Do you even know how to save someone? You just came over to deliberately steal my credit, didn't you?"
"I'm not a doctor. You saved him just now. Happy?" Aria Sterling said nonchalantly.
This only made the surrounding crowd point and whisper about Iris Jennings even more.
Iris Jennings stomped her foot in frustration.
The man who had been choking was now on his feet, supported by a hotel employee.
He felt he'd had a close call. He never imagined that a simple sip of water could cause him to choke to the point of suffocation.
It had felt as if a hand were clamped around his throat, cutting off his breath.
In a daze, his consciousness blurring, it was as if he had seen Death itself.
The hotel employee pointed to Aria Sterling and Iris Jennings, saying to him, "Young Master Ford, these two young ladies are the ones who saved you."
Owen Ford nodded and walked over. "Thank you both. My name is Owen Ford. Please allow me to treat you to a meal. I must repay you for saving my life."
"So he's the young master of the Ford family! Those two girls are about to hit the jackpot."
"I'm so jealous. If I'd known, I would've gone up to help. The Ford family is incredibly powerful."
"Oh no, I didn't even recognize Young Master Ford when he was lying on the ground! And I have a business partnership to discuss with the Ford family..."
Some were shocked, others filled with regret.
"Hello, Young Master Ford. I'm a daughter of the Jennings family. I'm a medical student on the verge of graduating. It was just a small effort on my part, no need for thanks." Internally, Iris Jennings was ecstatic as she immediately took all the credit.
'As it happens, the Jennings family is negotiating a project with the Ford family. Maybe after today, the deal will be sealed. When that happens, Dad will definitely give me some of his shares.'
"Thank you, Miss Jennings. They say those who study medicine are kind-hearted, and you truly are a beautiful and kind angel," Owen Ford said, then turned his gaze to Aria Sterling. "And how should I address this young lady?"