Chapter Eight
"Doctor Harrison!"
The old woman immediately stood from her chair, walking out of the counter and immediately bowing to the old man.
"I asked what is going on here, Mrs. Higgins."
Doctor Harrison was a distinguished man in his late sixties, with silver hair neatly combed back and sharp eyes that missed nothing. His white coat was pristine, a stethoscope hanging around his neck like a medal of honour.
The receptionist, Mrs. Higgins, straightened immediately, pointing a trembling finger at Ren. "This... this vagrant was harassing me, Doctor Harrison!"
Ren squinted his eyes in disgust as he stared straight at Mrs Higgins. "Have you even looked at yourself in the mirror?"
Ren's words tore Doctor Harrison's gaze from Mrs. Higgins as they landed onto his cheap clothes and unremarkable appearance, making his expression hardened with instant judgment.
"Is this true, young man?"
"Obviously not. Why would I harass an old hag?" Ren tutted as he met the old man's gaze without flinching. "I came here to pay a child's medical bill. Four hundred two thousand dollars. This woman refused to even process the payment because of how I'm dressed and asked me to get out."
A scoff escaped Mrs. Higgins.
"As if someone dressed like you has that kind of money! I've been working here for thirty years. I know a con artist when I see one."
"Mrs. Higgins." Doctor Harrison raised a hand, silencing her. He turned back to Ren, his tone dripping with condescension. "Young man, I understand times are hard. But fabricating stories to gain access to hospital facilities—"
"I'm not fabricating anything." Ren's voice remained calm. "I'm here to pay in place of the child's sister. That's all."
"And I'm here to tell you that our patients require absolute peace and quiet. Not some vagrant causing scenes in our prestigious hospital's lobby."
Doctor Harrison stepped closer, trying to intimidate him. However, failing miserably as he was shorter than Ren in height. "Security should be here any moment. I suggest you leave before this becomes embarrassing for you, young man."
Ren sighed. 'Same story, different world. Judging books by covers never goes out of style, does it?'
He reached into his pocket, searching for his wallet.
Mrs. Higgins immediately stepped back. "Doctor! He's reaching for something! He might have a weapon!"
Two security guards burst through the main entrance at that exact moment with batons drawn and their eyes fixed on Ren.
Without another word, they charged in Ren's direction like some bull that had seen red.
Ren pressed his lips in a thin line as he swiftly dodged the attack, making the two guards hit the reception counter.
"Look, Doctor Harrison. If this matter goes out, it will definitely be bad for your hospital's reputation."
Ren's calm voice cut through the chaos like a knife through butter.
"Guards! Break this hooligan's legs and throw him out! How dare you threaten Doctor Harrison in his own hospital?!"
Mrs Higgins yelled as the two guards raised their batons ready to strike Ren. However, Doctor Harrison's cold voice froze him in his place.
"Wait."
"Doctor Harrison?" Mrs Higgins stared at Doctor Harrison in confusion as he sighed.
"Shut up, Mrs. Higgins." Doctor Harrison hissed as his hand came down on Mrs Higgins cheek, sending her knees to greet the floor.
"I told you to move the boy to the public room from the VIP cabin. But, you moved the child to the hall. Who will take responsibility for the hospital's reputation if word leaks?!"
"Doctor Harrison, I-"
"Doctor Harrison." Ren interrupted, already bored after four minutes into the drama, drawing Doctor Harrison's attention.
"I'm not really interested in your hospital's internal matters. Neither do I have some grudge against you. Just let me pay the bill quietly, move the child to another VIP cabin and continue his treatment. I'll tip you a thousand percent of the actual bill for the work."
Doctor Harrison froze at Ren's words.
The heavy silence of the lobby was punctuated only by the ragged breathing of Mrs. Higgins, who was clutching her reddened cheek.
"A thousand percent," Harrison repeated, his voice losing its edge at the absurdity of the situation.
No matter how rich someone is, how could they throw money like this? It simply didn't make sense.
"You'll pay four million dollars!? What kind of joke is that?! Do I look crazy to you!?"
"I don't like repeating myself, Doctor," Ren said, finally pulling his hand from his pocket with an old worn wallet clutched in his grip. "If I can't pay, I'll hand myself over."
"Hah! You sure as hell are a daring con-artist." Doctor Harrison gritted his teeth as he stared at the cheap, old wallet. "How would you like to pay, young man, cash or card?"
"Card." Ren rolled his eyes, pulling out the black card rewarded by the system to him.
Doctor Harrison squinted his eyes, trying to get a glance of the card in Ren's hand. However, failing to even get a glance of it for a good three seconds, he signalled one of the security guards to bring the card reader.
The guard scrambled, nearly tripping over Mrs. Higgins' chair as he grabbed the wireless terminal from the counter.
He held it out with a shaky hand, his eyes darting between Ren's calm face and the doctor's sweat-beaded forehead.
Ren didn't hesitate. He swiped the matte black card through the slot with a fluid motion, making the lobby fall into a deafening silence.
Doctor Harrison signalled the other guard swiftly with his eyes to be ready with his baton in case the card declined.
Mrs. Higgins peered up from the floor, her face a mask of bruised spite. She clutched her cheek tightly, her eyes gleaming with a desperate hope for revenge that the word "DECLINED" would flash in bright red on the screen of the card reader.
'System, you better not disappoint me.' Ren sighed as he watched the huge circle rotate on the screen. 'Why is the internet so slow here?'
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Ren tapped his boot as he looked around the lobby when something finally struck him.
'Shit. Shit. Shit. Does paying hospital bills of a woman's family member even qualify as spending on women?!'
Beep!
Before, Ren could remedy the situation he had fallen into. The sound everyone was desperately waiting for finally rang in the lobby.
"What is on the screen?!"