Qiao Rui is getting tired of waiting for the results of the blood test he asks the male nurse how much longer it will be. He is impatient he is used to being in control at his hospital and lab. “How much longer should it be for the results?”

     The male nurse is tired this is his third straight night working fourteen hour shifts. Normally he would think of something to say to assure the patient it wouldn't take very long but he can barely think“I don't know there is a patient that was flown in with a severe allergic reaction, they need to expedite her blood work analysis.”

     Fuck! Maybe he should leave and wait for the results to be sent by messenger to the hotel. “You only have one lab technician working the night shit?” This hospital should have more resources if it belongs to the Leng and Zhou families.

     “Two technicians it is the off peak season at the hotels so we don't have as many tourists.” He is looking at his watch he gets off work in a half hour and can't wait to hit his bed.

     “Hmm...Where is your lab located?”

     “Why?” He doesn't know Qiao Rui is a doctor.

     “I'm a doctor and I also own a lab for research.” He looks at his watch it is four o'clock in the morning, it should be about two o'clock in the afternoon in Pushong City. He can't analyze his own blood work that would cast doubt on the accuracy but he could easily run tests on the other patient's blood. He takes his cell pone out dialing Zhou Li Wei, “Li Wei it is Rui I have a favor to ask of you.”

     “Qiao Rui you didn't even call me when you returned to Pushong City now the first call is for a favor?” He starts laughing, Rui always gets right to the point.

     “I have been busy, did Bai Chiyu send you the thank you for your generous donation?”

     “Got it, when is construction starting on the new wing?”

    “I approved the blueprints the beginning of the week so it should begin soon. I'm in Shingu City at your Seaside Hospital, I need you to give permission for me to run some blood tests in your lab.”

    “ Tell them to expedite it if you are in a rush.” Rui doesn't mention he is currently being seen as a patient that might influence his decision.

    “You are understaffed, make the call.”

    “...” It's the off season why do they need more people there. “I will call, go to the nurse's desk to get the card to let you into the lab.”

     “En.”

    Qiao Rui walks to the door of the room with a commanding tone he tells him, “You can leave I'm going to the lab.”

    The male nurse is staring at Qiao Rui, these VIP patients are too arrogant. On the other hand this VIP is his last patient that means he can leave early. Looking forward to his three days off he nods, after Quiao Rui leaves he turns off the lights following him out to the nurse's station.

    The nurse a moment ago got off the phone with Zhao Li Wei's assistant and is the process of activating a card for Rui access to the lab. When he approaches the desk he asks directions to the lab, she points to the elevator informing him the lab is on the third floor. “Dr. Qiao you need to have the patient number assigned to the blood work, we don't put patient room numbers or names on the vials to protect their privacy.”

    That makes sense to Qiao Rui  taking the card and patient number he walks to the elevator, wondering what is urgent about the blood work of the patient ahead of him. He could wait but he is impatient to see what kind of drug he ingested, he is very careful of what he puts in his body and shuns pharmaceuticals even when he is ill. Additionally he wants to quickly shut down whoever wants his reputation ruined, find the woman and exact revenge.

     He swipes the access card entering the lab, the middle aged lab technician wasn't informed he was coming and is startled almost spilling the vial of blood in his hand. 

     Dammit who is this man, he doesn't recognize him and the security is extremely tight around the lab. Frowning he arches his gray eyebrows,“Who are you?”

     He is upset he is holding a dropper concentrating on placing a drop of blood onto the microscope slide when Rui enters the lab. He has already tested it with the automated blood analysis machine  but he wants to do a manual analysis to confirm something.

     “My name is Dr. Qiao Rui I'm here to assist you.”

     Qiao Rui..Dr. Qiao Rui? Why is here in Shingu City in his lab, this is exciting he would like to know about the research he is conducting on inhibiting blood flow after an injury and cell regeneration using rare herbs.

   He gets up off his chair and bows, “ I am Dr. Huang David, Dr. Qiao it is my honor to meet you.”

    “You are not the lab technician?”

    “ I am a friend of the Leng family and they allow me to use the lab for my research without paying a fee so in return I do lab testing for the hospital.”

     When Huang David mentions Leng Shuai during their conversation Rui clenches his fists at his side fucking bastard taking LiMei to his home to do work for him. He composes himself, “ I read your article ' Sea Moss May Hold the Key to Anti Aging.' I think your hypothesis has significant potential.”

     Huang David was severely criticized for this article when it was published, his research is being  opposed by  the large cosmetic companies whose business sells billions in dollars worth of skin anti aging products. His eyes light up listening to Qiao Rui acknowledge his researh.

    Rui tells him to sit then inquires about the patient #34642, he will be taking over that lab analysis while the lab technician analyses the patient #34641. He washes his hands in the sink then puts on gloves, he picks up the vial of blood.

   “Dr. Qiao I have begun testing the sample for patient “34642 using the automated machine here is the printout, but I think you should see this under the microscope.” Huang David has never seen a blood sample that contains unidentified blue particles that seem to be trying to destroy the white blood cells.

     Rui looks into the microscope, what the fuck! “The seal of this blood sample was intact when you received it?”

    “Yes.”

    Dr. Woo is a poison expert and Rui has studied under him for years, most people would be baffled with no idea what the hexagonal shaped cells are in her blood. He adjusts the microscope, whoever this patient is they were exposed at some point to a poisonous plant called Azure Fairy Death it doesn't affect animals but it is deadly to humans if it enters their bloodstream. 

     Contact with the bright blue pistil of the plant through a cut should have killed the person instantly but this patient's natural antibodies are wiping out the foreign cells albeit slowly. Also the patient must be able to control their qi to slow down the blood flow in their body inhibiting the mutant cell growth.

     Even so if the person doesn't receive the antidote within seventy two hours of exposure they will die without ever waking up studying the rate of growth of the abnormal blue stained cells compared to the rate of destruction of them by the antibodies. This patient is not simple to be able to ward off this poison he must have martial arts background with a powerful Master adept with poisons.

    Qiao Rui blurts out, “Is this patient currently in a coma? When was the patient brought into the hospital?” He knows Dr. Huang can't answer his questions but he needs to know some answers or the patient will die. “Contact Dr. Mu immediately the patient is in grave danger.”

    Dr. Huang believes him his face shows a worried expression, he picks up the phone, Dr. Mu has returned to LiMei's room after taking care of the injured people in the emergency room. He is in the middle of reassuring Leng Shuai that LiMei should be fine in the morning when his beeper goes off. He walks to the phone and calls the lab, “Dr. Huang what is the urgency?” He told him to send the results up when he is finished why is he calling?”

    “Dr. Mu the patient whose blood you sent down is in serious danger according to the results of the blood analysis.”

     Leng Shuai has finally calmed down and is sipping tea on the couch after Dr. Mu told him LiMei isn't in danger.He leans his head back to rest. Gao Lani is standing by LiMei's bed adjusting the drip, as she touches LiMei's forehead her fever doesn't seem to have gone down at all.

    “Nurse Gao I am going out I will be right back, “ He doesn't want to alert Leng Shuai of the problem he needs more information first.When he is outside the door, “Huang David what are you saying?”

    “Dr. Qiao is a renowned expert and he analyzed the blood sample his conclusion is the patient came in contact with a poisonous plant and the patient is in a critical state.”

    “Dr.Qiao what is he doing in the lab?” Huang David is grateful he is because he couldn't identify the problem. He knows Dr. Mu is a stickler for the rules. "Apparently he wanted his blood expedited and Zhou Li Wei gave him permission to analyze the patient's blood ahead of him.”

    Old Dr.Mu is exhausted this is the busiest night they have had at the hospital since the mining accident last year. Although he never would have allowed it if they had contacted him for Miss Feng this could be considered fortuitous. He shivers if anything happens to that girl Leng Shuai...he doesn't want to consider the possibility.

    “I'm coming to the lab.”

    When Dr. Mu enters he greets them, “Dr. Qiao can you explain to me your findings and the course of treatment you suggest for the patient.”

     Rui explains the situation then informs him his lab in Pushong City can create the antidote but time is of the essence. He is curious who this patient is telling Dr. Mu he would like to examine them, he feels giving acupuncture will slow down the person's blood inhibiting the flow of blood through their body. He doesn't have his needles with him they are in his hotel room, “Do you have any acupuncture needles available?”

    Dr. Mu responds curtly, “No.” He frowns on traditional Chinese medicine he was educated in the United States where it isn't widely accepted, when he was studying there he wanted to blend in with his colleagues so he would reject the idea acupuncture could be compared in effectiveness to modern techniques when the topic arose.

    Dr. Huang interjects, “I do.”

    Dr. Mu is shaking his head this is too unconventional, but Dr. Qiao is a friend obviously of the Zhou family so he can't say anything.

    “I can have my lab create the antidote but it is extremely costly I assume the patient can afford it.”

   The little girl is with Leng Shuai Dr. Mu assumes she is very  special to him, “Yes, contact them now.”

    Rui calls Dr. Woo and his lab, Dr. Woo will need to supervise and supply the rare herbs needed Dr.Mu is heading towards the door. ”Wait, Dr. Mu I need some quick details about the patient, sex, age. How long has the patient been infected?”

    He thinks for a moment weighing the pros and cons of having Qiao Rui treat the patient. He will instruct him to sign a paper as a consulting doctor, he can't survive the consequences if anything goes wrong with this girl.“The patient is female, approximately 20-23 years old, slender build about 6:30 last night. Dr. Qiao I will need you to sign as a consulting physician first.” He needs to cover his old ass.

     Typically Rui wouldn't get involved but he can use this as research material, interesting the patient is a young girl, he would have thought more likely a man who studies martial arts. “Xixin the patient is a female approximately 20-23 with a slender build, if you need more information call me. She was infected last night about 6:30 so you will need to have the antidote flown to Shingu City as soon as it is ready, have them place it in dry ice for the trip here, use our usual transport service they are reliable.”

Dr. Mu is impressed with Qiao Rui he thinks when he introduces this expert to Leng Shuai it will set his mind at ease. When he left Feng LiMei's room the tension in the air was suffocating. 

     He only has one more year until he retires this needs to go smoothly or the consequences  could be devastating. Through the years he has seen how Leng Shuai retaliates against anyone who displeases him, why did he have to be on duty tonight, he is too old for this!