Ding, ding…
In the early morning, the sharp sound of the doorbell jolted Jiang Hai from his sleep.
Groggily, he sat up and checked his phone—6:30 a.m. It was painfully early.
On a typical day, Jiang Hai might already be awake, but last night, he'd stayed up past two, preoccupied with thoughts of Darlene and the others. As a result, he was far from rested when the persistent ringing of the doorbell disrupted his sleep.
Since the person had made it through the outer gate, Robbins and the others must have allowed them in, which meant it was someone he knew. With a resigned sigh, Jiang Hai threw on a robe over his shorts and trudged downstairs.
Halfway down the staircase, he saw Cindy Clive standing outside, her finger still pressing the doorbell.
"It's so early. What's the matter?" he asked, surprised but slightly pleased to see her.
"It's about Darlene and the others. I told you I found a hospital," Cindy said, her cheeks turning slightly pink.
Jiang Hai was only wearing a robe over his shorts, his typical sleep attire. For a man living alone, he had no need for pajamas. However, mornings often came with their own... inconveniences. Given his enhanced physique, thanks to the modifications to his body, such "accidents" were becoming increasingly noticeable.
Cindy's blush deepened as she tried to maintain her composure.
"Uh… can I come in? Not like this," she said, hesitating and gesturing shyly at him.
Jiang Hai quickly realized what she meant. Embarrassed, he laughed awkwardly, adjusted his robe, and stepped aside to let her in. Cindy entered, taking a seat on the sofa, though she occasionally stole glances at him from the corner of her eye.
"Couldn't this have been a phone call?" Jiang Hai mumbled as he sat across from her, deliberately choosing a posture that concealed his earlier predicament. "It's so early. You don't look like you've slept much either."
"This isn't something that can be explained over the phone," Cindy said earnestly. "I had a classmate in college who majored in medicine—a real academic genius. She's Chinese, like me. After college, while I became a teacher, she pursued research and eventually opened her own laboratory. It's fully licensed and has a clinic attached. I think she might be able to help with Darlene's situation. It's better to get things checked out."
Jiang Hai frowned. "Can this person be trusted? You know how big of a problem it could be if Darlene and the others' situation gets exposed."
"I wouldn't suggest this if I wasn't certain," Cindy assured him. "My classmate is completely trustworthy. If we didn't need absolute discretion, we could've just gone to any clinic."
Jiang Hai considered her words for a moment. "I don't trust others, but I trust you. Where is this place? Let's go as soon as possible."
Hearing him say he trusted her, Cindy's heart softened. Though her expression remained calm, she was secretly relieved by his confidence in her.
"It's in Miami," Cindy replied. "My friend said she's free this week, so we can go any time."
"Miami, huh? Alright, let's go together," Jiang Hai decided.
"I can't go," Cindy said apologetically. "I have classes today. That's why I came so early to tell you. Otherwise, I'd go with you."
Jiang Hai hesitated. "We go alone? But we don't know anyone there…"
Cindy couldn't help but chuckle. "What are you afraid of? You're a billionaire! Have some confidence. Besides, my friend's clinic is in high demand. If you don't go soon, you'll need to wait ages for an appointment. You should leave today or tomorrow."
Sensing Jiang Hai's reluctance, Cindy gently patted his shoulder. "Come on, you're just going to see a doctor, not conquering new territory."
After a moment of hesitation, Jiang Hai sighed. "Alright… I'll book the tickets."
"Good. Don't delay, okay? I'll head out now. I still have to prepare for class," Cindy said with a smile before leaving the villa.
Jiang Hai sat on the sofa, biting his lip as he pulled out his phone to check flights from Boston to Miami.
"Did Teacher Cindy leave?"
Jiang Hai looked up to see Darlene and Marianne coming down from the second floor, dressed in cute pajamas. They had woken earlier but didn't want to interrupt Cindy and Jiang Hai's conversation.
"Yeah, she's gone," Jiang Hai replied distractedly.
The two girls cautiously descended the stairs, then settled on either side of him, perched on the armrests of his chair. The faint fragrance of their morning presence filled the air, but Jiang Hai remained calm, having grown used to their proximity over time.
"Did she say we're going to see a doctor?" Darlene asked curiously, glancing at his phone.
"Not exactly. It's more of a checkup," Jiang Hai explained. "You heard what I said last night—I want to help you start speaking freely. Pretending like this isn't a long-term solution."
"Oh…" Darlene nodded thoughtfully. "So after this, we'll be able to talk normally?"
"I hope so," Jiang Hai said, his voice serious.
"Great! When do we leave?" Marianne asked excitedly, grabbing his arm.
"Whenever you're ready," Jiang Hai replied, his earlier nervousness replaced with determination. At the very least, this trip would be a chance to resolve some of their challenges—and maybe even take a step forward for all of them.