Edward couldn’t help but chuckle. “Doctor of Chinese medicine, are you trying to joke with me? If you don’t believe what I just said, how about we make a bet?”
“A bet? What kind?” Leo raised an eyebrow.
“It’s simple. If my miracle drug can’t cure Marico Kingsley’s father, and you manage to cure him with traditional Chinese medicine, I’ll immediately publish an article in a leading medical journal. In the article, I will personally apologize on behalf of myself for doubting Chinese medicine and admit that Chinese medicine surpasses ours. How about that?” Edward proposed.
Leo nodded, “That works.”
Edward gave Leo a sharp look and continued, “If you lose, you’ll apologize to me and acknowledge that Chinese medicine is ineffective.”
“Agreed,” Leo replied with a calm smile.
Merry wanted to say something but was pulled back by Noel, who signaled her to stay silent. Noel understood the significance of this bet and, most importantly, had confidence in Leo’s extraordinary skills.
Edward nodded and approached Gavin. He carefully examined Gavin’s back and arms before opening his suitcase. The interior was neatly organized with various Western medical instruments.
Edward took out a syringe and a small vial of liquid, saying to Gavin as he filled the syringe, “This is the latest developed miracle drug. A single injection will significantly alleviate your current symptoms.”
Lisa, standing nearby, exclaimed excitedly, “Is there really such a miraculous miracle drug?”
Lisa had accompanied Gavin to numerous hospitals and consulted many doctors, all of whom had been powerless to treat his condition. She had almost lost hope in Western medicine until she heard Edward’s words and witnessed his confident expression, reigniting her hope.
Marico Kingsley, quite self-assured, assured his mother, “Mom, you can relax. Dr. Edward is not just well-known in our country but internationally as well.”
Only someone of Marico Kingsley’s stature could have convinced Edward to travel such a long distance. After describing his father’s condition, Edward had made it clear that he could cure him.
If an ordinary person had invited him, even if Edward could treat the condition, he wouldn’t have come all the way to Langstel.
Mr. and Mrs. Noel had mixed expressions. On one hand, they hoped Edward could cure Gavin, but on the other hand, they were concerned about the bet between Leo and Edward.
After injecting the liquid into Gavin’s forearm vein, Edward asked Gavin to sit quietly for a moment, and the drug would take effect soon. Then Edward took out all the vials of the miracle drug from his suitcase and instructed Lisa to have a doctor administer it to Gavin daily.
Leo smiled and said, “Dr. Edward, your miracle drug hasn’t taken effect yet. Isn’t it a bit premature to make further arrangements?”
Edward gave Leo a sidelong glance, feeling victorious. “Don’t worry. My miracle drug will work. You better be prepared to apologize.”
Marico Kingsley thought Leo was unnecessary at this point and addressed him, “You must be Dr. Bloomer. I appreciate you coming to treat my father. Even though you haven’t done anything today, rest assured I won’t let you go unrewarded. You’ll still receive your consultation fee.”
Marico Kingsley believed that Leo was worried about not getting paid.
Leo declined directly, “No need for a consultation fee. I wouldn’t have come today if it weren’t for Mr. Fox’s invitation.”
Leo’s meaning was clear: he wasn’t here for Marico Kingsley’s fame or money but out of respect for Noel.
Marico Kingsley merely chuckled and refrained from further discussion. In his view, this guy named Leo might not be highly skilled, but he had quite an attitude.
About seven or eight minutes later, Merry couldn’t help but ask Gavin, “Little brother, how do you feel? Is there any improvement?”
Gavin, still in pain, shook his head, his arm tightly pressed against his waist and abdomen, immobilized.
Edward looked at his wrist to check the time and said, “The medicine doesn’t take effect that quickly. Wait a little longer.”
Everyone had no choice but to continue waiting. Another seven or eight minutes passed.
This time, Edward inquired, “How do you feel now? Can you move your hands?”
Gavin still shook his head, a pained expression on his face.
Five minutes later, Edward asked again, “What about now?”
At this point, beads of sweat were visible on Edward’s forehead.
“It’s the same as before,” Gavin replied, shaking his head. He even attempted to move his arm slightly, but the pain made him cry out.
Leo couldn’t help but speak up, “Dr. Edward, it’s been nearly half an hour, and your miracle drug is taking too long to work, isn’t it?”
Edward remained silent, repeatedly checking the time on his wrist, his forehead occasionally beading with sweat.
Marico Kingsley’s expression couldn’t hide his anxiety, and he finally asked, “Dr. Edward, why is it like this?”
“This… it shouldn’t be like this,” Edward stammered. He was bewildered because, based on his years of clinical experience, the medicine should have taken effect by now.
Leo didn’t want to waste any more time. He took a small box of needles from his pocket, approached Gavin, and said, “I told you earlier, for this condition, Western medicine doesn’t work. The solution is to take traditional Chinese medicine.”
With Edward’s miracle drug failing to produce results, no one stopped Leo when he decided to act.
Leo instructed Lisa to help Gavin remove his shirt. Lisa had no choice but to place her hopes in Leo’s hands and followed his request to undress her husband completely.
Gavin sat upright on the couch, and Leo took out three silver needles from the box. He inserted one needle into a specific acupoint on Gavin’s chest and the other two into acupoints on his back.
While inserting the needles, Leo infused a small amount of his spiritual energy. After the three needles were in place, Gavin’s complexion underwent a subtle change. His pain lessened, and he felt a bit more at ease.