Power and Wealth-Chapter 1862

Afternoon.

Beijing.

Although it was the weekend and most hospital departments were handling emergencies with no outpatient services in the large courtyard, there were still a lot of people.

Huo Yibang finished his call with Secretary Dong. He called Dong Xuebing after arriving for two reasons: first, out of respect for Secretary Dong. Although Secretary Dong had told him beforehand, Huo Yibang still needed to inform him. Second, to show respect for the hospital. Looking at the crowds and the large plaques with the hospital's name, he still felt a sense of awe. Though he knew this was the best hospital in Beijing, arriving still gave him a psychological shock and respect.

His wife was standing beside him, listening in, “Did you finish the call?”

Huo Yibang nodded, “Yes, I called. Secretary Dong said it’s fine, and someone will arrange everything for us.”

His wife seemed uneasy, “Secretary Dong has that much influence?”

Huo Yibang wasn’t entirely sure, “He said it would be fine, so it should be.”

“But this is the PLA General Hospital,” his wife said, glancing at the sign. “Last time, one of my classmates came to Beijing for treatment. They couldn’t even get an appointment with a specialist at a regular top-tier hospital; they only managed to get a regular consultation. They were told there were no rooms when they tried to get admitted. They said you need to book months in advance, and even then, you’re not guaranteed a spot.”

Huo Yibang sighed, “Hospitals in Beijing are like that.”

“Dad, Mom, I feel bad,” their child said, looking pale.

“Alright, alright, don’t worry, I’ll call now,” Huo Yibang quickly ended the conversation with his wife and found Secretary Dong’s number. After a deep breath, he dialed it.

Beep beep beep.

It took a while for the call to connect.

A woman’s voice answered, “Hello, who is this?”

Since Dong Xuebing had mentioned that the person on the other end was a Major General, Huo Yibang spoke with great respect, “Director Liu, hello, hello, I’m Huo Yibang. Secretary Dong asked me to come, and I want to bring my child to see a doctor. We haven’t figured out the problem, and Secretary Dong asked me to come to you for help.”

There was a brief pause on the other end. “Dong Xuebing sent you to me?”

“Yes,” Huo Yibang replied, “Secretary Dong gave me your number.”

Director Liu replied, “I see. Where are you now?”

“We’re downstairs in the hospital,” Huo Yibang said. “We don’t know which entrance to go through.”

Director Liu said, “Alright, just wait downstairs. I’ll have someone come down to greet you. I’ve just finished surgery, so I’ll be a bit busy. Once I’m done, I’ll personally check on your child. Since Secretary Dong sent you, don’t worry about the rest. I’ll take care of everything for you. You don’t need to worry about the hotel. If hospitalization is needed, have a family member accompany the child. We have a partner hotel, and I’ll arrange for you to stay there, free of charge.” 𝔯Ἀ₦ȪᛒĘS

Huo Yibang quickly expressed his thanks.

About two minutes later, someone came down to meet them.

They went upstairs and didn’t need to register or even pay. The medical staff directly took the child for a series of tests.

Huo Yibang blinked, “Nurse, what about the payment for these tests and scans?”

The nurse whispered, “You don’t need to pay. Director Liu instructed us to give special treatment to patients who friends sent. Even if you need to pay later, it will just be a token amount.”

Finally, Director Liu herself arrived.

The tests, examinations, and hospitalization procedures were completed very quickly. They didn't have to do much—the hospital already arranged everything. They even got a private room, and the environment was excellent. After everyone had left, Huo Yibang and his wife exchanged a glance. They finally realized just how much influence Secretary Dong had in this place. Their treatment couldn’t be described as "face" anymore. You have to understand that Secretary Dong didn’t even give the hospital a heads-up; he gave Huo Yibang a call, and after Huo Yibang made a call, everything was taken care of. What does this mean? Both Huo Yibang and his wife understood the situation clearly.

Northern Shaanxi.

Provincial Capital.

At an Omega boutique.

Dong Xuebing didn’t take the situation with Huo Yibang too seriously. Liu Xuemei had a great relationship with the Xie family and was a core member of the Xie faction. If she couldn’t help with something like this, and Dong Xuebing didn’t have enough "face" for it, he might as well quit and find a wall to crash into.

Hmm, this watch looks pretty good.

Dong Xuebing immediately turned his head. "Excuse me, could you show me that model?"

The saleswoman hesitated for a moment but still walked over. She had already started to suspect that this young man might not be as simple as he seemed.

Dong Xuebing pointed at a watch in the display case.

The saleswoman took it out. "This is one of our best-selling mechanical women's watches. It costs 108,000 RMB, waterproof up to 150 meters, and the movement is..." She went on with a detailed introduction.

It was a silver stainless steel watch, quite substantial for a women's watch. The price was reasonable, and the style suited Fang Wenping’s tastes—sleek and business-like, exuding a "strong woman" vibe. It was also more expensive than her Cartier, putting it in a higher class. Hmm, not bad.

Dong Xuebing wasn’t one to overthink when buying things. If it looked good, that was enough. He wasn’t particularly bothered about the money. He said, “Please adjust the bracelet to fit my wrist size. I’m gifting it to someone.” His wrist was roughly the same size as Fang Wenping’s.

The saleswoman paused. "Should I prepare the invoice?"

Dong Xuebing replied naturally, “Yes, go ahead.” Then, he remembered something. He rolled his sleeve, took off his watch, and placed it on the counter. “By the way, my watch is a bit dirty. Although it’s not from your brand, could you clean it for me?”

The saleswoman responded, “Uh, okay.”

Omega watches are naturally cleaned for free, but other brands usually aren’t. However, places like this are often flexible, and since he had just bought a watch from them, cleaning it wouldn’t be a problem. But when the saleswoman took a look at Dong Xuebing’s watch, she was left speechless. She was an expert in watches and could immediately tell the difference.

Patek Philippe.

Genuine.

A watch worth millions.

The saleswoman almost fainted on the spot.

The other salespeople and several customers in the store noticed as well. Their expressions immediately changed when they looked at Dong Xuebing.

Who is this guy?

His clothes are dusty, looking like a laborer, but he’s wearing a watch worth millions?!

A few customers who had just been sneering at Dong Xuebing were now staring in shock as if their world had been turned upside down. This was a real-life example of not judging a book by its cover—but this was taking it to the extreme.

A few customers were still in disbelief, staring at Dong Xuebing as he paid. Even though they recognized it as a Patek Philippe, they couldn't be sure if it was real or fake. For fake watches, even a world-renowned brand like Patek Philippe could have replicas worth only a few hundred or thousand, which wouldn't be that expensive.

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Dong Xuebing swiped his card with a carefree expression, not even blinking.

After signing, the staff quickly adjusted the watchband for him. The surrounding customers now truly believed that he was a wealthy man.

But it wasn't over yet. While the staff adjusted the watchband, Dong Xuebing spotted a pocket watch in the display case. There was only one, a unique model, and it was very beautiful. It was an older-style pocket watch but a classic Omega model. Dong Xuebing had always worn wristwatches but never owned a pocket watch. He liked it as soon as he saw it and decided to get it himself. Although he already had a watch, in today's society, watches no longer serve much of a practical purpose since everyone has a phone to check the time. Wearing a watch nowadays is mostly about attitude and style. Well, if we're being blunt, it also somewhat shows off wealth. Dong Xuebing already wore a watch, so getting a pocket watch was no big deal. If he didn’t like it later, he could give it away. Most of the things Dong Xuebing had could be given as gifts. He had to be prepared for any unexpected situations, so he was making some preparations for the future.

Dong Xuebing pointed to the pocket watch in the display case. "I’ll take that one too."

The staff was stunned. "Uh, sure. This one costs 660,000 RMB."

It was one of the most expensive watches in the showcase, and the staff wanted to make sure Dong Xuebing knew the price.

But Dong Xuebing didn’t react at all. He blinked and said, "Just get it for me."

The saleswoman realized he was serious about buying it, and he didn’t even blink at the 660,000 RMB price, which made her take a deep breath.

The invoice was prepared.

The payment was made.

The items were packaged.

Dong Xuebing carefully took the watch for Fang Wenping, but he wasn’t as careful with his pocket watch. He stuffed the box into a bag, played with the watch for a moment in his hand, then tucked it into his coat pocket. After his Patek Philippe was cleaned, he put it on his wrist, politely thanked the two female staff members, and slowly walked out of the boutique.

This left a group of customers in stunned silence.

Even the two saleswomen were momentarily stunned.

It wasn’t that they were overreacting, but Dong Xuebing’s whole appearance was so shabby. He looked like someone who had rolled around in the mud. And yet, this person had just bought two watches from Omega worth around 700,000 to 800,000 RMB. It was hard for them to process.

What kind of person is this?

You can’t be this extravagant just because you have money.

At least wash your clothes and change before going shopping.

But in reality, Dong Xuebing didn’t have much of a choice. Fang Wenping had been urging him so urgently, and he hadn’t seen any clothing stores nearby, so this was his only option.