1994: I Became a Literary Master in America

Chapter 122 Good News and Bad News

Chapter 124 Good News and Bad News

"What are you doing?"

"Let me try asking you some questions to see if your fever has gone down."

"Do you really think you can just kiss like that?"

Charlize Theron pouted and made a kissing motion.

"That's just how we Chinese are, we try it out."

"How come I've never seen that before? I've been in Chinatown for the past two months, and I've never seen a doctor try it like that."

"This is a very ritualistic method. My dad used to do this when I was a kid, and I tried it."

"So that's why you were making that 'mua' sound just now—"

The moment Theron pouted again, Xu Shengjie launched a sneak attack!

He gave her a light, fleeting kiss on the lips, leaving Theron stunned.

After a while, she asked, "Have you figured anything out?"

"Hmm, it seems a little hot, but I'm not sure."

"Shall we try again?"

"How do I try?"

"Just like before, mua—"

Before Theron could finish speaking, Xu Shengjie had already bent down and kissed her on the lips.

Charlize Theron stiffened, but as if by instinct, she reached out and wrapped her arms around Xu Shengjie's neck, turning a light peck into a deep kiss.

Just then, there was a knock on the ward door.

The two separated abruptly. Xu Shengjie, with his hands in his pockets, casually whistled as he walked to the windowsill, while Theron tidied her messy short blonde hair to calm herself down, though her face was flushed.

The nurse came in.

"Taking your temperature—wait, why is your face so red? It's a little hot."

"The fever probably hasn't gone down!"

Xu Shengjie casually added a comment.

Charlize Theron chuckled!

Theron's situation was that her physical functions were greatly depleted after exercising excessively.

"I've heard about your show. Reports say that the patients were often running at high intensity during filming."

Her body was overloaded, and this continued for a long time. Logically, she should have collapsed long ago; it's a miracle she's lasted this long. Her current condition is that her body is severely depleted and requires continuous recuperation.

I suggest observing the patient in the hospital for a period of time.

"How long should we observe him?"

"At least one week!"

"That won't do!"

Theron immediately objected.

-

Just kidding, a bed in this private ward costs four hundred dollars a day.

Two thousand eight hundred dollars a week—even if she had some savings in her account, she couldn't afford to waste it like that.

This is just the bedside care fee; nursing fees, medical fees, examination fees—all sorts of miscellaneous expenses add up to at least five thousand a week.

"Then let's observe for a week and ignore her. I'll decide this matter."

"But----"

"No buts, just get your health back in shape as soon as possible."

Don't forget, Danny has a film called "Two Days in the Valley" waiting for you.

Upon hearing Xu Shengjie's words, Theron immediately fell silent.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Gilda Maritz, who was sitting on the sofa quietly watching Xu Shengjie and Theron interact, looked puzzled.

She had a vague feeling that something strange had happened while she was away from the hospital that afternoon.

Charlize Theron is a very stubborn girl!

Deep down, she possessed a stubbornness characteristic of the Boer people, a trait rooted in Germanic heritage.

She wanted to learn to dance before, but Mrs. Maritz disagreed. However, she insisted on learning and even got accepted into the Geoffrey Dance School.

If it weren't for her knee problem, her dream might have come true.

At that time, there will be no more Theron as an actress, only Theron as a dancer.

Before that, after Mrs. Maritz was acquitted, Theron went to Milan to work as a model in order to improve her family's financial situation. Mrs. Maritz strongly opposed this, but Theron ignored her and went to Milan alone.

Left with no other option, Mrs. Maritz sold off her meager possessions in Johannesburg and went to Milan as well.

He was convinced by Xu Shengjie just like that?

At this moment, Xu Shengjie accompanied the doctor out of the ward.

"Sally, you and Jeffrey—"

"uh-huh."

"Phew!" Mrs. Maritz laughed, but then said softly, "You should think this through."

"Mom, you disagree? Why? Because he's of Chinese descent? But he's very talented and works incredibly hard!"

"Sally, don't worry, don't worry."

"Mom doesn't disagree, and she's not prejudiced against him just because he's of Chinese descent. You're right, he's very talented, but that's what really worries Mom. I've met many talented people, and I know that the more talented they are, the more emotionally unstable they are—Sally, I'm just worried that you can't handle his talent."

Theron remained silent.

After a moment, she laughed and said, "Why should I try to control him?"

I simply enjoy every minute I spend with him—to control him? I've thought about it before, but then I decided against it.

"If you are prepared, that's best."

That guy's not bad; you can tell he genuinely cares about you.

"Hehe, of course!"

Charlize Theron smiled broadly, clearly delighted.

Meanwhile, Xu Shengjie stood in the corridor outside the ward, his brows furrowed.

"So even if it's confirmed that she's out of danger, she'll still need to rest for three to six months?"

"Yes, because her body is weakened and needs a recovery period—Mr. Jeffrey, you are a writer and also of Chinese descent. I don't know if you are familiar with Chinese medicine, but in your medical system, there's a concept called 'replenishing deficiencies.'"

The doctor, a middle-aged white man in his forties, uttered the words "make up for the deficit" in an extremely difficult pronunciation.

"Do you understand TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine)?"

"Haha, when I was in school, I learned a little bit from a teacher in Chinatown."

Yes, it's TCM. But your TCM is too difficult, it's a bit like stream of consciousness. I was defeated by that "soup formula song," so I just learned some body conditioning techniques from Master Zheng and didn't continue to study it in depth.

"Master Zheng? Master Zheng Manqing?"

"Huh, you know him? But that shouldn't be the case. When he passed away, you should have—"

"I have already been born. I was a close friend of my master and Master Zheng during their lifetime."

Sally was able to pull through this time thanks to Master Zheng's apprentice, Master Mai. I brought her over from Boston to take charge of Sally's physical therapy.

The doctor laughed. "No wonder. I was wondering how she could have endured this without medication, given the physical strain she's gone through. That's very rare."

Well!

When you bring this up, I'm speechless.

"I advised her not to rush to work after being discharged from the hospital."

"Let's use crutches for now. Her legs are quite worn out, especially her ankles and knees, and her hip joints are also damaged. You can contact Master Mai, or see another TCM doctor; they are more skilled at this kind of post-treatment care."

"We still need crutches."

"Give her joints at least a month to rest."

Then it will take at least two months to recover, so there won't be any lasting effects.

The doctor lowered his voice at this point, "Actually, medication works faster, but I guess you probably won't choose that."

"Yes, you understand me."

The doctor gave some additional instructions.

With $10,000 in his medical account, he was more than capable of being extremely diligent.

He had to find a way to keep that $10,000 in the hospital.

Xu Shengjie returned to the ward and looked at Theron.

Why are you making that face?

"Sally, I have two pieces of news, one good and one bad. Which do you want to hear?"

Mrs. Maritz immediately tensed up, while Theron looked at Xu Shengjie with a puzzled expression and suddenly said, "Bad news."

"The bad news is that your bodily functions are severely depleted."

Even after being discharged from the hospital, you can't go back to work immediately; you'll need to recover gradually. The doctor said you'll need crutches for the first month after discharge, and then you'll recover slowly, which will take about two months. How about this, I'll have Manny come over and take care of you for a while.

In that case, you'll most likely miss out on "Two Days in the Valley".

Theron opened his mouth, but for a moment he didn't know what to say.

Mrs. Maritz, on the other hand, breathed a sigh of relief.

This is actually good news.

"I've read the script for 'Two Days in the Valley'—how should I put it, it's a terrible movie."

Missing out isn't a big loss! I can help you find other projects after you recover, so don't worry.

"I don't want to film your scripts anymore, it's too tiring!"

I feel like if I film any more, I'll be ruined!

Theron immediately spoke loudly, but it sounded more like she was being coquettish.

Mrs. Maritz couldn't help but laugh. It had been four years since she turned 15 that she had rarely seen her act so coquettishly.

Her gaze toward Xu Shengjie softened.

"And what's the good news?"

"The good news is that after treatment, your body will fully recover without any problems."

"Jeff, you bastard, fucking f*** you."

"Sally, no swearing."

"Mother----"

Theron was furious, but there were no consequences!