C18 Liar

Typically, if a student's illness were severe, teachers would suggest they take a break and head home to get well. This was all in the interest of their health, after all.

Wang Cuifen quickly chimed in, "Principal, my boy is better. He ain't lying!"

Was she crazy enough to let Wang Xiaozhi pretend to be cured? Heck no! The kid had been very sick before, lying in bed without even being able to open his eyes. He wouldn't have been able to fake getting better even if he wanted to!

"Do you have any medical proof from the hospital?" Gao Jun challenged, obviously not buying it. He had heard Wang Xiaozhi's severe illness required an organ transplant. His sudden recovery seemed fishy.

"Um..." Wang Cuifen stalled, realizing that Lee Yifann, not a hospital, had healed Wang Xiaozhi. After getting better, they hadn't even bothered with a hospital checkup, so of course, there was no medical proof.

"You got no proof. How can we believe Wang Xiaozhi's better?" Gao Jun shot a blameful look at Wang Cuifen.

"But he is better! Look at him; he's bouncing around like a kid again!" Wang Cuifen was flustered, not understanding why a piece of paper was so important when Wang Xiaozhi looked so healthy.

"I ain't no doctor. How can I tell if he's better?" Gao Jun shook his head thoughtfully. "Without a health certificate, he can't come back to school. If something happened, we couldn't take the blame."

Being the Principal, Gao Jun's worst nightmare was dealing with furious parents, so he'd rather not accept a student with apparent health issues.

"He's better, Principal! Why won't you believe me?" Wang Cuifen was close to tears and turned to Lee Yifann. "He cured my boy! He can vouch for him!"

"Him?" Gao Jun looked Lee Yifann up and down, his brows furrowing. "A young guy like this? You trust him to cure your child? You sure you ain't been conned?"

Lee Yifann bristled at the accusation but kept his cool, "I healed Wang Xiaozhi. I'm a doctor."

The teachers in the room burst into laughter at that.

Gao Jun looked at him sternly, "Young man, there's a time and place for jokes. Are you a doctor? You look like a student to me."

"Guess he's full of hot air," Zhou Ming said, sneering at Lee Yifann. "Calling yourself a doctor? I might as well be a medical doctor! You believe he's a doctor? Don't get taken for a ride!"

Chen Hua, the Dean of education, added sternly, "Son, you need to be responsible for what you say."

"I'm not talking nonsense. I am a doctor!" Lee Yifann remained calm, knowing his youthful appearance made him a target for doubt.

Gao Jun's face darkened, and he snapped.

"Hmph! Young man, if you say you're a doctor, where do you work?"

Lee Yifann was at a loss for words. He had been fired from the People's Hospital, and no other hospital dared to hire him. To put it bluntly, he was now jobless.

The principal, Gao Jun, saw Lee Yifann stumble over his response and immediately scoffed, "So young and already playing the con man! How the heck did your parents raise you?"

"He can't even answer! Told you he's a fraud!" Zhou Ming cackled, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Wang Cuifen, see for yourself. The guy's a fake. Your son's illness hasn't been cured at all."

Wang Cuifen was frantic, jumping to Lee Yifann's defense. "He is a doctor! He cured my son! I swear, even the big-shot doc from the city hospital gave up on him, but Yifann..."

She was cut off by an impatient wave of Gao Jun's hand. "Enough! I don't know what kind of game this young man's playing, but I can't believe he's got you wrapped around his finger."

"I..."

"Are we all blind here?" Gao Jun snapped, visibly annoyed. "I always thought you had more sense, Cuifen. What has this young man been telling you? He's spun you in circles."

Lee Yifann's anger began to bubble. These folks were calling him a fraud left and right, without evidence.

These folks were treating him like some two-bit hustler, and it was downright unreasonable. The way they were acting, you'd think he'd tried to sell them the Brooklyn Bridge or something. It was maddening!

I am a doctor! Not a liar!" he growled, emphasizing each word.

"You're sure stuck on that, aren't you?" Zhou Ming taunted. "Hey, Principal, why don't we call the cops on this scam artist?"

"No, don't call the police..." Wang Cuifen cried, her voice trembling with fear.

"You're still defending him?" Zhou Ming sneered. "Do you have any idea how bad he's conned you? If your son's not cured, this could kill him!"

"Shut up!" Lee Yifann yelled, his face turning red. "Believe me or not, that's your problem! But keep slandering me, and you'll see what happens!"

He knew darn well he wasn't exactly the easy-going type. If anything, his temper could flare up faster than a hot rod on the open road.

It would be a real head-scratcher if he weren't steamed when they kept calling him a liar. Like, who wouldn't be ticked off?

Zhou Ming's eyes nearly bulged out of his head, and he doubled over with laughter. "Little punk, acting all high and mighty!" Zhou Ming jeered. "Think you're a doctor? You must be delusional! Wang Cuifen, he must have hypnotized you or something."

Lee Yifann clenched his fists, seething. Zhou Ming was pushing his buttons now!

"You little punk, getting all high and mighty, staring us down!" Zhou Ming hollered, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "If you're a doctor, then I guess the world is filled with medical geniuses. You crack me up, kid. What do you think you are?"

"Hey, Zhou! That's way outta line..." another teacher nearby couldn't stand it any longer. Zhou Ming mocking Lee Yifann was one thing, but did he really need to lay it on that thick?

"Did I say something wrong? Did I mess up somewhere?" Zhou Ming snorted, full of contempt. "If he's got the guts, let him prove he's a doctor. All he's got is his big mouth. I..."

He was like a man possessed, laying into Lee Yifann with one sarcastic jab after another. But before he could finish his rant, his jaw locked up, and his voice screeched to a halt. His usually rosy face turned as white as a sheet, his eyes rolled back, and he crashed like a ton of bricks.

There he was, twitching and convulsing on the floor like something out of a horror movie, foaming at the mouth, his hands flailing around like a fish out of water. It was a sight straight out of the Twilight Zone.