Take My Breath Away

Wesley took off his hat and put it next to Blair. He threw a sidelong look at Orion who was limbering up, and said, "Don't worry. I'll make this quick."

Blair was worried.

The ward wasn't large by any sense of the word, but Wesley was certain that it was big enough for him to take Orion down without breaking anything.

"I'll show you one of China's main exports—kung fu." Wesley stretched his knuckles, then held out his right hand toward Orion and curled his fingers, gesturing for him to make the first move.

Orion couldn't stand the provocation. Swinging his fists, he charged towards Wesley and aimed his punches at his face.

Orion blinked his eyes, lying on the floor. "Anyone get the number of that truck?" he joked.

He winced in pain, but made no other sounds. He rolled over and sprang to his feet, eager to continue the fight.

Things didn't go as he expected. Orion came at Wesley once more, hoping for a body blow that would take his rival out. That didn't happen. Instead, Wesley leaned away at an angle as the fist traveled past him. Then, he grabbed Orion's arm, and used his other fist to pummel the man, striking his temple, his jaw, and his ear in quick succession. Then, Wesley switched to kicks, the sole of his foot smashing into Orion's hip. As Orion staggered, Wesley kicked him again in the floating ribs. He crumpled.

While Orion lay groaning on the floor, Wesley calmly sat on the edge of the bed and picked up the bowl of congee. He took a spoonful and put it to Blair's mouth. "Here. It's still warm," he said.

Orion's two bodyguards, who had been waiting for him outside the door, rushed into the ward when they heard the scuffle. They helped him off the floor, and then they both attacked Wesley to avenge the guy who signed their paychecks. Orion wanted to stop them, but every part of his body ached.

In too much pain to finish a sentence, he could only watch as Wesley dispatched his finest bodyguards with an elbow smash and a roundhouse kick to the head. Amazingly, the soldier held the bowl the whole time, and didn't spill a single drop.

Blair's eyes sparkled as she watched. She had always thought he was handsome and cool, but now her admiration for him had reached a new level.

When Wesley was done with them

to be discharged?" she asked urgently as soon as she saw him.

The nurse walked into the room behind Wesley. She walked up to Blair and comforted her, "Miss Jing, your feet and your hands are all healed now. But... your liver... Be strong. It's only cancer. You'll beat it."

'What?' Blair was perplexed.

The nurse continued with a sympathetic expression, "Your cancer is curable. You'll be healthy again. You just need to go to another country for the chemo."

Blair's heart skipped a beat. She turned to Wesley nervously. "I...I'm hungry. A snack sounds good about now. Buy me some?"

"Sure," Wesley replied without hesitation.

He turned and left the ward, but he didn't go far.

Once he was out of sight, Blair smiled at the nurse and said, "You scared me. What you said sounded pretty convincing." After the phone call with Cecelia, she was sure the nurse was on her side.

However, the nurse looked at her and said in a compassionate tone, "Miss Jing, I meant it. You really have liver cancer."

"That's impossible! I'm fine. I feel good. Niles told me the symptoms, and I have none. Hahaha!" Blair laughed.

The nurse walked closer to her and grabbed her hand anxiously. "That foreign doctor is one of the foremost liver specialists in the world. He's the best in his country. If he says you have cancer, then you have cancer. Thank God we caught it in the early stages... That's why you don't feel anything yet."

What the nurse said and the anxious look on her face freaked Blair out.