Sebastian stood up from his chair with a fleeting smile. "No, I just went to the toilet."
Isabelle had probably come out to check on him while he was dealing with the payment at the administrative office.
He glanced past her toward the partially open door. "Can I meet your father? Wish him well, you know."
Isabelle hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Wait, let me talk to him first."
She disappeared back into the room, leaving the door slightly ajar. Sebastian could hear muffled voices—Isabelle's soft explanation, her mother's murmur, then a deeper male voice responding weakly.
A moment later, Isabelle reappeared. "Come in."
Sebastian followed her into the hospital room.
The space was small, white walls, medical equipment beeping softly, the smell of disinfectant stronger here. In the bed lay a man in his late forties with a bandaged head and visible bruising on his face. His right leg was elevated and wrapped, and his breathing looked slightly labored.
But his eyes were alert and kind.
"Mr. Tian," Sebastian said, approaching the bedside respectfully. "I'm Sebastian Fairfax. I'm glad to see you're awake."
"Sebastian." The man's voice was hoarse but warm. He managed a weak smile. "Isabelle told me you brought her here. Thank you for that. And for waiting. You didn't have to."
"It was nothing," Sebastian said genuinely. "I'm just glad you're alright."
Mrs. Tian stood on the other side of the bed, watching Sebastian with grateful eyes.
Sebastian reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small rectangular wooden box, ornately carved with traditional patterns. He placed it gently on the table next to the bed.
Bai Tian—Isabelle's father—looked at the box in confusion. "What's this, young man?"
"It's a 250-year-old ginseng root," Sebastian said casually. "To help you recover faster."
Isabelle and her mother exchanged glances but showed no visible reaction beyond polite confusion.
But Bai Tian's eyes widened dramatically.
His hand shot out despite the obvious pain it caused him, grabbing the box with trembling fingers. "250 years? You're serious?"
"Yes, sir."
Bai Tian carefully opened the box with shaking hands, his breath catching.
As a pure-blooded Chinese man, unlike his half-Chinese daughter or American wife, he understood the significance of what Sebastian had just claimed. Ginseng of that age was nearly impossible to find. Most claims were fraudulent. And their medicinal properties were the stuff of legends passed down through generations.
Inside the box, nestled in red silk, lay a gnarled root that looked ancient and otherworldly. Its colour was deeper than normal ginseng, almost golden-brown, with intricate patterns running through it.
Bai Tian lifted it carefully, inspecting it under the harsh hospital lights. His hands were still shaking.
Although he wasn't an expert, this certainly looked different from any ginseng he'd ever seen. The texture, the weight, the way it seemed to almost... filled with energy.
"Can I... can I really use this?" Bai Tian looked up at Sebastian, his eyes glistening.
"Of course," Sebastian said with a soft smile. "It's yours. I hope it helps."
Bai Tian's throat worked as he swallowed hard, clearly overwhelmed. "Young man, this is... this is too valuable. I can't possibly—"
"Please," Sebastian interrupted gently. "Consider it a gift. You saved your wife's life today. That deserves to be celebrated."
Isabelle leaned close to Sebastian, her voice dropping to a whisper near his ear. "When did you bring this? I didn't see you carrying anything."
Her breath was warm against his ear, and Sebastian caught a faint scent of her shampoo, which had a nice, floral rhythm to it.
"It was in my car," he whispered back smoothly. "I always carry something valuable with me. Family tradition. You never know when you might need it."
Isabelle pulled back slightly, studying his face with those intelligent brown eyes, clearly trying to figure him out.
"Sebastian," Bai Tian said, his voice thick with emotion. "I don't know how to thank you. For bringing my daughter here, for waiting with my family, and now this... This is too much."
"It's not too much," Sebastian replied. "Just focus on getting better, Mr. Tian."
Mrs. Tian looked at Sebastian with a soft smile. "You're a very kind young man."
Sebastian gave a respectful nod but said nothing more.
"Isabelle, precious. Can you boil some water for me?" Bai Tian asked, with a soft smile on his face.
"Of course, papa." Isabelle hurried to a kettle on a counter.
The soft bubbling sound filled the quiet room as they waited.
Mrs. Tian stood by her husband's bedside, gently holding his hand, while Sebastian remained respectfully near the door.
When the kettle clicked off, Isabelle carefully poured the hot water into a paper cup from the dispenser. Steam rose in delicate wisps.
She reached for the ginseng root in its box, about to place it directly into the water.
"Stop!" Bai Tian said hurriedly.
Isabelle froze, the root hovering over the cup. "What? What did I do wrong?"
"You can't just throw it in like that," Bai Tian said, shaking his head with a mixture of exasperation and fondness. "You'll ruin it. Ginseng this old needs to be prepared properly. The temperature, the ratio, the steeping time—everything matters."
"Oh." Isabelle looked down at the root in her hand, suddenly afraid she'd already damaged it somehow. "I'm sorry, I didn't know."
"It's alright, precious. You're not old enough," Bai Tian said with a weak chuckle, though his face tightened with pain from the movement. "Just... let me guide you through it."
Isabelle looked between her father and Sebastian, clearly not fully understanding the significance but recognizing her father's seriousness.
Sebastian stepped forward slightly. "Mr. Tian, should I call a nurse? They might have proper preparation tools."
Bai Tian considered this, then nodded. "Yes, that would be good. We'll need a proper ceramic or glass container. Nothing metal. And the water needs to cool to about 80 degrees Celsius—too hot and it destroys the beneficial compounds."
Sebastian moved to the door. "I'll handle it."
He stepped out into the hallway and flagged down a passing nurse, explaining the situation. The nurse was told to take care of that room, ensuring that all of their requests were fulfilled, so she done as told.
Ten minutes later, she returned with a small ceramic teapot and a thermometer.
"Will this work?" Sebastian asked, showing it to Bai Tian.
"Perfect," Bai Tian said, his eyes lighting up despite his exhaustion. "Now, Isabelle, listen carefully..."
Under her father's instruction, Isabelle prepared the entire ginseng root, slicing it into thin pieces and placing them all into the ceramic teapot. The water, cooled to exactly the right temperature, covered the precious herb completely.
"All of it, Papa? Are you sure?" Isabelle asked nervously.
"Yes," Bai Tian said firmly. "Trust me."
They let it steep, the aroma growing stronger and more pungent as the minutes passed.
Mrs. Tian wrinkled her nose slightly. "It smells very... strong."
"That's how you know it's real," Bai Tian said with satisfaction.
When the time was right, Isabelle carefully poured a cup of the deep golden liquid and brought it to her father.
Bai Tian took it with trembling hands and brought it to his lips, taking a slow, deliberate sip.
His eyes closed, and for a long moment, he said nothing. Then his eyes opened, wide with wonder.
"This is real," he whispered, his voice filled with awe.
He drank more, slowly but steadily, finishing the entire cup. Then another and another.
With each sip, colour seemed to return to his face. The paleness faded, replaced by a healthy flush.
Mrs. Tian noticed it first. "Darling, your face—"
"I feel it," Bai Tian said, his voice growing stronger. "I can feel it working. The pain... it's fading."
Isabelle's eyes widened. "Really?"
Ten minutes passed. The room was silent except for Bai Tian's breathing, which was becoming steadier and deeper.
Then, without warning, Bai Tian shifted in the bed.
He swung his legs, including the broken one, over the side.
"Papa, no!" Isabelle rushed forward, hands outstretched.
"Darling, stop!" Mrs. Tian moved to his other side.
But Bai Tian stood up, shocking both his daughter and wife.
His weight settled on both legs. The broken leg that should have collapsed under him held firm.
Isabelle and her mother both reached for him, expecting him to fall, to cry out in pain.
But he didn't.
Bai Tian stood there, with a wide grin plastered on his face.
He took a small step, then another.
"This is the miraculous effects of such an old ginseng," he said, staring down at his legs. "The pain is almost gone. I can feel my bones... they're not fully healed, but soon they will."
"How is this possible?" Isabelle asked in disblief, she had heard from the nurses, this was impossible medically.
"The ginseng," Bai Tian said, shaking his head in amazement. "The legends are true. This is... this is extraordinary."
Isabelle looked at Sebastian, her expression a mixture of shock and something close to reverence.
Before anyone could speak, there was a knock at the door.
Knock-knock.
Everyone turned toward the sound.
Isabelle, still in a daze, unconsciously responded, "Who is it?"
A familiar voice came from the other side.
"It's me, Ethan."