University – President's Office
President William had just finished signing a stack of administrative documents when his assistant reminded him that visiting hours at the hospital were almost over. He immediately gathered his things and hurried out, heading for his car. His daughter's illness had left him sleepless for weeks.
As soon as he settled into the driver's seat, his phone rang.
"Hello, Mr. William," a polite voice said over the line. "This is Dr. Lewis, Vice President of ... Hospital. I understand you've been trying to transfer your daughter to our facility. I'm calling to let you know that we finally have an available room."
Yates froze in disbelief for a second before responding, "Ah—yes, we did apply for a transfer, but after some thought, I decided against it. Your hospital's fees are too high for us. I simply can't afford that kind of treatment."
Dr. Lewis chuckled warmly. "Mr. Yates, I understand your concern. But starting this week, our hospital has been approved for inclusion under the state medical insurance program. The treatment costs for tumor surgery and post-op care are now roughly equivalent to those at Riverside General Hospital, and they're all covered under standard insurance."
He added, "If you can afford Riverside General's rates, you'll have no problem here. And one more thing—Dr. Li, our top oncologist who recently returned from a research exchange in Germany, can personally perform your daughter's operation."
For a man known across campus for his calm composure, William could hardly contain his shock. He nearly leapt from his seat, his voice trembling. "You… you mean that? The same medical coverage, the same rates, and Dr. Li will operate himself?"
"That's correct, sir," Dr. Lewis replied.
The words felt almost too good to be true. Yates had dealt with enough disappointments lately that his instincts told him to double-check.
After ending the call, he immediately dialed Director Sanders, head of the State Health and Insurance Bureau.
"President Yates!" Sanders greeted cheerfully. "It's been a while. Still owe me that cup of coffee, don't you?"
"Haha, yes, I keep saying 'next time,' don't I?" Yates replied lightly. "I actually do have something to ask today."
"I figured as much," Sanders said. "What's going on?"
"I just got word that Hospital has applied to become a designated insurance hospital. Is that true?"
There was a small pause, then Sanders laughed. "You're as sharp as ever, Bill. It's true. The paperwork was processed under my supervision. To be honest, it's surprising—most private hospitals wouldn't dream of cutting profit margins like that. But apparently, the new owner—some young investor named Jason Carter—insisted on it. The guy's got deep pockets and, from what I can tell, a decent heart."
Yates smiled broadly as relief washed over him. He barely registered the mention of Jason Carter's name—he was too overwhelmed by the good news.
The moment he hung up, he called his wife. When she heard, she couldn't hold back her tears.
They moved into action immediately.
President Yates drove straight to .... Hospital, spoke with the administration, reviewed every detail of the new fee structure and insurance policy, and confirmed everything personally. Satisfied, he completed his daughter's admission paperwork on the spot.
Meanwhile, his wife went to Riverside General to finalize the discharge process.
Within hours, their daughter was safely transferred to ... Hospital—where, for the first time in weeks, both parents felt genuine hope.
The Vice Principal kept his promise and arranged for Dr. Lee to examine Grace's condition as quickly as possible. After diagnosis and preliminary preparations, the surgery was performed on the third day.
Her tumor turned out to be benign. The surgery went smoothly, and after the insurance reimbursement, the cost was completely manageable.
Watching his daughter gradually recover in the hospital bed and his wife's smile return at her bedside, Professor William wiped away the tears that had gathered in his eyes.
He stepped out onto the hospital balcony, reaching instinctively for a cigarette, but after thinking for a moment, he decided against it. Just then, a family passed by with a doctor, asking questions as they walked.
"Doctor, can we really use our insurance here? My daughter said private hospitals don't usually accept it. She thinks this is just some trick to get more patients."
The doctor smiled patiently. "It's absolutely true, ma'am. If you don't believe me, call the Insurance Bureau yourself. This is tied to the state — no one would dare fake that."
"But I heard private hospitals only care about making money. Why would they agree to take insurance?"
The doctor sighed. "Oh, ma'am, you complain when we don't take insurance, and now you're upset that we do. Our hospital really couldn't take it before. But recently, a new investor acquired the place — apparently, he's not short on money and just wants to do something good for the people. When something like that happens, we should just be happy."
Listening to the doctor's words, William couldn't help but recall what the head of the State Insurance Bureau had told him earlier. Both mentioned that someone had recently taken over this hospital. If he remembered correctly, that person's last name was Carter.
Curiosity stirred in him. Who was this investor with such generosity and civic spirit?
William texted the head of the Insurance Bureau to inquire. It didn't take long for the reply to come through — the investor's name was Jason Carter.
The name struck him as oddly familiar.
"Jason Carter…" he muttered under his breath, repeating it a few times before suddenly freezing, his eyes widening.
Wasn't Jason Carter the same student from his university who had recently donated 2 million dollars in one go — and pledged millions over the next ten years?
He'd been so busy with Grace's condition that he hadn't attended the donation ceremony himself, but the name had come up countless times in faculty discussions. He just hadn't connected the dots until now.
No wonder the hospital had called him so quickly, arranging for Dr. Lee and treating him with such exceptional care.
Now that he knew the new owner was one of his own students, he couldn't help but wonder — had Jason done this intentionally for him?
A wave of gratitude and disbelief washed over him. Just who was this young man?
A third-year university student who could acquire a $220 million private hospital without batting an eye — and not even to make a profit, but to open it up for public insurance use? What kind of background and power did that require?
Just then, his phone rang. The caller ID showed an unknown number. He hesitated for a moment before answering.
A cheerful voice came from the other end:"Hello, Professor! This is Jason Carter, from your university. I just heard that your daughter's surgery went well. Congratulations!"
William froze for a second, then smiled warmly."Hello, Jason. I should be the one thanking you — not only for helping make Starlight Medical Center an insurance-approved hospital but also for arranging Dr. Lee to handle Grace's surgery. Her recovery is all thanks to you."
Jason laughed lightly."Professor, you're giving me too much credit. Without your years of work, the university wouldn't be what it is today — and without the university, I wouldn't be where I am."
"Besides, I only learned your daughter was admitted after the hospital became part of our network. I just made sure you were notified so you could take advantage of the coverage."
William's chest felt warm. No wonder Vice Principal Megan and Dean Mike had spoken so highly of him.
He chuckled. "Then I won't be polite about it. When are you free to grab a cup of coffee?"
Jason replied with an easy tone, "How about tomorrow? I'm scheduled to meet with the mayor, and honestly, I'm a little nervous. Professor, would you mind coming along and giving me some moral support?"
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