All Chapters of Ungrateful Patients: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

9 Chapters

Chapter 1

"Thirty dollars? That's daylight robbery!"The young woman speaking was Faye Lincoln, a social media influencer who had recently returned to town. She was just a bit under the weather, with some mild diarrhea from the change in environment. I had prescribed her the gentlest digestive medication I had.I replied, "Miss, the medication alone costs 25 dollars. I only charged you five for the consultation, which is more than reasonable."She waved her phone in my face, screen pointed right at me. "Stop lying to me! I just looked it up online, and the exact same medication sells for 25 dollars! With free shipping! You claim you only charged five for the consultation? What about the government subsidies that rural clinics like yours get for medications? Did you pocket all of that yourself?"'Subsidies?' I was caught off guard by the word.I let out a bitter laugh. Those subsidies required complicated applications, and even when approved, the amount barely covered anything. For convenien

Chapter 2

Faye scrolled to a video where some self-proclaimed 'medical expert' was ranting about how expensive drugs are just a rip-off.After watching it, the expressions of the townspeople around us completely changed.The feeling of not being trusted made me deeply uncomfortable. Nonetheless, I also knew there was no reasoning with Faye. Besides, I had a line of patients still waiting, so I did not want to waste any more time."If you think they're all the same, then go buy it online yourself. I'm not treating you anymore. From now on, you're not welcome at my clinic. Don't come back."I reached out to take the medication back. However, she clutched it tightly in her hands, looking righteous and indignant. "What's wrong? Feeling guilty and trying to destroy the evidence? Well, I'm not giving it back! I'm keeping it as proof!"I was so angry at how shameless she was that my fists clenched involuntarily.Just then, a patient behind her leaned forward and whispered, "Dr. Miller, it's almos

Chapter 3

The crowd's anger erupted completely.Helen Reid, who regularly got free physical therapy at my clinic, shuffled forward with trembling hands and pointed at my nose.She accused me, saying, "My back hurt last time, and you treated me for half a month before it got better. Were you deliberately using slow treatments so you could charge me more?"I stood there dumbfounded. I had used the gentlest therapeutic approach specifically to avoid damaging her system long-term. She had grabbed my hands back then and thanked me over and over again.Connor Barnes pushed through with his son, Isaac Barnes.His face twisted in rage as he bellowed, "Isaac broke his leg last time, and he came here for treatment. You definitely overcharged him, too! Give us our money back right now, or I'll smash this dump of a clinic to pieces!"I remembered clearly how Isaac's accident happened in the middle of the night. I had dragged myself out of bed to treat him as an emergency, worked until sunrise, and onl

Chapter 4

Faye's words hit like a thunderbolt, and the scene fell silent for just a moment. Then, she pulled Cindy Murphy out of the crowd.Cindy's eyes darted around, refusing to meet mine.She said in a voice barely above a whisper, "W…When he treated my back injury last time, he used the massage as an excuse t...to touch me inappropriately..."The crowd erupted in an uproar.Aaron seized the opportunity to step forward, pointing at me accusingly. "And who knows if the amounts on these receipts are even real? I heard you've been colluding with employees at the pharmaceutical company, inflating purchase prices and pocketing kickbacks!"As soon as he finished speaking, a strange man pushed through the crowd.He claimed to be an employee from the pharmaceutical company, saying, "I can testify! The amounts on his invoices are all fake! He's been working with our manager to scam people this whole time!"The lead investigator's face turned ashen as he looked at me, his tone severe. "If this i

Chapter 5

The metal shutter slammed down, separating two worlds.Outside, humanity's ugliest celebration raged over fallen money.Inside, it was just my mom, who was barely clinging to life, and me.I ignored every sound from outside and immediately dialed 911.Holding her close, I kept talking to her, using every bit of medical knowledge I had to keep her vital signs stable.The ambulance finally arrived, and I carried her into it. As the vehicle pulled away from the town limits, I did not even look back once.The place that had raised me no longer had anything to do with me from that day forward.After we arrived at the hospital, the doctors worked through a tense emergency treatment, and my mom's life was finally saved.The doctor said it was myocardial ischemia triggered by extreme emotional distress. If we had arrived any later, it would have been too late.As I watched my mom sleep peacefully on the hospital bed, her face pale but calm, the heavy weight that had been crushing my c

Chapter 6

I said quietly, "Mr. Stevens, I know I made the wrong decision. I've already left town and shut down the clinic.""Good! You should've done it ages ago!" Joseph's tone finally softened a bit.He continued, saying, "Now that you're out, stop dwelling on all that mess. The internet might be vicious right now, but as long as you've got your skills, you'll never go hungry. It just so happens that one of my former students runs a high-end private hospital in the city, and they're hiring. I've told him about your situation. He values talent, and he's willing to bring you on board."Joseph paused, sounding a bit hesitant as he said, "But Evan, even though you've got a solid foundation, you've been in that small town for years now. You're out of touch with what's happening at major hospitals these days, and the public opinion surrounding you isn't helping."So, I can't get you a position as an attending physician right away. You'd have to start as a physician assistant. You'll be assisting

Chapter 7

Her shout drew everyone's attention straight to me."It really is Dr. Miller! Oh, thank goodness, we finally found someone we know!""Dr. Miller! Get over here and help us out. This hospital is a total rip-off!"They swarmed around me instantly, blocking my path completely. Their faces were all friendly and familiar, as if our previous conflict had never happened.Meanwhile, Faye lifted her chin, ordering me as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "Evan, since we ran into you, hurry up and check out Connor's kid. Isaac is running a high fever, and the wait at this hospital is way too long."Hearing that, Connor immediately thrust Isaac toward me. "Dr. Miller, Isaac has had a fever for two days. This hospital insists on drawing blood for tests, and after all that hassle, they still haven't prescribed anything. You've got the most experience. Just check on him and write us a prescription!"Helen also pushed forward, shoving a crumpled CT report into my arms. "That's righ

Chapter 8

However, the honeymoon period did not last long. Just a week later, I saw the tide turning in the local forums and livestream comments. Villagers were complaining in the comment sections.[Why does Dr. Newman charge more than the hospital? His fees start at 50 dollars!][Exactly! The medications he prescribes cost a fortune and don't even work. My kid's fever got even worse!][Dr. Miller was so much better. A few bucks could cure anything...]Those complaints were quickly deleted by Faye's moderators.That very evening, she went on her livestream in tears. "Everyone, Dr. Newman told me the reason you're not getting better is that Evan has been giving you substandard medications for years, damaging your health from the inside out! The expensive drugs now are helping detox your bodies!"This complete distortion of the truth once again stirred up the ignorant villagers. As a result, they redirected their rage at me all over again.Soon enough, I received a court summons along with

Chapter 9

Finally, I had established a foothold at the high-end private hospital. With my solid clinical foundation and the hands-on experience I had gained during those five years in town, I quickly distinguished myself from the other physician assistants.Three months later, during a complex coronary artery bypass surgery, I was called in to take over and completed the operation with precision.That single case made my reputation overnight. The hospital director immediately promoted me to an attending physician in cardiothoracic surgery, doubled my salary, and even gave me stock options in the hospital.At the hospital, there was no moral blackmail, no unreasonable demands. Most of the patients were highly educated professionals who respected expertise and valued their doctors.Each sincere "Thank you for your hard work, Dr. Miller" helped me rediscover the dignity of my profession.I thought I would never have anything to do with those people from that town again. However, they suddenly

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