Rivalry: Infinite Buff

Chapter 31 Beat up the Cashier

Ivan’s mother looked at him confused by his comment. 

“Mom, seriously you have don’t worry. I will help,” Ivan said to his mother, his eyes filled with confidence.

“Don’t do this to me right now, Ivan. How are you going to make money? Pay the bill with this credit card.” Ivan’s mother took out a card from her pocket then handed it to Ivan so he could pay the bill. She knew her son very well so she had a hard time believing him, just assuming his words were his way of trying to comfort her. 

Ivan pushed his mother’s card away and said with a smile, “No, Mom. I’ll handle it.”

“Let me go with you,” Leo said to Ivan.

“Okay!”

They walked down the hall and saw someone on duty at the cashier desk. Ivan asked, “I am the son of a patient who was brought in. Is this where I pay the medical bill?”

The cashier was irritated to be woken up from his nap. Without looking up, he tapped away on his keyboard then snarled, “$15,600 in total.”

“I beg your pardon? Why so expensive?” Ivan exclaimed. He hadn’t expected the fee to be so high.

“Humph, this is the best hospital in San Jose. We have top-notch medical facilities. We only charge you a bit over $10,000 and you are complaining it’s expensive?” the cashier responded with contempt.

Ivan looked at his mobile banking app, his bank balance was only $9,852, including the money he got from selling the two thousand gold coins. Ivan hadn’t spent a cent of it yet, but he was still several thousand dollars short. He had no option but to ask Leo for help. “Boss, I don’t have enough money on my card. Can you lend me some?”

Leo patted Ivan on the shoulder and said, “No problem.”

Then he transferred $6000 from his bank account to Ivan’s. “Bro, this is all I can lend you. I haven’t earned much money over the years, and a few days ago I just paid the rent and gave my mother money, so…”

“Don’t say anything more, Boss. I owe you a debt of gratitude. I shall never forget your kindness.”

“How much will the follow-up treatment for my dad’s condition cost?” Ivan enquired after paying for the surgery.

“Several hundred thousand dollars at least,” the cashier answered casually.

“That much? How can I afford it?” Ivan’s heart was at rock bottom.

The cashier yawned. “Then you’d better take your dad back home tonight so you don’t lose him and the money then.”

“Your mommy didn’t teach you any manners?” Ivan had been in a bad mood but the cashier was only making it worse. He clenched his fists and was about to hit the cashier but Leo rushed to stop him. 

“Did I say something wrong? You shouldn’t have been here, you poor jerk! Get out and take your daddy with you! Stop wasting my time!” The cashier barked back at Ivan. 

“Son of a b***h!” Ivan couldn’t stand the insult. He broke away from Leo, made a dash to the counter and banged his fist on the glass until it smashed. Then Ivan grabbed the cashier by the collar, lifted him onto the counter, and punched him. “You dirty doctor!” he shouted while punching the guy.

The cashier wasn’t strongest but through the chaos, he picked up a pen from the counter and stabbed Ivan in the hand with it. Ivan’s right hand immediately began to bleed and his grip on the cashier’s collar loosened. The beaten cashier refused to back down, he took out a fire extinguisher and opened the door. 

“f**k you! I am not a doctor. I am just a casual worker. I have done three night shifts so far. I am dedicated to my job but still, I got beat for doing it. You piss me off!” He yelled. 

The cashier was quite a hefty man, about the same height as Ivan. He walloped Ivan over the head with the fire extinguisher. Blood poured out of a one-inch cut on Ivan’s head.

“What the hell? Stop fighting!” Leo couldn’t stand to see Ivan being beaten. He pushed the cashier and kicked him in the back, sending him flying it to the corner. 

Ivan was coherent enough to grab a chair and raise it above the cashier’s head. 

Seeing that Ivan was about to hit him with the chair, the cashier finally calmed down. “Don’t, please,” he begged Ivan, his face tense and frightened.

Leo also roared nearby, “Put it down! How are you going to save your dad if you cause him serious injury?”

Ivan snapped out of his daze after hearing Leo’s words. He thought of the reason he was here and cursed himself for his impulsion. He immediately put down the chair with fear.

Leo breathed a sigh of relief. He was really scared that this impetuous boy would do something severe. He took Ivan to a bench near the counter and laid him down. Then he reached into his pocket for his cigarette case and gave Ivan a cigarette. He hesitated for a second but then also tossed one to the cashier laying at the corner.

“You’re so impulsive,” Leo said to Ivan.

“I know,” Ivan replied faintly. He had cooled down.

“Did you think about the result?” Leo asked.

“Yes.” Ivan nodded.

“Why did you still do it then?” Leo felt puzzled.

“Partly because I was upset about my father’s condition, and mostly because I was furious at being insulted,” Ivan answered.

Surprisingly, on hearing Ivan’s reply Leo slapped Ivan’s face hard. Ivan touched his stinging cheek, with puzzlement and… pain written across his face.

“We poor people are in no position to have a tantrum.” Leo had a deep, thoughtful look like he was a great philosopher. 

Ivan wasn’t offended by Leo’s slap. He just murmured reflectively, “Yep, you’re right. Thank you.”

“How are you going to deal with this?” asked Leo.

Leo’s question put Ivan in a predicament. Two minutes earlier, he would answer without hesitation that he would kill the cashier’s whole family due to an outburst of anger. But now he had calmed down and surely wouldn’t say make such a foolish remark. Yet, he was young and inexperienced, so he was at a loss for how to deal with the matter.

The beaten cashier heard their dialogue and said, “You’re from Courtland?”

“Huh?” Leo was confused, having no idea what the cashier was up to.

“I recognized your accent. I’m from Courtland, too,” the cashier continued to say.

“I’m Leo. He’s Ivan. And you?” Leo said to him.

“You’re the hoodie Leo Geller, aren’t you? I’m Charles, Charles Mauney. Don’t you remember me?” the cashier exclaimed in pleasant surprise.

“Oh, you’re Charles. It’s good that we know each other,” Leo laughed. However, all he was thinking was who is Charles Mauney, and how do I know him.