Happiness and Misfortune

Medical Center.

Emergency room.

"Doctor, I have to go. The children are waiting for me."

Santa Claus said urgently.

"Even if it's urgent, you have to see a doctor first."

Adam brushed aside his beard and other adornments and began examining him. "Have you taken any medication recently?"

"No."

Santa Claus shook his head and said, "I'm fine. I was just a little dizzy earlier, probably from being tired lately. But the thought of the children being happy gives me energy again. Doctor, please let me leave."

United States tradition.

Many people dress up as Santa Claus during Christmas and interact with children.

For example, taking a photo while sitting on Santa Claus's lap.

Emmm.

Of course, it's not just children.

If it were Rachel during her first few months of pregnancy, around Christmas, she would have sat on every Santa Claus's lap in New York City...

In the United States, everything is business.

These Santa Claus are no exception.

Some of them work full-time, some part-time, and most are employed by the Santa Claus Association. They then appear in front of stores that have a need for them, attracting customers to those stores.

The stores give money to the association, and the association then distributes the money to the Santa Claus under its umbrella.

The association acts as a middleman platform for secondhand goods, profiting from the price difference.

Similarly, there are a series of classic characters such as the Joker.

In the movie Joker, the Joker initially dressed up as the Joker, holding up a shop's sign and standing in front of the shop to attract customers.

In this situation, would any Santa Claus want to contact the merchants directly and eliminate the middleman from making a profit?

Of course.

However, considering the consequences of going against the association, at best you'll be ganged up on and beaten by a bunch of Santa Claus under the association, and at worst you'll be killed outright.

Therefore, not many people work alone.

Christmas is a time of limited time. In order to earn enough money in such a short period of time, forget about working 996; it's basically 007.

Of course, the official explanation became that it was all worth it, no matter how hard or tiring it was, so that the children could interact with Santa Claus...

"I'm afraid that won't work."

Adam shook his head. "You don't want to scare the children, do you? How many children would be frightened if Santa Claus, who represents happiness, suddenly collapsed in front of them?"

"What?"

Santa Claus was taken aback. "Is my illness very serious?"

"You need to get an MRI first."

Adam gestured for Santa Claus to turn back. "Have you taken any medication recently? And what's your name? Do you have any medical records?"

Santa Claus was also frightened by Adam's posture.

They say it's to bring joy to children, but it's really just a job.

It's not worth risking your life for work.

He hasn't reached that level yet.

The symptoms he had forcibly suppressed, such as dizziness, weakness, nausea, and discomfort, resurfaced in his mind, making him increasingly frightened.

"Dr. Duncan, I told him to see a doctor, but he wouldn't listen to me."

John Carter then added a sentence.

"I know."

Adam nodded.

Doctors are only responsible for giving medical advice, but whether or not to listen is up to the patient.

If Santa Claus had refused to listen to Adam and insisted on leaving, Adam wouldn't have stopped him.

After all.

Life is your own.

United States, you know.

Freedom to live, randomness to die.

MRI Room.

"Go and call Dr. Shepherd."

Adam glanced at the MRI scan and instructed Carter.

"Yes."

Carter immediately ran to call for help.

In no time at all.

Dr. Shepherd arrived.

"What's going on?"

"Our Santa Claus has brain cancer, and it's in its late stages."

Adam pointed to the MRI scan and said.

"That's such a shame."

Dr. Shepherd examined Adam's face, agreed with his diagnosis, and shook his head. "The children will probably cry when they find out."

"Fortunately, Dr. Duncan stopped him."

Carter said with lingering fear, "Otherwise, if he had suddenly collapsed in front of so many children, it would have definitely become a lifelong shadow for many of them."

"Let's go together and persuade Santa Claus to have the surgery. If it's successful, he can live a few more years."

"Today might be his lucky day," Dr. Shepherd said.

"He probably doesn't think that way."

Adam shook his head.

For Santa Claus, it's hard to say which news is better: the possibility of sudden death or the knowledge that he has late-stage brain cancer and doesn't have much time left.

All bad news!

As Adam predicted, things turned out exactly as he had expected.

Upon hearing the news, Santa Claus swayed his large body and turned deathly pale.

How much longer can I live?

"That's hard to say."

Dr. Shepherd pondered for a moment and said, "If the surgery goes smoothly, and with proper post-operative care and an optimistic attitude, one could live for two to three years, or even longer..."

"How long can I live without surgery?"

Santa Claus interrupted.

"Given your situation, it will likely take a few months at most."

Adam explained, "There's also the possibility of sudden death at any time."

"I see."

Santa Claus was speechless for a long while, then nodded.

After saying that, he picked up Christmas and stuck Santa Claus's white beard on it.

"Sir, you're not planning to have surgery?"

Dr. Shepherd asked in surprise.

"I just want to go home and reunite with my family."

Santa Claus walked towards the door.

"Sir, I strongly recommend that you have surgery immediately."

Dr. Shepherd warned, "Otherwise, you are at risk of sudden death at any time."

"I see."

Santa Claus gave a perfunctory reply and left.

"Well."

Dr. Shepherd watched his departing figure and sighed, "Only when faced with life and death do people remember what they should cherish most."

"I hope so."

Adam also sighed.

"Um?"

Dr. Shepherd looked at Adam in surprise. "You disagree?"

"I just hope he really did go home and reunite with his family."

Adam sighed, "Otherwise, after today, perhaps some children will never want to celebrate Christmas again."

"You mean..."

Dr. Shepherd was startled.

"Even if he died suddenly at work, it's because he had late-stage brain cancer. Shouldn't his company at least pay some compensation to his family?"

Adam said, "Or he might 'get hit by a car' as soon as he steps out the door, and the car owner and insurance company would have to pay some compensation to the family, right?"

"..."

Dr. Shepherd and Carter were dumbfounded.

But thinking about Santa Claus's attitude just now, these things might actually happen.

After all.

Most people, upon hearing this news, would still choose to have the surgery, hoping to live a few more years.

Unlike Santa Claus, who is so resolute.

And he doesn't need to put on Santa Claus's white beard, wear Christmas, and re-dress up as Santa Claus here to go back and reunite with his family...

"Are we just going to do nothing?"

Carter hesitated.

"We are just doctors, only responsible for treatment. Other things are not our business, nor can we manage them."

"Dr. Shepherd sighed."

After saying that, he turned and left.

"Let's go back to the emergency room. Instead of wasting time thinking here, we should treat more patients."

Adam patted Carter on the shoulder and headed towards the emergency room.