Xu Huo got a work pass and entered the residential area with Zhao Yiming and his girlfriend, Meng Xiaoman.
During free clinics, they wore recording devices that monitored their every move. So before they went in, Zhao Yiming warned Xu Huo not to "do anything rash," or the robots might chase him down.
This wasn't a densely populated residential area, so there weren't many people in each building. Before entering, they had to register and verify their identities, explain why they were there, and then wait for the residential management center to contact the residents and inform them of their purpose. They could only go inside if the residents agreed to receive a free consultation.
They were only allowed to visit one household at a time. They couldn't move on to another until the consultation was over, and they had to sign the tracking device both before and after each visit.
The billiard-ball-shaped monitoring device kept flying around the three of them, recording their actions while dodging out of their way as they moved. It also let them know which direction the household they were about to visit was in and what kind of knock they preferred—even though all of this was communicated through a one-way channel.
After a lengthy process, they finally met their first household. The family had three members. The elderly resident had been bedridden for years, but after treatment, he could now walk. His legs hadn't fully recovered, though, and he still needed regular rehabilitation. The family often came to the free clinics.
"A new doctor today," the hostess said as she opened the door. Smiling, she ushered the three of them inside. After pouring them some tea, she brought out the records of the family's previous treatments and consultations so they could understand the old