Chapter 7: Single Effect

Chen Furen gloomily handed Tommy the twenty signed medical certificates with his name on them, then took the hundred US dollars that Tommy handed to him.

He didn't have a choice. The other party was white, and it wasn't technically extortion since such transactions should not exist in the first place. Moreover, in the current hostile environment against Asians, if he dared to refuse, the consequences could only be worse.

"Good, I like you," Tommy carefully checked each certificate one by one and found that the other party didn't just lazily fill in the twenty medical certificates with identical content, but actually copied twenty different sets of patient information, so he nodded in satisfaction.

"Sir, can the medical services I provided for you be concluded now?" Chen Furen asked uneasily, wiping his sweat.

"Of course, it's almost over. We are like the main characters of 'Madam Butterfly'; after today, we shall never meet again, but there's just one last small issue before we part," Tommy Hawk said, taking out six Virginia redneck licenses and tossing them in front of Chen Furen:

"Six psychiatric patients, each needing a course of Adderall and Lunesta."

"But there's only you in front of me," Chen Furen's eyes widened.

"That's because my condition is the most serious. Do you want to see what I look like when my mania flares up?" Tommy Hawk put away the medical certificates and said, staring straight at Chen Furen.

Chen Furen took several deep breaths: "The supervision is very strict now, these psychiatric drugs...I mean...might be investigated thoroughly..."

"How about letting my Virginia brothers hear you explain? If it's the drug enforcement authorities that catch on, at most you'd be fined or maybe lose your license for six months, but guess what the Virginia brothers will do when they hear you refuse to help them ease their mental pain?" Tommy Hawk asked, "Give me a share of the stock you sell to the Asian students, and I assure you, I won't bother you again."

Chen Furen locked eyes with Tommy Hawk, who nodded affirmatively at him.

"Please wait for me. I need to distribute these prescriptions among other Asian physicians so that it's not too obvious, otherwise... this is madness!" Chen Furen explained, picking up the six licenses, and went out the door.

About fifteen minutes later, he came back carrying a plastic bag filled with drugs and the licenses: "I went to the Asian pharmacy and got the medicines for you, to avoid any errors in the pharmacist's records."

"If all physicians were as considerate as you, how wonderful America would be. Now, you have won the favor of the white people in Virginia," Tommy Hawk said, taking the prescribed drugs and licenses, patting Chen Furen's cheek with a smile.

After paying him sixty dollars for the cost of the drugs, Tommy Hawk left the Asian medical center.

He drove a few blocks away, bought some small, resealable plastic bags for dividing the drugs from another pharmacy, then sped up, racing back home along the interstate highway.

After dividing the total of two hundred and seventy Adderall pills and one hundred and eighty Lunesta pills into the purchased plastic bags, five pills per bag, he hopped back into the car and headed to the North American Fraternity at Johnson Weiden University.

The Virginia rednecks were worried about being duped, so the transaction was very cautious. However, Tommy Hawk was supportive of verifying the goods, first handing over a medical certificate to the vice president, Tim Kane, allowing the patient named on that certificate to personally verify its authenticity.

Verifying authenticity is as simple as it is complex. It's not that the school would call the number provided on the medical certificate to ask questions, but rather would check the school's public health-issued registry of authorized medical establishments in the US to see if the clinic on the medical certificate was listed.

If the institution on the medical certificate is not found in the registry, it means the clinic is practicing illegally, and no further verification is needed.

If the clinic's name is found, the school will use the phone number listed in the registry to make an inquiry, asking the other party to validate the patient information on the medical certificate and to provide the necessary physician information. Only after everything checks out will they inform the student that the certificate is valid and that they can seek treatment.

So when a Virginia redneck took more than half an hour to excitedly run back and tell his brothers at the fraternity house that the medical certificate was effective, the guys immediately buzzed with excitement.

And another redneck, who was responsible for verifying the drugs, felt the effects of five Adderall pills half an hour after taking them. He was now excitedly pacing around, full of energy, incessantly babbling, looking to have some fun with a woman.

Adrafinil is a stimulant medication, primarily used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and it has become popular among young people due to its side effect that many users describe as enhancing endurance. Furthermore, it can prevent drowsiness for an extended period, allowing users to party all weekend long with just five or six pills, staying high until dawn.

Lunesta, on the other hand, is used to alleviate the effects of Adrafinil. For example, after bingeing for two days and two nights over the weekend, and with only four or five hours left before going to school, but the effects of Adrafinil not yet subsided, a few pills of Lunesta can neutralize the effects of Adrafinil, ensuring one quickly enters deep sleep and recovers energy, which is the best choice.

It is for this reason that these two prescription drugs have nearly become a standard accompaniment at college parties across the United State America.

Since the physician's proof and prescription medication were all legitimate, Tim Kane very obediently paid in cash: six hundred US Dollars for medical fees and one hundred US Dollars for prescription drug fees.

Moreover, several guys from the fraternity proactively asked Tommy if he provided marijuana and upon learning that Tommy doesn't offer illicit substances, expressed regret and encouraged Tommy to quickly expand into the marijuana business. Prescription drugs are merely a party expense, but marijuana is an everyday expense. If the price was right, they could consider a long-term partnership.

Before leaving, Tim Kane asked for Tommy's contact number. Tommy gave him Chen Furen's office number and then bid farewell to the group of Virginians planning their travel party with a polite smile.

When he returned to Warwick City, it was already four o'clock in the afternoon. His two hundred US Dollars from the morning had turned into seven hundred thirty-five US Dollars, along with one hundred seventy Adrafinil pills and eighty Lunesta pills.

Tommy originally wanted to drive directly to the leather shop to repay Ruby's two hundred twenty US Dollars, but recalling Tony's insistence on lending him the money that morning, he ultimately turned the steering wheel and drove to the auto repair shop instead.

Tony, wearing greasy overalls, had just crawled out from under a pickup truck when he saw Tommy get out of the car, smiling at him.

"Judging by the look on your face, I'm guessing your little business did quite well?" Tony threw away the wrench, wiped his oily hands on his indistinguishable-colored overalls, and came over to say.

Tommy took out three hundred twenty dollars and handed it to Tony, "The extra eighty, you can give it to the old man, or you can keep it for yourself."

"Eighty bucks? You made eighty bucks in one day?" Tony looked at the bills in his hand, then back at Tommy, unbelievably saying, "You made eighty bucks in a day? I earn eighty bucks a week as an apprentice at the auto shop."

"Hey! Tony, I brought lunch!" Anderson called out from a distance, smilingly reminding, "When you can fix a transmission shudder on your own without calling me for help, that's when you'll get a raise!"

"I'm not complaining, Anderson!" Tony laughed, responding to Anderson, "I'm just shocked that this guy Tommy made eighty bucks in a day!"

"Actually, a bit more." Tommy said, "I need to save up some money for rent, for summer camps and such. Oh, and thanks, Tony."

As he spoke, Tommy went up and hugged the greasy Tony, "Thanks for lending me the car today, and the two hundred bucks. But still, I'll say it like before, it's best you don't show up in front of me asking for money until after Sat, okay? Now, I have to go back and keep studying, after all, there's a lot to review before I become Einstein."

Tony stood as if petrified, not quite accustomed to the hug from Tommy, and it wasn't until Tommy let go and was about to walk away that Tony snapped back to reality:

"Hey!"

Tommy turned back to his brother, "What?"

"How about a drink tonight, just the two of us, no old man? Honestly, you've changed a bit since you moved out. We haven't sat down for a good chat in a long time, brothers should. Classes and work can continue tomorrow, but family bonds run every day," Tony said earnestly, his gaze fixed on Tommy.

Tommy, seeing Tony's insistent look, eventually nodded, "OK, but there's plenty of time now. I want to go back and study. Come find me after you get off work."

"See you tonight, I'll first go settle the sharking debt," Tony grinned upon hearing Tommy agree to a drink later, "One more thing, if you can make eighty bucks a day, why don't you go into business instead of sticking with college?"

In the waning sunlight, Tommy exhaled, and with Tony watching, he stretched his arms back and walked away, laughing loudly, "That kind of business savvy is what you learn in college, the very bottom-rung type, it's called single-effect."