It is said that in San Francisco, there are only three major gangs.
Most of them are black!
Due to the poor public safety recently and frequent gang wars, the Iris Clinic closes its doors before 7 p.m.
From the third-floor window, Zhōu Qiáo cautiously peered outside. He saw that other shops and residences were also closing early. Compared to the bustling daytime, it was like two different worlds.
The strong southwest sea breeze, blowing fiercely from the Pacific Ocean, brought not only coolness but also a dense, salty, fishy odor that caused unease.
Zhōu Qiáo couldn't help but mutter, the police here are too ineffective. If this were in China, they would have already cracked down on crime and eliminated the gangs!
Little did he know that American gangs hold immense power, with vast numbers of members. The police force in San Francisco is insufficient to control them.
Ordinary citizens can legally purchase only single-shot firearms, but gang members are different. They can obtain any type of weapon, including grenades, RPGs, and some even shoulder-fired missiles.
Once, the San Francisco Police Department actually implemented a policy to pay money to gang members!
They would receive $300 per month, and if they cooperated, it could increase to $500 per month.
Many media outlets and critics vehemently criticized: "The government is bribing criminals and nurturing evil. Criminals don't need cash; they need to be in jail!"
However, officials in San Francisco insisted that this plan could address gun violence at its root.
"$500 is nothing compared to the cost of imprisoning them."
Perhaps there were undercover agents planted by the gangs within the government or the police department? Otherwise, why would they go to such lengths to benefit the gangs?
Surprisingly, many regions in America began to emulate this, implementing similar incentive programs, but the results were clearly poor!
For example, after Stockton, California, implemented its incentive program, homicides increased rather than decreased.
Nearly a third of gang members involved in the program were arrested again for committing crimes!
Even after receiving subsidies, they continued their activities, even becoming more brazen! Because the government paying them money was a sign of compromise!
biu~biu~biu~
Not the sound of firecrackers, but gunshots!
In the distance, gunshots rang out again. It wasn't even 9 p.m. yet!
Zhōu Qiáo quickly closed the window and retreated back into the room.
Peeking out here could easily get him shot!
It was safer and more comfortable to embrace the gentle and sweet Ailinna, hiding under the covers and accumulating Medical Profound Points!
...
The clinic opened for less than half an hour when Mr. and Mrs. Westin returned for a visit.
"Good morning, Mr. Westin, Mrs. Westin!" Aiwā greeted them first.
"Good morning, little Aiwā darling!" Mrs. Westin said with a smile, giving Aiwā a hug.
"It looks like Mr. Westin has recovered well. Are you here for a follow-up appointment?" Aiwā asked, looking at Mr. Westin, who appeared energetic.
"Yes, I've recovered very well, thank you, little Aiwā. There have been no complications," Mr. Westin nodded.
Mrs. Westin added, "We're here this time for Walid's follow-up appointment, and I also have some questions I'd like to consult Dr. Zhōu about."
Aiwā led them to Zhōu Qiáo's examination room.
Zhōu Qiáo came out to greet them, giving each of them a gentle hug, mainly concerned about Mr. Westin's complete recovery.
"Dr. Zhōu, thank you so much for last time! Your surgery was superb! Dr. Dean, the renowned doctor Brian recommended, also praised you highly," Mrs. Westin said happily upon seeing Zhōu Qiáo.
However, Zhōu Qiáo noticed that Mrs. Westin's face seemed to have become a little rounder in the past few days.
After sitting down in the examination room, Zhōu Qiáo first examined Mr. Westin and found that indeed, there were no issues. The wound had already begun to scab.
Zhōu Qiáo then removed his stitches, changed his dressing, and gave him some post-operative instructions.
He expressed his happiness that Mr. Westin had returned for a follow-up visit!
After all, this meant money!
Ailinna brought over two cups of coffee and chatted with the Westins, fostering a better patient-doctor relationship.
"Dr. Zhōu, I'd like a full physical examination, and I also want to consult about weight loss," Mrs. Westin said, looking at Zhōu Qiáo.
Zhōu Qiáo replied, "No problem. I'll arrange a professional health check-up for you immediately. As for weight loss, I have three suitable weight loss plans for your age group. However, we'll need to wait for your examination report to make specific adjustments based on the results. I'll have Ailinna give you a brief introduction."
These weight loss plans were actually left behind by Zhōu Qiáo's late aunt and were stored on the clinic's computer. In addition to the digital versions, there were also paper archives.
For older individuals, the first plan recommended medicinal cuisine. Zhōu Qiáo's aunt was Chinese, and she wouldn't neglect the gifts of their ancestors when it came to weight loss!
Medicinal cuisine for weight loss is exceptional, primarily using Chinese herbs like Astragalus, Poria cocos, dried tangerine peel, and Alisma orientalis. Adding them to the appropriate diet can strengthen the spleen and resolve dampness, thereby aiding in weight loss.
There are traditional Chinese medicine shops and pharmacies in the nearby Chinatown. As Zhōu Qiáo is Chinese, obtaining herbs from them is very convenient.
Of course, medicinal cuisine alone is not enough; it needs to be combined with appropriate exercise, such as a post-meal stroll or other simple exercises. Dancing with the aunties in Chinatown or practicing Tai Chi are excellent ways to eliminate excess fat.
The other two options are Western medical methods: drug therapy and bariatric surgery.
However, Zhōu Qiáo did not recommend these two.
Ailinna, proficient in her duties, immediately took the materials and began explaining them carefully to Mrs. Westin.
Following Zhōu Qiáo's instructions, she strongly recommended that Mrs. Westin consider medicinal cuisine for weight loss. Although surgical weight loss would earn him more, as a doctor, he still needed some conscience.
Additionally, since Mrs. Westin had been experiencing slightly high blood sugar, Ailinna also recommended the same stevia brand from last time.
A small amount was added to the coffee this time as well.
This particular stevia is quite expensive, even among stevia products, it's considered high-end, costing around $200 per kilogram.
Stevia has many components, up to forty to fifty types, with nine to fifteen commonly found. Depending on the formula, there are various product types on the market.
Its sweetness is 200-400 times that of sucrose, but its calorie content is only 1/300 of sucrose. It does not participate in human metabolism and is mostly excreted in its original form through feces, which is beneficial for certain individuals.
In North America, many well-known "sugar-free" and "zero-calorie" beverages contain it.
The one chosen by Iris Clinic, although expensive, has an absolutely exquisite taste!
Since Mrs. Westin drinks coffee every day and enjoys it with sweetener, after the strong recommendations from Ailinna and Zhōu Qiáo, she purchased a beautifully packaged two-kilogram pack of the stevia product from Iris Clinic.
Of course, the cost is included in the subsequent medicinal cuisine plan and can be covered by health insurance.
It must be said that opening a clinic in America and benefiting from the U.S. government's "wool" is particularly satisfying. Not only health check-ups but also nutritional and psychological counseling are covered by the health insurance system.
Some American scholars have even suggested including vegetables and fruits in health insurance, such as tomatoes, apples, oranges, and cabbage...