她在一間常光顧的精品店，俯身於櫥櫃前挑選配飾，目光忽然被一枚直徑約五厘米的玉環吸引住。環身有一條蟠龍，鱗爪分明，彷彿在微微蠕動。她一向覺得玉器是老人家才買的，龍的圖案更是俗不可耐，但這玉環卻像有股無形的魔力，令她心跳不由自主地加快，湧起一股莫名其妙的渴望，要戴上它。

店主注意到她望著玉環，雙眼發亮，連忙取出，遞到她面前，說：「它叫玉龍環，是客人寄賣的，聽說是屬於醫生世家。似乎，妳和它非常有緣，我可以算你便宜一點。」

「緣份」二字，正中她的心坎，因為她一直篤信緣份，認為有緣的人、事、物，會像磁石的南北極，自自然然便會在一起。若不依從，人生就會出現缺陷。

雖然她認為玉龍環這名字很老套，但她仍從店主手中取過玉環。甫一接觸，她像被細微的電流輕輕刺了一下。隨即，一股冰涼從掌心緩緩滲入，令她有說不出的舒暢。她再三撫摸玉環，捨不得放下。

店主說了一個價錢，高得令她猶豫。店主再經幾番游說，又略略減了價，最終，她花了相當於十件高級配飾的價錢，將它買下。她更配上一條項鏈，掛在頸項，然後將玉環放進衣襟內，貼肉戴上。因為若被朋友看見，定會取笑她的口味，她又難以解釋為何會對這玉環著迷。

回家後，她洗澡上床，一直沒有脫下玉環，很快就沉睡了。在夢中，她在一個旺區著名商場門外，四週全是途人，以很快的速度穿梭往來，就像電影的快鏡。她內心忐忑，感到似乎有事會發生，就拿出手機看時間，是八月七日下午四時十二分，然後，又發了其他夢。

翌日早上，八月四日，她起床只記得這個夢，卻不以為意。但之後連續兩晚，她都發同一個夢，連夢中手機顯示的時間都一模一樣，令她感到事情極不對勁，像是某種預告。

八月六日，她很希望第二天到商場門外，看看是否真的有事發生。她曾想過找要好的閨蜜商量，但以她們的性格，一定認為自己小題大作，並取笑她。於是，她找了一個對自己一直很有好感的中學舊同學。

他是個聰明溫柔的人，醫科畢業，已做了近一年醫生，忙碌中仍一直和她透過手機程式談天，雙方可說是無所不談。不過，她始終覺得兩人之間的緣份只限於朋友，因為他身材臃腫，五官卻細小得擠在一處，實在無法對他產生愛意。

胖醫生難得有機會，應承陪伴她到現場。

八月七日，未到四時，他們站在商場門外。時間一分一秒過去，到了四時十二分，胖醫生看見一個男士倚在燈柱，手掩胸部，臉上露出非常痛苦的神情，全身冒汗，突然倒下。胖醫生急忙叫她快到商場借AED機（自動體外心臟除顫器），然後衝過去，叫途人幫手報警，並替男士進行急救。

她跑進跑出，約一分鐘便回到胖醫生身旁，見他已脫去外套，跪在地上為男士進行心肺復甦。她遞上AED機，見胖醫生熟練地打開，鎮靜地依指示操作，為男士貼上電極片。那份專注與認真，讓他原本可笑的面孔，被沉穩的魅力取代。她站在一旁，覺得自己的心跳，和胖醫生救人的節奏同步。

救護車很快就來到，載病人到醫院，最終搶救成功。那男士心懷感激，並要致送厚酬，但被他們婉拒。

之後，每隔約一週，她就會發類似的夢，然後約胖醫生到現場。在指定時間，總有一個人會突然病發而有生命危險，他們立即上前幫忙，在黃金時間進行急救及報警，挽救其性命，不過，亦有兩人最終不治。

他們討論過，玉環來自醫學世家，而「玉龍」這名稱，可能來自《扁鵲神應針灸玉龍經》。所以，這玉環應該和夢中預兆有關，讓配戴它的有緣人懸壼濟世，救急扶危。

由於他們頻頻在意外事故現場，有人戲稱他們為「救護界少年金田一」，因為她們一出現，就有人病發，亦有人稱他們為「神醫俠侶」。

這段期間，她對胖醫生愈來愈有好感，就對自己說：「救到第十個人，給他強烈暗示吧！」

數個月後，已救活了九個人，她夢見三天後的中午十二時零四分，在一個難度頗高的行山徑中間位置會發生事故，就如常撥電和胖醫生商量。

胖醫生說：「這地點太偏遠了，需要救護直昇機協助，但也可能要等二十至三十分鐘。我們不如將一切緣由告知醫學界，除了解決今次事件，更可以用科學方法研究玉龍環。或者，以後可以大規模為突發危急病人作第一時間救治。」

她極不同意公開，因為玉龍環是她和胖醫生兩人之間的秘密，緣份的鑰匙，就說：「用科學研究法寶，絕對不會有結論，反而可能像劏了生蛋的金鵝，到時一無所有。我們既然和它有緣，就用我們的力量，去救有緣人。救不到，也是命。」

他領略不到她的心思，道：「另外，我當天會參與一個很特別大手術，協助一個權威醫生，從中可以得到很多經驗。或者我介紹一個醫生朋友幫手。」

她非常不快，道：「救人是醫生的天職，經驗可以慢慢累積的。」

胖醫生也有點氣，道：「之前每一次，我沒有推搪你，都是將診所病人委託其他醫生診治。我也不是見死不救，我說過會找人幫手的。」

她怒道：「不來就算了，我不要其他人！」然後，就掛了電話。

兩人賭氣，到了前一天黃昏，都沒有聯絡對方。

如果你是她，你會選擇：

 -（A）到精品店逛

 -（B）翌日早上七時出發，順道行山散心

 -（C）翌日早上十時出發，預計早二十分到達出事地點

While she was leaning over the display case at her favourite boutique, browsing accessories, her gaze suddenly locked onto a jade ring about five centimetres in diameter. A coiled dragon adorned its surface, its scales and claws so finely carved they seemed to ripple faintly, as if alive. She had always thought jade was for the elderly, and dragon motifs were downright tacky. But this ring held an inexplicable magnetism that made her heart race and stirred a strange, irresistible urge to wear it.

The shopkeeper noticed her staring, eyes gleaming. He quickly retrieved the ring and placed it before her. "It's called the Jade Dragon Ring," he said. "On consignment from a family of doctors. It seems you and this piece share a special connection. I can give you a discount."

The word "connection" struck a chord deep within her. She had always believed in fate — that destined people, events, and things would naturally come together like the north and south poles of a magnet. To defy such fate, she felt, would leave a void in her life.

Though she thought the name "Jade Dragon Ring" sounded terribly old-fashioned, she took it from his hand. The moment her fingers touched its surface, she felt a faint electric tingle. Then a cool sensation seeped slowly into her palm, bringing an inexplicable comfort. She turned it over and over in her hands, unable to let go.

The shopkeeper named a price so high it made her hesitate. After some persuasion and a small discount, she finally bought it — at a cost equivalent to ten pieces of high-end accessories. She had a chain added, hung it around her neck, and tucked the ring beneath her clothes, against her skin. She didn't want her friends to see it; they would surely mock her taste, and she couldn't explain why she was so captivated.

Back home, she showered, went to bed, and fell asleep quickly — still wearing the ring. In her dream, she stood outside a famous shopping mall in a bustling district. People rushed past her at high speed, like a movie in fast-forward. Her heart pounded with unease, as if something was about to happen. She pulled out her phone to check the time: 4:12 pm, 7th August. Then the dream shifted to other scenes.

She woke on the morning of 4th August, remembering the dream but dismissing it. Yet the same dream returned the next two nights — the same time on the phone, the same unsettling feeling. She knew something was terribly wrong. It felt like a warning.

By 6th August, she was determined to be at that mall entrance the next day to see if anything would actually happen. She considered confiding in her closest girlfriends, but they would surely laugh at her for making a mountain out of a molehill. So she reached out to an old classmate from secondary school who had always harboured feelings for her.

He was clever and gentle — a medical graduate who had been working as a doctor for nearly a year. Despite his busy schedule, they chatted regularly through messaging apps and could talk about almost anything. Still, she never felt their connection went beyond friendship. He was overweight, and his the facial features are so small and clustered together on his round face — she simply couldn't picture herself falling for him.

The chubby doctor, seizing the rare opportunity, agreed to accompany her.

On 7th August, they stood outside the mall before four o'clock. Minutes ticked by. At exactly 4:12 pm, the doctor noticed a man leaning against a lamppost, clutching his chest in obvious distress, drenched in sweat. The man suddenly collapsed. The doctor told her to quickly borrow an AED (automated external defibrillator) from the mall, then rushed over, asking bystanders to call an ambulance while he began resuscitation.

She ran in and out, returning in about a minute to find him kneeling beside the man, his jacket off, performing CPR. She handed him the AED and watched as he calmly opened it, followed the instructions, and applied the electrode pads. The focus and seriousness on his face transformed his usually comical features into something steady and capable. Standing there, she felt her heartbeat sync with his rhythm of rescue.

An ambulance arrived swiftly. The patient survived. He offered a generous reward, but they declined.

After that, she would have similar dreams about once a week and call the chubby doctor to join her at the scene. At the predicted time, someone would always collapse in critical condition, and they would step in — performing first aid, calling for help during that golden window of survival. Two of the patients, however, did not survive.

They discussed it together. The ring came from a family of doctors, and the name "Jade Dragon" might have originated from an ancient medical text called "The Jade Dragon Acupuncture Manual by Bian Que the Doctor". The ring seemed to be connected to prophetic dreams, guiding its destined wearer to help the sick and save lives.

As they kept appearing at accident scenes, people started calling them the "Junior Kindaichi of the Rescue World" — because wherever they showed up, someone fell ill. Others called them the "Divine Healer Couple."

During this time, her feelings for the chubby doctor deepened. She told herself: When we save the tenth person, I'll give him a strong hint.

Months passed. They had saved nine lives. Then she dreamt of an incident three days away, at 12:04 PM, on a particularly difficult hiking trail. She called the doctor as usual.

He said, "That spot is too remote. We'd need an air ambulance, which could take 20 to 30 minutes to arrive. Maybe we should tell the medical community everything — not just to handle this case, but to study the jade ring scientifically. It could eventually help us provide immediate care to critical patients on a larger scale."

She strongly disagreed. The ring was their secret, the key to their connection. "Science will never explain a magical artifact," she argued. "It'll be like killing the goose that lays golden eggs. We'll end up with nothing. Fate brought us together — we should use our own strength to help those we're destined to help. If we fail, that's fate too."

He didn't grasp her deeper meaning. "Besides," he added, "I'm assisting a renowned surgeon on a very important operation that day. The experience would be invaluable. I could introduce you to a doctor friend who can help instead."

She was deeply displeased. "Saving lives is a doctor's duty. Experience can be gained over time."

He was also a little miffed. "Every other time, I've never turned you down — I rearranged my clinic patients and had other doctors cover for me. I'm not refusing to help. I said I'd find someone."

She snapped, "Fine, don't come! I don't want anyone else!" — and hung up.

By the evening before the predicted day, neither had contacted the other.

If you were her, what would you choose?

 - Choice (A): Visit the boutique

 - Choice (B): Set out at 7 am the next day and go hiking along the way

 - Choice (C): Set out at 10 am, planning to arrive at the scene 20 minutes early

選擇（A）：到精品店逛

她心血來潮，下班後，就來到精品店，看看能否打聽到一些關於玉龍環的訊息。店主一見她，便露出燦爛的笑容，說：「你上次買的玉龍環，原主人不久前聯絡我，說是很珍貴的紀念物，願意出十倍價錢購回。這種機會可遇不可求，既有可觀利潤，又能成全對方，確是一件美事。」

她沒料到竟有機會見到原主人，且對方願高價回購，背後必有緣由，便連忙答道：「我想先見見原主人，再作決定。」

店主反應很快，道：「我立即聯絡他，他住得很近，應該很快就到。」

大約等了十多分鐘，一名中年男子到了。他儀表端正，很有禮貌地與她打了招呼，然後說明來意：「不好意思，我兒子不知道這玉環是傳了好幾代的物件，雖然質地及色澤不是最上乘，但對我家甚有紀念意義，所以希望能買回來。」

她問：「這玉龍環究竟有什麼特別之處，你能否告訴我？」

原主人定定看了她一會，轉而對店主說：「我需要單獨和她談談。若交易談成，佣金照原先約定計算。」

店主爽快回應：「沒問題，何況店裡現在也沒其他客人，你們在此處談，我出去等一等，就可以。」

待店主離開店鋪，原主人深深吸了一口氣，道：「我在網絡上見過你與醫生朋友關於救人的討論，心感不安，於是打開房間裡的保險箱，發現少了幾樣東西，其中就包括玉龍環。我立即問兒子，才得知他竟將它放在此處寄賣。」

她暗想，那兒子大概是偷了父親的物品。不過，這並非重點，無須探究。

原主人繼續說：「我也是醫生，也曾佩戴過玉龍環。你近來是否會做一些奇怪的夢？」

她明白若要對方說出玉龍環的秘密，自己也必須坦誠，於是便將一切講出來，包括關於明早的預警。

原主人說：「我和你一樣，也曾做過這類預知夢，並且因此救了不少人。」

她奇怪地問：「既然如此，你為何不再佩戴玉龍環，去救更多人呢？」

原主人嘆了一口氣，答：「我對玉龍環的神奇力量感到十分好奇，便翻閱家族的筆記，終於找到相關記載。原來，它具備兩種力量。」

她問：「其中一種，就是預告將有生命危險的病人？」

原主人點頭：「對。這股神秘力量，曾對我們醫族世家十分重要。因為在古代，要成為一名高明的大夫，除了有醫術精湛的長輩或師傅傳授，還必須累積足夠的經驗，才能在望、聞、問、切，達致爐火純青。而玉龍環能為大夫提供大量治病機會，正因如此，我們家族才能代代以醫術聞名。然而，到了現代，已經有相當完善的醫學培訓制度，能夠確保畢業的醫生，都具備一定的專業水平。」

她說：「就算玉龍環的訓練功能，現時用處不大，但若能多救幾條人命，實在是好事。」

原主人卻道：「可惜它還有第二種神秘力量，家族筆記清楚寫著：『救一人，死一人，天道自有權衡。』」

她驚訝地問：「這麼說，我和醫生朋友救了九個人，就有另外九個人因此喪命？」

原主人答道：「而你們並不知道那九個死了的人是誰。或許他們原本很健康，自己和家人都從未想過會出事，卻突然猝死。」

她默默沉思，沒有接話。原主人續道：「所以，根本不用理會明天的預警，因為就算你成功救了一個人，也必然會有另一個人死去。所以，我才急著買回玉龍環。」

原主人其實也曾暗自想過，當年那些死去的人，是否算是由他間接殺害。但他沒有說出口，免得增添她的壓力。

然而，她此刻想的，卻是另一回事。她曾暗許，若救到第十個人，便和胖醫生在一起。但聽了原主人的一番說話，自然不會再去救第十個人了。

看來，她和胖醫生的緣分，就只差了那麼一點。

但她再深想一層，緣分，沒有差一點點的。 緣分，有就是有，沒有就是沒有。

[完]

Choice (A): Visit the boutique

On a whim, she stopped by the boutique after work, hoping to learn more about the Jade Dragon Ring. The shopkeeper beamed the moment he saw her. "The original owner of the ring you bought contacted me recently," he said. "It's a precious keepsake to them. He is willing to buy it back for ten times the price. Such opportunities don't come often — you'd make a tidy profit and do him a favour. A win-win."

She hadn't expected to have a chance to meet the original owner, especially at such a generous offer — there must be a reason. "I'd like to meet them first," she said quickly, "before I decide."

"Of course," said the shopkeeper quickly. "I'll call them right away. They live nearby — shouldn't be long."

About ten minutes later, a middle-aged man arrived. He was well-dressed and polite, greeting her courteously before explaining his purpose: "I apologise, but my son had no idea this ring has been passed down through generations. Though the quality and colour aren't the finest, it holds great sentimental value for our family. I'd very much like to buy it back."

She asked, "What exactly is so special about the Jade Dragon Ring? Can you tell me?"

The original owner stared at her for a while, then turned to the shopkeeper. "I need to speak with her alone. If the deal goes through, your commission will be as agreed."

The shopkeeper readily agreed. "No problem — there are no other customers right now. You can talk here, and I'll step outside for a while."

Once the shopkeeper left, the man took a deep breath. "I've seen discussions online about you and your doctor friend saving people. It made me uneasy. So I opened the safe in my room and found several items missing — including the Jade Dragon Ring. I asked my son immediately and learned he'd put it up for consignment here."

She thought to herself that the son had probably stolen it, but that wasn't the point right now.

The man continued, "I'm a doctor too. I once wore this ring myself. Lately, have you been having strange dreams?"

She realised that to get the truth, she would have to be honest. She told him everything — including the warning about tomorrow morning.

The man said, "I had the same kind of prophetic dreams. And I saved many people because of them."

"Then why did you stop wearing it?" she asked, puzzled. "Why not save more?"

He sighed. "I was curious about the ring's mysterious power, so I searched through my family's records. I finally found the relevant notes. It seems the ring possesses two powers."

"One of them is predicting life-threatening emergencies?" she asked.

He nodded. "Yes. This power was crucial to our family's medical legacy. In ancient times, becoming a great physician required not only skilled elders or masters to teach you, but also enough practical experience to master diagnosis — observation, listening, questioning, pulse-taking. The Jade Dragon Ring provided its wearer with countless opportunities to treat patients. That's how our family gained its reputation. But in modern times, there are comprehensive medical training systems to ensure every graduate meets professional standards."

"Even so," she said, "if the ring can save more lives, that's still a good thing."

"Unfortunately," he said, "the ring has a second power. The family records clearly state: 'Save one life, lose one life. Heaven balances its own accounts.'"

She was stunned. "So... for the nine people my doctor friend and I saved, nine others have died?"

"Yes," he replied. "And you don't know who those nine were. They might have been perfectly healthy people, never expecting anything to happen — until they suddenly dropped dead."

She fell silent, deep in thought. The man continued, "So you see, there's no point in heeding tomorrow's warning. Even if you save someone, someone else will die in their place. That's why I'm so eager to buy the ring back."

Actually he had privately wondered, over the years, whether those who died in his time had been indirectly killed by him. But he didn't voice that thought — he didn't want to burden her further.

Yet she was thinking about something else entirely. She had made a private vow: if she saved the tenth person, she would be with the chubby doctor. But after hearing this revelation, she would never save a tenth person.

It seemed the “connection” between she and the doctor were fall just short.

Then she thought deeper: “Connection” is never "just short." “Connection” either exists — or it doesn't.

[End]

選擇（B）：翌日早上七時出發，順道行山散心

十時許，她到達夢中預告將要出事的地點 才發現忘記帶手機。沒有什麼事做，她就躺臥在草地上，望著蔚藍的天空，腦中不斷浮現這幾個月來與胖醫生相處的片段。原來每一幕，都已無聲無息地烙印在心底。

時間一分一秒過去，轉眼已近正午，四周卻空無一人。她忽然一驚，心想，病發的竟是自己？

她坐起身，剛巧看見胖醫生從斜坡下緩緩走來。她立刻跳起，開心地揮手，卻見他腳步沉重，突然停下，一手按住胸口。她心知不妙，連忙飛奔而下，跑到他身邊時，只聽他低聲說了一句：「幸好是我病發，不是你。」說罷，胖醫生暈倒了。

她明白，胖醫生是太過擔心她，才不顧一切跟了過來。她強忍淚水，一邊回憶胖醫生的手勢，跪地為他進行胸部按壓和人工呼吸。每一個按壓、吸氣和吹氣，都讓她深深感受到，這幾個月來，緣份早已將他們緊緊相繫。她在不知不覺間，已深深愛上眼前這個人。

他是玉龍環要她救的第十個人，也是命運安排她在這一刻，用盡全部力氣，專注搶救一個她愛上了的救命恩人。

[完]

Choice (B): Set out at 7 am and go hiking

Around 10 AM, she arrived at the spot from her dream — only to realise she had forgotten her phone. With nothing else to do, she lay down on the grass, gazing at the blue sky, replaying the past months with the chubby doctor in her mind. Each memory had quietly etched itself into her heart.

Time passed. Noon drew near. But the trail was empty. Suddenly, she jolted upright: What if the one who falls ill... is me?

Just then, she saw the chubby doctor climbing up from below. She jumped up, waving happily — but his steps were heavy. He stopped, clutching his chest. Her heart dropped. She ran to him as fast as she could. As she reached his side, he murmured, "At least it was me — not you." Then he collapsed.

She understood: he had followed her out of sheer worry. Holding back tears, she recalled his movements, kneeling beside him to perform chest compressions and rescue breaths. With every press, every breath, she felt the bonds that had grown between them over the months. She had fallen deeply in love with this man — without even realising it.

He was the tenth person the ring wanted her to save. And fate had chosen this moment for her to pour all her strength into saving the one she loved.

[End]

選擇（C）：翌日早上十時出發，預計早二十分到達出事地點

她乘坐巴士前往行山徑起點，不料途中隧道內發生車禍，進退不得，足足困了一小時，才駛離隧道。

她自然錯過了預告時間，無法依時到達出事地點。她心想，胖醫生沒有空，今早又遇上交通擠塞，定是命運刻意不讓她趕到將會出事的地方。

因此，她原諒了胖醫生，和他一起四處打聽，但始終找不到誰曾在該處病發。後來，她聽從胖醫生的建議，連續三次不去夢中地點，結果什麼都沒發生。

胖醫生道：「玉龍環的力量，可能是令附近的高危人士突然病發，讓佩戴它的醫生即時救治，從而有很大機會成為救命恩人，獲得鉅額酬勞。」

她道：「想不到表面是救人的法寶，竟令病人受苦，甚至可能提早奪去生命。」

然後，她拿出鐵鎚，用力砸玉龍環，碎片四濺。就在這瞬間，她想：「和玉龍環的緣份已盡，或者是代表另一段緣份，要迅速發展。」

就在這時，胖醫生逐塊碎玉拾起，低聲道：「碎了也好，你以後不用做這些古怪的夢。」

胖醫生的聲調，和以往差不多，但在她心目中的緣份加持下，她感到胖醫生對她的萬分關心。

她雖痛恨玉龍環又邪惡又狡猾的力量，但感激它帶來一段良緣，讓她不知不覺間，將依賴胖醫生的心，悄悄變成一份深情。

她輕輕握住胖醫生的手，溫柔地道：「小心，別被碎玉割傷。」

胖醫生輕輕一震，抬頭望著她的目光，隨即會意，緊緊回握她的手，露出幸福的笑容。

[完]

Choice (C): Set out at 10 am, aiming to arrive 20 minutes early

She took a bus to the trailhead. But halfway there, a traffic accident in the tunnel left them stuck for an entire hour.

She missed the predicted time. She couldn't reach the location as planned. She thought to herself: The doctor was busy this morning, and now traffic delayed me. Fate must not want me to arrive in time.

So she forgave him. They searched together, asking around, but found no one who had fallen ill at that spot. Later, following his advice, she skipped the dream location three times. Nothing happened.

The doctor said, "The ring's power might cause high-risk individuals nearby to suddenly collapse — giving the wearing doctor a chance to save them, become their life-saving hero, and perhaps earn a generous reward."

She said, "So the ring isn't really a blessing — it makes people suffer, maybe even hastens their death."

Then she took a hammer and smashed the Jade Dragon Ring into pieces. In that instant, she thought: My “connection” with the ring is over. Perhaps that means another “connection” is about to bloom.

Just then, the doctor knelt to gather the fragments, murmuring, "It's better this way. You will have no more strange dreams."

His tone was familiar, but now — blessed by the “coneection” in her eyes — she heard only deep concern for her.

Though she despised the ring's wicked, cunning power, she was grateful for the “connection” it had brought. Slowly, without her noticing, her dependence on the doctor had quietly blossomed into love.

She gently took his hand. "Be careful," she said softly. "Don't cut yourself on the broken pieces."

He looked up, surprised. Meeting her gaze, he understood. He held her hand in return, a happy smile spreading across his face.

[End]