Chapter 34: Chapter 34 Feed me
The sight stirred a pang of pity within him.
Alana bit her lip and reminded him again, "Mr Hudson, your coat." Stephan paused briefly before taking the bag from her hands.
Biting her lip, Alana said, "Mr Hudson, I’m feeling rather unwell. I’m afraid I can’t entertain you any longer. Well then... goodbye..."
In the dead of night, a man and a woman alone together.
If anyone discovered a man visiting her at night, it would surely invite gossip.
Best to see him off promptly.
Stephan paid no heed to her words, instead glancing through the open door into her room.
It was spotless, radiating the cosy warmth of a young woman’s space.
“Do you live here alone?"
Alana hesitated before nodding. "Yes."
Learning she lived alone, Stephan felt an inexplicable sense of relief wash over him.
He pressed on, "And your boyfriend?"
Seeing the girl’s silence, his tone turned slightly sharp. "You’re ill, and your boyfriend didn’t come to look after you?"
Alana’s face flushed crimson as she replied stubbornly, "Mr Hudson, I’m perfectly capable of looking after myself."
Stephan frowned. "You’re this ill and still trying to put on a brave face?"
“I’m not...”
Before Alana could finish her sentence, she couldn’t help but start coughing. Her face crumpled in discomfort as the fit raged on.
Stephan couldn’t help but reach out and pat her back.
“Come inside first. Have a glass of water."
He then took hold of her shoulders and guided her straight into her room.
Alana was too preoccupied with her coughing fit and the throbbing, swollen ache in her head to mind the man entering her room.
Stephan guided her to the sofa and asked, "Where’s the water?"
Alana raised her hand, pointing weakly towards the kitchen. "Kitchen."
Stephan immediately set off towards the kitchen.
The girl’s kitchen was surprisingly tidy. He glanced around, found the cupboard, and took out a cup.
He then located the thermos flask, which still contained water, lukewarm, likely freshly boiled. Stephan poured a large cup and carried it out.
Approaching Alana, he carefully fed her most of the cup. Only then did her complexion begin to improve.
Lying limp on the sofa, she murmured weakly, "Thank you..."
“You’re welcome." Stephan placed the cup on the coffee table before turning his attention back to Alana. Having spent time by his mother’s side, he possessed some basic medical knowledge.
On seeing her complexion, he immediately concluded.
“You’ve got a fever, you know?"
Stephan stared at her and pressed, "Do you have a thermometer?"
Judging by her appearance, the fever seemed rather high.
Her face was as red as a monkey’s bottom.
And she claimed she just got a cold? Can’t even tell the difference between a cold and a fever?
Utterly daft!
Alana replied, "The thermometer... it’s broken. I haven’t bought a new one yet."
Stephan stood up: "Then get ready. Come with me to the hospital."
Alana felt awkward about letting the man take her. "I’ll go myself. You’ve been through enough trouble tonight..."
Stephan couldn’t be bothered with her excuses and simply lifted her off the sofa.
Caught off guard, Alana gasped, her arms instinctively wrapping around his neck.
“Alana...”
Stephan lowered his gaze, observing her wide-eyed, flustered expression. "How on earth do you expect to manage on your own when you’re this ill?"
“You silly woman, can’t even tell the difference between a cold and a fever."
Alana blinked.
His words shut her up completely.
*********
Stephan took Alana to the nearest hospital.
Worried she might be cold, he draped the freshly laundered coat over her shoulders.
Alana sighed.
Right, that’ll need washing again.
The doctor took Alana’s temperature: thirty-nine degrees. A high fever. She needed intravenous fluids.
Stephan arranged a private ward for her to rest and receive the drip.
No sooner had Alana settled in with the drip attached than she blurted out, "Mr Hudson, it’s quite late now. You should go home. There’s no need for you to trouble yourself any further."
Stephan sat down in the chair beside her and couldn’t help but glare at her. "Shut up!"
Alana gulped.
What had she said wrong?
She merely wished to spare him any inconvenience, was that truly a fault?
Seeing the pitiful look in her eyes, Stephan couldn’t bring himself to be harsh. His tone softened as he said, "Just lie still. We’ll talk once the drip’s finished."
Alana murmured, "Oh," and didn’t press the matter.
During the infusion, drowsiness overtook her once more, and she felt sleepy.
But with a man watching over her, she felt too embarrassed to sleep, so she kept fighting it. What if he suddenly left and no one was there to change the drip once it finished?
Stephan seemed to read her thoughts, speaking softly, "If you’re feeling sleepy, sleep. I’m not going anywhere.”
She pouted:
Was this man a mind reader?
How could he possibly know exactly what she was thinking?
Still, she was truly exhausted. She couldn’t hold on any longer.
Ultimately, she succumbed to the wave of drowsiness and slowly closed her eyes.
The girl’s breathing gradually steadied.
Stephan gazed at the sleeping figure on the bed. Her exquisite face was rosy, her skin as fair as snow, exquisitely beautiful.
Her slender lashes were long and curled, her nose delicate yet high-bridged, her lips full and tender.
Asleep, she looked as docile and soft as a little white rabbit, making one irresistibly tempted to reach out and stroke her, to knead her softness.
As Stephan entertained this thought, his hand moved of its own accord to touch her.
The moment his palm touched her delicate skin, he realised it was uncomfortably hot.
Perhaps the coolness of his palm disturbed the slumbering girl.
She couldn’t resist rubbing against his palm, her voice sweet and soft. "So... so comfortable..."
Stephan felt as though his heart had melted away, a strange tenderness spreading through his chest.
Reflecting on his peculiar behaviour that evening, worrying about her, fearing she might have come to harm.
He had personally rushed to her home, taken her to hospital when she was ill, and even tenderly looked after her while she was receiving intravenous treatment.
He asked himself: when had he ever shown such concern for a woman?
Yet here she was, appearing out of nowhere.
And what was even more unexpected was that the woman he was now worrying about and caring for was another man’s girlfriend?!
It was an utterly unbelievable and inconceivable thing he had done.
Stephan stared at the girl for a long moment, his eyes dark and brooding. His thin lips moved slightly. "Alana, it’s been so long, and your boyfriend still hasn’t shown up. He’s being rather irresponsible towards you."
After a moment’s silence, he clenched and unclenched his knuckles several times, seemingly resolving himself to something.
“Why not...break up with him and come to me instead?"
His voice was barely audible, and the sleeping girl naturally couldn’t hear a word.
After uttering those words, Stephan felt he might be losing his mind.
He was actually encouraging a sick woman to dump her boyfriend and be with him instead? What difference was that from a man encouraging his mistress to cheat on her husband?!
Still, her boyfriend was utterly irresponsible. Not only did he neglect his seriously ill girlfriend, but he hadn’t even sent a single message.
It was as if he’d vanished off the face of the earth.
Truth be told, he’d already worked himself into a rage on her behalf before Alana had even shown any sign of anger.
Stephan couldn’t resist pinching the girl’s flushed cheek. "What a foolish woman."
******
A night passed.
Alana’s flushed, feverish cheeks gradually regained their normal colour.
The first light of dawn fell upon her face.
Her eyelids fluttered, slowly opening to reveal a white ceiling.
Her eyes darted around, taking in her surroundings, before she realised she was still in the hospital.
Last night...
That man had suddenly barged into her home, then carried her off to the hospital for examination and an IV drip. And then...
Where was he?
Alana scanned the room, finding no one else present. Could it be...he’d left?
When had he left?
He’d left so abruptly, she hadn’t even had a chance to thank him properly.
The thought barely formed when the tightly shut ward door abruptly swung open.
A figure as straight as a pine tree strode straight in.
The man paused upon seeing Alana awake. Alana’s beautiful eyes widened in obvious bewilderment.
The man had left, and she regretted not having thanked him.
Now he had returned, and she felt awkward once more, unsure what to say.
In the end, it was the man who broke the silence first.
“Awake?”
His deep, magnetic voice sent a flutter through Alana’s chest.
It must be said, his voice was truly lovely, that kind with a uniquely cool, crisp quality, so absurdly captivating it could make one pregnant.
Her cheeks flushed slightly. "Er... I’m awake."
Stephan gave a cool, detached hum before saying, "I bought you breakfast."
“Not knowing what you like, I just picked up a few things."
And by ’just a few things’, he meant several breakfast bags.
Crystal dumplings, pork buns, dumplings, congee, soy milk, fried dough sticks...
Seeing the vast array laid out on the table, Alana was momentarily speechless.
So much food, she didn’t know where to begin.
Fortunately, she wasn’t fussy and could try a little of everything.
Alana politely thanked the man before slowly climbing out of bed. She reached out and selected a small bun from the array of breakfast items.
Just as she was about to take a bite, she noticed the man staring intently at her.
“Have you...have you eaten already?"
Stephan replied: "Not yet."
Alana wondered why, with so much breakfast spread out before her, he hadn’t picked anything up to eat.
But seeing him staring at her like that, could it be... he liked the meat bun in her hand?! Hesitating for a moment, Alana still offered him the bun in her hand. "Well, here, have this."
Stephan raised an eyebrow slightly as he looked at the bun the girl offered.
The plump, white meat bun looked as pale as her own hands, somehow making it look rather appetising.
Stephan said nothing, but reached out to take the bun.
Alana frowned.
It seemed she hadn’t misjudged him, he’d clearly set his sights on her steamed bun.
With the buns gone, Alana settled for dumplings instead.
Halfway through her dumplings, she noticed the man staring at her again.
So Alana asked, "Care for some dumplings?"
Stephan stared at the girl with her cheeks stuffed full. "Feed me."
Alana froze. "Eh?"
Feed him?
That... wouldn’t be quite right, would it?
Wouldn’t that be a bit suggestive?
But the man’s deep, intense gaze fixed upon her, suggesting he wasn’t joking.
Alana forced herself not to overthink it. She picked up her chopsticks, picked up a dumpling, and offered it to the man.
Stephan watched her, his gaze flickering slightly before he slowly leaned in, opened his mouth, and took the dumpling.
The dumpling, bursting with savoury juices, tasted remarkably delicious as he ate it.
Only after feeding him did Alana realize belatedly that she had used the very chopsticks she had just handled herself.
She couldn’t help but blush.
Good heavens, how could one make such a colossal blunder?!
Stephan smirked: "More, please."
Hearing this, Alana flushed even deeper and hastily picked up a fresh pair of chopsticks for him.
“Here are the chopsticks. You can eat up yourself.”
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