Chapter 23
Yvonne had merely suffered a mild case of food poisoning, but the medicine prescribed by the doctor had a purgative effect.
She had spent the entire night running to the bathroom multiple times. She didn’t know if the toxins had been completely expelled, but she felt close to collapsing from exhaustion.
Since she was instructed not to eat anything for 12 hours, she lay weakly on the bed, feeling as if her body had been drained of all energy, not even having the strength to lift her hand.
The hospital called to follow up on her condition, and Yvonne, with great effort, mustered the energy to respond listlessly before quickly hanging up the phone.
She had originally planned to head to her next destination today but had unexpectedly encountered this misfortune. She fell into a fitful sleep once more, her consciousness drifting between wakefulness and dreams.
In her daze, she seemed to hear the clear ring of a doorbell. The sound was initially faint, as if it were drifting from a distant place, ethereal and barely perceptible.
Yvonne didn’t want to pay attention. She was in an unfamiliar place and didn’t think anyone would be looking for her. She dismissed the sound as an auditory hallucination brought on by her weakened state.
However, the doorbell was persistent, ringing again and again without pause. In the overly quiet room, the sound was particularly grating, like little hammers striking her already fragile nerves with each ring.
Yvonne struggled to get up and, with unsteady steps, made her way to the door, her patience wearing thin.
She peered through the peephole and was surprised to see Wesley standing there, holding a takeout box. His posture was upright, and he looked composed despite the unexpected visit.
Yvonne was taken aback for a moment before opening the door and croaking, “Dr. Godfrey? What are you doing here?”
Her face was pale as paper, her lips devoid of color, and her hair helpless, truly pitiable.
was disheveled over her shoulders. She looked weak and
Wesley couldn’t help but think how alone she must have been, wondering how she had managed to get through the long night by herself.
“The nurse called during the hospital follow–up and said you weren’t doing well. She asked me to come and check on you,” he explained.
L
Yvonne’s mind was still foggy, as if enveloped in a cloud of confusion. Without questioning further, she stepped aside to let
him in.
Wesley entered the room, placed the takeout box on the table, and looked around briefly before pulling up a chair. “Sit down. Let me have a look at you,” he said.
Yvonne obediently took a seat, and Wesley continued, “Extend your hand.”
Yvonne slowly stretched out her wrist, which looked even more delicate and fragile at that moment. Wesley gently pressed his fingers to her wrist, feeling her pulse.
“Do you know traditional medicine?” Yvonne asked.
“Indeed. It’s a family legacy,” Wesley replied.
Yvonne nodded and fell silent, simply watching him.
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His fingers were slightly cool, and as they lightly rested on her wrist, the chill seemed to seep into her veins through her pulse, causing her to shiver.
She looked at Wesley’s focused profile. His eyelashes cast a small shadow in the sunlight, and his eyes were intently fixed on her wrist. His earnest expression made her inexplicably nervous.
Fortunately, he soon released her hand and said, “The toxins are mostly out, but you still need to take good care of yourself. For the next few days, avoid greasy and spicy foods and stick to liquids. If you feel sick, let me know immediately.” •
“Okay,” Yvonne replied.
Yvonne turned to get her phone. Wesley noticed her movement and paused slightly before casually asking, “Why didn’t you tell your husband about this?”
As Yvonne opened PayPal on her phone, she replied calmly, “I’m divorced.”
Wesley was taken aback for a moment. Yvonne raised her phone towards him. “This isn’t the hospital. PayPal.”
Wesley gazed at her quietly for a moment.
“Dr. Godfrey?” Yvonne’s voice brought Wesley’s attention back. He took out his phone and handed it to her. Yvonne instinctively tried to make a transfer, only to find herself on the “add friend” page.
“We’ve transferred money to each other so many times. Let’s just add each other as friends,” Wesley suggested.
Yvonne glanced at him, pursed her lips, and added him as a WhatsApp contact before transferring 30 dollars to him. Instead of confirming the payment, Wesley placed his phone face down on the table and began unpacking the takeout box.
“You’ll be able to eat in about half an hour, but for now, stick to semi–liquid foods,” he said as he arranged the contents of the box on the table.
“Got it,” Yvonne replied.
Inside the takeout box was a bowl of steaming cereal. Wesley set it aside to cool and then took out several other dishes from the box, placing them neatly on the table.
Yvonne got up and freshened up in the bathroom. She looked at her haggard face in the mirror, tidied her hair, splashed some cold water on her face, and felt a bit more refreshed.
When she came out of the bathroom, she was surprised to find that Wesley was still there.
“Aren’t you supposed to be at the clinic today?” she asked.
“Yes, I’m heading there now. Remember to eat something.” Wesley said.
“Okay, thanks,” Yvonne replied.
Wesley returned to the hospital, which was as busy as ever, with people coming and going like a non–stop machine running at high speed.
However, experts like him who came for the clinic couldn’t be tied down to the emergency department for long. After these rare opportunities for volunteer work were meant for them to use their expertise to provide professional medical services to more patients in need.
Wesley saw several patients with heart conditions. During brief moments of downtime, his eyes involuntarily glanced at his phone several times.
“Excuse me, Dr. Godfrey, do you have time after work today?” a nurse approached with a somewhat shy expression.
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Chapter 23
“Is there something you need?” Wesley’s tone was cool. He glanced at her and then returned to writing medical records.
The nurse said, “Yesterday you helped my father with his diagnosis. I wanted to treat you to a meal.”
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“No need. It’s my job. If I accepted your offer, it would be like taking a bribe,” Wesley replied without looking up, his voice as flat as a still lake, yet firm in its refusal.
A flicker of disappointment crossed the nurse’s face. She murmured, “I understand.”
Then she quietly turned and walked away. Wesley glanced at her retreating figure, then lowered his head again to focus on the medical records in front of him.
He got off work quite late that day, and by the time he walked out of the hospital, the night was already deep.
His mind kept involuntarily picturing Yvonne sitting alone in the corner, looking so lonely and frail. Her pale face and weak appearance lingered in his mind, making him increasingly worried.
Standing at the hospital entrance, he hesitated for a moment, then took out his phone, intending to send her a message.
His fingers scrolled through the screen until he found Yvonne’s number, but he couldn’t bring himself to press the call button. After a moment of thought, he put his phone back in his pocket and turned towards the hotel where she was staying. After buying a bowl of cereal downstairs, he knocked on Yvonne’s door. There was no response for a long time, and Wesley’s heart began to race, wondering if she had checked out again.
Fortunately, he heard some slight movement from inside, and then the door opened. Yvonne looked like she had just woken up, her hair still disheveled, and her eyes drowsy, much like Boba after a nap, with a hint of confusion and cuteness.
Wesley frowned slightly. “Did you sleep all day again?”
Yvonne was puzzled by his question. She felt a bit strange, thinking that Wesley seemed overly concerned about her lately. “You should still get some exercise to boost your metabolism and improve blood circulation,” Wesley advised.
“Thank you, Dr. Godfrey,” Yvonne replied politely. She was sleepy and wanted to go back to bed, so she reached for the door to close it.
Wesley instinctively blocked the door with his hand. He hissed slightly as if his hand had been pinched.
Yvonne quickly pulled the door open. “Are you okay?”
Wesley shook his head. “I’m fine. I just wanted to remind you to eat the cereal tonight.” He held up the cereal as a reminder.
Yvonne looked at the cereal in his hand and felt a bit guilty. She didn’t want to rush him out, so she opened the door wider, inviting him in.
Wesley walked in and placed the cereal on the table. He noticed that the cereal he had brought earlier in the morning was still mostly untouched, but he didn’t say anything.
Instead, he pointed at the new cereal. “This one is freshly bought. You should eat it while it’s still warm.”
Yvonne nodded and transferred another 30 dollars to him, only then noticing that he hadn’t accepted the money from earlier.
“Dr. Godfrey, could you please stop bringing me cereal?” she said. “30 dollars each time is quite expensive.” Wesley’s lips moved slightly as if he wanted to say something, but seeing that she was still sleepy, he swallowed his words. “Get a routine blood test at the hospital tomorrow. If everything is fine, that’s good,” he said.
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“Okay.” Yvonne followed him to the door to see him out.
Suddenly, Wesley remembered he had more to say and turned around abruptly. “By the way, you-”
Yvonne, not expecting his sudden turn, jumped back in surprise and, in her panic, stumbled against the edge of the bed, causing her to lean backward involuntarily.
Wesley, quick as a flash, reached out to grab her. But the force was too strong, and he was pulled down as well.
