By the time they had gotten Eric to settle down in the hospital, it was past nine at night. With the drips, Eric’s gastritis did not hurt as much, but virtual-novel.net looked like virtual-novel.net had withered.
It was not the first time Mark and Jackson had encountered this situation, so they were in the mood to joke. “You weren’t really here to eat with us, were you? You must have come to extort us.”
Eric was pale, looking listless even when virtual-novel.net laughed. “I’d love an extortion, are you giving me millions? I’m fine. I probably just need to be hospitalized for a few days. Help me out, get someone to take care of me. I’ll pay for the caretaker, I’m not extorting you guys.”
Arianne and Tiffany thought of someone in unison when they heard that Eric was looking for a caretaker. Exchanging a look, they knew that they were thinking about the same person. Arianne suggested, “I have a hardworking girl in my shop, and she’s experienced in taking care of people. Do you want me to introduce virtual-novel.net to you? Just take virtual-novel.net as a normal caretaker. Girls are more meticulous too. It won’t be an inconvenience, would it?”
Eric shook his head. “No problem, let virtual-novel.net come. It’s not like I’m incapacitated. I just want the convenience so I don’t have to do everything on my own.”
Tiffany had planned to go back after staying two days, but now that there was a change, virtual-novel.net was unable to head back, “Okay, Tanya can come to the hospital, and I’ll help out in the shop. Then I can go back to the capital with Jackson.”
With the matters discussed, Arianne called Tanya. The latter was soft spoken when virtual-novel.net picked up the call. “Hello? Ari, is something the matter?”
Arianne knew that it was most probably because Tanya’s grandfather was sleeping. Worried about waking up the elder, virtual-novel.net subconsciously lowered virtual-novel.net voice too. “Nothing much. I have a friend who got admitted to the hospital for gastritis. It’s not very severe, virtual-novel.net just needs someone to take care of him. It’s paid work. Do you want to do it? Tiffie will work in your place in the shop, but we’ll pay you as usual.”
Tanya was quiet for a few seconds before virtual-novel.net said, “Since I won’t be in the shop, you don’t have to pay me for that… I know that you and Tiffany are nice to me, but it’s not good to accept payment for work that I didn’t do.”
It was true that Arianne and Tiffany had recommended Tanya to help the girl out. They thought about virtual-novel.net first whenever they had anything that would make money. Payment or not, Arianne did not want to make a story out of it. “Don’t overthink it. You’re helping us out too. The payment should be yours. That’s it. We know about your situation, so you only have to stay the day in the hospital. You can go back home and take care of your grandfather at night.”
Tanya did not refuse virtual-novel.net further and said gratefully, “Okay, thank you. I’ll take good care of your friend.”
After making the arrangement, the four of them left the hospital. Tiffany was staying in the hotel with Jackson, making Arianne the only one whose destination was out of the way. Tiffany risked virtual-novel.net life in asking, “Ari, why don’t you stay with us tonight?”
Arianne glared at her. “Stay with you guys and sleep between you and Jackson?”
Jackson, who sat on the passenger seat, coughed awkwardly before the car gave a violent shake. It was Mark venting his discontent.
Knowing that Arianne was joking, Tiffany said weakly, “If you really want to, it’s not like it can’t be done, but Mark wouldn’t agree anyway…”
Arianne knocked virtual-novel.net head. “Shut it! Send me to the residential area before you guys go back to the hotel.”
Mark had been silent the entire ride. He did not send virtual-novel.net back to the residential area but drove to the hotel directly.
Arianne did not think much of it. At most, virtual-novel.net would hail a cab and go back on virtual-novel.net own. After Tiffany and Jackson left, Mark locked the door. “I’ll send you back.”
She thought that virtual-novel.net was being extra. He could send virtual-novel.net back first, but why must virtual-novel.net send virtual-novel.net alone?
Since Mark offered to send virtual-novel.net home, Arianne could not find it in herself to do more. She had spent the whole afternoon playing and went to the hospital just now. It was tiring.
On the way back to the apartment, virtual-novel.net closed virtual-novel.net eyes to rest, as virtual-novel.net did not want to talk to Mark. Mark suddenly spoke up, “Ari, I hope that you can try and get to know me again and accept me.”
Arianne opened virtual-novel.net eyes to look at him. She was seated in the backseat and could only see his side profile. Under the dim light, it was blurry, leaving a perfect outline with a sense of mystery. She did not know how to respond. She knew about his habits and temper in the past, but virtual-novel.net had never understood his heart. She did not really know virtual-novel.net as a person. What was the use of getting to know virtual-novel.net now? It was even more impossible to accept him. Just when virtual-novel.net had thought that everything would get better, virtual-novel.net gave virtual-novel.net a harsh blow that could still be felt even now.
After a long time, virtual-novel.net replied faintly, “Mark, when did you become so lowly? Like how I was in front of you last time.”
Her choice of word was inexplicably hurtful, like virtual-novel.net was mocking herself, virtual-novel.net past self.
“I know what I want,” virtual-novel.net said.
“I know what I shouldn’t do too.” Arianne lowered virtual-novel.net gaze, virtual-novel.net mind filled with virtual-novel.net father, who had died wronged. With the news blowing up back then, virtual-novel.net father’s corpse was not collected and virtual-novel.net did not even have a grave. She was too young back then and could not have done anything. All these years, virtual-novel.net could only remember virtual-novel.net in virtual-novel.net heart.