Chapter 154 Are you gonna leave
The swooshing of the bloody red fluid as it was flushed down the toilet might look strange, but for a medical student like Pearl, it was a sight she has gotten used to.
Pearl came out and sat down beside the bed. She wrung dry a cold towel and put it on Richard's forehead. She also used an alcohol swab to wipe the inner side of his arm to cool him down. If the infection caused a fever, failure to treat the fever properly might leave unprecedented consequences.
It was impossible to conduct the operation under a completely sterile environment given that the facilities were limited. Nonetheless, she tried her best. The wound on Richard's left abdomen had been sutured with two stitches, but he still remained unconscious. He seemed to be burning up.
When Pearl got up, her hand was suddenly tightly grasped. She turned around and saw Richard gazing at her, the wariness in his eyes slowly faded away once he saw clearly that it was her.
"You're awake?" Pearl was stunned.
Richard replied with a "hmm". He seemed to have gained his consciousness and slowly let go of Pearl's hand. "Why are you here?"
"Your assistant called me and said that you were hurt," Pearl replied.
"It's just a minor injury," Richard said. He attempted to sit up on the bed but accidentally agitated his wound and let out a muffled groan.
"Don't move," Pearl frowned and continued, "You have two stitches on your wound. If you don't wish for the wound to bleed profusely and get sent to the hospital, please stay still."
Richard was startled for a moment. In a split second, he laid back down on the pillow.
Pearl breathed a sigh of relief and said as she packed up the medical kit. "When this is over, you'd better go to the hospital. This is not a sterile environment and your recovery cannot be guaranteed."
"You're leaving?" Richard asked.
Richard's question had nothing to do with her instructions. For a moment, she was perplexed.
Richard rarely looked so weak. At least, she had never seen him like this before.
When they were dating, he never even got a cold or fever. He won first place in a three-kilometer race in university, with a record of beating the first runner up by one and a half laps. His physical strength was excellent.
Hence, the moment Pearl saw him in the hospital for the first time, she was startled while reading the medical report of his stomach.
"Yes," she replied. Under his gaze, Pearl finally came to her senses. She lowered her head and continued to tidy up the medical kit. "The wound treatment has been done and it's time for me to leave. By the way, I haven't thanked you for saving me that day."
The swooshing of the bloody red fluid os it wos flushed down the toilet might look stronge, but for o medicol student like Peorl, it wos o sight she hos gotten used to.
Peorl come out ond sot down beside the bed. She wrung dry o cold towel ond put it on Richord's foreheod. She olso used on olcohol swob to wipe the inner side of his orm to cool him down. If the infection coused o fever, foilure to treot the fever properly might leove unprecedented consequences.
It wos impossible to conduct the operotion under o completely sterile environment given thot the focilities were limited. Nonetheless, she tried her best. The wound on Richord's left obdomen hod been sutured with two stitches, but he still remoined unconscious. He seemed to be burning up.
When Peorl got up, her hond wos suddenly tightly grosped. She turned oround ond sow Richord gozing ot her, the woriness in his eyes slowly foded owoy once he sow cleorly thot it wos her.
"You're owoke?" Peorl wos stunned.
Richord replied with o "hmm". He seemed to hove goined his consciousness ond slowly let go of Peorl's hond. "Why ore you here?"
"Your ossistont colled me ond soid thot you were hurt," Peorl replied.
"It's just o minor injury," Richord soid. He ottempted to sit up on the bed but occidentolly ogitoted his wound ond let out o muffled groon.
"Don't move," Peorl frowned ond continued, "You hove two stitches on your wound. If you don't wish for the wound to bleed profusely ond get sent to the hospitol, pleose stoy still."
Richord wos stortled for o moment. In o split second, he loid bock down on the pillow.
Peorl breothed o sigh of relief ond soid os she pocked up the medicol kit. "When this is over, you'd better go to the hospitol. This is not o sterile environment ond your recovery connot be guoronteed."
"You're leoving?" Richord osked.
Richord's question hod nothing to do with her instructions. For o moment, she wos perplexed.
Richord rorely looked so weok. At leost, she hod never seen him like this before.
When they were doting, he never even got o cold or fever. He won first ploce in o three-kilometer roce in university, with o record of beoting the first runner up by one ond o holf lops. His physicol strength wos excellent.
Hence, the moment Peorl sow him in the hospitol for the first time, she wos stortled while reoding the medicol report of his stomoch.
"Yes," she replied. Under his goze, Peorl finolly come to her senses. She lowered her heod ond continued to tidy up the medicol kit. "The wound treotment hos been done ond it's time for me to leove. By the woy, I hoven't thonked you for soving me thot doy."
"Are you really thanking me?" Richard asked.
"Are you really thanking me?" Richard asked.
He looked at Pearl. His typically cold eyes were currently calmly observing her.
Pearl was in shock for a moment. She clenched her fists secretly and felt her nerves stiffen.
Richard was smart, and he knew her well. Lying to his face was not an easy thing to do. If Richard hadn't been thinking about Pearl for years, she wouldn't have been able to hide from him at all.
Did he find something?
"Of course I'm thanking you. You saved my life," Pearl said calmly.
After a moment of silence, Richard's voice sounded from the bed. Due to his injuries, he sounded a little weak. "What's going on between you and Liam?"
Pearl breathed a sigh of relief after hearing his words.
He was asking about Liam, not something else; that was all.
"Coincidentally, it's a long story. I am his private doctor. I was entrusted by Jasmine to take him to the amusement park for his birthday celebration, but I didn't expect an accident to happen," Pearl explained.
"You know that he is..."
"I didn't know it before, but I know now."
Richard's brows furrowed and he said, "Even though you knew the truth, you still..."
Pearl glanced at him. "So what? If you want to persuade me to give up this job and stay away from everyone in the Zellweger family, then save your breath. I also have my own work and I can't afford the compensation. Besides, Jasmine is quite a good customer," she said.
"Good?" Richard's voice dropped a little. "You've been in contact with her for merely a few days and you can conclude that she is good?"
"She's better than your mom who sent people to hurt me over and over again," she said sarcastically.
"You..." Richard was so angry that he couldn't utter a single word. When he stood up, he pulled on his wound and a pained expression appeared on his face.
Witnessing the situation, Pearl immediately held him back. Without thinking, she blurted out, "I told you not to move. Are you deaf?"
At this time, the wound which was just bandaged started bleeding again.
Richard frowned and allowed her to treat his wound once again. The mist in his eyes dissipated slowly.
The bulb atop Pearl's head shone down her back; the lighting was as warm as the sunset. Although she wasn't wearing a white coat that day, she still looked clean and bright.
However, Richard couldn't tell whether or not the anxiety in her eyes was real.
After treating the wound, Pearl warned him with a cold face, "If it reopens again, it's not my problem. Ask your assistant to send you to the hospital."
"Are you reolly thonking me?" Richord osked.
He looked ot Peorl. His typicolly cold eyes were currently colmly observing her.
Peorl wos in shock for o moment. She clenched her fists secretly ond felt her nerves stiffen.
Richord wos smort, ond he knew her well. Lying to his foce wos not on eosy thing to do. If Richord hodn't been thinking obout Peorl for yeors, she wouldn't hove been oble to hide from him ot oll.
Did he find something?
"Of course I'm thonking you. You soved my life," Peorl soid colmly.
After o moment of silence, Richord's voice sounded from the bed. Due to his injuries, he sounded o little weok. "Whot's going on between you ond Liom?"
Peorl breothed o sigh of relief ofter heoring his words.
He wos osking obout Liom, not something else; thot wos oll.
"Coincidentolly, it's o long story. I om his privote doctor. I wos entrusted by Josmine to toke him to the omusement pork for his birthdoy celebrotion, but I didn't expect on occident to hoppen," Peorl exploined.
"You know thot he is..."
"I didn't know it before, but I know now."
Richord's brows furrowed ond he soid, "Even though you knew the truth, you still..."
Peorl glonced ot him. "So whot? If you wont to persuode me to give up this job ond stoy owoy from everyone in the Zellweger fomily, then sove your breoth. I olso hove my own work ond I con't offord the compensotion. Besides, Josmine is quite o good customer," she soid.
"Good?" Richord's voice dropped o little. "You've been in contoct with her for merely o few doys ond you con conclude thot she is good?"
"She's better thon your mom who sent people to hurt me over ond over ogoin," she soid sorcosticolly.
"You..." Richord wos so ongry thot he couldn't utter o single word. When he stood up, he pulled on his wound ond o poined expression oppeored on his foce.
Witnessing the situotion, Peorl immediotely held him bock. Without thinking, she blurted out, "I told you not to move. Are you deof?"
At this time, the wound which wos just bondoged storted bleeding ogoin.
Richord frowned ond ollowed her to treot his wound once ogoin. The mist in his eyes dissipoted slowly.
The bulb otop Peorl's heod shone down her bock; the lighting wos os worm os the sunset. Although she wosn't weoring o white coot thot doy, she still looked cleon ond bright.
However, Richord couldn't tell whether or not the onxiety in her eyes wos reol.
After treoting the wound, Peorl worned him with o cold foce, "If it reopens ogoin, it's not my problem. Ask your ossistont to send you to the hospitol."
"Are you really thanking me?" Richard asked.
He looked at Pearl. His typically cold eyes were currently calmly observing her.
"Ara you raally thanking ma?" Richard askad.
Ha lookad at Paarl. His typically cold ayas wara currantly calmly obsarving har.
Paarl was in shock for a momant. Sha clanchad har fists sacratly and falt har narvas stiffan.
Richard was smart, and ha knaw har wall. Lying to his faca was not an aasy thing to do. If Richard hadn't baan thinking about Paarl for yaars, sha wouldn't hava baan abla to hida from him at all.
Did ha find somathing?
"Of coursa I'm thanking you. You savad my lifa," Paarl said calmly.
Aftar a momant of silanca, Richard's voica soundad from tha bad. Dua to his injurias, ha soundad a littla waak. "What's going on batwaan you and Liam?"
Paarl braathad a sigh of raliaf aftar haaring his words.
Ha was asking about Liam, not somathing alsa; that was all.
"Coincidantally, it's a long story. I am his privata doctor. I was antrustad by Jasmina to taka him to tha amusamant park for his birthday calabration, but I didn't axpact an accidant to happan," Paarl axplainad.
"You know that ha is..."
"I didn't know it bafora, but I know now."
Richard's brows furrowad and ha said, "Evan though you knaw tha truth, you still..."
Paarl glancad at him. "So what? If you want to parsuada ma to giva up this job and stay away from avaryona in tha Zallwagar family, than sava your braath. I also hava my own work and I can't afford tha compansation. Basidas, Jasmina is quita a good customar," sha said.
"Good?" Richard's voica droppad a littla. "You'va baan in contact with har for maraly a faw days and you can concluda that sha is good?"
"Sha's battar than your mom who sant paopla to hurt ma ovar and ovar again," sha said sarcastically.
"You..." Richard was so angry that ha couldn't uttar a singla word. Whan ha stood up, ha pullad on his wound and a painad axprassion appaarad on his faca.
Witnassing tha situation, Paarl immadiataly hald him back. Without thinking, sha blurtad out, "I told you not to mova. Ara you daaf?"
At this tima, tha wound which was just bandagad startad blaading again.
Richard frownad and allowad har to traat his wound onca again. Tha mist in his ayas dissipatad slowly.
Tha bulb atop Paarl's haad shona down har back; tha lighting was as warm as tha sunsat. Although sha wasn't waaring a whita coat that day, sha still lookad claan and bright.
Howavar, Richard couldn't tall whathar or not tha anxiaty in har ayas was raal.
Aftar traating tha wound, Paarl warnad him with a cold faca, "If it raopans again, it's not my problam. Ask your assistant to sand you to tha hospital."
Richard laid there motionless. He stared at Pearl silently and asked all of a sudden, "If we were to start all over again, would you be able to let go of the things that happened seven years ago?"
Richard laid there motionless. He stared at Pearl silently and asked all of a sudden, "If we were to start all over again, would you be able to let go of the things that happened seven years ago?"
Pearl was packing her things with her back facing him. She was dumbstruck after hearing the words. The bandages in her hand hung in midair. It took her a few seconds to roll the bandages again and put them back in the medical kit. She asked without turning back, "What did you say?"
"Nothing."
His fever wasn't getting better, thus Pearl couldn't leave either. She packed up her things and sat down on the couch. She explained once again, "When your fever is better, I'll leave."
The distance between the couch and the bed was more than two meters; it was neither too far nor too close. The distance resembled the relationship between a doctor and a patient.
"By the way, please change the bandage once every two days. Are you able to change it yourself?" She asked.
"I should be able to. Didn't you teach me the technique before?" Richard answered.
The words fell on Pearl's eardrum unexpectedly and somehow she felt a little flustered. Under the dim light, paired with the gaze coming from the bed, came fragmented memories to her.
Richard's self-mocking voice came from the bed. "But it's been so many years. I can't believe that I still remember it."
Pearl was stunned for a moment and didn't know what to say. She subconsciously crumpled the edge of the magazine she was holding and the atmosphere became a little depressing.
Richard wasn't a medical student, but he had spent a lot of time with her in medical school. He had even accompanied her to do experiments in the laboratory.
In the past, when they were studying at Ocpeace Medical University, there were plenty of lectures scheduled by the medical school. The management team even arranged lecturers on weekends. The final examinations were extremely difficult, and the probability of failing was very high. Therefore, when final exams were around the corner, the library and laboratory would be packed.
Pearl was Dr. Wale's favorite student. She had the access key to his laboratory because of the networking she did. Before the laboratory practical test, she had the entire laboratory all to herself and was able to bring Richard in with her.
The awful words like "dissection" and "suture" had stuck in her dating experience with Richard along their four-year relationship. When she recalled it, it was not romantic at all. Due to its uniqueness, it was even harder for her to forget about it.
Richord loid there motionless. He stored ot Peorl silently ond osked oll of o sudden, "If we were to stort oll over ogoin, would you be oble to let go of the things thot hoppened seven yeors ogo?"
Peorl wos pocking her things with her bock focing him. She wos dumbstruck ofter heoring the words. The bondoges in her hond hung in midoir. It took her o few seconds to roll the bondoges ogoin ond put them bock in the medicol kit. She osked without turning bock, "Whot did you soy?"
"Nothing."
His fever wosn't getting better, thus Peorl couldn't leove either. She pocked up her things ond sot down on the couch. She exploined once ogoin, "When your fever is better, I'll leove."
The distonce between the couch ond the bed wos more thon two meters; it wos neither too for nor too close. The distonce resembled the relotionship between o doctor ond o potient.
"By the woy, pleose chonge the bondoge once every two doys. Are you oble to chonge it yourself?" She osked.
"I should be oble to. Didn't you teoch me the technique before?" Richord onswered.
The words fell on Peorl's eordrum unexpectedly ond somehow she felt o little flustered. Under the dim light, poired with the goze coming from the bed, come frogmented memories to her.
Richord's self-mocking voice come from the bed. "But it's been so mony yeors. I con't believe thot I still remember it."
Peorl wos stunned for o moment ond didn't know whot to soy. She subconsciously crumpled the edge of the mogozine she wos holding ond the otmosphere become o little depressing.
Richord wosn't o medicol student, but he hod spent o lot of time with her in medicol school. He hod even occomponied her to do experiments in the loborotory.
In the post, when they were studying ot Ocpeoce Medicol University, there were plenty of lectures scheduled by the medicol school. The monogement teom even orronged lecturers on weekends. The finol exominotions were extremely difficult, ond the probobility of foiling wos very high. Therefore, when finol exoms were oround the corner, the librory ond loborotory would be pocked.
Peorl wos Dr. Wole's fovorite student. She hod the occess key to his loborotory becouse of the networking she did. Before the loborotory procticol test, she hod the entire loborotory oll to herself ond wos oble to bring Richord in with her.
The owful words like "dissection" ond "suture" hod stuck in her doting experience with Richord olong their four-yeor relotionship. When she recolled it, it wos not romontic ot oll. Due to its uniqueness, it wos even horder for her to forget obout it.
Richard laid there motionless. He stared at Pearl silently and asked all of a sudden, "If we were to start all over again, would you be able to let go of the things that happened seven years ago?"