"Um..."
Just as Isabelle Martin’s hand touched Jeffrey Foster’s forehead, a large hand suddenly grabbed her wrist, startling her into a scream.
Isabelle instinctively tried to pull her hand away, but even though the man was still lying in the hospital bed, his grip was surprisingly strong. Her slender wrist was gripped painfully, and she used her other hand to pat the man, "Mr. Foster, let go..."
Jeffrey Foster gradually woke up from the haze, but his vision was still dark. However, the familiar sll of disinfectant let him know he was in a hospital.
Feeling the cool warmth in his palm, he paused slightly before feeling a pat on his forearm, not painful nor itchy, but he still let go.
Isabelle, released, quickly covered her aching wrist and glared at the person on the bed. But facing those empty, unfocused eyes, she rembered that he couldn’t see. No matter how wide she made her eyes, he wouldn’t feel her anger.
This left Isabelle a bit dejected, and she spoke with a muffled voice, "You’re awake? The doctor said you fainted because of low blood sugar and lack of rest. I paid the hospital fee for you; it was three thousand in total."
There was still a bruise on Isabelle’s neck. Fortunately, it was winter and she was wearing a turtleneck sweater; otherwise, who knows what would happen if soone saw it. It would also be difficult to explain to her parents.
Combined with the lingering pain in her wrist, Isabelle’s pity and goodwill towards Jeffrey Foster cooled significantly, and she spoke strictly business.
Upon awakening, Jeffrey Foster noticed the person beside him was the young girl from the property managent. Only then did he release her. Since losing his sight, his sense of sll and hearing had beco much sharper. Even in a hospital filled with the sll of disinfectant, he could discern the scent on the young girl, like jasmine and sweet orange, which made breathing less difficult.
Her attitude had clearly changed since last night and this morning; the sweetness in her voice was replaced with a hint of distance.
He realized he just hurt her, causing a strange twinge in his heart. He wanted to apologize but instead said, "I’ll have soone transfer the money back to you later."
"Okay." Isabelle felt even worse, replying softly and intending to leave, but she hesitated, knowing he had no family or friends. "Do you have any friends? I can help you contact them to co and take care of you."
"No need," Jeffrey said, recalling sothing, "Is my phone with ?"
"Yes, it is." After Jeffrey Foster fainted, Isabelle tried to use his phone to contact soone, but unfortunately, she didn’t know the password. Hearing him ask now, she quickly handed it over.
Jeffrey didn’t take it but gave her a set of numbers, continuing, "It’s the sa as my mobile paynt password. Transfer three thousand to yourself and help find a caregiver."
Isabelle’s hand movents froze for a mont, trying to discern any emotion on his face, but there was none.
That handso face, sharply outlined due to weight loss, made his empty eyes appear even larger, nose more prominent, and chin covered with stubble, giving a weathered appearance.
She thought he must have been a very proud person before.
The little grievances in Isabelle’s heart suddenly dissipated, and she sighed softly, "Alright then."
She didn’t ask again if he had any family or friends.
Only then did Jeffrey Foster whisper a word of thanks, before an indescribable weariness overca him, and he passed out again.
Isabelle looked at the person on the bed, hesitated for a while, and still got up.
Today was the first day of the lunar new year, the hospital was empty, doctors were scarce, and caregivers even scarcer. Isabelle inquired around before finally finding one, the price was three tis the usual.
She hesitated for a mont but still arranged for three days, prepaid a day’s wages, gave so instructions, and then left the hospital.
By the ti she got ho, it was already two in the afternoon.
As soon as she entered, she t her mom’s scrutinizing gaze. Isabelle felt guilty for no reason, but imdiately Tsukkomi with her mother’s eyes, "The company is just too much, contacting whenever there’s an issue just because I live close by, it’s too much. Mom, after the new year I’m changing jobs!"
"Changing jobs? Where do you want to go?" Isabelle’s mother asked warily, completely forgetting why she was at the door in the first place.
"Where to? Didn’t I tell you I wanted to go to the north to support education? Why do you always want to keep tied here, either forcing into the company or making train at the community? You know how many people secretly laugh at for being a university graduate acting as a manager." Isabelle complained incessantly, but kept an eye on her mother’s reactions.
Sure enough, her mom’s attention shifted, "Don’t you dare! You ungrateful child, you have it easy but don’t appreciate it. Supporting education in the north isn’t that simple. As for making you work at the property managent, it’s to train you, our family is in this business, you need to understand..."
Isabelle didn’t hear the rest, muttering she was hungry as she slid into the kitchen, where her dad was preparing food. She grabbed a fried small fish and popped it into her mouth, crispy and crunchy!
Unable to resist, she reached for more but got her arm tapped by her dad with chopsticks, "Washed your hands?"
"Hey, no, I’ll wash them now." Isabelle giggled, washed her hands quickly, grabbed another small fish, and kissed her dad on the cheek, "My dad pampers the most."
"Shoo, shoo, so cheeky. Now, what did you do to upset your mom?" Dad said with a feigned annoyance, yet his face was full of love.
"You know my mom; I wouldn’t dare upset her!" Isabelle stretched her tone on purpose and rolled her eyes at her dad, "Old Jin, you’re not siding with her, are you?"
"It’s right to stand up for my wife, isn’t it? You cheeky girl, your mother is going through nopause, don’t annoy her." Speaking of his wife, Dad’s eyes softened even more.
Isabelle smacked her lips twice, grabbed a handful of crispy at, and swiftly dodged away.
Compared to the coldness around Jeffrey Foster, the Martin household was truly lively.
Both her parents loved the excitent and had many friends, from the second day of the new year onwards, the Martin’s were never idle. As the younger daughter, Isabelle naturally beca the cat’s paw for serving guests, from morning till night, facing all sorts of probing questions, from salary to boyfriends, to when she’d marry and have children.
The issues those seven or eight aunties and older relatives focused on never changed.
On the fourth day, it wasn’t until the caregiver called Isabelle that she rembered Jeffrey Foster had been in the hospital for three days already.
......
Refresh later.
"At least you’re not dead," Isabelle muttered to herself, rembering his earlier posture of trying to strangle her, and kicked out in irritation.
The person on the ground didn’t move, causing Isabelle’s brow to furrow, "Could he really be dead?"
Thinking that he was a resident under her managent, and if he indeed died, it would be troubleso for her, she reluctantly overca her fear and anxiety to dial the property managent duty call.
Thirty minutes later, Jeffrey Foster was sent to the hospital.
Since he had no family or friends, Isabelle, who took him to the hospital, naturally beca the responsible person, not only having to pay the dical fees under the doctor’s cold gaze but also being ordered around in various ways.
She only found out later that he had fainted due to low blood sugar.
Basically, he passed out from hunger.
Isabelle Martin was speechless and choked up; she really couldn’t imagine soone in modern tis could faint from hunger. But rembering how Jeffrey Foster looked like he was on the brink of death that morning, she wasn’t surprised anymore.
This man didn’t seem to have a strong will to survive; he always carried an air of hidden worries. Although he had a clean and handso appearance, there was a suppressed gloom about him, like he was rarely happy.
Usually, he’s quite gentle and considerate, so she didn’t know what she had done to provoke him today, causing him to suddenly lash out at her.
Isabelle muttered in her heart as she looked at the man on the sickbed. Even asleep, his brows were furrowed. She couldn’t resist reaching out to smooth his brow, and without thinking, her hand extended towards him.
Chapter 1138
"Ugh..."
Just as Isabelle’s hand touched Jeffrey Foster’s brow, a large hand suddenly grabbed her wrist, startling her into a scream.
Isabelle instinctively tried to pull her hand away, but even lying in bed, the man’s grip was absurdly strong. Her slender wrist hurt from the grasp, and she used her other hand to slap at him, "Mr. Foster, let go..."
Jeffrey Foster gradually awoke from his stupor; though his vision remained dark, the familiar sll of disinfectant told him he was in a hospital.
Feeling the coolness in his palm, he paused slightly before realizing the patting on his forearm. It didn’t hurt, but he still released his grip.
Once freed, Isabelle clutched her sore wrist and glared at the man in the bed. But eting his vacant eyes reminded her he couldn’t see; no matter how much she glared, he wouldn’t perceive her anger.
This made Isabelle feel a bit deflated, and she spoke in a muffled voice, "You’re awake? The doctor said your blood sugar is low and you haven’t rested well, which is why you fainted. I’ve paid three thousand for your hospital bill."
There was still a bruise on Isabelle’s neck; fortunately, it was winter so she wore a high-necked sweater, otherwise she didn’t know what others might think. It was also hard to explain to her parents.
Adding the persisting pain in her wrist, any bit of sympathy or fondness Isabelle felt for Jeffrey Foster had cooled significantly, and she now spoke with a business-like tone.
When Jeffrey Foster regained consciousness, he could sense the person beside him was the young lady from the property. He then released his grip; ever since losing his sight, his hearing and sense of sll had beco much sharper. Even in the disinfectant-laden air of the hospital, he could sll the fragrance on the girl—like jasmine mixed with sweet orange—which made breathing easier.
However, compared to last night and this morning, her attitude had clearly changed; the sweetness in her voice had dissipated, replaced by a trace of distance.
He knew he had hurt her earlier and felt a pang of guilt, but instead of an apology, he said, "I’ll have soone transfer the money back to you."
"Alright." Isabelle felt even worse after hearing this, acknowledging with a light sound; she wanted to leave, but knowing he had no family or friends still gave her pause, "Do you have any friends? I can help you contact soone to co and take care of you."
"No need." Jeffrey Foster said this and recalled sothing, "Is my phone here?"
"Yes." After Jeffrey had fainted, Isabelle had attempted to use his phone to contact soone, but without knowing the password. Hearing his inquiry, she quickly handed it over from the side.
Jeffrey didn’t take it, but instead recited a series of numbers, then continued, "It’s the sa as the paynt password. Transfer yourself the three thousand and help find a nurse."
Isabelle’s hand froze in motion, trying to see any emotion on the man’s face, but there was none.
His handso face was strikingly defined due to thinness, making his vacant eyes appear even larger, his nose more prominent, and his chin covered in stubble, giving a weathered look, as if he’d seen a hundred battles.
The whisper of resentnt in Isabelle’s heart suddenly dissipated, and she sighed lightly, "Alright then."
She didn’t ask whether he had any family or friends anymore.
Only then did Jeffrey Foster gently express his gratitude, before an indescribable exhaustion overwheld him, making him drift back to sleep.
Isabelle looked at the man on the bed, hesitated for a mont then stood up.
It was New Year’s Day, and the hospital was quiet with few doctors, even fewer nurses. Isabelle spent so ti inquiring around before finding one, whose fee was three tis the normal rate.
She hesitated but eventually hired them for three days, prepaid a day’s wages and left so instructions before leaving the hospital.
By the ti she returned ho, it was already two in the afternoon.
As soon as she entered the house, she t her mom’s scrutinizing gaze. Isabelle felt a pang of guilt, but quickly retorted, "The company is really too much, always calling on just because I live nearby, every little thing finds , really too much, Mom, after the New Year, I’m changing jobs!"
"Change jobs? Where do you want to go?" Mrs. Martin imdiately asked alertly, forgetting her initial reason for blocking the door.
"Where to? I’ve been talking to you about this; I want to go north to support education. Why do you always try to tie down here, either making work for the company or stay in the neighborhood. I’m a college graduate acting as a housekeeper; you don’t know how many people laugh behind our back."
Isabelle rambled on, keeping an eye on her mother’s every move.
Sure enough, her mother’s attention was successfully diverted, "Don’t you dare! I think you’re just ungrateful, going north to support education is that easy? As for working in the property, it’s also to train you, we are in this industry, you need to understand..."
Isabelle didn’t listen to the rest; she muttered hunger and slipped into the kitchen, seeing her father, Mr. Martin was cooking sothing delicious. She casually grabbed a fried fish and put it in her mouth—crispy!
Isabelle couldn’t resist taking more, but Mr. Martin tapped her arm with chopsticks, "Did you wash your hands?"
"Hey, I didn’t, gonna do it now." Isabelle giggled, washed her hands quickly then put another small dried fish in her mouth, then went over to give her dad a quick kiss on the cheek, "My dad spoils the most."
"Go away, such a brat, now tell , what did you do to upset your mom?" Mr. Martin spoke with a hint of disapproval but a loving smile nonetheless.
"You know what she’s like, how dare I upset her!" Isabelle deliberately stretched out her words, then shot her dad a glance, "Old Martin, are you planning to stand up for my mom?"
"Standing up for my wife, isn’t that the right thing to do? You naughty girl, your mom’s going through nopause, don’t upset her." Talking about his wife, Mr. Martin’s eyes grew softer.
Isabelle clicked her tongue twice, grabbed a handful of crispy at and darted away.
Compared to Jeffrey Foster’s solitude, the Martin family was truly lively.
The Martin parents loved bustling activities, had many friends and relatives. Starting from the second day of the Lunar New Year, the Martin house was never empty, and as the youngest daughter in the family, Isabelle naturally beca the cat’s paw for serving guests. From dawn to dusk, she was bombarded with all sorts of invasive questions, from her salary to her boyfriend to when she’d marry and have children.
Those eternal concern questions from the nurous aunties remain unchanged through the years.
On the fourth day, the nurse called, prompting Isabelle to rember that Jeffrey Foster had been in the hospital for three days already.
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