Chapter 56: Taking Care

The car arrived at Steven's residential complex.
Monica leaned back in her seat, the inexplicable rush of impulse she had felt earlier during the fifteen-minute drive slowly dissipating. She calmed down and realized that her reaction might have been a bit excessive.
If Steven didn't want her to know, who was she to force him to tell her?
Unconsciously, she found herself naturally wanting to be a part of his life.
It must have been Ryan insisting on her drinking alcohol at night that caused her emotions to easily escalate, leading her to blurt out those words without thinking.
Outside the window, darkness enveloped the tall buildings standing silently in the night. As she quietly observed, a hint of retreat crept into her mind. "Brother, maybe we should just go back?"
Eric raised an eyebrow at her. "Just earlier, you were angry and wanted to come, but now that we're downstairs, you don't want to go in?"
"I was a bit impulsive earlier, but after calming down, I thought that if he really is sick, what he needs right now is rest," Monica explained, trying to sound noble and righteous.
"It's late at night, it wouldn't be right for us to disturb him."
Eric didn't believe that she would just go back like this, but he didn't expose her either. He simply nodded casually. "That makes sense."
After saying that, he turned the steering wheel, preparing to turn the car around.
As the car moved, Monica instantly regretted her decision and hurriedly held onto his arm, hesitating.
"Or... let's still go up and take a look?"
"Can you make up your mind?" he tapped the steering wheel with his fingertip. "It's hard for me when you're like this."
She looked at Eric's nonchalant expression, furrowing her brows in confusion. "Why aren't you worried at all? He's your good friend."
"He's just running a fever; he won't die from it."
Monica: ...
She looked up at the tall residential building and finally made up her mind. "Let's just have a quick look."
The two of them passed through the security gate and entered the elevator. Monica didn't think too much and casually pressed the floor button.
Eric, seemingly casually, asked from behind, "Do you know which floor his apartment is on? Have you been here before?"
The sudden question startled her, causing her palms to sweat. She repeatedly clenched her hands and then let go, only then thinking of an appropriate response. "...I asked on the way here just now."
Eric nodded and didn't pursue the matter further.
Monica quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
In the residential complex where Steven lived, there was only one household on each floor.
Once they exited the elevator, they would be at the entrance. Eric stepped forward and pressed the doorbell.
Soon enough, the door opened from the inside, revealing a slender figure.
Monica took advantage of the corridor lighting to look up and carefully observe him and finally noticed that something was off about him.
His cheeks were a bit pale, lips slightly pursed, and he looked somewhat unenergetic, unexpectedly showing a hint of fragility.
But even so, he still stood tall, not letting any signs of weakness show. His expression was just as usual, which was why Monica hadn't noticed anything during dinner.
Unexpectedly, in this situation, she suddenly felt the urge to protect him.
Facing the Eric and Monica at the door, he stepped aside and gestured for them to come in.
Eric didn't move, "I won't go in, I'll leave first. I have to go to work tomorrow morning."
Upon hearing this, Monica stopped and turned around, "Then I'll go back with you."
Impatiently leaning against the door, Steven asked, "Did you two come all the way here just to stroll around my house?"
Eric chuckled, "How would I know? I'm just the driver today."
He continued, "It's not good to be heartless. How about this, my family will send a representative to visit you, and you'll be responsible for safely taking her home."
"...Huh?"
Seeing Eric really turn around and leave, Monica anxiously exclaimed, "Why are you really leaving? Wait for me!"
She chased after him to the elevator, and Eric leisurely spoke, "Wasn't it you who wanted to come? Now I've brought you here."
"Well, in the late night like this, you can't just leave me alone at his house, can you?"
Eric looked up, glanced thoughtfully behind Monica, and lazily said, "True, then come back with me."
As he stood in the elevator, watching the doors about to close, Monica subconsciously tried to step inside, but her wrist was suddenly grabbed and forcefully pulled back.
She lost her balance and stumbled into someone's embrace, helplessly watching the doors close in front of her.
The moment the crack in the door closed completely, Steven's voice sounded from above, calmly saying, "Take care, no need to see them off."
The two stood at the elevator entrance, surrounded by silence.
Monica looked at the moving numbers on the elevator and asked, "Why did you pull me?"
"Since you came, where else do you want to go?" He took her hand and walked towards the door.
Monica was being pulled by him, occasionally looking back at the elevator. It wasn't until he brought her into the house that her attention was diverted by something else in no time.
His hand was really hot.
"You really have a fever. Why didn't you tell me tonight? Even the phone call just now was a lie."
"No need to, it's just a fever." He casually dismissed it.
"Yeah, just a fever." Monica didn't know where her anger came from and coldly said, "Mr. Wright doesn't care, so there's no need for others to worry. It would only seem like meddling and making a fuss over nothing."
She turned around and walked away, her small and hurried steps coldly and determinedly heading towards the door. But before she could reach the doorknob, a hand reached out from behind, pulling her waist and preventing her from taking further action.
"Are you angry?" he asked.
Monica didn't say anything, frowning as she tried to break free from his hold, but even if Steven was sick, his strength was greater than hers, making it impossible for her to shake off his restraint.
"You care about me." His tone was gentle but firm.
His words struck her, causing her movement to pause for a moment. She tried to compensate by saying, "...Isn't it normal to care about a sick person? I'm not some heartless creature."
Although she said this, her voice gradually became quieter, clearly lacking confidence.
Steven rested his chin on top of her head, not continuing to press her, but holding her tighter. "If you want to go back, you can only go back tomorrow morning."
"Let me drive you home. I can't drive anymore tonight, I'm afraid something might happen."
Monica sneered, "Why didn't you consider the consequences when you drove back and forth to eat just now?"
"That was just me, so it's not a problem."
He paused for a moment, his voice weak and hoarse due to illness, clear and sticky in the silent room, "But with you, I can't take the risk."
Monica pursed her lips lightly and remained silent until she smelled a light aroma of rice. She asked him, "Did you cook?"
"Yes, I made some porridge. The dinner dishes were too greasy, so I didn't have much appetite."
As a patient, it was really pitiful that Steven had to take care of himself.
"You have so much money, why don't you hire someone to take care of you?"
"I'm used to it."
He was naturally a person who didn't like to get close to others, especially unfamiliar people intruding into his life and having too much contact with him. Moreover, he had been living alone for so many years and had already gotten used to taking care of himself.
Monica struggled out of his embrace, "Don't expect me to take care of you."
"It's fine, I can take care of myself."
"Aren't you going to rest?" She frowned and ordered, "Now, immediately, go to sleep!"
Watching Steven walk towards the bedroom, Monica stopped for a moment and contemplated for a long time before turning to the kitchen.