"Do you want some water? Hot water."
Curtis looked down at her.
She nodded slightly, her eyelashes quivering gently.
"Yes."
She answered softly.
She wasn't sure if it was from being unaccustomed to the water or soil,
or because she caught a cold at the airport last night.
She felt incredibly fragile now, so fragile that even a simple question could make her eyes well up.
The moment she saw Curtis, a warmth suddenly surged in her heart.
That feeling was quite wondrous.
Like a little boat adrift for a long time finally finding a harbor to dock.
Curtis gently poured a glass of warm water.
The water temperature was just right, neither too cold nor too hot.
He helped her slowly sit up, placing a steady hand on her back.
Then, he cautiously brought the glass to her lips.
She tilted her head slightly to take a sip.
Yet, her nose first caught his scent.
Outside, the snow continued to fall silently.
The wind fiercely battered the windows, letting out a low "woo woo" sound.
But strangely enough, her heart, amidst this noisy blizzard, gradually calmed down.
Soon after finishing the water, the doorbell rang.
The doctor they had called arrived.
After a thorough examination, he measured her temperature with a thermometer.
"You definitely caught a cold, it's easy to catch a cold now. Why didn't you wear more? Your body is your own, don't be careless."
While speaking, the doctor took out several packs of pre-packed medicine powders from his bag and handed them to Curtis.
"Prescott, take this medicine three times a day, two packs each time, dissolved in warm water, for three consecutive days. That should reduce the fever, and make sure not to catch cold again."
The medicine packs were neatly stacked, labeled with the medicine name and instructions.
Curtis took the medicine.
"Thank you, I'll be careful."
He watched the doctor put on his coat and leave, then closed the door firmly.
After ensuring the indoor temperature was comfortable, he turned and went to the kitchen again.
After a short while, he returned with another cup of warm water.
Carefully, he poured the medicine powder into the cup, and gently stirred until it was completely dissolved.
He carried the cup back to the bedside, knelt down, and handed the medicine to her.
"Don't wear so little again, it's the middle of winter, aren't you cold wearing such thin clothes?"
Vivian blinked and playfully stuck out her tongue.
"I know, Curtis brother."
That smile was pure and bright, with a hint of playfulness.
She added a line in her heart: Because the person I'm reluctant to leave is you.
But this sentence remained unspoken, silently hidden in the softest corner of her heart.
Curtis looked at her expression, paused for a moment.
He shook his head, unable to hold back a gentle smile at the corner of his lips.
That smile was faint, yet particularly genuine.
In the afternoon, Mrs. Campbell arrived with a thermos in hand, knocking on the door.
She brought a bowl of thick porridge and a small plate of pickles.
Vivian obediently finished eating, feeling warmth spreading in her stomach.
She also felt much more energetic.
Leaning on the bedhead, holding her computer, she slowly typed on the keyboard and finally hit the "send" button.
It was a resignation email sent to her boss on the other side of the globe.
That boss was a blue-eyed, blond foreigner named Mark, with whom Vivian had worked for two full years.
They collaborated well, communicated smoothly, and even got along well privately.
After receiving the email, he was evidently surprised, replying within ten minutes, filled with regret in his tone.
[Vivian, hearing that you're leaving, I'm quite upset. Are you sure you don't want to reconsider? The company can adjust work arrangements, or you could work remotely, don't make a hasty decision.]
Vivian stared at the screen, her gaze slightly dazed.
The snow continued to fall outside, rendering the room tranquil.
She lowered her head, pondered for a moment, and typed a line slowly on the keyboard.
[No need, there's someone here I can't bear to leave.]
Not long after she sent the message,
he replied with a single sentence, filled with sincere blessings.
[Then I wish you all the best! Take care, Vivian.]
She gently closed the laptop.
The metallic shell emitted a light "click" sound.
The room instantly quieted down.
She curled up at the head of the bed, hugging the corner of a pillow.
Casually picking up her phone, she unlocked the screen and opened WeChat.
The chat list quietly scrolled.
Her gaze, however, remained fixed on the familiar name at the top.
Her close friend, Melanie, somehow heard that she was back.
Messages popped up one after another.
[Miss Sinclair, you came back without a peep? Have you cleaned me, 'the best friend ever,' out of your memory?]
Vivian looked at her phone screen, unable to suppress a smile.
[How could I dare, the return was too sudden, I came for a funeral. Besides, I started having a fever this morning, feeling dizzy and tired, even brushing my teeth is hard, let alone sending messages.]
She had just sent the message when her phone vibrated.
Melanie replied almost instantly:
[Did you turn into a little furnace as soon as you landed? Didn't catch some foreign mutant virus, did you? Caught swine flu? Or alien germs?]
Vivian rolled her eyes.
[Such a sharp tongue, isn't there anyone to counter you? Be careful not to have a crow snatch your tongue one day.]
Originally expecting a retort
But the next second, Melanie's tone suddenly changed.
[Oh dear, how did you get sick! How high is your fever? Did you see a doctor? Don't push yourself, I'll rush over to see you! Bring some fever medicine and porridge!]
Vivian felt warmth in her heart, her eye corners slightly curved.
[Really, it's just a common cold, probably got too much air conditioning on the plane. I've already taken medicine, the fever has gone down, when I feel better in a couple of days, I'll treat you to dinner as an apology, let me know what you want to eat.]
[Alright, it's a deal. You're not allowed to ghost me again, or I'll put an ad out searching for you.]
Vivian chuckled lightly and put the phone aside.
The room was very tranquil.
The sunlight slanted through the gap in the curtains, falling on the bed's edge.
She leaned against the headboard, her head still a bit dizzy.
But she knew she couldn't just lie down all the time.
Since she decided to stay in Varden, some things needed to be prioritized promptly.
She propped herself up, opened her laptop, considered for a moment, and casually picked four or five well-known law firms with good reputations in Varden, sending out her resume one by one.
The resume was already prepared, both in English and Chinese versions.
Her education, internship experience, and awards were clearly listed.
While uploading, she silently prayed.
May there be a response, at least one firm willing to interview.
Since she decided to stay, the top priority was to secure a job first.
Without a stable income, living on her uncle's support wasn't a long-term solution.
Besides, she didn't want anyone to think she returned because she had nowhere else to go.
After finishing all this, she breathed a sigh of relief, her eyes feeling somewhat sore.
Just as she was about to shut down her laptop and take a nap, she suddenly heard a voice from downstairs.
The voice wasn't loud, but it was clear that it was a woman.
Vivian was momentarily taken aback.
She remembered her uncle mentioned he was going on a business trip today but didn't say what time he'd be back.
She didn't pay much attention, thinking it was just a housemaid or a visiting relative, and lay back down.
But barely had she closed her eyes when the door was suddenly knocked on twice.
"Come in."
She responded in a slightly hoarse voice.
The door was pushed open with a slight creak.
Vivian opened her eyes and looked up.
Only to see a stylishly dressed woman walk in.