Su Wei's finger paused on the screen for a second, then he quickly typed a reply.
"Perfect timing, I'm in town."
Outside the car window, the snow-covered Kodiak Town remained unchanged.
But the people inside the car smiled.
This life is just beginning.
Chapter 108 Let's have a grand feast! (Bonus chapter of 3600 words! Please subscribe)
The Dodge's engine jolted a few times, then stalled and stopped downstairs at the apartment building.
Su Wei pushed open the door and got out of the car, the snow under his feet crunching under his feet.
I walked up the narrow apartment building corridor and arrived at that familiar door.
302.
He knocked on the door of room 302 with practiced ease.
The door opened as soon as the knocking ended, as if the person inside had been waiting behind it.
Emily stood in the doorway, leaning on her cane, wearing a large beige sweater that made her look even thinner than before.
Upon seeing Su Wei, her tense shoulders relaxed, and her eyes brightened.
"Morning."
"Good morning." Su Wei didn't say much, naturally taking the backpack hanging from her arm and steadily supporting her elbow with his other hand. "Let's go, don't keep Dr. Hansen waiting."
His palms were warm, the warmth emanating through his sweater, which made Emily somewhat lost in thought.
She nodded and shifted her weight to Su Wei.
The process of going downstairs was very slow.
Su Wei walked steadily, pausing after each step, demonstrating the patience one should have when dealing with the wounded.
Twenty minutes later, at the Zhenxi Clinic.
The cramped examination room was filled with piercing noise.
"Sizzle! Sizzle!!"
Dr. Hansen, wearing thick-rimmed reading glasses, was holding an electric plaster saw that was spinning at high speed.
Emily gripped the edge of the examination bed tightly, her knuckles turning white, and she shrank back.
Su Wei stood to the side, arms crossed, expression calm.
His eyes were fixed on the spot where the saw blade would cut in, a good angle that wouldn't hurt his skin.
If he were using a hunting knife, he would choose a more direct angle to slice it open in one go.
Of course, these are just random thoughts when I'm bored.
"Alright."
The plaster cast cracked, and Dr. Hansen turned off the chainsaw and casually tossed the plaster cast into the trash can.
"Congratulations, young lady, you're free."
With the cast removed, the injured left calf was exposed.
Because of prolonged inactivity, the skin was pale, thinner than the right leg, and had some dead skin.
Emily glanced at her legs, her face flushed instantly, and she instinctively tried to pull down her trouser leg to cover them.
"Don't move."
Dr. Hansen swiftly pressed down on her knee and began to examine her ankle with his large hands.
His fingers were very strong, and he pressed on the sore spots every time.
"Hiss..." Emily let out a soft groan.
"The recovery is going well, much faster than I expected." Hansen took off his gloves and tossed them onto the tray, a hint of approval in his eyes. "It seems youth really is an advantage. The bones are mostly healed, but the ligaments still need time to recover."
The old doctor wrote on the medical record without looking up, saying:
"You can try weightlifting next week, but don't overdo it. Forget about those sky-high heels for the next six months. And..."
He stopped writing, adjusted his glasses, and looked past the lenses at the silent Su Wei beside him.
"That's your job, young man."
Su Wei raised an eyebrow. "Mine?"
"Massage her for fifteen minutes every night, you must use medicated oil to spread it out." Dr. Hansen pointed to Emily's ankle as if it were a matter of course, "To promote blood circulation and prevent adhesions. Don't tell me you can't do that, you hunters are better at treating sprains and bruises than I am."
The air in the examination room fell silent for a moment.
Emily's face turned completely red, even her ears were burning.
Every night? Personal massage?
That image made her unable to look Su Wei in the eye.
Just thinking about it made her blush.
She opened her mouth, wanting to explain that they didn't live together, but the words stuck in her throat.
Su Wei's expression remained unchanged; he showed neither embarrassment nor a rush to distance himself.
For him, it was simply something he could do to help.
"Understood." Su Wei's voice was steady and firm. "Are there any specific requirements regarding the force?"
"Follow the meridians, push upwards from the bottom." Seeing how cooperative he was, Dr. Hansen nodded in satisfaction and gestured a couple of times. "Use some force, but don't be as rough as you were with the deer leg, and don't be too gentle either."
"Okay, I got it," Su Wei replied earnestly.
No one noticed that as he answered, his gaze subtly swept over Emily's slender ankles, and his Adam's apple bobbed slightly.
And his ears were slightly red.
Emerging from the clinic, Emily was finally free of crutches.
She tentatively stepped onto the ground, her steps still a little unsteady, but the sense of freedom made her take a deep breath of the cold air.
Su Wei walked half a step behind her, a safe distance that allowed him to reach out and support her at any time.
Back in the warm car, Emily seemed to have a weight lifted from her shoulders. She slumped in the passenger seat and patted her thigh, exclaiming, "Finally free!"
"How does it feel?" Su Wei asked as he skillfully reversed the car.
"It's a little sore and itchy, like a million ants crawling inside my bones." Emily turned her head, looking at him somewhat embarrassed. " Su Wei, please don't mind what the doctor said earlier. Dr. Hansen is just like that, he likes to play matchmaker. As for the massage, I can try to do it myself..."
You can't press the ligaments on the back yourself.
Su Wei steered the Dodge into the main traffic, his tone casual, "The doctor's advice is very important. If the bruise isn't cleared up, it will hurt on rainy days."
"But..."
"No buts." Su Wei kept his eyes on the road ahead, his long, slender fingers lightly tapping the edge of the steering wheel. "I just bought some special physiotherapy cream. Try it tonight, and if it hurts, then tell me to stop."
Try it tonight.
The words echoed in the car, creating a slightly ambiguous atmosphere.
Emily blinked, feeling her face burning up again, so she turned her head away pretending to look at the scenery, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up in a smile.
The car drove to the intersection in the center of town, and the red light came on.
Su Wei stepped on the brakes, remembering that the once empty refrigerator at home was now crammed full of fresh ingredients.
Eating alone is comfortable, but in winter, it always feels like something's missing.
A taste of home.
Since he has decided to settle down on Kodiak Island, he needs to interact with more people.
Hunters may hunt alone, but they should not be reclusive.
He thought of something and made a decision.
Perhaps it's time to prepare a get-together for my new life.
"Are you hungry?" Su Wei suddenly broke the silence.
"I only had a slice of dry toast for breakfast," Emily said with a wry smile, rubbing her stomach. "The smell of disinfectant in the hospital made me lose my appetite. What, are you going to treat me to a hamburger?"
"I don't eat hamburgers." Su Wei glanced at the rearview mirror, a glint of light in his eyes. "Come to my place. I just bought some beef and spices; I want to cook a meal at home."
Emily's eyes lit up instantly.
She still remembered the taste of that pot of potato and beef stew from last time.
The rich, flavorful gravy was more tempting than any grand meal in this cold place.
"Go! Right now!" she answered without hesitation, even a little impatiently. "Do you need me to help prepare the ingredients? Although my knife skills are so-so, my vegetable washing skills are absolutely professional!"
"No need, you're under special protection now. Just sit and wait to be fed."