章 62: No matter how weird, I'll listen

An hour before...

Eric Wu was restless. He had been trying to sleep but to no avail. Earlier, when he called Zayn Wu in his study room, he had treated him with silence. Not that he was trying to scare him, just that he was in no mood to scold him. In the end, he simply reminded him to reread his medical ethics. That one sentence made the man scrammed with a tail between his legs.

Now, he was on schedule, ready to sleep after peeking on Bella Lim's room. Contentment was the feeling he had when he saw the siblings cuddled up together. Thankfully, everything ended well. He felt a burden was lifted off of him.

Yet, he couldn't sleep.

An image of a woman kept nudging his brain from taking a rest. It was kind of torture because he didn't want to kill her image off just for the sake of sleeping. In the end, Eric Wu left his bed and sat on the sofa. He didn't bother to switch on the light as the darkness seemed bright enough for someone to see the complicated look on his face.

Thankfully, it was the weekend or else he would suffer from the lack of sleep when tomorrow came.

He sprawled his body on the long sofa that barely fit his width and height. He was staring at the vacant darkness when a question popped up in his mind about the sudden query Bella Lim had asked upon her awakening.

Was it fate or coincidence for her to ask about the young lady he had saved four years ago at Kastache? He was certain that not many knew about the incident.

Amidst the confusion, someone suddenly barged into the room. Eric Wu frowned as he shifted position. Now, he was sitting on the sofa with cold eyes. Who dared?

Even so, he was spared no time to think of who the intruder was as a cry so familiar reached his ears. He quickly picked the controller on the table and switched on the light. There, on the floor was Bella Lim with her body curled as depressing remarks left her lips.

"Bella!" he called in a panic as he rushed to her. He crouched beside her, emotions flew across his features as he took her into his arms. The agony was visible on her face.

"Bella, what happened?!" he asked, only to hear her calling his name weakly. Then, he watched how her eyes grew wide in shock. All of a sudden, tears rolled her cheek as she began to sob.

Eric Wu knew something must've happened again so he carried her to his bed, gently laid her body on the mattress. Seeing her absentmindedly stared at the ceiling, he wondered if she was still in pain. Earlier, he could almost feel the anguish she was feeling. However now, her lifeless state made him worried even more. She looked like she had lost the will to live. What really happened?

Eric Wu decided to call Zayn Wu so he could check on her again. He wouldn't allow anything bad to happen. Not when he finally realized what he was feeling.

"Eric, I'm fine,"

The weak voice brought a pause to what Eric Wu was doing. He shifted his gaze towards her and noticed her feeble eyes were looking back. Her lips paled. A state that made him frowned.

Seriously, which part of her looked fine?

"Sorry, I was afraid to wake little pumpkin so I thought--" a chesty cough interrupted her speech. Eric Wu suddenly felt angry.

"Stop talking. I'll call Zayn to check on you," he reprimanded, only to be surprised when a cold hand touched his. He could feel his whole body shuddered at the touch. It took him a while to relax, a while... when she let go of his hand.

"No need! I'm fine now," she insisted and slowly tried to get up. True to what she claimed, Bella Lim was indeed free from the torment she was feeling earlier. What left was slight dizziness that she could handle. It was a weird phenomenon that brought her to misery.

Sigh. Eric Wu kept his phone away and turned his body to have a better look at Bella Lim. He realized that despite her claim to be fine, her look wasn't convincing. She was like a lost child, afraid and confused.

"What happened?" he asked and waited patiently for her to explain.

"Which are you referring to? earlier or right now?" a contrast to her weak state, her voice was austere.

Eric Wu took a deep breath. "I'm calling Zayn. Something is wrong with you," he declared, annoyed by her response.

Bella Lim chuckled as an enervated smile plastered her face.

"Eric, could you write a story about someone who thought a second chance at life would bring happiness, only to find out that reality is crueler?"

"Or about someone who thought she could live normally, only to know that soon she would be driven into craziness?"

"Or about how delusional one could be?"

"Why? I only fainted due to shock. So why am I seeing things I didn't want to see?" her voice cracked.

"I don't want to believe it, but after everything that had happened. It makes me want to believe," she cried.

"I can't---I'm not strong for this," her shoulder shook as tears rolled down her cheek like heavy rain.

Eric Wu swallowed as he didn't know how to react. What she was saying wasn't making sense to him. Perhaps, she was afraid about all the assaults directed to her and little pumpkin? Maybe, fear made her succumb to this state of despair. Yet, deep down he knew, she was referring to something more.

However, seeing her cried struck his heart with terrible anguish. He felt a dreadful ache as if something was being torn inside him. The greediness to see her smile overwhelmed him.

"I'll consider it. Such plots would appeal to most people. I noticed that most web-novelist prefer that sort of theme. What is it again," he pondered.

"Ahh, reincarnation, reborn and going back in time. This theme was selling fast nowadays. Will I do well if I write such a story?" he sounded like he was speaking to himself. An eyebrow rose as he drifted off in contemplation.

That was when he heard a laugh. He looked up and saw Bella Lim laughed with her shoulder still shaking due to the unending tears she had yet to give up. He smiled, happy that his not-so-funny humor brought such a response from her.

But, the issue wasn't resolved. Something was bothering the woman in front of him or else she wouldn't fall into a condition of deep despondency. He hoped she would tell him everything.

Patience, right now calming her down was an utmost priority. He thought.

"Do you believe in such?"

Startled. Eric Wu quickly asked, "In what?"

"Stuff like reincarnation, reborn, going back in time," he smiled as he listened to the list. Despite the weakened state she was in, she sure was talkative. It was hard to associate her with the woman who cried desperately a moment ago.

"These kinds of things give hopes," he chuckled as he added, "Most people would want to believe it. Others would refer to it as wishful thinking,"

"How about you?" Bella Lim interjected as she stared at him, her expression intent.

With furrowed eyes, Eric Wu stared at her for a moment before the creases disappeared. He felt like she was testing him.

"As long as one can prove it, I probably will," he shrugged nonchalantly, but his gaze rested on her thoughtfully for a few moments before he broke the string that connected their eyes. A moment of silence preceded a rumble from Bella Lim's tummy.

Bella Lim coughed as she held her stomach, trying to stop the sound from being heard. It seemed that the food she had eaten after she woke up from unconsciousness wasn't enough.

"Can you walk?" Eric Wu asked as he turned his head, pretending that he hadn't heard the rumble. However, the mirth in his eyes was obvious.

"I think so," Bella Lim replied as she removed the blanket that was covering her body. She moved to the edge of the bed and jumped on the floor. She wobbled.

"Whoa, there..." Eric Wu instinctively held her.

"T-thanks. You can let go now," Bella Lim spoke. She was grateful for his help, but the awkwardness was as intense as the heat radiating across her body.

"Let me help you. I don't want to see someone fall along the way. We're going to the kitchen," Eric Wu sneakily smiled as his hand firmly attached to Bella Lim's shoulder.

"No need," Bella Lim refused. At the same time, she thought her feeble mind couldn't cope with Eric Wu's unpredictable behavior. "I'm sorry for intruding you tonight and being weird. I'll return to my room. Snacking will do," she hurriedly spoke as she tried to free herself, but she had not much energy to do so.

"No way. Leaving you alone is even worse. Believe me, you'll end up crying again. We're going to the kitchen and you're going to tell me everything," Eric Wu slowly moved Bella Lim's body so she could see him. "No matter how weird your story will be, I'll listen," his voice alongside his face were earnest.

Speechless, Bella Lim did nothing but lowered her gaze until it reached his broad chest.

"So," she heard him murmured, "We're just going to stand like this with you staring at my chest till morning?"

Bella Lim jolted as she inched back only to realize that the man had no intention of letting her go. Her expression darkened. There was no use to say anything, this man was unexpectedly stubborn.

Eric Wu noticed that the woman in his arms had ceased struggling. He chuckled as he gently pulled her along to the kitchen on the first floor.