Evelyn pulled a chair over for Stella. She sat down at the foot of the bed.
"How can it hurt this much?" Stella asked, settling in.
"Ugh, it's just terrible luck. I was heading back to school, thinking the road was short. I didn't get far before a car lost control and hit me. Luckily, a tree on the side of the road stopped me. Otherwise, I'd be seeing God right now!"
"Shut up, don't jinx it!" Evelyn snapped.
Emily laughed immediately. "I'm serious. I still get chills thinking about it. So, just some cuts and bruises? I'm lucky it wasn't worse!"
"The main thing is you're okay!" Stella agreed.
Evelyn went to wash some fruit. The three of them chatted while they ate.
Later, Emily was in a better mood. She talked about the handsome doctor who made rounds that morning.
"Is he really that handsome? Or is your eyesight just blurry from the pain?" Stella teased.
"No way. He's genuinely gorgeous. I might want to stay in the hospital a few more days!" Emily grinned.
"Forget it. The cost is too high!"
"Haha, I just want to stay longer. The bill they sent this morning scared me to death! Over four thousand dollars!" Emily's face fell again thinking about the medical expenses.
"That's so expensive!" Stella said. "How can you afford to stay in the hospital?"
"Evelyn helped me pay for it first."
"The guy who caused the accident paid two thousand upfront. He'll have to pay the rest when I'm discharged." Evelyn handed an apple to Emily.
"Right now, I can only rely on Evelyn. My internship salary this month isn't even enough for living expenses!"
"Really? How much is your internship salary a month?"
"Over three thousand. I sent a thousand back home."
"That's not enough for you to send home. Good thing your company provides housing, or you'd be even more broke!"
"Your salary at the Sterling Group must be pretty high, right?" Stella asked.
"Just a bit more," Emily said, glancing at Evelyn.
"Work hard and try to get a contract. I heard regular employees at Sterling Group get paid really well and have great benefits!"
"I told Evelyn I'd fight for a contract after I leave the hospital. The benefits are too good to pass up!" Emily chuckled.
Then she moved and winced, her face scrunching up in pain.
Stella and Evelyn couldn't help laughing at the dramatic expression on Emily's face.
"You're so heartless. I'm dying of pain, and you're laughing!"
"Sorry, your face just now was too funny. Try not to get too excited. You might pull your stitches again!" Evelyn replied with a smile.
"Stella, let me tell you how mean Evelyn is. You know what? I'm terrified of pain. When the doctor said I needed stitches yesterday, I was scared to death. And do you know what Evelyn said? She said if I didn't get stitches, I'd have a scar and couldn't wear short skirts anymore. How cruel is that, scaring a beautiful, pitiful wounded person like that!" Emily complained indignantly.
"That's really too bad!" Stella nodded in agreement, but she couldn't help smiling.
"You're both heartless. Sigh, how did I end up with two bad friends like you?"
"You didn't choose us. The school forced us together in the same dorm!"
"Haha, Stella nailed it!" Evelyn laughed.
"Hmph, I'm not playing with you anymore. You're all bad people!"
"Haha~!"
The three of them joked around, and time flew by.
"We should get going. You rest well!" Stella looked at her watch.
"Okay. Be careful on your way back!" Emily reminded them.
"I know. Call us if you need anything!" Evelyn gestured with her phone.
"Good!" Emily nodded with a smile.
Evelyn and Stella walked out of Emily's ward and took the elevator downstairs.
"Stella, how are you getting back?" Evelyn asked.
"There's a shuttle bus back to the dorm. Don't worry about me. What about you?" Stella smiled.
"My family is coming to pick me up."
"Then I don't have to worry about you either. I'll go wait at the bus stop. Call me if anything comes up!"
"Okay! Be safe on your way back!"
"I will! Oh, by the way, I'll pay you back for the fruit after I get paid!"
"Don't worry about it! I'll be hungry by the time I get out!" Evelyn shook her head with a smile.
"We agreed to split it! I'm off. Bye!"
"Bye!"
Stella walked toward the bus stop. Evelyn called Alexander.
"Alexander, I'm heading back."
"I'll be there in fifteen minutes."
"Oh, okay. Drive slowly. I'll wait for you at the hospital entrance."
"Walk out when I arrive."
"Okay!" Evelyn agreed.
She put away her phone and looked around. She was at the hospital entrance now.
She couldn't go back to find Emily now.
Anyway, fifteen minutes would pass quickly. She would just wait for Alexander to come.
When Alexander pulled up, Evelyn was on the phone with her mother. She saw his car, said goodbye, and hung up.
She opened the passenger door and got in.
"Are you off work?" Evelyn asked as she buckled her seatbelt.
"I get off work when you call," Alexander said.
"Did you wait at the company just to pick me up, or did I call you to leave early?" Evelyn asked with a smile.
"Which answer do you prefer?" Alexander looked at her.
"The first one, of course. It makes me feel important!" Evelyn grinned.
"You are very important," Alexander replied calmly.
Evelyn's smile grew brighter. She was very happy.
Then she responded softly, "You are very important too."
"What?" Alexander pretended not to hear.
"I said you are very important too!" Evelyn shouted.
"Thank you," Alexander smiled.
Evelyn laughed too.
Sometimes, when two people are together, that feeling is what matters most.
"What do you want to eat tonight?" Evelyn asked about dinner.
She figured Alexander hadn't eaten yet either.
"The braised fish head with gastrodia from last night was good."
"We didn't buy fish head today!" Evelyn replied with a smile.
"Then let's have spicy and sour beef."
"Why do you love spicy and sour beef so much?" Evelyn said.
Nine times out of ten, when she asked Alexander what he wanted to eat, he answered, "Your cooking is the best."
"Oh, so I only have one dish I'm good at?" Evelyn pouted.
"The others are fine, but this one is the best," Alexander added.
Evelyn laughed. "I know my cooking skills. But I can't make spicy and sour beef today. I didn't tell Lily to buy beef. The meat at the supermarket isn't very fresh this late. If you want to eat it, let Lily buy some tomorrow, and I'll cook it for you in the evening!"
"Okay," Alexander said.