Chapter 313: Adrian Lancaster, Be Serious
Dr. Foster knocked on the door and waited patiently for a moment, but there was no response from inside.
Worried that Adrian Lancaster might have passed out from the high fever, he got a nod of approval from a servant, turned the cold doorknob, and pushed the bedroom door open to go inside.
The turning door hinges emitted a faint CREAK.
Adrian Lancaster, who was sitting on the floor in front of the sofa, immediately whipped his head toward the door. His eyes were full of warning, his brow furrowed tightly as he motioned for Dr. Foster to be quiet, so as not to wake the soundly sleeping Wren Sutton.
As Dr. Foster stepped into the room, he immediately saw Adrian Lancaster sitting on the floor, and his heart tightened with worry.
The man was barefoot on the cool hardwood floor, wearing only thin pajamas. The high fever had made his face ashen, tinged with an unnatural flush.
His once deep and sharp eyes had lost their usual edge, but it hadn’t diminished his powerful aura.
Especially the look he gave when he turned to warn him not to wake Wren Sutton; it was still filled with the intimidating power of a man in charge.
Dr. Foster quickly walked over and gently placed his medical bag by his feet.
He bent down and took Adrian Lancaster’s arm, his voice urgent yet subconsciously hushed to a whisper.
"Young Master Lancaster, why are you sitting on the floor with such a high fever? The cold will seep into your body and only make you sicker. Here, let me help you up."
As he was helped to his feet, a wave of dizziness from the fever suddenly hit him. Adrian Lancaster swayed, needing to lean on Dr. Foster’s support to barely stand straight.
Even so, his nerves remained taut. He raised a hand to grip Dr. Foster’s wrist and shook his head.
"Keep your voice down. Don’t wake my wife. She just fell asleep."
Dr. Foster looked at Adrian Lancaster, who was completely ignoring his own illness, his thoughts and eyes filled with nothing but his wife. Then he glanced at the oblivious, sleeping Wren Sutton on the sofa, whose face showed her exhaustion. He understood instantly.
’Taking care of a sick person is exhausting. No wonder the Young Madam is sleeping so soundly. She must be worn out.’
Taking the hint, Dr. Foster immediately tempered his rushed movements. He supported Adrian Lancaster toward the bed, his footsteps lighter than a cat’s. He held his breath, not daring to make the slightest bump or noise the entire time.
"Young Master Lancaster, the Young Madam already told me your temperature on the phone, so I won’t measure it again to save time."
"We’ll go straight to the fever-reducing shot. It works fast and will help your fever break sooner."
After speaking, Dr. Foster immediately opened his medical bag. He took out the syringe, antiseptic wipes, and medical alcohol, his movements slow and gentle to avoid making any noise.
Hearing the word "shot," Adrian Lancaster went rigid, his body tensing up.
"Where does the shot go?"
"In the buttocks," Dr. Foster replied.
"Why does it have to be there?" Adrian Lancaster asked, trying to stall.
Dr. Foster patiently explained, "The gluteal muscles are thick and have fewer nerves, so it’s relatively less painful. It’s the most common site for a fever-reducing shot."
"Of course, a few people get it in the deltoid muscle of the upper arm. The muscle is thinner there and has more nerves, so it’s noticeably more painful. Plus, it can be difficult to lift your arm afterward."
After hearing that, Adrian Lancaster obviously wasn’t going to choose the more painful option.
"The buttocks, then."
He feared nothing in this world, except for needles.
His fear of needles was instinctual, ingrained in him. Just the thought of a needle piercing his skin made his temples throb and his throat tighten. A flicker of panic and unconcealable vulnerability flashed in his eyes.
But that panic was instantly and forcefully suppressed the moment he glanced at Wren Sutton’s peaceful, sleeping face on the sofa.
She was curled up on the sofa, wrapped in the blanket he had put over her, sleeping soundly.
’If I move because I’m scared of the shot and make a sound that wakes her, it would be my fault.’
’Just get it over with. The sooner it’s done, the sooner it’s over. Once I recover, I can hold my wife and child again.’
"Young Master Lancaster, please turn onto your side and lower your pajama pants a bit," Dr. Foster said, now ready.
"Oh."
Adrian Lancaster nodded in compliance. He kept his head turned the entire time, his gaze glued to Wren Sutton, as if just looking at her could help him endure all the fear and pain.
Dr. Foster gently wiped the skin with an antiseptic wipe. The cool sensation made Adrian Lancaster’s body go taut, his jawline clenching into a hard, straight line.
The corners of his mouth turned down slightly, revealing a nearly imperceptible, pouting expression of stoic endurance. He forced himself to remain perfectly still.
The next second, as the needle slowly pierced his skin, a sharp sting shot through him. Adrian Lancaster’s brow furrowed slightly, and a thin film of moisture instantly welled up in his eyes—an instinctive reaction born of both pain and fear.
He bit his lip, refusing to let even the slightest whimper escape. His shoulders were stiff and tense as he remained completely silent throughout the process.
A fine sheen of cold sweat trickled down his cheeks and neck, soaking the collar of his pajamas.
The injection, which lasted only a few seconds, felt like a century to Adrian Lancaster. His gaze never once left Wren Sutton.
Once the injection was finished, Dr. Foster gently withdrew the needle and pressed a cotton swab against the injection site for a moment.
"The shot is done. Your fever should slowly start to break in an hour or two. You absolutely must not sit on the floor again. You need to lie down and rest in bed, drink plenty of warm water, take your medicine on time, and stick to a light diet."
"Also, you’re contagious, so try not to get too close to the Young Madam or the child, to avoid getting them sick."
"Mm, got it."
Adrian Lancaster gave a slight nod, then waved a hand, urging Dr. Foster to leave.
Dr. Foster packed up his medical bag, gave him a small nod, and then tiptoed out of the bedroom, carefully closing the door behind him to avoid making any noise.
The bedroom fell silent once more.
Adrian Lancaster slowly lay back down on the bed, turning on his side to face the sofa.
"Darling, I got the shot. The fever will break soon, and I’ll get better."
"If I weren’t afraid of giving you this virus, I’d have carried you to bed and held you in my arms long ago."
Drowsiness gradually washed over him. Adrian Lancaster’s eyelids grew heavier and heavier until, without realizing it, he too fell into a deep sleep.
...
「A few hours later.」
Wren Sutton slept until she woke up naturally. When she opened her eyes, she saw that it was already getting dark outside.
She rubbed her eyes and sat up on the sofa. The wool blanket that had been covering her slid to the floor.
The faint smell of medicine hung in the air.
"..." Wren Sutton’s mind was foggy for a few seconds before she snapped fully awake and turned her head toward the large bed.
’I only meant to close my eyes for a moment on the sofa before Dr. Foster arrived. I never expected to actually fall asleep, let alone for so long.’
Wren Sutton scrambled to her feet and rushed to the bedside.
She saw Adrian Lancaster lying peacefully in bed, his eyes closed and his breathing even. His face and neck were no longer as flushed as before.
She reached out and gently pressed the back of her hand against his forehead.
The frighteningly high temperature had mostly subsided. It was no longer scorching hot to the touch, just slightly warm. He had clearly improved a lot.
Wren Sutton let out a sigh of relief. Just as she pulled her hand back, the man on the bed slowly opened his eyes.
"I woke you," she said apologetically.
"How are you feeling now? I just felt your forehead. Your temperature has gone down."
Adrian Lancaster looked at Wren Sutton with a tender, contented expression.
"I feel a bit better now. My head doesn’t feel as heavy, and it doesn’t hurt as much."
"Dr. Foster came and gave me a fever-reducing shot. The medicine kicked in, and the fever broke."
"Don’t worry, I’ll recover quickly."
Wren Sutton was taken aback. "Dr. Foster was here?"
’I didn’t notice a thing.’
"I was sleeping so soundly, I had no idea he came. And you didn’t wake me."
"You were so tired, you fell asleep the moment you lay down. I couldn’t bear to wake you," Adrian Lancaster explained earnestly, his words also a confession of his feelings.
While Wren Sutton’s heart warmed, she was also a little skeptical.
"You’re not lying to me, are you? Did Dr. Foster really give you a shot?"
Adrian Lancaster nodded. "He really did. Besides my temperature dropping, there’s a second piece of evidence."
"What evidence?" Wren Sutton asked casually.
A roguish yet doting smile played on Adrian Lancaster’s lips as he teased in a low voice, "The needle mark on my butt. Darling, want to check?"
Wren Sutton’s face flushed red instantly. "Adrian Lancaster, be serious!" she snapped.
Seeing her shy reaction, the amusement in Adrian Lancaster’s eyes deepened.
His face, once pale from his illness, now glowed with a lively warmth.
"Darling, you’re so cute when you’re flustered."