Chapter 3 Eric Fell Ill

Spring arrived in March and brightened the beautiful sceneries in J City. There were all kinds of flowers and plants in Whisper of Flower. The warm and mellow fragrances of the flowers levitated in the air.

"Eric passed out?" Nancy grabbed the phone and shouted in panic.

"What?" Rachel rushed downstairs and snatched the phone. "How did he pass out? Did he get hurt? Please take care of him first. I'll be there soon."

She hung up in a hurry and rushed upstairs to retrieve her bag. With a worried look in her eyes, she told her shop assistants, "I have something to do. Please take care of the shop." Without another word, she ran out of the store.

"Be careful, Rachel. Call us if you need anything!" Nancy shouted as she raced towards the door.

Rachel stood on the side walk and was in a hurry to find a taxi. After a long while, she was finally able to hail a cab. She was so anxious, it was as if there was a flame burning in her heart.

"To J City University. Please drive as quickly as you can!" she said to the driver as soon as she opened the door.

When she arrived at Eric's dormitory, there were several boys nervously surrounding him.

Rachel walked toward the bed and looked at her brother, whose eyes were closed. Her heart ached uncontrollably.

"How did he faint?" she asked.

"I don't know what happened. We were just having fun. He suddenly started to cover his chest and then fell down on the floor,"

said a boy with dyed hair. He felt a lingering rush of fear.

"Did this happen before?"

"No, this was the first time."

Rachel sat down and gently brushed a strand of wet hair off her brother's forehead. He looked like a sleeping statue. His face was pale and his lips were a shade of dark purple.

'Eric, please be okay!' Rachel prayed painfully. 'How can I save you? If I can't save you, how will I be able to live on?'

Her tears silently fell on her brother's pale face. But the next second, she regained her composure.

"Please help me carry Eric downstairs. I will take him to the hospital."

"Okay."

A tall boy came over. "I'll carry him on my back."

Just as everyone was about to lift Eric up from the bed, his eyes started to flutter. He was awake.

"Rachel," he stammered as he saw his sister's the painful and flustered eyes. "I'm sorry..."

"How did you faint?" Rachel asked, holding her brother's hand tightly. "Why didn't you tell me that you were not feeling well?"

"Rachel, I'm fine, really." Eric struggled as he tried to sit up.

"Let's go to the hospital." Rachel picked up his coat and put it on her brother. "You need to have an examination."

"It's okay, Rachel." Eric shook his head. "Let's not go to the hospital, okay? I hate hospitals. I will get sick when I go there."

His expression was so innocent and fragile. Rachel gently held him in her arms and felt pain in her heart.

She knew that he hated hospitals. Six years ago, he had been admitted into the hospital for several months. After a long period of suffering, he developed a fear of hospitals.

"I just want you to do an examination. I believe that you are fine. But can you do this just so I am reassured that you're okay?"

"All right."

Eric obediently nodded.

They went to the hospital they often went to.

After finishing the formalities, Rachel watched her brother follow the doctor into the laboratory. She suddenly felt weak and powerless, as if all her strength had been taken away. She curled up on the chair and waited at the hospital's corridor. She prayed again and again, 'Please be okay.'

After a while, Eric came out. When he saw his sister, a bright smile bloomed on his face.

"See? Didn't I tell you? There's nothing wrong."

"Really? Did the doctor say there is nothing wrong?" Rachel asked nervously.

"Although the test result hasn't come out yet, the doctor said there would be no problem."

"Then, why did you faint?"

"Maybe it's because I've been exercising a lot recently." Eric held his sister's arm intimately. "I won't do any strenuous exercise anymore."

"Please come and get the test report in three days." A young nurse came over and smiled at them.

"Okay," Eric said and then turned to his sister. "I won't have class that day, so I can come and get the report."

"I'll be the one to get it." Rachel flashed him a look of concern. She would only be relieved when she saw the test results with her own eyes.

Unfortunately, there was something important that she had to do that day. Without a choice, she had to let Eric be the one to receive the report.

"I told you I'm fine!" Eric handed his sister the test report.

"Really?"

Rachel looked at the test report over and over again. After confirming that everything was normal, she finally felt relieved.

"But you must take care of yourself in the future. If you feel uncomfortable, you need to tell me immediately."

"I know."

"Go back to school. Don't work too hard. I'll cook delicious food for you and Grandma when you come home during weekend."

Rachel patted her brother on the shoulder and finally felt relaxed.

Eric walked over to a place where his sister couldn't see him. He covered his chest with his hand and his handsome face turned pale in confusion.

He took out another report from his pocket with trembling hands and fiercely looked at it. He frowned and stuffed it into his pocket again.

'I'm sorry, I lied to you, Rachel. But I really don't want you to suffer the pain again.'