“Well, I’ll be alone if I’m at home. Also, I won’t have time to do my work and the report if I have to rest at home. So, I might as well stay here and get some IV drips.”
Dustin handed over the apple to her and asked, “IV drips? Is this how you take care of yourself by getting this at such a young age?”
Joan took the apple from him and replied, “Dustin, thank you for visiting me when I’m sick. Besides, you’ve even brought along the things I need the most. To be frank, I owe you a lot all these years. However, you don’t have to do this to me again because I don’t want to owe you more.”
Dustin pretended to be upset. “Who do you think I am to you?”
“My good friend,” she replied.
“Other than that?”
“Hmm… You’re also my savior who saved my life,” she answered seriously.
Dustin heaved a sigh. “Well, in that case… am I a nobody to you?”
“Of course not!” she immediately denied.
“I’m relieved. Joan, you can owe me forever because I allow you to do so.” He flashed her a smile.
“Dustin, I’ really don’t know what I should say now. By the way, I would like to treat you to dinner two days later to repay you…” Before she could finish, Dustin waved his hand to interrupt, “Treat me to dinner? No way, that’s too simple. Well, I have an idea. We’ve known each other for many years, yet you probably haven’t tried any food that I cook. Why don’t you show me some support? I mean, this is way better than treating me to dinner outside.”
Joan was a little hesitant. “Well…”
Dustin began to tidy up the drafts and papers on the bed. “Don’t think too much. Besides, you said that you want to repay me. You can’t renege on your promise all of a sudden.”
“Alright then…” Joan agreed to it. When she took a bite of the apple, she felt that it wasn’t ripe yet. Besides, tears nearly dropped from her face as the apple tasted bad.
Dustin was aware of the limits. As such, he didn’t bring Joan to his house but chose to go to Joan’s rented house instead. As soon as Joan heard it, she scratched her head and said embarrassedly, “I’m sorry, Dustin. Since I rarely cook, there are no food ingredients or even rice for that matter at my house.”
Nonetheless, Dustin didn’t look surprised as she expected. Instead, he chuckled heartily and said, “No problem. However, you’ve to come with me to the market as compensation.”
“Ah?” The next moment, Dustin dragged her to leave the ward before she could react.
As soon as they arrived at the market, Joan could feel that the smell of vegetables and meat permeated the air. Most of the customers here were elders who came with their grandchildren or middle-aged couples. Due to their young age, Joan and Dustin became rather eye-catching when they were in the market.
“Mister, how much are the oysters?”
“Nine per kilogram.”
“No way, that’s too expensive. I can buy more for seven per kilogram.”
“Alright, seven it is.”
Joan elbowed Dustin and said, “I didn’t expect you would bargain with the hawker. I mean, you didn’t save a lot of money anyway.”
Dustin handed over a bag of oysters to her and replied, “Thriftiness is a way of life that even wealthy people should practice.”
Then, Dustin brought her to buy some fresh fruits and vegetables and bargained along the way. Joan saw that all of the hawkers who refused to give discounts submitted to his way in the end.
“Dustin, do you always come here to buy some food?” Joan asked.
“Hmm… not really. Since I’ve to work on my research at Nirhaven College, I usually have lunch and dinner at the canteen. So, I rarely have time to cook.”
Joan grasped the bag in her hand tighter and said, “I can cook but usually prepare roughly the same dishes. Before I fell out with Larry, I used to eat the food prepared by the housemaid. Since you’ve bought so much food today, I’m a bit worried we can’t finish them.”
