James Black stood at the doorway for nearly a minute before turning back to look in the direction of the bed in the room. As he turned his head, he met Jane Sampsonās anxious gaze, and James Black stepped back towards her.
"Wait a moment." James Black thought Jane Sampson was starving. "Iāll go downstairs to handle something, and Iāll be right back."
James Black was afraid that the mute aunt would add sleeping pills to Jane Sampsonās water again. Taking too much of this medicine can also harm the body.
Jane Sampson didnāt quite want James Black to leave the room and out of her sight, but she was afraid James Black would notice her inner panic and didnāt want to become a burden that would make him leave. So, she lowered her gaze and murmured softly, forcing herself not to look at James Black.
Even when James Black bent down to kiss the corner of her lips, she didnāt look up at him. It wasnāt until she could no longer hear James Blackās footsteps that her eyes shifted towards the doorway, as if waiting for something, expecting James Blackās figure to return to her sight.
When James Black went downstairs, the mute aunt was just about to drop sleeping pills into the water.
James Black was unsure if the water already had any, so he walked over, took a clean cup from the cabinet, rinsed it once, and poured water himself.
The mute aunt gestured animatedly, trying to communicate with James Black about the medicine she held.
James Blackās expression remained serene as he replied, "No need. Even if you have a whip behind her now, she has no strength to run."
James Black instructed, "Cook some light porridge. Donāt add all these unnecessary things, just put some vegetables. Once itās ready, bring it up to me."
The mute aunt glanced at James Black, hesitated for a few seconds, and thought for a moment, probably agreeing that what James Black said made sense.
Thinking about the young girl upstairs who had been given medication for several days and hadnāt eaten properly for days, and had lost a lot of blood, the mute aunt also believed that within a day or two, even without medication, she most likely didnāt have the strength to escape.
James Black carried the water cup upstairs, and from the moment Jane Sampson heard his footsteps, a hint of joy she hadnāt realized painted her eyes. When he walked through the door towards her, Jane Sampsonās smile became even harder to hide.
"That thirsty?" James Black sat next to her, placed the cup on the bedhead cabinet beside them, then helped Jane Sampson sit up before picking the cup again and placing the straw at her lips so she could drink without lifting her hand.
Jane Sampson was truly thirsty, and the water James Black poured was just the right temperature. She gulped the entire cup down in one go.
James Black hadnāt had the chance to ask her if she wanted more when the sound of a car came from downstairs.
James Black glanced at the empty cup, reacted swiftly, quickly got up and went into the bathroom to fill a cup with tap water before returning to Jane Sampsonās side.
"When I drop the cup later, pretend it was you throwing a fit." James Black spoke rapidly, "Act for them."
Jane Sampson nodded, her hand under the quilt tensing slightly as she grasped the sheet, controlling her urge to throw herself into James Blackās arms.
She was a bit afraid of seeing that young man.
Especially when sheās sober.
This would easily bring back memories of last night, of that young man raising a knife and cutting into her arm over and over ā her agony, his demonic smile.
About two minutes later, the sound of footsteps on the staircase came, along with the young manās voice humming a song.