Chapter 1582

Keeping Him Around

Kurt stared wordlessly at Vivian.

He gritted his teeth and leaned forward, scooping Vivian into his arms.

Vivian yelped in surprise, and she hastily flung her arms around his neck, clinging on for dear life. Her
eyes were as wide as saucers.

What the heck is he doing?

She blushed furiously, having never been carried by a boy before today.



Kurt was not faring any better, though he quickly focused on bringing Vivian to a doctor. His mind was
whirling with anxious thoughts.

Why is she unwell? Didn’t she recover yesterday? Why is this recurring?



He rushed toward the emergency department and declared, “Doctor, she’s very ill. Please take a look at
her.”

“Huh?”

The doctors bustling about the department lifted their heads to stare at them in confusion.

It was only then that Vivian understood Kurt’s intentions, and she was both furious and embarrassed by
his actions.



She pleaded, “I’m not that sick. Please put me down.”

Kurt refused, much to her chagrin. He held her in his arms until a doctor approached them and directed
them to a hospital bed.

I’ll die from embarrassment right now!

A few minutes later, the doctor completed her examination and frowned.

She asked, “What’s wrong? This is just a simple bacterial infection.”

Vivian dared not meet the doctor’s questioning gaze.

Kurt did not seem to share her embarrassment. Instead, he sighed in relief at the doctor’s assessment.

The doctor prescribed some medication for Vivian afterward. After finding out that Vivian’s illness had
recurred despite a check-up just two days ago, the doctor recommended a blood test to confirm Vivian’s
diagnosis.

Blood test?

Vivian immediately paled when she heard those two words.

Pain or needles did not frighten her, but she simply could not stand the sight of blood, no thanks to a
bloody and traumatic experience in her childhood.

Kurt received the test slip and was about to lead Vivian to the blood test station when he noticed that she
froze on the spot.

He asked, “What’s wrong?”



“N-Nothing,” Vivian stammered. “I probably fell sick because I forgot to use my blankets last night. I-I’m
fine. Let’s just skip the blood test.”

She lowered her head, her hands fiddling anxiously with the corner of her blouse.

Kurt was at a loss for words.

Suddenly, he remembered what Sebastian had told him about back when he was brought into SteelFort
and given orders to protect Vivian.

She doesn’t have any issues except for a phobia of blood. She had it after witnessing a gory incident
when she was six years old.

The phobia apparently extended to anything that shared the color of blood.

Kurt frowned. How could I forget such an important detail?

“Don’t be scared,” he coaxed.

“What?” Vivian jerked her head up.

Kurt reached for Vivian’s hand in response. His palm seemed unusually warm and comforting, a
surprising but welcome change from his typically cold hands.

The physical contact had Vivian in a daze. Kurt took advantage of her state and brought her to the blood
test station.

The cold needles, the stinging disinfectant odor, the IV tubes—Vivian suddenly snapped out of her stupor
and shivered uncontrollably.

She instinctively shrunk into herself, surprised when a warm hand covered her eyes.



Vivian’s mind went blank, and she could not remember anything that happened afterward.

The next thing she remembered was sitting on the grass field outside the hospital, a cup of water
warming her hands.

“Do you feel better?” Kurt asked.

There was the slightest hint of tenderness to his tone.

Fiery and passionate, it was not, but his concern enveloped her like the residual warmth of the sunset
rays. She felt comforted and protected.

Vivian nodded in reply, still clutching the cup of water to her chest.

She said, “I’m feeling much better. Are we leaving?”

Truthfully, she was reluctant to leave.

Will he still visit me after I return? If I seek him out after today, will he behave as he did on the first day of
school? Steer clear of me like the plague?

Vivian lowered her gaze, hiding the fact that her eyes brimmed with tears.

Kurt stood up and offered, “Okay. I’ll send you home.”

Sebastian had promised him a new assignment after his final exams. Though his exams were long over,
Kurt would continue protecting Vivian until Sebastian’s orders said otherwise.

Sending her home was naturally part of his duties.

He did not know his offer would cause Vivian to suddenly perk up. Her downcast eyes lit up with
excitement as she exclaimed, “Sure! Let’s go home!”



The discomfort that had plagued her body earlier seemed to dissipate instantly. She was now dragging
Kurt off with gusto.

If he follows me back, I’ll have a new way to keep him around.






62fb1bb41dcb31934bd49bda