My First Love Died, Now My Step Uncle Wants Me-Chapter 68: You Are the Gift

Seeing Caleb Rhodes’s expression, the old traditional doctor already understood most of the situation. He sighed and said, "If that’s the case, it would be good to try and coax a few more words out of her."

He glanced at the red marks on Nina Wynn’s neck and hesitated for a long moment before speaking. "Third Lord Master, this young lady’s health is very poor. You need to exercise restraint in your intimate activities. Also, you absolutely must not let her get pregnant before her body has mostly recovered. Otherwise, it could cost her her life."

Caleb Rhodes looked at the woman in his arms, his gaze darkening slightly. In a deep voice, he asked, "Isn’t there some kind of folk remedy, something she can take to improve her constitution?"

The old doctor thought for a moment. "There is, but the medicinal ingredients are extremely hard to find. On top of that, the medicine is truly awful-tasting. The young lady might not be willing to take it."

Caleb Rhodes said, "Just write out the prescription."

The old doctor agreed. He wrote the prescription, grabbed the fever-reducing medicine, and before leaving, repeatedly stressed that it must be taken on time and in the correct dosage.

After taking the fever medicine, Nina Wynn started to sweat. She was restless all night, and her fever didn’t break until just before dawn.

Caleb Rhodes hadn’t slept all night either, personally staying by her side to give her medicine and change her sweat-soaked clothes.

He rested for a short while in the morning, but before noon, Nina Wynn’s fever returned.

This time she wasn’t complaining about the heat. Instead, she kept saying she was cold, curled up under the covers and shivering uncontrollably.

Caleb Rhodes held her. He could clearly feel her body was burning up, yet she was so cold her teeth were chattering.

Turning on the heat didn’t help. In the end, he had to carry her to the hot spring and let her soak for a long time before she improved slightly.

By evening, she was no longer complaining of being hot or cold. She just tossed and turned restlessly in bed, refusing to sleep or take her medicine. When Caleb Rhodes brought the spoon to her lips, she clamped down on the silver utensil and refused to let go, eventually bending it with her teeth. Only when Caleb forcibly pinched her jaw open did she finally release it.

It was as if something deeply uncomfortable was trapped inside her body and couldn’t get out, tormenting her to the breaking point.

Caleb Rhodes stared at the deep teeth marks on the spoon, his expression growing ever darker.

He immediately sent for the old doctor again.

Seeing Nina Wynn’s state, the old doctor’s brows furrowed tightly.

This time, Nina Wynn’s illness was caused by an invasion of pathogenic cold. Combined with her many other health problems, the medicine he had prescribed was quite potent. He hadn’t expected her body to be unable to handle it.

He had no choice but to switch to a slightly milder medicine.

But the milder medicine proved ineffective. The high fever stubbornly refused to break.

When her fever was at its worst, even an injection to forcibly bring it down didn’t stop her from talking deliriously. She called for "Evan" all night long.

If Caleb Rhodes hadn’t personally seen the cat named "Evan," he would have truly suspected Evan was a person.

But this incident also made him understand even more just how much that cat meant to Nina Wynn.

It wasn’t until the third day that Nina Wynn’s high fever finally subsided.

After lunch, Nina Wynn had someone move a lounge chair for her so she could rest under a tree.

Autumn in Elysian City was lovely. Sunlight filtered down through the dense leaves, carrying a gentle warmth. A cool little breeze would blow by from time to time. Nina Wynn turned over comfortably, once again feeling the irresistible urge to sleep.

Seeing she still looked too listless to move, the butler brought a thin blanket and covered her with it.

Just as he was about to turn away, he saw the cold, noble man standing behind him and greeted him respectfully, "Third Lord Master."

When Nina Wynn heard that Caleb Rhodes was back, she tried to get up. But before she could even sit up, a large, exquisitely wrapped gift box was presented to her.

It was a pure white wooden box, tied with a beautiful bow made from a pink silk scarf. The edges of the box were even inlaid with small, crescent-white pearls. It was beautiful and delicate from every angle.

Nina Wynn looked at the box, then at Caleb Rhodes, and cautiously accepted it. "Thank you, Caleb."

The box was large. Nina Wynn had to use both hands just to hold it steady, so she placed it on the small table beside her.

Caleb Rhodes stroked her hair and said softly, "Open it."

Nina Wynn touched the beautiful pearls and the bow on the box, a little confused. "Is today a special occasion? Is this a gift for me?"

Caleb Rhodes tucked a few fine strands of hair from her face behind her ear and said softly, "Just open it first."

Perhaps because she had never received such an exquisitely and thoughtfully packaged gift before, Nina Wynn was exceptionally careful as she unwrapped it. She slowly pulled the ribbon loose, then cautiously lifted the lid.

The beautiful wooden box was filled with pure white, delicate roses. Every single flower had been meticulously arranged. The ring of roses in the very center was even studded with sparkling rhinestones. In the middle of the flowers lay a tiny black-and-white tabby kitten, staring at her curiously with eyes like glass beads.

Nina Wynn was stunned. She stared at the kitten, speechless.

After a long moment, she called out in a trembling voice, "Caleb."

Seeing her reaction, Caleb Rhodes knew he had chosen the right gift. It had taken a great deal of effort, but seeing her now, it was all worth it.

Caleb Rhodes took the kitten out and placed it in her palm. "It was only born a few days ago. You’ll need to be careful with it."

Nina Wynn cradled the kitten, her gaze fixed on it. "Is this really for me?"

Caleb Rhodes caressed her small face. It had only been a few days, but she had already grown so thin there was barely any flesh on her bones. His eyes darkened, and he said in a deep voice, "I told you, I’ll give you anything you want."

Nina Wynn lowered her head and whispered, "But I have nothing to give you in return."

Caleb Rhodes lifted her, settled her on the lounge chair, and watched her without moving. "You are the gift."

Nina Wynn said no more. She lowered her head, her slender, soft fingers gently stroking the kitten’s tiny pink paws.

After a while, she said, "Caleb, you’re supposed to marry Miss Lowell."

Caleb Rhodes’s gaze turned cold, and his entire demeanor followed suit. "That is not something you need to concern yourself with."

Nina Wynn’s hand paused. She picked up the kitten, placed it on her lap, and began toying with it using the silk ribbon.

Seeing how engrossed she was, Caleb Rhodes’s expression softened slightly. "Why don’t you name it Evan."

Nina Wynn’s head shot up, her eyes filled with profound shock. The color drained from her face.

Her body went rigid.

Caleb Rhodes reached out and stroked the kitten’s head, saying slowly, "Your old cat was also named Evan, wasn’t it?"

As if letting out a huge sigh of relief, Nina Wynn lowered her eyelids and murmured a soft, "Mhm."

She then reached out to stroke the kitten’s head again. The kitten comfortably rolled over on her lap, exposing its belly and letting out a tiny, mewling cry.

"So, you should name this one Evan, too."

Nina Wynn’s hand froze again. Then, she shook her head, slowly but firmly. "Let’s call him Roy."

Caleb Rhodes looked at her lowered face and brushed the pad of his thumb across her soft lips. "As long as you like it."

Nina Wynn seemed to truly love the little kitten, but after her serious illness, her body was extremely fatigued. After playing with it for just a little while, she couldn’t fight off the sleepiness.

But she couldn’t bear to put the kitten down. So she just cradled it in her hands, her head resting against the back of the chair, her eyes half-closed—looking as though she was trying her best to fall asleep but didn’t dare to.