Chapter 920 Serious Disease
The next morning, Catherine woke up early, which made Branden feel somewhat uneasy. âWhy are you up so early?â he asked, as Catherine usually slept in.
Catherine weakly replied that she had slept enough. After checking to ensure she was comfortable, Branden gently asked, â Do you want to have breakfast at home or go see Mr. Theo?â
Catherine glanced at the time and decided, âLetâs have breakfast at home. Mr. Theo should be up by now.â
Thomas, being old, had a routine. No matter the circumstances, he always woke up at five in the morning like clockwork.
âWait here, Iâll make breakfast for you, âBranden said before leaving.
Catherine leaned against the headboard, watching him with a slight smile.
After breakfast at the apartment, Branden drove Catherine to Thomasâs place.
âYou go to work. Iâll go to the school with Mr. Theo.â Catherine gestured to Branden.
Once he left, Catherine knocked on Thomasâs apartment door. Seeing Catherine, Thomas smiled. âYouâre up quite early,â he remarked.
âShall we go to the school?â Catherine asked.
Thomas nodded. âSure.â
Thomas didnât like to ride in cars, and it was still early. Catherine accompanied him on foot to Styre University, chatting and admiring the scenery along the way.
The walk from the apartment to the university was only about ten minutes. They encountered several teachers and scholars, all of whom greeted Catherine, prompting Thomas to joke, â It seems youâre quite famous at your school. Everyone knows you!â He knew Catherine well-her personality wouldnât allow her to make friends easily. Since everyone knew her, the reason must be simple-Catherine was just well-known at the school.
âPerhaps.â Catherine modestly smiled. Suddenly, a voice caught her attention. Looking up, she saw Marshall and Ultan, who seemed to have just finished their morning run.
âGood morning, Professor Hartley, Mr. Farrell,â Catherine greeted politely.
Marshall, recognizing Thomas, introduced him to the curious Ultan. â Mr. Farrell, this is the renowned traditional medicine expert, Mr. Theo.!â
The medical department had recently invited a prominent figure for an exchange, sparking excitement among the faculty. Ultan hadnât expected to encounter the elusive figure during his morning jog. âMr. Theo, Iâve heard a lot about you,â he said, extending his hand, to which Thomas gave a slight nod.
Despite his arrogant attitude, Thomas was known for his exceptional skills, capable of curing all kinds of diseases.
Observing Catherine by Thomasâs side, Ultan couldnât help but be curious. â Catherine, why are you with Mr. Theo?â
Before Catherine could respond, Thomas spoke up. âShe is my student. Although Iâve forced her to study medicine with me, she hasnât agreed. Nevertheless, Iâve accepted her as my student and treated her as my granddaughter. Sheâs currently studying at Styre University, and I appreciate your care for her, Mr. Farrell.
11
When Catherine was mentioned, Thomasâs attitude suddenly became a bit more friendly.
Ultan, being astute, immediately understood the situation. It turned out Catherine had a strong background, with powerful backers behind her.
For years, they had been trying to invite this medical expert, but Thomas never agreed. This time, Thomas personally came over. It seemed Catherineâs influence played a crucial role in this. They didnât just recruit a student; they practically invited a big shot. Fortunately, Ultan had listened to Marshallâs advice and had done his best to support Catherine. At first, he thought Marshall was getting old and had finally taken in a student, so Marshall showed extra favoritism. He also worried that Marshallâs reputation would be ruined by this troublesome student.
Now it seemed Marshallâs judgment was right.
Marshall could tell that Catherine and Thomas were busy, he took Ultan aside and excused himself. âCatherine, take Mr. Theo around the school. Iâll go with Mr. Farrell. Weâve sweated a lot. We need to go back and freshen up.â
âGoodbye, Professor Hartley!â Catherine politely replied and then left with Thomas.
On the way, Thomas couldnât help but tease, âThis professor seems to be treating you well.â
Catherine smiled faintly and responded, âJust like you do!â
Thomas, feeling indignant, said while stroking his beard, âIâm different from him. I can do everything for you!â Now, if anyone dared to bully Catherine, Thomas would be the first to disagree.
âExactly,â Catherine agreed with him.
The truth was just as Thomas had described. He treated her better than his own grandson.
âMr. Theo, you mentioned seeing Rylan a year ago. Whatâs the story behind that?â
Thomas, who usually lived in seclusion, wouldnât randomly encounter Rylan, who had settled in Loewe. There had to be something behind it. Seeing Catherineâs interest, Thomas explained what had happened a year ago.
âA year ago, some mysterious people found me. They pressured me to treat someone, and I initially refused. Later, that person directly came to see me; and I realized it was Rylan. I donât know how that kid got hold of my information, but the payment he brought was just what I needed. Plus, since he knows you, I decided to help him! He was seriously ill, and I treated him for half a month. I managed to suppress the tumor in his body, extending his life from one year to five. Impressive, right?â Thomas said somewhat proudly, winking at Catherine. âWeâll see what happens after five years!â
Catherine was surprised to learn that Rylan was already seriously ill. If his condition wasnât severe, he wouldnât have gone to such lengths to find Thomas and pressured him to help. Moreover, the fact that Thomas couldnât cure his illness indicated its severity.
Could his illness be related to his visit to Loxton? Thomas looked at Catherine suspiciously. âCassie, what are you thinking?â
His voice brought Catherine back to the present, and she turned to Thomas with a faint smile. âNothing.â
Seeing that she didnât want to elaborate, Thomas didnât press further. âBy the way, you havenât told me why you brought me here this time and what you want me to do.â