Jason immediately nodded.


    "You''re right. We can''t leave him alone like this. Let''s..."


    "Let''s take him to my ce," John interjected calmly. "You heard him earlier. He called out my name. If I fail to keep my promise, he might cause trouble when he wakes up." John had been friends with Adrian for many years, knowing him far longer than Jason and Vivian.


    With his calm demeanor and typically concise speech, he was mostly silent. But once he spoke, it was hard to refuse him.


    Vivian observed John. She couldn''t fathom why, but she felt that he might not hold her in high regard.


    But John was good friends with Adrian. Perhaps it was just her imagination.


    Jason defended Vivian, "Adrian''spletely drunk. He might not even remember what he said tomorrow. John, why take it so seriously?"


    Then he turned to Vivian with a smile. "Nobody can take care of Adrian as well as Vivian. Let''s just take Adrian to her ce."


    John stared at Jason firmly. "I said take him to my ce. If you''re worried, you''re wee to stay and take care of him."


    "John..." Jason started.


    "Jason, let''s just follow John''s suggestion and take Adrian to his ce," Vivian interrupted Jason with a smile. "He''d be a better caretaker for Adrian than me."


    She gave John a friendly smile, though, internally, she was anything but happy.


    John was one of Adrian''s close friends, and she didn''t want to offend him.


    They eventually took Adrian to John''s home.


    John suggested, "It''s inappropriate for a youngdy to stay with three mente at night. Jason, why don''t you take her home?"


    Jason was confused. "But didn''t you say we could stay and take care of..."


    Vivian interjected, "Let''s go, Jason. John is right. It''s not proper for me to stay."


    Jason scratched his head and without further words, he took Vivian home.


    By the time he returned, it was nearly 2 AM.


    Jason copsed onto the couch and asked John as he came out, "How''s Adrian doing? Is he okay?"


    John took a bottle of water from the fridge and took a sip. "He''s been sleeping the whole time. He''s fine."


    "That''s good to hear." Jason breathed a sigh of relief.


    But soon, he mentioned with a grimace, "John, I don''t understand you. You know Vivian and Adrian like each other. Why didn''t you let Vivian take him to her ce?" John gave him a nce.


    "Why should we send a married man to a single woman''s home?"


    "So what? Adrian and Eva were never a real couple."


    John raised an eyebrow, "How do you know?"


    Jason scoffed, "Isn''t it obvious? You told her Adrian was drunk and suggested shee over, but she didn''t even show up!"


    John lowered his eyes.


    Eva didn''t sound like she was unwilling toe. What happened?


    Actually, while Jason was taking Vivian home, John called Eva, but she answered in a cold voice, "What''s the matter?"


    John, surprised by the change in her attitude, asked, "You came, right? Did you see?"


    After a pause, Eva replied, "I didn''t go out. Please take care of him."


    Then she quickly hung up the phone.


    At first, John thought Eva to be heartless, but he reconsidered her words.


    If she hadn''t gone out, her immediate response to his question would have been, "See what?" instead of silence.


    John snapped back to reality and heard Jason stillining.


    "That heartless woman is nothingpared to Vivian! Vivian almost risked her life to save Adrian. She still bears scars on her hand. If I were Adrian, I''d marry her in a heartbeat." "You''re conting gratitude with romantic feelings?"


    "So what? Vivian is so beautiful. Any man would be drawn to her."


    John couldn''t bother to argue further and simply headed back inside.


    ...


    Waking up the next day, Adrian felt a dull headache. He looked at the unfamiliar surroundings and sat up.


    "You awake?" John handed him a ss of water. "Drink this. It''ll help you sober up."


    At the sight of John, a hint of disappointment flickered in Adrian''s eyes but was quickly reced by relief.


    He finished the water and clenched the ss in his hand, his brow furrowed.


    After a while, he looked at John.


    "What happenedst night?"


    "You forgot? You were drunk, so Jason and I brought you here."


    Adrian frowned, clearly unsatisfied with the answer, but remained silent.


    John observed him calmly, wondering how long he could hold out.


    As expected, Adrian quickly looked at him and asked tentatively, "And then?"


    John feigned confusion. "And then? Nothing more."


    Adrian''s eyelids drooped.


    John added as if suddenly remembering something, "Oh, right. She came."


    "She?" Adrian''s somber eyes brightened.


    "Yeah, she offered to take care of you, but you insisted that I bring you here, so I did."


    Adrian furrowed his brows. "Since when were you so obedient?"


    "I couldn''t send a married man to a single woman''s home anyway." John sighed.


    Adrian finally realized that something was amiss.


    "Who are you talking about?"