Chapter 102: Hit by the Flu
"Listen to advice, and you'll stay well-fed."
That saying was never about giving in or backing down.
Too many people only realize—after paying the price—
that the one who warned them was right all along.
Just like Ethan.
He used to believe he could handle everything on his own.
Didn't need anyone.
Then reality started correcting him, one lesson at a time—
When it came to taxes, he needed Sheldon.
At the clinic, he needed Helen.
And now, at this particular moment—
he realized he needed Max.
Not in the sense that he couldn't survive without them.
But that with them—
life was simply better.
—
Williamsburg Diner.
Caroline stood by table ten, taking orders.
"So… three more of our delicious homemade cupcakes, right?"
The three customers nodded and handed the menus back.
"Don't give those to me! You've all touched them." Caroline immediately stepped back. "Sorry—flu's going around, and I don't have health insurance."
As she headed toward the kitchen, she pulled out a bottle of hand sanitizer from her apron pocket and started squeezing it onto her hands like her life depended on it.
Max leaned against the counter, watching her.
"You know I swapped your sanitizer with lube, right?"
Caroline froze on the spot.
"Max! You're joking… right?!"
"Obviously." Max rolled her eyes. "I can't even afford lube. I usually just rely on tears."
Caroline squeezed out even more sanitizer.
"Max, please. Do not mess with my sanitizer."
"I'm already cursed by poverty this year—I don't need the flu on top of it."
"At this point, I'm just sanitizing constantly and avoiding all physical contact."
Han walked over, handing her a bill along with the tip.
"Caroline, table ten."
"Just leave it there." Caroline immediately grabbed a thick stack of napkins and used them as a barrier.
She glanced down at the tip—and her eyes lit up.
"Wow! That's a really generous tip—"
"AAACHOO!!!"
Han sneezed.
A full-force, no-warning sneeze—
perfectly covering Caroline's entire face.
Silence.
Three full seconds.
Caroline stood there, frozen, like she'd just been struck by lightning.
Han quietly walked away.
And just like that—
Caroline spent the rest of the night repeating the same thing every five minutes.
"I'm done. I'm definitely getting the flu."
"You'll be fine," Max said lazily.
"Fine my ass!" Caroline nearly broke down. "He sprayed germs straight into my mouth!"
"Congratulations," Max nodded. "That's a full exchange of bodily fluids."
Caroline looked like she was about to cry.
"I can't afford to get sick! I can't even afford to take time off. I need money to buy antibiotics!"
"You're poor," Max corrected calmly. "Poor people don't casually buy antibiotics."
"Poor people tough it out and fight the virus one-on-one."
She casually picked up a fry left behind by a coughing customer.
"Like this fry."
Caroline tried to stop her. "Max! No! Don't—!"
"Booyah." Max chewed it without hesitation.
"See? Still not sick. Never been to a clinic either—"
She paused.
"Well… except for Rayne Clinic."
Caroline suddenly snapped her fingers as if she'd just remembered something.
"Wait—Ethan! Where's Ethan? When's he coming? I need him to check me and give me some meds!"
Max raised an eyebrow. "And then what? Round two? You want him to spray the medicine straight into your mouth too?"
"Max!"
"If you wait for him," Max shrugged, "you'll probably be halfway buried by then."
The words had barely left her mouth—
when Ethan walked in.
Caroline practically lunged at him.
"Ethan!" she blurted, grabbing his arm. "You have to check me—I think I've already entered stage two of the flu!"
Before he could respond, she rushed on,
"I just got sneezed on—point blank! Right in the face! I can feel my throat tightening already! What do I do? What do I do?!"
"Sit down," Ethan said.
Caroline immediately obeyed, sitting up straight like she was awaiting a verdict.
Ethan began calmly.
"Any coughing?"
"Not yet."
"Sore throat?"
"No," Caroline shook her head quickly. "But it feels… tight."
Ethan didn't answer right away. He studied her for a moment.
Her lips were a bit dry. Color normal. No swelling.
"Have you been talking a lot today?" he asked.
"Of course," Caroline said confidently. "I've spent the whole night loudly advocating for my own health."
Ethan nodded.
"Then it's probably dryness. Talking too much, plus anxiety—can make your throat feel tight."
Caroline: "..."
"Any chills? Fever?"
"Nothing like that," she hesitated, then added, "just… emotionally cold inside."
Ethan placed a hand lightly on her forehead, then checked her eyes. Normal.
"Take a deep breath."
Caroline inhaled.
"Again."
She inhaled again—this time harder.
Ethan shook his head, voice steady.
"No fever. No cough. Breathing sounds normal. No throat inflammation."
Caroline blinked. "...So?"
"So right now—you're healthy."
"Right now?" she immediately latched onto the word. "You said right now, right?!"
"Yes," Ethan nodded. "If it's the flu, symptoms usually show up after one or two days. No need to worry yet."
Caroline let out a breath of relief—
then tensed up again.
"Should I take something preventively?"
"No."
"Antibiotics?"
"No."
"Vitamins? Hot water? Ginger tea? Coffee?"
"Hot water is enough."
Caroline nodded, like she'd just been granted permission to keep living.
She stood up, muttering under her breath,
"Thank God… I thought tonight I'd go bankrupt from both poverty and disease."
Ethan's gaze, however, had already shifted past her—
to Max.
She was leaning against the counter, still smiling—
but something about her looked off.
Ethan narrowed his eyes.
"And you?" he asked.
Max raised a brow. "Me? I'm built like iron."
"Iron rusts."
"Then I'm made of gold," she shot back. "Doesn't rust. And extremely desirable."
Ethan didn't engage.
He walked over.
Max slowly straightened up, dropping the act just a little.
Ethan looked at her, frowning slightly.
"Your complexion's off."
"What do you mean off?" Max fired back instantly. "Too hot and sexy? About to knock people dead?"
Ethan ignored the joke and placed a hand on her forehead.
A few seconds later, his tone turned firm.
"You have a fever."
Max froze for a beat.
"…No way."
"I'm sure," Ethan said, completely certain.
(End of Chapter)