Arthur crouched slightly, leaning close to her ear. "Don't worry," he whispered, his voice light but firm. "Your brother is a top player. I've made lots of money in the game."
Her eyes widened slightly at his words, her ear twitching at the tickle of his breath. She nodded hesitantly, though her worry didn't completely disappear.
At the cashier, the attendant pulled up the items, her hands moving quickly as the total cost was displayed on the screen with all the items they purchased.
"Sir, that will be $450.05," she said, looking up with a professional smile. "Would you like to pay in cash or card?"
"Card," Arthur said confidently, pulling out his bank card. He inserted it into the reader and waited.
[Ding! Payment Successful!]
"Thank you for shopping at our store," the cashier said cheerfully. "Drop by again later!"
Arthur nodded, taking the bag of items and turning to Charlotte with a satisfied grin.
"Alright, let's get going," he said.
She gave him a faint smile, her hands clutching his tightly as they headed out of the store.
Arthur walked down the street, heading towards the hospital with Charlotte. His eyes caught sight of a store "GigaMobile Electronics."
"Used Smartphones at Unbeatable Prices" were displayed on the window.
He paused and gestured toward the door.
"Let's check this out," he said, leading Charlotte inside.
Arthur approached the counter, and a salesperson greeted him politely.
"Hi, I'm looking for a cheap smartphone," Arthur said, his tone casual but direct.
The salesperson nodded, pulling out a box containing a used iApple 6. "This is one of our budget options. It's not new, but it's in great working condition. Perfect for basic use."
Arthur inspected the phone briefly. It wasn't fancy, but it would do the job. "I'll take two of these," he said.
"That'll be $200 total," the salesperson said. "Do you need SIM cards as well?"
Arthur nodded. "Yeah, and top them up, please."
The salesperson added two prepaid SIM cards to the bill and activated them on the spot. "The total is $250 now, sir."
Arthur handed over his card, the transaction processing quickly.
[Ding! Payment Successful!]
He slipped the phones into the bag and turned to Charlotte. "Alright, let's head back."
Returning to the hospital, Arthur handed Charlotte the bag with her new clothes and said with a grin, "Try these on. I want to see how they look."
Charlotte tilted her head, signing, "Now?"
"Yes, now," he insisted, pointing to the hospital bathroom.
With a small sigh, she rolled her eyes but took the bag and headed into the bathroom.
Arthur took the opportunity to set up his phone, inserting the SIM card and downloading a few essential apps, including a rideshare app.
When Charlotte returned, Arthur froze.
She stood in the doorway wearing the NorthFace jacket, a soft scarf wrapped snugly around her neck, and the fitted clothes he'd picked out for her.
Despite the effect of her illness, her calm demeanour and the way the jacket framed her slight figure gave her a fairy-like beauty that descended onto modern earth.
"Beautiful," Arthur muttered under his breath, the word escaping before he could stop it.
Charlotte raised an eyebrow, then rolled her eyes playfully, signing, "Stop being silly."
Arthur chuckled but quickly moved to block her as she turned to head back to the bathroom to change back. "Where do you think you're going?" he said, grabbing her hand gently. "We're not done yet."
She blinked at him, her expression curious but patient. Arthur grinned and nodded toward the door. "Come on. I've got another surprise for you."
Arthur led Charlotte outside, stopping by the curb. He tapped away on his phone for a minute, then pocketed it and stood next to her.
Charlotte glanced at him, then at the road, where a car pulled up and stopped right in front of them.
Her brows furrowed, and she looked at him again, her eyes clearly asking, "What's going on?"
Arthur smirked and nodded. "Yep, it's for us. I ordered it."
He opened the car door, gesturing for her to get in.
Charlotte hesitated for a moment, then stepped inside, her gaze darting around the interior of the Uber.
Arthur climbed in after her and gave the driver their destination.
"It's a bit far," he said with a grin, glancing at Charlotte, "but trust me, it'll be worth it."
Charlotte gave him a small smile, leaning on his shoulder as the car began to move. Whatever Arthur had planned, she knew better than to argue, it was his way of showing her that even in the darkest times, there was still room for light.
The uber driver drove them for around forty-five minutes before he came to a stop in front of a large sign.
Stepping out of the car, Arthur's hands were glued to Charlotte's.
Looking at her face by his side, he smiled.
"So, what do you think about the surprise?" He smirked, as he watched her face beam slightly.