"Then after breakfast, can I go out for a walk? The sun is nice today. Staying indoors all the time is suffocating me."
After she said that, she paused.
Once upon a time, in that old castle, she had said the same thing to Ah Nian.
And that afternoon had been the happiest moment of her life.
Nian Shenâs hand halted for a moment, then he nodded slightly. "Alright."
He had always refused before, but now he suddenly agreed, leaving Heather a little surprised.
After breakfast, Nian Shen kept his promise and let her go out to the yard for a walk, to enjoy the sunshine.
In her hospital gown, Heather stood under the sunlight and raised her head. Even though it was autumn, the sun today was so bright that it was hard to keep her eyes open. On such a sunny afternoon, there was a certain laziness in the air.
A gentle breeze blew.
Heather didnât say she was cold, but soon enough, a coat was draped over her shoulders.
Turning her head, she saw that Nian Shen was now wearing only a shirtâheâd taken off his coat to give to her.
In the act of turning, she noticed not far behind them, in the hallway, there were two young nurses standing there, their eyes fixed on them, whispering about something.
From a distance, she could see their eyes sparkling, and occasionally, theyâd giggle.
Heather glanced toward the left, where there were yet two other young nurses standing, also chatting and laughing, occasionally grabbing each otherâs hands with excitement, hearts practically bursting from their eyes.
When Heather withdrew her gaze from the nurses, she realized the onlookers didnât stop thereâin addition to the nurses, patients and family members passing by had all paused to watch them.
Perhaps some were surprised by the scars on her face, but most of them were focused on Nian Shen.
Her gaze finally fell on Nian Shenâs face. He was also looking at her, his expression unwavering.
Heather suddenly chuckled and said, "I just had a thoughtâif the hospital put you in charge of attracting customers, itâd be flooded with people. Even healthy ones would want to check in."
"Is that meant to be a compliment?"
"Could it be an insult?" She seemed amused. "Youâre quite popular."
Men like himâwith good looks, an athletic build, and an air of calm confidenceâalways had a way of making women fall for them.
Heather didnât wander around much; instead, she found a bench, sat down quietly, leaned back, and let herself bask in the sunlight.
She stared into the distance, her heart settling into silence.
Ah Nian, are you doing well?
Do you still hate me?
Nian Shen received a phone call, stepped a few paces away, and turned his back to answer.
At that moment, a young girl sitting on the same bench as Heather leaned toward her, speaking in a suppressed tone of excitement, "Your boyfriend is so handsome! Iâm so envious of you!"
Heather laughed and said, "Heâs not my boyfriend."
"Oh, come on, sis! Stop pretending! Iâm not going to steal your boyfriend... not that I could..." The girl muttered regretfully, "Everyone says you two are true love... So, Iâm just dreaming about it."
"Everyone?" Heather looked puzzled.
"Yeah, your story is all over the hospital!" The girl said with great enthusiasm.
"Our... story?"
Heather was both amused and exasperated.
Seriously, what kind of âstoryâ could have spread about her and Nian Shen throughout the hospital?
"Of course! They say a week ago, a girl in the VIP ward was admitted after being disfigured. But even so, her boyfriend never left her sideâhe visits her every day, bringing her food, keeping her company through boring times. Their relationship is so close! Thatâs obviously you two, right?"
"..."
Well...