Chapter 79

Chapter 79

The garden of Fairy Tale Hospital was vast. Although many patients were out for afternoon walks, it didn’t feel crowded.

Tu Nan followed behind York, who had become much quieter since they stepped outside the hospital building.

Dealing with him was just another part of the job for Tu Nan, and like any job, it was exhausting.

York suddenly stopped, his gaze fixed on a single point.

Following close behind, Tu Nan braked just in time. She looked in the direction of his gaze, feeling somewhat surprised.

A nurse was supporting a young girl with a leg impairment, helping her with physical therapy.

The nurse held the girl’s hands in hers, leading her forward step by step. They moved very slowly, but their pace was steady.

The afternoon sun wasn’t particularly gentle; it carried a hint of sweltering heat. As the light spilled over them, it coated the girl in a golden glow while fine beads of sweat broke out on her forehead.

“How truly pitiful,” York said suddenly.

Tu Nan gave him a surprised look but didn’t respond.

“Don’t you agree, Nurse?” York turned his head toward her, eager to find someone who shared his sentiment. “Look at that girl. Her legs are crippled. How cruel that is for a young lady.”

“I only see a girl working hard to recover her health and a nurse dedicated to helping her,” Tu Nan said expressionlessly. “I don’t find her pitiful at all.”

“You really have no compassion.” York looked at her disapprovingly, his eyes filled with silent condemnation.

“A poor girl like that needs care and love, not such harsh training.”

Tu Nan frowned, her patience with York reaching its limit.

She forced a smile. “This kind of training is beneficial for her recovery.”

“Let’s go see her,” York said abruptly.

Tu Nan recalled the information recorded in York’s file.

He had an intense desire to ‘save’ women. Was he trying to save this girl simply because she was doing her recovery exercises under the sun?

She didn’t think he was actually in the mood to offer genuine encouragement to a girl with a leg disability.

“They don’t seem to want to be disturbed.” Tu Nan hesitated, unsure if she should try to dissuade him.

“You aren’t her, so how do you know she doesn’t want to be disturbed?” York tilted his head to look at her, then walked toward the pair without hesitation.

Tu Nan sighed helplessly and hurried to catch up.

“Good heavens, my beautiful young lady! With the sun so strong, how can your nurse allow you to be exposed like this?” York said dramatically as he reached the girl.

The girl and the nurse in front of her were stunned.

“She’s just taking me through my recovery exercises,” the girl explained gently, assuming York was merely being kind.

“Your face is completely flushed.” York pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and tenderly wiped the sweat from her forehead. “A lovely lady like you should be resting properly right now.”

His voice seemed to possess a strange magic. The girl dithered, and her cheeks, already pink from the sun, turned a deep crimson. Looking at York’s handsome face, she felt lightheaded, as if she were walking on clouds. For a moment, she felt top-heavy and didn’t know where to step.

“You’re right,” she nodded blankly, repeating York’s words. “I should be resting properly.”

“There’s a pavilion over there. Let’s go rest,” York said with a smile.

The nurse responsible for the girl was also dazed by this sudden turn of events. She looked at York, then at Tu Nan, and said hesitantly, “This…”
“We’ve been walking for a long time, and I’m feeling quite tired,” the young girl interrupted, her tone leaving no room for refusal. “It’s time for a proper rest.”

“Very well, then.”

To the nurses, patients were God, and one did not defy God.

The girl sat back in her wheelchair, and the nurse began to push her.

Reaching the pavilion required navigating several steps, which was difficult for a wheelchair. York volunteered, lifting the girl in his arms to carry her up to the pavilion before gently placing her on a seat.

This lovely young girl looked to be no more than seventeen or eighteen-the age when a young girl’s heart first begins to wake. Encountering a man as handsome and gentlemanly as York, it was likely difficult for her not to be moved.

She gazed at York with eyes full of affection.

York sat down beside her and began to spin his web with soulful intensity.

“Today, I suddenly had a powerful premonition that I had to come here. I didn’t understand why at first, but the moment I saw you, I realized… I came here specifically to meet you.”

Tu Nan: “…”

Her lip twitched, her expression turning odd.

Yet, the young girl was visibly moved. A flush crept onto her cheeks as she lowered her head shyly. “Is that true?”

*Of course it’s a lie,* Tu Nan grumbled inwardly.

“Of course it’s true.” York reached out and took her hand. “Do you believe in destiny? From the first moment I saw you, I felt a sense of mission toward you. I want to protect you.”

The girl was so moved that tears welled in her eyes.

Tu Nan hesitated to speak several times. She couldn’t help but glance at the other nurse nearby, who looked perfectly normal and composed.

Perhaps she simply hadn’t seen enough of the world yet.

“Miss Tu Nan,” York suddenly called her name.

“Is something the matter?” Tu Nan snapped back to attention and asked with a smile.

“Could I trouble you to go to my room and fetch something for me?” York asked in a very polite tone. “In the drawer of my bedside table, there is a ring my mother left me. I want to give it to this lady; she is my destined soulmate.”

Hearing this, the young girl was completely smitten.

“Sir, I don’t even know your name yet. How could I accept such a gift?” Her voice was so soft it was barely audible. “Besides, I have nothing to give you in return.”

“My name is York.” York looked at her with deep affection. “I only want you to understand my feelings. I don’t care about receiving anything in return.”

Tu Nan had to admit that he certainly knew how to deliver sweet talk, one line after another. His acting was superb. If she didn’t know for a fact that York was no good, she might have actually believed he’d fallen in love at first sight and couldn’t live without this girl.

“I’m afraid I cannot stray too far from you,” Tu Nan said expressionlessly.

“It’s alright, my nurse is here with me. You can go,” the girl said, turning back to look at her. Her face was flushed, her eyes sparkling with earnestness. “Please, I really want to see that ring.”

“…”

“The Head Nurse didn’t explicitly state that you must stay by the patient’s side every single second,” York said, as if seeing right through her thoughts. “There are plenty of other medical staff here. With them around, it’s not like I’ll suddenly vanish. What are you afraid of?”

“It’s just a small request. Can’t you satisfy such a simple wish?”

York lowered his voice, his tone carrying a veiled threat. “If you refuse, I really will file a complaint against you.”