Chapter 320


    Jonathan cast a brief nce at him and remarked, “Never mind, I’m still ustomed to thefort of


    the familiar


    Charlie responded with a meaningful smile, neither confirming nor denying Jonathan’s statement.


    Carson approached them and extended an invitation for Jonathan and Charlie to join a poker game.


    Jonathan declined, saying, “You guys go ahead and y. I’ll just sit for a while and then take off.”


    Charlie chuckled, “What, we can’t keep you here without Estelle?”


    Jonathan was unimpressed, “You think Ie here every day to see you guys?”


    Everyoneughed and sighed, and Charlie pretended to be heartbroken, “Twenty years of friendship,


    and this is how you treat me?”


    Jonathan sneered, “Your acting, you could go scam people!”


    Charlieughed, “I haven’t scammed anyone, don’t frame me here!”


    After a few lighthearted moments, Charlie’s tone turned serious once more as he inquired, “When will


    Estelle be back?”


    “In about two or three days, I suppose,” Jonathan replied, idly toying with the lighter in his hand, his


    handsome face revealing a subtle tenderness.


    A man with a broken leg from a car ident was admitted to the ward, and the woman taking care of


    him swiftly imed the caregiver’s bed. Without contention, Estelle slept in a chair throughout the


    night.


    Observing Estelle curled up in the chair, Xavier furrowed his brow. He called a nurse over and


    requested, “Can we have an extra bed?”


    The nurse apologetically responded, “I’m sorry, but we’re currently short on temporary beds due to the


    recent influx of patients.”


    Xavier’s expression darkened. “Then could you at least bring a nket?”


    The young nurse, visibly intimidated by his demeanor, timidly replied, “Certainly, I’ll fetch one right.


    away.”


    When the nurse returned with the nket, Xavier shifted towards the edge of the bed. “Come on, sleep


    on the bed.”


    Estelle collected the nket, her countenanceposed. “No need.”


    She tried to take the nket and leave, but Xavier held onto it, “The bed is big enough, and you’re as


    thin as a monkey, you won’t take up much space!”


    Estelle had a sudden realization that during their previous time together, she was younger, slimmer,


    and shorter. Xavier used to affectionately refer to her as his “little monkey.” Just as she was about to


    say something, the woman in the adjacent bed chuckled and remarked, “You two must be a couple.


    What’s the fuss about sharing a bed?”


    Xavier swiftly turned his head towards the woman, giving her a piercing, angry re. The woman’s


    smile instantly faded, reced by a bewildered expression. She had intended to support Estelle by


    15:06


    speaking up, so why was he ring at her?


    “Really no need.” Estelle said.


    Xavier sneered “ying hard to get with me? It’s not like we haven’t slept together beforet


    In the past, when there were missions, the seven of them would sleep wherever they could, whether in


    the mountains or in the woods. If it snowed, they would huddle together for warmth, and no one ever


    treated Estelle like a woman.


    The woman beside them exchanged nces with her man, snorted softly.


    Estelle replied calmly, “It’s not that. I’m afraid I might identally bump into your leg while sleeping.”


    “Either sleep on the bed or leave. It’s your choice!” Xavier stubbornly closed his eyes, refusing to


    engage in further conversation.


    Estelle understood that Xavier’s stubbornness was deeply ingrained in his personality. It had always


    been a defining trait of his, and it seemed that it hadn’t changed.


    Not wanting to push the issue any further, Estelle settled for thepromise. Shey down on the


    portion of the bed that Xavier had offered her, covering herself with the nket.


    Throughout the night, the voices of the couple in the adjacent bed continued to chatter, and the bright


    lights above were bothersome. To create a morefortable sleeping environment, Estelle drew the


    curtain and turned off the bedsidemp. Soon, she sumbed to sleep, apanied by the gentle


    rhythm of Xavier’s steady breathing.


    The next day, Estelle woke up early and went to the bathroom to wash up. When she went to buy


    breakfast, she heard the woman from the neighboring bed gossiping with the nurse at the nurse’s


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    station.


    “The girl seemed pretty innocent, but she just jumped right into bed with a guy, in the middle of the


    night, hugging each other without any shame!” The woman mimicked Estelle’s voice and spoke with a


    sarcastic tone.


    The nurse frowned, “That’s not okay. I need to talk to herter; this isn’t a joke.”


    Another nurse frowned, “You mean the guy in bed number 1? He said she’s his sister!” The woman


    scoffed, “He’s just talking nonsense!”


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