Chapter 529: Chapter 529: Is it worth it?
The nurse kept muttering to herself as Henry Hudson leaned back against a soft pillow, managing to ascertain the gist of her words.
He glanced at the infusion bottle dripping medication through a tube and listened to the nurse discussing Charlotte Thompson, allowing a complex emotion to envelope his eyes.
"Miss Nurse." Henry interrupted gently, "That’s not the case."
The nurse made an ’ah’ sound, lifting her head to look at him. She then sighed deeply, commenting, "Mr. Hudson, everyone accepted what was on Weibo, you’re just being too soft-hearted."
She pursed her lips, stopping her words, then continued, "I don’t mean to defame Miss Thompson, but all the facts are clear..."
"They are only part of the story." Henry smoothed his bed sheet, a soft laughter escaping his lips. His face still bore a spring-like smile, but it was mixed with an indefinable bitterness.
"I am not her boyfriend, just a close friend. I only stepped forward to shield her from some rumors when it was necessary."
Though his words were casual, the nurse sensed a complex emotion in his eyes.
Hesitating in her actions, the nurse didn’t know how to respond. She simply stared at Henry for a few seconds before asking, "Mr. Hudson, I know your feelings for Miss Thompson are not simple, but... is it worth it?"
Upon hearing this, a brief moment of confusion clouded Henry’s eyes.
Is it worth it?
The girl’s sunny smile from five years ago suddenly resurfaced in his mind. Although Charlotte had never brought up the past, he had silently chosen not to ask about it.
Perhaps, she was just being herself.
Henry pondered seriously for a few seconds before lifting his gaze to meet the nurse’s eyes, uttering resolutely and confidently-
"It is."
Anticipating his determined answer, the nurse didn’t say anything more, simply instructing, "Mr. Hudson, your health has improved greatly. If you’re ready, you can consider being discharged from the hospital soon."
Henry nodded subtly, responding, "Alright, thank you."
After watching the nurse walk out and disappear from sight, Henry reached out to pick up his mobile, expertly dialing a number.
In a few seconds, a woman’s slightly husky voice flowed from the other end of the call.
"Charlotte, how are you doing?"
On the other side, Charlotte Thompson sat up from her bed with big dark circles under her eyes. Rubbing her eyes and still somewhat sleepy, she asked, "What happened?"
"I heard about everything online," Henry paused, then continued after choosing his words carefully, "I’ll try to suppress the noise for now. You just remain low-profile during this time."
The moment his voice fell, Charlotte was visibly taken aback.
She opened her mouth, her voice tinged with guilt.
"I’m sorry for dragging you into this again," she paused for a few seconds, then added, "Let me handle it. You rest up. Trust me."
At her words, Henry didn’t know what else to say. As if suddenly remembering something, he laughed, "There’s actually some good news. I plan to be discharged tomorrow and convalesce at home. It’s too stuffy in the hospital."
With that, a pleasantly surprised voice came from Charlotte, "Really? That’s great, the smell of disinfectants in the hospital is too strong. It would be good for you to go home and breathe some fresh air."
Her tone held a hint of teasing, but Charlotte was genuinely happy for him.
Speaking again, Charlotte added, "I will pick you up tomorrow."
Hearing her words, Henry couldn’t refuse. He simply hummed in agreement and laughed.