Chapter 2: Young Lady, Don't Pinch A Man's Waist
Natalie stopped abruptly, realising something in a trance.
She hurriedly asked, "Is that Mr. Bennington from Bennington Group? [polite smile.jpg]"
Joyce replied coldly, "Yes."
Natalie stood still as if she was petrified.
No wonder she was resolutely assigned to him... It was because no one dared to go.
Mia saw that Natalie was staring at her mobile phone for quite some time, "What's wrong? Are you thinking of the guy from your dream and dazed by his handsomeness again?"
A sad expression gradually shown on Natalie's face.
"I think... I'm done."
...
Although the voices of those protesting the reform were extremely strong , and often there were people secretly expressing their hatred towards capitalism in every corner, they were only strong on the surface but weak in the inside in reality.
After hearing that it was the deviant third son of The Benningtons who was hospitalised, that group of people had reverted into their original form and left in matter of minutes like a flock of birds.
Natalie had not disclosed her relationship with Forrest. With no background and alone, she became the lamb that was ruthlessly pushed out to be slaughtered.
The night before the sacrifice, Natalie dreamt of this man.
The Luke in the dream was just as frightening as he was outside the dream. She entered room No. 901. It was a pure white and bright ward. In the light, he was lying on his side on the sickbed. As she approached unsuspectingly, he turned into a big lion in an instance and fiercely opened his bloody mouth towards her...
The next morning, Natalie woke up like a slingshot.
Time was running out, she did not have the time to recall the cruelty of her dream, she quickly got up from her bed and washed up, dashed out and squeezed inside the metro. As quick as she could, she managed to arrive at the office without being late.
"Natalie--"
Natalie just worn a huge medical coat and pulled her thick long hair backwards. As she was about to stretch out the rubber band and tie up her hair, she followed the sonorous voice and raised her head. Joyce, the plump looking chief physician walked toward her workstation with a cold face.
She only had such expression towards her subordinates, and Natalie was not surprised.
Except for Daisy Scott, she was the niece of the dean after all.
"Ms. Locke." Natalie stood up, flexibly wrapped the rubber band twice with her finger, brushed the earlock on the side of her temples and waited quietly for orders.
Joyce threw the medical record and report on her desk, "It is for No. 901, Mr. Butler has done the inspection. Take the shift and then start the ward rounds."
Natalie responded warmly, "Okay."
She did not talk much with Ms. Locke and decided to ask Mr. Butler to to conduct the ward round with her. She still had to follow the rules of course.
Joyce seemed to see through her thoughts at a glance, and lowered her voice, "Do you know who is the patient?  Mr. Bennington's personal doctor has already flown to Alcomara. We don't need to meddle in this matter. Just follow the process and don't involve Mr. Butler in this. Do you hear me?"
".....Oh." Natalie dismissed her thoughts.
She now understood. It turned out that what Joyce meant as special case was that Mr. Bennington had a special identity and some information could not be disclosed, so it must be kept absolutely confidential. It was hard to say that the diagnosis report was entirely genuine.
Capitalism was indeed the root of evil.
It was all just an act. This was wasting her time on her studies and practice in the outpatient.
Natalie was thinking of that in this way.
Joyce's last sentence was tuned to a normal volume, "Daisy will be taking leave tonight. Please take the shift in the outpatient on her behalf first."
Natalie opened her mouth in shock for a moment.
Again?
Based on her experience, taking shifts on behalf was no different to taking over the shift.
"Thanks for your hard work, Nata." Daisy said with her sweet voice and smiled tenderly from her station on the left.
"......"
What a villainous face that annoyed everyone!
Natalie smiled pretentiously and said, "No problem."
Life sucks.
Joyce tucked both her hands into the pockets of her white coat and said coldly, "Is there any problem?"
Natalie smiled, "No, what about you?" There must be.
Joyce, "?"
"I'm heading over now." Before she could react, Natalie put on her gold-rimmed glasses that had lenses of less than 100 negative diopters, hugged the medical records and reports and left with a sunny smile.
Without changing her expression as she walked out of the office, the corner of her lips collapsed instantly and her speed increasing as she walked. Taking out her mobile phone, she went straight to Instagram to complain to Mia about the whole process of the crimes that Joyce and Daisy were committing.
Mia, "Being boycott by vicious female side characters can only have 2 reasons."
Mia: "Either you are pretty,"
Mia: "Or you are excellent."
Oh ya.
Natalie calmed down a little.
Mia was very good in coaxing her,"A little beauty is enough, why do you have to be so beautiful that it could be exchanged for three hundred years of peace at the border! You are a woman with wisdom too! Whoa whoa whoa damn! Our little fairy Nata was so damned frustrating!!
The flattery was spot on and Natalie's anger subsided instantly.
She was smiling again. She was hesitating for a while, but she still clicked into Forrest's Instagram and told him that she would be taking the night shift, then put the phone back into her pocket and walked towards Mr. Butler's office.
-
It was almost 9 am, Natalie went to the 9th floor of the VIP building alone after checking the general ward.
Only room 901 had patient and so it was very quiet on this floor.
At the entrance of the ward, Natalie hesitated for a while, adjusted her spectacles and pressed the doorbell with determination.
After a few seconds, the door opened.
Natalie raised her spirits in an instance.
A young man appeared in front of her with buzz hair, tall and lanky body, slightly tan skin and was wearing a thick sweater with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows.
He stared at her for a while, Natalie inexplicably had a sense of deja vu of Grandma Wolf opening the door for Little Red Riding Hood.
Natalie swallowed discreetly, "Hello, I'm..."
"My name is Mark Valentine." The young man suddenly showed a standard wide smile. He looked gentle.
"...?"
Self-reporting. Was it a new social etiquette that she did not know?
Mark came back to his senses, "Oh... You must be the principal doctor, right?"
He glanced at the name of her badge.
Natalie wanted to say that she was not the principal doctor, but a doctor in charge of the bed. However, Mark did not give her a chance to explain. He turned to the side and said with a smile, "That's so convenient! Dr. Moore, please come in."
"..."
So be it. Since no one else dared to be responsible for this.
This was the first time Natalie came here. She was really surprised when she saw the inside of the room.
This was the most luxurious ward in Alcomara No.2 Hospital. All the furniture was made out of solid wood and the ward had good lighting as it was facing the south. It was equipped with brand-new kitchen and living room, as well as multiple independent bedrooms, which were comparable to a suite in a five-star hotel.
There was a mobile bed placed beside the window in the living room.
The sunlight radiated over the spotless floor-to-ceiling window and illuminated the room like shattered gold.
There was a man lying flat on the bed. His side profile was neat and fair with his face basking in the light. He was wearing a medical shoulder brace and a recovery belt hanging from his right arm. He was wearing not a hospital gown but an elegant black silk pajama with his legs idly bent. The pajama was loose but it could not hide the elegance of his narrow waist and long legs.
It was like a scene paused in the most fascinating frame of the movie.
He was injured. His eyes were closed and his expression was indifferent, like a sleeping lion on top of the snowy mountain.
All evil dared not approach.
Natalie stood far away and could not see clearly.
But she felt the strong aura of oppression from that person without realising it.
"June was such a lovely girl. Not mentioning that you did not follow her back on Instagram, after knowing that you had a car accident, she even ask after you in concern. What do you mean by blacklisting her now?"
The voice came from the bed. More specifically, it was from the mobile phone that was in a call which was placed on the bedside table with the speaker on. The furious questions from the woman was like the bullets shot from a gatling gun.
Natalie was stunned.
Is this some sort of confidential information from the rich family? Is this something that she could listen to even without the need of PR?
Mark closed the door and said to her in a lower voice, "Luke will soon be able to get rid of this. Dr. Moore, please sit and wait for a while."
Natalie let out a little smile.
Of course, she did not want to enrage this man, so she could only slowly sit down while clutching at the side of the sofa.
The conversation continued, "Speak!"
After the other end talked endlessly for half a day, the man finally responded a word with his lazy tongue in compassion.
"Noisy."
Natalie lowered her eyes and waited obediently.
What a nice voice. It sounded like a faint and heavy bass, with some lazy vibe.
The person from the other end of the phone seemed to take a deep breath, restrained her tone, and continued, "What about your manners? Liking each other is another business. You should at least be friendly on the surface right?"
"Well, it does sound reasonable." The man agreed.
"But what you are doing is rude!"
He sounded careless from his tone, "I'm not reasonable."
"..." Would they fight each other? Natalie began to worry.
The conversation was dead silent for 3 seconds, and the other end really started scolding, "Are you a psychopath?"
The man was emotionless, "I'm in the hospital."
"... You just have to talk back to me to be happy, don't you?"
"Then should I just do it physically?"
"Luke Bennington!"
The woman finally could not bear it anymore and almost screamed. She shouted his name as loud as she could.
Natalie's heart thumped subconsciously when she heard the name.
The third son of The Benningtons was truly arrogant. Would she lose her head next?
Luke sighed helplessly as if he was not fully awake. His voice was a little hoarse, "Madam Livingston, what is the point of dating someone that I could not get along with?"
Now he sounded like a human. Grace Livingston said bluntly, "Then you'd better give a reason. What is not to your liking with June's appearance and background?
"Horoscope." Luke answered lightly.
"... Are you trying to anger me to death?" Grace asked calmly in a sudden.
The respect still had to be given to his biological mother and Luke said slowly and leisurely again, "She was good, but I don't like her."
Natalie, "?"
Grace suppressed her anger, "Then what kind of girl do you like?"
Before Luke could utter the next sentence that could invoke further explosion, another voice entered into the living room in time and said with a smile, "Hey! Calm down, Madam Livingston. Luke hasn't found a girl he like yet. He really didn't mean to upset you!"
Mark came out of the kitchen with a smiley face and was holding a fruit plate.
The person on the other end did not fall for this kind of trick and ruthlessly exposed it, "Forget it, both of you are atrocious. I won't believe a single word from you."
Natalie suppressed the smile on her lips.
Mark, "..."
The operation failed even before its launch.
"Luke." Grace called his name again. Her tone was a little more solemn and serious, "I have to say this. You can go to Alcomara if you want to, but don't argue with your eldest brother on the deal with the hospital. Do you understand?"
Just with those words, Luke frowned instantly.
He pinched the bridge of his tall nose with two fingers, closed his eyes and rested. From his voice, there was a clear sign of gloom, "Your son is still lying in the hospital."
Of course, Grace felt distressed. After a short silence, she hummed harshly, "It doesn't count if you are not in the morgue. Didn't you say this before? When did you ever let me feel relieved?"
Luke sneered and raised the corner of his lip.
"Okay, let's just end here. I have always been like this. Take a rest."
His tone was full of Athana accent but it was not carefree, but rather slow and gentle, with the expression of the laziness and arrogance of a noble prince.
Natalie thought, the last time she heard such a quality Athana accent was when she was five years old.
"Now you want to get perfunctory with me again. You have to give me an answer today!" Grace did not compromise and turned the conversation back.
"Will I not be alive tomorrow?"
"Don't talk back at me. Say, what kind of girl do you like?"
Luke pretended to think for 2 seconds.
"Okay, then listen carefully." He said lazily, "I like the fairy from the sky."
"..." Natalie's mouth twitched slightly.
This man was looking for a scolding again.
"No, Luke, which fairy still descends to our world? This is a bit over.... too over." Mark could not listen anymore and hinted him to be more restrained.
Before Grace can argue over it, Mark placed the fruit plate in front of Natalie, and then went over to control the situation with discernment. "Let's be realistic. Luke, for example, do you prefer long hair or short hair, tall or short one, cute or sexy, gentle or savage, short-sighted or far-sighted...?
"?" Luke slowly lifted his crow feather-like eyelashes, revealing a pair of cold eyes. His pupils were like the setting sun in twilight with the calmness of the ancient well.
"The girl from Portwell on the other street is farsighted."
After being glanced at by his unfazed sight, Mark stood upright, folded his arms in front of his stomach, and asked tentatively, "The twice-married Ms. Portwell who was divorced again? Isn't she retired?"
"You know about it as well?" Luke asked indifferently. That was a stupid question.
"...Oh." Mark realised.
Luke did not like someone like Ms. Portwell.
"Just stay single, both of you!" Grace was so furious that she almost faint from their immorality, ruthlessly spit out the sentence and hung up the call.
Natalie laughed easily as usual. She did not manage to hold back and laughed softly. She immediately buried her face and pretend to observe her flat apricot leather shoes as if nothing happened.
Mark heard the laugh. He looked from the sickbed to the central hall and saw Natalie who was sitting at the side of the sofa.
He started to think.
Ms. Portwell, in her fifties, farsighted, with curly and withered short hair. She was a shrew. She wore heavy make-up all day long and her face looked like it was pasted on with a layer of flour. All the spots and moles could not be seen as they were removed using plastic surgery. She was a modern young granny.
As for Dr. Moore, she looked like she was eighteen. She wore a thin gold-rimmed spectacles with extremely thin lenses so she should have low-level myopia. Her hair was casually tied and it was long, soft, shiny and black. Her Her face pure and sweet. Wasn't she a lively and gentle little fairy?
Especially the little red birthmark on the right side of her nose, it could create a tempting feeling subconsciously.
When he opened the door and their sight met, he almost thought that he was in the plot of an adult-themed immersive role-playing game.
"Luke, it will end the conversation earlier if you just call out Dr. Moore's name." Mark joked happily.
The complete opposite of Luke's dislike, was equal to Luke's ideal type.
So it must be Dr. Moore.
Natalie raised her head in daze and she could not understand that sentence for a while.
"Just go to the side." Luke was too lazy to pay attention to him. His long legs fell on the quilt. His body was a little hard to turn to the left and so he changed to a side lying position.
It might because of the injury on the waist so it was uncomfortable after lying down for too long.
Mark beckoned and motioned Natalie to come over, and said to the person on the sickbed, "Luke, it's time for check up. The doctor has been waiting here for a long time."
"Is the person here yet?" Luke asked impatiently.
Mark knew he was referring to the private doctor from Athana, "Not yet. There was a huge delay at the airport in Athana. It could be taking some time, so the doctor here will do the check up first."
Luke neither agreed or refused. He closed his eyes and fell asleep.
Natalie stood on the other side of the bed and could only see the back of the man.
She was unsure about this ambiguous attitude. Natalie said formally, "Mr. Bennington, Mr. Butler has informed me about your situation. The right shoulder joint and lumbar vertebrae have fractures, the degree of compression is not large and the nerves and spinal cord have not been damaged. You can fully recover. No need to worry."
"Oh, then does he need surgery?" Mark asked cooperatively.
"Conservative treatment is enough," Natalie said patiently, "But Mr. Bennington would still need to stay in bed for a month to recover, and to be further observed later."
"Is it necessary to lie down for so long?"
"Yes, the bone usually takes six to eight months to heal to its original strength. The first 3 months will need extra caution. Although it is not serious, try to move as little as possible."
Mark looked at the Natalie's lips and submerged into her beautiful voice. He slowly fell into a daze as if he was listening to a lullaby, so soft that his soul was floating like feathers.
"... Luke's waist was still injured. Doctor Moore, please take a look, is it serious?" Mark lost his mind and risked his life to lift someone's pajama just to listen to her voice for a little longer.
There were bandages wrapped around the man's muscular waist.
Suddenly, Natalie thought of what Mia had said, that Luke's appearance and figure were unparalleled.
She confirmed it with her own eyes.
Natalie seemed calm and looked away, "Nurses will change the bandage on time everyday. It's not an issue, just have to rest more."
A man forced her to look at the upper body of another man. Honestly, it was a little bit weird for such a scene.
Unfortunately, Mark could not hear her inside voice and asked, "Then where is the bone injury?"
Natalie gave him an outline.
However, his problems were endless. It was questionable whether he really cared about Luke's health or he was really thirsty for knowledge, or he was just bored.
When he was asking questions again, Natalie looked around and changed the topic directly, "Didn't the nurse bring the waist protector?"
Mark's expression immediately became dazed.
"If it is unavoidable to get out of bed, Mr. Bennington must wear it." Natalie did not think much and put her hand on Luke's waist, "Let me see waistband or fixed brace would be more suitable."
Considering that the waistband might hurt him, Natalie wanted to determine the location of the injury. The man on the bed suddenly hissed when her thumb was placed on the side of his waist through the gauze.
Natalie suddenly froze.
Was she... pressing too hard?
The big lion in the dream roared in her mind. Natalie was thinking in despair at that instance. Would she be swallowed whole into the bloody mouth? Was the grass at her grave about to grow?
The man let out a deep breath as he exhaled. His masseter muscles tightened as if he was enduring great pain.
His forehead rested against the pillow for a while.
Luke's voice was hoarse, and he raised his head for the first time while talking.
"... Don't pinch a man's waist, young lady."
He dragged his last tone dejectedly. All his patience was exhausted and there was a hint of ferocity in his tone.
Natalie was still in the half-bent posture before. Her hand was still held vacantly at his lower waist and she did not dare to move as the man turned his head.
When he turned his face, their eyes met.
Natalie was caught off guard and collided with the pair of good-looking eyes. She held her breath as she saw the light, like shattered gold foil, falling into his dark pupils.
As if she was injected with sobriety, she took half a step back.
The man's short hair was slight messy. A few strands fell from both sides, sweeping wantonly on his brows. His brow bones were deep and strong which made him looked noble and frivolous. There was impatience and indifference in his eyes as if he had rejected all living beings within a thousand miles.
When they looked at each other, Natalie could not help but think of that person's side profile many years ago.
After a while, Natalie regained her thoughts, and found that Mark had put down the man's pajama without realising when he did it. She quietly retreated and stood aside obediently as if she was going to be punished.
It was simply an act of selfishness at its best.
Natalie was thinking of that in this way. She nipped her pale pink lips innocently.
But it was her fault after all. After taking a deep breath, Natalie looked over with her beautiful eyes sincerely through her golden spectacles, "I was afraid that you would be uncomfortable wearing a waistband... I'm sorry for hurting you."
Luke did not pay much attention to her words. His eyes locked onto the small birthmark on her nose and he lost his thoughts for a while.
He slowly adjusted his lying position and lay flat.
Natalie walked towards him by habit, taking care of him and holding the pillow firmly so that the back of his head could rest on it.
As soon as she leaned over, the only thing that Luke could see was her badge pinned to her white coat.
Alcomara No. 2 Hospital.
Resident doctor.
Natalie Moore.
Natalie straightened her back. She was feeling anxious and a little guilty, and she said softly," I'll call the nurse to check if the wound is getting worse, okay?"
Luke did not answer and leaned on the pillow. He tilted his head and looked at her.
"Have you been to Athana?" He asked suddenly.