Chapter 18: Not Intentional

She was separated from him by a single pedestrian crossing.

The man wore a haze-blue shirt, and the golden sunlight of early autumn spilled over him, plating his figure in a warm glow.

Even his naturally indifferent and cold features seemed to soften under the light.

He toyed with his phone for a moment before lifting his eyelids and looking her way.

Willow’s heart gave a sudden leap.

She felt the sharp guilt of being caught eavesdropping or peeping.

The light happened to turn green.

She tightened her grip on her bag strap and stepped onto the crosswalk.

Halfway across, a figure appeared beside her.

It was Julian Kingston, who had come to meet her.

He didn't speak, only accompanied her in silence until they reached the car.

He opened the passenger door for her.

This was a short distance from the school, the same spot where she had previously requested to be dropped off.

Willow didn't hesitate and sat directly in the car.

She opened the map on her phone and showed it to Julian. "Uncle Julian, it's this place."

"Mm," Julian responded faintly and stepped on the accelerator.

Soon, they arrived at the hot pot restaurant.

Julian ordered a mushroom broth base.

He was accustomed to a healthy lifestyle, and Willow had to maintain her figure and couldn't eat anything greasy.

In this regard, they were perfectly in sync.

At the end of the meal, Willow paid the bill. "Uncle Julian, thank you for the trouble today."

Julian gave a soft hum of acknowledgment, took out his phone, and sent her a transfer. "Pocket money."

The amount that popped up on the screen gave Willow a fright.

Two hundred thousand.

"Uncle Julian, my dad gives me money. I have enough."

"Keep it," Julian said indifferently. "It's a red envelope—a gift for our first meeting."

"Even for a red envelope, it shouldn't be this much..."

Willow felt it was too exaggerated; back home, such gifts were at most one or two thousand.

Who gives away hundreds of thousands at the drop of a hat?

Julian took her phone and tapped the 'Accept' button himself.

"It's the custom in Riverford. Don't let it be a mental burden."

Willow was speechless.

As expected of Riverford, even the customs were this extravagant.

...

In the middle of the night, Willow woke up thirsty.

Although it had been a clear broth pot, it was still saltier than her usual meals.

Walking groggily into the kitchen, she had just filled a glass of water when footsteps sounded behind her.

Accompanied by them was Julian’s drowsy voice: "Can't sleep?"

Since she moved in, he hadn't asked her specifically about her sleep issues.

Having heard the commotion just now, he decided to come out and ask.

"Uncle Julian?"

Willow’s mind snapped awake instantly.

She didn't have the habit of wearing a bra while sleeping. Thinking it was two in the morning and that her uncle wouldn't be awake, she had come out directly.

If it were thick winter pajamas, it wouldn't matter.

But it was autumn; although she was wearing long sleeves, the slightest movement made it obvious.

With no other choice, she hugged the water glass to her chest, trying to use her arms to block his view.

Julian looked at Willow’s panicked face and stepped forward in confusion. "What's wrong?"

As he spoke, he reached out to touch her wrist, intending to check her pulse. "Let me see."

"No, it's nothing."

Willow was so nervous that she began to sweat.

Yet the man before her was incredibly stubborn, insisting on checking her physical condition.

"Uncle Julian, I’m really fine."

"Don't try to be brave."

During their brief struggle, Willow’s hand slipped, and the glass crashed to the floor.

With a sharp crack, shards scattered everywhere.

"Sorry, Uncle Julian."

Willow hurriedly bent down to pick them up.

Because she was in such a rush, her finger accidentally grazed a piece of broken glass, and it immediately began to bleed.

Julian frowned and took her hand. "Come with me."

"Huh?"

Before Willow could react, she was pulled by the man into his workspace.

It was a study that had been converted.

It featured a wall-sized Chinese medicine cabinet, various pharmaceutical tools, and a few pieces of Western medical equipment.

Julian had Willow sit in a chair and took out saline solution to rinse her finger.

He then immediately brought out some gauze.

Seeing this, Willow’s finger flinched. "Uncle Julian, that’s surely not necessary?"

If he waited any longer, the wound would have healed on its own.

Altogether, only half a drop of blood had seeped out.

Gauze seemed excessive.

Julian took her hand firmly. "Many infections happen because people are careless at the beginning, eventually leading to amputation."

Willow was startled by his words.

She was, after all, just a freshman, and Julian was a famous doctor in the country...

She asked cautiously, "Uncle Julian, is there really a possibility I’ll need an amputation?"

A faint curve appeared on Julian’s thin lips. "If you listen to me, there won't be."

"Okay."

Willow immediately sat up straight, extending her finger with extreme seriousness.

Julian looked at her and asked, "Are you afraid?"

Willow nodded truthfully. "A little."

The man covered her finger with a thin layer of gauze and, remembering she was a young girl, specifically tied it into a bow.

As he turned to pack the supplies away, he spoke in a low voice: "Don't be afraid. I’m here."

Willow was stunned.

During the forum incident before, he had also said, Don't be afraid.

It was as if with him there, everything would be resolved easily.

Her heart felt as if it had been struck by something.

It began to thud incessantly.

She couldn't control herself from speaking: "Uncle Julian..."

"Yes?"

The man turned back to look at her, looking noble and refined.

Willow thought of the discussion her classmates had at school today.

Auntie.

She moved her lips and said, "Uncle Julian, when you get married, can I come? I want to give a gift of money."

Julian: "..."

He finished putting things away and walked to Willow’s side.

Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly noticed the upper half of the girl's body.

The pajamas were thin.

The contours were quite obvious.

"Willow," he averted his gaze and cleared his throat, "fix your clothes."

Clothes?

Clothes!

Only now did Willow remember that her original intention was to avoid exposing herself in front of her uncle.

But in the middle of the night, a man and a woman alone...

No matter how you looked at it, it looked like a deliberate seduction.

"I... I..."

She covered her chest, her eyes turning red with anxiety. "Uncle, I didn't mean to not wear... it wasn't intentional..."