Chapter 28: Hint?
Remembering what Charles had said—that women need security—Wentworth knew what he had to do.
He couldn't let her feel anxious and uncertain, so he said firmly to Matilda:
"Matty, I might have had physical contact with some girls in there, but I didn't initiate it, and I got away from them right away."
His explanation actually made Matilda feel a bit embarrassed, as if she was being petty.
She laughed awkwardly. "I wasn't... I didn't say you did anything wrong."
Wentworth suddenly grabbed her hand that was resting on the table and looked at her seriously: "Matty, actually I—"
"What's wrong?" Matilda looked at him. At that moment, he seemed to have a lot he wanted to say.
Wentworth wanted to say that he actually had very little contact with women. Apart from his mother, he had only been this close to Matilda.
But then he suddenly thought about how in the military, his buddies would sometimes joke around and tease whoever was a virgin, as if being a virgin was something shameful.
If he told Matilda directly, would she look down on him?
"Nothing, I just wanted to... go walk around after we finish eating." Wentworth said.
Matilda had no objection. It was still early, and going home would just mean reading. Might as well walk around.
……
Harmony Health Center.
During the morning meeting today, Matilda heard other doctors discussing the hospital's equipment purchase.
"Did you hear? The surgery department is getting a phototherapy device that speeds up wound recovery. Currently only a few hospitals in the country have it, and in our state, only Concordia Saint Medical Center has one."
As soon as Matilda heard this, she immediately thought of Wentworth's injury.
Wentworth's injury had indeed healed quickly—almost completely better in just ten days or so. He had used that machine.
So she listened intently.
"This equipment is really in demand. Currently there's only one in Phoenix City, and all the major hospitals are competing for it. If we can buy it, our surgery department's capabilities will improve significantly, and other departments will benefit too."
"But if it's so competitive, won't we just not be able to get it?"
……
At that moment, in the director's office, over a dozen department heads were in a meeting.
The director paced back and forth with his hands behind his back, his brow furrowed.
"All the other public and private hospitals are competing for this equipment. Our hospital's chances are too low. Everyone think of something—how can we get this equipment?"
The deputy director first asked about cost: "Is this equipment very expensive?"
The director said, "Right now it's not about whether it's expensive. No matter how expensive, we have to buy it."
The department heads fell silent.
Harmony Health Center wasn't the hospital with the best overall capabilities in Phoenix City. Rich people went to Concordia Saint Medical Center, ordinary people went to public hospitals with better reputations. Those who came to Harmony Health Center were mostly patients who lived nearby and didn't want to travel far.
At this point, the deputy director said: "I think I know the person in charge at that equipment supply company. Should I contact him?"
The director said helplessly, "Why didn't you say so earlier?"
The deputy director said, "Because we're not that close. Let me try to set up a meeting with him and see who they're planning to sell the equipment to."
……
At dinner that evening, Matilda and Wentworth also talked about this.
"Wentworth, that phototherapy you had at Concordia Saint Medical Center—that equipment worked pretty well, right?"
Wentworth nodded: "The results were good. Every time I get injured, I get treated there. My brother took me."
Matilda knew Charles was a corporate executive with connections, so she wasn't surprised.
But—
"You get injured often? What's your military specialty? Why do you keep getting hurt?"
Wentworth quickly said: "Not really, I've only been injured twice. We have regular drills, and we also help local law enforcement catch bad guys, so some injuries are unavoidable."
He believed that with his skills, his life wouldn't be in danger.
Matilda didn't understand military matters, so she just nodded.
Then she said: "Our hospital also wants to buy that phototherapy equipment, but everyone says it's really difficult."
Wentworth was about to say he could help, but then he thought—even if they got the equipment, it would be for the surgery department, and her ex-boyfriend was in surgery.
Besides, Matilda was just a regular doctor. Even if the hospital got the equipment, the credit wouldn't go to her.
So he said, "These things really depend on competition."
"That's what I think too," Matilda said.
After dinner, Matilda suggested they practice combat training.
She'd been enjoying combat training more and more lately. Not only did it strengthen her body, it also helped her lose weight. Her colleagues all said she looked healthier.
Plus, she hadn't hugged Wentworth yet today. She needed to find an excuse, or he might not sleep well tonight.
……
After an hour of combat training, Matilda still hadn't found a chance to hug Wentworth.
Wentworth was too straightforward. Training was training—he was as serious as an instructor on a training ground, completely unwilling to take advantage of the situation.
Matilda had to create her own opportunity.
She'd already used the low blood sugar excuse, and she'd already pretended to fall. What else could she use?
After thinking for a while, she had an idea.
"Wentworth, there's a move I don't quite understand. Can you teach me again?"
"Which move?"
"That kick to the opponent's waist."
Wentworth demonstrated once and repeated the key points.
Matilda followed along once, then asked: "Was that right?"
"Yes." Wentworth was a bit puzzled. She'd mastered this move on the first try—he didn't know why she needed to do it again.
Hearing this, Matilda acted like a child being praised and immediately threw herself into Wentworth's arms, hugging him: "Great, I did it!"
Wentworth fell silent.
What did this mean? The move was obviously deliberate.
A hint?
He hadn't expected her to be so forward.
He thought, why not be forward himself for once? His injury was almost healed anyway. He should experience that feeling and get rid of the "virgin" label.
However, just as he put his arm around her waist, she immediately let go: "Wentworth, today's task is complete. Thanks for your patient instruction. I'm going to shower."
Wentworth fell silent.
So that wasn't a hint just now?
……
At the same time.
In a nightclub in Phoenix City, the deputy director and Ray Weaver, the person in charge of Kensington BioTech Company, were discussing the equipment.
The deputy director had also brought two department heads who were usually close to him, including Wesley.
Doctors couldn't hold their liquor well. All three had been forced to drink until they threw up, but Ray still hadn't discussed the equipment.
The deputy director went to the restroom to throw up and ran into Wesley, who was there doing the same.
Wesley cursed: "That Mr. Weaver is really shrewd. We've eaten, drunk, and partied, but he still won't talk business. He keeps saying we're his friends—friends my ass!"
The deputy director wiped his mouth with a tissue: "That's how businessmen are. Let's just bear with it. Who told us we need something from him?"
They kept drinking until 1 a.m., when the deputy director finally couldn't help asking, "Mr. Weaver, about that equipment... does Harmony Health Center have a chance?"
Ray was in his forties, with a fat face and big ears, and a beer belly as big as someone eight months pregnant.
He let go of the woman he'd been holding, took out his phone, pulled up a video, and handed it to the deputy director: "This girl is a doctor at your hospital, right?"
The deputy director took it, and Wesley leaned over too.
Wesley recognized her as soon as he saw the video: "Isn't that Matilda Spencer? Someone secretly filmed this when she was having a conflict with her mother."