Waking up in the hospital, Lily moved her hand and only then realized her arm was fractured.
Outside the window, the sky blazed with red clouds.
She threw back the blanket. Today she had to go see her master.
She had just gotten out of bed when Joshua pushed the door open and walked in.
"Lily, why are you out of bed?"
He reached out to help her up, but she turned sideways and dodged.
Joshua blanked out for a second or two. Anyone in this world could dodge him—except Lily.
Irritation rose in his chest. He set down the porridge in his hand.
"At the time the situation was urgent. Miss Swanson has been pampered since she was little; falling down like that must've been really serious—"
Lily cut him off. "What about me?"
"Joshua, I just know a little martial arts. I'm not made of iron. I can hurt, I can get injured too."
Her chest felt so sour it was like it had been soaked in lemons.
Joshua's pupils trembled. He opened his mouth but didn't know what to say.
"You're in such a hurry to get discharged—what are you going to do?"
Lily thought of how her master often mentioned Joshua, so she didn't hide it. "Go to the countryside to see my master."
He seemed to think of fun things from childhood, and the corners of his lips curved. "I'll go with you."
When Joshua drove out of the underground garage, there was one more person in the front passenger seat.
Ada's fiery red lips looked especially bright in the evening glow.
"Miss Gilbert, I've never been to the countryside, so I pestered Joshua into taking me along. You won't mind, right?"
Lily only wanted to leave as soon as possible tomorrow. She didn't want to get tangled up with Ada and Joshua.
"Let's go."
The country road was bumpy and uneven, and Ada complained the whole way.
The car finally stopped in front of an iron gate. Ada pushed the door open, bent over, and dry-heaved.
Seeing this, Joshua went straight inside to find her master and get water.
When Lily lifted her foot to follow, Ada called out to stop her.
"I held it in the whole way and finally have a chance to say it. You and your master really are worthy of being master and disciple—one has a lowly status, and one lives in a lowly place."
"What a good car. Driving it on this kind of road is a waste too."
"You understand what I mean, Lily."
Lily's steps stopped abruptly. She wouldn't allow anyone to insult her master.
But a martial artist needed a broad mind. Besides, right in front of her master's home, if she laid hands on someone, her master would be disappointed in her.
The instant she clenched her fists and turned around, she heard Ada suddenly cry out and fall to the ground.
The next second, Joshua's figure appeared from behind. He ran toward Ada in alarm and slammed hard into Lily's fractured right arm.
The piercing pain made her brows knit tightly.
"Joshua, I just wanted to ask Miss Gilbert where the bathroom is, and she gave me attitude and even pushed me..."
Joshua's expression instantly darkened. He carefully pulled Ada up from the ground.
"Lily, apologize."
If he looked carefully, he would see that Ada didn't have a single injury on her—this was completely her directing and acting it herself.
Lily was so angry she laughed. Just how much did he care to defend her unconditionally like this?
She moved her ankle a bit. "I'll apologize only if I did it."
She quickly kicked toward Ada's lower back, but the kick landed on Joshua's back.
"It's okay, Ada. With me here, she can't hurt you."
Lily's heart felt like someone had forcefully torn off a chunk of flesh.
Joshua had been sickly and weak since childhood, and other rich kids in Capital City bullied him openly and secretly.
It was her—every time, she would rush out and help him vent his anger.
The person she protected with all her heart was willing to take a beating for another woman.
Eighteen years of protection, fed to the dogs!
Her eyes reddened. Only when she heard her master call her did she regain a bit of rationality.
