Love's Redemption



Aaron didn't give Nate an answer, but silence itself was an answer.

Lena's test results came back negative: no traces of snake venom were found in her system. The wound had been treated, and in the end, it turned out to be a false alarm.

"Sorry, Uncle," Lena said apologetically. "I ruined your camping trip."

When she had been bitten by the snake, her screams were so terrifying that they startled everyone else. The others quickly packed up and left, bringing the camping trip to an abrupt, messy end.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

"It's fine. You can make it up to everyone another time," Aaron replied in a way that defied all expectations.

Shouldn't he be comforting her?

He didn't play by the rules, and Lena decided she wouldn't either. "I'm not making it up to anyone. If anything, you owe me, Uncle."

"How would you like me to compensate you?" This time, he sounded more reasonable.

Lena blinked mischievously. "I haven't decided yet. I'll let you know when I figure it out."

After saying that, she sighed. “Uncle, I don't think I'll ever go camping again in my life."

Aaron's expression remained calm, but there was a subtle undercurrent in his eyes. "What's this? Bitten by a snake once and afraid of ropes for ten years?"

"That depends on the situation," Lena replied. She wasn't the kind of person to give up after one setback, but when it came to snakes, she admitted she was terrified.

"I'll get you a few days off work so you can rest properly," Aaron offered. Lena didn't know what kind of relationship he had with the hospital director, nor had she asked, but if he was offering, it meant it wouldn't be a problem.

However, Lena shook her head. "I can't. Things are busy in my department, and we have a pregnant patient scheduled for surgery soon. I'm the attending physician-I have to be there."

Aaron knew her work ethic better than anyone. "Fine, but make sure you rest. If you're not feeling well, take time off. I'll... have someone keep an eye on you."

"Understood," Lena replied playfully.

"Tomorrow, I'll pick you up and take you home," Aaron said suddenly.

His words reminded Lena of the lengthy comments on his social media. Thinking of her mother's tone in those comments, she felt a headache coming on.

"Uncle, why do you think that snake wasn't venomous?" Lena asked, changing the subject.

Aaron flicked her forehead with his

finger. "Watch how you speak. Are you saying your mom's scarier than snake venom? If she hears that, she'll be heartbroken."

"Then don't tell the family about today. Otherwise, they won't let me tag along with you anymore, and I won't be able to stay at your place," Lena warned.

Aaron's gaze narrowed slightly. After a moment, he murmured, "I thought you didn't want to stay there."

She didn't want to stay, but compared to going back home, it was a compromise she could live with.

Even if she were thoughtless, Lena wasn't foolish enough to say that out loud.

After the chaotic events, Lena

et

overslept the next day. By the time she reached the hospital, it was nearly eleven o'clock. It turned out that Aaron had turned off her alarm and had indeed spoken to the director, getting her a half-day off.

"Dr. Lane, is your injury okay?"

"Dr. Lane, back at work already? That was fast!"

Every colleague who crossed paths with her stopped to ask about her condition. After working at the

hospital for years, Lena had neveret

been the center of so much

attention. This time, thanks to the

snake bite, she felt like she'd made it

onto the hospital's list of notable

figures.

"Dr. Lane, you're here. How's your injury?" someone from her department asked, their concern evident.

"It's fine. I'm doing great. Thank you all for your concern," Lena replied. Tired of repeating herself, she raised her voice confidently to address everyone.

"Dr. Lane, you're truly blessed," someone chimed in.

Lena smiled. "To thank everyone for your concern, I'm treating you all to bubble tea today. Order whatever you'd like."

"Wow!" The announcement was met with cheers. Someone even joked boldly, "Looks like Dr. Lane got her energy channels unblocked after the snake bite."

Lena: "..."

99

She chuckled awkwardly and walked back to her office. There, she found Nate sitting at the desk across from hers, working on some documents. He glanced up at her. “Does the wound still hurt?"