?Chapter 361:


    A beat passed before Christina offered,


    “Want me to bring you a fresh one?”


    “No need.” His gaze shifted to the pair resting on her mattress.


    “Just pass me one of yours.”


    “But…” Her voice trailed off.


    “I’ve already used them.”


    She didn’t get it. If he was so obsessive about cleanliness that he couldn’t tolerate a pillow someone else had touched for a second, why was he suddenly fine with one she’d slept on? She probably drooled on it at some point.


    “It’s alright,” Dn said.


    A faint twitch of a grin yed at his lips—so subtle it nearly vanished as soon as it appeared. Both pillows had clearly been used by her, so there was no need to “identally” pick the one she had.


    Christina eyed him suspiciously.


    “You’re absolutely sure?”


    “No doubt,” Dn replied, his voice calm and steady.


    Still uncertain, she paused before stepping toward her bed and handing him one.


    “If it’s a problem, seriously—I’ll just get you a new one.”


    She remained puzzled. Most people avoided used things, and here he was—Mr. Clean Freak—asking for the pillow she’d slept on? Shouldn’t this be triggering some kind of allergic meltdown?


    She watched closely, but he simply positioned the pillow behind his back like it meant nothing.


    “Can you help change my dressing?” Dn asked suddenly.


    Christina froze.


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    “I thought you said you would handle it yourself?”


    She distinctly remembered him insisting he didn’t want the nurse’s help and would take care of it alone. So what had changed? Her thoughts began to spiral. The nurse had just been thrown out—if she tried to help, would she be next?


    Before her worries could deepen, his voice softened, tinged with disappointment.


    “Forget it. I’ll take care of it if you don’t want to help.”


    She nced up—his eyes had lost their usual coldness. In their ce was something far more vulnerable. A flicker of pain, barely hidden.


    Her heart fluttered. Damn those eyes. How was anyone supposed to say no to that?


    “It’s not that I don’t want to help,” she blurted.


    “I just didn’t want to end up banned, too.”


    She gave a dryugh.


    “You won’t,” he said without hesitation.


    “Okay.” She nodded.


    “I’ll help you clean and dress your wound, then.”


    Her gaze dropped briefly to his hospital gown. With care, she reached out and began unbuttoning it, one button at a time. She moved deliberately, keeping her distance. Thest thing she wanted was to identally brush against him and trigger another one of his cleanliness meltdowns.


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