Maxwell Jing grabbed his hand without hesitation and used it as leverage to pull himself up. Staring at him, he declared, "Let me make this clear: if you can't guarantee me good food and a comfortable life, I'll leave at any moment!"
Although he said this, the truth was that because of this casual promise, no matter what happened afterward, he never considered leaving Healer's Sanctuary—at least, never alone!
Ethan Gu chuckled, "Your standards are really low!"
Maxwell Jing shook his head, slung his arm around Ethan's shoulders like old friends, and lectured, "Kid, let me tell you something: never take what you have for granted. Otherwise, when you lose it, you'll regret it!"
Ethan Gu shot him a glance, didn't refute his words, and simply replied, "Sanctuary Heir!"
Maxwell Jing squinted at him, clearly displeased. Ethan Gu shrugged and explained, "I don't want to be responsible for your corpse! I know better than anyone what kind of place Healer's Sanctuary is. Maybe your abilities make you valuable, but there are always others people can use. You're not the only one!"
Maxwell Jing conceded, "Fine! Sanctuary Heir!"
Kieran Kong arrived with his group. Seeing how close the two had become, he was momentarily stunned—Ethan Gu's coldness was never just for show; even with his own mother, he'd never been so intimate!
When Kieran Kong appeared, Ethan Gu instantly put on his usual cold expression, but he didn't push Maxwell Jing away. Refusing to let anyone bandage him, he said directly to Kieran, "I want him!"
Kieran Kong nodded, which was exactly what he'd hoped for, so he didn't object. "Sanctuary Heir, you can choose one more person!" He didn't ask about the fight between Ethan Gu and Maxwell Jing—if Ethan couldn't handle such a trivial matter, he wouldn't be worthy of his title. Besides, with Ethan's martial skills, Maxwell Jing couldn't possibly hurt him. If things ended up like this, it was only because Ethan let himself be hit!
When it came to maintaining the dignity of the Sanctuary Heir, Ethan Gu had always done well, but now he felt it was necessary to give a subtle reminder.
Sensing that Kieran Kong still hadn't grasped his meaning, Ethan Gu rephrased, "I only want him!"
The children who had held onto a sliver of hope instantly felt disappointed. Their gazes toward Maxwell Jing were filled with envy—he'd struck the Sanctuary Heir, so why was he chosen? And their relationship seemed surprisingly close!
Noticing Kieran Kong staring at Maxwell Jing's hand draped over his shoulder, Ethan Gu frowned slightly and said coldly, "He's mine!" Naturally, that made him different from everyone else.
He understood what Kieran Kong was hinting at, but what he wanted was a friend, not a subordinate. Clearly, no one else understood this!
He didn't want to push Maxwell Jing into the eye of the storm, but staying by his side meant there was no avoiding it. Rather than hiding and letting others take advantage, it was better to stand tall and put others in their place!
Naturally, he could protect him.
"Sanctuary Heir..." Seeing Ethan Gu return with a young boy, no one was surprised—they knew he'd gone to choose someone. But when they saw his bruised face, the two attendants serving him were more shocked than alarmed.
Everyone in Healer's Sanctuary knew how much the Master doted on the Sanctuary Heir. Who would dare harm a single hair on his head?
Ethan Gu ignored their expressions and said coldly, "Luna Gu, go get the medicine!"
Maxwell Jing glanced around the room, then, without caring about how dirty he was, walked straight to the bed, climbed on, and closed his eyes to sleep—all in one smooth motion.
Grace Gu was momentarily stunned before she regained her composure and rushed over to pull Maxwell Jing off. "How dare you! That's the Sanctuary Heir's bed, how can you just lie on it?"
Maxwell Jing opened his eyes and gave the beautiful attendant a sweet smile. "Good sister, can you let me rest for a bit? I'm exhausted and injured. The Sanctuary Heir hasn't said anything, so just pretend you didn't see me, okay?" He even grabbed her hand and gave it a little shake as he spoke.
Grace Gu hesitated, looking at his pitiful expression. She couldn't bring herself to scold him further. His eyes were striking, impossible to ignore. Examining his dirty little face, she thought that if it weren't for the bruises and swelling, he might be just as handsome as the Sanctuary Heir!
Grace Gu glanced at Ethan Gu and saw that he truly wasn't upset. After a brief struggle, she softened her tone, "You can't just sleep like this! Come, let me take you to wash up first!"
Luna Gu and Grace Gu were close to Ethan Gu and couldn't be compared to ordinary maids. They were bolder and more perceptive, always knowing how to read a situation and act appropriately.
Maxwell Jing immediately threw himself into her arms, rubbing his face against her, his expression full of gratitude. "Sister, you're such a good person!" Luckily he was still young, or he'd have been sent flying with a slap!
Ethan Gu's cold expression began to crack. He'd thought Maxwell Jing was bold and unrestrained, even daring to strike him, but he hadn't expected him to be so good at charming people!
Judging by Grace Gu's reaction, she seemed genuinely concerned about Maxwell Jing's injuries.
Luna Gu and Grace Gu had been with Ethan Gu since childhood, and nothing like this had ever happened before—they were worried about an outsider's injuries and had completely forgotten about their Sanctuary Heir!
After a while, Maxwell Jing returned with Grace Gu, hand in hand, both laughing and chatting—it was clear they were getting along well!
Maxwell Jing had changed into new clothes—not particularly expensive, but he always carried a hint of nobility. Though his face still bore injuries, his bright smile made him all the more endearing.
Luna Gu was helping Ethan Gu apply medicine. When the two returned, Ethan stopped Luna and looked at Maxwell Jing. "Medicine!" he ordered.
Maxwell Jing touched his face and waved his hand, "It's just a scratch, no need to fuss!"
Ethan Gu seemed to smile—maybe he did, maybe he didn't. He looked at Maxwell Jing and said, "I meant for you to apply medicine to me!"
Luna Gu and Grace Gu exchanged glances. Was it their imagination, or did it seem like the Sanctuary Heir was targeting this child? That wasn't like him at all—especially since he was the one who chose the boy. If he didn't like him, why pick him?
This chapter isn't over yet~.~ Click next page to continue reading the exciting story!