Howard's face instantly darkened, like dark clouds looming before a storm.

He clenched his fist tightly on the blanket, his knuckles turning bluish-white from the force.

He stared intently at the bowl of rancid, mushy porridge and the three hard steamed buns that could kill a dog, his chest heaving violently, a surge of anger gathering deep within his eyes!

Good! Very good! Aunt Gou! Is this what you call "taking care"?!

Howard suddenly looked up, his sharp, hawk-like gaze shooting towards the direction of the ward door!

It was as if you could see through that door and into the woman who always wore a warm smile, but now seemed incredibly hypocritical and malicious!

"Bang!"

A muffled thud! It was Howard's clenched fist slamming hard against the metal railing of the hospital bed! The entire bed frame vibrated and groaned!

A sharp pain shot through the wound on his left shoulder, but he was completely oblivious! This physical pain was nothing compared to the raging fury burning within him at that moment!

"Outrageous!" Howard spat out the four words through gritted teeth, his voice low and hoarse, carrying a heavy, bloody stench. The storm in his eyes was almost tangible!

"Xiao Wang!" Howard called to the guard at the door.

Xiao Wang pushed open the door and came in.

"Go and find out what kind of food Aunt Gou has been sending to Mingzhao these past few days. Also, bring back the 10 yuan I gave Aunt Gou!"

Xiao Wang glanced at Ming Zhao and the food beside him, a look of understanding dawning on his eyes. He had overheard everything at the door and naturally knew the reason.

Mingzhao looked at his furious expression, but her face remained expressionless.

She simply picked up the book again, sat back on her small cot, as if she had just displayed two ordinary items.

She turned the pages, her gaze returning to the complex symbols and formulas, as if Howard's roof-shattering rage around her had nothing to do with her.

However, though she appeared calm and composed on the surface, she was clearly satisfied with Howard's performance. Aunt Gou had repeatedly caused her trouble; it was time she was taught a lesson!

However, in the instant she lowered her head to concentrate on reading, Howard's eyes, burning with anger, keenly caught a hint of something amiss!

On the inside of Mingzhao's slender left wrist, near the cuff, there was a small, unnatural red mark! The color was fresh, it was slightly swollen, and the edges had some minor breaks in the skin! The shape... clearly looked like a finger mark left by someone grabbing or even pinching it forcefully!

Howard's pupils suddenly contracted! His heart felt as if it were being gripped tightly by an icy hand!

What is this?! That Aunt Gou?! She dared to lay a hand on me while delivering food?!

This thought was like lighting the fuse of a powder keg, causing Howard's anger to explode completely!

"Zhao Zhao!" Howard's voice suddenly rose, carrying an unquestionable command and suppressed rage. "Come here!"

Mingzhao looked up at the sound, a hint of confusion in her eyes as if her train of thought had been interrupted. Now… she didn't understand why Howard was still angry either.

She closed the book and went to Howard's bedside as instructed.

Howard extended his uninjured right hand, his movements as swift as lightning, and grabbed Mingzhao's slender wrist! His fingers were burning hot, and his grip was uncontrollable due to his anger!

"Hiss..." Mingzhao gasped softly, his brow furrowing almost imperceptibly. The spot where he had been grabbed was precisely where that red mark had appeared!

Howard's heart sank! He forced himself to loosen his grip, but his fingers remained firmly wrapped around her wrist, exposing the glaring red mark completely to the light. He stared at the mark; every word seemed to have been pulled from an ice cellar, chilling him to the bone:

"Where did this injury come from?"

His gaze was sharp as a knife, fixed on Mingzhao's eyes, not missing a single subtle change in her expression. "Was it Aunt Gou? Did she lay a hand on you when she brought you food?!"

The air in the ward seemed to freeze.

The chilling killing intent emanating from Howard, a man who had been through countless battles and whose body was stained with blood and fire, almost caused the temperature to drop sharply!

Mingzhao's wrist was being held by him, and she could clearly feel the scalding heat from his palm.

Looking at those muscles that were trembling slightly with uncontrollable anger.

And in Howard's eyes, there was a murderous rage and undisguised concern. In his calm eyes, something extremely subtle seemed to ripple slightly, too quick to catch.

She didn't answer immediately. She simply tilted her head slightly, as if seriously considering Howard's question, or perhaps assessing his current state.

There was a few seconds of silence.

Just as Howard's patience was about to run out and his anger was about to erupt, Mingzhao spoke. Her voice remained flat, but she clearly uttered two words:

"no."

Howard's brows furrowed deeply: "No? Then what happened? Who did this?!"

Mingzhao's gaze slowly shifted, passing over Huo Hua's shoulder, and landing on the spot diagonally behind his hospital bed, near the door—there stood a standard hospital bedside table used to hold a thermos and other miscellaneous items. On the top shelf of the bedside table was a silver-white tin thermos provided by the hospital.

Howard followed her gaze, puzzled.

Mingzhao raised her right hand, which was not being grabbed, pointed to the silver thermos, and then gently touched the fresh red mark on the inside of her left wrist with her fingertip.

Her movements were slow and clear.

Howard's gaze swept back and forth between the thermos and the red marks on her wrist. In a flash, an absurd yet perfectly reasonable thought suddenly crashed into his mind!

His anger faltered: "You...you got burned by accident?!"

Then, looking at Mingzhao with concern, she asked, "Did you apply medicine? When did you get burned? Why didn't you take care..."

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