Chapter 1635

In the surgical treatment room, Taylor stood next to the table, his injured right leg propped up on a chair. The nurse had cut open the fabric of his pants to make treatment easier, revealing a gruesome wound—raw flesh and blood on display. After a thorough procedure, the wound was stitched up with 14 careful sutures. When Jenson walked in, he found Taylor seated on the bed, wiping sweat from his brow. Taylor glanced up, his expression calm. "How's everything going over there?" "They're still in the ward, but it shouldn't be anything serious," Jenson replied, pulling a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. He took out two and handed one to Taylor. Taylor reached out to grab the cigarette. Jenson lit it for him before lighting his own. They settled side by side, exhaling clouds of smoke. Jenson stared up at the fluorescent lights, blowing out a smoke ring. "Do you think we're starting to look like a couple of misfits?" Taylor smiled wryly upon hearing this. He let a plume of smoke escape his lips, choosing to remain silent. Taking a deep drag, Jenson furrowed his brow in contemplation. "Honestly, I have no clue how Chandler managed to win Helen over. Why is it so complicated to like someone?" he mused. "Hey, you two!" a nurse called from the doorway, peering in. "Don't you know smoking isn't allowed in the hospital? Put those out right now!" Taylor and Jenson exchanged amused glances before tossing their cigarettes into the trash. Once he finished getting dressed, Taylor stood up and placed a hand on Jenson's shoulder. "I need a favor from you." "Have you forgotten you're the power broker of Dragon's Den? What could you possibly want from me?" Jenson asked incredulously. After a moment's reflection, he added, "Let me guess—this is about Abigail again, huh? Are you still reluctant to take action yourself?" Taylor nodded. "You know me too well." "Hold on," Jenson said, pulling back slightly. "I'm not like you. I've put my feelings on the line before—only to get turned down. If you like her, just say it! This sneaky approach can't last forever." "She's already accepted Gideon's proposal," Taylor replied. "Bringing it up now would only complicate things. Let's deal with this group of adversaries for them; we can consider it a wedding gift." Jenson raised an eyebrow in surprise. He wrapped his arm around Taylor's shoulder and gave him a couple of hearty pats. "No worries," he said. "Being the backup is what we're here for. As long as they're happy, we won't have any regrets." … The next day, Gideon groggily woke up. As he blinked his eyes open, he saw Jenson standing at the foot of his bed. "What are you doing here?" Gideon sat up, suspicion evident in his gaze. "I was the one who brought you to the hospital," Jenson replied, cutting to the chase. "Regarding your conflict with those guys, SK Group and Destiny Corporation have already stepped in to smooth things over. As long as you don't provoke them again, they won't cause you any more trouble." "Why are you helping me?" Gideon asked, still cautious. "There's no particular reason. But if you insist, I admire your integrity as a journalist. We both want to see more stability in this world," Jenson replied, adopting a formal tone. Gideon's expression hardened, his tone dripping with sarcasm as he said, "Unfortunately, I wouldn't dream of aspiring to be like you, Mr. Newton. The sort of actions that toe the line of legality are well beyond my reach." Anticipating this reaction, Jenson shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, if that's your stance, then there's nothing more to discuss." With that, he turned and made his way to the door.