Chiba's silence exceeded Hesta's expectations - it seemed that this was a very difficult question for her to answer.
"Miss Chiba?"
"Not friends, nor enemies." Chiba finally spoke in a low voice. She looked at Hesta, "Most of the time I don't object to her decisions, but we are not temporary collaborators... nor can we talk about trust."
Hesta was a little confused when she heard that - the answer given by Chiba obviously made her even more confused. She thought for a while and then asked: "Then, was it your idea to reduce my medicine or Anna's idea?"
"...When did you find out?"
"Yesterday, no, now I have to say the day before yesterday, the morning when Bree beat Gobelin." Hesta whispered, "Since I have been taking medicine continuously, the situation has been very stable. At first, Turan was in charge of me medicine, and then Rico, the only exception was three days ago, that is, the morning of the 17th, when Rico had a rest... and all the abnormalities started from then on..."
"It was my idea."
"Really?"
"Of course it's true. I didn't say it beforehand because I was worried about the negative placebo effect." Chiba was silent for a moment, "...but you noticed it as soon as the medicine was reduced. What should I say."
"You should have told me earlier," Hesta said softly, "Maybe there will be some negative placebo effect, but at least I can be mentally prepared.
"I yelled at Li Ge the night before yesterday, and she was frightened. I was also...sad."
"...Okay," Qianye's mouth sank slightly, "You rest first, and I will tell you the details tomorrow."
Hesta moved his left hand and held Chiba's index finger and middle finger. Chiba smiled and stuffed Hesta's hand back into the quilt.
There was a brief silence in the ward. Hesta kept looking at Qianye's face, with an expression between surprise and innocence flashing in his eyes.
"What's wrong?"
For a time, countless thoughts poured into Hestad's mind. Maybe he wanted to say too much, but no words came to his lips.
She thought of the hypocrisy that Rico talked about, of Liz's porcupine story, of the long conversations day and night over the past few days... A soft joy enveloped her, as if she had encountered an unexpected rose in autumn.
"...It's just that I didn't expect it to be so easy." Hesta murmured, turning her head, "Can you tell me now? I can't sleep right now."
"Yes, yes, but I don't have the materials at hand right now, so I can only speak based on my impressions of some things -"
There were hurried footsteps in the corridor outside the door, and Si Lei walked straight into the room without knocking.
"Jane!" Si Lei walked quickly to Hesta's bed. She took the hat on her head in her hand, "...I just heard that you were injured. Are you okay? Is the injury serious——"
When she saw Hesta, whose chest strap had been fixed, Si Lei fell into silence, her throat moved, and her bloodshot eyes were apologetic.
This expression made Hesta a little at a loss.
"It's okay," Hesta was stunned for a moment, "It's just a broken rib——"
"Yes, it's okay." Qianye hugged her arms, "But she came on the ship mainly to recuperate, you know."
Si Lei heard Qianye's harsh words, "...I didn't think carefully tonight. I originally thought——"
"No..." Hesta glanced at Qianye, then turned to look at Si Lei, "I'm indeed fine -"
"I'm very disappointed in you, officer," Chiba stood up and walked to Si Lei, "So when you said you don't treat me as a friend, you meant that you treated Jane and Rico as gunmen--"
Hesta was a little surprised when he heard this.
"Don't treat me as a friend"...what does it mean?
Is there a conflict between Miss Chiba and Officer Si Lei?
"There is no such thing!" Si Lei was a little annoyed, "I just-"
"You just dragged a patient and his bodyguard to help you with the work," Chiba tilted his head, "Then you wait for the matter to end in a safe place."
"I left the scene because-"
"I understand, I understand everything." Qianye raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, "Leave a fighting space for Rico and Jane, right? Not many mercury needles like to fight when ordinary people are watching. , how could I not know - but aren’t you doing your job too well? People are working hard in the front, and you are only responsible for shouting from behind? "
Si Lei took a deep breath, her cheeks turned from red to white, anger and shame rushed to her head at the same time, but she bit her lips tightly and did not make any argument.
Hesta was frightened for a moment, and felt that with Si Lei's current state, it would not be surprising if he fainted and fell to the ground the next moment.
In the tense silence, Hesta turned sideways and said, "That..."
Si Lei and Qianye looked over at the same time.
"What time is it now?" Hesta asked softly.
Si Lei glanced at his watch: "Two thirty."
Hesta nodded, "It's not yet dawn..."
"Of course not." Chiba replied, "What's wrong?"
"I think... I want to go for a walk," Hesta raised her hand, "Can I go to the observation deck now?"
Si Lei: "Of course not!"
Chiba: "Of course - yes."
Si Lei was keenly aware that Qianye changed her answer temporarily, but she was too lazy to argue with Qianye about it. She looked at Hesta: "Going out at this time? Why?"
"Rigo told me yesterday that the twilight line on the sea is very magical. I have... never seen it." Hesta whispered, "I remember there is a lounge area on the observation deck on the top deck. I can still lie down. Just... lie down and wait."
Si Lei suddenly remembered something and looked around, "Where is Rico?"
"She went back to rest."
"Then Gustave is with her -"
"No, Gustav is with Gobelin," Chiba replied, "he made his own choice."
"...Where are they?"
"Then where do I go?"
"Chiba!"
"Gobelin has given Gustav operational advice tonight, so don't worry about it."
Si Lei's voice was raised a lot: "How can you believe that kind of suggestion!?"
"Why not?" Qianye said with a smile, "Look at Gobelin being calm and relaxed every day. He must know the safest way."
Si Lei put on his felt hat again, "...I'll come see you later, Jane."
Hesta nodded. To a certain extent, she understood Si Lei's current mood very well. A living Gustave was the biggest achievement tonight. She was also happy to let Gustav see the sun tomorrow - just the thought that this kind of accident could temporarily make Anna's smile disappear, it seemed significant.
Under the gazes of Qianye and Hesta, Si Lei quickly turned around and left.
Chiba turned around and said, "Do you still want to go out?"
"...I think." Hesta replied, "It's more interesting to chat outside than to be locked up here."
