Liberty remarked, “Don’t think too much about me in the future. I’ve never disliked you, just as you never disliked me for being as fat as a pig.” Duncan quickly replied, “You’re not ugly at all. When you were more relaxed before, you were not ugly. You looked really happy.” Liberty countered, “Ugly is ugly. When I look in the mirror, I despise my chubby self.” It was acceptable to be foolish once, but she wouldn’t allow herself to be foolish again. She needed to take better care of herself and avoid overeating. Before losing weight, she was so heavy that she not only had a fatty liver but also elevated uric acid levels. After shedding the weight, her uric acid normalized, and her fatty liver improved.

“Liberty, you bought Sonny toys and new clothes, but you didn’t get anything for me,” Duncan shifted the topic, feeling jealous of Sonny. Liberty smiled in response, saying, “You don’t need anything. Sonny is a child and grows quickly; he needs new clothes almost every year. Your height is already set, and last year’s clothes still fit this year. When I return, I’ll bring you some local specialties from Jensburg.” Duncan replied with a hint of bitterness, “Sonny will grow up to be someone else’s husband. In the future, his wife will take care of him. I’m the one who will be with you as you grow old. You should pay more attention to me. I also want new clothes; I’ll like whatever you buy.”

She rarely gave him gifts and had previously stated that she didn’t want to remarry, rejecting his feelings. Though she didn’t explicitly say she would marry him in the future, she already felt a romantic connection. In everyone’s eyes, they were seen as a couple. Duncan had naturally taken on the role of her husband, intending to stay by her side for the rest of her life, even if she never married him.

In the end, Duncan knew he would always be by her side, and they could remain good friends for the rest of their lives. He truly wanted to receive a gift from Liberty; no matter its value, he would cherish it simply because it was from her. The bouquets she had previously sent counted as visits when he was a patient. Zachary and Josh occasionally received small gifts from their partners, which made Duncan envious as he watched his close friends showcase their tokens of affection. Their partners had even purchased the clothes that Zachary and Josh were wearing, and Josh proudly showed him that even his bottoms and socks were gifts from Jasmine. Among the Iron Triangle, Duncan felt the most miserable. He was fond of Liberty but hadn’t married her yet and rarely received thoughtful gifts. Liberty smiled and said, “I’m just teasing you. If you don’t mind, I’ll buy it for you. But I want to clarify that the things I buy for you won’t be as expensive as what you buy for yourself. They won’t come from big brands. Given my current financial situation, I can only afford mid-range products for you.” Duncan replied, “I said that no matter what it is, high or low, as long as it’s a gift from you, I’ll like it. If you give me a handful of grass, I’ll know how to hide it.” Liberty laughed and responded, “When the time comes, I’ll go to the outskirts of Jensburg, cut a handful of grass, and bring it back to you. You have to keep it safe all the way home.” At the end of her sentence, Liberty couldn’t help but chuckle. She had teased him without intending to worry him, but it had backfired, leaving her with the obligation to give Duncan a gift. “Okay,” Duncan laughed as well, knowing that Liberty wouldn’t actually go through with cutting and bringing him a handful of grass.

Liberty remarked, “It’s quite late. You should head to bed early and don’t forget to do your rehabilitation tomorrow morning. Auntie mentioned that you skipped rehabilitation today.”