Chapter 76: A Sweet Surprise and Public Praise

Chapter 76: A Sweet Surprise and Public Praise

Ethan paused for a moment before letting out a relieved chuckle.

"Alright, I'll cheer you up," he said indulgently, leaning closer to Emily as if pondering how to comfort her.

Emily continued to pout, looking at him with a mix of annoyance and affection.

Ethan carefully lifted her bandaged arm and scrutinized it for a few seconds, his brow furrowing slightly.

"Does it hurt?"

"It does," Emily said with a sulk, glancing at Ethan's reaction. "It really hurts."

She was pleased with the visible concern on Ethan's face. He seemed to want to rub her arm but hesitated, worried about hurting her wound. Instead, he gently held her unbandaged hand.

"I'll blow on it."

As he spoke, he bent over and softly blew on the white bandage, a gesture more symbolic than practical.

To Emily's surprise, the pain seemed to ease a bit. But why did the blowing turn into kissing?

Ethan began by placing a tender kiss on her soft palm, his lips brushing gently over the scratch, with his rough chin grazing her fingers. He pressed half his face against her hand and looked up at her.

"Does it still hurt?"

Before Emily could respond, Ethan tilted his head and unexpectedly kissed the tip of her finger. The kiss was delicate and soothing, but then he suddenly nipped it playfully.

Emily's response was immediate: "!"

The pain seemed to vanish, replaced by a tingle running from her heart to her back…

Ethan finished by planting two more kisses on the back of her hand before pulling her into an embrace, carefully avoiding her injured arm.

"Promise me you won't do this again, alright?" he said softly in her ear, his tone resembling that of a concerned father.

He was both comforting and reprimanding her. There was no escaping it; as her husband, he had to worry about her like a doting parent.

Emily leaned against him, murmuring a soft "Okay" in agreement.

Her mood brightened as she nestled in his arms, feeling reassured. She pondered for a moment, resting her chin on his chest, and looked up at him.

"Do you think I did something wrong?" Emily asked quietly. "Do you think I was… foolish and impulsive?"

Ethan shook his head, pressing his lips to her forehead. "Not foolish."

He gave a light tap on her nose. "But it was indeed impulsive."

"Helping others is not wrong, but you need to ensure your own safety. Why didn't you call for help? Why jump in so recklessly?"

Emily pouted again, feeling a bit more aggrieved. "It was an urgent situation at the time…"

She hesitated for a moment. "Can I tell you the truth?"

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "What truth?"

Emily bit her lip. "When I saw someone falling, my first reaction wasn't to save them…"

Since she had been taking pictures of children earlier, Emily was the first to notice the person falling. But her initial impulse was to lift her camera…

In a moment of reflection, she remembered a story Annie had told her.

Years ago, a South African photographer captured a shocking image: a thin, starving child lying on the ground in Sudan. Nearby, a vulture watched intently, waiting for the child to die so it could feast…

This photo, titled "The Vulture and the Child," won the Pulitzer Prize for its stark portrayal of human suffering. It sparked a fierce debate about the photographer's choice to capture the moment instead of intervening.

The photographer later wrote, "I am deeply sorry; the pain of life far outweighs its joys…" and subsequently took his own life.

"That photographer was brave and had a strong sense of conscience. His works had a significant impact. But I understand his actions, even if I don't agree with them. Sometimes, a photographer can't just be a photographer," Annie had said.

Emily had heard similar stories about photographers capturing tragic moments without helping.

She had wondered what she would do in such a situation—take pictures or help?

She figured she'd probably run away in fear.

But when she heard the child's cries earlier, she realized she was braver than she had imagined.

She was scared, of course.

Even with just a scratch on her arm, it was better than living with the shadow of regret every time she picked up a camera.

At least now, she could look at the photo of the smiling boy she saved with a sense of peace and even a bit of pride.

"I don't regret not taking the photo, and I won't regret saving the child," Emily said softly.

She looked at Ethan's face, "Don't be mad at me, okay?"

A sweet smile played on her lips as she thought about how Ethan would react.

Ethan shook his head. "I'm not mad at you."

He gazed at her, pausing before speaking. "Can I tell you the truth, too?"

Emily blinked. "Go ahead."

"Emily, I don't want you to do things like this again," he said firmly. "I can't tolerate any risk, even the slightest possibility."

"Others might praise your bravery, but to me, no one's life is worth the risk of losing you," Ethan said intensely. "Not even mine."

"You don't need to tell me about the value of every life. To me, no one's life is more valuable than yours."

His words were twisted, yet he spoke them with conviction.

"You can say I'm not as noble or kind as you, that I'm cold and heartless," Ethan tightened his embrace, "but I love you."

"I can't bear the thought of losing you. Just thinking about it is unbearable."

When he saw her in danger today, Ethan experienced what it meant to be soul-shattered.

Even though his bodyguards reassured him that she was fine, seeing her bleeding arm in a photo made his head spin.

"Not a scratch," Ethan insisted. "Not even a tiny one."

He could handle injuries himself or take them on for her. But his beloved must remain unscathed.

Ethan recalled her earlier pout and added, "And no more crying, alright? It breaks my heart too."

Emily, feeling a bit cheeky, smiled secretly and thought of a new way to tease him.

Ethan remembered something and grinned. "If it's like last night's crying, then that's acceptable."

Emily: "..."

This man could really use a dose of patience.

"By the way," Emily suddenly perked up, "I have one, no, two pieces of good news to share!"

Ethan: "What?"

"Annie just told me she sent one of my works to a competition!" Emily whispered excitedly, like a proud child showing off a certificate. "It's not a portrait; it's a nature photo. The competition is very prestigious!"

"That's wonderful!" Ethan said, patting Emily's head like a proud father. "When will you know the results? Are you confident about winning?"

Annie had asked Emily the same question earlier, and Emily had humbly said, "It's the participation that counts." But to her husband—

"Yes!" Emily smiled confidently, "I think the photo is amazing!"

Ethan smiled back. "I believe you'll definitely succeed."

Seeing her sparkling eyes, he could finally convince himself that her efforts were worthwhile.

Winning wasn't the key. What mattered was that she had regained her professional confidence and pride after the previous slump.

"Annie took a photo of me saving the child earlier. She wanted to share it, but…" Emily hesitated, looking at Ethan. "If the photo gets out in China, it might…"

The public still didn't know she was out with Annie. Emily didn't want to publicize it.

She didn't want to be accused of showboating or creating a hype. If the photo got out, it might be branded as a publicity stunt…

"It might be too late," Ethan said, handing her his phone. "Many people have already seen it in China."

Emily: "!"

Taking the phone, Emily saw a photo of herself holding the child on the platform.

But it wasn't Annie's photo. It was likely taken by a bystander and posted on social media, where keen-eyed netizens had found it.

[It's really Alisa!! She's been out of touch for a while; what's going on?]

[!! My sister's arm is bleeding, sob sob, where is this?]

[Translation: Brave photographer saves child who fell on the platform. One minute after, the train arrived. Lucky!!]

[Alisa is amazing; I'm crying [tears] She's like a fairy!]

[Feel sorry for her. Why are there always such careless people around?]

[I heard Alisa has been working abroad recently. People were mocking her when her studio closed, but it seems she's been improving her skills. She really loves photography and is always striving to get better.]

[@Creston Media Enterprises @Ethanxx Your wife is injured; go comfort her! Don't just talk, kiss her!]

[Did anyone else notice? Alisa's backpack that she jumped down with is Hermes… she dragged it on the ground [kneeling]]

...

"You don't like it? I can have the posts removed immediately," Ethan said.

Emily shook her head.

Maybe it was seeing so much today, but she suddenly realized she didn't mind it much.

Emily put down the phone and raised her lips.

"I have one more piece of good news to tell you."