Chapter 7318

In a bustling city, he might have hesitated, since Maria looked no more than seventeen or eighteen,

While he was over thirty.

Unsuspecting people might think he was abducting a high school girl.

However, at the research station,

Jeremiah and Ria were there;

They knew Maria’s true age and naturally wouldn’t think he was taking advantage of a young girl.

Charlie hadn’t expected that while he felt comfortable being honest with Jeremiah and Ria about his relationship with Maria,

Maria was actually quite nervous.

Holding Charlie’s hand, she nervously asked,

“Young Master… if Miss Yun and Miss Song see you holding my hand like this,”

“They might laugh at us, right?”

Charlie was puzzled. “Laugh at what?”

“They know the situation; they can’t possibly say anything about me in their hearts, can they?”

Maria said nervously and shyly,

“I… I’m afraid they’ll think badly of me…”

“After all… after all, I’m really… really too old…”

Charlie suddenly realized.

He had only been thinking about avoiding being misunderstood as an older man dating a younger woman,

So he felt he had nothing to worry about when facing people who knew Maria’s background.

But he hadn’t realized that she was actually more afraid of this situation.

He smiled and comforted her,

“If you feel embarrassed, then we can just do what we did before.”

Maria hesitated shyly for a moment,

Then mustered her courage and said,

“I do feel embarrassed, but… it’s alright!”

As she spoke, she gripped Charlie’s hand even tighter, showing no intention of letting go.

Charlie smiled slightly, took her hand, and stepped into the Nordic research station.

At this moment, Jeremiah and Ria had already come out,

Waiting for Charlie to enter.

The moment Charlie pushed open the door,

They immediately sensed something was amiss.

Previously, Charlie would occasionally hold Maria’s hand when needed,

But it felt more like an older brother taking care of a younger sister.

Now, however, the two were standing one behind the other, their fingers intertwined.

This… it had suddenly changed.

Jeremiah and Ria were both intelligent women, and they immediately noticed the change.

Ria, like a gossipy onlooker, stared wide-eyed at their hands.

Jeremiah, however, was perceptive. Seeing Ria’s astonished expression,

She quickly pretended not to notice anything amiss and smiled, saying,

“Mr. Wade, Miss Lin, you’re back!”

Maria, unable to hide her embarrassment, simply nodded slightly.

Charlie, holding Maria’s hand, led them to the two and asked with a smile,

“While we were gone, were you in seclusion or had you already emerged?”

Jeremiah respectfully replied,

“Mr. Wade, after you and Miss Lin left,”

“Ria and I have been in seclusion.”

“The spiritual energy from the spirit stones you left behind is abundant,”

“And we haven’t been able to fully absorb it yet.”

Charlie nodded slightly and looked at…

Seeing their expressions, Charlie smiled and said,

“It’s clear that your cultivation has improved.”

“After the voyage resumes and you leave Antarctica,”

“Your cultivation will reach another level.”

He then took out two more spirit stones and handed them to them, instructing,

“Maria and I have returned to rest for two days.”

“We’ll leave again after two days, possibly not returning until just before the voyage resumes.”

“You two should continue your secluded cultivation here during this time.”

Hearing this, the two women understood even more clearly that the relationship between Charlie and Maria had fundamentally changed.

They were both quite shocked,

Yet it all seemed to make sense.

In their eyes, a woman as outstanding as Maria either never spoke of love,

Or only Charlie was worthy of her.

At this moment, both women felt a hidden, unspoken envy.

To them, wasn’t Charlie the most outstanding man they had ever met in every way?