Chapter 347

Chapter 347: Chapter 346

She didn’t care about her own health, but he did. He picked out some more vegetables and deboned fish, placing them in Joanna’s bowl.

Simon Lockwood had also been very busy lately. His academic records had been transferred to Celestria, and after three rounds of written exams, he had successfully been admitted to a top university in Jornheim.

Due to his age and the timing of his enrollment, he was able to start directly as a sophomore, which meant it would still take him three years to graduate.

Simon Lockwood was fully capable of founding another “Southland,” but he didn’t want to. He wanted to take the civil service exam and become a government employee. The reason was simple: Joanna had once said that in every family, at least one person needed a stable job.

As an actress, Joanna’s future was unpredictable. If he passed the exam and landed a government job, he could be the safety net for them.

There was another, less important reason. Simon Lockwood had rejected Old Master Sinclair’s offer to transfer shares. The Sinclair family was a business dynasty; if he became an entrepreneur, they might try to suppress him. If he entered politics, however, he could exert some pressure on them in return.

“I’ll take the day after tomorrow off to help you pack,” Simon Lockwood said.

Hearing this, Joanna finally tore her eyes away from her script, shaking her head vigorously. “No, don’t. I can pack by myself.”

‘It’s just packing some clothes and daily necessities into a suitcase. I’m a grown woman, of course I can handle it. There’s no need for Simon Lockwood to take a day off work just for this.’

“You just focus on your studies and be a good boy.” Joanna mischievously pinched Simon Lockwood’s coolly handsome face. “I’m off to earn your tuition money!”

Simon Lockwood: “……….”

A flicker of exasperation crossed Simon Lockwood’s face. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

‘Joanna must have some strange quirk,’ Simon Lockwood thought. Ever since he’d started school, she’d taken to saying things like this, as if she were engrossed in a fun new game. She’d always deliver the lines with a perfectly straight face, topping it off with a sigh. “Having a student in the house is such a handful.”

Simon Lockwood had gone from stiff silence at first to simply accepting it with a deadpan expression.

‘It’s fine,’ he thought. ‘She can say whatever she wants. I’ll always get my due in other ways. After all, we have plenty of brown sugar and eggs at home.’

This prestigious university wasn’t like a regular one; the academic workload was even heavier than in high school. Simon Lockwood had transferred in and was tackling a new major, so he had a lot to catch up on.

He couldn’t win the argument with Joanna, so he didn’t take the day off in the end. Still worried, however, he placed a video call to her. Joanna answered almost immediately.

“Heeey,” Joanna’s voice purred, each syllable a playful hook.

The girl’s beautiful face appeared on screen. Behind her, folded clothes were visible on the bed and a large, silver suitcase sat on the floor.

Simon Lockwood began listing things off. “Remember to bring the first-aid kit. Pack some beef jerky and chocolate, too. I put your intimates in the small pouch, don’t forget it.”

Even though he wasn’t there, Simon Lockwood was fussing more than if he were home. From the look on his face, he desperately wished he could fly back and pack for her himself. Amused by his furrowed brow on her screen, Joanna laughed. “Simon Lockwood, you’re such a nag~”

“I packed it, I packed it, it’s all packed! You’re so annoying!” Joanna said. “My sweet, naive college boy shouldn’t worry his pretty little head.”

Simon Lockwood: “……….”

‘This isn’t the soft, cuddly Joanie from last night who said she didn’t want to leave him. She’s transformed back into the formidable, grown-up Joanna.’

He was standing in a hallway while on the call, and a few couples walked past behind him, excitedly discussing their plans for the evening. Their voices carried through the phone, and Joanna faintly caught words like “Christmas” and “gifts.”

Joanna glanced at the desk calendar beside her. December 25. Christmas Day.

Joanna froze for a second. ‘She and Simon Lockwood had both been so busy lately. Whenever they managed to get together, they were either all over each other or… doing *it*. Who had time to keep track of dates and holidays?’

‘It’s only Christmas, a Western holiday. It’s not like it’s a major traditional festival like Qixi. Joanna didn’t really have strong feelings about it, but couples on campus seemed to love it.’

‘Simon is on campus now. Will he be envious watching all the other couples celebrating together? She can’t be with him… will he feel lonely and sad?’

Joanna was lost in thought, and didn’t react even after Simon Lockwood called her name several times. His heart tightened. “Joanna, what’s wrong?”

“…It’s nothing, nothing.” Joanna snapped out of it and explained she’d gotten lost in thought about her script. As expected, she received a gentle “lecture.”

She listened obediently until Simon Lockwood finished, then asked, “Simon, do you have to work on your project tonight?”

“……” Simon Lockwood trailed off. After a moment of silence, he said, “Not that busy. My advisor said I could take some time off…”

Joanna burst out laughing, her eyes crinkling into crescents. She teased him intentionally, “My, you’re eager to see me off, aren’t you?”

“You can’t come with me, so seeing me off is pointless. We’d only get a tiny bit more time together.”

Simon Lockwood fell silent. His jaw was tight, and he clearly wasn’t in a good mood. Joanna’s smile only widened, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Simon, I really want to see you.”

“Then I’ll ask for—”

“No taking time off,” Joanna cut him off, her tone unreadable. “I said I want to see you. I didn’t say I wanted you to come see me off.”

A suspicion flashed through Simon Lockwood’s mind, but before he could grasp it, Joanna quickly claimed her phone was dying and hung up.

Staring at his now-dark phone screen, Simon Lockwood was speechless. “……….”

‘I’m just torturing myself,’ Simon Lockwood thought. ‘Why did I have to insist on going to this stupid university?’

Joanna had no idea she’d driven Simon Lockwood, the model student, to the brink of hating his classes. If she knew, she would have thrown her head back and roared with laughter, finally getting a taste of revenge for all the times “Mr. Lockwood” had lorded his academic prowess over her.

She was now packing her bags at lightning speed as she called her agent.

The moment the call connected, before Mindy Morgan could get a word in, Joanna spoke rapidly, “Mindy, can you change my flight? I just need to free up two hours.”

Her flight was at four in the afternoon. Freeing up two hours would push it to sometime after six. Mindy Morgan asked suspiciously, “What are you trying to pull?”

“It’s Christmas!” Joanna said excitedly, as if that explained everything.

Unfortunately, her agent, Mindy, who was over forty, failed to see the connection between the holiday and Joanna changing her flight. Her retort was brutally blunt. “What, are you not Celestria?”

“You’re the one who’s not Celestria!” Joanna retorted, getting flustered.

“Then what are you doing celebrating a foreign holiday!” Mindy’s voice shot up several decibels. “Just get yourself to the film set like you’re supposed to!”

Joanna: “……….”

“Mindy, it’s just two hours. It won’t delay me from getting to the set…” Joanna’s voice softened.

Her wheedling skills had improved lately, and even Mindy was starting to find it hard to resist. “Alright, alright, I’ll take a look.”

A few seconds later, Mindy said, “There’s only one flight left at 7:10. You’ll get into Calypsos at 11 PM. Don’t you dare pull any more stunts.”

“Okay, okay, okay,” Joanna replied, suddenly the model of obedience. “Thank you, Mindy!”