Chapter 294 - 292: Silly You, Aren’t You Cold?

Wendy Duncan smiled as she entered. "I hope I’m not disturbing you by showing up unannounced."

"Not at all, not at all. I’m usually home alone," Jasmine Sterling responded warmly. "Just the other day, I was telling Estelle that I should invite you and Mr. Goodman over sometime."

This was Wendy’s first time visiting the Sterling family’s home. The unit had been snapped up before it even officially went on the market. Its location was a bit better than theirs, and it was larger, too.

She glanced around casually and couldn’t help but praise it. "This is a really nice place. No wonder Estelle thinks it’s better than our house."

Jasmine smiled, invited her to sit in the living room, and personally went to brew a pot of herbal tea.

"I brought this tea back from Veridia. Please, have a taste."

Wendy took the teacup from Jasmine and smiled faintly. "Don’t be so formal. I think we’re about the same age. You can just call me Wendy."

"When Estelle came home from here the other day, she told me I should come over to chat with you and take you out when I had the time. Since we’re neighbors and Estelle and Cecilia are such good friends, we should really see more of each other."

Jasmine nodded lightly, her gaze drawn to Wendy’s natural air of nobility.

But her elegance was very gentle; it didn’t create a sense of distance. Just as her daughter had said, Mrs. Goodman had a wonderful personality. Even though this was their first meeting, Jasmine didn’t feel any pressure.

The two chatted for a while before Wendy glanced at the time and extended an invitation to Jasmine. "Let’s go out for a bit. I happen to have an appointment with a few of my sales associates to see some new arrivals from a brand. You can see if there’s anything you like. The weather is getting warmer, so it’s time to add some new clothes to your wardrobe. We can get afternoon tea afterward. It’s the perfect weather for it—much more pleasant than being cooped up at home."

Jasmine, of course, didn’t refuse. This was the first friend she had made since coming to Lorcain, and Wendy’s invitation was so proactive and warm that she felt she ought to accept.

"Okay, I’ll just go upstairs to change and get ready."

Back upstairs, Jasmine opened her closet. It was filled with new clothes her daughter had bought for her, but she’d had no chance to wear them. Many still had the price tags on.

While her knowledge of brands was limited, she had a natural talent for aesthetics.

So when she came back downstairs, dressed in a carefully chosen outfit, complete with her own makeup, accessories, and a handbag, Wendy was momentarily stunned by the sight of her.

This Jasmine was like a completely different person from the one who had been drinking tea with her just moments ago.

"Jasmine, you look so beautiful!"

Wendy praised her sincerely.

Jasmine smiled, a little embarrassed. "It’s been a long time since I’ve dressed up so formally. It still feels a bit awkward."

"Seeing you like this, I can tell Cecilia really takes after you. No wonder I thought she was such a beautiful girl the first time I saw her. Now I know where she gets it from."

With that, she walked up and warmly linked her arm with Jasmine’s. "Let’s go. I already have the driver waiting outside."

*

At five in the afternoon, Ethan Sterling was the first to finish the last exam. After double-checking his answers and confirming there were no mistakes, he was the first to turn in his paper early.

Renee Reid looked up in surprise as he turned in his paper, slung his backpack on, and walked out of the classroom. She frowned slightly.

After a moment’s hesitation, she also got up and handed in her test.

"Ethan Sterling!"

At the top of the stairs, just as Ethan was about to head down, he heard Renee’s voice calling him.

He turned to see Renee jogging up to him. "Why did you turn in your paper half an hour early?" she asked.

Hearing this, Ethan retorted, "Didn’t you turn yours in early, too?"

"I came out because I thought something was off with you. I wanted to see what you were up to."

"Something off with me?" Ethan blinked innocently. "What could be off? I finished it, checked it, and turned it in. Staying there would’ve just meant spacing out."

Renee eyed him suspiciously. "What did Jameson Stone want with you this morning?"

She knew Jameson well. The guy was very unreliable, and there was no telling what he might drag Ethan into.

Ethan didn’t hide anything, answering honestly, "He said he’s taking me to play pool."

"Play pool?"

"Yeah."

"That’s it?"

"What else?"

Renee fell silent, but her eyes remained fixed on Ethan.

Finally, seeing that he wasn’t lying, she nodded. "Fine. I thought maybe there was a lead on your stolen bike. Remember to tell me if you hear anything. After all, I went with you to report it to the police."

"I know."

Renee quickly added, "Also, Jameson isn’t a bad person, but he can be really unreliable sometimes and is full of wild ideas. Don’t just listen to everything he says."

Ethan paused for a moment. He hadn’t gotten that impression at all. In fact, it was just the opposite. In the time he’d known Jameson, he’d actually felt more at ease about certain things precisely because Jameson was around.

’He seems pretty reliable to me!’

But Renee definitely knew Jameson better than he did, so Ethan didn’t argue.

"Well, do you want to come play pool with us?" Ethan asked casually.

Renee shook her head. "I’ll pass on pool. Just as long as you two aren’t hiding anything from me."

Ethan didn’t press the issue. It was true that a girl wouldn’t usually be too interested in a place like a pool hall.

The two of them walked to the school gate together before parting ways. Renee went to the bus stop, while Ethan waited by the side of the road for Jameson to come out.

Not until the five-thirty bell rang and a flood of students from No. 2 High poured out of the academic building did Ethan finally spot Jameson in the sea of people.

"Why are you out here? You turned your paper in early?"

Jameson asked, walking up to Ethan with a surprised look.

Ethan nodded, and Jameson gave him a speechless look. "Then why didn’t you tell me sooner? I would’ve turned mine in early too! How long have you been waiting? Are you stupid, standing out here waiting? Aren’t you cold?"

"Why are you such a nag? If you know I’m cold, then let’s get going," Ethan said helplessly.

Jameson looked at his slightly reddened ears, then suddenly reached out and flicked his earlobe.

"Ah!"

Ethan cried out in pain, the sound unexpectedly sharp and soft.

"What was that for!" Ethan shot Jameson an annoyed look, gently rubbing his ear. "That hurt."

"Just checking if your ear was about to freeze off. Your ear isn’t frozen solid, but your mouth sure is tough!"

With that, he threw a big arm around Ethan’s shoulders. "Let’s go! My treat today. I’ll teach you how to play pool!"

The two rode their bikes to a roadside pool hall not far from the school. This wasn’t Ethan’s first time in a pool hall. Back in Veridia, the internet cafe he used to frequent for gaming also happened to have a few pool tables.

But it was his first time in a dedicated pool hall like this one.

The moment the door opened, before he could even step inside, he was hit by a wall of cigarette smoke that made him cough violently.