Chapter 303
After Alexander Laurent left, Lillian Lopez also lost interest.
"I'm going back."
She abandoned Simon Lowell and turned to leave.
Simon stood frozen in place.
He wanted to chase after her for an explanation, and to see her home.
But he remembered his duties as the faculty representative.
He couldn't leave early.
She could come and go as she pleased, but he had to stay.
Simon sighed helplessly.
Even though they were a couple, he always felt Lillian was distant and elusive.
So distant that he had never truly understood her thoughts.
Since they started dating, aside from holding hands, they hadn't even kissed.
He lowered his head dejectedly.
Suddenly, someone bumped into him.
"Sorry! Did I hurt you?" Hannah Morse was holding a plate piled with pastries in one hand and a drink in the other. The collision had spilled some of her drink.
She apologized frantically.
Simon waved it off. "It's fine."
He pulled out a tissue and handed it to her. "Here."
"Thank you!" Hannah moved to take it but realized both her hands were full. She flushed with embarrassment.
Simon noticed her dilemma. "Should I hold the plate for you?"
"Would you mind?"
"Not at all." He took the plate from her.
Hannah wiped her hands. "It's all my fault for being so clumsy…"
"Don't worry about it. I was lost in thought and not watching where I was going."
"Let me give you a pastry to make up for it."
Simon finally noticed the four or five types of desserts on the plate: mango mousse, durian mille-feuille, Napoleon…
"Sounds good." He smiled and took the durian mille-feuille.
A flicker of reluctance passed through Hannah's eyes.
"What's wrong?" Simon found this girl quite amusing.
Her expressions were rich and genuine, her thoughts completely written on her face.
Hannah shook her head. "Nothing. This one is really delicious."
"You've tried it?"
"Yeah! Three pieces."
"…"
"Your expression just now didn't look like 'nothing.' Were you reluctant to give it to me?"
Hannah gave an awkward laugh. "No, no. I just… can you actually eat durian? A lot of people don't like it. I thought you wouldn't choose that one…"
That way, the last piece would still be hers!
Simon laughed. "I like it!"
But it had been a long time since he'd had any, because Lillian hated the smell.
Last time, Zoe Langley gave him a small piece. "Secretly, don't tell Lillian."
Simon thought since Lillian wasn't in the lab today, the smell would be gone by tomorrow, so he took a bite.
But she still found out the next day.
She ignored him for three days.
After that, Simon never touched durian products again.
But today…
He suddenly didn't want to restrain himself anymore.
Simon said, "I'll take this one! Thanks!"
He was about to leave when suddenly—
"Is that the hidden food toy charm from Kim's?!" Hannah was about to leave when she caught a glimpse of the charm on Simon's phone. It was the "Sweet Dumpling" one she had been trying to collect for ages!
She was instantly thrilled.
She had a bit of a compulsive streak and had to complete the entire set when opening blind boxes.
This food toy charm set only needed the "Sweet Dumpling" to be complete.
Sweet Dumpling was the hidden variant, with an extremely low pull rate.
That dessert shop only sold the blind boxes during special events. Her luck had always been terrible; she hadn't pulled the hidden variant in over a year or two. Seeing Simon's charm now, she couldn't hold back her excitement.
Simon was somewhat surprised. "You go to that shop often too?"
"Yeah! Their cakes are pretty good."
Simon usually didn't bother much with these small ornaments.
On one hand, Lillian looked down on them. On the other, he felt a man in his thirties hanging these things seemed immature.
But this charm had been on his phone since he bought it. It wasn't very noticeable, so he was surprised this girl had such sharp eyes.
"How many times did you pull?" Hannah asked.
"About three times?"
Hannah gritted her teeth in frustration.
Why was everyone else so lucky, while she had such terrible luck?
Simon couldn't help but laugh at her gnashing teeth. "How about you leave me your address? I have another hidden variant at home. I can give it to you."
Hannah's head snapped up, meeting his gentle, smiling eyes. He reminded her so much of the big brother from next door who used to play with her when she was little!
Simon was 178 cm tall, with regular features and a gentle, scholarly demeanor. When he smiled, his eyes seemed to light up.
Soft, without any hint of aggression.
As tolerant as water.
Hannah stared at him blankly, her cheeks suddenly feeling hot, the warmth spreading to the tips of her ears.
Her speech became stammered.
"You… you re… really want to give it to me?"
Simon was puzzled. She was fine just a moment ago; why was she stuttering now?
He found this girl quite cute and was about to speak when someone called out to him:
"Dr. Lowell— the event is almost over. We need you to verify and sign off!"
"Okay, coming right away."
He suddenly remembered something, turned back, and handed her a business card. "My phone number is on here. Remember to send me your address."
Hannah held the business card, watching him leave until his figure disappeared before she finally looked away.
She lowered her gaze to look at it—
Simon Lowell?
…
Sophia Sullivan had already left, and Sebastian Evans had no interest in socializing.
An event like this normally couldn't attract him. He had only come for her.
But before leaving, he still went to say goodbye to the dean, and smeared the reputation.
The dean, wise with age, smiled and agreed—
"Don't worry, I'll handle it."
"Good."
After Sebastian went outside, his nicotine craving hit. He reached into his pocket for his lighter but suddenly paused.
Ethan Roscente stood not far away, leaning against his car, smoking.
He looked over coldly—
"What? Want one? I thought you quit ages ago?"
Sebastian curved his lips. "Yeah, I quit. But not completely."
Ethan: "Want a cigarette?"
Sebastian shoved his hands in his pockets and walked towards his own car, parking right next to Ethan's.
He didn't take the cigarette. Instead, he pulled out a pack of gum from his car and started chewing. "No need. I have this."
Ethan scoffed lightly. "Poser!"
Sebastian: "Why are you out here? Weren't you dancing with your girlfriend?"
Ethan: "Finished. It's stuffy inside. Came out for a smoke."
He pulled out his lighter and lit up.
The smell of nicotine carried by the wind filled Sebastian's nostrils. The familiar scent made his fingers itch, but his expression remained unchanged.
Ethan held back again and again but finally couldn't resist sneering: "Things seemed pretty lively over on your side earlier. So? How does it feel to be rejected?"