CHAPTER 127: CHAPTER 127: MEMORIES (27)

"I’m here." Ethan Harper sighed softly on the other end: "Once I finish things here, I’ll be back soon."

It’s been almost a month since they last saw each other. Yesterday, he wanted to see Florence Fuller before he left, but she said she had classes and no time.

He left feeling a little regretful.

"Alright, when you come back, I’ll pick you up," Florence Fuller said.

"Should be about a week. Once I confirm the return ticket, I’ll send you the flight information."

"Okay."

"Everything’s fine at school?" Ethan Harper was concerned about what Michael Fuller had planned regarding the son of the city official.

But since the semester started, he hasn’t heard Florence mention it.

"No, nothing," Florence replied.

Ethan Harper was silent.

Considering her exceptional looks, it’s impossible she doesn’t have admirers at the university.

He’s eager to stay by her side.

"That thing..." Florence hesitated and decided to ask: "About the money you invested for me..."

The rest of the sentence got stuck in her throat, unable to come out.

Her throat felt bitter.

On Ethan Harper’s side, there were some whispering voices, and Florence heard someone respectfully call him young master.

Ethan was waiting for her words; when there was no sound after half a sentence, he asked: "Hmm... What’s wrong?"

Florence suppressed the bitterness in her throat and swallowed the sob: "Nothing... It’s just... I wanted to ask how the feedback is."

"Very good," Ethan Harper replied: "You also know how to look at investment trends now; you can check it out."

"Okay." Florence blinked: "I’ll wait for you to come back, talk to you later."

She hung up after speaking, blinking quickly to dispel the tears in her eyes.

It’ll be alright, it can be overcome, just endure a little longer...

That’s what she told herself.

____

"Hello, for your order."

Though it’s a café, being close to the school, it offers more than just coffee, including various fruity tea drinks, at friendly prices; the place is packed with noisy customers.

Mostly students.

Florence Fuller immersed herself in making drinks one after another, as her colleague Isabelle Moore tapped her: "Florence, I’m hurrying to the restroom, please cover for me."

"Sure."

Wearing a hat and mask, only revealing a pair of long lashes and watery eyes, even with her face covered, people could tell she was definitely a beauty.

She had just gone to the pick-up counter when a man approached from the side.

He was her schoolmate.

"Can you handle it? I can help you," he said with a grin, his pure white teeth and rosy cheeks catching the female customers’ curious glances about their relationship with Florence.

Florence pretended not to hear.

"I’ve been here for several days, and you haven’t said a single word to me," the man said. "Do you remember me?"

Florence: "Next, what number?"

The man wasn’t discouraged; he kept coming here for days just trying to get to know Florence, but she ignored him, knowing he was a high-cold beauty.

"I’ve told you my name, I’m called..."

"Excuse me," Florence interrupted him: "I’m very busy, please don’t bother me."

Thomas Tennyson: "..."

He silently returned to his table, as his dorm mates laughed: "Oh... turned back again."

"It’s normal for a beauty to have a bit of a temper," another looked at Florence’s busy figure and commented, "She seems very classy; I thought she was a rich girl, didn’t expect."

"Brother Tennyson, have you really decided to pursue her?" A tall, skinny boy named Ethan Palmer said: "I heard something in the finance department a couple of days ago."

"What was it?" The chubby boy leaned over.

"On the first day of school, this department flower beat someone up; it seemed like a boy was harassing her, and she showed quite a force. Those who know say she’s definitely a fighter."

Thomas showed interest: "Isn’t that even better? I like the fierce ones."

"But if you date her and get beaten up, what then?"

Thomas looked at Florence and squinted: "It’s okay, I don’t care."

The noisy sounds gradually diminished as the full café began to empty. Gazing at the darkening night outside, Florence slowly came back to her senses.

"Finally off work." Isabelle Moore circled her neck, observing Florence’s uncovered beautiful face as she took off her mask: "Florence, are you heading back alone?"

Isabelle was also a student working part-time, a sophomore, but they were not in the same department.

"Yes."

"It’s already ten," Isabelle glanced at the dark night outside: "Be careful riding home."

"I will, you too."

Isabelle clicked her tongue, thinking she’s pretty, capable but untalkative, with plenty of pursuers; yet this sister seemed unmoved romantically.

"Let’s go." The manager came out: "Lights off, I’m locking the door."

People left the store one by one, saying goodbye at the entrance.

She turned around and headed toward the intersection, spotting a tall, familiar figure under the streetlamp.

He stood beneath the lamp’s shadow, face unclear, but Florence recognized him instantly, her hand trembling slightly.

Seeing she saw him, Ethan Harper stepped out of the shadow: "Florence."

Florence turned away immediately, feeling an impulse she didn’t want Ethan to see her like this.

Ethan saw this and quickly caught up.

Her colleagues, thinking she might be in trouble, turned back mid-leaving to look at the man chasing her.

Turtleneck sweater and coat, handsome and poised.

Didn’t seem like a harasser.

Florence halted, Isabelle came over, glancing at the nearby man: "Florence, do you need us to walk you?"

"No need." She calmed down: "I know him, you guys can go ahead."

She suppressed an indescribable feeling, turned to Ethan, and spoke first: "Why did you... come back, you said you’d be late by two days?"

"Settled things ahead of schedule." The girl in front of him kept her head down, he said: "I called you yesterday noon, you didn’t answer."

Back then in France, it was evening, Cloudsea was noon. He called her before boarding, intending to inform her about returning, but Florence missed it.

Florence thought back and seemed to recall rushing here after lunch, missing his call, planning to return it at the café but got busy and forgot.

"How did you... find me here?" she asked nervously.

"I went to your school looking for you." He thought she didn’t know he’d give her a surprise by visiting her at school, as they hadn’t seen each other for a while.

Went to school for her, Florence felt a pang in her heart.

But he missed her.

After asking around, he found out she was working part-time here.

With the crowds inside, he barely saw her, even ordering a drink but watching her back busy at the counter.

Then he went back outside, waiting in the car until now.

He wondered why she took this part-time job.