CHAPTER 171: CHAPTER 171: NOW THEY SUIT EACH OTHER BETTER

This pair of rings doesn’t have the largest diamonds, nor are they the most expensive.

But to Poppy Hale and Declan Hawthorne, they are the most important and unique.

Poppy Hale looked down at the ring.

The size was just right.

When she bought it back then, she was a bit chubbier than she is now.

Her fingers were a bit fleshy, and the ring was a tight fit. If she didn’t really like it, she wouldn’t have bought it.

Now it fits perfectly.

When she bought the ring, Poppy happened to pass by a mall and saw a pair of rings in the window that she really liked.

The price was acceptable to her, and she thought of changing the box later, so Declan wouldn’t know how much it cost.

Back then, she only thought about having a matching pair of rings with him.

She wasn’t even thinking about something as far off as marriage.

Unexpectedly, like a paper airplane from the past, it flew around and returned to her fingertips.

There were many students on campus.

Boys rode electric bikes, carrying girls as they zoomed through the school.

Hurrying to evening classes, grabbing spots in the library, picking up packages.

Watching them, Poppy Hale felt like she was back in her student days.

It hadn’t been many years, but so much had happened in these few years, she was pushed by fate to move forward, not daring to pause for a moment.

From being young and inexperienced to the meticulously thoughtful city woman she is now, it’s been just over three years.

Declan Hawthorne suddenly said, "I used to collect your packages."

"Huh?"

The Arvum University campus is large.

The package pick-up point was set on an alley outside the campus.

Every time she went to pick up a package, it took twenty minutes by electric bike from her dorm.

Many students started small businesses collecting packages for a fee, one to five dollars per trip.

Poppy Hale often hired someone to help her pick up packages.

Generally, the person would leave it at the dormitory entrance for Poppy to collect herself.

Poppy looked at Declan in surprise, squeezing his coat, "You collected them for me?"

"Yes, initially you asked someone from our dorm, but he was unavailable that day, then I picked up all your packages."

Declan Hawthorne remembered.

He told that roommate if Poppy asked for package pick-ups again, to tell him.

He would go.

The roommate thought Declan was doing it to conveniently meet up with Poppy, and agreed with a smile.

The money Poppy paid for pick-ups, the roommate gave it all to Declan.

It wasn’t much or little, but Declan added some to it and topped up Poppy’s meal card with it.

"Didn’t you notice your meal card always had money in it?"

"I thought my dad topped it up for me, after all, who would suddenly add a thousand dollars out of nowhere."

Connor Lynch would top up Poppy’s meal card when he noticed it was low on funds.

And if she didn’t spend much at the cafeteria, Connor’s call would come in.

He told her not to skimp on meals, not to diet, and if she wanted to slim down, she could get a gym membership, and he’d transfer the money.

She was also using the way Connor taught her to love her own child.

Now she knew some of that card money was from Declan.

"Why didn’t you tell me back then?"

"Afraid you’d laugh at me."

"Laugh at what?"

Declan held Poppy’s hand, putting it into his coat pocket, and walked with her towards the parking lot.

"Afraid you’d laugh at me, for liking you too much."

Poppy was taken aback.

"Your major had outdoor sketching sessions every Wednesday afternoon, and I’d always go look for you."

"Wasn’t it just a coincidence?"

"Do the lake pavilion and Fourth Building go the same way?"

Most of Declan’s classes were in Fourth Building, located on opposite ends from the lake pavilion, arguably the furthest distance in the entire school.

At first, when she saw Declan during sketching, Poppy was pleasantly surprised.

Later on, every Wednesday, she hoped to run into him.

He’d always say it was just a coincidence, there was a library over there.

Thinking back, the library by the lake pavilion was mostly social science books, and Declan going there wasn’t really about the books.

"Declan, did you specifically wait for me?"

"No."

"It wasn’t about waiting for you, I just wanted to see you. Just seeing you made me happy."

Back then, she didn’t understand that his feelings were possessive, were intensely fervent liking.

Poppy looked at him.

Declan’s lips broke into a slight smile, his profile perfectly sculpted, no different from the way he looked when Poppy first saw him at seventeen.

Just more mature, and so is she.

He is now more suitable for her than before.

Mutual respect, openly affectionate.

And so is she.

-

The next morning, Mia Quinn brought files to Poppy Hale.

An uncontrollable excitement on her face.

"President Hale, several master designers who weren’t interested initially said they’d give it a try after seeing our design drafts!"

The set of design drafts was indeed remarkable.

The elements were rarely used and cleverly combined; the whole set from necklace to earrings was indispensable.

Poppy Hale named the set.

Metamorphosis.

Justin Hawthorne had been away these days, so there was no time to discuss details, but everyone else in the company was eager.

Everyone who saw the jewelry design drafts was impressed, and when Poppy showed them to Declan, he didn’t expect Justin to have such talent.

"Reach out and inquire about their pricing and schedule, we need to present them at the Hawthorne Group’s jewelry exhibition in half a month."

Mia Quinn drew out her voice, teased, "I thought President Hale didn’t plan to use Hawthorne Group’s resources."

Poppy Hale smiled, raised her hand, and said honestly, "Half of the resources are mine; using my own, what’s wrong with that?"

Mia followed with a lively grin, "I thought you didn’t like President Hawthorne anymore, fortunately, you two are still together."

"Poppy, you don’t know, when you were in the marketing department, President Hawthorne often sneaked peeks at you!"

Poppy Hale looked up in surprise.

"How do you know?"

"My seat was right by the doorway, and President Hawthorne, with nothing to do, often paced around our department’s entrance. Was he looking at the prosperity plant to see if it was watered with hot water?"

Having gotten familiar with her, Mia loved to make jokes too.

Poppy Hale realized she was quite lively.

Mia was like grass growing from rocks, resilient and strong, exuding a vibrant energy like deer running on the prairie.

An employee once suggested she get facial treatments,

After all, as Poppy Hale’s assistant, it wouldn’t hurt to be a bit prettier.

But Mia said she thought she looked pretty now, her tan skin was because she was a girl who walked out of the mountains.

Poppy even thought, if Florence Lynch could grow up as confident and energetic as Mia, that would be wonderful.

"Obviously talking nonsense, President Hawthorne in the company has the freedom to do whatever he likes."

"He was definitely looking at you; don’t doubt it. I also heard Wendy Archer blamed you for leaking game data in a meeting, and President Hawthorne was really upset."

Poppy Hale frowned slightly.

Wendy Archer?

She hadn’t had much interaction with her before.

But last time, when discussing a manuscript, Wendy represented Hawthorne Group in approaching Finn Young, offering almost half the usual price.

Poppy Hale nodded lightly.

"I know."