"Our dear Molly Zimmerman studies with our academic god Kenneth Osborne every evening, even on the Lantern Festival. What does that make her? Kenneth’s official wife?"
The girl’s loud exclamation, combined with its explosive content, naturally drew the attention of all the girls in front of the dormitory building.
They looked at Molly Zimmerman with a mixture of surprise, curiosity, and a hint of unabashed jealousy, or perhaps a bit of disbelief.
Someone hesitantly asked, "...Really? Is Molly Zimmerman that close with Kenneth Osborne? How come we don’t know about it?"
"Exactly, the campus paparazzi haven’t caught a thing..."
"And who doesn’t know at school that Kenneth’s bike never carries anyone on the back seat? He just turns everyone down flat..."
Molly Zimmerman smiled faintly, feeling much better. She said casually, "Nothing’s really going on, so why would anyone need to sneak photos? We’re not celebrities. What student doesn’t study late into the night? You guys are just overreacting..."
After speaking, she turned and went upstairs.
The girls downstairs were half-believing and half-doubting, but when they looked at the campus forum, besides that "breaking news" post, there was a huge thread discussing the "lucky person" who had the privilege of dining with Kenneth Osborne.
Everyone immediately started clicking through the thread to find out where this girl was from. Know thyself and the enemy, and you shall be victorious in all battles...
Soon after, Lawrence Winters and Kenneth Osborne finished their dinner, yet the massive thread on the campus forum was still filled with wild speculation.
Because no one knew who she was.
The three people who did know, Trio Jane and Frenzy Girl, were deliberately enjoying the spectacle, so naturally, they wouldn’t reveal Lawrence Winters’ identity.
Molly Zimmerman, on the other hand, was in a bad mood and went to bed without having dinner.
Trio Jane and Frenzy Girl, with their heads together in front of Frenzy Girl’s computer, were enthusiastically posting masqueraded gossip, having a blast.
In fact, they didn’t say anything substantial, but they’d already spun the "lucky girl’s" identity a hundred thousand miles away from the truth.
They dared to have this fun because none of the candid photos captured Lawrence Winters’ face; they were all just her and Kenneth Osborne’s backs. So there was no fear of Lawrence’s cover being blown in class later.
Reading through the forum posts guessing the "lucky girl’s" identity, speculating from being a high official’s legitimate daughter to an illegitimate one, then from a rich person’s adopted daughter to their niece, not a single person guessed she was a girl from an ordinary working-class family.
Because her clothes definitely didn’t look like what a typical working-class girl would wear, even if her parents were salaried employees, they’d be in the executive tier.
Lying in bed, Molly Zimmerman tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep, wanting to tell Trio Jane and Frenzy Girl downstairs to keep it down. But looking at her watch, it wasn’t even six in the evening yet. How could she restrict someone’s freedom?
She had no choice but to take out her phone and involuntarily started browsing that massive thread on the campus forum as well.
Just glancing at those photos made her feel uncomfortable earlier, but after calming down a bit and looking again, she still felt uneasy.
Staring at the photos for a while, Molly suddenly sat up and said, "...This back looks familiar... Trio Jane, Frenzy Girl, what do you think?"
She reached down from her top bunk to show them her phone, "Recognize who it is?"
Trio Jane and Frenzy Girl exchanged glances, each shrugging, "Nope, can’t tell."
"Really can’t tell?" Molly frowned, "This down jacket looks familiar, like I’ve seen it somewhere before."
Trio Jane stood up as if she remembered something, "I’m hungry, I want to go out to eat. Frenzy Girl, wanna come?"
"Yeah, I’m hungry too." Frenzy Girl closed the laptop, put on her coat, and left the dorm with Trio Jane to head to the cafeteria for dinner.
After leaving the dorm, Frenzy Girl took out her phone, found Lawrence Winters’ number in their class group, and sent her a text: [Lawrence, you’re famous, check out the massive thread pinned on the front page of the school forum. Remember to wear your down jacket inside out when you come back, so you won’t be recognized. That’s all I can do for you, sis.]
Lawrence Winters and Kenneth Osborne strolled out of the restaurant leisurely after finishing dinner.
Kenneth, at this moment, didn’t feel like biking and said to her, "Shall we walk back? It’ll help with digestion."
"Sure!" Lawrence cheerfully agreed. She always had a good temper when she was full, always been this way since she was little.
Whenever she cried her heart out, just give her a piece of dried sweet potato, and she’d gnaw on it happily all afternoon.
Kenneth glanced back just in time to see Lawrence’s neat row of small white glutinous rice-like teeth, and inexplicably recalled an old advertisement slogan, "Good teeth, good appetite," perhaps custom-made for Lawrence...
Kenneth pressed his lips into a slight smile.
Lawrence happened to look up and see this, clicked her tongue twice, "If you smile like that at someone else, those girls might just offer you their lives."
"...And you? Would you be willing to give me your life?" Kenneth joked half-heartedly.
"Me? Of course not!" Lawrence shook her head, speaking earnestly, "I need my life to earn a little money, why give it to you? — Besides, burdening you with a life out of nowhere, that’d be harming you, big brother DA!"
Although feeling slightly offended, he still wanted to laugh. What to do?
He gently held the bicycle’s handlebars, taking leisurely strides on his long legs.
Lawrence’s energetic and clear voice echoed in his ears, and the cold winter breeze turned into a soothing warmth, making him want to open his coat and let the wind in.
As they approached the East Gate, Lawrence heard her phone chime with a new message.
She quickly pulled out her phone, just in time to see Frenzy Girl’s text pop up.
After reading Frenzy’s text, Lawrence eagerly opened the university’s campus network app, smiling as she muttered to herself, "...Why wear the down jacket inside out? Why is there a massive thread on the campus network? Is it a degradation of morals, or a distortion of human nature? — Let’s dive into the university network and find out!"
This is the third update.
During the new book period, I’m trying for three updates a day. Please vote for monthly tickets and subscriptions, and of course recommendation tickets!
Hope everyone helps to spread the word~~~