Chapter 12
When Serenity had been in prison, she had been all alone. Lisa had visited her from time to time,
encouraged her, and worked hard for her affairs. Otherwise, she might not have gotten out of prison
alive. It was Lisa who had supported her during those three difficult years.
‘Lifesaver?’ Thoughts flickered in Jackson’s eyes. Lisa seemed to hold an unusual ce in Serenity’s
heart. “But isn’t it ridiculous to regard someone as a lifesaver? If your lifesaver abandons you one day,
wouldn’t that give you more despair?”
“She won’t,” Serenity spoke with unparalleled certainty and absolute trust in her eyes.
Somehow, Jackson had an ufortable feeling because of Serenity’s confidence. It seemed as
though he did not want someone else to be worthy of her trust. It was as if she could give everything to
that other person.
***
Soon, Serenity had an increase in workload. As the higher authorities wereing to inspect the
Sanitation Office over the next few days, some overtime was required.
Fortunately, Jack would prepare the food and wait for her to get home, and this warmed her heart.
Serenity had told Jack not to wait for her and that if she waste, he should eat first. Despite that, he
insisted on waiting for her toe home so that they could eat together.
Sometimes, Serenity felt they were like siblings, depending on each other in a shabby and humble
rented ce. Maybe this was what it felt like to have a younger brother.
Serenity cleaned the streets she was in charge of in the early morning and returned to the Sanitation
Office. After putting the tools away, she stood in the empty space in front of the entrance.
The inspectors from the City Council would be arriving in a moment, and everyone in charge of street
cleaning would stand there to greet them as it would be convenient for them to report on their work
later on.
Serenity’s slender figure stood out among the group with mostly middle-aged women and men in their
forties to fifties.
Soon, the inspectors arrived at the Sanitation Office.
Among them, a young woman around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old suddenly eximed
when she saw Serenity. “Serenity? You must be Serenity!”
Serenity looked up only to see ady in a light blue suit. Although she was wearing sophisticated
makeup, she looked ordinary with her round face, narrow eyes, and her hair that was tied up.
Serenity was stunned for a moment, and it took her a while to recognize her high school ssmate,
Janice Moore.
“It’s really you.” Janice looked at Serenity in surprise, “Why are you here? Are you… a sanitation
worker?”
“Yeah. I’m working here now,” Serenity answered frankly. She did not evade Janice’s probing eyes.
After all, she would always meet someone she once knew. Even though she was a little embarrassed,
she had to bear it.
“Janice, do you know each other?” Janice’s colleague who hade along for the inspection asked.
“Yeah. Meet Serenity Lewis. She was the prettiest and top student in our ss, always ranked at the
top of every exam. Many boys in our ss liked and chased her, but she didn’t fancy any of them.”
Janice spoke to her colleague, deliberately praising Serenity highly.
However, the more she praised Serenity, the more it contrasted with Serenity’s current state.
Sure enough, Janice’s colleague frowned. “Her? Was she really the top student and the most beautiful
in your ss? You must be kidding.”
Janice pursed her mouth in a small smile with a self-satisfied pleasure in her heart. Serenity had been
admired by many people in the ss. Meanwhile, she was just an ugly duckling. No one had ever
noticed her.
However, what was the use of being the prettiest in the ss? Serenity had still ended up as a
sanitation worker who had to clean the streets!
Upon hearing Janice’sments, Serenity’s colleagues turned their heads toward her. The people
surrounding her had different looks on their faces. It was either looks of surprise, sympathy, or mockery.
The next day, Serenity came back to return the tools afterpleting her work in the morning, and a
young girl from the tool department asked Serenity curiously, “Serenity, were you really the prettiest
and top student in ss?”
Before Serenity could answer, Quinn Fender, another member of the tool department snorted coldly.
“What’s the use of being the prettiest and top student? She’s just a sanitation worker now. If she was
that good, she would’ve changed jobs.”
The young girl who had asked the question before looked at Serenity with an awkward look. Serenity
only lowered her head, signed her name on the record book after returning the tools, and turned to
leave.
X went after Serenity and patted her shoulder,forting her, “Don’t take Quinn’s words to heart.
She’s taking it out on you because she likes Pete from the team.”
Serenity was simply confused. She did not know who X was talking about and what it had to do with
her.
“Pete is the driver of our team, and he seems to be interested in you. Doesn’t he usually say hello to
you?” X exined. She was truly concerned for Serenity’s sake. “Pete is a nice guy, and he’s well-
established in his career too. His parents even bought him a house for his future marriage. Why don’t
you consider him?”
Serenity shooked her head. “No, thanks. I don’t want to be in a rtionship at the moment.”
“You’re already 27. When your age goes up, it’ll be hard to find a partner.”
“I’ll just stay single,” Serenity replied. She no longer had any expectations for love by the time she was
released from prison.
Zeke and Serenity had made vows at the beginning of their rtionship, however, things had changed
later. Even when she had had her ten nails pulled out, Zeke had shown no sympathy for her, merely
faintly stating without a frown, “You deserved it.”
That moment had been devastating for her. All the emotions of the past she had were wiped out. Many
times, she would dream of this scene and wake up from the dream in terror. Her fingers ached many
times. Whenever it happened, she told herself that this so-called love was simply cruelty.
Serenity simply did not want to experience love again.
Besides, it was tough for her to find a job as an ex-convict. Would finding a marriage partner be any
easier? How many people could ignore her history?
However, Jack’s face shed in her mind as she spoke of this. Speaking of which, she would get her
sry in the next few days. Then, she could buy a cell phone for Jack.
“Oh, child…”X sighed and said no more.
Serenity took Jackson to the mall after getting off work on payday, intending to get Jack a cell phone.
“Having a phone or not doesn’t really matter,” Jackson said indifferently. He did not think she would
actually get him a phone.
“Everyone has a cell phone nowadays. It’ll be easier to find a job with a phone. It’s convenient for the
company to contact you. Handing out leaflets daily isn’t a good long-term job,” Serenity said. “Besides,
if you have a cell phone, it’ll be easier for us to tell each other if you’reing homete.”
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The two came to a cell phone store in the mall. There were many brands for sale, but Serenity could
only afford a phone around two hundred dors or so. She then checked online and found several cell
phone options in this price range.
Serenity picked out the phones she had chosen and asked Jackson to see which one he liked.
“I can only afford these phones now, but I’ve checked online. These are the best value phones in this
range and with great specs. You can use it first, and we’ll get another one after saving more money in
the future…”