Chapter 48


    Chapter 48


    | never expected the guy | was staring at to actually be Darren.


    He was usually rocking those silver specs and had thisid-back artsy dad vibe going on. To put it bluntly, he gave off this


    slightly stuffy and old-fashioned air.


    It was like he was a whole different person from the smooth charmer standing in front of me


    now.


    What a stark contrast.


    “So, Xaviera, you''re disappointed to find out it''s me?” he teased.


    | waved my hand dismissively, rifying, “No, no, that’s not what | meant. It’s just that your current look is a dead ringer for a


    character in our game, and that’s why | couldn’t take my eyes off you.”


    That probably came across a little rude.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Darren seemed taken aback, he sighed and said, “And here | was thinking you had a thing for


    this version of me, Xaviera.”


    | raised my eyebrows, momentarily at a loss for words.


    Just then, Tina and Kevin came bounding over from the right and greeted me enthusiastically.


    “Xaviera, you have no idea, before you got here, a bunch of chicks were hitting on Professor Yearwood,” Tina said with a hint of


    pride, lowering her voice, “and they even brought him coffee.”


    Kevin mimicked in a falsetto, “Sweetheart, sweetheart, what vor do you like?”


    4


    | couldn''t help but chuckle, “Darren, you really do have a chick ma vibe.”


    Kevin was about to say something more but Darren cut him off, “If you guys keep ribbing me like this, don’t bother calling me


    next time.”


    Tina and Kevin wisely backed off.


    That was when | found out that Darren, the university professor, was often bossed around by Tina and Kevin to attend various


    comic cons as their errand cosy boy.


    No wonder our paths crossed.


    Later, Darren showed me around different areas and introduced me to various unique anime promotion techniques. | actually


    learned quite a bit from the experience.


    It was a busy day, and | couldn’t let their help go unrewarded, so | suggested we all go out for a meal after the convention.


    We ended up at Aurora Eats.


    Little did we expect, as we passed by a second-floor private room, we bumped into Hry dining with a few wealthydies.


    Hry nced at Darren by my side and asked, “This guy looks familiar, Xaviera. Is he your new boyfriend?”


    | was about to set the record straight when Darren beat me to it, “Hello, Mrs. Hry, my name’s Darren.”


    Hry paused for a moment before extending her hand, “Handsome young man, where do you work?”


    Curious cat, | thought, frowning slightly.


    “| teach at N University,” Darren replied politely, “and I’m a ssmate of Xaviera’s.”


    No sooner had he spoken than Hry’s look became more scrutinizing.


    | smoothly changed the subject, asking Darren to go ahead and order while | stayed behind to handle Hry.


    In the hallway, she sighed, “Xaviera, I’m actually happy to see you settling down well, unlike Hogan, who’s really wearing me


    out.”


    Only


    when close did | notice that Hry’s makeup was a bit off, with powder caked at the corners of her eyes.


    “Not to hide it from you, Hogan’s really been over the toptely. He’s even been pushing me to bring Ms. Irwin to social


    gatherings. If his grandma finds out.”


    She trailed off, turning her face away, looking like she was about to cry.


    All | could offer wasfort, “If Mr. Zade insists, just go along with it. There’s nothing between mother and son that can’t be


    worked out.”


    “I''m just worried about those people in the Zade family.”


    As the richdies called out to her, Hry stopped and then returned to the private room, not before making ns to have tea


    with me sometime.


    She was really getting the hang of this wealthy lifestyle.


    Unlike me, still hustling for my daily bread.


    But | actually enjoyed dinner tonight; we were all old ssmates, reminiscing about our college days,ughter filling the air.


    Even | was surprised.


    Back home, lying in bed, | felt a strange sense of contentment, like maybe life had its moments.


    Then my phone rang.


    It was Hry.


    2/3


    Chapter 45


    At nine in the evening.


    Quite unexpected.


    Worried something was up, | answered.


    “Xaviera, you''re not asleep yet, are you? | just remembered where I’ve seen your boyfriend before.”


    | pinched the bridge of my nose, tempted to hang up.


    “There’s this well-known schr in Rivertown, Leonard Yearwood, have you heard of him?” Hry continued her gossip,


    “Leonard''s wife Is also a big deal in physics here. The whole Leonard family is high-end talent, and your boyfriend is Leonard’s


    grandson.”


    | was speechless, surprised.


    And | finally understood why a big shot like Frank was so friendly with Darren.


    It was just that Darren was usually so low-key and mild—mannered, you’d never connect him to the famous Yearwood family of


    Rivertown.


    But then it hit me, Hry was so eager to share Darren’s background, probably to hint that someone from his world wouldn''t


    ept someone from my humble beginnings.


    Chapter 49


    She''d been through the wringer too.