The next morning, in a haze of sleep, she heard someone moving around in the living room. But she was too drowsy to wake up.


    When she finally got up and headed out after freshening up, she found the table covered with three dishes, and rice still warm in the rice cooker, just needing to be heated. She had nned to text Abner, telling him not to bother cooking. After all, high school was hectic enough, and he had to get up before dawn, only to go to bedte. How could he have any energy left for sses?


    Then, it hit her—she had forgotten something crucial: getting Abner a cell phone.


    After wolfing down her breakfast, she hurried to the phone store and picked up a new smartphone for around $450.


    Realizing she was runningte for her meeting with Mark, she shot him a text.


    "I''ll be half an hourte."


    Arriving at Abner''s ssroom, she saw him propping his face, attentively looking at the ckboard and asionally jotting down notes. Shirley felt a warmth spread through her and immediately proceeded to Mr. James'' office.


    "Mr. James, I got Abner a phone and a SIM card. It''s got my number and yours in it. Could you pass it to himter?"


    James, surprised by another visit, took the phone and nodded. "Will do."


    "How''s Abner keeping up? Our schedules don''t align, and we might not see each other for days. Plus, my trantion work has been piling up."


    "He aced a pop quiz yesterday, scoring above average. Given his background, I was bracing for the worst. The kid''s smart and hardworking."


    Relieved, Shirley smiled. "Please make sure he gets the phone and tell him to call me if he needs anything."


    As the bell rang, James summoned Abner to his office, handed him the phone, and ryed Shirley''s message. Abner nced towards the hallway, his voice soft.


    "Did she leave?"


    "Yeah, she''s got her hands full. Abner, keep pushing. You''re smart-top three in ss isn''t out of reach."


    Holding the phone with only two saved numbers, Abner felt a surge of warmth. "Okay."


    As he was about to leave, James added, "And eat more. Shirley would worry if you don''t bulk up a bit in three months."


    "Okay."


    James waved him off. "You can head back now."


    Abner opened Shirley''s contact but decided to text instead.


    "Got the phone. Thanks."


    No reply came, and after three minutes, he put the phone away.


    *


    Meanwhile, Shirley arrived at Mark''sb. Mark pretended not to notice her, even though he clearly saw her. Knowing he was upset, she waited quietly outside.


    Two hourster, Mark appeared with


    Jessica, who chirped about her data and experiments, her admiration for him evident. Men thrive on such adoration, and Mark was no exception, though he tried not to show it. Unlike Shirley, Jessica constantly praised him, which only distanced Shirley further.


    Jessica noticed Shirley, her smile faltering slightly, but quickly regained herposure. "Hey, didn''t see you there."


    Shirley nodded. "Sorry if I seemed offst time."


    Jessica internally rolled her eyes, surprised at Shirley''s tolerance. "It''s fine. I wasn''t bothered."


    Then, clinging to Mark, she yfully


    asked if he could bring back food for her, making a show of her


    dedication by staying up all night for her experiments. Their closeness made Shirley feel like an outsider,


    but she remained silent until they finished their conversation.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Satisfied, Mark wrapped an arm around Shirley. "Learned your lesson? No more drama?"


    Though upset, Shirley managed a smile. "Let''s just go eat."


    Not far off, Jessica called out, asking Mark to bring her back something, already transferring him money for her share.


    In this revised version, the cultural


    and contextual elements have been


    adapted to fit a more Western audience focusing on the interpersonal dynamics and the challenges of bncing academic and personal life in a high school and university setting.