Chapter 1902


    Chapter 1902


    “Are you sure? I’ve actually gained a few pounds.” Julian helped Ste with the bag and said jokingly,


    “But you certainly looked chubbier now. You must be eating well at Keegan’s house.”


    Ste suddenly felt like smacking this kid. With a stern face, she said, “Shut up if you don’t have


    anything nice to say. I’m curvy, unlike a skeleton like you. Your limbs are so thin that they make you


    look weak. I doubt any girl would be interested in you.”


    Julian snorted, “I’m still growing.”


    “Cut the nonsense and help me buy things.”


    Every New Year, Ste would buy a lot of things to give to the children at the welfare center. The kids


    loved receiving gifts from her; it reminded them that someone still cared for them.


    When Ste was picking the gifts, Julian said, “Ste, you don’t have to pay for my tuition fees next


    year.”


    Without looking at him, Ste put some items into the shopping cart and said, “Did you hit the lottery?”


    “Nope.” Julian cleared his throat and said, “I should be able to get a schrship next year.”


    Ste paused and teased him, “You’re only in your first semester now, and there’s another semester


    left for this


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    year. How can you be so sure that you’ll get it?”


    Julian said, “I got a GPA of 4.0 in the first semester, and the second ce was 3.8. If they want to


    surpass me in the second semester, they have to get a perfect score.


    However, well be taking a philosophy course next semester, which no one has ever been able to score


    full marks.”


    Then, he added with a slightly proud tone, “I’m definitely getting the schrship next year.”


    Ste smiled, “Save your prize money. You don’t have to worry about tuition fees and living expenses;


    I’ll take care of them for you. Enjoy your university life and focus on studying. You can pay me back


    when you have a job and an ie after graduating.”


    Julian kept quiet for a while before he said, “You talk just like Keegan. No wonder you two are


    together.”


    Ste chuckled softly, “Study when it’s time to study and make money when it’s time to make money. If


    you want to do everything at the same time, you’ll end up losing everything.”


    She then grabbed a down jacket in front of her and said,” This doesn’t look bad. Try it on.”


    Julian refused, “I already have one.”


    “If you don’t want me to buy every clothes in this shop, then you’d better put it on.”


    Julian pursed his lips and chose another slightly cheaper one, “I’ll try this then.”


    Ste nodded, “Go ahead.”


    After they were done shopping, Ste told Julian to put on the down jacket she had just bought for him.


    Previously, the welfare center was always short of money. Julian, the sensible boy he was, never asked


    Shelley for anything. He would wear the same down jacket for several years. Even if he grew too tall to


    fit it anymore, he neverined.


    Shelley did give him some money to buy new clothes, but he was reluctant to spend it because he


    knew that the welfare center had other kids to take care of. So, he spent the money on other children


    instead.


    He always felt that after growing up, the welfare center had no reason to continue supporting him.


    Ste could always notice these small details that others may have overlooked.


    For example, when others saw him not wearing a jacket, they would say, “He’s young. I bet the cold


    weather has nothing on him.”


    But that was not true at all.


    Julian tucked his hands into the pockets of the down jacket, and the warmth would spread from his


    fingertips to all over his body.


    Across the street, Dahlia was staring at Ste from her car with her brows tightly furrowed.


    Half an hour before, she called Aurora to ask what Ste was doing. Aurora told her that Ste was


    sleeping at home.


    ‘Why did Aurora lie to me?’ Dahlia wondered to herself.


    With a stern face, she dialed Aurora’s number.


    At that time, Aurora was having an awkward conversation with Aldor.


    Cordelia had forced her to go on a date with him. He brought her to a cafe where he worked, and


    Aurora sat there absentmindedly.


    ‘Why can’t he do this during working hours? What is he even thinking? Is he simply showing that he


    has no interest in me? Well, I don’t want to be with him either!’


    Just as Aurora was pondering on how to lead Aldor into making a big mistake so that Cordelia would


    take the initiative to cancel the engagement, Dahlia’s call came through.


    She paused and turned to answer the call, “Hello, Mom.”


    “Where’s Ste now?” Dahlia asked in a displeased tone.