Chapter 17: Chapter 16
Time really flew. She remembered it was around this season when she first arrived in this world.
She wondered how Simon Lockwood and Serena Sutton were doing, developing their relationship in places she couldn’t see.
Joanna Kennedy asked 166 nosily, but it resolutely refused to tell her.
School was out on October 1st. The study halls and library were open for the high school seniors, and many went to study.
Joanna Kennedy was cooped up at home watching movies. She ended up drifting off and didn’t wake up until the afternoon.
She tidied herself up a bit, planning to go out for a meal. She had already tried all the restaurants near her villa complex.
The family driver took her to the city center. Joanna Kennedy got out of the car and headed for the mall, going straight up to the third floor where the restaurants were.
Just as she reached the third floor, she heard a commotion.
"This is a designer shirt! It costs tens of thousands! So tell me, how are you going to compensate me?!" the man’s voice was arrogant.
"But you were the one who—"
Joanna Kennedy didn’t catch the rest of it. The familiar voice made her stop and look over.
She saw Serena Sutton.
’...What’s going on?’
Serena Sutton was wearing a waitress uniform, standing in the middle of the crowd. Her delicate face was a mask of embarrassment and anxiety.
Across from her, a short, stout middle-aged man had a wet stain on his shirt. He was holding his head high, refusing to let the matter drop, and as he spoke, he even reached out to grab her.
Serena Sutton quickly backed away, avoiding his grasp. She never expected to run into such a scoundrel while working a part-time job during the holiday.
When his attempt to grope her failed, he had deliberately dirtied his own clothes to make trouble for her.
Many diners had gathered around to watch. The middle-aged man grew even more brazen. "What about it? If you damage something, you have to pay for it. I see you’re just a young girl, so I won’t ask for much. Twenty thousand will do."
Twenty thousand...
The color drained from Serena Sutton’s face; she was clearly terrified.
Seeing he had achieved his goal, the man couldn’t help but rub his hands together. Just as he was about to lower his voice and say something—
—the back of his collar was yanked hard. A lazy female voice sounded from behind him. "Mister, what century are we in? Still pulling this old trick? Extortion is a crime, you know."
Joanna Kennedy pulled her hand back and wiped it with a tissue in disgust.
The man’s expression changed at her words. He took in her appearance and, before he could flash a sleazy smile, was put in an awkward spot by her disgusted gesture. His expression shifted dramatically, like an actor in a play.
"What extortion? This ’big brother’ isn’t someone who’s easily scared. You break it, you buy it. That’s just common sense,"
’Big brother, my ass. What a shameless old man.’
Joanna Kennedy rolled her eyes. "Fine. You want compensation? Let’s check the security footage and see who really started it."
Her tone was scornful. "A measly shirt, and you want twenty thousand for it? Where’s the receipt? Show me the receipt, and I’ll reimburse you."
It was a knockoff he’d bought at the market for about a hundred yuan; of course the middle-aged man didn’t have a receipt.
Joanna Kennedy had an extraordinary air about her and was well-dressed; she was obviously the child of a wealthy family. The man was already feeling guilty, so when he heard her demand both the security footage and a receipt, he grew flustered and angry. He left in a hurry with a parting shot, "Just my luck," and forgot all about the compensation.
The crowd of onlookers dispersed. Serena Sutton, who never expected Joanna Kennedy—the girl who was always so cruel to her—to help, said softly, "Thank you."
"Who needs your thanks?" Joanna Kennedy was as sharp-tongued as ever. "I just couldn’t stand that old lech. I wasn’t trying to help you. Also—"
She stared maliciously at Serena Sutton. "You really are stupid. If you’re this dumb, you should be studying harder, not thinking about love and romance all day."
After issuing her warning, Joanna Kennedy turned and walked away, looking carefree and smug.
The middle-aged man who had appeared out of nowhere to cause trouble, Joanna Kennedy’s coincidental arrival and how she’d gotten rid of him with just a few words, and then her final warning...
’How could it all be such a coincidence?’
Serena Sutton stared at her retreating back, her fingers slowly clenching into a fist. For a moment, her delicate face twisted into an ugly expression.
Joanna Kennedy had no idea she was being suspected as the mastermind. If she knew, she’d have cried foul. ’Please,’ she’d think, ’I’m supposed to be on the villainess path, not the ’I-have-too-much-time-on-my-hands’ path.’
Joanna Kennedy quickly forgot about the small incident. She was busy these days, because Simon Lockwood’s birthday was less than two days away.
Although Simon Lockwood hadn’t paid any attention to her birthday, she was magnanimous and wouldn’t hold it against him. The one who is favored is always fearless, and who could blame her? The "Joanna Kennedy" of this world was just that smitten with his face.
For his birthday last year, she had given Simon Lockwood a limited-edition watch, but he hadn’t even accepted it.
This year, Joanna Kennedy was changing her strategy. No more throwing money at the problem. Sincerity was the ultimate weapon.
She was all thumbs, but after being cooped up in her room, she finally managed to finish the gift, only to realize the sun had already set.
She carefully packed the gift, jogged downstairs, and told the driver to get the car.
It was a public holiday, so the coffee shop was even busier than usual. On his break, Simon Lockwood quickly finished his dinner. His phone buzzed—it was a text from Joanna Kennedy, asking where he was.
Simon Lockwood glanced at it and replied, "At home." The coffee was ready, so he put his phone down and brought it to the customer.
Two hours later, his shift was finally over. Someone came to take his place, and he packed up his things and hurried home.
In the meantime, the manager of The Crimson Hall had settled his final wages via bank transfer, expressing regret over his resignation and telling him to focus on preparing for the college entrance exams.
Simon Lockwood was grateful to the manager and replied, "Thank you."
He rode his bicycle back to the old alleyways. A few scattered lights shone on either side. The narrow concrete path was full of potholes, and electrical wires crisscrossed messily overhead. The air was filled with the damp scent of osmanthus blossoms.
The further in he went, the closer he got to his home. The soundproofing was poor, so Simon Lockwood got off and started walking his bike instead. A few seconds later, he stopped in his tracks.
The faint, yellow light from a window across the way stretched the shadow of a girl squatting by the wall.
The girl had her head down, holding something in her hand and doodling aimlessly on the ground.
The SCRAPE of the bicycle startled the small figure squatting by the wall. Seeing it was Simon Lockwood, the girl immediately threw down what was in her hand. Her legs were numb, and she stumbled as she tried to stand. "You don’t even blink when you lie! Didn’t you say you were at home?!"
Her voice was thick with grievance as she snapped, though it sounded more petulant than angry.
The corners of her eyes were red. Her white dress was smudged with a noticeable stain, as if she’d brushed against something. Her slender, pale calves were trembling slightly, and the pair of white canvas shoes on her feet were dirty, too.
She looked like a forlorn, white ragdoll cat.
Joanna Kennedy followed his gaze down to her dirtied dress and shoes and blushed with embarrassment. "This is all your fault! What kind of dump do you live in...?"
She pouted, trying to wipe the stain, but only made it worse. A flare of anger shot through her, and she started rambling, "All you ever think about is making money! You can’t even remember your own birthday! And after I made a special trip to celebrate with you... I rushed over, afraid you’d already gone out with someone else,"
Her voice grew quieter as she spoke, and her head drooped. In a muffled tone, she finished, "...and what happens? You lie to me and make me wait for over three hours for nothing. Simon Lockwood, you big liar... You did this on purpose, didn’t you...?"
