Chapter 492: Chapter 492: Refusing the Toast, Only to Drink the Punishment Wine
Ashley Shaw understands Ariana Grant’s concerns, so there’s no need to ask why she hasn’t replied to Leon Zeller yet.
She simply stands up and walks around Ariana Grant.
"You’re under 100 now, right?"
Ariana Grant sighs, "Now 114."
"Why are you sighing at 114? You’re completely normal now."
"Not at all. I looked in the mirror, stop teasing me."
Though she doesn’t look as overweight as when she first arrived in Aethelgard, due to her height, she still falls on the heavier side among average people.
"I’m not teasing you, I’m serious. You need to have more confidence in yourself. You’re truly beautiful now. Didn’t a boy from the class next door ask for your WeChat after the military training?"
Ariana had mentioned this once as a joke.
Ariana sighs again, "But he’s not just anyone, he’s from The Wolves... People who like him can wrap around Aethelgard, what am I?"
"You’re his girlfriend. No matter how many people like him, the one he likes is still you, right?"
"That’s because he hasn’t seen me yet."
Again, that damn lack of self-esteem is at play.
Ashley says earnestly, "You already have pretty facial features, and now you’ve lost so much weight, you’re definitely a beauty. Moreover, Leon liked you for your soul, not your appearance from the start."
After persuading her for more than half an hour, Ariana finally grits her teeth and says, "Fine! Then I’ll go meet him! If he doesn’t like me, I’ll come back and delete him! I’m so lively and cute, there’s no need to hang myself on this tree!"
Ashley laughs, "That’s the right way to think. If he really minds your appearance, it shows he’s not a good person, but I believe Leon isn’t like that."
Ariana nods, then decides to meet with Leon the day after tomorrow.
The reason it’s the day after tomorrow is that she has an appointment with Dr. Tate at the hospital tomorrow.
Ashley says, "I’ll go with you to the hospital tomorrow, and after seeing Dr. Tate, we’ll go to the mall to pick out a nice outfit for you."
Ariana responds with a "hmm" and quickly asks where Ashley has been with Elder Prescott these days.
Accompanying Elder Prescott was just an excuse for Ashley, so she feels a bit guilty saying, "Went to Glanburn."
Ariana widens her eyes, "You went that far for fun? No wonder it took four days to come back. But I remember there’s nothing fun in Glanburn."
Ashley brushes it off vaguely, only saying she accompanied Grandpa Prescott to visit an old friend of his and stayed at their house for a few days.
Ariana is straightforward and doesn’t suspect anything, she merely begins searching online for outfit ideas suitable for curvy girls.
...
In the blink of an eye, it’s the next day.
Ariana has the last appointment of the morning, with the intention of inviting Dr. Tate to a meal after the check-up.
Dr. Tate seems to understand her intention and suggests after examining her, "I haven’t seen you two girls in a while. Since I’m in the clinic today and don’t need to go to the ward, I have two hours to rest. Let me treat you to a meal."
Ashley says, "How can we let you do that? We must treat you today. Aunt Talbot, please don’t compete with us on the bill."
Knowing they’ve been wanting to thank her, Jane Tate doesn’t insist and with a slight smile says, "Alright, then next time it’s on me."
After that, Jane suddenly remembers, "I left my phone in the ward. Why don’t you wait for me at the hospital entrance while I go get my phone?"
Ashley quickly says, "You’ve been busy all morning, don’t run around, in which office is your phone? We’ll go get it for you."
Jane Tate replies, "Alright, I’ll just go and ask the nurse to handle something, let’s meet at the hospital gate."
After saying this, she tells them the location of her office in the inpatient department and heads towards the clinic’s front desk to find the nurse.
Ashley and Ariana head towards the inpatient department.
Dr. Tate is in the gastroenterology department on the fifth floor, and currently, Ivy Bond is also hospitalized there, only on the 12th floor.
By all accounts, it’s unlikely they’d run into each other, but as they say, "Enemies run on narrow paths."
While Ashley and Ariana wait for the elevator downstairs in the inpatient department, the elevator doors open and two people walk out.
One is sitting in a wheelchair, the other is pushing the wheelchair.
Ashley initially doesn’t notice the person in the wheelchair, only seeing the one pushing it — Finn Bond.
When their eyes meet, Finn’s restraint is clear in his eyes, and he immediately looks towards the person in the wheelchair.
Finn’s reaction is so big and obvious that Ashley instinctively follows his gaze.
In the wheelchair is a girl with a bald head, her entire head resembling a large egg.
Only after this glance does Ashley recognize her.
It’s Ivy Bond.
Ivy doesn’t know when she shaved her head, but she appears at least twenty pounds lighter than when they last saw her in Westcroft at the start of the school year.
Ariana has also lost a lot of weight recently, more than twenty pounds in less than two months, making her look noticeably slimmer and more proportionate.
But Ivy, who was already on the thin side, now looks almost skeletal due to the weight loss.
Ashley keeps her composure and, having recognized her, quickly looks away, her face showing no emotion, as if seeing a stranger.
But Ariana, who shows what she’s thinking on her face, recognizes Ivy.
A person who can’t hide their thoughts, her face shows obvious surprise.
But it’s merely surprise, and Ariana doesn’t think much in her mind, she just marvels at the fragility of life.
However, her surprise deeply stabs Ivy’s eyes.
Even after knowing she’s ill, Ivy still loves her appearance, especially in Cillian’s presence.
So when Cillian is around, she’s always wearing a wig.
But since Cillian isn’t there today and it’s Monday with many tests to undergo, she didn’t wear a wig while her brother pushed her downstairs... But unfortunately, she ran into Ashley and her friend!
Inner shame and indignation spiral like a tornado, almost making it hard for her to breathe.
She was able to endure until she saw the surprise in Ariana’s eyes.
Surprised, then what?
Once they’re out of the elevator, would those two bitches laugh at her?
Imagining the vile words that might spill from their mouths, Ivy trembles with rage.
Bitches! Bitches!
Why is she the one who’s sick?
Why isn’t it that bitch Ashley?
Her eyes swell with a stormy mist, threatening to consume everything.
Finn notices his sister’s discomfort but knows she values her pride too much, so he pretends not to see and continues pushing Ivy out.
