章節 26: Chapter 26: A Gathering Storm
Chapter 26: A Gathering Storm
Despite being a mess, Lydia Moore kept smiling foolishly at Aaron King.
He glared at her, and she smiled back. He glared again, and her smile grew even brighter.
Finally, unable to tolerate her foolish grin any longer, Aaron King coldly tossed the whisk back onto the table, stylishly shrugged off his flour-covered jacket, and let out a displeased huff. With an air of indifference, he stormed past her, striding toward the kitchen door. If he stayed any longer, either she'd drive him insane, or he'd accidentally strangle her. She had an uncanny talent for finding new ways to irritate him.
But the most troubling thing, the thing that confused him the most, was how he kept losing control in front of her. He'd always been cold and domineering, yet nothing had ever truly riled him up—because he didn't have a heart.
But somewhere along the way, something had started to change. Her defiance sparked his anger easily, and her simple-minded antics made him want to tease her. And just now, he had shown her a smile—a smile that came from a place of unguarded sincerity.
How could someone so plain, so utterly beneath his notice, so lacking in sophistication, possibly affect him like this?
"Starting tomorrow, I'll teach you how to make a cake properly." Just as Aaron King was about to leave the kitchen, her voice called out from behind him. Though he couldn't see her face, Lydia Moore placed a hand over her heart as if making a solemn vow to herself. She was determined to teach him how to bake a cake that would fill his every bite with happiness because, "I think we can be friends." She was willing to put all her effort into making her friends happy; she didn't want to see the loneliness in his eyes anymore.
Just before he stepped out the door, Aaron King thought he heard the word "friends." He didn't turn around, but for a brief moment, his deep-set eyes softened, and his lips twitched almost imperceptibly.
Her voice was gentle, slow, and soothing, like a spring breeze over a field, creating a space of calm and clarity in his mind, where all the agitation and unease melted away into nothingness.
The sun shone warmly, the air filled with the scent of plane trees and roses. Lydia Moore tilted her head slightly, reaching out to touch the fragrant, tiny particles floating in the air, her palm slowly closing around a handful of happiness.
The next afternoon, thin sunlight filtered through the curtains of the music room, filling the space with a soft, warm pink-and-white glow, accompanied by the faint sound of music.
After the second music practice session, a senior student with long, dark, wavy hair, wearing a neatly pressed dark blue music society uniform, walked in from the doorway, smiling warmly at everyone. Recognizing her as the top violinist of the junior year music class, the students who had been chatting in small groups quickly returned to their seats, and those tuning their instruments paused their actions. The room fell silent.
Standing over 170 cm tall, with a blend of Eastern elegance and Western boldness, Grace Hinton was the embodiment of nobility. She was as graceful as a princess yet approachable. Under the admiring and respectful gazes of the students, she ascended the podium. After a brief moment of scanning the crowd, a charming smile spread across her translucent face. "Hello, everyone. I'm Grace Hinton, a third-year music student and the vice president of the music society."
Her voice was like a gentle spring breeze, her gaze confident yet humble, drawing everyone in. "I know many of you have eagerly signed up to join the music society, and as your senior and vice president, I'm truly delighted. I look forward to working together with you. However…"
She glanced at the eager faces before her and said honestly, "This year, the selection process for the music society will be more rigorous than in previous years, with President Julian Reed personally serving as one of the judges. So I hope you'll all put in your best effort and deliver an outstanding performance." After her encouraging words, she pulled a sign-up sheet from her pocket and began to read off names: "Please be ready to participate in the selection process next Friday at 1 PM in the school auditorium: Lin Ziyi, Xie Yuan, Ava Blue…" Although they had signed up voluntarily, the students whose names were called couldn't help but feel a little excited. Accidentally catching Grace Hinton's gentle and enchanting gaze, they blushed with embarrassment, while she looked at them fondly, like a caring senior.
So… I've missed my chance after all. Elena Rivers felt a pang of loss in her heart, an ache that left her feeling hopeless. Her slender, pale fingers smoothed out the wrinkles on her sheet music over and over again until the black ink began to fade from the friction, and only then did she snap out of her daze, stopping her actions abruptly.
What was she doing? This was the best outcome, wasn't it? She had never had a choice, and breaking that rule would only lead to worse consequences. Perhaps this way, no misfortune would befall her. She forced a bitter smile, pretending to be strong, though her eyes still betrayed an underlying sadness.
Just as she was sinking into despair, Grace Hinton's voice suddenly called out, "And finally, Elena Rivers." Thinking she had misheard, Elena looked up sharply, meeting Grace Hinton's smiling eyes. Stunned, she remained frozen in the moment, her ears ringing with the sound of her own breath. Who had signed her up? Could it have been…?
Grace Hinton's gaze lingered on Elena Rivers, her face openly displaying her admiration. "I've heard from other seniors that you're an excellent violinist, so do your best next Friday. I'm really looking forward to your performance." Her tone was filled with genuine confidence in Elena's abilities.
Elena's aloofness was well-known throughout the academy, and Grace Hinton had regretted losing such a talented member. But now, she was pleasantly surprised and delighted to see that Elena had signed up after all.
As Grace Hinton spoke, the attention of everyone in the room shifted to Elena Rivers. They were surprised that she had signed up, and at the same time, they envied her for being admired by Grace Hinton. But Elena Rivers only squinted slightly, showing no particular reaction to Grace Hinton's words, her calm demeanor unchanged.
At some point, Grace Hinton left the classroom, taking everyone's attention with her.
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