Julian stood up and cheerfully greeted his classmates, "Hello, everyone, I am Julian Orton."As he spoke, his eyes drifted toward Jade, giving her a playful wink.Julian's impressive height, combined with his outstanding appearance, drew the attention of all his female classmates. However, his thoughts were solely on Jade, and his open admiration for her made some of the other young women quite unhappy."Being good-looking really does attract attention.""If only we had the same conditions and were as pretty, wouldn't we have handsome guys flocking around us too?"Jealous voices echoed from the back rows of the classroom.Although they kept their voices low, Jade recognized them. They were the ones who didn't excel in studies but came from affluent families.Aware of their academic limitations, they had decided to let themselves go, believing that once they obtained their diplomas, they could go abroad for further education. This, they thought, would add a touch of prestige and
The professor saw that they admitted their mistakes sincerely, so he let them off the hook for now. He gestured for everyone to sit down and started the lecture.Jade glanced at Melanie and mouthed, "Thanks."Every time Jade encountered difficulties, Melanie would always stand up for her immediately. This friendship was something Jade always cherished in her heart.After class, Julian stuck to Jade like a shadow."Jade," he called, sitting in front of her with stars in his eyes, his chin resting on his hand as he gazed at her with a radiant smile.Jade lifted her eyelids to look at him. "What's up?""I just arrived in Centus and am not familiar with anything. I need a favor," Julian said slyly, immediately putting Jade on guard."What is it? As long as it's within my power, I'll help," Jade replied cautiously.Julian found her wary look adorable. "Don't be so nervous. It's just a small favor. I'm sure you can help.""Let's hear it first," Jade insisted, not lowering her guard.
"Happy? I’m very happy." Julian didn’t pay attention to Jade’s teasing, his eyes crinkling into crescents as he smiled. "This place is nothing like the island, and it’s not like abroad either. The people here are so enthusiastic. I really like it."Julian spread his arms wide, ignoring the strange looks from the people around him, and shouted to the sky, "I love Centus! I want to stay here forever."He looked adorably silly, with the appearance of a youthful, energetic boy, drawing quite a bit of attention.A few talent scouts, observing from a distance, approached him. "Hello, I’m a scout from Fowl Media. You have great potential. Would you be interested in becoming a star?""A star?" Julian’s eyes sparkled with excitement. "You mean the kind that appears on TV?"The scout, who had a rather sleazy appearance, nodded eagerly. "Yes, exactly. Are you interested?"Unable to watch any longer, Jade grabbed Julian’s wrist and turned them down. "Sorry, we’re in a hurry."She dragged Ju
Jade glanced at the brand Julian was using and realized she didn't recognize it. They were all high-end foreign brands. When she checked the prices, she gasped—they were in the three-figure range. A single set of skincare products cost as much as the rent of an average family's house. It was truly extravagant."Jade, this is for you." Julian appeared with large bags and handed Jade a beautifully packaged set of cosmetics.Jade took a look and found it was a set of high-end women's cosmetics. She didn't expect Julian to be so considerate. "Thank you." Jade appreciated Julian's gesture and didn't want to reject his kindness, so she accepted the gift.Upon seeing her accept the gift, Julian's face lit up with a smile. He patted his chest and said grandly, "To thank you for taking me in, dinner is on me tonight. Order anything you like."Jade wasn't particularly hungry, so she said, "You decide. I'm fine with anything.""Alright, I'll take care of everything." Julian started searchi
"Sure, as you wish," Jade replied nonchalantly."Yay, let's go!" Julian hopped out excitedly, with Jade following behind and the bodyguards discreetly in tow.…They spent an hour eating, and by the time Jade emerged from the restaurant, the city lights were already dazzling.Julian rubbed his stomach, looking satisfied. "I'm full—that was absolutely delicious."His eyes caught sight of a Ferris wheel in the distance, and he pointed excitedly. "Jade, I want to ride that. Will you come with me?""Huh?" Jade hadn't expected such a request and felt a bit awkward. "That's for kids.""Please, just this once? I've never ridden it before. My parents passed away early, and I didn't have anyone to take me when I was little..." Julian's voice grew softer, and his face showed a pitiful expression that was hard to refuse.Jade was defeated by his plea and reluctantly agreed. "Fine, but only for 20 minutes, and then we must go home. I still have homework to finish.""Deal, I promise." Juli
Julian gazed at Jade's profile, a smile constantly playing on his lips. A thought arose from the depths of his heart—he wanted to be with Jade forever, never to be apart."Jade, I like you," he confessed.Startled by his voice, Jade turned to look at Julian, only to find him gazing at her with an expression of infatuation that was indescribably endearing.She chuckled softly and replied, "Little rascal, do you even know what it means to like someone?"Julian frowned in dissatisfaction. "I'm not a little rascal. I'm almost an adult."He didn't like Jade calling him a little rascal—it made him feel so distant from her. He could sense that Jade always treated him like a younger brother. However, he didn't want to be her little brother. He wanted to be the person Jade could always rely on."Yes, you're not a little rascal. You've grown up," Jade said. She did not want to argue and casually brushed him off.Julian saw through her perfunctory response, his face betraying his disappoin
Earlier, the dim lighting had obscured her vision, preventing her from noticing the presence of another person in the room. Now that her eyes had adjusted, Jade saw a man sitting on the sofa.The man's features were deep and sharp, carrying a hint of cold indifference. He was staring straight at her. It was Caelan!Jade's heart was in turmoil, uncertain whether it was panic or fear that rendered her speechless. How long had he been there? Why was he there?"Who turned your room into this mess?" Julian kicked aside a balloon at his feet and casually switched on the room's light.The bright light flooded the room, exposing the three of them and instantly freezing the atmosphere.Julian glanced at the stunned Jade and then at the cold, piercing eyes of Caelan, quickly understanding the situation.He knew that this imposing man was the one Jade liked.A strong wave of jealousy surged within Julian. His tall frame moved to shield Jade as he faced Caelan directly, asking with disple
Caelan abruptly turned around, his gaze locking onto Julian like an enraged leopard. The icy coldness in his eyes was enough to make anyone shiver. He stepped forward, grabbed Julian by the collar, and growled through gritted teeth, "Get out."The tension between them was palpable, a powder keg ready to explode. The air was thick with hostility.Jade saw the situation escalating and quickly stepped between them. She urgently addressed Caelan, "You should leave.""You want me to leave?" Caelan looked at Jade in disbelief as if he couldn't comprehend the words coming from her mouth.His grip on Julian's collar gradually loosened. Fixing his gaze on Jade, he asked, "Why? Why are you doing this to me?"Unable to meet Caelan's eyes, Jade averted her gaze and kept her face cold. "There's no reason. Just go."She repeated her command twice.Caelan suddenly let out a bitter laugh, nodded, and said, "Fine, as you wish."He opened the door and left without looking back.It wasn't until