Two Years Ago (1/2)

Two years ago.

The final year of Ivla Elementary School.

In relation to Ivla's high school and middle school, the elementary school was not far away from either. It was around the same vast block.

Like Ivla Middle School, the elementary school was also just as exquisite, boasting its state-of-the-art equipment and top teachers with the highest qualifications. Teaching first to fifth graders, these teachers were overqualified, and it was a bit of an overkill.

The sun was bright with a sharp glare, and on a beautiful playground in Ivla Elementary School, a noble-looking boy and rather tall girl were chatting on the swings. From their looks, it could be seen that this was the younger Keith and Ava, who were both eleven at this time.

Renowned throughout Beijing, even the nation placed importance in nurturing the two highly-thought-of prodigies, Keith and Ava.

"What did you want to talk about, Keith?" Ava tilted her head. Before attending Ivla, her family had told her about the extraordinary students who she needed to be careful around, and if possible, it would be best to try and befriend them. Keith Lin was on the top of that list.

"Sorry for the trouble, Ava." Keith smiled. "I called you out here today to ask for a little favor."

"If you help me out here, you can be assured that I will repay you very well." Keith continued, adding, "I dislike owing debts to others."

"Well..." Clicking her tongue, Ava nodded, "I guess whether I agree will depend on the favor you're asking for."

Ava Yan and Keith Lin were not well acquainted at all. This was merely their third meeting together. Before this, she had planned to not get herself involved with the power struggles and desires of her family, but he had come to find her on his own.

The noble-looking boy standing before her had an excellent reputation, and it wouldn't be a far stretch to say that Keith Lin was the one who had the most say in the entire student cohort. The Lin Family's Young Master was famous for being a kind, caring individual.

Thus, Ava was willing to hear him out.

However... as the saying goes, don't judge a book by its cover. Ava would later learn of this fact the hard way.

"I'll be straightforward then," Keith stated. "Ava, I would like for you to help organize a meeting between Lynne and me."

"I am interested in her." Smiling, Keith emphasized.

"This..." By now, Ava was used to boys asking her to help set them up with Lynne, so she wasn't too caught off-guard.

Even though Keith was a famous young master, he was also a boy as well. In this world, the majority of boys adored cute and beautiful girls.

"It would be best for you to go and ask her yourself, Keith." Different to her classmates, Ava was not jealous of her popular best friend in the slightest.

In Ivla, most of the girls were envious and loathing of Lynne, thinking that she was too arrogant and a massive show-off slut for enticing so many boys.

"Please do me this favor, Ava." Keith even lowered his head, which stunned Ava. For wealthy heirs and heiresses like themselves, it was shameful to lower their head to anyone other than family.

If someone had seen him, the student council president, doing this, it would likely cause an uproar.

"A-alright, I understand." Ava sighed.

[Whatever... it's just a little favor anyway, and Keith doesn't seem like a bad choice. Lynne can just say no if she doesn't want to.]

"Thank you." Keith grinned. "I won't forget this favor."

Secretly rolling her eyes, Ava replied, "Yeah, there's nothing I can do if Lynne says no though."

"Of course." Keith nodded, but he inwardly thought, [I'm Keith Lin. Would she dare to say no?]

* * *

The weekend came, and it was dusk.

Unfortunately, the grey clouds concealed the countless stars that lurked and danced about in the vast skies.

In a luxurious villa, which was located at a prime spot on the outskirts of Beijing, two young schoolgirls were playing hide and seek.

"Ready or not, here I come~" Lynne giggled, her features exquisite like that of a porcelain doll.

Lynne's voice was amazingly soft and sweet, which made it no surprise that a bunch of male students were attracted to her. The tenderness could touch one's heart.

In the future, Lynne did not speak as much in middle school because of the bullying; thus, not many even knew what she sounded like.

Furthermore, when one got older, a heavier emphasis on status would become much more prevalent. To begin with, babies were like blank slates, free of society's filth and expectations.

Like this, Lynne continued to search for Ava in the living room, then she made her way toward the balcony.

The closing door creaked behind her. Lynne purred, "Ava, I know you're here, hehe."

Smirking, Lynne was about to open the closet outside, but then something unexpected happened.

"Boo!" Having crawled out from beneath a table at the back, Ava put both her cold hands on Lynne's soft face.

"Eek!" Lynne screamed, jumping up as she did a sudden 180-degree turn while hurling a slap toward the evil ghost behind her.

Ava hadn't expected this. The slap collided with her cheek, leaving a deep-red hand imprint.

"Thump."

Falling down onto the wooden balcony floor, Ava held her hand against the stinging mark, but she was still grinning. "Lynne, I got you good."

"A-ava?" Lynne hurriedly hugged the girl's body, realizing that it was her best friend and not a supernatural ghost. "I'm so sorry for slapping you!"

"I just got super scared..." Lynne began sobbing. "You know I get frightened easily."

"Don't cry, Lynne." Standing up, Ava pulled Lynne up with a big smirk. "You see, I'm just fine. It's no biggie!"

"Really?" Lynne was still crying, looking into Ava's clear gaze with a pair of large watery eyes.

"Of course, my dear friend." The reason all those boys at school adored her best friend was clear to Ava. In front of Lynne's puppy-dog eyes and meek voice, even she, as a girl, felt her heartbeat rising.

The two girls went back inside the villa, planting themselves down near the fireplace. Hugging each other in the comfort of the warm blankets, Lynne and Ava were beginning to doze off until the Yan Family's head maid informed them that dinner was soon.

Playing with her friend's jade-like fingers, Ava continued to happily chat about miscellaneous stuff with Lynne that had no real importance. Lots of the girls and boys at Ivla were frightened of her fierce appearance, but her best friend did not think that at all.

Lynne's selective eyes saw nothing but her friend's beautiful kind side, the courageous side of Ava where she had bravely stood in front of her during the school trip that had gone wrong, blocking all the storms for her.

For the nine-year-old Lynne, Ava, her best friend, was a hero.

"Oh yeah, Lynne." Suddenly, Ava remembered Keith Lin's request. "I almost forgot, but I was told to deliver a message to you."

"What is that, Ava?" Like a kitten, Lynne murmured.

"Well, there's this boy called Keith Lin who really wants to meet you." Ava stated. "He's very famous in Ivla. I think you would know him?"

"Oh..." Lynne could see where this was going. Indeed, she did know about Keith Lin, the student council president who had an amazing reputation.

Sighing, Lynne nodded, "I know what you mean, Ava. I can meet with him once."

[Since Keith even went to my best friend to ask for this meeting, the very least I can do is give him a chance in person. From what I've heard, he is a very kind and helpful student.] Lynne was just a normal schoolgirl, not some heartless ripened woman who could deny someone's sincere, heartfelt intentions without batting an eye.

It wouldn't take much of her time anyway.

Lynne also believed that if she chose to reject Keith without even giving him a single second in person, it would likely put Ava in an awkward spot.

Being a student in Ivla, she was not ignorant of the matters of high society. The Lin Family was a powerful behemoth in the capital.

If she didn't like Keith, she would just deny him in person so that there, hopefully, wouldn't be any lingering affection.

"Uh, are you sure, Lynne?" Ava probed. "You don't have to worry about me. Just make your own decision on the matter."

"Yeah." Lynne reassured her best friend. [What's the worst that can happen?]