Chapter 156

Rachel nodded, "Alright then, I won't take up your time now. Let's catch up later."

Summer nodded politely, "Okay, I'll be off then."

Rachel waved at her, "Yeah, see you."

As Summer stepped out of the restaurant, Logan was already waiting outside on his bike.

She walked straight to the bike, hopped onto the back seat, and said, "Let's go."

Logan pushed the pedal, and they started moving.

While riding, Logan asked, "Did she ask about Henry?"

Summer replied, "No, but it's definitely because of him. We're not that close."

Logan let out a chuckle, "Didn't think there'd be someone more foolish than you."

Sitting at the back, Summer retorted, "It's called love. You wouldn't understand."

In the past, Logan would have scoffed, saying, "I really don't get it."

But this time, he didn't. After a moment, he said, "How do you know I don't understand?"

Summer replied, "Because you don't have a woman in your heart."

Logan: "..."

She won't remember this forever, will she?

***

The bike stopped in an alley.

Summer jumped off the bike, but instead of grabbing the handlebars immediately, she took out her wallet from her bag and said, "Here, let me pay you back for dinner."

Logan said, "No need to be so calculative among friends."

Summer looked at him, surprised. Did those words really come from Logan? Not calculative? Logan, who used to note down even a five-cent ice cream bar he bought her?

No way.

Summer continued to dig for money, saying, "I won't sleep well if I take advantage of you."

Logan: "..."

He watched her and then said, "Just owe me for now. Pay me back later."

Summer looked up, "But that makes it two meals now?"

Logan said, "So what? We'll be at the same school. There's plenty of time."

Among friends, such give and take was normal. Being too precise wasn't good.

So Summer withdrew her hand from her bag and closed it, "Alright then."

Logan held the bike with one hand, "Let's head back."

Summer took the bike from him and pushed it into the alley, "See you."

***

Summer pushed the bike into the courtyard of Number Eight.

After parking the bike and entering the main door, the courtyard was empty, though lights shone from the three surrounding houses. From the east house of Henry's family, she could hear Amanda and Michael bickering, occasionally interrupted by Clement's scolding.

In the main house.

Shaw and Carman had already washed up and were sitting in bed.

Shaw, in a dreamy state, said to Carman, "You should slap me awake. It still feels like a dream that Summer got into Harvard."

The whole afternoon had passed.

Carman smiled and nudged him, "Look at you, so impressed."

As they talked, they heard someone enter the house.

Naturally, it could only be Summer. Carman called out, "Summer, you're back."

Summer answered and walked into their room.

Carman smiled at her, "Your dad is still in shock, thinks he's dreaming."

Summer sat by the bed, smiling at Shaw, "Dad, I didn't just get lucky. I've been studying late every night. You should know that."

Shaw nodded repeatedly, "I know, I know. It's just that I'm not used to such good news."

Summer laughed, "Living so close to the White House, we haven't seen anything like this?"

It was the same back and forth.

Carman stopped them, shifting the topic, "Who did you go out to eat with?"

Summer said, "A classmate who went to volunteer in the countryside with me. We got close there, taught together, and both got our tickets back. He also got into Harvard."

Hearing this, Carman's eyes widened, "That classmate sounds impressive."

Summer smiled, "Yes, it's good to have a friend when I start school."

With that, Carman felt reassured.

She chatted with Summer a bit more. Since they had work the next day, she soon sent Summer off to wash up and sleep.

After washing up, Summer lay in bed, feeling comfortable.

She reflected on her journey: breaking ties with Henry and Sophia, moving away from the volunteer site, securing a return ticket, and studying hard to get into university. Her heart was full of emotions.

Thinking and reminiscing, she slowly fell asleep in the comfort.

The next day, Monday, she rode her bike to work as usual.

Summer had received her acceptance letter early, so there wasn't much discussion about university admissions at the factory yet. She didn't mention it either.

Life at the factory was as usual.

After lunch in the canteen, Summer went to the dormitory with Jenny to rest.

Shortly after arriving, someone came looking for her, saying someone was waiting downstairs.

Summer wondered who it could be. She didn't go downstairs immediately but went to the railing to look down.

Seeing that it was Rachel, she had a sense of what was happening and went downstairs.

She greeted Rachel with a smile, "What brings you here?"

Rachel, looking a bit embarrassed, said, "Sorry for the sudden visit."

Summer knew Rachel would come sooner or later after asking about her workplace. Rachel really cared about Henry.

It was inconvenient to talk downstairs, so Summer took Rachel to a quiet corner of the playground.

In the secluded spot, Summer directly asked, "What do you want to know?"

Since there was nothing else to discuss, Rachel didn't beat around the bush, asking directly, "Did you come back with him? Which factory is he in now?"

Summer didn't know why Rachel asked that. Confused, she said, "He didn't come back. He's still in the countryside."

Rachel, equally puzzled, asked, "He didn't come back?"

Summer nodded, "Yes, he didn't get a ticket back. He's still there."

Rachel frowned and muttered to herself, "How could that be?"

Summer asked, "What should it be then?"

Rachel looked at her, "Before the exams were reinstated, he sent me a telegram asking for help to get a return ticket. I asked my dad, how could he not have come back?"

"…"

So there was more to it.

Summer was momentarily speechless. She shook her head, indicating she didn't know either.

Rachel took a deep breath and, frowning, said, "I'll ask my dad about it!"

If the countryside had received no instructions, the problem must lie with her dad. No wonder Henry hadn't replied to her telegrams or letters; he must have felt deceived.

Seeing Rachel's reaction, Summer couldn't help but call out to her, "Don't you want to know what he's been doing there? For whom he asked for the ticket?"

She knew Henry's nature and the story's plot.

Henry, with his pride, wouldn't ask for help for himself. It was definitely for Sophia.

Hearing this, Rachel stopped.

She turned back to Summer, waiting for an explanation.

Without wasting time, Summer said, "He fell in love with someone there. Her name is Sophia. He didn't read any of your letters. He never liked you. He pursued you for the status it brought. He doesn't enjoy your company or pampering you. The return ticket wasn't for himself, but for Sophia."

Rachel's eyes filled with tears.

She wasn't naive; she knew Henry had stopped liking her.

She just couldn't let go of him and their past, still holding onto fantasies.

She had considered that Henry might have found someone else.

But hearing it from Summer hurt more than any imagined scenario.

Being a proud person, she blinked away her tears and asked, "Is that girl much better than me?"

Summer shook her head, "No, in terms of looks, family, and abilities, she can't compare to you. Don't think you lacked anything. It's his lack of commitment, his unworthiness. I hope you realize he's not worth your affection or the efforts you've made for him."