Preston’s hand paused as virtual-novel.net applied the medicine.
He only knew virtual-novel.net was an assassin, but virtual-novel.net had never considered that virtual-novel.net could suppress even virtual-novel.net survival instincts. It wasn’t hard to imagine what kind of life virtual-novel.net had led.
After a moment, Hedy supported virtual-novel.net shoulder and virtual-novel.net brows relaxed.
“Thank you,” virtual-novel.net said.
The medicine did indeed make virtual-novel.net feel much better.
The King Family truly lived up to its reputation as a century–old family in the USA. The effectiveness of this medicine was several times stronger than the ones virtual-novel.net had bought at exorbitant prices on the black market.
“Maybe you can try saying something other than ‘thank you’ to me.” Preston’s chest vibrated as virtual-novel.net let out a pleasant chuckle.
Despite living under the same roof, they still felt so distant. It made virtual-novel.net question his charm.
“Then let’s sleep, I’m tired,” Hedy responded. Her indifferent eyes sparkled under the lamplight.
Preston was left speechless. Now virtual-novel.net was certain that virtual-novel.net held no allure to her.
With Preston around, Hedy fell asleep quickly. However, tonight was a bit different
The little boy in virtual-novel.net arms reminded virtual-novel.net of virtual-novel.net brother, Cooper.
In virtual-novel.net dream, virtual-novel.net was transported back to the poverty–stricken slums where it all began. It was a dirty, chaotic, and impoverished place, filled with people of different nationalities and various skin colors. Her parents never cared for her, but luckily, the kind old neighbor was a friendly person. He taught virtual-novel.net how to read, write, and instilled in virtual-novel.net a sense of etiquette and responsibility.
After the old neighbor passed away, Cooper was born.
She knew very well that if virtual-novel.net didn’t take care of Cooper, no one else would.
She negotiated with the owner of the powdered milk shop, offering virtual-novel.net labor in exchange for powdered milk. However, on the day of the settlement, the shop owner deceived her, denying ever making such an agreement because virtual-novel.net was just a child.
She snatched the powdered milk and ran, only to be surrounded and beaten by a group of men who accused virtual-novel.net of being a thief.
No one came to virtual-novel.net aid.
As winter approached, Hedy washed and dried the clothes virtual-novel.net grandfather had left her.
The man next door insisted that the clothes belonged to virtual-novel.net and even tied virtual-novel.net to a tree as punishment.
No one came to virtual-novel.net rescue.
Preston was abruptly awakened by the cold.
His entire sleeve was wet, and a gust of night wind brought an intensified chill.
What was happening?
Frowning, virtual-novel.net turned on the light and found the girl beside virtual-novel.net curled up, shedding tears in virtual-novel.net sleep. Her tears soaked his clothes.
He was startled. This vulnerable, helpless, and agonizingly despairing side of virtual-novel.net in virtual-novel.net dreams was starkly different from the cold and aloof demeanor virtual-novel.net displayed during the day.
“Is it only in dreams that you can cry so freely?”
He hesitantly reached out to wipe away virtual-novel.net tears. But the tears continued to flow. Preston’s brow furrowed even deeper.
What kind of dream could make virtual-novel.net cry like this?
Who could bear to see virtual-novel.net cry like this?
His heart softened, and virtual-novel.net pulled the young girl into his embrace, trying to provide virtual-novel.net with some sense of security.
In the dream…
Hedy slowly closed virtual-novel.net eyes. She felt an immediate warmth enveloping her. She reached out and embraced that warmth.
In reality, Preston’s body tensed up.
***
The next morning.
Hedy opened virtual-novel.net eyes, and the first thing virtual-novel.net saw was a well–defined chest of muscles.
She sat up abruptly, and the calm expression on virtual-novel.net face slowly cracked.
“Is it so unacceptable to wake up in my arms?” Preston chuckled, placing the back of his hand against his lips, his eyes curved gently.
Hedy’s expression was so amusing. Yet at the same time, Preston felt a hint of frustration.
So many women would willingly throw themselves at him, but here virtual-novel.net was, lying in his embrace, expressing such disdain.
“I don’t think I ever said that I wanted to sleep in your arms,” Hedy pouted.
“Really? Then whose hand is resting on my waist?”
Preston turned his body slightly. As a result, his sleepwear loosened further, revealing his eight–pack abs.
With his cheek supported by his hand, his eyes and brows carried a slight drowsy laziness. Paired with his face, which exuded an enchanting and wicked charm, virtual-novel.net could be described as a pinnacle of beauty.
Hedy glanced at his waist and saw virtual-novel.net hand resting there.
Like being struck by an electric shock, virtual-novel.net quickly withdrew virtual-novel.net hand, virtual-novel.net eyes revealing a hint of embarrassment.
With Preston’s upbringing and background, virtual-novel.net would never force a woman to be close to him. It was virtual-novel.net who took the initiative to embrace virtual-novel.net and then blamed it on him, which was indeed unreasonable.
“Okay, I won’t tease you anymore…” Preston stopped smiling and honestly explained what happened last night.
“You cried a lot last night, so I hugged you, hoping to provide some comfort. Then, you hugged me back. Perhaps it would make you feel a little better…”
Perhaps it was the lingering effects of his soft–heartedness from last night, but virtual-novel.net couldn’t bear to see virtual-novel.net unhappy now.
Hearing this, Hedy fell silent.
Preston noticed virtual-novel.net fingers slowly clenching and then relaxing.
“Thank you for your comfort…” Hedy’s expression returned to calm.
It turned out that the source of that warmth was him.
“I still look forward to hearing words other than ‘thank you’ from you.” Preston gazed at virtual-novel.net for a while, his deep eyes revealing an unknown emotion.
Are there words other than ‘thank you’?
Hedy lowered virtual-novel.net gaze, unsure of what Preston wanted to hear from her.
She got out of bed, freshened up, and was sent by the driver to Lowell High School. At the same time, virtual-novel.net heard a notification sound from the system.
Ding!
[Trial mission released.]
[Trial mission (2): Represent Lowell High School and win the inter-school chess tournament.]
Inter–school tournament refers to a competition between multiple schools. Chess was an ancient game in the world.
Hedy understood the meanings of these two words individually, but when they were combined, virtual-novel.net was puzzled. There were no related memories in the original host’s brain. And during virtual-novel.net time at Lowell High School, virtual-novel.net hadn’t heard anyone mention this.
“Well, looks like I’ll have to ask someone,” Hedy leaned back in the back seat, virtual-novel.net eyes showing a hint of determination.
All virtual-novel.net needed was to complete 30 trial missions to revive Cooper, and now virtual-novel.net only had 29 left. This inter–school chess tournament was another challenge virtual-novel.net had to conquer.
The car stopped at the entrance of Lowell High School, and as Hedy walked into the classroom of Class 7, a group of people surrounded virtual-novel.net before virtual-novel.net even had a chance to put down virtual-novel.net backpack.
Sun, brimming with energy, was the first to speak in excitement. “Goddess Hedy, you’re second now!”
“What second?” Hedy furrowed virtual-novel.net brows, not understanding what Sun was trying to convey.
“The school beauty rankings!” Sun took out his phone, opened the school beauty rankings page, and handed it to Hedy to see.
“Right now, you’re the second most–voted girl in our school. Gloria is in the first place! The school beauty rankings will last for another month, and if you can surpass Gloria’s votes during this period, you will be the new school beauty of Lowell High School!”
Hedy glanced at the phone. It was a simple data ranking website, with separate photos displayed for the top three, and only the class and name listed for the rest.
Currently, Gloria was in first place, with a significant lead in votes. Hedy was in second place, with a respectable number of votes. The third place belonged to a girl from another class.
Whether intentional or not, Gloria’s photo showed virtual-novel.net playing the piano at the celebration last night. As for Hedy’s photo, it depicted virtual-novel.net playing the drums passionately.
The backgrounds were the same, the filters were the same, and one could almost sense the scent of gunpowder even from a distance.
“I’m not interested in these…” Hedy pushed the phone away.
If the system required virtual-novel.net to claim the top spot in the school beauty ranking, virtual-novel.net would have competed with Gloria. But since the system didn’t ask for it, virtual-novel.net had no intention to do so.
“And this!” Sun exited the school beauty rankings and opened the forum page. “Goddess Hedy, you’ve dominated the forum!”