Meeting the University Dean [Part 2]

Yue Ying led them to the high-class housing facilities behind the university. This was where some of the teachers--who worked at the university--lived because of its close proximity to the school. Abbie had never been in this location before. It was one of those places where only the rich and influential people gathered. No one without a residence ID or permit was allowed to enter its premises.

Abbie was amazed to see that the Dean's house was not as grandiose as she imagined it would be. It didn't have the "rich" vibe that she expected from the head of a prestigious university. In fact, it looked like a house commonly seen among the middle-class families.

Yue Ying was currently walking hand in hand with Alex, while Abbie was a few steps behind them. She didn't mind that her Dorm Head was holding Alex's hand because she had been very good to him. After all, she was also the one who made this meeting possible.

Abbie wanted Alex to have a good relationship with her Dorm Head because as long as she was on their side, Alex's stay in the dormitory was almost guaranteed. She was not aware that Yue Ying had already handled the matter with the Dean and this meeting was only for appearances.

The Dorm Head's cradle snatching plan had already started!

"Um, Dorm Head, is there something that I shouldn't do in front of the Dean?" Abbied asked as they neared the gate of the Dean's residence. "I want to give her a good first impression."

"Aunt may look strict, but she is a very kind person," Yue Ying replied. "As long as you are polite, she will have a good impression on you."

"That's a relief."

"Mmm, just calm down and everything will be fine."

The three finally reached the gate and Yue Ying reached out her hand to press the doorbell. Since her Aunt was expecting them, a maid immediately opened the gate and guided them inside the house.

Abbie was feeling nervous, but since she was already here, she might as well see it through. The maid led them to the living room where a lady, who seemed to be in her early forties, was waiting for them.

She was wearing a simple blue dress without any decorations. The smile on her face was a gentle one which made Abbie relax a bit. She watched the Dean rise from her seat and approached Yue Ying, giving her a hug.

"You must be Abbie," The Dean greeted her in a friendly manner after hugging Yue Ying. She then turned her attention to the young boy who was holding her niece's hand. "And you must be Alex. I've heard a lot about you from my niece."

"Eh? Niece?" Abbie asked absentmindedly.

"She didn't tell you?" The Dean chuckled. "Nice to meet you, my name is Mary Adams. I am Yue Ying's aunt from her mother's side of the family." Mary extended her hand for a handshake.

"A-Abbie Matthews." Abbie gingerly held her hand and shook it. "Thank you for having us here."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Abbie. My niece has very few friends. It's nice to know that she still knows how to interact with other people."

'Um, I'm not exactly her friend, we're only acquaintances!' Abbie wanted to say it out loud, but decided to keep it in. She wouldn't do anything to jeopardize Alex's stay in the dormitory.

"Please take a seat," Mary gestured. "The maids will be bringing some refreshments so feel free to make yourself at home."

""Thank you!"" Abbie and Alex said at the same time. Their enthusiasm made Mary chuckle one more time.

"You don't have to be too polite. I don't bite!" Mary said as she glanced at the young boy in front of her. 'I can see why Yue is attracted to him. This boy has a certain charm that makes people want to pamper him.'

Mary noticed that Yue was looking at Alex with tenderness as if he was her own little brother. If she only knew that her niece was hatching a plan to make the young boy her future boyfriend, she definitely wouldn't agree to have him stay at the girl's dormitory. Mary would definitely not allow her niece to pin down a defenseless boy who was not even ten years old!

"Yue had already told me the reason for your visit," Mary decided to take the initiative and breach the important topic. She turned her attention to Abbie which made the chubby girl's body stiffen. "No need to be nervous, I would just like to clarify some things. I hope that you will be able to answer my questions."

"Y-Yes, of course," Abbie stuttered.

"How old is he?"

"He's eight years old."

"Does he have any siblings?"

"No."

"Yue said that his parents left him in your care while they traveled around the country," Mary frowned. "To be honest, I think they are very irresponsible for dumping their child on a university student. Couldn't they take him along during their trip?"

"Um, they were planning to make this trip their second honeymoon so they decided to leave Alex in my care."

"And that's why I said they were very irresponsible. You are just a student staying in a dormitory. What would you have done if I didn't agree to let him stay?"

"In the case that Alex was not allowed to stay, I would contact an acquaintance of mine and look for a room to rent for the time being," Abbie replied. Alice and her had already made a foolproof backstory for Alex. She was not afraid to bullshit her way through this conversation!

"So, you're going to leave the dorms and look for a place to stay." Mary leaned back against the couch as the corner of her lips curled up into a smirk. "How admirable. Do you have the funds for that?"

Abbie felt that the Dean's simple questioning had turned into an interrogation. The pressure the older woman was giving her was the same as her mother when she asked her if she finally found a boyfriend.

"They left me with adequate funds to rent a room for a few months," Abbie answered.

"How much did they leave you?"

"$5,000."

"I see."

Mary narrowed her eyes. If the girl really had that amount of money then securing a room for a few months was not impossible. She was about to press on and ask more questions when she noticed her niece looking at her with a pout.

'Not good, my niece is starting to get impatient,' Mary sighed in her heart. "How long will Alex be staying in the dorms?"

"Five months,," Abbie replied. "The soonest is five months and the latest is six months."

"Oh? What a coincidence. The current school year will end in six months. Is it safe to assume that Alex will be staying until the end of the school year?"

"Yes. Can you please allow him to stay?"

Mary smiled. She had been a Dean for many years. If she couldn't tell that the girl in front of her was lying then she would have wasted all those years in vain. However, she didn't see any demerit in allowing the young boy to stay in the dormitory. In fact, she was hoping that the boy would help her niece open up to people.

She had already made her decision before they even came. However Abbie's answers made her uncertain if allowing the boy to stay was the right decision. There must be special circumstances behind the boy's family. If it was something complicated, wouldn't her niece and the school be implicated as well?

Mary was in a bind. On one hand she wanted to make her niece happy, on the other, she wanted her to be safe and not be involved in anything shady.

"Just tell me one thing, and I want an honest answer." Mary was willing to give Abbie one last chance to convince her. "Tell me the real reason why you need Alex to stay in the girl's dormitory."

Abbie closed her eyes. She instinctively knew that the Dean was aware that she was lying. Her sixth sense was telling her that if she didn't answer this one honestly, then Alex would not be allowed in the dormitory even with the backing of the Dorm Head.

Although Abbie could always move into a suite like Alice suggested, she didn't want to rely on other people's kindness. Since Alex was her responsibility, she would like to take care of him using her own means. She opened her eyes and looked at the boy who was also looking back at her.

His eyes were clear and he was smiling at her. It was as if he was giving her silent encouragement that no matter what happened, he would always be by her side. Abbie felt warmth in her heart. Her nervousness instantly disappeared. When Abbie's gaze landed on the principal, the older woman felt the change in her demeanor.

"The reason is because he has nowhere else to stay," Abbie answered honestly. "Although Alex suddenly appeared in my life out of the blue, he is still my responsibility. If I were to just toss him away, can I still consider myself as human?"

"Although it will be difficult to live with him in the girl's dormitory, I believe that both of us will be able to adapt if given the chance. If it's really not possible for him to stay then I need to immediately contact my acquaintance in order to find a place for the two of us. Until then, could you please give us a few days to sort things out?"

"Auntie…"

Mary raised her hand to stop Yue Ying from speaking. She was currently talking to someone. Even if she loved her niece, there were things that she shouldn't meddle with.

"Thank you for speaking honestly," Mary's tone became gentle. "Sorry for interrogating you earlier. I just wanted to know the real reason why a boy like Alex was abandoned by his own parents."

Mary glanced at the boy who was being held by her niece. Feeling her gaze, Alex looked back at her. His eyes met hers and the Dean who had faced a lot of influential people in the past felt a sort of power emanating from their clear depths. Mary felt no malice in them and she could tell that this boy was not someone who would lead her niece astray.

"If you can promise me that Alex won't cause any problems in the girl's dormitory then I will allow his stay," Mary said. "How about I give Alex a one month probationary period? If no problems occur then I will allow him to stay for the rest of the school term. How does that sound?"

"One month," Abbie nodded her head. "One month would be good. Though, to be honest, I think that Alex's stay will cause a commotion in the girl's dormitory."

"I think so, too," Mary agreed. "With such a cute boy around, I'm sure that the girls would love to get their hands on him."

The Dean laughed and Abbie thought that her laughter was like the pealing of bells. Mary knew that Alex would not have an easy time in the dormitory because his mere presence would make some of the ladies want to get close to him.

'One month, let's see what will happen in one month,' Mary mused with a smile. 'I pray that you will not disappoint me, Alex.'