Chapter 47: Playing the Ostrich

"Zhang Ning? The girl who was just here?" Lester said. In his memory, there was no trace of such an ordinary, glasses-wearing girl.

Anran wasn't surprised. For someone like Lester, who was used to being surrounded by admirers, it was natural that Zhang Ning hadn't left much of an impression. She sighed and said, "Yes. Back then, you helped Zhang Ning up when she fell at school. To you, it was probably just a trivial act of kindness, but for that ordinary girl, it turned her into a target."

Lester was taken aback. He hadn't expected things to turn out that way, nor had he imagined that his simple gesture could have such consequences.

"I'm sorry. I really don't remember," he admitted.

"Zhang Ning endured a lot of unfair blame because of that, but she never held any resentment. Yet, you forgot her completely. I think she must have been very upset just now," Anran said.

Lester's voice remained gentle as he asked, "So, are you standing up for your friend?"

Anran shook her head. "No, no. I'm not that self-righteous. This isn't something I can blame you for."

"Then why bring it up?" Lester asked.

His voice had grown softer, carrying an indescribable tone.

Anran didn't notice anything unusual, only that his voice was incredibly soothing. She shrugged and said, "I'm just afraid of trouble. I've already had more than enough of it."

Though her words might have sounded a bit blunt, they were the truth. She'd only been in Rosewood Town for a few days, yet she'd already encountered so many strange incidents. If anyone found out that the Student Council President had walked her home, she'd definitely become theenemy of the school!

Lester fell silent for a moment, his heterochromatic eyes quietly gazing at Anran before he turned away.

Feeling a bit awkward, Anran scratched the bridge of her nose. Had she been too direct? Lester had been nothing but kind, and she wondered if she'd hurt his pride.

But then, a gentle voice broke the silence. "Hop on. I'll carry you back."

Even though Lester's back was turned, Anran could tell from his tone that he wasn't upset.

Faced with his calm demeanor, Anran felt even more guilty. Hadn't Lester picked up on her underlying message? She'd made it clear she didn't want to get involved with him to avoid any unnecessary trouble.

"Um… that's really not necessary," Anran quickly said.

Lester's voice was still warm, laced with a faint chuckle. "If you don't want people to think we're on a date here, you'd better get on before anyone shows up. If you're worried about being seen, you could always play the ostrich."

"I'm not going to be an ostrich," Anran muttered under her breath.

Lester's voice carried a hint of amusement. "I'm sure you can manage walking home on your own, but it'll be a struggle. If you end up making your injury worse and it affects your studies, that wouldn't be good."

His tone, though gentle, carried a subtle sense of authority. But could a threat really sound this kind? Anran glanced around nervously, worried someone might pass by and misunderstand the situation. After all, a boy and a girl alone at dusk was bound to raise eyebrows. After some inner struggle, Anran finally gave in and agreed to Lester's offer.

When Lester lifted her onto his back, she couldn't help but bury her face against his shoulder, feeling both shy and embarrassed.