Mirabe reined in her wandering thoughts, her gaze deepening slightly. Nellie''s easy agreement to her earlier, deliberate probing was clearly unusual.


    After a moment of thought, Mirabe typed out a message: "Nellie, is there something going on with the family?"


    Nellie covered her mouth and coughed a few times, waiting for her chronic condition to subside before she typed back: "What could possibly be going on with the family? Who could even get in?"


    Mirabe tapped her toes on the ground, her dark coat making her cheeks seem even paler as she simply said: "Don''t do anything foolish."


    Nellie knew that Rea had always been clever, "I won''t."


    After a pause, she sent another message: "Take good care of Cassie for Nellie, he''s been attached to you since he was little, and he always listens to what you say."


    It sounded almost like she was making arrangements for the future. Mirabe''s brows furrowed slightly, and she looked up at Cassie, who was still inside getting his ID made. In the end, she replied simply: "He''s my brother."


    Seeing this message, Nellie smiled and didn''t reply again.


    Instead, she opened a photo stored on her phone for many years. The resolution wasn''t high, but her gaze was filled with sorrow as she looked at it.


    *


    Mirabe put away her phone, her eyes narrowing slightly as if thinking about something.


    "Big sis, I''m done," Cassie said as he came over, tilting his head to look at Mirabe. Seeing her expression somewhat solemn, he asked, "What''s wrong, sis?"


    Mirabe snapped back to reality and met the boy''s concerned eyes. She just raised her hand and touched his head, saying, "Nothing, I''m thinking about whether you should start from 10th grade or 11th."


    Hearing this, Cassie''s ears seemed to droop instantly, looking dejected, "Can I not go to school?"


    "What do you think?" Mirabe said with a smile that wasn''t quite a smile.


    "Ah!" Cassie let out a long sigh of despair, "I just want to make money, not study."


    Mirabe raised her eyebrows, knowing this kid was always lucky and smarter than most, "Making money and studying aren''t mutually exclusive."


    Cassie gave her a mournful look, clearly feeling betrayed!


    Mirabeughed and said no more, just extending her arm to drape over his shoulder as they walked outside.


    **


    Two dayster, Zane sent Mirabe a list of schools he had selected.


    "These schools are all quite good public Schools with high


    get in," Zane said, holding


    rates, but you''ll need est


    phone.


    "Okay, thank you," Mirabe replied, knowing the schools Zane rmended would be good.


    "I happen next


    have some time these days, and I know some of


    tomar can take your brother


    x them out."


    belongs


    Thinking it would be easier with someone familiar, Mirabe agreed: "That would be great, thank you."


    Zane smiled, "No problem, oh, and I also know someone at Parkside High School.


    I can take you there to have a try."


    Zane figured that with Mirabe being so exceptional, her brother probably wouldn''t be far behind.


    Hearing Zane mention Parkside High School, and knowing full well


    Cassie''s capabilities, Mirabin''t


    hesitate to cut him off:


    "No need, with his level, he''d probably only fit into middle school."


    Cassie, sitting beside her: "???"


    Hearing this, Zane''s lips twitched, "Alright then, let''s meet at our school at 9 a.m. tomorrow."


    "Sounds good."


    After hanging up, Mirabe turned around to see Cassie staring at her with a deep, mournful gaze.


    Mirabe: "... ..."