Chapter 1883


    Boyd''s expression was one of pure distaste. "I reckon Bryson isn''t strapped for cash to buy some


    scallions."


    "There''s something different about growing them yourself. Besides, they grow fast. I can harvest


    them at least twice in a month."


    "I noticed the director has a pot on his office windowsill. You''re awfully young to have such quirky


    tastes."


    Yasmine ignored him.


    Two hourster, they both wrapped up their tasks.


    After that, Boyd, who was usually a ghost around the ce, seemed to be popping up everywhere.


    He was often spotted fiddling around in the garden.d2


    asionally, Yasmine''s figure would appear at the opposite flower bed, but her appearances were


    few and far between.


    Boyd''s lilies received no care from Yasmine, not even a passing nce. Yet Boyd found himself


    watching those scallions grow with an odd sense of unease.


    After half a month, Yasmine snipped the scallions and took them to the cafeteria, which meant two


    whole days of scallion cuisine on the menu.


    Boyd wasn''t fond of them.


    Watching Yasmine shovel them into her mouth, Boyd couldn''t mask his aversion. "I always thought


    you didn''t care for strong vors."


    Yasmine, poised and unhurried, continued to eat, "That''s just your assumption. Though you''re not


    wrong, I generally don''t like intense vors. But I find this quite nice. Nothing in this world is


    absolute, you know. Tastes, habits—they can change. You never know when something will just


    change."


    At her words, Boyd reluctantly took another bite.


    Yasmine offered a small smile, "If you don''t like it, that is totally fine. No point in forcing yourself."


    "Maybe I''lle to like it if I get used to it."


    She gave him a fleeting look, her smile light, "Pointless."


    Boyd kept his eyes on her, "But it''s all for the sake of liking them."


    Silence fell between them.


    "Those lilies need special care, especially since it''s not the ideal nting season."


    Yasmine nodded nonchntly, "I know. I''m not that naive."


    Perhaps Boyd had his own stubborn streak, "A little extra effort might do the trick."


    Yasmine finished herst bite, nced at the lingering gaze beside her, and with a half-smile, stood


    up with her tray. "You should eat more."


    Boyd watched her leave, unustomed to hearing such things from her.


    Not long after Yasmine''s departure, Serana slid into the seat across from him with her tray. She


    offered Boyd a bread roll, "Want to eat a bit more?"


    Boyd looked at his empty bowl and epted the bread. "Who are you avoiding?"


    Serana nibbled on her vegetables and mumbled a vague, "Hmm. you know, Yasmine doesn''t like


    me much."


    Boyd took a bite of the roll, "She''s just got a foul temper."


    Serana ate in small bites, "Anyway, I''m kind of scared of her. I thought she ruined the liliesst time.


    Even though nothing was said, I feel like it was because of me that she ended up so humiliated."


    "It''s over now."


    Boyd, not the most well-versed inforting others, felt a twinge of guilt himself for having wronged


    her.


    As for Yasmine, holding grudges was not her style—she neither had the patience nor the inclination


    to waste time on such meaningless things.


    Yet Serana shook her head softly, still uncertain, "Is it really over?"


    Boyd looked at her, "What else could there be?"


    Serana shook her head again, "I don''t know. I just feel like Yasmine was really angry back then.


    She''s usually so cool, but I''ve never seen her explode like that. If it''s truly okay now, that would be


    great."


    Her words stayed with Boyd, unsettling him. He couldn''t put his finger on what was wrong, but his


    unease grew.


    Serana''s perceptiveness was spot-on. Half a monthter, the day after Yasmine''s birthday,


    everything clicked.


    The second batch of scallions made its way to the cafeteria, and there was another unavoidable


    round of scallion dishes for lunch. Only this time, there were a few extra dishes.


    After the meal, everyone received a slice of exquisite cake. The cafeteria buzzed with chatter, and


    Ava was there too.


    Yasmine held her cake while Boyd sat beside her, his face contorted as if he were eating onions.


    Few girls disliked sweets. Yasmine was no exception.


    Ava sat beside her, her expression distant, not uttering a word to Yasmine.


    "Happy Birthday."


    Yasmine paused and turned to Boyd. "What?"


    Boyd chuckled, "Today''s your actual birthday, right?"


    Ava looked on in surprise.


    Boyd handed Yasmine a clear ss jar. "I can''t give you anything fancy right now, and probably


    won''t for a few years. So, write down whatever you wish for and put it in this jar. When I can stand


    on my own two feet, I''ll make them alle true without conditions."


    Yasmine held the empty jar, momentarily lost in thought.


    "Can I only put wishes in on my birthday, or any time?"


    Boyd looked resigned, "Whenever you want, for anything you want."


    Yasmine raised an eyebrow and hugged the jar. "Well, I''d better think hard. Mansions, sports cars...


    looks like I won''t need to lift a finger for the rest of my life."


    Ava chuckled nervously beside them, her tone treading lightly, "You know, this kind of talk usually


    leads to marriage, right?"


    Yasmine and Boyd froze, then turned to her in unison. "Marriage?"


    Ava shrank under their identical looks of confusion, unsure of what to say next. After a tense


    moment, she mustered the courage, "Isn''t that how it goes on TV? These promises from boys to


    girls, and they''re usually with the expectation of marriage."


    Yasmine''s face took on a pensive look, and she turned to Boyd, "So..."


    Boyd snapped back to reality, but his gaze lingered on her. "You know, I didn''t really think too much


    into it."


    RêAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    His eyes were a picture of honesty.


    Yasmine couldn''t help but find it a bit amusing. What was she even thinking about?


    She was still wet behind the ears, and already her mind was racing ahead to the future. "I wouldn''t


    have thought of it myself if Ava hadn''t mentioned it. So since that''s the case, I''ll dly ept this


    gift with a clear conscience."


    "Sure."


    Yasmine pulled out her backpack and carefully ced the bottle inside.


    Boyd nced at her nearly empty backpack, a tiny frown creasing his brow. Once the bottle was


    secure, Yasmine returned to her cupcake, a soft smile ying on her lips. Even when Serena


    approached, Yasmine''s smile didn''tpletely fade.


    Resting her chin on her hand, with the fork still at her lips, she looked up at Serena with a half-


    smirk, though she didn''t initiate conversation.


    Serena felt a tingle of unease under her stare and handed over a ss jar to Yasmine.


    Yasmine nced at it, her eyes momentarily darkening. "Um... Boyd told me that today''s actually


    your birthday."


    Yasmine lowered her gaze to the ss jar in her hands. Serena paused, her expression awkward. "I


    know I made things difficult for youst time, and I''m aware that destroying your lilies upset you. I''ve


    kept these dried ones. Hopefully, they can serve as a keepsake."


    Yasmine scooped another bite of her cupcake, "Did you tell anyone else about my birthday?"


    Clearly, Boyd had let it slip.


    Serena''s eyes also found Boyd, tinged with concern. Yasmine could be icy and unpredictable, and


    no one knew which word might inadvertently cross her. And with her current demeanor, the


    premonition was far from positive.


    Boyd''s face remained impassive. "Just her. She''s been wanting to apologize, and I thought this


    would be a good opportunity. I''m not foolish. If Bryson intended to keep your real birthday under


    wraps, I certainly wouldn''t go bbing about it."


    Suddenly, Yasmine let out a coldugh, her fork twirling a strawberry in the frosting.


    "You''re not foolish, so you decided to confide in Serena. What? Did she give you some kind of


    guarantee that made you trust her not to spread the word?"


    Serena, catching on, quickly interjected: "Yasmine, I swear I haven''t told anyone, and I won''t, ever."


    "Did I ask you?" Yasmine''s tone was ice-cold, and for the first time, she looked directly at Serena,


    her gaze sharp as a de, causing Serena to shrink back involuntarily.


    Boyd frowned. "She won''t tell anyone."


    Yasmine fell silent for a few seconds. "So she didn''t even promise you, and you just unterally trust


    her?"


    Boyd''s expression darkened slightly, his frown deepening as he looked at her, as though Yasmine


    was being unreasonably difficult. "I told you, she wants to apologize."


    "And I told you, I loathe her. What are you thinking, assuming I would forgive someone I despise?"


    Boyd set down his fork. "Do you have to be so extreme?"


    "If I were really extreme, do you think you''d be eligible to talk to me?" Yasmine''s lips twisted into a


    smile, as cold as theye. She stared at Boyd for a long time, the anger bubbling within her


    gradually suppressed. "Right, I must have a screw loose in my head, what am I thinking? I actually


    had some unclear expectations for you. I''m really not giving myself a break."


    She chuckled bitterly, then nced at the ss jar in Serena''s hand. Three lilies were inside,


    preserved and dried, still holding their shape well.


    "It seems you''ve really caught on to Boyd''s ways, always looking for the easy way out."


    Taking the jar, she examined it closely. "Boyd," she suddenly said, "I recognize that Serena is kind,


    gentle, and likable. But that doesn''t mean everyone has to ept her. And if we''re talking about


    extremes, I''m nowhere near you. What''s even more ridiculous is, if it were just you, it would be one


    thing. But no, it''s for someone else."


    She popped the creamden strawberry into her mouth. It wasn''t as sweet as she hoped.


    "Yes, Serena''s wonderful, but maybe she''s just not that bright. Why are you just staring at me? Look


    around you, see how wronged your precious Serena has been by me."


    Boyd instinctively looked up, and in an instant, his expression turned cold.


    "Didn''t Yasmine just celebrate her birthdayst month? Why is Serena giving her a birthday present


    today?"


    "No wonder we all got cupcakes today."


    "I remember that every year, shortly after Yasmine''s birthday, we get to enjoy cake."


    "Why does Yasmine get to have two birthdays a year while we only have one?"


    The teacher was flustered. "No, it’s not like that. Today isn''t anyone''s birthday."


    "But Serena just said it was Yasmine''s birthday."


    "She... she was just making up for a missed birthday gift for Yasmine."


    The teacher''s words came out with a hint of guilt.


    Serena looked panic-stricken, her eyes turning to Boyd for support. "I... I didn''t know."


    Boyd turned away. "You should know, she didn''t mean any harm."


    Yasmine nodded. "Yeah, I know. She''s still a kid, after all. She can''t be that cunning."


    With that, she slowly stood up, staring at Serana who looked helpless and timid, and smiled, "You


    want to apologize to me, and then? Everyone thinks you are kind and gentle, pure and lovely, while


    I''m suspicious, cold-hearted. Despite knowing that I hate you, you still want to get closer to me. Do


    you feel that you can''t bear anyone hating you, even one person, so you want to conquer me, or...


    being with someone as notorious as me, can it better highlight how wonderful you are? How much I


    am hated?"


    Serana shook her head, looking helpless, "I really just feel sorry for you..."


    Yasmine’s slight figure somehow exuded an intimidating aura. No one could tell what she was


    thinking or what she would do next.


    Boyd stood as well. "This is my fault."


    Yasmine ignored him and focused her gaze on Serana, holding up a ss jar to her face. "You


    really do seem like a good soul. Honestly, you don''t have to feel too sorry for me."


    Mid-sentence, Yasmine abruptly raised her arm and hurled the ss jar onto the floor with all her


    might. The sound of shattering ss brought an instant silence over the entire cafeteria, the kids''


    faces turning ashen with shock.


    Serana trembled from head to toe.


    Yasmine let out a chuckle as she stepped on the broken ss scattered across the floor, crushing


    the flowers beneath her boot.


    "See, I''m just that wicked. Stomping your heartfelt gift under my boot—it''s quite nasty, isn''t it? So,


    do you still feel sorry for me?"