After having breakfast together, the trio was about to leave home when Zaylynn showed up with her parents, who had personally brought her there to express her gratitude.
“Thank you, Susan, Ian, and Timothy. I’m beyond grateful for everything you’ve done for me. If it weren’t for you guys, I probably would’ve been…”
“We owe you big time! You’re the Neal family’s saviors. As Zaylynn’s parents, we thank you!”
Both Feynman and his wife, Clara, bowed and thanked them profusely with tears in their eyes.
The two young men were at a loss, given that they had never dealt with such a situation before. Thus, it was Susan who spoke up and quickly told them to lift their heads.
“Don’t say that, Mr. and Mrs. Neal! Zaylynn is our friend. It’s only natural that we help her in times of trouble.”
“She’s right. You don’t have to thank us. Besides, there’s no way Piggy here could’ve actually killed anyone!” Timothy blurted.
Silence washed over the entire apartment as a scarlet-faced Zaylynn glared at the young man who had just addressed her in such a way.
“Hey, Timothy… What did you just call me?”
“S-Sorry, my bad… Hey, don’t come over. I didn’t mean it…”
A squabble soon ensued between the two, and Timothy ended up being chased into his own room and hiding in there.
Susan was deeply embarrassed by what had just happened.
She wanted to chastise her brother for his lack of manners and apologize to Zaylynn’s parents.
But unbeknown to her, Feynman and Clara seemed unusually pleased after exchanging glances with one another.
The Jadeson family was untouchable—so much that they would have never imagined their daughter being friends with Ian.
But this other guy isn’t bad either. He’s part of the Jadesons too. He may be from a different branch, but it seems that the current head of the clan regards him highly. That’s good enough for us.
Zaylynn’s parents left in high spirits, but not before extending a personal invitation.
“By the way, Mr. Ian and Ms. Susan, as a token of our appreciation, will you please accept our invitation to come and have dinner at our place? Don’t worry for we mean nothing by it. We just want to treat you to a meal.”
Just as Ian was about to reject their offer, Susan suddenly recalled his mother asking her to take him to more social events, and so she stopped him.
“Okay. Thank you for the invitation.”
“Not at all! In fact, we’re thankful to have you come over.” Feynman was instantly overjoyed.
Thus, the matter was settled.
After their guests had left, Susan sent Zaylynn a text message, reminding her of the help that had been given by her other friends.
Zaylynn: Don’t worry, Susan. I’ll invite all of them over. I know who my true friends are after what happened. Anyone who’s helped me for the past two days will have dinner at my place!
Susan: Okay.
Zaylynn: But my dad says you’ll have to bring your brother too. Oh, but please warn him that he can’t call me Piggy if he does come!
Susan didn’t know how to respond.
Even so, she was glad that they remembered Timothy. After arriving on campus and seeing Ian off at the Faculty of Finance, she pulled her thoughtless brother aside.
“Zaylynn’s inviting you over too. You’d better watch your manners and stop embarrassing me.”
“What?”
The tall young man froze on the spot.
I’m invited?
Suddenly, the thought of that round-faced, tantrum-throwing girl made him smile widely.
Should I get her a present?
Meanwhile, Yasmin arrived at the Faculty of Finance rather late today, and the first round of classes had already ended by the time she showed up.
Moreover, she seemed to be in her own world.
“What’s wrong, Yasmin?” the student council secretary asked in concern. “You don’t look so good today. Are you not feeling well? Were you giving home tutorials last night?”
Yasmin finally snapped back to reality.
“I-I’m fine. I just slept a little late last night.”
“Well, how about you get some rest inside the lecture hall? No one’s in there right now.”
“Okay.”
Yasmin carried her books into the lecture hall.
Students of this faculty often used the hall for self-studying. The place was usually packed at night, but it was much emptier during the day.
Yasmin pushed the door open, only to gasp in shock.
The first thing she saw was a young man who glanced at her with a pair of extremely frosty eyes upon hearing the door creak open.
Yasmin stilled instantly.
She had no words to describe the way he looked at her, but those eyes caused her head to turn numb in a flash, and she felt as though all the blood in her system had left her.
Her body felt so cold that she trembled—all the way to her fingertips.
“W-What are you doing here?”
“And what about you?” the young man asked, his voice as icy as his gaze.
“I…”
“A person only thinks of hiding away in a quiet place when dealing with immense fear and unease. That was exactly what I did when your brother died in prison. I locked myself in my room for three days and three nights.”
Ian began recounting his horrifying past, his lips pale and his pupils quivering slightly since the beginning.
Yasmin’s expression took an immediate turn.
