"But,"
Ethan couldn't help but remind her, "Eating so much at once, can your stomach handle it?"
Nora shook her head, a few strands of hair falling by her cheek: "No, it's fine. I... I don't think I gain weight. Sometimes I eat a few less meals, or a bit more, and my figure... it's all pretty much the same."
Her tone was a bit confused, as if this constitution was just an objective fact to her.
Ethan was filled with emotion.
This was the physique countless girls dream of!
Images of those girls in his previous life who dieted and anxiously maintained their figures flashed through his mind.
In his previous life, many girls controlled their diet to maintain their figures, fearing gaining weight or breaking out in acne. Surprisingly, some never easily changed their habits and kept a perfectly proportioned figure throughout.
You have to know, Nora had a great figure, but now she was deliberately dressed like this, making it look quite loose and not showing her shape at all.
After her real appearance was exposed in his previous life, she had long legs, a tiny waist, and was simply perfect, even more model-like than actual models, because many models had great figures but were very flat-chested...
Nora's physique was simply top-tier, truly a natural blessing.
Suddenly, Nora raised her head, her clear eyes staring directly at Ethan, filled with tension, confusion, and a faint, barely noticeable hope.
She mustered her courage and asked the question she'd been suppressing for a long time:
"Ethan... I want to know... why are you so good to me?"
She paused, her voice lower, a bit self-deprecating: "I know... actually, the other classmates really don't like me..."
Ethan knew exactly what she meant.
In this unfamiliar environment, first impressions often came from the most direct appearance.
Her "disguise" successfully deterred most people.
This question was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, stirring waves in Ethan's heart.
How should I answer? Tell her I've been reborn? That I know you're actually stunningly beautiful? That I'm interested in you... Ugh!
Just as Ethan was silently pondering for a moment, Nora seemed to misunderstand his hesitation. Her eyes dimmed as she softly asked, "Is it because you think I'm ugly... and you pity me?"
"No! I don't pity you!" Ethan immediately denied it, his tone resolute.
He looked into her eyes and carefully organized his words: "I do take better care of you than other classmates. But it's definitely not out of pity. As for why..."
He paused, his gaze growing deeper, as if examining his own heart: "I can't quite explain it either. Maybe it's just a feeling. Taking care of you makes me feel a little better? Or maybe it satisfies my ridiculous bit of 'hero complex'? Who knows? Sometimes people can't even figure out their own motivations."
Nora listened quietly, her long eyelashes trembling slightly.
After a long while.
She gently pressed her lips together, her pearly teeth leaving a faint mark on her tender lips, finally turning into a low, almost inaudible, yet crystal-clear phrase: "Thank you."
Ethan was somewhat surprised to find that just these few honest words seemed to quietly break down some invisible barrier between them, magically bringing them closer together.
It seems communication really is important.
Robert had just messaged Ethan on iMessage. He'd be online to play games soon, and he was planning to go to the gaming café! Anyway, tomorrow was a day off.
Ethan stood up and said, "I'm leaving... you should go back too..."
After saying that, he walked in another direction along the food strip.
"Huh?"
Nora was stunned, watching Ethan's departing figure, and instinctively blurted out, "You... where are you going?"
Ethan didn't look back, just waved his hand casually, and his figure quickly blended into the pedestrians under the dim streetlight.
Nora watched the disappearing figure, bit her lower lip, and as if making up her mind, she hurried after him.
Ethan heard the faint footsteps behind him and turned around in surprise: "Hmm? Why did you follow me? Weren't you supposed to go back to the dorm?"
Nora ran up to him, panting slightly, her cheeks flushed from running and nervousness.
She looked up and bravely met Ethan's gaze: "When I went to the restroom just now, I saw you pay the owner. I know you treated the whole class to BBQ tonight!"
Ethan didn't know what she wanted to say and asked, "Yeah! And then?"
Nora took a deep breath, nervously clutching the hem of her clothes, but her gaze was unusually resolute: "I... I'd like to treat you to a cup of bubble tea! To... consider it my return gift for you treating me to BBQ!"
She seemed afraid Ethan would refuse, so she spoke a bit faster: "My mom told me since I was little... you can't take advantage of others, okay?"
Ethan looked at her serious little face and suddenly understood, then chuckled, "Oh~ I get it. You don't want to owe me a favor, right?"
Nora nodded vigorously, her eyes clear yet stubborn.
Ethan couldn't help but sigh once again at the simplicity of girls in this era.
Thinking back to his past life... high expectations and all sorts of conditions, and in the end, they even chose someone who knows how many times over... All he could say was, it was truly unfortunate.
Seeing Ethan remain silent, she immediately became anxious: "Can you... say something? I may not have much money, but I can still afford a cup of bubble tea! I don't want to owe you any favors..."
Seeing her anxious expression, Ethan was moved and suddenly asked a seemingly casual question: "Do you not want to owe me a favor, or do you not want to owe anyone?"
"I don't want to owe anyone!" Nora replied without hesitation, resolutely.
Hearing this answer, the smile at the corner of Ethan's mouth deepened, carrying a hint of understanding.
Ethan smiled slightly: "Alright then, let's go to the bubble tea shop. Can you buy me a glass of lemonade? Perfect time to sober up."
"Whew..." Nora let out a huge sigh of relief, exhaling deeply. The tense little face finally relaxed, even showing a faint smile.
The night deepened, and it was already close to eleven o'clock.
The lively atmosphere around campus hadn't completely faded, but the pedestrians were much sparser than at nightfall.
The food strip remained brightly lit, with signs for gaming cafés, bubble tea shops, and small accessory shops shining temptingly in the night.
The two of them walked quietly along the street, one after the other, their shadows cast by streetlights.
Nora was always half a step behind Ethan, like a silent little shadow.
Soon, they arrived at the entrance of a brightly lit gaming café with cool game posters at the entrance.
A huge neon sign flashed with the words "GameZone 24HR," and faint sounds of keyboard typing and players shouting could be heard from inside.
Ethan pointed to the gaming café and said to Nora, "I have something to do. Buy me a glass of iced lemonade and bring it over. I'll be inside the café."
There are 120 advance chapters ahead in my Patreon. If you are interested can check it out.
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