The letters still lay snug in the mailbox, untouched and unread.
Despite the advancements, the internet wasn't as developed, so news didn't travel as swiftly as one might hope.
Hand-delivering those sensational photos, embellished with vivid descriptions, seemed like a grand gesture. Yet, to everyone's surprise, Lucas strolled into the office as nonchalantly as ever, greeting his colleague Linda with a smile.
Meanwhile, over in Jason Hart's world...
He arrived at school just like any other day, a tad earlier this time, burying his nose in a book without hesitation.
After all, what better way to kill time in class than to delve into some serious studying?
Seeing Jason Hart immersed in his books, Liam, the lad from the neighboring desk, once again found himself at a loss!
Seizing the opportunity before the teacher's arrival, Liam's tone oscillated between praise and mockery as he quipped, "What's up with you, burying your head in books again!? Aren't you supposed to be challenging the big shots in school with me? Come on, man, what's the point of learning all this stuff? I know times are tough for your family, but there's no need to overdo it! Seriously, snap out of it!"
"...Why are you getting worked up over me reading?" Jason Hart looked bewildered, utterly perplexed.
Bucktooth, his old friend, came from a decent background, not particularly wealthy, but certainly not someone to be trifled with.
Unfazed by Liam's antics, Bucktooth, with a hint of jest, explained, "Once your grades improve, won't he be stuck at the bottom of the class every day, getting sent home to kneel before the ancestors? It would be quite embarrassing, wouldn't it?"
At this revelation, Jason Hart suddenly had an epiphany and turned to Liam, revealing, "In that case, you're in trouble. The other night, while I was sleeping, something just clicked. Many of these concepts are as easy as pie; they simply embed themselves in my brain, saving me years of trial and error. Self-taught mastery, you could say."
Before Liam could respond, Bucktooth, taking it seriously, exclaimed, "No way! Jason bro, isn't that akin to receiving enlightenment from a grandmaster, like opening up your meridians?"
Growing even darker, Liam waved his hand dismissively, a glum expression on his face, muttering, "Nonsense, big bro's crazy, and little bro's a lunatic. Birds of a feather flock together, no wonder you two get along!"
...
During yesterday's class, the desk to Jason Hart's left remained unoccupied.
Initially, Jason Hart had hoped it might be one of the two girls, coincidentally seated next to him.
But today, the rightful occupant arrived, coughing from the wind, clearly battling a cold.
In that split second of seeing the person at the adjacent desk, Jason Hart almost couldn't discern their gender.
Standing at about 1.7 meters, fair-skinned, with neutral features, they were quite handsome.
Upon closer inspection...
Alright, there's an Adam's apple, and it's as flat as a pancake.
Definitely a guy.
Studying the figure for a moment, Jason Hart suddenly recalled that this was also one of his close buddies, named Derek, with a hint of Caucasian ancestry, making him a mixed-blood.
Derek had a pair of phoenix eyes, but there was a mischievous glint in them, earning him the moniker "Fox Eyes."
Just as Derek took his seat...
The guy with the fox eyes quietly summoned Bucktooth and Jason Hart, discreetly opening his backpack and whispering, "Yesterday, I happened to pass under the overpass and bumped into the guy I bought CDs from last time. The prices were fair, so I bought five at once, covering Japan, Europe, and America! Now all we need is a place to watch them. I nearly got caught by my sister last time; I still have trauma. Anyone home alone tonight?"
Jason Hart had already guessed.
Peeking over, he confirmed his suspicions, and indeed, the DVD covers were extra racy, causing a smirk to tug at the corners of his lips.
It was amusing, nothing more.
No matter how he looked at it, the idea of watching such stuff with a group of friends felt odd to Jason Hart, and he had no interest whatsoever.
So he simply shook his head and remained silent.
But Bucktooth, without hesitation, volunteered his home for the next day, suggesting another time as well.
Once that was settled, the handsome Fox Eyes continued rummaging in his bag, pulling out a few cigars and handing them over, saying, "Stolen from my old man's stash, each one's worth a grand, authentic Cuban goods. Rolled from the thighs of young girls, they still carry a whiff of their fragrance."
Initially uninterested, Jason Hart subconsciously reached out upon hearing the price, sniffing one through the plastic tube. All he could detect was a faint scent of cigars.
As for the so-called "fragrance of young girls," he couldn't smell it at all; it was all in his head.
Of course.
He hadn't witnessed them being rolled; they could very well have been rolled by middle-aged women, or rough men.
With that thought, it lost its appeal.
If Jason Hart remembered correctly, Derek's family was in the transportation business, mainly centered around the various docks in the harbor city, making them quite affluent.
Derek's Caucasian ancestor had even served as an official in this gambling city, relocating from Portugal and settling here for half a century.
Derek, with his fox-like eyes, undoubtedly possessed a face that would easily win over the ladies.
But his behavior exuded a blatant lewdness, tarnishing his image over time. It was no wonder he was so eager, bringing DVDs to school first thing in the morning.
Little did he know, he was about to be unwittingly drawn into a minor predicament...
The morning classes went smoothly.
At lunchtime, Mia once again sought out Jason Hart.
This girl clearly wanted everyone to know that she and Jason were more than just acquaintances, being unabashedly affectionate.
As they made their way to the cafeteria, Mia even took the initiative to link arms with Jason Hart.
Even if the teachers or school authorities saw, they wouldn't intervene. In this school, early romances were commonplace.
But behind these tender relationships, there could be family alliances, business partnerships between listed companies, and so on. It could involve millions, even billions, of dollars.
As long as no trouble arose, everyone turned a blind eye, especially considering Jason Hart's family background was well-known in the school. No one dared to mess with his old man. Even troublemakers like Liam knew better than to cross him completely.
Seeing Mia's boldness, Jason Hart's arm tensed initially, slowly relaxing as they chatted along the way.
Having such a beautiful girl sitting opposite him during lunch was quite enjoyable.
After a brief respite at noon...
Just as Jason Hart was lost in thought, reminiscing about Mia...
With the start of the elective classes, a tall girl walked into the classroom, once again diverting Jason Hart's attention.