Seeing her waiting at the bus stop as if she were headed to driving school, Ryan couldn't resist asking, "Why didn't your admirers give you a ride?"
Her so-called admirers were Ryan's classmates: one was Jack Landon from Ryan's class, and the other was William Hughes from the neighboring class. There were others who secretly liked her in the entire Experiment 1, but these two were the most proactive.
Upon hearing this, Emma brushed her hair behind her ear and calmly replied, "Don't talk nonsense. They're just classmates."
"I heard William confessed his feelings for you a few days ago," Ryan inquired curiously.
William, from the neighboring class, was somewhat unremarkable in appearance but came from a relatively wealthy family, making him a sort of rich kid.
"Rejected him. I'm not planning to date until after I graduate from college," Emma responded casually, as if it were no big deal.
Classic rejection line.
Whether she truly intended to remain single until after college... Well, only time would tell.
Ryan wasn't surprised by the outcome of William's confession.
Once a dog licker, always a dog licker. Even if William was a rich kid, it wouldn't change the outcome.
At that moment, Emma checked her phone for the time and suddenly cautioned, "Ryan, it's risky to ride your bike with just one hand."
"What's the harm in riding a bike with one hand? I'm even better at driving a Ferrari with one hand!" Ryan joked.
What the heck?
Driving a Ferrari with one hand?
Emma was momentarily taken aback by this unexpected comment.
Normally, when a guy hears something like that, wouldn't he say, "That's really unsafe. Let me give you a ride, you can hold onto my umbrella?"
The situation was far from what Emma expected.
Ryan, of course, understood her reaction but chose not to elaborate.
Emma was known for her good looks, personality, and academic performance, but she had a somewhat arrogant demeanor.
Clearly in a hurry to get to driving school and anxious to get a car, Emma hoped Ryan would offer her a ride.
So Ryan decided to tease her a bit.
The two of them stared at each other awkwardly for a moment, the tension palpable.
The bus stop's roof only provided partial shade, leaving Emma's lower body exposed to the scorching sun. Meanwhile, Ryan held his umbrella at an angle, looking rather comfortable.
Ultimately, Emma succumbed to Ryan's teasing and asked, "Are you going to driving school too?"
"Yes! What's up?" Ryan responded, suppressing a smile and pretending innocence.
"You..." Emma wasn't stupid; she had caught on to Ryan's playful teasing.
She was furious!
If she were at any other school, there would be plenty of guys vying to give her a ride.
Just as she contemplated this, a white BMW 520 pulled up slowly in front of the bus stop.
The window rolled down, and William's pimply face poked out.
Spotting Emma, William greeted her cheerfully, "Hey Emma, what are you doing here?"
Damn, wasn't this guy rejected just a few days ago?
In a matter of days, here he was again, this time with a bashful smile.
But Ryan quickly understood.
Emma had handled William's confession quite well. By saying she didn't plan to date until after college, she saved his face while leaving a glimmer of hope.
If not now, maybe after college!
Emma didn't expect to run into William either. She was slightly taken aback for a moment, then replied softly, "I'm heading to driving school to take some lessons."
"I can take you there! It's on my way," William offered with a pleased expression, eager to be of assistance.
Seriously, what does 'on my way' even mean?
Ignoring his family's wealth, if your EQ can attract a girl, you're in business.
Ryan couldn't help but think to himself.
He almost wanted to tell William: Dude, just pay to get a girlfriend in the future. The standard moves don't suit you.
William's words, however, made Emma frown.
One thing was being unpleasant to hear, but another was the matter of appearance.
Despite knowing it was wrong to judge people by their looks, William's pimply face was hard to ignore. Besides, Emma had trypophobia, and seeing William's face gave her goosebumps.
In contrast, Ryan was much more appealing.
While Ryan's looks weren't extraordinary, his smooth, fair skin and fresh appearance were quite pleasant.
So without hesitation, Emma said directly, "Thanks, but you don't need to bother. Ryan already agreed to give me a ride."
Ryan was taken aback by this.
Wait, when did I say I was giving her a ride?
Before he could react, Emma had already moved forward and settled herself in the back seat.
Suddenly, a faint fragrance wafted through the air.
Ryan couldn't possibly turn Emma away now; that would be downright ungentlemanly.
"Here, take my umbrella."
Handing over his umbrella, Ryan waved at William. "Let's get going. See you later!"
As he watched them leave, William looked gloomy and pounded the steering wheel in frustration.
...
On the small electric scooter, Emma sat gracefully, maintaining a comfortable distance from Ryan.
Feeling the gentle fragrance in the air, Ryan smiled and remarked, "Emma, you owe me one this time."
"Stingy!" Emma muttered, lightly patting him on the shoulder.
After a moment of silence, Emma asked, "Ryan, do you have a crush on Megan Thompson?"
Megan was the class president of Grade 11, Class 3. Just as attractive as Emma, she was also one of the school's three beauties.
Faced with this unexpected question, Ryan pondered, "Why do you ask?"
"Still trying to deny it?" Emma replied smugly. "I went to pick up my acceptance letter last week and noticed you staring at Megan."
Megan had worn a particularly eye-catching outfit that day, drawing the attention of many.
"Not that I have a crush, but everyone appreciates beauty! Besides, I wasn't the only one who noticed her that day." Ryan changed his tone playfully. "Since Emma pays so much attention to me, does that mean something?"
"You're shameless!" Emma playfully punched him on the shoulder. Then, in a more serious tone, she asked, "Is Megan really worth all the attention?"
Sure enough, girls could find conflict in anything, and Emma was no exception.
Ryan chuckled and replied deliberately, "Because of her sexy body!"
Emma hadn't expected Ryan to be so direct. Blushing slightly, she huffed, "Pervert!"
Just as they were about to lapse into silence, Emma's voice came again, this time sounding in Ryan's ear.
"Do you boys really like girls with sexy body?"
Ryan nearly burst out laughing at this question.
Emma was known for her straightforwardness but had a soft spot for gossip.
Suppressing a laugh, Ryan cleared his throat and replied seriously, "Everyone has their own preferences. Some guys like charisma, some prefer charm, and others like the strong, silent type..."