"I don't know," Esme replied briefly.
"Zuri says she's an orphan, but from the looks of it, she seems more privileged than a wealthy heiress. There are rich kids in our college, but I've never seen anyone who has their meals delivered to them like this," said Shen Menglai, her curiosity piqued.
Esme merely smiled and said nothing more.
Seeing her lack of interest, Shen Menglai fell silent.
In a corner, Zuri opened the food box to find mild, nourishing dishes. Azura, however, frowned as soon as she saw edamame in her meal.
Noticing the change in Azura's expression, Zuri asked, "What's wrong?"
Azura remained silent, her mood visibly darkened.
She disliked edamame, yet it appeared in her meal. This could only mean that the person who sent the food wasn't her father—or worse, that her father didn't even know her preferences. Either way, the thought was disheartening for Azura.
"I hate edamame," she finally muttered.
With that, Zuri immediately understood. "Maybe they got the orders mixed up. This one should be yours," she offered.
Azura forced a bitter smile. "No need to comfort me. Deep down, I already knew... How could he care? He hasn't even called or visited since I came back. Why would he suddenly arrange for meals to be delivered?"
Her voice grew softer, and soon she fell silent.
Zuri could empathize with Azura's yearning for paternal love, as she had felt the same in her previous life. The more you care, the more it hurts.
In moments like these, words of comfort often seem hollow.
Zuri reached out and held Azura's hand.
Azura looked up, forcing a smile that was more painful than tears. "I don't care anyway."
"I know," Zuri replied.
Azura pretended that nothing had happened.
When Esme and Shen Menglai returned, they didn't notice Azura's mood.
On the way back to their dorm, Zuri took out her phone and sent Nolan a message.
Nolan, who was in Shanghai, immediately opened the message.
Zuri: [No need to send lunch anymore.]
Nolan stared at the short sentence.
He understood every word individually, but together, they left him baffled.
Lunch?
What lunch?
Had Owen done something foolish again?!
Nolan's mind immediately jumped to that conclusion.
Nolan: [I never sent any lunch.]
Zuri stared at the message, confused.
If it wasn't Nolan, then who?
Could it be Owen?
Zuri thought for a moment and then found Owen's number, sending him the same message.
Meanwhile, Owen had just finished shooting an ad and was resting when his phone chimed. He glanced at it, saw that it was a message from his brother, and opened it. Instantly, his good mood evaporated.
Nolan: [Stop doing stupid things. No more lunch deliveries!]
Lunch? What lunch?!
Just as Owen was about to reply, another message arrived.
Seeing that it was from his sister, Owen's face lit up as he eagerly opened it, only to have his smile freeze.
Zuri: [No need to send lunch anymore!]
What the hell?!
Who's framing me?
Owen's face darkened.
Rhett, his assistant, approached cautiously. "Brother, we can start the next shoot."
"Not now, give me a minute," Owen replied curtly.
The entire crew noticed Owen's sour mood, and no one dared push him to continue shooting.
Owen carefully considered his reply, typing a long, detailed message.
When Zuri received Owen's response, she was puzzled.
Owen: [My dearest sister, I don't know which idiot has been causing you trouble using my name, but I assure you, that person must be a fool. Please forgive his foolishness. If I find out who it is, I won't let him off. Don't worry, I'll get to the bottom of this and stop his idiotic behavior.]
Zuri couldn't help but laugh at the message, which read more like a short essay.
If it wasn't Nolan or Owen, could it be Adam? But that didn't seem likely. She hadn't interacted much with her second brother, but she felt it wasn't him.
And Leo? Impossible.
If it were him, he wouldn't have paired Azura's meal with edamame.
Then who could it be?
Suddenly, a thought crossed Zuri's mind.
Could it be her?
Could it be their mother?
If it was, Zuri couldn't bring herself to refuse.
In the end, she couldn't say no to a mother who was desperately trying to reconnect with her daughter.
Zuri quickly sent Owen another message.
Zuri: [Never mind. Keep the deliveries coming.]
Owen stared at the message, confused for a long time.
Meanwhile, a secretary entered a heavily guarded office.
"Sir, the lunch has been delivered to Miss," she reported.
"Did she say anything?" Feng An asked, looking up from his work.
"No, Miss didn't say anything."
Knowing that she had accepted the lunch, Feng An felt relieved. At least she hadn't rejected it.
"Make sure her meals are always balanced and nutritious. And remind Old Zhou to take special care of her," Feng An instructed, knowing that Zuri disliked being disturbed.
They tried to avoid appearing in front of her, but it was painful to be so distant from someone you were supposed to be closest to.
This was his deepest sorrow.
After finishing his instructions, Feng An added, "On second thought, I'll talk to him myself."
He waved his hand, dismissing the secretary, who placed the documents on his desk and quietly left.
Ever since that embarrassing dinner, Shi Feifei had been avoiding her three roommates, keeping a low profile even in class.
One day, after returning from a meeting with a professor, Zuri walked into the dormitory and, surprisingly, found Shi Feifei there.
"I brought some snacks," Zuri said, placing a bag on the table.
Normally, Shen Menglai would have been the first to dig in, but today, she hesitated.
"I'm on a diet, so I'll pass."
Zuri turned to Esme.
Esme's eyes darted nervously as she stammered, "I'm not hungry."
Zuri glanced at both of them before finally resting her gaze on Shi Feifei, her eyes narrowing slightly.
She said nothing, picking up the snacks and taking them to the neighboring dorm. When she returned, her hands were empty.
The next morning, Esme and Shen Menglai left the dorm early, leaving Zuri behind. When they reached the classroom, they didn't sit in their usual spot but joined some other students instead.
Zuri didn't mind and took her usual seat.
Suddenly, someone sat down next to her.
Seeing her look over, Xu Zexi smiled brightly. "Is this seat taken?"
"No," Zuri replied.
The sight of Xu Zexi sitting with Zuri immediately attracted attention and whispers.
"Whoa, why is Xu Zexi sitting with Zuri?"
"One's the beauty of the department, the other's the heartthrob. They look perfect together," someone commented.
"Could they be dating?!"
"Maybe! If I remember correctly, Xu Zexi has never sat with a girl before."
Sitting at the front, Shi Feifei glanced back at Xu Zexi and Zuri, who were chatting happily, and her eyes narrowed.
**Chapter 408: A Poor Match for a Poor Soul**
The lunch bell rang as Zuri and Xu Zexi walked out, only to run into Esme and another girl. Upon seeing her, the two hastened their steps.
Xu Zexi asked, "Did you have a fight?"
The three of them were usually inseparable, so even a fool could tell something was up when they suddenly avoided her.
Zuri, however, paid it no mind. Whether someone can be a true friend isn't determined by how long you've known each other but by the sincerity of the relationship.
As they walked out of the building, they noticed that the bulletin board near the entrance was covered in photos. And the person in those photos was none other than Zuri.
As Zuri appeared, someone noticed her.
"It's her, that girl."
"It really is her."
"Though the photos are a bit old, you can still tell it's her. Who would've thought she was an orphan, even scavenging through trash bins?"
"Looking at those old photos, she really had a rough life. Now she's all glamorous, and you can't tell at all."
"An orphan? But I heard she's from some wealthy family."
"I heard that too. Isn't she a VIP at the Highton Hotel? I also heard someone sends her lunch every day."
"Could it be a lie?"
"Definitely. We've been duped."
"An orphan, suddenly so wealthy? Something doesn't add up."
"What's so odd about it? Maybe some rich guy's keeping her. It's not like that doesn't happen."
The murmurs around them seeped into Zuri's ears from every direction.
Xu Zexi didn't step away but gave her a concerned look. "Don't let what they say bother you."
Zuri glanced at him, her expression indifferent.
Would she care about such gossip?
Of course not.
Her gaze swept over the crowd, finally settling on Shi Feifei, who was watching the spectacle from a distance. Zuri's lips curled into a beautiful smile.
Shi Feifei was stunned. Something about that smile sent a shiver down her spine.
Xu Zexi stepped forward and addressed those with malice in their words, "Don't speak so carelessly. Words have consequences."
"Hey, who do you think you are? Did we say anything about you? What's it to you?"
"He's from the design department, right? I heard he's into Zuri."
"No wonder he's all worked up."
"Freshman, when choosing a girlfriend, looks aren't everything. You should consider her character too. Imagine picking up damaged goods."
The girl's mocking tone was full of glee, but suddenly, her ponytail was yanked hard from behind, causing her to yelp in pain.
"Who—?" She turned around, only to see a furious face.
"Your grandma, that's who!" Azura retorted fiercely.
"Let go!" The girl grabbed her hair.
Azura flicked her hand, "I was wondering why your mouth is crooked; turns out you've just been talking too much."
"You…" The girl was livid.
Her friends quickly gathered around her.
Azura rolled up her sleeves, "What, want a fight? I'm ready whenever you are. Just don't come crying to daddy afterward!"
Azura's sharp tongue could drive anyone mad.
"And who are you? What does this have to do with you?" one of the girls asked.
"She's my bestie. You mess with her, you mess with me."
"Hmph, you think she's your friend, but does she see you that way? Look at her, standing there like a delicate flower while you're out here making a fool of yourself," the girl sneered.
Azura gave the girls a mischievous smile, "Are you sure you want her to step in?"