Summer not only let Logan eat her buns, but she also shared her beef with him! This kind of treatment used to be reserved exclusively for Henry.
So, they all glanced at Henry, their eyes full of longing, and then quickly looked away. Even though Henry tried to act nonchalant, his eyes and face were clouded with deep gloom. His chest was about to burst with the suffocating feeling inside him.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't understand what had happened to Summer. Cutting ties with him over a few buns was one thing, but treating Logan this way was beyond comprehension. Didn't she know what kind of person Logan was? She must be out of her mind!
That cold-hearted, self-serving Logan!
Couldn't she see that he was taking advantage of her?
Henry almost couldn't hold back, wanting to grab Summer and shake some sense into her. But remembering the harsh words she said this morning, he restrained himself. Eating his coarse porridge while the smell of beef wafted through the air, he felt like he was eating pig food. After forcing down another mouthful of porridge, he slammed his bowl down on the table and stormed out, his face dark with anger.
The atmosphere grew awkward and tense. Everyone knew why Henry was upset, but no one dared to say it aloud. They all quietly endured their meal, feeling as if they were drinking poison.
Summer and Logan continued eating calmly, completely unaffected. Their unhurried pace only added to everyone else's discomfort.
It was the boys' turn to wash the dishes today. After finishing their meal, the girls put their bowls down and left the kitchen.
Back in their dormitory, Rachel spoke up, her face twisted in confusion, "What's wrong with her? Has Logan scrambled her brains? This morning she made such a fuss over a few buns, said all those hurtful things to Henry, and now she's treating Logan to buns and beef? She must be possessed!"
Cindy, feeling drained, replied softly, "There are no such things as ghosts. That's just superstitious nonsense."
Rachel was baffled, "Then what's gotten into her?"
Cindy guessed, "Logan must have fed her some kind of charm."
Sitting at the table, Grace held up her small mirror, "I've said it before, Logan won't do anything unless there's something in it for him. He must be planning to gain something from her. This is just the beginning. Just wait, she's going to suffer a lot more. Once she's no longer useful to him, Logan will kick her to the curb without a second thought."
Rachel sighed, "Logan is really awful."
Grace responded, "Well, someone has to be foolish enough to fall for it."
Suzie, who had been quiet, took a deep breath. She knew that with Summer's current behavior, there was no way she'd give up the teaching position. Her face and eyes were filled with sorrow, feeling like she was walking through a cold, endless night with no light in sight.
***
The boys finished washing the dishes and returned to their dormitory. Henry lay on his bed, arms behind his head, his face calm but his eyes stormy. Such a situation would be hard for anyone to understand or accept.
His neighbor's little sister, who had grown up idolizing him and always listened to him, suddenly turned against him. The girl who used to be so gentle, kind, and generous had become selfish and petty, severing their bond and getting close to the person he despised the most.
Henry's presence cast a dark cloud over the room. The others, sensing his mood, sat quietly, exchanging uneasy glances. Finally, Charles spoke up, "Summer is simple-minded. She must have been misled by Logan."
Henry heard him but didn't react.
Thomas looked at Henry and said, "Henry, should we find an opportunity to teach Logan a lesson?"
Henry finally spoke, his tone flat, "No need."
Charles expressed his concern, "So, we just watch Summer get deceived? Today it's buns and beef; who knows what it'll be tomorrow? She's bound to suffer."
Henry remained unmoved, "She needs to suffer to learn her lesson."
Charles and Thomas exchanged glances but said nothing more. Given Summer's recent behavior, especially this morning's outburst, she indeed needed a hard lesson to wise up.
***
After finishing their meal, Summer and Logan cleaned up their dishes and went back to their dormitories.
Neither greeted the others, acting as if no one else existed.
Summer opened her travel bag, pulling out a stack of comic books. Most of her belongings had been related to Henry because she had always lived for him. The comics weren't for her enjoyment but to keep Henry entertained since he preferred them over text-heavy books.
With their bond now severed, these comics were no longer for him. Instead, she planned to give them to the village children, who would find them new and fascinating.
Thinking of this, Summer sat on the bed, flipping through a few of the comics. She ignored the idle chatter of the others, until a voice from outside caught her attention, "Anyone want to go to the mill together?"
Summer looked up to see Thomas standing outside. She ignored him, continuing to flip through her comics.
Rachel immediately got up and said, "Sure, let's go. Many hands make light work."
Suzie, Grace, and Cindy followed suit, and the four of them left to join the boys, carrying their cleaned grain to the mill.
On the way, the group walked ahead, laughing and joking, while Suzie and Henry trailed behind, keeping a distance from the rest.
Henry, appearing carefree in front of Suzie, asked, "What's wrong? Not in a good mood?"
Suzie smiled faintly, not revealing her worries, and instead, expressed concern for Henry, "I'm more worried about you. You must be feeling pretty bad, being betrayed by someone so close to you."
Henry tried to appear indifferent, "Isn't the person closest to me you?"
Suzie rolled her eyes at him, "Stop joking. I know Summer means a lot to you. You didn't even feel this bad when you broke up with Tanya..."
Henry took a deep breath, a self-mocking smile on his face.
Yeah, when had he ever felt so suffocated and frustrated because of someone?