When those boys moved Maureen's desk, they were clumsy and messed up all the books on the table.
During the lunch break, Maureen tidied up and suddenly found two clean, minimalist deep-blue notebooks from the pile of books, completely different in style from her colorful ones.
Opening them, the handwriting inside was elegant and the steps to solve problems were so simple that they were clearer than the answers.
It wasn't her handwriting.
Stunned for a moment, Maureen realized they were Richard's.
She had liked him before and always had the audacity to go to Richard's class every Tuesday, under the pretext of borrowing and returning his notes.
These must be the notebooks she borrowed from him last Tuesday, which were still with her now.
In this life, Maureen didn't want to have any contact with Richard anymore, so she didn't want to return them herself.
She sent a text message to Josephine, asking him to do her a favor.
Then, Maureen leaned over, writing a note with her beautiful handwriting:
"Thank you for helping with your note book."
She prepared to clip it into the notebook.
But with a pause of her finger, she thought that it seemed unnecessary.
Richard might have done it casually, but if she took it so seriously, it might make him misunderstand that she was shamelessly begging again.
Besides, she had sent so many delicious foods to Richard and his friends before.
He had helped her this time, so they should be even.
Thinking this way, Maureen crumpled the note into a ball and threw it into the trash can.
==========
Liam stared at Maureen all morning, yet she never said anything about moving back.
He could not help but feel somewhat annoyed and a little wronged.
Seeing that there was no one in the corner at noon, Liam took off his headphones and summoned a junior student over:
"Where's the transfer student?"
The junior student said,
"I think she went to find her friends from her old class."
Liam paused for a moment, then called for Niel who was playing basketball on the playground.
He leaned against the wall, flipping through a book. His red hair exploded again as he casually spun a pen in his hand.
Lazily, he asked Niel,
"Can you find out who was the friend of the transfer student before she came here, what her preferences are — in short, can you gather every little detail?"
Niel, drenched in sweat and holding a basketball, was greatly surprised.
This was the first time in three years that he saw Liam inquire about a girl.
"Liam, you wouldn't-"
Niel couldn't help but lean in and ask softly, "Do you really have a crush on her?"
"Get lost."
Liam, disgusted by his sweat, grabbed his collar and pushed him away, raising an eyebrow:
"Crush my ass.
The International class always had forty one people, now suddenly there is one more. Of course, I want to know her background.
Who knows if she will turn out to be a mole sent from the other side, accidentally seizing my weakness and dividing my properties."
Niel thought for a moment, and said, "I'll ask around then."
Having said that, Niel stole a glance at Liam, not knowing whether to share a piece of information he knew.
Just now, while he was playing basketball with the gold medal class, he heard that the one who had chased Richard in a flamboyant fashion was indeed the transfer student that had recently joined their class — although, it was yet to be verified.
But if this was indeed true, whether the transfer student was genuinely pursuing Liam or simply playing, and in reality, aiming to make Richard from the class next door jealous, it remained to be seen.
As the heir to the Williams family, Liam was superior to everyone.
He spent his days lazily sleeping at school, never concerning himself with this kind of gossip.
Even the nickname "Bad boy R" earned by Richard for securing eight gold medals in eight competitions within two years, was like a tickle to him, not worth remembering.
Naturally, he had never heard of the transfer student's previous dealings with Richard.
Liam nodded, then lowered his head again to read, unconcerned:
"That's it, you can leave.
Just gather some information casually, and don't let the transfer student or anyone else discover."
Niel couldn't help but remember: "
Liam, your book is upside down."
Liam flicked his book upward,
"Get lost."
==================
After school at noon, Richard stayed in his seat, his brows and eyes stern, continuing to tinker with his circuit board.
Richard had his own operation room at school, but some of the smaller parts needed immediate attention, so he often worked on them in class.
He was a tad obsessive about cleanliness, so the components on his desk were neatly arranged.
Because they were so small and delicate, others were afraid of brushing them off; thus, not many people approached his seat.
Ethan returned after playing basketball and called him to lunch from across the aisle. "You go ahead."
After saying that, Richard glanced at his watch subconsciously.
It was already half past twelve.
He frowned almost imperceptibly.
" Bad boy T, do you want me to bring you back something?" Ethan asked.
"No need, you go ahead."
"Okay."
Ethan scratched his head and headed out of the classroom with the basketball.
He had been playing basketball today with a few people from the international class.
They couldn't help but gossip about Maureen's recent situation in the international class.
Most had assumed that Maureen, going into a class filled with rich slackers, would face a certain degree of resistance.
What they didn't expect was that Maureen played her cards well.
Right from the start, he was running errands and giving gifts to the class's leading figure.
This resulted in the international class being quite friendly towards Maureen.
He wasn't sure whether he should tell Richard what he'd heard today.
As he left the classroom with his basketball, he saw Josephine walking over with a notebook in hand.
Because of Smith Maureen, they were all acquainted, so Ethan amiably greeted her.
However, since Josephine did not like Richard, she just glared at Ethan and turned his head away.
Josephine stepped in to hand over the two notebooks to Richard, then turned to leave.
Richard's hands are still, a slight change in his expression,
"Why did you bring them?"
Without turning back, Josephine replied,
"Maureen finished reading your notes and lent them to me.
I just brought them with me, is there a problem?"
At this, Richard's brows furrowed immediately.
Josephine turned back, looking at Richard with a touch of surprise.
In the past, Richard had been loath to tutor Maureen, as if someone had desecrated his ancestral grave.
Josephine didn't like the high-and-mighty, untouchable air about him.
It was only after Oliver intervened, that Richard agreed to lend Maureen his notebooks every Tuesday.
Now, with the absence of the annoyingly persistent Maureen, shouldn't Richard be elated?
Why did he have an icy expression again, as if someone had offended him?
However, Josephine didn't think much of it and left after finishing her task.
Ethan, who was in the corridor, was flabbergasted.
Previously, Maureen treated Richard's belongings as priceless treasures, not even allowing others to touch them, let alone lend them out!
Moreover, even if Josephine was her good friend and she decided to lend the notes to her, there's no way she would miss her legitimate chance to see Richard every Tuesday! What was going on?
Could jealousy make a girl act this oddly?
Also, with the issue concerning Maureen, didn't Richard go to the Smith family the previous night, thereby helping Maureen?
Ethan glanced at the wall clock, then at Richard's pained expression.
Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind:
Could it be that Richard was waiting for Maureen today, hence he didn't go to the cafeteria?
He found the thought utterly spine-chilling and quickly discarded it from his mind.
Ethan put down the basketball and walked back,
"Did you bring back the laptop?"
Richard ignored him and nonchalantly shoved the laptop into the desk, his face visibly stern.
Ethan couldn't resist mentioning what he heard on the basketball court.
"I heard that Maureen bought a lot of items for Liam of the International Class today.
High-tech ergonomic chairs, hand pillows and whatnot - she's really leaving no stone unturned. Richard, is she doing this on purpose?
She must have known that news about the International Class would reach your ears within a day."
"Is she trying to provoke you into going after her?"
Richard replied coldly,
"Why should I make the first move?
I don't even like her."
"Exactly. I've been praying for her not to bother you!" exclaimed Ethan.
"Even though her desserts and homemade lunches are delicious, they are seriously hindering your future plans.
So, I really don't want her to come!"
He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but he noticed Richard's face darken a little more after he finished speaking.
Without uttering a word, Richard packed up the stuff on his desk and left the classroom in silence.