C27 She Was Hit by Reece.

After leaving the Tillman family, Lydia drove to the University of Goulcrest.

In her previous life, she couldn't even recognize the school gates, but this time, with the help of her GPS, she successfully located her university.

Standing outside the campus, Lydia gazed at the gilded letters spelling out "University of Goulcrest" and made a silent vow not to squander her time again. She was determined to study diligently and empower herself with knowledge.

With a determined look, she stepped briskly onto campus.

"Hey, who's that with the mask in the back?"

One classmate caught a glimpse of Lydia, masked and mysterious, and turned to a fellow student with a puzzled look.

The girl, pausing her makeup routine, glanced back briefly and then shrugged. "No clue. She's not from our class, is she? Probably just another one of Author's fan girls."

"Tsk, these young girls are out of control. They've got no shame, chasing after a guy with their parents' money in hand! Pathetic," the student said with a sneer, casting a dismissive glance at Lydia, whose eyes were the only part of her face visible behind the mask.

Misjudged as an irrational fan girl, Lydia didn't waste her breath on explanations.

She was intent on catching up on missed lessons, but the mention of "Author" made her pupils shrink in surprise. The flamboyant man from that morning was in her class?

Well, that's just her luck—enemies on a narrow path.

"Author, I knitted this scarf just for you."

Out of nowhere, a shy voice floated in from outside.

Lydia snapped out of her reverie and involuntarily looked toward the classroom door, just in time to see Author encircled by a gaggle of adoring fans.

The man didn't reach for the offered scarf. Instead, he flashed the girls a charming, roguish smile and said, "I've got class now. You all should head to yours too. Bye."

"Wow... he's so dreamy."

"I know, right?"

The crowd was spellbound by Author, their starry eyes following him as he entered the classroom.

Witnessing the girls swoon over the notorious heartthrob, Lydia now understood the disdainful look her classmate had given her.

At that moment, Author stood at the doorway, sweeping his gaze across the classroom seats, and, to her surprise, he walked in her direction and took a seat right beside her.

This...

Lydia couldn't help but silently chuckle. Could it really be such a coincidence?

Fortunately, they had only met once before, and with her mask on, she doubted he would recognize her.

If she could just keep a low profile, maybe she could dodge a bullet today.

The bell rang, signaling the start of class, and a short, slightly plump female teacher with short hair entered the room.

After roll call, the teacher's puzzled eyes landed on Lydia. "Excuse me, what's your name? Are you a student in this class?"

No sooner had she spoken than all eyes in the class turned to Lydia.

Except for Author, of course, who continued to doze off at his desk.

Feeling awkward, Lydia rose to her feet. "Teacher, I'm Lydia, a student in this class."

The name Lydia left everyone momentarily baffled, struggling to place her. Meanwhile, Author, who had been feigning sleep, suddenly opened his eyes, his lips curling into an amused smirk.

"Lydia?" The teacher, failing to recall the name, flipped through the class roster.

Upon finding Lydia's name, it dawned on the teacher that this was the student who hadn't made an appearance in the eight months since the semester began.

The teacher's gaze on Lydia turned sharp. "Ah, the infamous Lydia. Well, now we've finally met... Please, take your seat and pay attention to the lesson."

Despite the teacher's sarcasm, Lydia wasn't bothered. She knew her absenteeism had been excessive, and the teacher's irritation was justified.

Throughout the class, Lydia focused intently on taking notes.

But with so much coursework missed, there was a lot she didn't understand, so she resolved to jot everything down and review it more thoroughly at home.

When class ended, the students filed out of the room.

Lydia quickly gathered her textbooks, hoping to slip away while Author was still asleep.

But as she stood, a strong hand suddenly gripped her arm, and a teasing male voice came from behind her, "We still have unfinished business, and here you are trying to slip away again, hmm?"

At those words, Lydia turned sharply to confront the man behind her.

His eyes were bright and alert, not at all like someone who had just woken up, and she realized he had been feigning sleep all along. He probably knew it was her the moment the teacher called roll.

"I owe you nothing," Lydia said with a slight frown, firmly withdrawing her hand from the Author's grasp.

Stretching leisurely, he flashed her a practiced smile. "Little Biscuit, is your memory that short? Did you forget how you scared off my breakfast?"

In the sunlight, the Author's smile was radiant, his eyes brimming with affection and mischief, captivating enough to make anyone's heart skip a beat.

To Lydia, though, he was nothing more than a flirtatious playboy, a womanizer through and through.

"Boring," she muttered, dismissing the Author and his fixation. She slung her backpack over her shoulder and headed for the classroom door.

Time was precious, and she had no intention of wasting it on someone so trivial.

She needed to catch up on the coursework she had fallen behind on.

Stunned by her indifference, the Author watched her leave. His eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of annoyance flickering across his face. This woman was unlike any other; while most would leap at the chance to be near him, she seemed eager to keep her distance.

Was he that unappealing to her?

Did he pale in comparison to that other man?

A shadow crossed the Author's face as he clenched his hand at his side.

Lost in thought, Lydia had reached the classroom door. The Author rose and quickly followed her.

"Lydia, if you don't make it right, I'll follow you wherever you go until you do. Believe me?" he said, hands in his pockets. His words were a threat, but his eyes twinkled with amusement.

Childish, Lydia thought to herself, picking up her pace.

But the Author's pursuit soon drew the gaze of a cluster of girls by the roadside.

"Who's that girl with the Author?" one asked, eyeing Lydia with a mix of envy and jealousy, wishing she could magically swap places with her.

"Yeah, who is she? I've never seen her around before," another girl added, her tone acidic as she glared at Lydia.

Lydia's scalp prickled under the weight of envious stares from the crowd. She pursed her lips and subtly hastened her steps.

She feared that if she kept walking this way, she might literally be pierced by the piercing glares of someone's jealous fans.

"Little biscuit!" Author called out, grabbing her arm with a grin, "How about you treat me to a cup of coffee to make things right?"

Lydia found herself rooted to the spot, acutely aware of the thick hostility that suddenly filled the air around her.

She attempted to withdraw her hand, but instead, the man opposite her pulled her closer.

Clang!

Lydia's shoulder collided with the man's chest, and his masculine scent enveloped her, bringing a flush to her cheeks.

"Little sweet pancake, you look even more delectable when you're shy," Author said, his smile growing more pleased at the sight of her reddened face. "I'm finding myself more and more fond of you."

Lydia's lips twitched at his flirtation.

In the past, she might have been flustered by such brazen advances, but after one too many pretenses of girlish innocence, she only had two words for it — utterly juvenile.

"Let go!" Lydia demanded, frowning at the man she dubbed a big pig trotter.

"Buy me a coffee."

"I don't have money!"

"I'll lend it to you."

Before Lydia could respond, she was being forcibly pulled by Author towards the school gates.

Reece, who had just arrived, caught this scene.

He glanced at Author holding Lydia's wrist, his eyes narrowing with a swirl of complex emotions.

"Look, look, Author's got the girl with the mask!" a girl next to Reece lamented to her dorm mates, her voice tinged with the sorrow of lost love. "Mmm, Xue, do you think she could be Author's girlfriend?"

"Well... considering they're holding hands so publicly at school, that masked girl is probably Author's girlfriend," one of the roommates responded candidly.

Their words cast a pall over the onlookers.

Reece, too, overheard, and he came to a halt.

The sudden development nearly caused his secretary to collide with his back, but with a swift sidestep, the secretary managed to avoid it, moving past Reece to his left.

Steadying himself, Loran cast a curious glance at the man. "Sixth Brother?"

"The speech is off. I've asked the mentor to apologize on my behalf." The man dropped the bombshell with icy detachment and walked away.

Loran stood there, utterly bewildered, watching the man's retreating figure.

What... What just happened?

Hadn't everything been set for him to deliver a speech at the school? How could he just change his mind after everyone had already arrived?

Despite his confusion, Loran still took it upon himself to clean up the mess left by his Sixth Brother...

Reece strode off the University of Goulcrest campus and settled into his car.

Loran returned, and together they drove off.

While waiting at a red light, Reece's gaze drifted out the window, landing on Author and Lydia inside the development hall.

His eyes narrowed, and he lifted a finger to dial a number from his contacts.

Lydia, standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, was startled as her phone began to ring. She froze when she saw Reece's name on the display.

Reece? Why was he calling now?

Lydia stole a glance at Author, who was clinging to her, and recalled the displeasure he had shown during their last encounter. She had vowed not to bring shame to the Tillman family.

So, she couldn't let Reece find out about her interactions with Author.

Her eyes flickered, and she swiped left to dismiss the call.

Then she quickly sent a text message:

I'm in class and can't talk on the phone. What's up?

Reece's gaze darkened as he read the message, a shadow of anger brewing in his eyes.

He looked up once more at the woman across from him, his eyes smoldering with volcanic fury. His grip tightened, and the phone case shattered in his hand. So this was her so-called "class."

With a scornful chuckle, he tossed the phone aside, slammed his foot on the accelerator, and the car roared away.