Chapter 291: Chapter 291: Serena, I Finally Found You
Soon, Beryl brought the bowl of cooked dumplings to the dining table, "Master, the dumplings are ready, you can eat now."
Hayden Crawford picked up the chopsticks and took a bite of the dumpling. The taste was... just awful.
The last time Serena Sterling made dumplings with fresh shrimp filling, they were bursting with sweet freshness with each bite, but these were difficult to swallow.
Hayden furrowed his brow and unhappily set down his chopsticks, "Take it away, I don’t want it."
Beryl quietly watched her young master, who initially thought all dumplings tasted the same. Look at him now, utterly embarrassed.
Just then, the old lady in the living room laughed twice, "Beryl, you go on with your work, don’t bother with him. I see that Serena isn’t coming back tonight, someone is going to be restless."
The old lady had recovered quite well these past days, her appetite was gradually increasing, and she was full of energy. Now she was sitting on the sofa watching an evening soap opera.
Hayden Crawford strode into the living room and sat beside the old lady, "Grandma, why hasn’t Serena Sterling come back yet? She’s the cook you hired, isn’t she shirking her duties by leaving you behind like this?"
The old lady quickly made a stopping gesture, "Hayden, Serena called in advance to ask for leave, I approved her to go out with classmates for a celebration tonight. Don’t try to stir trouble with me, and don’t think you can use me, I don’t buy your tricks."
"..." Hayden watched his grandmother, realizing that ever since Serena appeared, Grandma hasn’t been close to him!
"Hayden, do you like Serena?" the old lady asked with a teasing smile.
Like...
Those two words made Hayden’s heart tighten; he had never thought about this problem. He had known Serena Sterling for such a short time.
"No," Hayden directly denied.
The old lady looked at his contradictory expression, finding it amusing that he hadn’t even noticed he liked someone, "I’m just casually asking, Serena is such a good girl with no shortage of admirers. Hayden, if you like Serena, you should hurry, or she’ll soon be snatched away."
She indeed has no shortage of admirers, being the campus belle of A University, she’s become famous in one fell swoop today, captivating many boys.
Thinking of this, Hayden felt a heaviness in his chest as though he couldn’t breathe. He stood up directly, "Grandma, I’ll head upstairs first."
Hayden’s tall, handsome figure quickly disappeared from view.
...
Hayden returned to his bedroom, took a cold shower, and then went to bed, but he turned over and over, unable to sleep.
He took out his phone and sent a message to his good friend Justin Xavier: Leah Thorne went out for social gatherings, can you sleep?
"Ding," came the reply from Justin Xavier: She doesn’t need social gatherings, just needs to deal with me alone.
If Justin Xavier were here beside him now, Hayden felt he would’ve kicked him: I’m saying Leah Thorne went singing karaoke, or to the bar for drinks.
Justin Xavier can’t sleep, worried her dress is too short, worried she’d attract admirers, worried she’d be taken advantage of, worried she’d get so wild she wouldn’t come home.
Only then did Hayden’s heart feel comforted, realizing you think this way too.
Justin Xavier: Oh, I see that’s really what you’re thinking.
Hayden’s handsome eyelids moved slightly, feeling he should kick Justin Xavier a second time, a third time, then the Nth time: Get out.
Hayden sent the final word, then tossed the phone on the bed, closed his eyes in annoyance, choosing to chat with Justin Xavier was a mistake.
However, he kept tossing and turning, still unable to sleep.
After a while, Hayden threw off the covers and got out of bed, changed his clothes, grabbed his phone and went out the gate of Westerley Estate, driving away.
...
In the bar.
Serena Sterling left the luxurious private room; today Principal Tucker was hosting, everyone loosened up and had a great time, but she checked the time and saw it was already past eight, she should go back, so she bid everyone farewell and left.
Just then, Tiana Ford caught up, "Serena, you forgot your coat, it’s cold outside, put it on quickly."
"Thank you, Tiana."
"Serena, I’m really happy today. We all feel that ever since meeting you, each of us has changed in different ways," Tiana laughed foolishly.
Serena Sterling smiled, "Tiana, a little alcohol makes you endearing."
Tiana entwined her slender arm with Serena, "Serena, I feel like you’re capable of anything. Do you have a goal, something you particularly want to do?"
Serena tilted her head and thought for a moment, "I do, I want to enter the Academy of Sciences."
"Academy of Sciences?"
"Yes, every year the Academy recruits from major universities. My goal is to get into the Academy. Tiana, with some effort, we can get in together."
"Alright!"
This conversation was overheard by one person, and that person was... Anabelle Rathborne!
Anabelle Rathborne also came; she stood in the corner and heard clearly Serena Sterling’s words about wanting to enter the Academy of Sciences.
Anabelle couldn’t believe Serena’s goal was the Academy of Sciences; amused, she curled her red lips, then walked to a corner, took out her phone, and dialed a number.
Soon, the phone was answered, an old but firm voice sounded, "Hello, Annette, why are you calling so late?"
"Old Man Knight, I suddenly thought of something. The joint exams for the major universities in Aethelgard are coming soon, and after they end, the Academy of Sciences will select talents, right?"
"Yes."
"Normally, every university gets a chance, but this year should be an exception. For universities not in the top five, especially A University, such a useless school, should we cancel their eligibility?" Anabelle asked.
"Alright, then we’ll cancel the eligibility for universities not in the top five this year. I’ll have my people take care of it and release a notice tomorrow."
Anabelle put away her phone, exhaled with satisfaction, Serena Sterling wants to enter the Academy of Sciences, she should’ve said so earlier.
Aethelgard’s four major families: Li, Crawford, Xu, and Knight, with the Knight’s grandfather being the director of the Academy of Sciences and representing the old heads of Aethelgard.
The Rathborne and Knight families have close ties; cutting off Serena’s path to the Academy of Sciences only takes one call from her.
This time, there would be a great spectacle.
...
Serena Sterling bid farewell to Tiana and left the bar; she was about to hail a taxi when a silver-gray Maybach pulled up, the driver’s door opened, and a clear, cold, handsome figure came into view.
Serena’s long eyelashes trembled, it was... Zane Crawford, whom she hadn’t seen in a long time.
Zane Crawford came!
Zane’s cold black eyes landed on her petite, exquisite face, then he stepped forward and immediately reached out to embrace her.
"Serena, I’ve been looking for you all along, I finally found you."