Grace Miller kicked him again, this time a bit harder than before.

　　Surprisingly, even though there was more clattering and banging from across the way, it was all over after just those two noises.

　　After waiting half a minute without hearing any more commotion from that side, Henry Thompson sighed in disappointment and said, “No doubt about it, they must be kissing again! Sigh, too bad we can’t see their butts this time…”

　　Grace Miller gave him a hard kick.

　　Henry Thompson finally turned to look at her, and she pouted, staring right back at him.

　　The two of them just glared at each other for a long while.

　　Even through the thick lenses of her glasses, her eyes were still so beautiful—like a fawn’s, big and bright, with a look that was especially pure, especially innocent, and especially endearing.

　　Suddenly, the curtains on the fifth floor across the way were yanked shut with a swish.

　　Henry Thompson glanced over, then turned back to continue his staring contest with Grace Miller.

　　Grace Miller didn’t even blink and said, “Why do you always have so many weird things to say? Especially today, in class, in front of so many people, and even in front of Teacher Qi. You made everyone laugh at me all day—it was so embarrassing!”

　　Henry Thompson said, “Oh right, I don’t think I heard you play the piano before dinner just now?”

　　Grace Miller said, “We’re not even dating, so stop making things up about me. It’s really embarrassing, you know?”

　　Henry Thompson said, “The piece you’ve been practicing lately—isn’t it called ‘The Girl with the Flaxen Hair’?”

　　Grace Miller pouted and glared at him fiercely, couldn’t help but kick him again, then said irritably, “It’s ‘The Maiden with the Flaxen Hair’!” She even put extra emphasis on the word “maiden.”

　　Then the conversation ended there, and the two of them, as if by tacit agreement, turned around at the same time and leaned on the guardrail, looking off into the distance.

　　After quite a while, Grace Miller suddenly spoke: “My sister said that once I’m on break, I should go to Beijing. She’ll handle the transfer paperwork for me so I can attend my senior year of high school there and fully prepare for the entrance exam to the Beijing Film Academy.”

　　After she finished, she turned to look at Henry Thompson and said very seriously, “Senior year is about to start. You really need to study hard, you know? If you keep going like this, you might not even get into a public university.”

　　Henry Thompson replied nonchalantly, “I guarantee I’ll get in! For this month’s exams, I’m planning to put in a little extra effort and at least make it into the top thirty in the class, so you all will stop nagging me. But honestly, everything else is fine—it’s just Russian that gives me a headache. I’d have an easier time with Japanese…”

　　Grace Miller pressed her lips together, then slowly relaxed them, her mood inexplicably a bit low. She said softly, “Last summer you told me not to worry, that you’d definitely get into Beijing! I know you like to have fun, but I’m not asking for much. As long as you get into Beijing, any public university is fine. Just study hard for one year, okay? I’ve heard that once you get into college, things get a lot easier. Even if you want to have fun then, that’s fine, okay?”

　　Henry Thompson smiled, still unconcerned. “It’s not that hard. I still say the same thing—don’t worry, I’ll definitely get into Shuntianfu, and it has to be a top university!”

　　Hearing this, Grace Miller looked at him seriously, said nothing, and just sighed inwardly.

　　But Henry Thompson turned his head and looked at her with a mischievous expression.

　　Grace Miller turned to look at him too, blinking her eyes, as clueless, innocent, and pure as ever.

　　Henry Thompson reached out and took off her glasses, looking at her.

　　Honestly, while Grace Miller with glasses was definitely a little beauty, she was on a whole different level once she took them off!

　　Especially because of her nearsightedness, when she took off her glasses she would squint a little to see things, which actually gave her a special touch of charm. And when she stopped squinting, her clear eyes would show a look of helpless confusion from temporarily losing focus… In that instant, her looks would jump up another three to five points, almost off the charts!

　　At this moment, without the protection of her glasses, Grace Miller instinctively squinted a bit, feeling a little flustered inside.

　　Especially since, even though Henry Thompson had a half-smile on his face, his gaze was sharp and piercing, almost intimidatingly bright.

　　“Tell me, do you like me? Do you want to marry me?” he asked.

　　Grace Miller hurriedly looked away, pressed her lips together, then reached up to tuck a few wind-blown strands of hair behind her ear. Only then did she turn back to glare at Henry Thompson, give him a kick, and say disdainfully, “Keep dreaming!”

　　She shot him a sideways look and decisively played her trump card: “If you keep talking nonsense, I’ll call my sister and tell her.”

　　Henry Thompson immediately raised his hands in surrender.

　　Once that trump card was played, it meant the topic was off-limits!

　　A moment later, Grace Miller suddenly said, “Do you know why my sister suddenly came back the day before yesterday?”

　　Henry Thompson shook his head. “No. Why?”

　　Grace Miller lowered her head. “My dad… asked her for money.”

　　Henry Thompson asked in confusion, “Your dad asked your sister for money?”