Shawn Hughes tucked the newspaper filled with calligraphy under his arm, “forcibly” borrowed a few more comic books, and when Ryan Carter was about to protest him snatching away a rare edition of "Yu Yu Hakusho," he simply dashed off in a flash.

Chapter Eight: Gathering (Part One)

Sunday morning. Today, both Lana Foster and Flynn Carter got up a bit late. The two of them looked into Ryan Carter’s room through the open bedroom door—his room was completely empty.

“This Ryan Carter, where did he go so early in the morning?” Lana Foster wondered in surprise.

Flynn Carter just chuckled, “He can’t possibly be out looking for a girl classmate!”

Lana Foster shot him a glare. “If only he was! That boy has liked Summer Young since he was little, but do you see little Summer Young paying him any attention?”

“Why do you care so much about kids’ business…” Flynn Carter smirked and shrugged. “Even if she doesn’t like him, isn’t that perfectly normal…”

The sound of a key turning in the lock came from the door. With a creak, the door opened, and Ryan Carter came back, drenched in sweat, wearing a tank top, shorts, and sneakers.

“You went running?” Lana Foster asked.

“Yeah. Is there anything to eat?”

“There is, there is, what are you saying… It’s all ready. Come eat!”

Ryan Carter went to the washbasin, wet a cloth, and wiped his face and neck, then sat back at the table to eat hot rice soaked in soup. The grains were distinct, mixed with shredded meat and bean paste. He shoveled it in by the mouthful, eating with great relish.

Lana Foster and Flynn Carter exchanged a glance but didn’t say anything more. Flynn Carter went to the living room to read the newspaper, occasionally glancing at Ryan Carter out of the corner of his eye. Lately, he’d been acting so out of character. Not only was he studying hard, but he was even getting up early to exercise… Was this a personality change or was he possessed?

After a while, the phone rang. It was Evelyn Lee calling for Ryan Carter. Ryan Carter answered, saying, “…Yeah, Shawn Hughes told me about it yesterday.”

On the other end, Evelyn Lee hesitated, “Well, I still wanted to let you know, Charles Sun heard about me hosting and called me specially, saying he wants to come… You know, it’s hard for me to say no…”

Ryan Carter thought for a moment and vaguely remembered him—someone from the government compound, also in Evelyn Lee’s class, whose family’s father was apparently a bureau chief. He was rather arrogant. Back in the day, when they played together, he was bossy, and Ryan Carter once stood up for a friend and ended up fighting with him. Since then, there’d been bad blood. Ryan Carter himself didn’t care much, but Charles Sun seemed to hold a grudge, and rumors of his resentment toward Ryan Carter often made their way over from the government compound crowd.

“So, I just wanted to ask, is it okay on your end…” Evelyn Lee said hesitantly on the phone.

“Oh, it’s him… No problem.” Ryan Carter replied, “It’s just a little disagreement, nothing much.”

This response left Evelyn Lee a bit stunned. Yesterday, she’d already told Shawn Hughes and the others about the gathering, but had left out Ryan Carter, only calling him at the last minute today. After all, she had to do the polite thing. In fact, in her mind, if Ryan Carter had said, “Well, then I just won’t come…” she would have immediately replied, “Alright, I’ll treat you another day, I’m really sorry…”

But who would have thought Ryan Carter wouldn’t mind at all, not even giving her a chance to gracefully decline. Evelyn Lee’s father, John Lee, actually looked down on Ryan Carter’s father, Flynn Carter. After the company’s performance declined, most people found their own way out. John Lee started a small company himself and was now quite proud in the work compound. As for Flynn Carter, who stayed behind and “lacked ambition,” he naturally looked down on him, often speaking with a hint of disdain. Evelyn Lee had heard this so often that, even if she didn’t remember everything, she did remember her father saying that Flynn Carter’s family belonged to the “eliminated” group.

After that, she also became a bit proud and aloof toward Ryan Carter. Moreover, Charles Sun clearly showed his dislike for Ryan Carter. Most importantly, she had finally managed to invite Rose Grant this time. Rose Grant hadn’t come to previous gatherings, but finally agreed to come this time, so she cared a lot about the atmosphere. To avoid awkwardness, Evelyn Lee actually hoped to break the ice from Ryan Carter’s side. Charles Sun’s father was a bureau chief and in her class, and although Ryan Carter grew up in the same compound, she didn’t really side with him.

“Alright then… Just come over when it’s time!”

After hanging up, Ryan Carter shook his head again. How could he not notice the reluctance in Evelyn Lee’s words? Normally, he would have just gone along with it, but after losing so many friends who vanished into thin air, he actually just wanted to use this opportunity to see the people he still knew.

He just wanted to relive that feeling. As for everything else, he didn’t really care.

……

Evelyn Lee’s home was tidy and spacious, even decorated in advance with some flowers and balloons—a carefully arranged setting. Shawn Hughes arrived first and was greeted by a lively atmosphere. There was Bella Yale, Max Bolton, Don Shaw, and others—the kids from the compound had all arrived before him. Shawn Hughes spotted Summer Young at the center of attention. Everyone just greeted him casually, but Shawn Hughes wasn’t surprised; after all, everyone’s attention wasn’t on him now.