Chapter 17

“No need to say it, Anna Ward will definitely be first again this year. Even just to show off in front of Chad Sullivan, she’ll give it her all.”

In less than two months, almost everyone at No. 7 High School knew about Chad Sullivan from the neighboring vocational school.

Handsome, rich, rebellious—each trait was enough to make him a sensation.

Ethan Carter heard these comments too, but she didn’t take them to heart. She had been practicing for a long time; every day, except for class, meals, and sleep, she spent all her time cramming for this.

As long as she won a prize, there would be a cash award, though first place would get much more.

The day before Thanksgiving was a Friday. Ethan Carter ran into Chad Sullivan and his group at the bus stop.

It seemed they had skipped class to go racing on the mountain roads.

He was driving a convertible, occupying the bus lane, and the students waiting for the bus all turned to look.

Chad Sullivan glanced over in this direction, and Ethan Carter hid behind the bus stop sign.

At that moment, Brian Foster rolled down the car window and whistled out, “Anna Ward.”

Ethan Carter looked back and, sure enough, Anna Ward was there too.

Anna Ward walked over to say hello: “Brian Foster… Chad Sullivan, hi.”

Brian Foster said, “We’ll give you a ride home.” When this group wasn’t causing trouble, they could actually be quite generous.

Anna Ward hesitated, “I have to go to the math olympiad tomorrow. The competition starts pretty early, so I’m staying at a hotel near the venue.”

As a poor student, Brian Foster could barely score any points in math; the math olympiad was like an alien language to him. He could only say, “Impressive.”

Anna Ward couldn’t help but glance at Chad Sullivan, her smile bright: “I’ll win the championship and show you all.”

Chad Sullivan didn’t respond, just looked behind the bus stop sign.

Ethan Carter stood there quietly.

Just like that night when she faced him and Grace Turner, she felt a bit awkward, but not because she cared—just because she was naturally shy and had happened to witness someone else’s romance.

He rested his hand casually on the car window, looking a bit lost in thought.

He remembered the outline of those misty, beautiful almond-shaped eyes he’d seen that night in the small harbor city—the kind of breathtaking feeling that lingered and still made his heart race.

Ethan Carter hadn’t brought her white cane out today. Her eyes were slowly getting better; they didn’t hurt much anymore, so she didn’t need to keep them closed as often.

It was November, autumn. She wore a white knit sweater underneath, and on top, the same old-fashioned No. 7 High School uniform jacket.

Below that, just simple sneakers.

Her shoelaces were neatly tied. Because of her poor eyesight, people often looked at her strangely, but she didn’t really care.

Ethan Carter’s long hair was tied in a ponytail. After waiting a long time for the bus, her wispy bangs fluttered gently in the autumn breeze.

There was an indescribable air of pure elegance about her.

She was holding a book.

Chad Sullivan, after years of slacking off, had surprisingly sharp eyesight.

He saw the title: “Comprehensive Guide to Math Olympiad Knowledge.”

Ethan Carter noticed his gaze but didn’t know what he was looking at. She hugged her book a little tighter.

Suddenly, Chad Sullivan turned to ask Anna Ward, “When is your competition?”

Anna Ward was taken aback, then replied, “Tomorrow morning at nine.”

“Where?”

“Fenghua Street in the city center, near the art museum.”

Chad Sullivan grunted in acknowledgment and didn’t say anything else before driving off.

Brian Foster found it odd: “Nin-ge, are you going to watch?”

He smiled, “Yeah.”

Just to mess around.

Author’s note: Today’s author’s note is fresh and unpretentious, unlike the usual flamboyant ones—there’s no author’s note.

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Thanks to the following cuties for your tips, hugs to each of you~

☆, Chapter One

Unlike Anna Ward, Ethan Carter didn’t have the money to stay at a hotel.

She could only choose to get up a bit earlier. The math olympiad started at nine, and it took Ethan Carter an hour and forty minutes to get to the venue, so she got up at six.

Since it was the weekend, Chris Brooks didn’t go to work, and the house was very quiet.

It was still dark when Ethan Carter got dressed and left the house. She saw a blurry figure in the living room, paused, and realized it was her stepbrother Ryan Brooks.

Ryan Brooks put down his cup, glanced at Ethan Carter, then went back to his room, not caring where she was going.

Ryan Brooks had always been like this, to the point that in her previous life, Ethan Carter thought he especially disliked her.

She smiled at him politely, slung on her backpack, and left.

Ethan Carter took the bus. She arrived at 8:20, and there were very few people there for the competition yet. A few staff members at the art museum saw her and were a bit surprised: “Little girl, you’re here for the competition?” Their eyes couldn’t help but linger on her blind glasses.

Ethan Carter replied yes.

They smiled, “It’s still early, no one else is here yet. You’ll have to wait a bit.” In their hearts, they felt a bit of admiration—coming so early at least showed she cared.

Ethan Carter leaned in a corner and took out her book to keep reading.

By 8:40, people started arriving one after another. They were all students, and since this was the high school division, most were seventeen or eighteen.

Everyone sat around chatting in the waiting area when suddenly the crowd grew noisy.

Ethan Carter looked up and saw Chad Sullivan.

It was November then, and behind the little fountain at the art museum, the sun was just rising, turning into a beautiful rainbow in the morning light.