For a moment, shock and disappointment intertwined in the girl's eyes. Henry Webb glanced at her and said, "The decline of print media is inevitable. Of course, if the magazine changes its strategy, maybe it could really resume publication in half a year."

The decline of print media... But the newsstand at the school gate was always crowded with students buying girls' magazines. How could that be? These were things Brian Clark rarely thought about at her age; she even found the boy's explanation unfamiliar.

Henry Webb was undoubtedly showing his precocious side. In his eyes, Brian Clark's reaction was very childish. Clearly, the girl hadn't really processed what he said.

"How do you know it stopped publishing?" Brian Clark's voice was barely audible. Her heart was racing, and she was afraid to talk to Henry Webb, but it would be such a pity not to say something—so much so that she felt unwilling to let the moment pass.

Henry Webb looked at her, thinking she didn't seem very bright, and suddenly smiled. "Sometimes I flip through it."

He walked straight over to Brian Clark, coming close to her. The boy carried a dry orchid scent, and as it wafted over, Brian Clark's heart fluttered like an old magazine rustling in the wind. The boy's arm reached over her head, pulled out the December issue, opened it, and showed her the editor's note.

Brian Clark was too nervous to take in a single word. Even though the page was full of text, all she saw was a vast blankness.

"All good things must come to an end. My condolences." Henry Webb sometimes had a bit of dry humor—the first part was sad, but the last two words were funny. He said it so suddenly, without any hint of trying to be funny.

Brian Clark suddenly looked up at him.

She couldn't help but hug the magazine to cover half her face, the corners of her mouth gently curving up.

Henry Webb was unimpressed. "Are all you girls this pretentious? If you want to laugh, just laugh. Why hide behind a book?"

Brian Clark's smile slowly froze. She put down the magazine, revealing a face flushed bright red, and said nothing.

"Sorry, I didn't know you were so shy." Henry Webb looked at her reddening face, feeling quite helpless. "I'll head back now."

After he left, Brian Clark finally gave a soft "mm."

Only then did she regain her normal vision and notice the foreword announcing the magazine's six-month suspension.

She let out a soft sigh and took this last and latest issue back to her seat.

Every now and then, when she looked up, she could see Henry Webb's focused face. The sunlight had already shifted away from him, but the whole world still seemed to be at the angle of his profile.

She didn't know how many times she looked up, but at some point, that seat was empty. In that instant, Brian Clark felt her heart drop hard and fast. She looked around and saw that many seats were already empty.

Chapter 7: There’s a KFC near the City Library...

There’s a KFC near the city library. Brian Clark rarely ate there, but when she walked in clutching her money, there was a foreigner standing at the counter. His skin was pale and a bit red, his chin covered in a scraggly beard, and he was gesturing at the cashier.

Clearly, the cashier didn’t understand English, and the foreigner didn’t understand Chinese.

Brian Clark immediately thought of traveling with Jason Walker during summer break, when they also ran into a foreigner. Jason Walker's mom encouraged the two of them to go up and try speaking English.

Of course, it didn’t go well. Even Jason Walker hid, and Brian Clark was even less likely to dare speak up.

At the counter, the foreigner was still trying to communicate with the cashier. Brian Clark glanced over, hesitating about whether to eat somewhere else. She was really afraid the cashier would notice her—after all, she was wearing the Mei Zhong school uniform, and everyone assumed Mei Zhong students were top students. If they called her over to help, that would be terrible; she just couldn’t bring herself to do it.

The cashier really did glance her way.

Brian Clark immediately turned to leave, feeling both guilty and anxious. With a "bang," she walked straight into the glass door. The sharp pain was mixed with a bit of dizziness, and the dizziness was mixed with endless embarrassment.

The girl immediately squatted down, holding her head.

Strictly speaking, someone outside had pushed the door open, and she just happened to walk right into it.

"Sorry about that." A figure seemed to appear in front of her, carrying that dry orchid scent.

Brian Clark's head was buzzing, but she still recognized that familiar voice. Her eyes filled with tears from the pain, and a bump was already forming on her head.

"I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to." Henry Webb gently helped her up, bent down to pick up her backpack, and found a seat.

He was actually a bit surprised—it was the Mid-Autumn Festival, and this girl had come to KFC alone.

He asked the cashier for some ice, then handed it to her. "Are you okay? Sit for a while. If you still don't feel well, I'll take you to the hospital."

Brian Clark pressed the ice to her head, staying silent. She was so embarrassed, but she really hadn’t expected to run into Henry Webb here again. The Mid-Autumn Festival really was a wonderful holiday.

When she snuck a glance up, she saw that Henry Webb was already at the counter ordering food. He very naturally spoke English with the foreigner who needed help, and took care of it for him.

"Feeling better?" Henry Webb came back and pushed a pile of food in front of her, one item at a time. "I don’t know what you girls like to eat, so I just ordered randomly. This meal’s on me."

Henry Webb was a big spender, never planning ahead, and had no concept of thrift.

The boy leaned over, casually brushed aside Brian Clark's hand that was in the way, and examined her. "It shouldn’t be a big problem. Does it still hurt?"

This guy... how could he be so casual? Brian Clark was so embarrassed she didn’t move a muscle, barely daring to breathe.