Aiden’s face darkened. “Cut it out. Are you really arguing over someone who doesn’t even matter? It’s embarrassing.”
With that, he turned and walked back toward their team’s area.
The others looked at each other, then turned to follow Aiden. Vincent couldn’t help glancing once more in the direction Josie had left.
He still couldn’t quite believe that the person who just walked by was really Josie.
Josie used to just fade into the background. She was always the most unnoticeable person in any crowd.
He thought, ‘It couldn’t just be the clothes, though.
‘It is like she is a whole new person!
‘She really has changed. Her face is still the same, but it looks brighter, almost glowing. She is still Josie, but now there is a spark of life in her eyes.
Back then, Josie was always so lifeless. Her eyes were always downcast, never meeting anyone’s gaze. Around them, she was timid and careful, like she was afraid of making a
sound.
But just now, she was like a cheerful little bird as she flew past them.
Her pretty face was lit up with a joyful smile, and her eyes sparkled as she looked at people.
She even gave Sean a bright smile.
Vincent thought, ‘She’d never smiled at us like that before.
‘Why, though?
‘Why is she treating them like this?
‘Is Sean really that amazing?‘
Vincent was completely baffled. He thought, ‘How could Josie have changed so much after being away for less than a month?‘
Once Aiden and the others had walked ahead, Natalie hesitantly followed behind.
She had already told those people that no matter what, Josie wasn’t supposed to come back to school today. She wondered why she still made it to the competition.
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Chapter 99
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It would’ve been bad enough if she’d just come back, but she actually had the nerve to grab all the attention right in front of her. Natalie was quite upset.
Natalie’s hatred for Josie hit its peak in that moment.
Once she figured out what was going on, she was going to make Josie suffer.
She thought, “There’s no way Josie could get lucky every time. I am determined to destroy her, no matter what!’
Kyle said, “Natalie, don’t be upset.
“Josie never used to care about her appearance, so it’s only natural that people are surprised when she suddenly shows up all dressed up.”
He walked beside Natalie while trying to comfort her.
He continued, “She’s just some country bumpkin. Mo matter how much she tries, she could never be as beautiful as you.
“You’re the most beautiful girl in our department. Everyone on campus thinks beautiful. Josie can’t even hold a candle to you.”
Natalie felt a bit better after hearing that.
you are
She said, “Kyle, don’t say that. Josie is actually pretty in her own way. I’m not upset, just a little worried about her.
“The way Sean looked just now was kind of scary. I just feel like…”
She hesitated, as if she wanted to say more but stopped herself.
Then, she continued, “Forget it, maybe I’m just reading too much into it. Josie’s probably not
like that.
“After all, she doesn’t even have parents, but she still made it all the way to college. She must have found some way to earn money!”
Kyle’s eyes glinted.
He said, “What money–making tricks could she possibly have?
“All these years, she’s only managed to pay her tuition because she tagged along with our team and got a share of the prize money.
“Without that, she probably couldn’t even afford school.
“Honestly, I’ve always wondered. She’s just an orphan with no one to rely on, so where did
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Chapter 99
she get the money for tuition?
“How did she even make it to college?”
Natalie gave a little laugh. “These days, the scholarships and support programs are well- organized.
“Maybe someone’s sponsoring her. Let’s not make wild guesses.”
It looked like the matter was over, and Natalie hadn’t meant anything by it. However, Kyle started to get suspicious.
Soon, the competition began.
Since this was just the first round, every team had to go up on stage, present their project, and talk about their research.
O
Claire siad, “So, here’s the plan. Sean will do the animated product demo, and I’ll handle the technical explanation.
“Since this part involves professional knowledge, Josie, you might not be able to cover it. So, we’ll have you do the final summary presentation instead.”
Claire smiled sweetly at Josie.
“Claire, I…” Josie felt a little anxious. After all, Claire was the one who wrote the presentation, so she should really be the one presenting it.
As for the product demo, Sean could easily handle both the demonstration and the explanation. There was no need for all three of them to go up on stage.
田
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