“I know, I know.” Aier let out a helpless sigh and tucked the exquisite little box into her cloth pouch. “I’ll accept it, okay? Thank you, Donna.”
She made sure to add Donna’s name, to show her sincerity.
“Hmph! That’s more like it!” Donna’s lips curled up uncontrollably, a proud glint flickering in her orange eyes.
“Aren’t you… going to open it and see what it is?” she asked, a little expectant but also awkward.
Aier glanced at the box in her bag, then at Donna’s eager yet feigned indifference, and gave a gentle smile. “It’s enough to receive your thoughtfulness. I really didn’t take what happened earlier to heart.”
“It doesn’t matter what the gift is. What matters is… that you went out of your way for me. I can feel it.” Aier added.
Donna was stunned by her words, her cheeks reddening further as she mumbled, “Who, who went out of their way…”
But her orange eyes shone brightly, as if filled with sunlight.
Aier slipped the gift into her coat pocket. She had a hunch that this little present would play a crucial role when she left Xie Yier in the future.
After class, Aier packed up her things and prepared to head to another classroom for the next lesson.
“Come on, accompany me for afternoon tea,” Donna suddenly suggested, grabbing Aier’s small hand.
“Eh? But we still have class this afternoon…”
“Stop talking and just come with me. Even if you don’t want to, you’re coming.” Donna, unusually direct, didn’t give Aier a chance to refuse, pulling her out of the classroom.
Donna clung tightly to Aier’s arm as they left the Academy, as if afraid that letting go for a second would let Aier escape.
“Um, maybe we should wait for another time? I don’t want to miss the next class.” Aier tried to pull away, but Donna held on tightly, like a little leopard refusing to let go of its prey.
“It’s fine, we still have half an hour of break. There’s plenty of time.” Donna was completely unconcerned, dragging Aier out of the classroom and ignoring the curious gazes from other students.
Aier bit her lip, feeling that this wasn’t right.
But just as she was about to protest, Donna seemed to predict what she’d say next, and cut her off in advance. “You don’t want rumors about you being kept spreading around the Academy, do you? Then be a good girl and listen to me!”
Donna grinned triumphantly, as if she’d caught Aier’s weakness, her eyes brimming with pride.
And, to be honest, this tactic really worked on Aier—she was at a complete loss.
This was the one thing she absolutely didn’t want!
Aier was still planning to completely leave Xie Yier after the three years were up. If her reputation was ruined, she wouldn’t be able to face anyone in the future.
Seeing Aier really quiet down, Donna’s golden hair bounced with her energetic steps, her orange eyes sparkling with the excitement of having her plan succeed.
Aier could only stumble along, swept up in this orange whirlwind called Donna.
She followed passively, her mind buzzing.
Come to think of it, isn’t this kind of like a kidnapping?
They passed through the Academy’s grand archway and walked along the elegantly paved Academy Street, with stylish shop windows flashing by on either side.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting a soft halo on Aier’s blonde hair, while Donna, leading the way, had hair of the same color—yet even brighter and thicker—shining with vibrant energy under the sun.
Only when they stood side by side could one tell: Donna’s hair was a more flamboyant, dazzling gold, while Aier’s was softer, more delicate.
“We’re almost at the Central District. How much farther is the place you want to go?” Aier couldn’t help but ask, a little breathless.
She was being dragged along so quickly that her almost flat chest rose and fell with each hurried step.
“Looking for A Coffee Shop!” Donna didn’t even turn her head, her tone feigning casualness.
Aier glanced speechlessly at a coffee shop they’d just passed, which looked very proper and comfortable, with outdoor seating at the entrance.
“We’ve already passed several coffee shops that looked nice…” She even turned back to check the sign of the last one, called “Oak Pod.” It sounded very professional.
Donna didn’t slow down, instead pulling her along even faster.
She said nothing, just kept dragging Aier through the streets and alleys.
Finally, at the corner of a vine-covered alley, a small, low-key shop appeared before them.
A wooden sign hung over the door, written in old-fashioned script:
“A Coffee Shop”
Aier: “…”
Whoever came up with this name must’ve hired a genius.
It’s really just called “A Coffee Shop”?
Isn’t this the same as opening a store next to a supermarket and calling it “Supermarket Entrance”?
Aier’s beautiful green eyes lost focus at this simple, blunt, yet oddly amusing name, her lips parted as she wore a rare look of confusion.
“This is it!” Donna’s voice was full of pride, as if she’d found a treasure. She didn’t notice the mental impact the shop’s name had on Aier at all.
Aier said speechlessly, “You dragged me all the way here just for this little shop?”
Donna straightened her “well-developed” chest and put on a “you’ve never seen the world, have you?” expression.
Donna cleared her throat. “This is the most famous coffee sanctuary among the nobility! The owner, Latia, is a true Marquis Descendant. If you don’t have the right status or a special referral, you can’t even get in! She doesn’t care about money at all—she opened this shop just for fun!”
She did her best to imitate the tone of a connoisseur, trying to sound like she really knew what she was talking about.
Aier said worriedly, “But is it really necessary to come here? I don’t know much about coffee, but from the sound of it, the owner must be a coffee enthusiast, opening this place to find like-minded people. Wouldn’t an outsider like me just be bothering her?”
Donna: “Why do you care so much? Just try it first.”
She pushed open the heavy wooden door, and the bell above rang out a crisp “ding-a-ling.”
Inside, the space was indeed small, decorated like an old noble’s study. Dark wood, walls lined with various coffee brewing tools, and quirky but obviously expensive little trinkets set the tone.
Sure enough, there wasn’t a single customer inside.
Two dark velvet sofas with a small tea table, plus five lonely bar stools at the counter.
Behind the counter stood a beautiful woman with long flaxen hair, wearing a stylishly tailored white linen shirt. She was leisurely grinding coffee beans with a small stone mortar, her movements as elegant as if she were handling a work of art.
“Oh?” She looked up, revealing a well-maintained, charming face. Her eyes fell on Donna, and she teased familiarly, “Well, if it isn’t little Donna from the Family of Teluowei Si. What brings you here today?”