Time Brews Longing

You’re Sharing An Apple? What Are You, Poor?

Since the corridor was covered in a thick carpet, even if Aqua stepped on it with shoes, she practically made no sound while she walked.

She did not pull a luggage bag behind her. After all, she was leaving with nothing but the backpack on her back.

“Where are you going?”

John’s deep voice rose behind her, and Aqua paused for a second. But she soon calmed down.

“I’m going out on a walk.”

John spoke up anxiously, “Let’s go together, then. Will has already gone off to pick Samara up.”

When she heard that name, Aqua simply sneered.

She pulled the baseball cap down so that John could not see her face clearly. So, all he could do was throw an arm over her shoulder.

For some reason, when he talked to Aqua, he felt nervous.

He knew that this pampered rose had finally decided to show her thorns.

“Are you angry? Don’t take what happened yesterday to heart. Samara also defended you…”

Aqua said nothing and just quietly tightened her grip on her backpack.

John’s phone rang by then. Will was asking them to go downstairs. He said that Samara had finally earned her leave from the production team and could go with them to the theme park for fun.

Aqua had forgotten that it was Christmas Eve today.

“Go. I have something to do.”

John was puzzled.

During the Christmas Eves in the past, she would eagerly ask him to take her to a theme park, and they would play there until nightfall. They would watch the fireworks and make a wish.

Why was she suddenly saying that she was not going?

John frowned. He was used to being in control of the situation, and he could sense that he was losing control over Aqua.

Just as he was about to ask, he heard a car honking.

Will was urging them to hurry up.

He sighed. “Alright. Go on, then. I’ll have the driver pick you up at night.”

No matter what, they had to eat together during Christmas Eve.

He was sure that Aqua would not be able to change a habit they had nurtured for years overnight.

John hurried downstairs, and Samara opened the door to give him an affectionate hug.

Meanwhile, Will looked at Aqua. He opened his mouth to speak, but in the end, he just bit his lip and said nothing.

When Aqua arrived at the door, she saw this, and the light in her eyes faded a little.

She automatically ignored Samara’s smug expression, crossed the garden, and left through the back door.

She still had one more person to meet, and she had to personally bid this person farewell before she left the country.

It was Ms. Wilson, her high school teacher.

She was a retired judge, and her high school had hired her to teach politics. After taking her elective class, Aqua had decided to become a lawyer.

Ms. Wilson could be said to be her mentor.

Ms. Wilson was old. She was almost seventy, but she remained charming.

“Aqua, you’ve grown up so much. I heard that you’ve become a saleswoman, isn’t it? It’s a pity.”

Aqua smiled and said bashfully, “Ms. Wilson, I’m here to say goodbye to you. I’m leaving the country to become a lawyer.”

Ms. Wilson nudged her glasses up the bridge of her nose. Even though she had gone gray, it could not hide the wisdom in her eyes. “Go. You’ve always been an eagle. You should be flying in the sky.

“John and Will were both my students, too.

“While you were still a student, they often came to pick you up. I always thought that you would end up… Oh well, this is fine too. It’s better for people who walk different paths to go their separate ways. You won’t ever get along, even if you try.”

After she departed, Aqua stayed in a hotel.

She turned on her phone to book a plane ticket.

Since it was Christmas Eve and Christmas the next day, the plane tickets for those two days were fully booked.

After looking around, she booked a plane ticket three days later and sent Lily a message.

[Boo, I booked my plane ticket. I’ll see you in three days.]

Once done, she started studying.

When the sun almost set, Samara gave her a video call.

She rejected it.

But Samara kept calling.

As it just kept repeating, Aqua had no choice but to answer it.

In the video, Samara, John, and Will were drinking and talking. On the table was a feast. The three of them shared an apple as the people cheered them on.

Samara blushed as she gingerly took a bite. John and Will smiled in understanding and took huge bites beside hers.

Aqua was not in the mood to watch this stupid act and wanted to hang up, but Samara suddenly cried out, “Aqua, why aren’t you here for the gathering with us?

“John and Will said that they sent someone to pick you up, but I thought that they weren’t sincere enough, so I thought about calling you to ask you to come!”

Was she really inviting Aqua along?

Aqua remained smiling. “I’m not so poor that I need to share an apple with three other people.”

Her blatant insult put Samara in a spot. Even John’s and Will’s expressions turned dark.

John wiped away the juices on the corners of his mouth, tossed the tissue on the table, and asked, “Should I have the driver pick you up now?”

Aqua rejected it easily, “No need.”

But Will could no longer maintain his composure. He asked, “Aqua, it’s just a game. Why do you have to insult Samara?”

Had she insulted her?

It was not as if she wanted to go. If Samara had not called her to provoke her, she would be studying!

What a waste of time.

“Forget it. Have fun.”

Just as she was going to hang up, Samara started crying again. “I’m sorry, Aqua. I’m so stupid. I’ve already tried my best to make you like me… Are you going to be happy if I’m not around?”

She suddenly picked up the knife on the table and brought it to her arm.

Aqua’s eyes flew wide open.