His tone was fierce, and his brows were furrowed.
Strangely, Nora showed no trace of true malice.
That seemingly impatient tone actually carried a sense of comfort that put her at ease... Warm?
It was like a hard shell wrapping around the softness within.
She sniffed hard, held back her tears, then nodded heavily, with a hint of declaration, as if to say she wasn't crying anymore!
Then she lowered her head and started eating in big bites.
They ate quickly, even wolfing down their food a bit.
Ten minutes later, even the broth in the bowl was empty.
She put down her chopsticks, her face showing the satisfaction of a long drought and a hint of lingering desire.
This was the most delicious, safest, and most "homely" flavor she could remember.
Her stomach felt warm, and so did her heart.
Ethan looked at the empty bottom of her bowl and asked, "Do you want more? If you're still hungry, order another bowl?"
Nora shook her head sharply: "No need, no need, I'm already full."
As soon as she finished speaking, a loud, satisfying burp burst out uncontrollably.
"Burp——!"
Her face instantly flushed bright red with embarrassment, and she hurriedly covered her mouth, wishing she could crawl into a hole in the ground.
However, when she lifted her wet, slightly embarrassed eyes to look at Ethan, she saw he only raised an eyebrow, showing no particular expression.
The afterglow of the setting sun filtered through the window onto him, outlining his upright features and tall stature.
Nora's heart skipped a beat, and she felt that the person before her... looked so good!
Ethan knew she could still eat more, so he didn't say much. He then asked the owner for an identical portion to take away.
Leaving the shop, the two of them walked silently back to school.
The evening breeze, carrying the lingering warmth of the day, brushed the leaves along the roadside, making a soft rustling sound.
Unconsciously, they ended up in front of the window at the campus card office.
Ethan stopped in his tracks, calmly turned around, and reached out to Nora: "Give me the card."
"Huh? W-what... What card?" Nora was momentarily stunned, somewhat confused.
"Meal card." Ethan spoke succinctly, "Hand it over."
Nora wanted to refuse, but the words stuck in her throat, as if those eyes had locked them in place.
Driven by a strange, irresistible force, she inexplicably pulled a meal card out of her pocket and handed it over.
Ethan took the card, walked to the window, and said straightforwardly to the staff inside, "Please load three hundred dollars onto this."
"Three hundred?"
Nora suddenly covered her mouth, her eyes wide open, wondering if she had misheard!
Three hundred dollars!
This was almost half a month's living expenses for her!
"This..." She hurriedly stepped forward, trying to stop him.
"Don't speak." Ethan didn't even turn his head. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable dominance, cutting her off completely.
The staff member was clearly a bit surprised as well, glanced at Ethan a few more times, but still continued to operate skillfully.
Soon, with a "beep," the top-up was complete.
Ethan took back the card and turned around, handing it to Nora.
Nora held the meal card that had suddenly become heavy, feeling as if she were holding a branding iron. Her cheeks burned, and her voice was as soft as a mosquito's hum: "Money..... I'll pay you back."
Ethan looked at her embarrassed yet earnest expression, and the lines on his face seemed to soften for a moment, but his tone remained calm: "Alright, you can pay it back slowly."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over her still somewhat frail frame, and added, "However, before I asked you to cook for me, you were eating alone in the cafeteria, so from now on you eat on time, and make sure you're full! Order whatever you want, no need to skimp. You can pay back the money later, but if you go hungry again..."
He deliberately put on a stern face: "Who will cook for me? I don't keep sick people around."
Though the words carried a sense of "threat" and "exploitation," to Nora's ears, they sounded like a warm current wrapped in honey, instantly shattering all her unease and embarrassment, making her heart tremble with sweetness.
Then Ethan handed her the packed noodles he was holding and said, "Take this home as a late-night snack."
With that, he strode away.
...
The next day.
The NYU campus was immersed in a festive atmosphere.
Today marked the grand occasion of the school's 112th anniversary.
Dean Wilson creatively combined the anniversary celebration with the new student welcome celebration, making the scale unprecedented.
Various colorful flags fluttered in the wind on the field.
The originally limited auditorium clearly could not handle the lively atmosphere, so the festival stage was built directly on the spacious central athletic field.
The sun set in the west, and the city lights were just being lit.
The field was packed with people, a dense crowd, with both new and old students gathered together, the air filled with excitement and anticipation.
On the huge stage backdrop, several eye-catching banners shone especially under the lights.
"Passing the torch, celebrating our 112th anniversary!"
"Warmly welcome the class of 2014 to join the NYU family!"
"Forge ahead and continue a new chapter at NYU!"
"Youth sets sail, dreams bloom at NYU!"
Under the spotlight on the stage, Dean Wilson walked slowly onto the stage.
He stood tall and wore a warm smile, walked up to the microphone, habitually coughed lightly, and cleared his throat.
The noise below gradually died down, and thousands of eyes focused on him.
"Good evening, everyone."
Dean Wilson's voice echoed through the speakers to every corner of the field, clear and steady: "I'm your dean, Wilson."
He looked around at the young, energetic faces in the audience, his eyes filled with satisfaction and hope.
"Today, we gather here to celebrate a truly meaningful day. Our school has celebrated its 112th birthday!" The applause thundered and lasted for a long time.
Dean Wilson raised his hand slightly, and after the applause died down, he continued, "It takes ten years to grow a tree, but a hundred years to shape a person. NYU has gone through 112 years of history, forging a profound foundation and legacy. And the continuation of that legacy would not have been possible without the effort of generation after generation of students. Today, seeing you all in the audience full of vitality, I am even more convinced that NYU's future will be even more brilliant! It's our honor to meet you here in your prime, and even more so, the hope for NYU's relentless progress and vitality!"
His speech was brief and powerful, without lengthy clichés or empty slogans; every sentence was like a drumbeat, striking a chord in the hearts of young students.
There were no long, sleep-inducing speeches, only sincere blessings and heavy expectations.
This sense of strength made everyone present, including those students in the back row who had been just there to watch the spectacle, unconsciously straighten their backs, their eyes shining with approval.
There are 130 advance chapters ahead in my Patreon. If you are interested can check it out.
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