Walking with You

Jax watched the screen with a calm demeanour, a slight, somewhat wicked smile on his lips, eliciting excited shrieks from a crowd of female fans. Watching this smile, Lacey felt an inexplicable itch in her heart, a feeling of sadness she couldn't quite articulate.

"The sophisticated hunter often appears as the prey. Under his care over time, the girl finally shifted her focus to him, frequently asking him out for meals and movies and even wanting him to accompany her to the restroom. These insignificant acts were bound to be noticed by her boyfriend. So, he came."

On the screen, the comments flew: Her boyfriend is bringing Zhang San... Well, Zhang San is in trouble now... This girl is something... So, the hunter is going to get beaten up...

Jax was pleased with the viewers' reactions. "You guessed right this time. The girl's boyfriend did show up, rudely shouting at my friend Zhang San at the classroom door, 'Come out here!' My friend calmly went out, but before he could speak, he received a hefty slap, swelling his face. Right on cue, the girl appeared at the door, exclaiming, 'What are you doing!' and then ran to my friend, showing concern."

The comments continued: I feel like this girl is the real hunter... Absolutely a schemer... Poor Zhang San, trapped by the girl... My boyfriend also beat up my best guy friend; I felt so bad for him, so...

Lacey, with her innocent thoughts, could hardly keep up with the plot twists. She was speechless, seeing the viewers' comments, thinking, what on earth is all this?

Jax smiled slightly, "Seeing his girlfriend so concerned about Zhang San, her boyfriend's face turned cold, and he dropped a harsh line, 'You can be with him. We're done!' Then, he walked away without looking back. My friend kindly suggested the girl go and explain things to her boyfriend. She refused, and he even considered going himself."

"The girl, of course, wouldn't let him, crying a river, telling my friend, 'Why are you so foolish, doing so much for me without asking anything in return, suffering for me, and still thinking about me? He's not even half the man you are; how could I reconcile with him? That would be so unfair to you!'"

Lacey was nearly moved to tears by this story, wishing for a male best friend like that! No, she just hoped Jax would care for her like that.

"After that, it was only natural for my friend to accompany the girl to ease her emotions. They drank half a crate of beer. The girl, drunk, told Zhang San, 'From now on, I want to repay you, be your girlfriend. You won't mind, right?' He thought she was just drunk, her words not to be taken seriously. So, half-jokingly, he said, 'I see you as a best friend, and you want to date me!' But the girl stared at him earnestly, grabbed his hand, and walked off."

The comments were buzzing: It's trendy now for girls to pursue guys; drinking has nothing to do with it... Girls should be brave and seize their happiness... I want to know what the girl is dragging Zhang San off to do... Friendships born out of nowhere...

Lacey suddenly had an epiphany, her eyes sparkling with determination. Yes! Why couldn't she be brave and confess her feelings to Jax? He must like her too, including her dance.

She remembered that when he talked about the dancing girl, there was a longing in his eyes.

Seeing his opportunity, Jax finally revealed his hand, "The girl dragged Zhang San to a hotel. At this point, he naturally wouldn't refuse. Once in the room, she kissed him passionately, their kisses unskillful but intense, leading to the inevitable. The next day, the girl woke up confused, while Zhang San pretended innocence, jokingly saying, 'It was you who took the initiative. You took advantage of me.' The girl accepted her mistake and asked my friend to take responsibility. Thus, Zhang San successfully moved from a male best friend to a boyfriend."

The comments erupted: Truly a high-end hunter, trap after trap... Terrifying, I hope my boyfriend stays simple-minded... Failure is the mother of success; I'll try it next time, too... This indirect strategy, I'm learning...

Lacey didn't mind; she even wished Jax was that best friend so she could boldly claim him!

Whoosh! Three aeroplanes flew across the mobile screen, sparking attention and discussion among the viewers. Lacey, having completed her donations, exited the livestream.

Tonight, she would dream sweet dreams!

The happy days always seemed brief; soon, it was graduation season. Although Lacey and Jax hadn't made any substantial progress, there were hints of a romantic relationship, just short of someone breaking the ice.

On the campus, graduation often meant break-up season. As couples threw their graduation caps, they also let go of their love, embracing and weeping, parting in sorrow. Lacey and Carol didn't experience this personally; the future was full of promise to them.

On graduation day, they were greeted by Rick and Carol's grandmother. Rick had personally brought the grandmother to attend their graduation ceremony, which Carol hadn't expected. The surprise and joy on her face when she saw her grandmother were immense.

"Thank you, Brother Rick!" Carol's gaze towards Rick was full of gratitude and passion, almost leaping into his arms to warmly kiss his face.

Lacey, however, was hoping for Jax's appearance, which never came. Although she had casually mentioned her graduation on WeChat without explicitly inviting him to the ceremony, seeing her best friend receiving her brother's attention made her feel cold inside, her lips pouting.

The graduation ceremony was held in the auditorium. Lacey, having been invited by the school to dance again due to the popularity of her last solo, couldn't refuse and had prepared a new dance titled "Walking with You."

This dance was actually for Jax, but he wasn't there.

Backstage, Carol helped Lacey with the same makeup as last time. The performance dress was still the same white gown, the only change being the bright red butterfly hairpin replaced with a white one, symbolizing the fiery youth transitioning to softness and beauty.

One act followed another, the auditorium filled with cheers, teachers and students immersed in this joyful and passionate atmosphere.

Finally, it was Lacey's turn to perform.

Free from the nervousness of last time, she immersed herself in the dance, like an elegant swan gracefully descending from the sky onto the lake, her arms fluttering like swan wings, embracing a beautiful future...

All this was live-streamed in the "Love at First Sight" live room.

The comments poured in: This dancing girl looks familiar... Isn't she the one who danced 'Beautiful for You' last time... Honey, you went to Hua Shang University again... Her dance is so beautiful, I'm envious... Host, this girl moved my heart last time; thank you for letting me see her again... As a woman, why do I also like her

...

Jax, unnoticed, was in the auditorium, live-streaming the event with his particular phone, focused on Lacey's dance, oblivious to his presence.

As the dance neared its end, Jax told the viewers, "That's it for today's live stream; thank you for the likes and follows; see you tomorrow!"

With that, he ended the livestream abruptly, packed up his equipment, and walked towards a secluded corner.

As Lacey finished her dance, the auditorium erupted in applause again, and she bowed in thanks.

Suddenly, the noise died down, as if a sudden rain had stopped, leaving everyone surprised.

Lacey looked up in confusion, only to see a tall figure slowly walking towards her.

Jax! It was Jax! She couldn't believe it; her eyes widened in astonishment, her hands covering her mouth in shock, watching him slowly ascend the stage.

"Congratulations, Lacey, you've graduated!"

Jax approached her with a bouquet and a deep affection, embracing her tightly in front of all the teachers and students.

Lacey was overwhelmed with emotion, her body trembling slightly in his warm embrace, tears of happiness sliding down her cheeks.

Once again, the auditorium was filled with thunderous applause and the sharp whistles of male students.

The two, oblivious to the world, were completely immersed in their little universe.

"I thought you wouldn't come!" Lacey chided.

"How could I miss such an important moment!" Jax replied earnestly.

"Alright, let's go down; there are so many eyes on us," she tried to push him away but couldn't muster the strength.

"Let them witness a little longer! Dancing girl," he whispered in her ear.

"Ah! You knew the dancing girl was me?" Lacey asked in surprise.

"I knew long ago, but I didn't say!" Jax revealed his characteristic sly smile.

"You big liar!"

She playfully punched his broad chest with her little fists.

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