Backstage.
The students from the Chinese dicine departnt already knew the final results.
First place!
Ezra Hoffman and the others were stunned into silence, especially Velnisa Irvin. Prior to knowing the results, her face had been gloomy, with her lips pulled down and brows furrowed, as if Nathalie Quinlan’s team had already lost before the competition even ended.
When the results were finally announced—Nathalie took first place, and Caryn Zachmann ca second—she stood in the backstage area, frozen, without joining Ezra Hoffman and the rest in congratulating Nathalie Quinlan and Tiffany Olsen.
She just stood there, her expression rather complicated, wanting to offer congratulations but hesitating, feeling that crossing over to say sothing would hurt her pride.
"We got first place! Tiffany, you’re amazing!"
"I can’t believe our departnt actually took first place. You all are the best!"
"Tch, too bad an uneducated guy like can only manage to say ’Holy crap!’ all day long."
Tiffany Olsen was surrounded by a group of people. Soone handed her water, soone else patted her shoulder—everyone was overwheld by the surprise of their sudden victory.
Tiffany herself looked quite embarrassed, lightly touching her earlobe, her cheeks flushed. Her gaze darted around and landed on the girl sipping water in the corner: "This first place has very little to do with . It’s all thanks to Nathalie. If it weren’t for her, we wouldn’t have gotten first place."
Her words were an honest admission.
Everyone in the Chinese dicine departnt knew in their hearts exactly why they had won first place this ti.
As for why they surrounded Tiffany rather than Nathalie...
It mostly had to do with Nathalie’s intimidating aura. She had such a cold presence that practically radiated "stay away."
Even the guys wanted to congratulate her but felt too nervous to approach because her energy was so overpowering.
Ezra Hoffman was the most natural among the guys. When Tiffany ntioned Nathalie, his eyes darkened slightly. Holding his bottle of water, he walked toward her.
"Want to grab lunch together?"
The girl leaned against the edge of the makeup table, playing on her phone, her head lowered with the brim of her hat pulled low.
She raised her head slowly when she heard him speak and tucked her phone into her pocket. "I’m not going."
"Oh."
Ezra Hoffman had t her twice before and had mostly figured out her personality—odds were, she wouldn’t join them for lunch. He wasn’t particularly fazed, and with his hands in his pockets, he smiled a little and asked again, "Victory dinner tonight. You really not going?"
"Not going." Nathalie glanced at him again, straightening one long, straight leg. With sharp brows full of rebellious attitude and strikingly dark, beautiful eyes, she paused and said in a lazy, hoarse voice, "My dad’s planning to eat with for lunch, and I’ve already agreed. Maybe next ti."
When Ezra Hoffman heard her ntion lunch with her parents, he nodded and didn’t push any further. "Alright then. We’ll go on our own. If you change your mind, give a call—I’ll send you the location."
"Okay." Nathalie didn’t think she’d go, but since Ezra phrased it as a polite invitation, she responded back courteously.
As for whether she’d end up going to that dinner...
It really didn’t matter.
It was just basic social etiquette.
"Nathalie, you’re not joining us?" Tiffany Olsen cut loose from the crowd and walked over, her cherubic face full of disappointnt.
Nathalie had already picked up her things. When she spoke to Tiffany, her tone was sowhat softer than it had been with Ezra: "I have sothing to do. You all go ahead and eat."
"Ah, I see." Tiffany was disappointed, but like Ezra, she didn’t push Nathalie into coming along.
She noticed Nathalie had slung up her electronic keyboard bag with one hand and quickly offered to help: "Maybe I should find one of the guys from our departnt to help carry it for you? That thing looks heavy. You..."
Heavy? Nathalie raised her brows—it didn’t feel that way to her. Slinging the keyboard case over her shoulder, she turned back toward Tiffany and said, "It’s fine, it’s not too heavy."
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