After hanging up the phone, Grayson headed off in the direction of Nineteen Bar.
As soon as he walked in, Jace and Indie jumped to their feet and waved at him.
"Grayson, what have you been up to lately? Miles and Tyler told me you haven't been spending much time in the dorm. You've been out and about all day, and every now and then there's a goofy grin on your face—don't tell me you've gotten back together with Sienna, have you?"
Jace hadn't been around the dorm much himself—art majors tended to keep a bit of mystery about them, appearing and disappearing like phantom dragons.
"Not at all," Grayson replied. He thought about mentioning that it was because of Jasmine, but then decided there was no need to explain.
"Haha, good to hear," Jace said with relief. "Sienna is way too vain—she's always using you. Don't you dare get back together. Besides, if you did, I'd be embarrassed to try introducing you to Lila."
Lila again. Grayson furrowed his brow. In his mind, Lila and Sienna were cut from the same cloth: both obsessed with appearances and social status. If those two ever met, they'd probably hit it off like long-lost sisters. And if he truly had to choose between them, he'd pick Sienna every time. After all, he and Sienna had spent a fair amount of time together, and he had genuinely liked her.
"Grayson, trust me, Lila's nothing like what you're imagining," Indie said. She was perceptive—just one look at Grayson's expression told her where his thoughts were drifting. "I've known Lila for years. True, her words can cut deep sometimes, but inside she's a good person. You don't know this, but last year our department went to a poor region for volunteer teaching. Faced with those kids in ragged clothes, Lila never looked down on them. She taught them to draw with genuine care, guided them through every lesson—and she was even recognized as an Outstanding Volunteer Teacher."
Is that so? Grayson let that sink in mentally. He really couldn't picture Lila—the girl he thought was all vanity—spending her days patiently helping dusty, poorly dressed children learn to paint.
"Besides," Indie continued, "it's perfectly normal for a girl to be a little vain." She bit her lip as she smiled. "We're girls, after all. I get vain sometimes, too." She wrapped her arm around Jace's, nuzzling his side. "Just the other day, this dummy and I went shopping. I saw a Dior matte lipstick I wanted him to buy for me—he actually refused! Can you believe it? I was so mad. That's why a bit of vanity in a girl is fine. If we're not a little vain, how will you boys take care of us, right?"
For some reason, Grayson felt his admiration for Indie grow. Of course, it wasn't romantic attraction—Indie was Jace's girlfriend, after all—but he couldn't deny she struck him as genuinely kindhearted and down-to-earth.
"Alright, you two, stop flaunting your PDA in front of single me," Grayson said, rolling his eyes.
Jace and Indie both burst out laughing.
"Okay, Grayson, listen up," Jace said once he'd collected himself. "We already told Lila you're here. She'll be joining us soon. The plan is for the four of us to head to the amusement park first and then catch a movie afterward. You'll have your chance—make sure you make a good impression." It sounded like a solid plan.
"Umm, I doubt Lila will show up," Grayson said. He knew Lila's opinion of him all too well—she absolutely loathed him. Why would she agree to hang out one-on-one, even if Jace and Indie tagged along? If four people went out together, of course they'd pair off; he couldn't imagine Lila agreeing to that.
"No, no. Lila is definitely coming—she already said so," Indie said eagerly. "Last time Lila was injured and in the hospital, you brought her that Chilean agate fruit—right? She really appreciated it. So this time, she wants to treat you to some fun as a thank-you. You have to seize this opportunity!"
Looking at her watch, Indie added, "Lila should be here by now. You two sit tight and wait; I'll step outside to call her." She stood up and headed out the door.
No sooner had Indie left than Jace slid something across the table to Grayson. "Here, take this."
Grayson looked down and was surprised to see 500 yuan in cash.
"Grayson, keep this—consider it a loan from me. When we go to the park later, Indie and I will step away for a bit, giving you some time alone with Lila. Treat her to something nice—girls love that kind of thing." Jace waved the money in Grayson's direction. "C'mon, take it!"
Grayson felt moved. It was good to have a solid friend. He didn't protest—he just pocketed the cash.
Meanwhile, outside the bar, Indie had dialed Lila's number.
"Lila, Grayson and the rest of us are already here. Where are you?" Indie asked.
"Indie, do I really have to come? I can't stand seeing Grayson—he and I have nothing in common. We're on completely different levels," Lila said in a tone that was dripping with reluctance.
"Aw, Lila, we already made plans. Besides, remember last time you were in the hospital, Grayson brought you that Chilean agate fruit? You threw it away like it was garbage—honestly, that was a bit much. Now, coming here is just you apologizing. What's wrong with that? Please, come." Indie's tone was earnest.
"Fine," Lila sighed. "But just so you know, I'm only doing this as a courtesy for you and Jace. Otherwise, there's no way I would've shown up."
"Okay, great." Indie hung up and exhaled. There was something appealing about Grayson—though he was poor, he was honest and dependable. If Lila ended up with him, she'd be a lot happier than she would be with Ryan Walker.
Over the past few weeks, since Lila's injury, Indie had also gotten to know Ryan a bit. He seemed wealthy, yes, but he wasn't reliable and sometimes flirted with both Avery and Maya, testing their reactions. So even though Ryan had helped Lila's family in the past, Indie still hoped Lila would choose Grayson over Ryan.
Not long after, a tall, slender beauty with a brown leather satchel swung open the bar door—Lila had arrived.
"Lila!" Indie waved and called out.
Lila strode in gracefully, her long legs carrying her to the table where Sierra was sitting. With a flick of hair like a cascading waterfall, she took the seat next to Sierra and greeted Indie and Jace warmly. As for Grayson, Lila merely uttered an "oh" and didn't even glance his way.
"Well, since Lila's here, I think we should get going!" Indie stood and looped her arm through Jace's. She then shot Grayson a look that basically said, "You and Lila, together!"
"Not so fast." Lila, fingernail polish brush in hand, was unhurried. She didn't rise; instead, she said, "Someone else is coming."
"What? There are more of us? I thought it was just the four of us," Indie said in surprise.
"Who said it was only us?" Lila pointed toward the entrance. "He's here!"
And sure enough, Ryan Walker walked in. He wore a high-end hoodie that practically glowed under the bar lights, immediately attracting amused whispers from many patrons. Ryan himself savored the attention, smirking as people watched him.
"Lila, didn't you say you'd come alone?" Indie said, stunned—and annoyed that Ryan had also shown up. With Ryan there, how could Grayson possibly get any time alone with Lila?
"I only said I'd be here. I didn't say I'd be the only one," Lila replied coolly as she finally stood up. She slipped her arm through Ryan's, leaning into him. "Besides," she said with a smirk, "I invited Ryan so I could announce to you all that Ryan and I are dating."
At that moment, Indie and Jace were left speechless. What had started as the perfect chance—just the four of them heading out, giving Grayson and Lila a moment to connect—had suddenly evaporated. Now Ryan was here, and Lila was officially his girlfriend. Grayson's opportunity evaporated.
Lila, entwined with Ryan's arm, leaned against him in a display of intimacy, her face betraying a smug glee as she cast a knowing glance at Grayson. She was no fool—she knew exactly what Indie and Jace had attempted: to push her toward Grayson. And look—he actually showed up. The fact that he came, waiting for her here, must mean he had imaginations of something more between them. But haha, she wasn't about to flatter his daydreams. Not when he was no match for someone like her.
Meanwhile, Indie and Jace felt awful for putting Grayson through this. But now that events had unfolded this way, they didn't know what to do. Should they press on with their plans or cut their losses and retreat?
"Actually, I have something I need to take care of—so I'll head out now. You guys go on and have fun," Grayson said. Despite everything, he felt grateful to Jace and Indie for treating him kindly. He didn't intend to pursue anything with Lila—he simply appreciated their efforts. Now that this was how it turned out, there was no point in staying. He might as well go check on Jasmine—he was starting to miss her. Ever since she said she was moving out, he suspected she might be looking for a new place to live.
"Don't go just yet, Grayson," Indie said, grabbing his arm. "We're all already here—just come along. Let's at least try to enjoy ourselves."
Honestly, Indie and Jace would feel even guiltier if they left him alone now.
"You know, Indie's right," Lila chimed in unexpectedly. "Since you came, why not stick around? Have some fun with us."
Indie's face lit up. She quietly gave Grayson an encouraging wink: See? Lila doesn't hate you as much as you think—just a bit more effort, and maybe you can still win her over from Ryan.
"After all," Lila added in her languid drawl, "we do need someone to carry our bags."