Chapter 26

The next morning, Evan woke up early, feeling a sense of purpose wash over him. He took a shower, said hello to his mother, and took two buns, walking to school while eating.

He thought of his future, of the hard work and dedication required to succeed.

He would go to school on weekends, make up for the courses he had missed, and work harder than others.

Only in this way could he be worthy of his mother, Lindsay, and Jennifer.

As he walked to school, Evan couldn’t help but feel a sense of trepidation.

The school was almost empty on Saturday, and the silence was oppressive. He subconsciously glanced at the second floor of the office, wondering if Lindsay was there.

He resisted the urge to go upstairs and check, knowing that he had to maintain his resolve.

Evan came to the door of the classroom, but it was locked. He didn’t let that deter him.

He reached for the back door, inserted his hand through a hole, and pulled out the bolt. He pushed the door open, walked in, and sat in his seat, opening his textbook and looking at the empty classroom.

He smiled slightly, knowing that the real game was just beginning.

Evan spent the morning reading textbooks, feeling a sense of fulfillment that he had never experienced before.

His concentration had improved, and he felt a sense of calm wash over him. He looked at the time and saw that it was almost eleven o’clock.

He remembered his promise to Noh Min and hesitated for a moment before packing up his things and leaving the classroom.

As he walked towards Noh Min’s house, Evan felt a sense of determination wash over him. He would be a good boy, one who studied hard and proved himself worthy of love and respect.

He would leave his past behind, embracing a new future filled with hope and promise.

It was a typical morning for Evan, who had managed to cultivate a strong bond with Noh Min despite their vastly different backgrounds.

However, he rarely visited Noh Min’s home, a fact that stemmed from two primary concerns. Firstly, Noh Min’s father, the deputy director of the Urban Construction Bureau, harbored a deep-seated disdain for Evan, viewing him as an inferior individual from a humble family.

Evan’s sensitive self-esteem would inevitably take a hit whenever he encountered Noh Min’s father, who rarely deigned to speak to him.

The second reason was far more complicated, and Evan preferred not to dwell on it.

Noh Min’s residence was situated in a two-story building on the outskirts of the Urban Construction Bureau community, nestled between a small courtyard and a row of larger bungalows.

The Jennifer family’s home, where Evan had visited the previous night, stood adjacent to Noh Min’s, and the two yards were separated by a mere wall.

From the balcony on the second floor of Noh Min’s home, Evan could easily gaze into Jennifer’s yard.

As he stood before the wall, Evan’s eyes scanned its length, measuring less than two meters.

For someone of his stature, a mere 1.75 meters tall, scaling the barrier would be an effortless feat.

He pondered whether Jennifer was present, his curiosity piqued by the desire to glimpse the beautiful teacher’s weekend routine.

However, the memory of Jennifer’s warning soon quashed the notion, and Evan’s thoughts turned to more conventional means of entry.

He pressed the doorbell on the wall adjacent to the entrance, taking note of the magnificently robust glass embedded on both sides, a security measure designed to deter nocturnal thieves. Evan couldn’t help but think that such a barrier would be little more than a speed bump for a skilled martial artist.