CHAPTER 243: CHAPTER 137: I’M AFRAID I CAN’T CONTROL MYSELF

Kenneth Osborne raised an eyebrow, "I heard you seemed to be on the phone just now? Finished so quickly? Who were you calling?"

Lawrence Winters was initially a bit nervous, but when he heard Kenneth’s question, he realized Kenneth hadn’t overheard all the messy conversation before, so he immediately beamed, "Oh, I was calling Lucas Harlow! Kenneth, believe it or not, Lucas was the one who called me first! I never would’ve imagined it, ahhhh!"

She joyfully jumped out from the corner, almost throwing herself into Kenneth Osborne’s arms.

Kenneth took a step back, a touch distant, and only held her hand, smiling as he said, "Oh? It’s Lucas Harlow? A little celebrity actually called our Nora personally; our Nora’s charm truly knows no bounds. — Congratulations."

He slightly bowed and when he spoke, he was facing her left ear, his gentle breath brushed against her ear, leaving the fine fluffy hair on her ear tip soft.

Lawrence Winters felt the back of her ear heat up, almost feeling a pregnancy-like sensation, blushing slightly yet a bit proud, saying, "Actually, it’s nothing. More importantly, he asked me to be his agent! Not only can I earn double salary! I can also get a twenty percent commission! — Kenneth, do you know what a twenty percent commission on Lucas Harlow’s pay is?!"

Lawrence spoke passionately, "I heard from Jason that after Lucas became popular, his pay soared to ten million, but unfortunately, he only acts in movies, roughly one a year, so just from his movie pay, I would get a two million cut!"

She held up two fingers, her face almost glowing, "Two million, hahaha! I must become a little whip, driving Lucas to keep making money for me daily!"

She sounded just like a slave driver.

Kenneth couldn’t help but laugh, holding her hand as they walked back, "And you’ll be satisfied with that? If you marry him, all his earnings would be yours, no need for a cut, right?"

"That’s different," Lawrence objected without thinking, "As his agent, the commission is what I earn with my skills, no one can take it away, and I can spend it with a clear conscience."

"But if I marry him, even if he gives me all his pay, it would be charity. If one day he doesn’t like me anymore and we divorce, I might leave empty-handed." Lawrence shrugged, "Do you think I’m someone who’s willing to live off others without contributing?"

Kenneth’s smile deepened, and he even spoke on Lucas’s behalf, "Actually, if you marry him, his post-wedding assets are shared with you, which doesn’t count as living off others. Being a full-time housewife is also a form of contribution, don’t be biased and look down on full-time housewives."

Lawrence tilted her head, glanced at him, and said, "I know, for others, being a full-time housewife is indeed great, they have to do a lot of housework, it’s definitely not living off others, even harder than working."

"But..." she pointed at herself, giggling, "If I were a full-time housewife, I would just lie around counting money every day, because I don’t know how to do any housework."

"So if you consider lying around counting money as a form of labor for full-time housewives, then I’m not living off others without contributing, hahahaha..."

She laughed heartily, in especially good spirits.

Her peach-like cheeks revealed a hint of pink atop the fresh white peach, alluring yet sweet.

Kenneth looked at her and said, "You’re too modest, I’ve seen your room; it’s quite tidy. Your uncle said your instant noodles are pretty good too, like adding eggs, greens, and shredded beef."

"Huh? You knew about that too?" Lawrence was quite surprised, "Did my uncle tell you? Really, the key to cooking instant noodles is not to use the seasoning packet, just use the vegetable and oil packets, then add an egg, some greens, and shredded beef; it’s delicious to the point of crying, I tell you!"

"You can make it for me sometime," Kenneth said, leading her to the private room door, "After all, we’ll be living under one roof soon."

Lawrence tilted her head to look at him, slyly saying, "I only cook for my family. Are you my family?"

"Of course," Kenneth responded without hesitation, "I am now and will always be."

Don’t consider your husband not family... Kenneth silently added in his heart.

"That’s better! Kenneth, family ties are nice; I care about you the best, ranking just after my mom and uncle!" Lawrence said, releasing Kenneth’s hand, pushing open the door to the private room, and walked in.

Inside the private room, Joyce Shaw and the Wild Girl were still singing. Tri-Million Sister seemed drunk, sprawled on the sofa, with Blake Leaf sitting beside her, taking care of her.

Francis Johnson was nowhere to be seen.

Seeing them come in, Blake Leaf quickly said, "Mr. Zhao just left, said there was something at the company, and mentioned that he’d find you when he’s free, Mr. Xiao."

He gave Kenneth a wink, still a bit unfamiliar with the title "Mr. Xiao".

Lawrence was delighted and chimed in, "Did Mr. Zhao check out? He said he was treating this meal."

"He did. The front desk just came over to say so and even sent a table of midnight snacks, arranged by Mr. Zhao."

"That’s more like it. Mr. Zhao is really considerate." Lawrence said, sitting down by the dining table, turning to the still lovey-dovey Joyce and Wild Girl, "You two lovebirds, come have some midnight snacks. Could love really fill you up?"

The Wild Girl snapped out of it, giving Joyce a gentle push, and sat down to eat the snacks.

They lingered for another hour in the private room before leaving one by one.

Joyce and the Wild Girl went directly to their rented place to spend the night.

Tri-Million Sister also rented a place outside, and Blake Leaf took her there.

Lawrence and Kenneth returned to school.

When they arrived, they took a taxi, and now taking a taxi back is just as quick.

However, taxis don’t enter the campus at night and only stop at the south gate.

They got out of the car and walked slowly toward the dormitories together.

On the early summer night, the campus of Yanda University was bustling yet cozy.

The students who hadn’t graduated yet rode bicycles, shuttling between the library, teaching buildings, and dormitories, all hurried and most carrying the confidence and composure brought by their abilities on their faces.

Of course, there were also a few "poets" lingering on the shaded paths, with expressions of concern for the country and its citizens, looking frustrated and uneasy.

Lawrence Winters walked down this newly familiar path, feeling effortlessly relaxed.

Graduating from university, she had obtained both her graduation certificate and degree certificate, and had also found a job.

The future unfolded in front of her like a carpet covered with flowers.

Kenneth Osborne was also ambitious, planning to collaborate well with Francis Johnson to truly bring his various ideas on artificial intelligence to life through products.

He wasn’t a pure scholar but more like an engineer, preferring to put theory into practice.

After walking quietly for a while, Lawrence couldn’t hold back and spoke first: "Kenneth, we’re leaving the school tomorrow..."

"Yeah." Kenneth looked at the road ahead, "Do you miss life here?"

"Not exactly longing, just a bit of regret. I should have come to live on campus earlier," she said with a smile, "Being with peers is completely different from working with people much older. I missed out on this lesson before, and now I’ve truly made up for it."

In the past, she could remain composed but always had a flavor of "forced melancholy," somewhat like pulling up seedlings to help them grow.

Now, she could stay calm or be lively, switching gracefully between states, providing just the right supplement and improvement for her intellect and emotional intelligence.

"How could it be?" Kenneth shook his head in disagreement, "Haven’t you always had me as a friend? How could you feel that you were missing this lesson?"

Lawrence rolled her eyes at him, "Kenneth, you’re much older than me! We have a generational gap!"

Kenneth: another stab to the chest.

"...How do I have a generational gap with you? I’m only three years older than you," Kenneth felt a bit aggrieved.

"But you’re six grades ahead." Lawrence counted on her fingers, "I’m not even twenty yet. Normally, I’d be in my sophomore year, but you’ve already graduated with a master’s. Aren’t you six grades ahead?"

She glared at him, "Do you know how hard I’ve worked to skip grades just to catch up with you?"

Kenneth was insanely smart, skipping grades since middle school and even managed to skip grades in university!

While others take seven years to complete their undergraduate and master’s, he did it in four.

Kenneth chuckled softly and squeezed her hand, saying, "Do you know how much effort I’ve put into skipping grades to avoid being caught up by you?"

"...Why? You don’t want to be in the same grade as me?" Lawrence widened her eyes in surprise, "You claim to like me, but you actually dislike me!"

Kenneth: "Haha, now you know I like you? But if I were three years older and in the same grade as you, would you have actually given me a second look?"

Lawrence smiled timidly, trying to please him, "...Kenneth, don’t feel inferior. Even if you’re slow, I’d still be good to you."

"Ah, you! You are the slow one!" Unable to hold it back, Kenneth ruffled her hair, "I’ve never seen a girl as slow-witted as you, Nora. Have you ever thought that someday I might feel tired, be with other girls, and leave you? What would you do then?"

"You know, I’m not without choices. If I wanted, I could change girlfriends every day and not repeat till next year."

Lawrence thought for a moment about that scenario, not too sad, but still a little upset.

She held Kenneth’s hand that was ruffling her hair, and asked curiously, "Kenneth, having a girl you like doesn’t conflict with being good friends with me... Why do you insist on an either-or relationship? If you had a beloved girlfriend, can’t we even be ordinary friends?"

Kenneth looked at her with a hint of sorrow and said earnestly, "No, because I’m afraid I won’t be able to control myself and might cheat. That would be unfair to my girlfriend."

※※※※※※※※※※

This is the third update for "Cold Iron Grace" silver alliance.

Third update at 7 PM tonight.

Kisses to the group!