Chapter 169: New Friend Wendy Winters

Chapter 169: Chapter 169: New Friend Wendy Winters

It was Monday. As a freshman, her schedule was still quite packed, and she had classes all day.

When she got to the classroom, Chloe York sat down and saw Brooke York glaring at her from across the room.

But Chloe paid it no mind. She was used to that kind of stare and had become completely immune to it.

When the class was over, Chloe packed her things, ready to leave. It was her last one for the day, so now she could head back to her apartment.

"Hey, Chloe York! I’m Wendy Winters. Mind if we get to know each other?"

Chloe looked up at the sound of the voice. She saw a girl with her hair in a high top knot, wearing a white T-shirt and jeans. She had a clean, refreshing look and was beaming at her.

Surprised that someone wanted to befriend her, Chloe didn’t refuse. "Sure!"

"Great, so we’re friends now! Let’s go shopping!" Wendy declared, linking her arm through Chloe’s as if they had known each other for ages.

Before Chloe could even ask if things were moving a little too fast, Wendy was already pulling her away.

The afternoon shopping street was bustling with crowds. A mishmash of shop signs stood in dense rows, and the clamor of voices mingled with the aroma of street-side snacks.

Wendy clung tightly to Chloe’s arm with one hand, carrying some girly trinkets she had just bought in the other. She couldn’t have been happier.

’Watching Wendy,’ Chloe thought, ’she’s a lot like Stella Winters. Besides, no matter how you slice it, we literally just met.’

’Even people who hit it off right away usually do so through conversation, feeling like they should have met ages ago. It’s not like this, where it feels like we’re old friends who have known each other forever, just out shopping.’

’Then it hit her that Wendy and Stella both had the surname Winters. Wait a minute. I need to find time to tell Stella, see if this girl is her cousin or something.’

"Chloe, look quick! The sweatshirts in here are so minimalist. They’d be perfect for you!" Wendy called out and dashed into the shop.

Chloe had no choice but to follow resignedly. She hadn’t bought a single thing all day. She didn’t enjoy shopping for things; she was much more interested in food and money. When it came to clothes, simply having something to wear was enough for her.

In the end, she didn’t buy anything, of course. Wendy bought one sweatshirt, and the two of them left.

"There’s a milk tea shop around here that’s super popular online. Let’s go find it and grab a couple to try," Wendy suddenly suggested to Chloe, remembering what she’d seen online.

"Okay!"

They searched the shopping district and found the place after nearly ten minutes. After each ordering a milk tea, they walked over to a long bench in the center of the commercial area.

Just as they were about to sit down, a familiar, gentle male voice called out from beside them, "Chloe?"

They both turned and saw Evan Shaw standing not far off. He was holding two bags of recently purchased household supplies, dressed in a simple dark jacket, with a kind, gentle smile on his face.

Chloe looked up, surprised to see Evan. ’It feels like there’s a high chance of running into Evan whenever I go out.’ "Evan, you’re out shopping too?"

"Yeah, I was running low on a few things at home, so I came out to grab them." Evan walked over, his gaze sweeping over the two girls. He smiled at Wendy. "Are you two out shopping?"

"Yeah. This is Wendy. She’s a new friend I just made today," Chloe explained.

"Nice to meet you, Wendy," Evan said, greeting her.

"Hey there, Campus Prince Shaw!" Wendy had recognized him the moment he showed up.

’The upperclassmen said Southbend University never really had a ’Campus Prince’ before. The title only started being used after Evan Shaw and Ethan Prescott arrived—and then there were two of them.’

"Hello. But... did you two really just meet today?" Evan asked, clearly shocked. ’After all,’ he thought, ’how could people who’ve just met go shopping together like this? Wouldn’t it be awkward? What if they don’t get along?’

From what he could see, Chloe and this Wendy girl seemed to be getting along just fine, as if they’d known each other for ages.

"Yup, yup! We just met today and became friends. And for girls, the fastest way to get to know each other is to go shopping!" Wendy replied with a grin, her eyes darting between Chloe and Evan as the little wheels in her mind began to turn.

Though it didn’t seem like there were any romantic feelings between them, Wendy couldn’t help but think they looked good together.

"Since we ran into each other, why don’t we hang out together? It’s more fun with more people," Wendy offered, not giving either of them a chance to refuse. She shot a quick, sneaky glance at Chloe as she finished.

Evan readily nodded. "Sure. I don’t have anything urgent to do, so hanging out together is fine by me."

Chloe had no objection, of course. She and Evan often went shopping and ate together anyway.

The three of them walked on together, with Wendy deliberately taking the outside position to leave the middle spot for Chloe and Evan. She would occasionally make conversation but was careful not to interrupt them, and every now and then, a blissful ’shipper’s’ smile would spread across her face.

As they passed a movie theater, Wendy’s eyes lit up and she stopped in her tracks. "Oh, right! A new comedy just came out, and it’s supposed to be really good. Let’s go see it!"

Before they could respond, she quickly added, "You two wait for me here on this bench. I’ll go buy the tickets and be right back. Don’t go anywhere!"

With that, Wendy set her things down on the bench and took off running toward the ticket booth, deliberately leaving Chloe and Evan by themselves.

Chloe watched Wendy’s retreating back, then turned to Evan. "So, shall we just sit here and wait for her?"

Evan smiled. "Yeah, let’s sit and wait for her."

He casually set his shopping bags aside. Noticing that Chloe didn’t seem to have any bags of her own—it was all Wendy—Evan asked, "You two have been shopping for a while. Is there nothing you wanted to buy?"

"Not really. I’m just keeping Wendy company. She’s the one who likes all this," Chloe replied.

They chatted idly, completely oblivious to Ethan Prescott, who was staring daggers at them from a nearby street corner.

Ethan Prescott had been hanging out with friends after class when he spotted Chloe from afar. He was about to go over and say hello, but then he saw her sitting on a bench, shoulder-to-shoulder with Evan Shaw.

In Ethan’s eyes, the sight was a particularly jarring one.

He liked Chloe, and she used to be his fiancée. He could never stand how easily Evan always managed to get close to her.

And Chloe was clearly so much nicer to Evan than she was to him, which only pissed him off more.

’Why? Why does Evan get to be with Chloe so naturally, even getting her all to himself?’

’So what if I messed up in the past? I’ve repented, haven’t I? Why can’t she just give me another chance?’

’That shameless Evan Shaw, always competing with me. I could let the Campus Prince title slide, but now he’s trying to steal my fiancée. No way. I can’t just let this happen. I have to turn the tables.’ Ethan didn’t go over and say hello; he just turned and left.

The moment Ethan left, Wendy reappeared with the tickets, ushering Chloe and Evan into the theater.