After the Math Olympiad study ended in the afternoon, and after the other members of the Math Olympiad team had left, only Cady and Mike remained in the Mathematics Study Room.
Cady looked at the handsome and gentle Mike beside her, appearing hesitant to speak.
Ever since Regina's incident in the cafeteria at noon, Cady had been thinking all afternoon about whether to confess her past misdeeds to Mike.
Cady's previous actions towards Regina were not honorable, which made the girl very worried that Mike would dislike her after knowing about those things.
The girl, who had just found happiness, was now in a state of anxious apprehension, fearing loss.
"Let's go, Cady. I'll take you home," Mike said, wrapping an arm around her.
This week, Cady's parents would be inspecting in Africa. Mike naturally wouldn't miss such a good opportunity to be alone with the girl.
Moreover, Mike had noticed the girl's emotional unease.
In this situation, Mike could only say that he would use practical actions to reassure her.
"Mike..." Cady grabbed Mike's mischievous hand and asked seriously, "If you find out that I'm not as good as I seem... but a bad girl, would you hate me?"
Mike looked at the girl's anxious expression, shook his head slightly, and comforted her, "Cady, no matter what you're like, I will always like you."
Seeing Mike's sincere eyes, Cady was a little moved. At this moment, she decided to completely confess her dealings with Regina to him.
"Mike, the truth is I..."
Just as Cady was about to confess, a boy came to the classroom door: "Um, Mike, Regina wants to meet you alone on the rooftop. She has something to tell you."
Although Regina had lost her dominant position in The Plastics, she still had many supporters within the school.
This male student who came to deliver the message was clearly one of the Queen Bee's admirers.
"I know." Facing the boy's envious, jealous, and hateful gaze, Mike waved his hand, dismissing him.
"Can't we not go?" After the person left, Cady pulled Mike's arm, her expression somewhat pleading.
She was now very afraid that Regina would expose what she had done to Mike.
"It's fine, it's good to meet her. I want to see what tricks the Queen Bee has," Mike said, comforting the girl.
Regina's expression when she left at noon clearly indicated that she would come to trouble Cady again.
Now that Cady had become one of his own, Mike would naturally help her bear her burdens.
"By the way, what were you just about to say?" Mike asked before leaving.
"No, nothing..." Interrupted, Cady lost most of her courage to confess.
At this moment, she developed an ostrich mentality, wanting only to hide herself.
"Alright." Seeing that the girl didn't want to talk, Mike didn't press her. Then, he kissed her on the cheek and said, "You wait for me here. After I see Regina, we'll go home together."
After speaking, Mike also gave the girl a smile that they both understood.
After comforting the girl, Mike left the Mathematics Study Room and went up the stairs to the rooftop.
On the rooftop, Regina was gazing into the distance. Looking at her expression at this time, her emotions were much more stable than at noon.
"Is there something you need, Regina?" Mike asked.
"You're here." Regina turned around and, seeing who it was, first showed a polite smile. Then, as if casually, she said, "Actually, it's nothing much, just wanted to chat with you randomly."
Seeing her playing coy, Mike smiled and didn't speak again, completely in a 'please start your performance' manner.
"Okay, actually, I wanted to warn you that Cady isn't a good girl..." Then, Regina blurted out everything about Cady tricking her into eating diet products.
"And then? What do you want to convey?" Mike asked with a calm expression.
"Knowing Cady's true colors, don't you have any other thoughts?" Regina's smile stiffened when she saw that her provocation had no effect on him.
"That's her own business, what thoughts could I have?" Mike said, and then, as if suddenly realizing, "If you want to apologize, I can apologize to you on Cady's behalf."
Seeing Mike's obvious act of protecting Cady, the smile on Regina's face disappeared.
She frowned, thought for a moment, and then said, "You don't know yet, do you? A type of voodoo once popular in Africa; as long as you get something related to someone, you can cast a spell on them..."
Regina stared at Mike's changing expression and continued, "As far as I know, Cady once frantically collected your posters. Think about it, she might have used those posters to cast a spell on you."
Voodoo, or witchcraft, is akin to a disliked virus for Americans, who are materialists.
Anything associated with these things is considered evil. And people associated with these things are also seen as evil freaks.
On the other hand, looking at her clumsy performance, Mike even felt like laughing. He shook his head and said, "Is that all you wanted to say? If there's nothing else, I'll leave first."
Mike wanted to seize the opportunity to have more in-depth discussions with Cady and had no time to waste with Regina.
Seeing Mike really about to leave, Regina became anxious.
"Wait," Regina called out, then straightened her waist and cat-walked towards Mike: "Maybe we can make a deal."
Indeed, even though Regina had gained over ten pounds, her figure could at most be described as curvy.
On the contrary, Mike found this perfectly ample fullness very comfortable to use.
"Oh, tell me. What kind of deal do you want to make with me?" Mike asked with a smile, admiring her feigned seductive posture.
Looking at Mike's scrutinizing gaze, Regina cursed inwardly. However, being in need of his help, she did not show her displeasure on her face.
Leaning slightly forward, creating a expanse of white in front of her, Regina seductively said, "As long as you help me deal with Cady, you can do anything you want to me..."
Saying this, Regina stuck out her tongue and provocatively licked her lips.
The meaning was clear: the object of this transaction was herself.
"Sorry, not interested!" Mike decisively refused, then stated his attitude: "Also, put away your little tricks, and don't let me find out you're targeting Cady behind her back. Otherwise, you won't want to know the consequences."
After speaking, Mike no longer paid attention to Regina's ugly expression, turned, and left the rooftop.
"Damn it—!"
After Mike had been gone for a while, Regina's face grew increasingly gloomy, as if she had been insulted.
She looked at her fleshy figure and began to doubt her own charm.
Then, Regina thought that all of this was Cady's fault, and she simply couldn't swallow that anger.
While the Queen Bee was raging ineffectually, Mike had already swiftly returned to the Mathematics Study Room, where he found the anxious Cady.
"Cady, we should go," Mike called from the doorway.
"Mike..." Seeing Mike return so quickly, Cady rushed into his arms.
"Regina didn't say anything to you, did she?" Cady asked softly, smelling his familiar scent.
"She didn't say anything," Mike shook his head, then reminded her, "Pay more attention to Regina during this time, and if you have any problems, be sure to tell me."
Seeing Mike's concerned expression, Cady's mood suddenly improved. She decided that tonight, she would reward him well.