Ryan snapped out of his thoughts, his cheeks flushing slightly. He deemed it impolite to keep staring at Yvette. She removed her earbuds.
Looking at her, Ryan asked, "I'm sorry. I was thinking about what you just said. How do you know Harry gave himself that name?" He wasn't the kind to meddle, but his curiosity got the better of him.
One person asked, "What do you mean? Could it be Yvette was right, and he chose that name himself?"
Another added, "No way, it feels too…"
"I guess it's possible…" someone murmured.
Ryan said, "Harry, the owner of Sky Nimbus, is an expatriate. His entire family moved abroad years ago. He picked the Clusian name to make things easier. His real name is possibly Lisandro."
Yvette frowned slightly, glancing at Ryan. Seeing only curiosity in his eyes, she said, her voice husky and cold, "Just a wild guess."
Bonnie exclaimed, "Wow, Yve, even your wild guess was precise. Maybe we should set up a booth under the academy bridge and make some big bucks…"
The crowd burst into laughter. Yvette gave a soft, charming laugh.
Another person said, "Come on, Bonnie. We're the future of our motherland. Remember harmony, prosperity, and democracy."
Bonnie put her hands on her hips, pretending to be fierce, which enlivened the room.
Just then, the waiter arrived with the dishes, concluding the topic. Waiters at Sky Nimbus underwent rigorous training; they had to know everything about each dish, from ingredients to cooking procedure and origin.
The waiters, knowing the menu intimately, announced, "Everyone, we have chicken vesuvio, roasted squab, buffalo wings, meatball soup, shrimp remoulade, cedar-plank salmon, mushroom soup, and cioppino…"
The lead waiter clapped his hands. A line of waiters set a small bowl before each person. "This is our signature sunchoke soup, flown in from Jugrea this morning. Enjoy."
He bowed politely before Ryan. "Mr. Lewis, if you need anything, call me. I'll be just outside."
Ryan nodded. The waiters silently and efficiently exited the room.
After they left, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, musing, "No wonder this place is so upscale. Even the staff are professional and attentive…"
Ryan invited everyone to eat. Hesitantly, everyone exchanged glances, except Yvette. She crossed her legs, headphones around her neck, picked up her fork, and tasted the food.
"Not bad!" she said.
Seeing this, Bonnie swiftly began eating. Once Yvette started, everyone relaxed and followed suit. The meal, long awaited, finally commenced. They drank wine, played games, and sang cheerfully.
After a few bites, Yvette found a couch, lay down, covered herself with a jacket, closed her eyes, and fell asleep, the TV still tuned to the financial news.
Regardless of the physics students' usual boisterousness, everyone maintained a respectful distance from Yvette, aware of her grumpiness upon waking.
Ryan declined the others’ invitations to join them, preferring to sit alone. They knew he didn't enjoy lively interactions and didn't pressure him. He was preoccupied with a new chip research article Simon had shown him, written by someone named Siren. Reading it, Ryan recognized the author as a physics genius. His mind endlessly rearranged the day's data.
"Oh, look who we have here. Isn't this Mr. Lewis?" A sarcastic voice boomed.
Everyone turned to see Ethan Brooks, a young man in his early twenties, approaching with a group dressed in trendy, street-smart attire. The music stopped; all activity ceased.
"Ethan?" Ryan frowned.
Ethan casually found a seat; his companions stood behind him, looking unfriendly. They were roughly the same age as the physics students, but far less well-behaved.
"I thought such a noble person like you would have forgotten lowly people like me. I just came over to say hello," Ethan said, laughing ironically.
Ryan responded disdainfully, "Just get to the point. We're having a private gathering. No outsiders are invited."
Ethan smiled indifferently. "Well, since we ran into each other, how about a gamble?"
Ryan hesitated. I don’t know about gambling. Is he trying to stir trouble? It would be fine if I were alone, but with my classmates here…
Observing Ryan's hesitation, Ethan increased the pressure, glancing menacingly at his companions. "Mr. Lewis, if you refuse, and something happens to your classmates tonight, don't blame me."
The physics students knew of the history between Ryan and Ethan, a junior in the physical education department. Ethan's ex-girlfriend had fallen for Ryan, leading to a tragic incident that fueled Ethan's grudge.
Ethan, the deputy mayor's spoiled son, blamed Ryan for the girl's death. Ryan, the heir of the prestigious Lewis family, found himself in a protracted feud with Ethan.
Ryan was forced to accept the bet due to the threat. He couldn't risk bringing shame to his family. He found himself in a dilemma.
"How about I take the gamble with you?"
The room was stunned. Ethan surveyed the room, spotting Yvette in a corner. Looks like a lady’s outfit. Those legs are gorgeous.
Everyone except Ethan and his companions recognized the speaker.
Ethan said, "You want to gamble on his behalf? How can someone who never shows their face boast like this? We're betting way more than thousands of dollars."
Yvette removed her jacket, stood up, and strode over. The crowd parted, murmuring, "How could we have forgotten Yvette is here?"
Ethan was stunned by her beauty, a combination of angel and demon. He regained his composure, speaking more softly. "Pretty lady, are you sure you want to gamble on Ryan's behalf? Our bets start at 1.5 million dollars, with no upper limit, and we only accept cash. Have you thought about this?"