Chapter 6

Miranda loved the Bartovian food served on the second floor of the cafeteria during her student days. The cafeteria lady had a chubby face and radiated warmth whenever she smiled. Every time she saw Miranda, she'd chat briefly before generously adding extra meatloaf to her plate.

From a distance, Miranda spotted the same window where the cafeteria lady worked. Nothing had changed since college. Miranda wasn't sure if the lady would remember her; it had been three years since her graduation.

She joined the line. The cafeteria lady was busy serving and didn't speak, but Miranda felt the extra weight on her plate. She smiled and said, "Thank you, ma'am."

Paul paid for their food, and they found a seat.

"I haven't had this in a long time," Miranda said. "It still tastes the same." The chef's skills hadn't declined; if anything, they'd improved significantly.

Miranda reminisced, "When I was in college, I often stayed in the lab and forgot to eat lunch. I'd only come out around 1:30 p.m. By then, there wasn't much left, but the cafeteria lady always saved some for me."

Paul, who had been behind her in line, remembered seeing the lady's annoyed expression soften into a smile when she'd noticed Miranda.

Miranda poked at her food. She suddenly felt the urge to talk about herself. "I didn't get along well with my roommates. Apart from Winter and Dr. Young, the cafeteria lady was one of the kindest people to me. And now, there's also you."

Paul paused. Miranda continued, "College was the best. It was peaceful and simple; a place where I could focus wholeheartedly on one thing. Perhaps going back to graduate school was the best decision I ever made."

After finishing their meal, they strolled around campus, walking down a gravel path that wound through a vineyard. A gentle breeze greeted them as they saw a shimmering lake in the distance. They had unknowingly arrived at Bedford College's most beautiful spot—Waldorf Lake.

Although it wasn't water lily season, the lake was covered with green lily pads, looking calming and peaceful. Miranda felt tired and sat on a bench. Paul sat beside her.

"The breeze here feels so nice," she said, propping her hands behind her head. She felt strangely comforted watching the lily pads drift.

Paul replied, "Bedford College has done a good job promoting environmental protection over the past two years. There's hardly any trash in the lake, so sitting here is very pleasant."

Miranda was silent for a moment. "About what happened earlier…"

"He's your ex-boyfriend, right?" Paul asked.

Miranda turned to him. He adjusted his glasses and met her gaze. "I'm sorry, I accidentally overheard your conversation before entering the study."

Miranda gave a faint smile. "Yeah, we just broke up, and it was quite ugly. I'm sorry you had to see that."

Behind his glasses, a look of understanding flashed in Paul's eyes. He'd recalled Hansel mentioning their six years together during the argument. However, Paul didn't pry into others' personal matters. He also realized the man he'd seen with Miranda, Solomon, wasn't her boyfriend.

After sunset, they drove back to the apartment building. Paul helped Miranda carry her books to her doorstep. As he left, he handed her a tube of ointment. "I bought this on the way. It'll help you heal faster."

Surprised, Miranda guessed he'd bought it while she'd been asleep. She pressed her lips together and accepted the ointment. "Thank you."

Chapter 7