Chapter 255

Watching the classmates all vie for her drawings, Zinnia readily agreed.

Ethan’s eyes lit up with anticipation as he glanced at the half-finished sketch in Zinnia’s hands, already featuring about half their classmates. “So, who gets the one with all of us in it?” he asked.

“Hmm…” Zinnia paused, unsure who to give it to.

“How about we hang it in the classroom? Zinnia drew all of us–it’s perfect there,” someone in the crowd suggested.

After a moment’s thought, everyone nodded in agreement. Hanging it in the classroom was perfect–everyone could see it, and no one would feel left out over who got to keep it.

“Zinnia, what do you think?” Lydia asked, ignoring the others. It was Zinnia’s drawing, so the decision should be hers.

Her classmates chimed in, “Yeah, Zinnia, what do you think? If you don’t want to hang it, we won’t. It’s totally your call.”

“Of course I agree,” Zinnia replied, her fair and delicate face lighting up with a beaming smile.

The whole class burst into good-natured laughter.

After settling on where to hang the artwork, everyone scattered to their own business. Still, before leaving, each classmate reminded Zinnia, “Don’t forget our drawings!” Zinnia responded to each with a warm smile and assured them she wouldn’t forget.

Zinnia lowered her head and resumed working on the drawing. Now that it was going to be hung in the classroom, she took extra care with the details.

As Zinnia finished the drawing, a figure approached and cast a shadow over her work. Looking up, she saw it was Maisie. “Maisie?” she said.

Maisie looked at her hesitantly, words caught in her throat. “Zinnia…”

Noticing her hesitation, Zinnia asked gently, “Mm? Is there something I can help with?”

Glancing past Maisie, Zinnia couldn’t help but notice their classmates trying to act casual while eagerly watching their interaction–clearly, they all had something to ask of her.

“Zinnia!” Maisie blurted out, unable to contain herself. “William’s organizing a performance this afternoon–we’re all dying to hear you play the zither.”

Everyone in the class had seen the video of Zinnia playing the zither and was itching to see and hear her perform in person.

Seizing the chance of the Christmas performance, everyone pushed Maisie to ask if Zinnia would agree. After all, Ethan and a few others who’d seen her perform last time had made the rest of the class green with envy.

“But we don’t have a zither here,” Zinnia said, not refusing the request. It wasn’t a big deal to her.

Hearing this, the classmates' eyes lit up, sensing an opportunity. Rosalind’s own eyes sparkled as she squeezed through the crowd and dashed over to Zinnia. “I’ve got it,” Rosalind exclaimed excitedly. “I had my butler secretly bring over my mom’s treasured zither just for today.”

“Zinnia, what do you think of this zither?” Rosalind asked eagerly, beckoning to the people just outside the door.

At the signal, the boys waiting outside entered, carefully carrying a zither in its protective case. They set it down in the cleared space.

Zinnia couldn’t help but laugh at their antics–everything was already set up, just waiting for her nod. “So you guys planned this all along, huh?”

Rosalind chuckled sweetly and linked arms with Zinnia, “Come on, we all want to hear you play the zither for us in person–otherwise, Ethan will never stop bragging about being the only one who’s heard you perform. So, it’s settled, okay?”

Zinnia couldn’t help but chuckle, “Like I even have a choice now?”

“Please, Zinnia, honey,” Rosalind whined, nuzzling against Zinnia’s neck. “Say yes, please. We all want to hear you.” With her shoulder-length curly hair topped with a cute clip and her sugary voice, she looked every bit the adorable sweetheart.

“Alright, alright, I give in.” Zinnia surrendered helplessly. She was completely defenseless against someone acting so sweet and cute with her–especially an adorable, well-behaved girl like Rosalind. Usually the one being pampered, now faced with those pleading puppy-dog eyes, Zinnia just couldn’t resist.

“You’re the best,” Rosalind beamed happily.

Lydia stood to the side, watching as Zinnia and Rosalind playfully teased each other. With a gentle voice, Lydia said, “Zinnia, you haven’t played this zither before–would you like to give it a try?”

“Sure,” Zinnia agreed with a smile.

Seeing that Zinnia was occupied, Rosalind stopped pestering her. Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling of a chill creeping up her back. ‘Is the classroom AC set too low?‘ she wondered.

Turning to Joseph, the handsome, aloof boy beside her, Rosalind complained, “Joseph, can you turn up the heat? Why is it so chilly in here?”

“Told you to wear more this morning, didn’t I? Now you know what cold feels like,” Joseph said, shooting Rosalind a cool stare as she rubbed her arms.

He peeled off his black-and-white baseball jacket and tossed it to her, then strode over to the thermostat and turned up the heat a few degrees.

“No, I just won’t. Serves you right,” Rosalind huffed, but her hands still obediently tugged Joseph’s jacket tighter around herself. Though the classroom heating was on full blast, she couldn’t figure out why she’d suddenly felt a chill–though now, it seemed to have vanished strangely.

“Button up,” Joseph said as he turned up the heat. He gently took Rosalind’s hand and led her away from the doorway, deeper into the classroom. His fingers moved with quiet care as he fastened each button of her jacket, one by one.

“Ugh, your clothes are so ugly–always black or white. Can’t you buy something brighter? I like red, light blue, pink–anything but this dull stuff,” Rosalind complained, wrinkling her nose disdainfully at the black-and-white baseball jacket she was wearing.

“I only buy this kind. Don’t like it? Then you pick for me,” Joseph said impassively, methodically buttoning her jacket.

“Humph! Fine, I’ll buy them myself! My picks will definitely look better than yours. After school, we’re going shopping–no arguments. Your taste is just awful.”

“That whole family treated you horribly, yet you still went back with them. You had it good with us–what got into you to agree to go? And look at these tacky clothes you’ve been wearing since,” Rosalind huffed.

Joseph listened quietly as Rosalind murmured her complaints, his gaze lingering on her lips as she rambled on. An unconscious smile played at the corners of his mouth. ‘She looks so adorable when she pouts… I almost want to kiss her.‘

Only after she finished did he rein in his emotions, his voice gentle as he said, “So, I’ll be waiting for you to pick out some nice clothes for me.”

“Of course you need me to buy you nice clothes, huh? That’s been my job since we were little. The moment I stop, you just end up wearing hideous things. Just look at how you’ve been dressing since you left,” Rosalind said.

She was coaxed into a good mood, letting out a haughty little hmph as she lifted her delicate chin, though the smile at the corners of her eyes was impossible to hide.

‘See? I knew I mattered,‘ she thought smugly. ‘Without me, poor Joseph is a mess. Only I can turn that grumpy little puppy into someone sweet.‘

Chapter 256