Zac had survived worse humiliation, but this time, even he might struggle to keep up his frail and delicate persona. As soon as Arthur walked into class, he could feel every pair of eyes locked onto him. It was as if his classmates couldn’t comprehend how he had changed so drastically in just a few days. Many of them had attended Zac’s birthday banquet last night. They had witnessed the entire spectacle firsthand. For those who hadn’t been there, the news had spread like wildfire. By morning, the entire class was fully informed of what had gone down. Arthur, in a rare good mood, raised a hand in greeting. "Good morning, everyone." The students, clearly not expecting him to be so casual, responded almost mechanically. "Good morning." The entire room echoed with an eerie uniformity. Arthur nodded, sweeping his gaze over the classroom as if he were some kind of VIP inspecting a facility. Then, with an air of leisure, he walked to his seat and resumed working on his assignments. His classmates exchanged uncertain glances. Something about him felt… different. Eventually, they came to a conclusion— Arthur had definitely grown a thicker skin. Shameless people always rise to the top. And that was exactly how Arthur felt now. No one openly confronted him, but no one went out of their way to curry favor with him either. The Gray family’s attitude toward him had been clear for years—why bother trying to get close? The new homeroom teacher was diligent and took teaching seriously. Arthur appreciated that. He paid close attention in class. After all, knowledge was power.When class ended, Arthur noticed a familiar figure peeking into the classroom through the window. Ashley. She seemed to be looking for someone. Arthur walked out, tapping her on the shoulder from behind. "Looking for me?" Ashley yelped in surprise and spun around, glaring at him. "You scared me!" Her rare display of flustered annoyance made Arthur chuckle. "You scare that easily?" Ashley’s cheeks turned slightly pink. But then she quickly realized—wait a minute, was Arthur teasing her? Her expression hardened as she balled her fist and playfully punched him in the arm. "You little punk, how dare you mess with me?" Arthur, unbothered, took the hit with a grin. After their brief scuffle, Arthur asked, "So, what are you doing here? Looking for someone?" Ashley shot him a glare. "Yeah, you." Arthur’s brows lifted. "Oh? And why’s that?" Ashley crossed her arms, lips pouting slightly. "I wanted to check if you were still alive." Arthur found himself staring at her lips. Pink, soft-looking… For a fleeting moment, an absurd thought crossed his mind— What would they taste like? He immediately shook his head to clear the intrusive thought. Not here. Not now. They were standing right outside the classroom, with half the students probably watching them. After a slight hesitation, Ashley got to the point. "Are you okay after last night?" She wasn’t particularly close to anyone at school. If she had to name one person she got along with, it would probably be Arthur. Her family had received an invitation to Zac’s birthday banquet, but she had no interest in Zac, so she hadn’t gone. This morning, she’d heard about the events from the night before and had rushed over as soon as class ended.Arthur gave a dismissive wave. "I’m fine. If anyone isn’t doing well, it’s probably Zac." Ashley studied him carefully, as if searching for any sign of distress. But when she found none, she relaxed. The bell signaling the end of the break was about to ring. Ashley smiled. "Wanna grab lunch together later?" "Sure," Arthur replied without hesitation. "I’ll come find you after class." He genuinely liked Ashley’s bold, straightforward personality. She was probably the only real friend he had in this school. Ashley waved before heading back to her classroom. Arthur chuckled to himself before walking back inside, diving right back into his studies. When lunchtime arrived, Arthur made his way to Ashley’s classroom. Through the window, he saw her scanning the hallway, clearly waiting for him. The moment she spotted him, her face lit up with a smile. Arthur raised a hand in greeting. Ashley quickly stepped out, her movements light and energetic. "Let’s go." The entire classroom watched in shock. "Wait… is that really Ashley?" "Did I just see her smiling? That brightly?" "Who the hell is that guy?" "You don’t know? That’s Arthur." "Wait, Arthur? The Arthur from that viral banquet video?" "Yeah, that’s him! He looks even better in person than in the video!"