Cordelia knew better than to pry or eavesdrop, so she only took a quick glance before speaking up, "Your ring."
Bill's eyes lit up when he saw the ring, and he couldn't help but chuckle, "This is the first time something I lost actually came back to me!"
He was thrilled, "The ring is back in my hands, haha! Lia, you have no idea, the gem in this ring matches the one in my necklace. Losing one would've made the other worthless."
After saying that, he reached for his neck, "I got this hefty gold chain to make sure the gem wouldn't get lost if the chain broke."
But as he said that, his movement suddenly froze.
Looking down, Bill realized the bulky gold chain that had been around his neck was gone.
Bill: "............"
Cordelia: "............"
Earlier that day, she had indeed noticed Bill with a chunky gold chain that screamed nouveau riche, but could the guy be more careless?
And where could such a large chain even disappear to?
Cordelia smirked, then pulled out the box with the gemstone, asking, "This is pretty valuable, huh?"
Bill quickly waved his hands, "Not much, just a few million, I guess!"
Cordelia: "............"
She had known the gemstone was expensive when all her classmates stared in awe at her "rock."
Now, hearing Bill's words, she suspected he had added one too many zeros.
Cordelia handed the box back, "That's too valuable. I can't accept it."
A few million dollars worth of anything wasn't something you just gave away!
Bill looked puzzled, then turned to Everard, "It's really not much, sis. Please, take it!"
Just as Cordelia was about to decline again, Everard suddenly spoke up, "How about you help him with a math problem instead?"
Bill's eyes sparkled, "Yes!"
He shoved a stack of math problems into Cordelia's hands, exclaiming, "Lia, can you solve this for me?!"
He continued, "I'm not cut out for this research stuff, you see. If you can solve it, consider the gemstones as your payment."
What kind of problem could be that expensive?
Cordelia glanced at the thick stack of numbers and equations Bill handed her, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Alright, I'll give it a try."
After receiving a new challenge, she couldn't wait to head out, "I'm going back to school then. I'll let you know when I've solved it."
Bill asked, "How will you tell me?"
Cordelia paused, stunned.
Bill already had his phone out, "Sis, let's exchange contacts?"
Everard's friend...shouldn't be a bad guy...
After a brief judgment, Cordelia agreed, adding him on her phone and labeling it: Little Bill.
Bill, watching her change the name, was taken aback. This was the first time anyone had called him "little."
Cordelia was getting bored of the usual problems, and these new ones felt like a fresh challenge.
She couldn't focus in class anymore, her mind occupied with the problems at hand.
By the time school ended, she had identified several unknown concepts and decided to hit the library for some books. Understanding those would be the first step towards solving the big problem.
After roaming the library and finding a few obscure titles, Cordelia flashed her student ID and borrowed them. The librarian remarked, "These are pretty niche. You won't understand them."
But Cordelia just smiled, not responding.
The librarian had no further comments and let her borrow the books. With a heavy backpack, Cordelia headed for the exit, only to find Yates leaning against the school's entrance, absorbed in his phone.
Surprised, she approached, and Yates looked up, straightening himself.
Cordelia asked, "What's up?"
Yates replied, "Lia, I need your help."
Cordelia raised an eyebrow, the question hanging in the air between them.
Cordelia blinked, taken aback for a moment.
Yates scratched his head, a sheepish look crossing his face. "I know, my grades aren't exactly stellar, and time isn't on my side, but I have to make it to Ontoky City."
His determination was palpable, his resolve unwavering.
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