The Female Leads Truly Loves You - Chapter 358

Chapter 358: I envy his shadow
The endgame didn’t require Sam’s intervention.

All he needed to do was take a shower at her place to wash off any lingering scents and then head back to his apartment to crawl into bed.

It seemed Ava hadn’t woken up in the meantime. She wasn’t the type to keep things bottled up; had she discovered he’d slipped out in the middle of the night, she would’ve confronted him the moment he walked through the door.

Sam stared at the ceiling, lost in thought for a moment. He wasn’t quite sure what he was pondering—perhaps the recent events, or maybe the possibilities of what could happen next.

Like the so-called Fifth Street Saints, the date he had planned with Alice, his sister’s impending departure from Kuhang, and the complications involving Mia and Charlotte.

It seemed he had inadvertently taken on several side quests in a short span… Could it be that he actually had a bit of OCD? The kind that needs to collect everything in an RPG?

—

The night before the weekend, Sam clocked out from the convenience store. His shift was taken over by a young man in his twenties who had dropped out of school early and ending up working at the convenience store.

His name was Tom. Tom usually got along well with Sam, often filling his head with ideas about how young people should enjoy their youth and freely chase girls, insisting that one shouldn’t get hung up on just one.

It made him seem like a seasoned player, though Mia would often scold him when she saw this, causing him to quickly straighten up.

“Hey, Sam. Tomorrow’s the weekend, right? You’re off school, aren’t you?” Tom asked.

Sam nodded. “Yeah, what about it?”

Tom leaned in closer, looking secretive. “Wanna hang out tomorrow?”

“Hang out?”

“I’ve got a few girls from the nearby university lined up. Man, they’re cute. You’ve never seen anything like it—three or four of them. I thought maybe you’d like to come along, see the world a bit. What do you say?”

Sam chuckled at Tom, who was patting his chest as if he had just offered Sam the deal of a lifetime, a smug look on his face. “Are they as pretty as our boss?”

Tom paused. “How could they be? A woman as beautiful as our boss isn’t someone you just run into. What are you thinking?”

Sam held back a laugh, really wanting to say: Your resources really aren’t up to par.

But he shook his head, feigning disinterest. “Then it’s not interesting, and I’m busy tomorrow anyway.”

“Man, that’s too bad. You don’t know what you’re missing!”

“Tom, you enjoy yourself. After all, I’m too handsome. I wouldn’t want to steal your thunder.”

Tom’s eyes widened. Damn! More confident than himself?

Tom shook his head as if it were a pity. “Confidence is good, but let me give you some advice. With women, you need to lower your standards a bit, especially with your high expectations. Do you think women will just come up to you? Women these days… they’re all so proud and reserved…”

He tried to sound experienced, but then…

“Sam, wait!!”

A familiar voice called out, and Tom instinctively flinched. Then he saw a figure rush through the door.

Perfect body proportions, a beautiful face, and even though she was wearing a down jacket, it couldn’t hide her elegant charm. This person was indeed very pretty, but Tom was scared because it wasn’t just anyone—it was their boss, Mia!

But soon, Tom realized that Mia’s gaze… didn’t linger on him at all. She walked straight up to Sam.

Sam was also surprised to see Mia at this time, especially since she seemed to be carrying something.

“What’s up, boss?” Sam asked curiously.

Mia looked a bit nervous as she glanced at him. “Are you heading home?”

“Yeah, what’s up?”

“Then… take this with you.” She handed him a heavy bag.

Tom’s eyes bulged. What was going on? This temperamental beauty of a boss was now giving gifts to this high school clerk?

They usually just bickered, maintaining a normal superior-subordinate relationship, but why did the atmosphere feel so strange now?

Tom couldn’t believe it. But then he saw Sam open the bag and frown. “Orange juice again?”

Mia hurriedly explained. “Didn’t Ava say she liked it last time? I got some more for you guys to drink, consider it my apology…”

“Alright, alright, I got it.” Sam accepted it.

Tom was stunned. What in the world was happening? Why was his untouchable boss speaking so meekly to this young man?

“Hey, wait, do you want this too?” Mia pulled out her motorcycle keys from her pocket!

Sam thought for a moment and nodded. “Perfect, I’m taking Ava out tomorrow. I’ll take it.”

“Great!”

Tom could almost hear his teeth grinding. Damn it, Sam. How do you manage to get a beautiful woman to hand over her car keys and still make her happy about it? You should be teaching classes on flirting, I’d definitely pay attention…

“Actually… I’m free tomorrow too,” Mia said, looking at Sam with a hint of something more.

Sam saw right through it but firmly declined. “You take care of your own stuff, boss. It’s her last day in Kuhang, I’ll take her out alone.”

“Oh… okay then.” Mia sighed, seemingly disappointed.

She really was disappointed. After all, Sam had agreed to help Charlotte, which was an unexpected delight for her.

She had been avoiding him these past few days because of something that had made her feel guilty, even though it was unintentional. If something bad had happened, she would have felt even more guilty.

So now, with Sam treating her this way, Mia felt a bit better, at least feeling like she was making amends.

She didn’t know that Sam was also thinking. Does this woman like to owe others, to be in a state of guilt, does she have a masochistic streak?

As Sam left, he suddenly remembered something and looked back at Tom.

“By the way, Tom,” Sam called.

“Huh?” Tom looked bewildered.

“Thanks for the life advice. I’ll remember it.”

“Ha, haha…” Tom’s forced laugh couldn’t hide his disbelief. Was that life advice? Or was it just setting himself up for a slap in the face?

It hurt. It really hurt.

Sam walked away, but…

“Tom, what did you say to Sam?” Mia immediately changed her expression to one Tom was all too familiar with and feared the most.

It was as if he was a criminal.

Tom was stunned. Is this the difference between people? Did she have to switch faces so quickly?

But all he could do was try to appease Mia. “Ah… nothing much, just chatted a bit.”

But unexpectedly, Mia frowned and said directly, “If you dare to fill Sam’s head with your dirty theories of flirting, you can get out of here, got it?”

“Got it,” Tom replied.

After she left, Tom slumped in his chair, staring at the ceiling. “I’m starting to hate women… and good-looking men.”

Sam carried the orange juice home, taking Ava to Sophie’s house to cook. The two girls seemed to get along well, though Sophie’s happiness was reserved, a small smile being her most expressive gesture.

Ava, on the other hand, was incessantly chatty. Although it was inevitably noisy, Sam found it quite beautiful. The key was that both girls were pretty, a pleasant sight.

If it had been the college girls Tom mentioned, Sam wouldn’t have lasted a minute.

At the dinner table, Sophie rarely initiated conversation. “You’re going back the day after tomorrow?”

Ava nodded. “Yeah, I’ve stayed long enough, don’t want to be a bother anymore.”

Sam held a fork. “You mean you’ve been bothering me, right?”

Ava huffed playfully, “Giving you face, huh, Bad brother. Having a beautiful girl like me around, you should just be happy.”

“Cut it out~”

Sophie watched their sibling banter with a bit of envy. She and her sister couldn’t do that; they always had to share one body and couldn’t appear at the same time. That’s probably why she felt so close to Ava.

“So, where are you guys going tomorrow?”

Ava smiled. “My brother promised to take me to the amusement park! I’ve never been to the one in Kuhang, want to see how it’s different from Cedarwood’s.”

Sophie thought for a moment. “Well, that sounds nice. I hope you have a perfect weekend.”

Sam suddenly realized that Sophie could indeed speak well. Why was she always so stubborn with him?

Ava suddenly had an idea. “Sophie, why don’t you come with us? You’re free, right?”

Sophie didn’t hesitate but shook her head. “I’d better not. I can’t go on many of the rides, and it’s your last day. I won’t intrude.”

Hearing this, Ava felt a bit flushed. “Okay then~ Guess we’ll meet next time I’m in Kuhang.”

“Sure.”

Ava smiled softly, a truly adorable girl.

“Hey, but you could also have my brother bring you to Cedarwood!”

“Ah?” Sophie was taken aback.

“I’m telling you, Cedarwood is so much fun, actually…”

And then the dinner table became Ava’s chattering battlefield, Sam also distributed the orange juice he brought. He left a few bottles in Sophie’s fridge. Since he wasn’t much of a fan of orange juice and Ava was leaving, he might as well leave it for this girl.

…

“Bye, Sophie, see you next time~~”

Bang.

The door closed.

The room, which had been bustling just moments ago, suddenly turned cold again. The departure of the two sucked all the warmth out of the room.

Sophie leaned against the door. “See you next time…”

But in life, many ‘next times’ often mean an indefinite delay.

Could it be…

“Going to Cedarwood, huh…”

“Are you happy about that?”

…

On the way back, Sam watched Ava bouncing along under the streetlights, stepping on her own shadow, and asked with a smile.

Ava grinned. “Why wouldn’t I be? I had good food, drank tasty orange juice, and talked a lot with Sophie. I’m happy.”

“That’s good.”

Hope you can always be happy.

That’s what Sam thought.

In the chilly air, Ava looked at her brother’s tall figure, which in her life’s journey had become increasingly reliable and secure, and she found herself deeply drawn to it.

She thought of something.

“Brother, you didn’t invite Angel tomorrow, did you?”

“No, I didn’t invite her.”

“So it’s just the two of us?”

“Of course. Isn’t that okay?”

“That’s great!”

“Hmm?”

“Uh… I mean… it’s not fun with too many people.”

“Alright then.”

Sam chuckled.

This little girl really couldn’t keep anything to herself.

He didn’t know why Ava kept stepping on his shadow after that conversation.

But he didn’t mind; let the child have her fun.

Little did he know, the girl was thinking.

Hehe…

Tomorrow is a date just with my brother…

There will be many more such opportunities…

I want to always be with him, follow him… never leave his side.

I envy his shadow..