Chapter 5
Actually, Adeline got it wrong. I even forgot to prepare a gift. And clearly, Asher didn’t care whether I prepared one or not. “Just put it there.” Asher indifferently glanced up.
Adeline got even angrier: “Do you even know what she used to do? In high school, there was a girl who picked up trash every day, like a beggar with a stench all over, do you know who that was?”
Stepping confidently in her high heels, she haughtily presented a gift box: “Asher, here’s your birthday present.
I carefully selected it, and it’s definitely better than some people’s worthless offerings.”
Adeline was actually mistaken. I hadn’t even bothered to prepare any worthless offerings. Clearly, Asher didn’t care whether I brought a gift or not.
“Just leave it there.”
Asher glanced up indifferently. Adeline’s anger flared: “Do you even know what she used to do? Back in high school, there was this girl who collected junk every day, smelling like a beggar. Do you know who it was?”
My body trembled slightly. It wasn’t my fault that my family was poor. My parents left when I was in middle school, leaving only my elderly grandmother.
As a high school student without any means of earning, collecting scrap to sell was my only way to make money. I never thought it was shameful, yet they used it repeatedly to humiliate me.
“She’s the Sage by your side, you know!” Adeline spat furiously. “To spite me, you’ve sunk so low as to be with a girl who collects junk?”
I remained silent, looking at Asher. I didn’t even know what I was hoping for. Perhaps I hoped Asher would defend my dignity a little at this moment, just like that one encounter in high school.
Back then, with bloodstained pants, I was awkwardly pressed against a wall, surrounded by people pointing and laughing at me.
“Poor thing, can’t even afford sanitary pads?”
“Ha, a junk collector. What, never found unused ones in the trash?”
I was frozen, wanting to escape but blocked at every turn. Until a young man holding a basketball approached. His large jacket covered my head, his voice lazy yet warning:
“Get lost, haven’t seen a girl before, or does your family not have a mom?”
The crowd dispersed. Asher didn’t look at me, just left with:
“Hurry and clean up, no need to return the jacket.”
The incident was small, and Asher probably forgot. But I always remembered. Now the same embarrassment reappeared, and I tightened my grip on Asher’s shirt.
But Asher just coldly faced the woman: “Adeline, I’d rather be with someone who collects junk than get back with you. Don’t you think you’re pathetic?”
Junk collector.
Asher said I was a junk collector. No rebuttal, no defense.
He silently accepted it, blatantly showing the huge gap between us to everyone. The privileged guy and the poor girl. Once upon a time, Asher was no longer the light in my memory.
Or maybe, from the beginning, it was just a filter of old feelings for Asher.
I couldn’t keep up the act anymore.
The crowd jeered, but Adeline’s face was ghostly pale. Right. I vaguely remembered.
At Asher’s last birthday party, Adeline brought eight male models to the private room out of spite, making Asher furious. Now, a year later, Asher wanted revenge.
After driving Adeline away, Asher leaned over, casually lowering his voice: “Sage, where’s my birthday gift? Hmm?”