Turning Of the Tide by Diana Sander

Chapter 306

The next morning. Ava came to the school as usual, carrying her books and taking a seat in the fifth

row of the multimedia

classroom

Dressed in a white dress, her hair tied up high in a ponytail, she exuded a pure and ethereal charm.

Her exquisite figure was perfectly proportioned, drawing the attention of many boys around her, along

with hushed whispers. The scene from last night must have been unforgettable for many, especially

since they were in the same department.

Gossip was never in short supply, and that was something that could not be changed. People were

naturally curious, which was understandable.

Ava paid no mund to the probing gazes around her, while Alex, her drowsy body dragged along by

Ava’s successive calls, made her way to the classroom.

With crumbs from her hurried breakfast stuck to her mouth, nearly choking, Ava noticed Alex’s

struggling red face and handed her a bottle of soda water at once, saying, “Take a sip quickly. I told you

to get up early. Why did you have to linger in bed for another five minutes?”

Alex took a big gulp of soda water, finished half of the bottle, and finally brought herself back from the

brink. “Ah… that’s refreshing. Why did you insist on dragging me to your graduate class? It’s not easy

for me as an undergraduate, you know?”

The lecture today was given by the strictest professor in the Computer Science Department at

Sapphire City University. He was ruthless in his teaching methods. Any lateness or absence in his

class would not only result in failing the course but also facing penalties that make you cynical.

In the computer science department, the professor’s penalties for students were not trivial, like

standing outside the classroom or copying texts. His methods were much more creative.

He would ask the punished students to write a certain amount of code for the day and expect the

students to express their attitude of admitting the mistake through coding, continuing until they

genuinely felt to acknowledge it. However, the true state of admitting one’s mistake through coding was

something needed to personally comprehend, and this was precisely what made students fearful, as

there was simply no way to grasp it.

A girl from the back row had attended the masquerade party the previous night and had witnessed the

scene between Ava and Frank. Curious, she leaned forward and asked, “Hey, Ava, was that your ex

last night? He’s really cute. Why did you break up? Did he initiate the breakup last night?”

The girl was full of gossip, hoping Ava’s answer would align with her assumptions that Ava was the one

who got dumped

Alex, who knew the inside story, was displeased with these questions. Ava had a failed crush, and she

cried so sadly that day Such questions could be kept in mind without needing to be spoken aloud.

Asking the person involved was crossing a line, like rubbing salt in the wounds.

Alex gave the girl from the back row a disdainful look. “Is it any of your business?”

The girl was annoyed. “Did I ask you? I’m asking Ava. Do you have any problem? Ava did not even say

anything” Then she continued with a mutter. “Such a queer.”

Alex had always been straightforward. She liked what she liked and disliked what she disliked. She

would not cater to anyone except Ava. “It does concern me. Any issues with that? Your parents must

be great scientists to create such a failure like you”

Their argument started, and the girl from the back row was not a pushover “Hey, who do you think you

are! Take some meds to treat your madness. You’re just a flatterer who keeps trying to please Ava,

following her everywhere”

Everyone at school knew Ava had a good relationship with Alex, a tomboy-like student

Upon hearing this, Ava felt uncomfortable. While arguing was one thing, resorting to insults was a

matter of character Besides, what Alex wore was her own choice. “And what about your behavior? Are

you a paparazzo? My business seems to have nothing to do with you. Do you need me to explain the

word ‘privacy’ to you? It’s impolite to excessively pry into others’ matters. I’m educating you now since I

believe your parents never told you that. No need to thank me

“Plus, Alex is my friend, please respect her.”

Ava rarely got angry, especially in public. Everyone had limits, and if one crossed the line, one could

not blame them for getting angry.

The girl in the back seat sat down discontentedly and muttered to herself, “What’s so special about

your You are just desperate. My guess is you either got dumped or failed at pursuing him

Alex picked up a book and slammed it onto the desk behind her “Enjoy being a bitch, huh? If you think

you’re not ugly enough now, I don’t mind helping you with a fight”

Alex’s irritation quickly flared up, and Ava was not pleased either Does it concern you whether I

succeeded in pursuSING someone or not? Your current behavior is truly embarrassing your parents”

“You…”

During the argument, a male classmate sat down next to Ava, causing a gust of wind with his naklen

movement. Because of

his arrival, the attention of the girl who had been ready to argue was diverted.

The guy wore a white T-shirt, layering with a white base pattern, and a light black striped shirt. The

slender long legs wrapped in a pair of light blue jeans, sparking imaginative thoughts.

The brim of lus black cap pressed down low, while a black mask covered the entire face. He looked like

a star who had made

an entrance

The buttons of his striped shirt at the wrist were undone and folded twice to his elbows, revealing

tanned skin, firm muscles, and a strong sense of vitality. It was simple, comfortable, fresh, alluring yet

wild, with a touch of mystery.

Ava and Alex’s moods were not very pleasant due to their argument with the girl behind them. They did

not notice the guy who had sat down beside them. Before long, the professor entered the room,

carrying a few books under his arm, and walked towards the lectern with confident strides.

There were white strands of hair, and the traces of time were visible in his eyes. The professor gently

placed the books on the table, opened the computer, and prepared to start the lecture.

Alex saw that the guy next to Ava had no textbooks and was wearing a mask and a cap. Out of

goodwill, she leaned over and whispered. “Hey, buddy, let me tell you, this professor can be quite strict.

Don’t be fooled by his gentle appearance. He’s got a lot of strict rules.

“This is a piece of good advice. If you don’t want to struggle yourself to death with coding, I suggest

you take off your cap and mask now. No need to thank me.”

Ava was not as nosy, and she did not even look to her left. She calmly opened her book, ready to take

notes in class.

The guy in the fifth row at the back, take off your ‘cool’ gear while my mood is still good now.” The

professor reminded the male classmate.

Upon hearing this, the guy extended his slender hand to remove his cap and then took off his mask. As

the mask came off. Alex was left dumbfounded.

With a mechanical movement, her elbow bumped several times into the side of Ava, who turned her

head with a puzzled expression “What are you doing? I’m getting ready for class”

Alex remained silent, merely lifting her chin and gesturing with her eyes toward Ava’s left

Following her guidance, Ava turned her head slightly to the left and was greeted by an extraordinarily

attractive face. She froze in place, her throat instinctively swallowed, and her heartbeats suddenly off

rhythm.

The professor’s praise could be heard once again from the lectern. It seemed that he was indeed in a

good mood today. “Quite a handsome young fellow. Why are you hiding such an advantage? Are you

afraid of attracting too much attention?

“Pay attention in class. Don’t wear masks or caps

my

class”

The guy responded with a polite smile towards the professor, saying. “Understood, professor. I’m just

afraid my future girlfriend would get mad, so I am acting decent.”

Acting as a decent guy.

Upon hearing this, Ava remained silent, slightly furrowing her brows as she looked at the guy. A sudden

chill ran down her spine. Did those words really come out of his mouth?

In the next second, she swiftly averted her gaze, covering half of her face as she explained to Alex with

her eyes. “I really did not know”

The girl in the back seat was intrigued. She already found the guy attractive when she first saw him,

and now he looked even more dashing. She thought to herself, “Future girlfriend? Well, that means he

doesn’t have one yet.”

Who would care about his relationship with Ava? As long as they were not together, there was always a

chance for her. With that thought in mind, she reached out and tapped the shoulder of the guy in front.

“Hey, handsome, can I have number?”

your

He did not answer, but instead took out a tissue from his pocket and wiped the spot where his shoulder

had been touched. He lightly tapped his shoulder a couple of times in disdain and then wiped his hand,

revealing clearly defined bones and strong tension in his long fingers.

Ava could not help but turn around with curiosity and watch his series of actions. The look of disdain on

his face was apparent. Ava made her look away after a moment, telling herself to stay calm.

Without even turning his head, the guy addressed the girl behind him “Are your parents in the business

of home-wrecking” The girl did not understand. What did he mean? Did he want to know about her

family? Her mother ran a training center, and her father was a construction contractor. Her family’s

financial situation was quite good. “Well, my mother is…” Of course, Alex was familiar with this guy.

She was satisfied with his move just now, earning a few favorable impressions. Before the girl in the

back could finish introducing her family, Alex interrupted, kindly addressing the girl who had just argued

with her. “You don’t even understand the term ‘home-wrecker. How clueless can you be?”

In response, the girl at the back stomped her foot in frustration.

Meanwhile, Alex pinched Ava’s soft and smooth leg under the desk. Ava’s tender skin bore a red mark

instantly, and the pain caused her to frown She leaned in and whispered with a lowered voice, “Hey,

what are you doing?”

Tm helping you stay clear-headed I’m afraid you’ll get lured by him”

Alex though to herself. “This guy is too fucking attractive and even his teasing is so charming. He’s

dangerously captivating

Ava continued in a hushed voire “You used too much force. It hurts”

Alex retorted, saying. “If I don’t use force, you won’t learn.”

Ava did not reply but thought to herself. “But I don’t have to torture myself if I want to learn from

previous mistakes.”

Both of them thought they were speaking in low voices and forgot that the guy next to them could hear

them. They continued their hushed conversation.

The guy casually leaned to the side, exuding a vibe of nonchalance. One hand supported his face, and

he gazed at Ava, who did not dare to look back. He found her particularly adorable. He slightly swiped

the corner of his lips with his tongue, adding a hint of roguishness, and lowered his voice, saying, “You

still have not answered my question from last night yet. Avoiding won’t solve anything.”

This was not something Ava wanted to hear, and Alex could not restrain her following reaction. Ava

took a deep breath, imitated the guy’s posture by leaning sideways, and reminded herself to remain

composed. With a steady gaze, she looked at

harr

They shared the same posture, locking eyes with each other. One gaze was filled with affection, the

other brimming with playfulness.

Ava, though slightly annoyed, managed to sound tender. “You’re being too inconsistent. You did not

react when I pursued you, yet you expect me to answer your questions. By that logic, aren’t you

avoiding me too? Hmph.”

The young lady’s determination was evident in her eyes. Even if her voice was soft, she exuded

confidence and determination, just like a warrior ready to confront her enemy.

Instead of getting angry, the guy. Frank, seemed amused by her efforts. His eyes were tinged with

affection, and he responded gently. “Mmm”

Ava thought to herself. I said that much, and you only reply with a single sound?”

“Let me ask again. Is there still time to answer the question from before you returned to Sapphire City?

Frank asked once more, a smile playing at the corners of his eyes.

Holding her breath, Ava suppressed her inner agitation. She was once again captivated by Frank’s

handsome appearance, feeling her composure slip away. Strengthening her determination, she tried to

sound more assertive and replied, “It’s too

late”

As the words left her mouth, she quickly averted her gaze. His eyes were as deep as the ocean as if

trying to pull her in. If their eyes met for just another second, she might have changed her mind and

said it was not too late.

Frank continued to keep it simple, his expression showing no emotions. “Mmm”

Alex thought to herself, “Does this guy ever read? He seriously lacks vocabulary.”

How would he communicate with Ava in the future? Would it only be phrases like “Mmm” and “Oh”?

“Those in the fifth row at the back, no dating or public displays of affection in my class. Focus on your

studies.” The professor reminded them without turning to his front.

Today, the professor’s demeanor was quite good, and he was patient as well.

His statement just now did not single anyone out by name. As long as no one spoke up, no one would

know who it referred to. After all, the fifth row was not occupied by just two people, it was an entire row.

A deep and magnetic voice resonated throughout the spacious classroom. “Understood, professor.”

The professor nodded upon hearing this, expressing satisfaction. This student was indeed a good one.

Ava was dumbfounded. Did this statement imply that they were a couple?

When did the agree to this? She had not, not at all.

With a pout, she turned her head, visibly annoyed, and asked, “When did I agree to this? I didn’t.” Her

irritation was clear.

Frank still rested his head on his hand, tilting his head to gaze at her petite face. He tugged at the

corner of his lips, forming

a subtle smile, and let out a soft “Mmun.”

Ava was helpless and remained silent

Alex thought to herself, “Ava is in serious trouble. She can’t outwit this sly fox. During just one class,

he’s cunningly asserted

the dominance.”

And that was witnessed by the professor.

Impressive.