When they were bored as kids, they would scribble on the ground with branches.
Bruce’s granduncle was a great painter, and he often came to the countryside to teach Bruce to paint.
Claire also studied drawing from him occasionally.
Unexpectedly, she was exceptionally talented and was accepted as a disciple by Bruce’s granduncle.
It was getting late, and Bruce left Smith’s house.
At dinner, on the table.
Ada glanced at Claire and asked acidly. “Claire, I heard that you brought your friend home today?”
“Uh.” Claire grunted casually.
Ada scowled and scolded. “Don’t just bring along anyone home, okay?”
Phoebe pursed her lips and secretly chuckled.
Claire deserved it.
Claire put down her chopsticks with a snap, leaned back, smiled, but her eyes were icy. “Then tell me who I can bring home?”
Ada gave a dry cough. “Since you have come here, don’t come into contact with any country folks. It’s embarrassing.”
Claire tilted her head and narrowed her eyes slightly. “I think a snob like you is embarrassing.”
“What… what did you call me?!” Ada’s face turned purple with anger.
Claire raised her brows. “You heard it.”
Ada stared at her, speechless.
At this time, Phoebe hugged her arm and said softly, “Mom, I have good news to share!”
Upon hearing this voice, Ada’s anger was gone in an instant.
Phoebe smiled sweetly. “Mom, I got the ticket to the exhibition of Master Zen!”
Zen was a very famous painter in the Ye State. He and his friend Nancy were both disciples of the great painter, Master Rice.
Ada smiled from ear to ear. “Really? Oh! Our Phoebe is really amazing!”
Phoebe said, “Master Zen will show up at the exhibition. I’ll take my paintings with me and ask for his advice. With his guidance, I believe I can definitely win a prize in the upcoming painting contest.”
——
Early the next morning, Ada received a lot of congratulatory calls. Listening to the words of wonder and envy of her friends, she was very delighted.
It was really hard to get a ticket to Master Zen’s exhibition.
In fact, she and her friends didn’t really like painting but used it as a way to show off.
Phoebe was her pride indeed.
At noon, Bruce ran to Class One and asked Claire to go to the canteen for lunch.
Dora and Derek also followed behind.
When they came to the canteen, this strange combination of the four attracted a lot of attention.
Claire chose a position by the window, Dora and Derek rushed to sit down beside her, Bruce had a big appetite and was still lining up for food on the other side.
Phoebe and her deskmate Jessica were also in the canteen, standing right in front of Bruce. The two bought the meal, and when they passed Bruce, they deliberately threw a meal card on the ground.
Bruce finished buying the meal, only to find a meal card at his feet.
He picked it up and looked around, not knowing who owned it.
He was the last in the line, and there weren’t many people around.
Not far away, Phoebe suddenly exclaimed. “My meal card is gone!”
She and Jessica returned to the place where they were lining up.
Phoebe searched and said, “I just swiped my card here!”
Jessica rushed up to Bruce and questioned him. “Did you steal it? You were just behind us!”
“Huh?” Bruce was stunned, waving his hand innocently. “No, I didn’t. I didn’t steal from you!”
“Then what are you holding in your hand!” Jessica said, grabbing the meal card in Bruce’s hand and handed it to Phoebe. “Phoebe, look, is this your card?”
Phoebe took it and looked at it. There was ‘Phoebe’ written on the card, and she said assuredly, “It’s mine. This is my meal card.”
Jessica pointed at Bruce and deliberately yelled out loud. “And you said you didn’t steal it!”
Phoebe was pretty famous in the school, so many people gathered around quickly.