Though paralyzed, still radiantly charming!

Chapter 226: You got here pretty fast

“Hey, you seem a bit distracted.”

Anna couldn’t help but cover her mouth and giggle as she watched Ryan, who seemed a bit out of it. This was a side of him she hadn’t seen before.

Maybe it was because she had always kept it simple around him before, but today she had made an extra effort with her appearance, and it seemed to be working even better than she had hoped.

It looked like she wasn’t completely out of the game,at least she seemed to be Ryan’s type.

“No, it’s nothing.”

The faint scent of her perfume was like an invisible hand gently pressing on the back of Ryan’s head, pushing him forward, making it hard to resist the impulse.

Although Ryan didn’t have any particular thoughts about Anna, he had to admit that her outfit today was flawless, even the pickiest makeup artist couldn’t find a fault.

She was like a peach blossom in full bloom after a period of budding, finally blossoming in front of Ryan.

Ryan wasn’t particularly good at talking to girls, let alone a beautiful one. He touched his nose and leaned slightly back.

It had to be said, Anna was a bit too close to Ryan at this moment.

Her fair hand fluttered in front of him, just looking at it stirred an inexplicable urge.

“You got here pretty fast, were you nearby just now?”

Ryan had planned to just apologize and avoid any complications.

But now, faced with her, the words he had prepared seemed to stick in his throat.

Maybe it was better to talk about something else first, to not seem too cold.

Ryan kept backing up until his back hit the chair, clearly nervous.

A shadow passed through Anna’s eyes, but she wisely chose to sit across from Ryan.

Even though Ryan’s resistance annoyed her, she maintained a calm facade.

She just smiled sweetly, then relaxed back into her chair, easing the pressure on Ryan.

Her eyes narrowed slightly, like a hunter slowly approaching their prey with a rifle.

Before the prey falls into the trap, the hunter must maintain their patience, or the prey might flee.

“I just happened to be at the bookstore next to the university town, not too far from here.”

Anna smiled politely, gesturing with her hand towards the window.

Ryan followed her pointing finger skeptically and saw the bookstore across the street through the café’s window.

There were indeed many bookstores around the university town, but was it necessary to come here to buy books?

It seemed that familiar scent reminded Ryan to be cautious, but her next words shattered his guard instantly.

“You don’t seem to believe me, senior. I can show you the receipt for the books I just bought.”

Anna smiled lightly, reaching into her backpack.

As she looked down, her smile stiffened slightly, catching every little expression on Ryan’s face, reigniting a fire that had nearly gone out.

Ryan had changed, become more guarded. Had he realized something?

Caught off guard by her comment, Ryan’s face flushed with embarrassment.

It wasn’t just because she was his junior,even if it had been a stranger, Ryan had no right to question her actions.

What was wrong with him? Was the impression from earlier too strong, making him paranoid?

Anna had indeed appeared very quickly after calling, just a few minutes, which had caught Ryan’s attention.

But if she had been nearby when she answered the phone, that made sense.

Maybe it was just fate.

“I didn’t mean it like that, just a bit surprised.”

Ryan smiled apologetically as the waiter brought their coffee. He quickly pushed the latte towards Anna, trying to smooth over the awkward moment.

Unbeknownst to him, the calm girl across from him had also been quite nervous.

Her right hand had reached into her bag, but she hadn’t moved further.

The reason was simple,she hadn’t actually been to the bookstore, so there was no receipt.

Seeing the matter drop, Anna also breathed a sigh of relief. If Ryan had pressed the issue, she wouldn’t have had much of a defense.

Ryan had changed, probably because of Alice, and that didn’t make Anna particularly happy.

Still, the excitement in her heart outweighed the slight displeasure.

Ryan had come to her, regardless of his reasons. She would use that to her advantage.

“I can understand, senior. Being around Miss Alice, you have to be careful.”

Anna clasped her hands under her chin, her gaze soft as she looked at the young man across from her.

Being watched by those eyes, it felt like everything and nothing was said, just the sight of them was soothing.

“Maybe,” Ryan replied noncommittally, his gaze shifting away slightly, betraying a hint of guilt.

“You know, you can talk to me about anything, senior. I promise I’m a good listener.”

Anna didn’t miss the opportunity to press on, seeing Ryan’s discomfort as a confirmation of her own suspicions.

She believed that Ryan wouldn’t find happiness with Alice, and it was her job to win him over.

Why hadn’t she realized this sooner? Every time she thought about her past actions, Anna couldn’t help but sigh.

She was definitely into Ryan, no doubt about it.

So, if that was the case, why not just win him back when he wasn’t by her side?

It was such a simple idea, yet it had taken Mia to spell it out for her. As Mia had said, her realization hadn’t come soon enough before facing setbacks.

“Senior, you don’t look so well. Is something bothering you?”

Interactions with Ryan were precious, and Anna wanted to make the most of this one to learn more about him.

She feigned surprise as she examined Ryan’s profile, then steadied her racing heart and spoke earnestly.

“I don’t look good? That can’t be right.”

Ryan had been getting up around eight every morning recently, and his daily routine had become healthier. If anything, he should be looking better.

But Anna’s concerned expression made it hard for him not to take her seriously.

He glanced at his iced Americano, full of melting ice cubes, wondering whether to share the recent events in his life with Anna.

From a near-death experience in a fire to accepting system tasks, so much had happened in just half a month, it all seemed unbelievable to Ryan himself.

And with Anna’s intense gaze fixed on him, he felt compelled to share something, if only to ease the tension.