Chapter 460 Suspicion
These days, the Northern Institute of the Arts alumni group and the National Capital University forum were buzzing with the same old drama. The incident happened ages ago, and the people involved hadn't said a word. The onlookers got bored and moved on. The few still defending Jenny were probably getting paid for it.
One evening, Elliot and Bronte were in my room, trying to figure out why Brad hadn't reacted after two whole days. Was he just taking it lying down, or was he biding his time, waiting to strike back?
"If he just lets this blow over and acts like nothing happened, I'll be really disappointed in Brad. He needs to explain himself to the public. If he doesn't, the misunderstanding will just get worse, and it'll be hard to fix," Bronte said, sitting at the foot of my bed, hugging her knees, looking a bit let down.
Elliot, rubbing his clean-shaven chin thoughtfully, said, "I don't think Brad's the type to take a hit like this without a fight. If he hasn't reacted yet, he's definitely cooking up something big."
It was clear these two were Team Brad. Before all this, they didn't really know me or Brad. But when the drama hit, they were solidly in Brad's corner.
But why? The folks from the Northern Institute of the Arts, who'd known Brad for years, didn't believe him. Yet, the students from National Capital University, who barely knew him, were all in.
I thought about it and asked them. I wasn't trying to stir the pot; I just wanted to know why they trusted Brad. Jenny's post was so heartfelt that everyone saw her as the innocent victim, while Brad and I were painted as the villains.
"Come on, Jane, we're grad students at one of the top universities in the country. We're smart enough to tell right from wrong. Even if things aren't exactly as we think, we'd still back Brad. You know how we stick together at National Capital University," Bronte said, clearly annoyed by my question.
National Capital University really was something else. Transferring here for grad school was definitely the right move.
Elliot added, "Exactly. You can tell a lot about someone by looking into their eyes. Brad's got this authoritative vibe, but there's no selfishness or greed there. You can tell he's not the type to do something like this. Jenny, on the other hand, comes off as selfish and shady. I couldn't wrap my head around how she could risk her life to save Brad. It just didn't add up."
Bronte nodded, "Yeah, Jenny's all about her own suffering and making herself look pitiful, blaming everything on you two without any real proof. She's clearly self-centered. Would a selfish person risk their own safety to save someone else? I don't buy it.""Jenny had a crush on Brad back at the Northern Institute of the Arts. But look at what she's done. Does it seem like her feelings for Brad are love, or more like possession or something else?" Elliot's words hit me like a ton of bricks, snapping me out of my daze.
I had my doubts about Jenny saving Brad before, but since Brad acknowledged her life-saving gesture, I chose to trust him and not overthink it.
However, Elliot's words brought those buried doubts right back to the surface.
When Brad came out holding the dying Jenny, I was so worried about him that I forgot to ask how Jenny saved him. Later, one thing led to another, and I never got around to asking.
I needed to find the students who were trapped with us that day to get the real story of what happened and how Jenny saved Brad. The whole mess between the three of us revolved around this unverified act of heroism.
Maybe this was the key to sorting everything out.
If it turned out someone else saved Brad, then Jenny's whole act would be exposed as a self-serving charade. All the accusations she threw at us, along with the public opinion and rumors she stirred up, would come crashing down.
With a plan in mind, I slept like a baby that night.
Elliot, citing my recent illness, suggested I take another day to rest.
This time, I didn't argue and gladly accepted. I could use the day to find Cooper and ask him. Cooper was there during the rescue; he might know something we didn't.
I started my quest with Cooper by visiting his house, where he was checking the farm tools. He mentioned it was almost time for spring plowing and needed to inspect the tools for any damage to ensure they were repaired in time.
Cooper's wife pulled me into the house, poured me a cup of hot water, and asked if I had something to discuss. When she heard I wanted to talk to Cooper, she quickly went out to call him in.
The house didn't have much furniture or decoration, but it was incredibly clean. The cabinet in the corner showed signs of long-term use.
Cooper set aside his work and came in, washing his hands as he talked to me. Despite his age, he was in great shape, and his loud voice carried clearly across the room.
He remarked, "When is Brad coming over? The kids keep asking about him and want to learn how to paint from him. By the way, Brad doesn't know yet, but a kid from the village got accepted into a top middle school in the city this year for painting. The school was so impressed that they waived his tuition. The kid's parents are extremely grateful and always say they owe it all to Brad. Yesterday, they heard you were in the village and were eager to invite you both over for a meal. If you weren't sick, they would have invited you today."
Hearing his words, I felt truly honored and replied, "Everyone is too kind. My boyfriend is a teacher; it's his job to educate. Besides, it's the kid's own hard work that made the difference. Brad has taught many children, but only this one got into the city school. It's primarily because of the kid's own efforts."
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