379: [Bonus chapter] first girl friend

[Bonus chapter] first girl friend

"Yes. I hate it, but no one ever noticed that except you."0

Was it relief that swelled in Ivy's chest at Heaven's straightforwardness? Or was she a bit surprised that someone could read her as if she was an open book? Either way, Ivy didn't mind.

"You see… growing up around those guys isn't easy." Ivy trudged to Heaven's spot, planting her hand on the surface beside them. "Being a woman on top of that was never easy. I have to face many prejudices and I had to prove myself over and over."

She lowered her eyes as she chuckled, glancing over her shoulder at where the guys were. "But being their friend isn't the hard part. They will accept me whether or not I share the same hobby, but it's easier to hang out with them doing the things they like."

"Moreover, they were the only friends I have. All the other females were… let's say, there's so much drama with them. I'm not saying everyone, but most of the ladies I met so far were never genuinely happy for me," she continued, summarizing her reasons for pushing herself into taking hobbies that she didn't like. "I appreciate that you noticed, though I'm a little embarrassed since that is not the impression I wanted to give my first female friend."

"I didn't expect you will say all that, but well." Heaven shrugged nonchalantly, placing the pistol on the surface. "But if you hate it, why are you still taking this hobby? It's not like you need to impress them. Or do you have a reason to impress them?"

"I tried it at first out of curiosity, and told myself I might like it if I try it more and more," Ivy explained as she glanced at the targets now being collected by the staff. "But I didn't like it in the end."

"But why are you still doing it if you don't like it?"

This time, Ivy's smile stretched from ear to ear. "You can say I want to impress someone."

"Someone…?" Heaven instinctively glanced at where their audience sat.

"He's not one of them." Another wave of playful chuckle slipped past Ivy's thin lips. 

"He? Oh… sorry. It seems I'm a little nosy."

"It's fine. To be honest, I don't know, but the more I talk to you, the more I feel this sense of… kinship?"'

"Kinship… what a strange word to describe it."

"I know." Ivy laughed. "But anyway, this person has some inclination towards guns. So, I want to impress him and make him realize I am different from all the women he had met."

Heaven looked at Ivy with complexity. 'Now I feel bad for ever trusting that Heaven's memories. Ivy is quite likable. Although I didn't expect her to be so open about some very personal stuff, but I guess she doesn't have an outlet.'

"Miss Wei, Miss Liu, here's the scoreboard." 

Both women turned their heads to the staff that approached them, giving them each the scoreboard along with the paper targets. 

"Thanks," said Ivy, gazing at the paper targets in her hand. "Not bad, I guess."

Heaven glanced at the satisfied look on the other woman's face. "You probably like him a lot, huh?"

"Hm?"

"That smile on your face," Heaven pointed out. "It shows how you like this person."

"I do?" Ivy touched her cheek, but didn't find the need to conceal her smile. "Well, I do like him very much."

"Is he your boyfriend?"

Ivy's brows rose, pressing her lips into a thin line. "We're friends."

"Oh, my… dump him."

"Haha. That's quick."

"You're beautiful and talented — rich, too! I think he's just leading you on —" Heaven suddenly bit her tongue, covering her mouth, while Ivy couldn't help but burst out in laughter. "Sorry. I got carried away."

"It's fine. Trust me, I don't mind." Ivy waved dismissively. "After all, I already know he doesn't like me."

"Oh?"

"I'm foolish to hold on to someone who outright refused me." There was an inexplicable glint that flickered across Ivy's eyes that Heaven found hard to pinpoint. "But well, I really like him. So even if I know it's foolish, I want to surpass my limits and do my utmost best. If he still didn't like me for being the best, then… I'm doomed."

Heaven hummed a long tune, assessing the woman's smiling face. After meeting many people in the past and the current life, Heaven could tell this woman was foolishly being sincere. 

"He's lucky," she muttered. "Whoever this guy was, he's one lucky guy. Anyway, if he still refused you, Dom has a collection of wine. I'll open the most expensive one so we can drink it while you mend your broken heart."

Ivy's eyes softened as she stared at Heaven's smile. "I'm really glad you came today, Heaven. And I'm sorry for judging you back then."

"Huh?"

"I thought you were a bit timid for Dom, and I was a little concerned about his marriage. Axel didn't help, but I didn't think I was in the position to meddle with someone else's marriage," Ivy confessed. "But now, my heart's at ease. Dom can be very blunt and insensitive. He sometimes says the most hurtful things, but he's an honest man. I'm relieved that you two made up for whatever problems you had."

"Marriage always goes through a rocky path." Heaven shrugged, not surprised by this confession because even she was judging the original Heaven until now. 

May she rest in peace, though. 

"Anyway, I scored zero." Heaven changed the topic, pouting as she raised her scorecard. "I guess it's time to weep at my husband."

"Haha. The score doesn't matter." Ivy placed the paper targets on the surface beside them. "Those guys already know the outcome, and still pushed through it."

"Ivy! Congrats on winning!" 

Just then, the guys approached them. When Ivy and Heaven turned their heads, the first person they saw was Jeremy's spread arms. 

"What do you mean I won?" Ivy arched a brow, folding her arms under her chest. 

"What?" William Chen frowned.

"Ivy, what are you…" Jeremy trailed off when Ivy tore her scorecard and tossed them in the air.

"I'm saying you two are disgusting for making us girls do this." Ivy clicked her tongue before facing Heaven. "Heaven, there's actually a jacuzzi in here. Want to relax for a bit?"

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