Chapter 7

Logan Thurman followed behind Samuel Girard, stepping in his footsteps, with a bright smile on her face the entire time. She curiously observed everything around her. Snowflakes settled on the tips of her hair, resembling a layer of tiny diamonds—a beautiful sight.

“Samuel Girard, what kind of event were you talking about just now?” Logan Thurman couldn’t help but ask, her voice full of curiosity. She had just transferred to the school and knew nothing about it yet. She was extremely eager to have the chance to participate in school events.

Samuel Girard slowed down, waiting for her to catch up. He said softly, “It’s a event organized by the student council, called ‘My Youth, My Choice’. We want to bring everyone’s inner fairy-tale world to life and surprise the students.”

“Wow, that sounds really interesting!” Logan Thurman’s eyes lit up with excitement. “I absolutely love fairy-tale worlds. I never thought I’d get the chance to help decorate one. I’m so lucky.”

Samuel Girard watched her excited expression, a smile appearing in his eyes as well. His tone became naturally gentler: “When we get to the complex later, you’ll see. We’ve almost finished the preparations. All that’s left is one final piece of art—the most important one of all.”

Soon, the two of them arrived at the art studio. Samuel Girard pushed the door open, walked quickly over to the table, picked up the drawing board and paints that were on it, then turned to Logan Thurman and said, “I’ve got everything we need. Let’s go to the administration building now. They should have almost finished preparing everything by now.”

Logan Thurman nodded and followed him out of the studio. Along the way, they chatted casually. Logan Thurman had a cheerful personality and spoke gently. Talking with him, Samuel Girard felt extremely relaxed. All his worries and anxieties gradually disappeared.

“Samuel Girard, you seem quite happy.” Logan Thurman looked at his profile and said with a smile, “You were all flustered just now, but you look much better now.”

Samuel Girard was momentarily stunned. He instinctively touched his own cheeks and realized that he had been smiling the whole time. Feeling a little embarrassed, he turned his head away and said softly, “Maybe it’s because talking with you is so relaxing. You seem to be happy all the time, as if you never have any worries at all.”

“There’s no need for so many worries,” said Logan Thurman with a smile. “We’re all students. Our biggest concern is studying. Even if there are other worries, just face them calmly. Accept life with a smile, and life will smile back at you.”

Samuel Girard looked into her clear eyes, and his heart beat even faster. He felt that Logan Thurman was like a beam of light, illuminating his mundane life and filling him with warmth and happiness he had never experienced before. He couldn’t help but say, “You’re truly special. I’m happy to be with you.”

Logan Thurman’s cheeks turned slightly red, and a hint of shyness flashed in his eyes. He said softly, “I’m also happy. You’re the first person who’s willing to listen to me talk so much and spend time with me. At my previous school, my classmates thought I was strange and didn’t want to be friends with me.”

“They just don’t understand you,” said Samuel Girard seriously. “You’re genuine and kind-hearted. It’s my fortune to be your friend.”

The two of them smiled at each other. A subtle sense of intimacy filled the air. Snowflakes continued to flutter down, adding to the tender atmosphere between them.

Soon, the two arrived at the comprehensive building. As soon as they pushed the door open, Logan Thurman was stunned by what he saw. He couldn’t help but exclaim, “Wow, it’s beautiful! This is like a real fairy tale world!”

Samuel Girard watched her surprised expression and smiled proudly. “Well, isn’t it nice? All of this was done by the members of our student council, as a surprise for everyone.”

Throughout the comprehensive building, there’s a fairy-tale atmosphere everywhere. The walls are covered with scenes from Grimm’s fairy tales: tall trees, flying birds, Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty. Each fairy-tale character is depicted so vividly that it seems like they might step down from the walls at any moment.

Golden chandeliers hung from the ceiling. Although they weren’t lit yet, their exquisite designs were stunning and exuded a sense of elegance. On the doors, there were illustrations of tree houses and magical cottages from fairy tales. They looked so real that it seemed like one could step into another world as soon as the door was opened.

Hundreds of stools were painted green, with delicate flowers and butterflies painted on them. From a distance, they resembled a lush forest of mushrooms. In the center of the hall, there were several beautifully decorated swings, adorned with pretty flowers and ribbons. Sitting on those swings felt like becoming a princess from a fairy tale.

“President, you’ve finally arrived!” A familiar voice called out. Xiao Zhou stepped forward quickly, his face showing signs of eagerness. But when he saw Logan Thurman standing beside Samuel Girard, his eyes lit up, and his tone became suggestive. “President, who is this girl? She’s incredibly beautiful. Could she be your new girlfriend?”

Samuel Girard’s cheeks turned slightly red. He quickly waved his hand and explained, “Don’t say that. Her name is Logan Thurman. She just transferred here. Since she had nothing better to do, she came to help us out.” For some reason, he didn’t want others to misunderstand his relationship with Logan Thurman. Yet, deep down, he felt a hint of anticipation.

Logan Thurman also felt a little embarrassed. Her cheeks turned red as she smiled at Xiao Zhou and said softly, “Hi, I’m Logan Thurman. It’s great to meet you.” Her voice was gentle, like the breeze of spring, causing Xiao Zhou’s cheeks to turn red as well.

“Hello, hello! My name is Wang Zhou. Everyone calls me Xiao Zhou.” Xiao Zhou said quickly, his tone a bit flustered. “It’s great that you’ve come to help us. We’ve been really struggling to finish the theme painting.”

“Xiao Zhou, stop chatting for a moment.” Samuel Girard interrupted him with a smile, handing him the drawing board. “How’s the scene setup coming along? Still no idea for the main painting yet?”

When the topic of the theme painting came up, Xiao Zhou’s expression darkened instantly. He sighed helplessly and said, “President, the scene has been set up everything except for the theme painting. We’ve tried drawing several versions, but none of them meet our standards. Either they’re too rigid or don’t match the surrounding scenery. We’ve rejected all of them.”

Samuel Girard frowned, his tone serious. “The event starts in just two days. The theme artwork is crucial—we can’t delay any longer. Come on, let’s go and take a look at what you’ve drawn, so we can figure out where the problems lie.”

Looking at the serious expressions on both of their faces, Logan Thurman said softly, “I know a little about painting too. May I take a look? Maybe I can be of some help.”

Samuel Girard nodded and said with a smile, “Of course. Maybe your inspiration can help us solve this problem.”

The three of them walked to the front of the hall, where there were a dozen or so paintings displayed. They were all works created by student council members. Logan Thurman stepped forward and examined each painting carefully, frowning slightly. The paintings were skillfully done, featuring princesses and princes from fairy tales. But, as Xiao Zhou had said, they were too rigid in style. Moreover, all the scenes depicted were from spring and summer. Although they matched the overall decor, they lacked something that would make them stand out as truly remarkable pieces.

“How about it? Is none of them acceptable?” Xiao Zhou asked helplessly, looking at Logan Thurman’s expression.

Logan Thurman shook his head and said with a smile, “It’s not that it can’t be done, but it lacks a bit of creativity. Also, the theme of the event isn’t really emphasized. Could I try drawing one?”

“Of course!” Xiao Zhou’s eyes lit up as he nodded eagerly. “That’s great! We’ve run out of ideas. Please give it a try!”

Samuel Girard also looked at Logan Thurman, his eyes filled with expectation. “I believe in you. Keep going.”

Logan Thurman smiled, picked up her paintbrush and paints, found a blank canvas, and began to paint. Her movements were skilled, her gaze focused, and there was a faint smile on her lips. The sunlight streamed through the window, casting a golden glow over her, making her appear especially radiant.

Samuel Girard stood aside, watching her quietly, his eyes filled with tenderness. He found that Logan Thurman looked even more beautiful when she painted seriously. That focused expression of hers truly captivated him. He couldn’t help but think how wonderful it would be to be able to keep watching her like this forever.

Xiao Zhou also stood by, watching Logan Thurman’s brushstrokes with anticipation, occasionally letting out an exclamation of surprise. He never expected that this seemingly delicate and innocent girl actually had such excellent painting skills.

Just then, a student council member rushed over and said to Samuel Girard, “President, there’s a problem with the decorations over there. Please go take a look!”

Samuel Girard frowned and turned to Logan Thurman, his tone slightly apologetic. “Logan, I’m sorry, but I have some matters to attend to. You can keep drawing at your own pace. If you need anything, just call me.”

Logan Thurman looked up, smiled, and nodded. “Go ahead. Don’t worry about me. I can take care of myself. I won’t hold you up.”

Samuel Girard nodded, gave her another glance, then turned and left with the student council member. As she watched Samuel Girard’s retreating figure, Logan Thurman’s cheeks turned slightly red, and the smile on her lips grew even gentler. She didn’t realize that she had already begun to feel something for this kind and handsome student council president.

In a nearby corner, a figure was staring at them intently, his eyes filled with malice and anger. That person was Ezra Brandon. He had come to see how Samuel Girard had arranged things for the event, with the intention of sabotaging it. But instead, he saw Samuel Girard walking closely with a strange girl, behaving affectionately and looking at each other tenderly.

Ezra Brandon clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging into his flesh. A fierce look flashed in his eyes. Samuel Girard, you not only stole my position as student council president, but also Julian Hamp’s heart. Now you’ve got another girl as well. Just wait—I’ll make sure you’re ruined and left with nothing!