British writer

the next day.

Dale Mansion.

Zena slowly opened her eyes and looked at the room surrounded by pink, feeling a little confused.

She murmured to herself:

"I...succeeded?"

There was a hint of uncertainty in his tone, as if last night was just a sweet dream.

She can still remember the flowers and applause,

There are also the smiling faces of the audience, surrounded by stars, asking when the next "Hunting" will be performed, with enthusiastic and expectant attitudes.

All this is so unreal.

Zena got out of bed, opened the curtains,

In the winter morning, the sun shines on the street through the thin clouds, adding a touch of golden color to the ground.

The drunkards walked arm in arm,

Someone fell down and yelled a few curse words.

The street scene is still the same as before, nothing seems to have changed.

"Huh~"

Zena sighed, feeling an indescribable loss in her heart.

At this time, someone knocked on the door outside.

"It's time to have breakfast~"

It was Phyllis's voice.

Zena said "Yeah\

,""I heard you! I'm coming right now!"

That's what she said, but she just went to change her clothes, and then returned to the window and continued to stare outside blankly, her mind wandering to nowhere.

A few minutes later, Phyllis came back,

"Zena!?"

Zena sighed helplessly,

"well……"

She went over and opened the door dejectedly.

When Phyllis saw her sister, the corner of her mouth curved up, and she said in a tone of experience: "I knew you would have dark circles. I was in the same state the day after the premiere of "Roman Holiday."

Zena unconsciously played with her hair with her right index finger.

"This feeling is so strange. I know everything has changed, but it seems like nothing has changed."

"puff!"

Phyllis sneered: "How old are you? How can a little girl be so sentimental?"

She stretched out and half-leaned on the door frame.

"Tell me about it."

Zena asked: "What did you say?"

Phyllis stretched out her hand, pinched the other person's little nose, and said, "Of course you want to tell your heart to me, a gentle, respectable, and considerate sister, and talk about the troubles in your heart~"

Zena rolled her eyes at her elder sister and retched pretentiously.

"vomit!"

Phyllis was annoyed;

"What? I still disgust you?"

Zena complained: "It's okay to have heart-to-heart conversations. But can you please stop adding those modifiers to yourself, 'gentle', 'respectable', 'empathetic'? To be fair, do you have anything to do with these words? You are still a princess." more suitable……"

Only halfway through speaking, Phyllis's eyes lost their sparkle, like two holes cut out of a paper shell.

Zena:! ! !

"Phyllis!"

She held her sister's arms and rocked them back and forth.

"Hey! Wake up! I...I said it wrong! You are much gentler than Her Royal Highness!"

Phyllis looked up;

"Yeah?"

Zena nodded like a chicken pecking at rice,

"Yes Yes Yes!"

Then, he quickly changed the subject and said, "Phyllis, how did you feel after playing "Roman Holiday" for the first time?"

Phyllis was lost in thought;

After a moment, she said: "Of course I was excited and happy at first. But soon, I felt a sense of unreality."

Zena sighed,

"I'm totally with you."

Phyllis chuckled,

My heart said,

It’s abnormal for two sisters to be inconsistent~

She continued: "I asked Uncle Henry how to deal with this confusing feeling, and Uncle Henry told me to just keep myself busy and fulfilled."

Zena didn’t quite believe it;

"Can it be done?"

Phyllis took her sister's hand and walked out.

"Of course we can! Come on, let's have breakfast quickly and then take you to school. You haven't been there for two weeks."

Zena was helpless,

"I understand, you just want me to go to school."

The two of them entered the hall together.

Mr. Dale was already sitting at the table waiting;

There is a dinner plate on his right hand. The golden omelette exudes an enticing aroma, accompanied by a piece of freshly baked bread, which greatly stimulates people's appetite.

On the left hand side is a row of spread newspapers.

"Mirror", "The Times", "Manchester Guardian"...

All the famous ones are there.

Phyllis whispered into her sister's ear,

"Aren't you looking for a sense of reality? Those newspapers are all."

Zena was surprised,

I was about to ask when I heard Mr. Dale say: "There are so many drama critics, but Professor Lu is the one who writes better."

He read it slowly:

"

‘Miss Zena Dell’s performance was subtle and she successfully portrayed the role of Clara.

Her performance is very natural, without any trace of artificiality. Her expressions and movements when facing different situations are just right, and she can accurately convey the character's emotional and psychological state, and she deserves all the praise.

With such talent and potential, people are full of expectations for her future acting career. ’

"

Snapped--

Mr. Dale closed the newspaper,

"Zena, good job!"

Zena blushed a little when her father praised her. She lowered her head and sat on the chair. She said "hmm" like a mosquito, and then stuffed food into her mouth in a disguised manner.

The little girl's cheeks bulged out like a hamster.

Mr. Dale smiled;

"Don't be in a hurry to eat. Your mother is still frying sausages~ Besides, she also wants to praise you."

"Ugh..."

Zena ate faster and said vaguely: "I still have to go to school~"

When it came to going to school, Mr. Dale's eyes became a little serious and he asked tentatively: "Do you want to take it easy for a few days?"

Zena was stunned,

But soon, she thought of the reason for her father's worry.

Clara is such a special character.

She was also a little hesitant,

"It shouldn't be a problem, right? After all, it's just a show."

Mr. Dale pointed to the newspapers at hand and said: "The success of "Hunting" will inevitably amplify the problem. I am still a little worried about you in school... Sigh..."

He sighed deeply,

I wanted to say, "Where there are many women, there is a lot of right and wrong."

But after all, we have two daughters at home, so I really can’t say this.

Zena pondered,

"I'd better go to school."

Mr. Dale knew that his daughter would not change her decision easily, so he stopped persuading her.

Zena devoured it for a while, quickly cleared the plate, and then went out.

Phyllis followed and whispered: "Zena, don't worry, it's no problem."

Zena:? ? ?

"What's nothing to worry about?"

Phyllis smiled and said: "This is what you and your father just discussed. Don't worry, I have already found someone to help solve it."

"Tsk tsk..."

Zena was speechless and circled around her sister.

"You're not looking for Professor Lu, are you?"

Phyllis was a little confused;

"How do you know? He told you?"

Zena complained: "Do you even need to say it? How can you be so confident that that person can solve the problem? Who else could it be besides Professor Lu?"

Phyllis was speechless.

"..."

Zena chuckled,

"It is indeed Professor Lu. Then there is really nothing to worry about."

After saying that, she walked out the door in a hurry.

Phyllis looked at her sister's back, touched her nose helplessly, and muttered: "Am I really that obvious?"

…

Adelphi School for Girls, London.

Da da da--

A carriage slowly stopped at the gate.

Zena jumped out of the carriage,

"Huh~ It's so cold."

She looked around.

The sycamore tree at the door is hung with melting ice, glowing in the sunlight.

The cold wind blew and the branches swayed making a rustling sound.

The students were wearing heavy winter clothes and passing by in a hurry.

The strange thing is that they all saw Zena, but avoided it intentionally or unintentionally, as if there was an invisible wall of air around Zena.

Zena couldn't help but frown, wrapped her scarf tightly, rushed into the teaching building, and went straight to the classroom.

As a result, as soon as she stood at the door, the noisy classroom suddenly fell silent.

Everyone was paying attention to her.

After a few seconds, low voices of discussion began,

"She really acted..."

"You said 'acting'? That's not the right word, right? After all, the character of Clara is so annoying, how can a normal person play it so perfectly?"

"You do have a point in saying that."

…

Zena raised her eyebrows,

"nausea."

Her voice was not loud, but it was enough for everyone to hear.

In an instant, the classroom became quiet.

Zena snorted contemptuously from her nose, then sat down in her seat and began to clear the table.

Her deskmate leaned over,

"What a 'disgusting' sentence! Well said! Rui Sibai~"

"puff!"

This sentence made Zena burst into laughter.

This tablemate who was playing tricks was called Bar Schelotto, and she was Zena's best friend.

Zena whispered: "What's the matter with you? I didn't see you last night when I was saying goodbye to the audience at the entrance of the theater... Hey, hey, hey! You're not here, are you?"

Bar shrugged like a little adult,

"You are surrounded by so many nobles, I can't squeeze in."

"Ah this..."

Zena was a little embarrassed.

Ba'er looked around and said in a voice that was almost a whisper: "Not only did you not see me, but you also didn't see them, right?"

Zena was surprised,

"Them? You mean, there are other classmates?"

Ba'er replied helplessly: "Well, they all...almost all went."

Zena:? ? ?

I really don’t understand what these students are thinking.

"Hunting" is a new play co-produced by theater masters Lu and Bernard Shaw. There are also "Yes!" "Prime Minister" and "Roman Holiday" are in front, so it's easy to imagine how difficult it is to get a vote.

Therefore, out of good intentions, Zena once promised to help her classmates buy tickets at the original price.

But they all refused!

There are various reasons for refusal.

"The original novel of "Hunting" is too profound for me to read. Come to think of it, the drama adaptation is also the same, right?"

"I can't go. My family doesn't let you stay out too late."

"What's the point of The Passion of Old Man? I only watch romantic dramas."

…

It's better now. After refusing, I ran to buy tickets myself.

What kind of brain circuit is this! ?

Zena said: "Are they sick?"

Ba'er couldn't help but laugh,

"Yeah, I think so too. But..."

She suppressed her smile and seemed to want to say something, but thousands of words finally came together into one sentence: "Oh, woman."

Zena was puzzled.

"What is this all about!?"

Ba'er's eyes were crooked and she smiled mischievously: "Zena, if they rely on you to buy tickets, it's equivalent to receiving your favor. Can they still evaluate you as unscrupulously as they do now?"

This sounds very strange, and it feels like putting the cart before the horse.

It seems to be saying that when students watch "Hunting", they go there to criticize it, and the enjoyment of watching the movie comes second.

Zena couldn't help but glare at Ba'er,

"Talking nonsense!"

Ba'er spread her hands and said, "You know me well. Saying what you see is my usual style."

Zena pinched the other person's face,

"How old are you? How dare you say 'consistent style'?"

Ba'er: "!@#￥%..."

I was so pinched that I couldn't speak complete sentences.

Zena let go and then said: "And, as you said, 'Whatever you see, say something.' I don't care about the criticism. Criticism is also a kind of encouragement~"

Ba'er rubbed her cheeks,

"You really think so?"

Zena asked, "What else can I think?"

Ba'er softly "hum~" and said: "You're quite confident~ In that case, you might as well try to imagine that you bought the tickets for them, but after watching it, they said that your performance was rubbish. Can you still laugh?"

"Ah this..."

Zena was stunned by the question and felt a little hesitant in her heart.

If it were before, she dared to assert,

But after playing "Hunting", she deeply realized that people's hearts are fickle.

Who can truly understand his own heart?

Baer spread her hands,

"Look, am I right? Moreover, they are a little jealous of you to begin with~ The more you express your kindness, the more they think you are showing off."

Zena: "..."

Speechless.

Ba'er looked around and joked: "I might have to suffer the same fate as you. Between us, you are the big villain and I am the little follower. We are like a combination of the old witch and the black cat."

Zena reached out and pinched the other person's cheek again,

"You're talking nonsense again!"

But then, she said in a low mood: "I'm sorry for causing trouble for you."

Ba'er curled her lips,

"What are you saying you're apologizing for?! In "The Hunt", Lucas didn't even apologize to Marcus."

Zena was stunned for a long time, then laughed out loud and asked: "You mean, I am Lucas and you are Marcus?"

Ba'er said: "Yes."

Zena smiled even more happily,

"Then you should call me 'Dad'. Come on, call me 'Dad'."

Ba'er was annoyed,

"you……"

As soon as he started talking, the classroom door was pushed open.

I saw Mother West from the church walking into the house quickly.

In the past, she always kept a straight face, but today she was smiling for some reason. Her smile was like an old chrysanthemum blooming after a long drought.

Bar poked Zena's arm with her finger.

"Is there a knitting class this morning?"

Zena shook her head and said: "How do I know? You don't even think about it, I haven't been to school for three weeks. However, I don't think she brought a thimble or wool. It doesn't seem like she wants to teach knitting techniques. Maybe... humph …Sister has sent reinforcements.”

Ba'er was puzzled.

"Rescue soldiers? Rescue you?"

The two were communicating in a low voice when another person came in.

It was the principal, Cipriano Gianghi.

In an instant, the students below all sat upright.

Zhan Ji walked up to the podium and said with a bright face: "You are very lucky. This morning is a special lecture, and the teacher is Professor Lu Shi, a famous writer and scholar from the London School of Economics and Political Science."

As soon as these words came out, the students' eyes all fell on Zena.

Jealousy, envy...

There are many such emotions.

Everyone knows why Lu Shi appears here.

Unexpectedly, Zhan Ji hadn’t finished speaking yet.

"In addition to Professor Lu, there is another teacher, the Holy See of Canterbury, Archbishop Temple."

As soon as these words came out, the classroom fell into silence.

"..."

"..."

"..."

The way the students looked at Zena changed,

All the previous emotions turned into unparalleled awe.

"Gu..."

Ba'er swallowed.

"Zena, is your sister so powerful?"

Zena was also confused and whispered: "I have been living with her for several years, and I didn't notice it at all."

Ba'er was speechless,

"What you are saying makes your sister look like a stranger."

Zena said: "Well, she has changed, everything has become so strange."

The two were whispering,

At this time, Mother West ran out and soon helped Temple into the classroom.

Temple was dressed very formally today, and even brought out the golden miter.

The crown is inlaid with precious stones, shining with dazzling light,

Golden tassels hung from both sides of the bishop's crown, swaying with his steps.

Aunt West looked at Temple with a gluey look, as if she could crawl in front of Temple at any time and kiss the hem of his robe or even the tips of his toes.

Behind the two of them, Lu Shi followed leisurely.

Zhanji took the lead in applauding,

Only then did the students below react,

As a result, the classroom was drowned in applause, and even the air seemed to be shaken.

Temple raised his hand,

"My identity today is not that of the Holy See of Canterbury, but that of a speaker. So, all that red tape is unnecessary."

Mother West said disgustingly: "What the Archbishop said is so good~"

There were even hearts in her eyes.

Temple calmly withdrew his hand that was being held by the other party.

"Sister, thank you."

The sound of "sisters" almost made Mother West faint.

She made an inexplicable cry: "Ah~~~ah~~~~~~~~~~~~~"

Seeing this scene, the students all knew the reason why Miss West was almost past menopause but not yet married.

Temple coughed lightly,

"Sister, please step back."

Aunt West quickly retreated and stood solemnly beside her, like a door god.

Temple then breathed a sigh of relief.

He looked at Lu Shi,

"Professor Lu, should I come first?"

Everyone was shocked,

The Archbishop actually wanted to listen to Lu Shi's arrangements?

Lu Shi smiled and said, "Follow the plan, Archbishop."

Temple nodded, and then said to the audience: "Today's theme is related to lies. Do you think lying is an unconscious behavior?"

Students from girls' schools generally answered questions more positively.

But the question is about the Holy See of Canterbury, which is different.

"..."

"..."

"..."

No one said a word.

Temple seemed to have expected this and was unaffected.

"You may have heard that the Anli Gan Sect has a relief society and has established many children's correctional homes. Last night, I ordered various correctional homes to conduct experiments. The church members in charge of childcare took advantage of the children under five years old to sleep soundly, and placed them in the Gauze was applied to different parts of the body. When the children woke up, the church members asked the children why they were injured. Guess what the result was?"

Today's second question, still no one responded.

Temple: "..."

There were two cold scenes, and the face was somewhat lost.

At this time, Zena raised her hand.

Temple was satisfied;

"you say."

Zena stood up and said, "There should be a movie where a child made up the reason for his injury, right?"

Temple remained calm;

"You said, 'part of'?"

This is obviously a hint, and Zena can certainly hear it,

She immediately changed her tune,

"The 'part' I just said should refer to... um... no more than 30%."

As soon as I finished speaking, the atmosphere in the classroom changed a little.

"Dale must be thinking more than 30%."

"Well, she's getting better fast."

"It hasn't changed yet... How could someone lie about something like this?"

…

The students were afraid to respond to the Archbishop, but they still had the courage to talk about Zena.

Temple raised his hand and said slowly: "Quiet."

Everyone shut up immediately.

Temple continued: "Miss Dale, there is indeed something wrong with what you said. The word 'part' is quite inaccurate. It should be 'most', or 'most'."

The classroom was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

The students thought they heard wrongly.

Temple said: "More than 90% of the children made up stories, and there were various reasons for the injuries. Some children could even tell the story starting from the cause, and the subsequent process and results were also presented, vividly."

At this point, some students finally couldn't help it anymore.

"is it possible?"