Though paralyzed, still radiantly charming! - Chapter 345: This is so weird…

Chapter 345: This is so weird…

Lila had barely left Ethan’s place when her confidence started to waver.

It was because, as soon as she stepped out, she ran into a brunette girl waiting for the elevator.

The sight startled her so much that she instinctively took a few steps back.

This caught the girl’s attention, and she looked at Lila with a puzzled expression.

When the elevator doors opened, the brunette stepped in first, but Lila hesitated at the entrance, too nervous to follow.

It wasn’t until the doors were about to close that Lila finally let out a sigh of relief. Maybe she should just wait for the next one.

But before the doors could fully shut, they opened again, and the brunette leaned out, asking, “Hey, are you coming in?”

“I…”

Lila hadn’t expected this at all. She froze for a moment before awkwardly stepping into the elevator.

As soon as the doors closed, she regretted it. The girl, who had this unmistakable air of elegance, was now staring at her. Lila, feeling self-conscious, quickly lifted her backpack to hide her face.

Of course, this only made the girl even more curious.

Meanwhile, Lila was frantically texting Ethan for help.

[Help! SOS! There’s a girl in the elevator, and she keeps staring at me!]

Ethan’s reply came almost instantly.

[You got this.]

Lila’s eyes widened at the message. This is not something I can just “got this” through!

Thankfully, the girl soon looked away. She was just curious about this new neighbor, after all. It wasn’t every day you saw someone with such striking looks who also seemed so shy. The contrast was hard to ignore.

The elevator soon reached the ground floor. The brunette gave Lila a polite nod before stepping out.

Wow, she really does have that rich-girl vibe…

Lila thought as she watched her leave. Judging by her uniform, she was probably a student at Riverside High School.

Still lost in thought, Lila almost missed her stop and hurriedly stepped out of the elevator before the doors closed again.

Since Ethan’s place wasn’t far from the school, it was an easy walk. Lila followed the directions Ethan had texted her, like a commander guiding his soldier.

But the walk felt like a monumental challenge. Everywhere she went, she felt like people were staring at her, and more than once, she considered turning back.

When she reported her struggles to Ethan, his response was full of encouragement.

[I believe in you, Lila! You’re amazing!]

[Sometimes, you have to push yourself to see how strong you really are!]

[Believe in yourself, Lila. There’s a lion inside you. You’re way stronger than you think. Unleash your killer instincts!]

Fueled by Ethan’s relentless pep talk, Lila felt like she was reaching her limit. She just wanted to escape to a world where no one noticed her.

But then, Ethan sent another message, just in time.

[If it’s too much, there’s a hat and mask in your backpack. Use them.]

“Why didn’t you say that earlier?!”

Lila grumbled, clutching her phone in frustration.

With her new “gear” equipped, she finally made it to the school.

But when she stood in front of the gates, she froze.

“Private Hillcrest Academy?”

She stared at the name of the school. If she remembered correctly, Hillcrest Academy was one of the most prestigious schools in the country.

She’d heard that the place was full of geniuses.

Wait, so the original owner of this body was a student here?

The realization hit her like a ton of bricks. The pressure was overwhelming. She was just an ordinary person—how was she supposed to pretend to be a genius?

This is like throwing a husky into a pack of wolves!

Just as Lila was debating whether to go in or make a run for it, someone called out to her from behind.

“Ethan, morning!”

Lila nearly jumped out of her skin when someone tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around stiffly, and when she saw who it was, she froze.

It was a girl.

First, Lila was stunned by the girl’s appearance.

Long, slender limbs, deep-set eyes, a small, delicate face, and a model-like figure. Her expression carried a mature, lazy charm, and her waist-length golden hair shimmered in the light.

This girl looked like she had just stepped out of a TV show.

No, wait—this girl had stepped out of a TV show.

Because Lila realized she knew exactly who this was.

Her eyes widened in shock, her face a picture of disbelief as she stammered out the girl’s name: “K-K-Kristen Stewart?!”

That’s right. Standing in front of her was none other than the Kristen Stewart.

The famous actress. Lila had practically grown up watching her movies.

She remembered now—she’d heard that Kristen Stewart was a student at this school. Not only that, but she was one of the most well-known students here, even earning the ridiculously over-the-top title of “National Goddess.”

“Why are you so surprised?” Kristen asked, her expression a little confused as she looked at Lila.

But what happened next was even more shocking. Lila’s body—well, Ethan’s body—suddenly pulled out a pen and paper, and with an earnest look, asked Kristen for an autograph.

Kristen blinked, clearly caught off guard, but she instinctively took the pen and paper, signing her name with a graceful flourish. She chuckled, a bit amused, and said, “Ethan, you usually act like you couldn’t care less about me. What’s with the sudden autograph request?”

“Uh…”

That’s when Lila remembered—she wasn’t in her own body right now.

And then it hit her. Who the heck is this Ethan guy?! This was Kristen Stewart, and he acted like he didn’t care? How bold!

As a fan, Lila couldn’t help but feel a little indignant on Kristen’s behalf.

Kristen handed the paper and pen back to her, studying her for a moment before smiling softly. “I guess I owe you one now, huh? Well, it just so happens I have a favor to ask.”

Lila wasn’t the type to refuse a request, especially when it was phrased so reasonably. And this was Kristen Stewart asking, after all. She quickly gave up any thought of resisting.

“Uh, sure. What do you need?”

Kristen’s smile brightened, clearly pleased with the response.

“Great!”

“So, um, what’s the favor?” Lila asked, feeling a bit nervous.

Kristen clasped her hands behind her back and leaned in closer, her posture playful and cute. Lila caught a whiff of her pleasant scent, and her heart skipped a beat.

With a mysterious glint in her eyes, Kristen said, “Remember? Two weeks ago, you helped me with that whole Puberty Syndrome thing. I’ve been meaning to repay you ever since.”

“Could you meet me at the old school building after class? There’s something I want to talk to you about.”

“Uh, sure. Okay.”

Lila nodded, still a bit dazed and not entirely following the logic.

Wait, if Ethan helped her, why is she saying she wants to repay me?

This is so weird…