Though paralyzed, still radiantly charming!

Chapter 343: Watch out!

In the swaying train, Ethan was busy typing out a list of things Lila needed to keep in mind after school, as she was currently in control of his body.

During this time, he could feel countless eyes on him. Just standing there was enough to attract attention, but he had expected this and didn’t really care. After all, the body he was using wasn’t bad-looking, and he was used to people staring.

Lila, on the other hand, wasn’t handling it as well. For her, this was an incredibly stressful situation.

Her initial enthusiasm had vanished the moment they stepped outside, and she was mentally screaming for a way out.

So, while Ethan was typing out the list, he was also sending her motivational messages through their chat app, trying to give her a pep talk and keep her going.

When the train finally reached the station, the number of students wearing Westbrook Academy uniforms increased significantly.

All Ethan had to do was follow the crowd, and he’d find his way to the academy.

Once he left the station, he put his phone away. Lila had managed to make it to school, thanks to his encouragement, so there wasn’t much need for further communication at the moment.

If she ran into any real trouble, she could always reach out to him later.

As he walked toward Westbrook Academy, Ethan noticed many students carrying all sorts of gear. Some had musical instruments, others were lugging basketballs, and a few even had bamboo swords slung over their shoulders.

This school wasn’t just focused on academics or the arts—it excelled in every area, achieving a level of well-rounded development that was rare.

For example, the annual National Youth Open Martial Arts Tournament not only attracted the best high school fighters from across the country but also featured live performances by some of the top high school bands.

It was practically the pinnacle of high school life.

This world was a bit strange like that, but Ethan had long since gotten used to it.

As he walked, he could hear the whispers of students around him, along with the occasional glance in his direction.

They seemed to be wondering if he was a transfer student at Westbrook Academy.

After all, Lila’s current appearance was striking. If anyone had seen her before, they’d definitely remember, but none of the students seemed to recognize her.

Ethan, on the other hand, had no idea if any of these students were Lila’s classmates. He was completely unfamiliar with the environment.

But even if they were, Lila’s body hadn’t interacted with them before, so there was no need for him to greet anyone. That saved him a lot of trouble.

As he thought about this, he focused more on the body he was in.

It felt a bit heavy to him, just like how Lila had struggled with his body earlier and ended up tripping over nothing. He wasn’t fully used to it yet, so he spent the walk getting a better feel for its limits and capabilities, trying to gain full control.

Just then, Ethan noticed a crosswalk up ahead. The light had already turned red, and the students around him were stopping at the curb.

But he saw one girl who seemed oblivious to the change in the light and continued walking forward.

The worst part was that no one else seemed to notice. The other students were either chatting with friends or glued to their phones.

And to make matters worse, a delivery truck was speeding down the road from the other side, heading straight for the girl. The driver didn’t seem to notice her, and the truck showed no signs of slowing down.

In that split second, Ethan didn’t have time to think. He shouted, “Watch out!”

His voice snapped the girl out of her daze, and the other students finally noticed what was happening.

In times like these, there’s never a shortage of brave souls. Several students immediately tried to rush forward to pull the girl back, but by the time they reacted, it was already too late.

The girl, now fully aware of the oncoming truck, froze in place, her eyes wide with fear. She couldn’t move, her body locked in place like a statue.

Just when everyone thought a tragedy was inevitable, a flash of pink streaked into their view.

That figure, moving like lightning, shattered the looming disaster.

In the blink of an eye, the figure reached the girl, grabbed her wrist, and yanked her back with all their strength.

There was a sharp screech of brakes and a collective gasp from the crowd. The girl had been pulled back just in time, narrowly avoiding the truck.

“Are you okay?!”

Concerned students rushed over to help.

Ethan, however, was now lying on the ground with the girl on top of him. He had lost his balance when he pulled her back, and they both tumbled backward.

The girl’s face was pale, clearly shaken by the close call.

But Ethan’s face was even paler. This wasn’t his own well-trained body—Lila’s body was just that of an ordinary high school girl. The weight of the fall had nearly knocked him out.

The girl quickly realized that the person who had saved her didn’t look too good. She scrambled off him, her face full of worry as she asked, “Are you okay?”

“I’m… I’m fine…”

Ethan’s voice was weak, and he slowly raised a hand, pointing at the crosswalk. “You… you’ve gotta watch the lights when you cross the street…”

It sounded like he was giving his last words, which only made the girl panic more. She grabbed his hand tightly, urging him to stay with her.

Soon, other students helped them both to the side of the road.

As they did, they applauded the heroic act of the girl who had saved the day. Someone had even recorded the whole thing, and it wouldn’t be surprising if the video ended up online later.

Once it was clear that both of them were okay, the crowd of students gradually dispersed.

After the incident, the truck driver came rushing over, flustered and full of apologies.

Though the girl had just experienced a life-threatening situation, she remained composed, her face only slightly pale. She handled the conversation with the driver calmly and rationally.

As for what they discussed, Ethan didn’t catch a single word. He just stood quietly to the side, his attention entirely focused on the girl he had just saved.

There was something familiar about her.

The long blue hair, the twin-tails draped over her shoulders, the amber eyes, and her striking appearance.

If he wasn’t mistaken, this was Vanessa.

Ethan’s heart skipped a beat as he recognized her.

In his memory, Vanessa had already committed suicide.

By the time their conversation wrapped up, Vanessa had seemingly come to some sort of agreement with the driver, acknowledging that she was partly at fault. With that, the matter was resolved rather quickly.

Afterward, Vanessa turned to face her rescuer. When she saw Ethan’s face, her eyes widened slightly in surprise, but she quickly lowered her head and bowed deeply in gratitude.

Ethan accepted her thanks without hesitation.

After all, if he hadn’t saved Vanessa, he didn’t even want to imagine how tragic the situation could have turned out.

Still, he couldn’t shake his concern. This world wasn’t the one he originally knew, so he asked Vanessa a serious question.

“Just to be sure… you’re not thinking about doing anything drastic, right?”

Vanessa froze for a moment, then quickly realized that he must have misunderstood, thinking she was trying to end her life. She shook her head vigorously in denial.

“No, no, no! I’ve never had thoughts like that. This was just an accident, really! There was a reason for it!”

“Good,” Ethan sighed in relief, then smiled at her. “But next time, don’t zone out like that. You’ve got to pay attention to the traffic lights when you cross the street.”

Vanessa blushed slightly, feeling like she was being scolded like a little kid.

But she couldn’t argue with him, so she just nodded shyly.

“I… I understand.”