From Sneers to Cheers: Anthea’s Ascent (Anthea ) novel Chapter 364

"Sorry, I left my phone at home," Anthea said, her voice polite yet firm.

Upon hearing this, Palmer knew his chances were gone. His footsteps slowed in resignation.

As soon as Anthea stepped out of the school gates, she spotted Nanson and Carole among the crowd of parents. She hurried towards them, "Mom, Uncle, didn't I tell you not to wait for me? Why haven't you gone back?"

The June sun was merciless, baking everything under its gaze. Nanson and Carole were sweating profusely, their skin sunburned.

Seeing Anthea, both Carole and Nanson's faces lit up, temporarily forgetting the scorching heat. "Annie, how did it go?"

Anthea nodded, "Pretty good, the questions were straightforward."

Just then, a microphone was thrust towards her. "Hello there, I'm a reporter from Cloudcrest TV. Which high school are you from, and how did you find the exam? Was it tough?"

Anthea offered a polite smile, "Sorry, I'd rather not be on camera. Maybe you could interview someone else?"

"We can blur your face," the reporter suggested.

Nanson stepped in front of Anthea, pushing the microphone away. "My niece prefers not to be on camera. You can ask me any questions you have."

The reporter, sensing Nanson's firm stance, apologized and moved on to find other interviewees.

Afterwards, Nanson decided to treat them to lunch, but with the area being crowded, he drove them to a more upscale restaurant.

They finished lunch by half-past twelve, with the math exam not starting until three.

So, Nanson booked a couple of rooms in a nearby hotel for them to rest.

"Mom, Uncle, you really don't have to wait for me. Please, go back. It's such a waste of your time," Anthea implored.

While he was away, a lady struck up a conversation with Carole, "Hey there, does your kid have exams today too?"

Carole nodded, "Yes, my daughter."

The lady was astonished to learn Carole only had one daughter, wondering silently about the family lineage's continuation but chose to express her surprise differently, "You're so young; surely you'll want more kids, right?"

Carole smiled politely, "No, we're happy with just one."

The lady continued, "But won't you regret it later? It's tough when you get older with just one child to rely on."

Carole remained firm, "Our daughter is very caring. We won't regret it."

The lady, undeterred, shared her own story, emphasizing the importance of having sons. But Carole's gentle dismissal highlighted a shift in perspectives, valuing quality relationships over traditional expectations of family size.