For a week, Mike ignored Sam; he continued to exercise diligently, and finally, before the weekend, he updated his physique attribute to one hundred forty.
Meanwhile, after a week of continuous fattening drinks supplied by Cady, Regina's small face looked much rounder.
On the weekend, as the Summer Cup League approached, the school cheerleading squad members began their vote-canvassing efforts.
A temporary booth was set up on the main street of the commercial district for residents who supported the Medford High football team to sign their names.
Janis and Damian were roped in to manage the signing at the booth.
Because of the cheerleading squad's long-legged members shouting encouragement, many tourists stopped to watch on the street.
During a break, Regina pulled Cady aside, pointed at her tight short skirt, and questioned, "Are you sure that Vietnamese weight-loss drink works? I've gained over a pound recently."
Weight loss starts from the chest, and gaining weight starts from the legs.
This week, Regina felt this deeply. It was just that her foundation was there, so she could still hold it together with a temporary gain of some weight.
Facing Regina's sharp questioning, Cady seemed a bit guilty. She looked around, making up a lie, "Th-that weight-loss drink is like this; it first replenishes the nutrients the human body needs, and only then does it proceed with fat expulsion..."
Cady spoke more and more calmly, and finally, she pretended to care, "Haven't you felt that your body has been getting better and better during this time?"
Regina, who had never used weight-loss products, naturally didn't know the intricacies involved.
Moreover, the drink Cady gave her was an athlete's muscle-building drink, which contained many ingredients beneficial to the human body.
"That's true, I've felt my skin has improved a lot recently, I eat well, and I sleep soundly..." Regina recalled her recent state, no longer suspicious, and continued to ask, "Then when will my weight go down?"
Regina placed great importance on managing her figure.
"This, if it's fast, maybe a month, or it might take two months..." Cady answered uncertainly.
Gaining over a pound a week, a month would be enough for Regina to gain six or seven pounds.
Three or four kilograms of meat would be enough to ruin Regina's self-proclaimed "perfect" figure.
Regina, still unaware, thought for a moment, somewhat annoyed, "Still a month? But, for a good figure, it's not unbearable."
Just as the two finished their conversation and were about to go back to continue canvassing for votes, Regina unintentionally saw Sharon, the twelfth grade Math teacher, in a street corner.
At this time, a man in his thirties stood opposite Sharon, dressed shabbily, like a homeless person.
"Look over there..." Regina thought she had discovered the Math teacher's secret and seemed a bit excited.
Cady heard her, followed the direction of her finger, saw the scene in the corner, and exclaimed, "How is the teacher over there!"
Because she had lived in Africa, Cady didn't have much prejudice against Black people.
Her surprise was only because Sharon, the Math teacher in her thirties, appeared capable and like a strong woman at school, making it hard to imagine what she was like in her daily life.
At this moment, Sharon in the corner just pulled out a handful of change and handed it to the Black man opposite her; they spoke a few more words before parting ways.
"You say, is Ms. Sharon buying contraband?" Regina, seeing this, speculated maliciously.
At school, Ms. Sharon's personality was somewhat aloof, which happened to clash with Regina's strong personality.
Regina, who thought she had caught the other party's weakness, would definitely make another note in her notebook when she went back.
At this moment, Sharon, who had just parted ways with the Black man, turned her head and also noticed Cady and the other person.
She smiled and called out, "Cady, come here for a moment, I have something to discuss with you."
Cady was still thinking about how to persuade Regina not to spread gossip about Sharon everywhere.
Before Cady could make up her mind, Regina beside her pushed her, urging, "Go quickly, it would be best if you could get some more explosive news from Sharon's mouth."
Cady, forced to come before the teacher, had something on her mind and seemed a bit distracted.
Opposite her, Ms. Sharon went straight to the point: "Cady, this year's College Cup Math Olympiad competition has changed its rules; each participating school needs to have one female team member.
Your Math talent is very high, and I want you to join the Olympics Math Team. If you win a prize, it will add points to your university application; you can consider it..."
Cady was still somewhat out of sorts and vaguely agreed, "Okay, I'll consider it..."
Ms. Sharon thought her student was hesitant because of a lack of confidence, so she comforted her, "It's okay, take your time to consider. The Math Olympiad competition is at the end of the year, we still have plenty of time. Moreover, this year I also plan to pick some good prospects from the Eleventh Grade to join the Olympics Math Team."
After expressing her thoughts, Ms. Sharon was about to say goodbye to Cady.
"Wait—" Cady hesitated to speak.
"Is there anything else?" Sharon had ample patience for her good student.
"That, what did that homeless person just say to you, and why did you give him money?" Cady finally asked the doubt in her heart.
"Oh, you mean Danny." Sharon organized her words and said, "He lives in the same community as me and is not a homeless person. Recently, his child was sick, and he was seeking help from me earlier."
Texas rednecks are prevalent, and other skin-colored people here often face discrimination. Especially people who don't look like good people find it even harder to survive here.
"So that's how it is!" Cady, her doubts cleared, felt relieved.
After that, she promised Sharon that she would seriously consider the Math Olympiad competition at the end of the year before saying goodbye to the other party.
Sharon, not knowing what her student was thinking, shook her head and left the commercial district.
Here, Cady, upon returning to the cheerleading squad, was again pulled aside by Janis.
"What did Ms. Sharon just tell you?" Janis looked worried.
"Nothing, just about the Math Olympiad competition," Cady replied.
"Didn't she mention anything about contraband?" Janis pressed.
It turned out that after Regina returned, she spread the speculation about Ms. Sharon buying contraband to the rest of the cheerleading squad.
When Janis found out, she was not only worried about Ms. Sharon but also worried that Cady would be implicated.
After learning about Regina's actions from Janis, Cady was very upset: "How could she say that? Ms. Sharon was simply helping others, doing good deeds."
Afterward, Cady told her friend in detail about Ms. Sharon helping a resident in the same community.
"This is difficult now; the rumor has already been spread by that bitch Regina, and it might have a very bad impact on Ms. Sharon," Janis sighed.
Rumors are spread by one mouth, but it takes a lot of effort to refute them.
"No, I'm going to explain clearly to Regina and make her clarify it to Ms. Sharon." Cady thought of the Math teacher's care for her and decided to do something for her.
Moreover, this matter also started because of her.
"I'll go with you too; if Regina doesn't make things clear, I'll have to teach her a lesson..." Janis rolled up her sleeves, looking ready for a fight.
She had long been fed up with Regina's habit of badmouthing people behind their backs.