Holly Winslow: "..."

She wanted to say it again: ’The "sorrow" of a married woman.’

Her husband had become a mind-reader. She didn’t even have to say anything for him to know what she was thinking.

And that was one thing, but the most "outrageous" part was that whenever Mortimer Quincy was home and saw her sit up straight, he knew she had to go to the bathroom and would proactively hand her some toilet paper.

Her eyes darted around, and she put on a magnanimous air. "Quincy the Puppy, it’s not like I’m making you kneel on a keyboard. I’m not that petty."

She paused, resting her chin on her hand. "The house hasn’t been cleaned in a while. Why don’t you go back and clean it today?"

Mortimer Quincy: "..."

He couldn’t help but let out a low chuckle. "As you command."

After cowering in her seat for a minute or two, Serena Shaw, under the watchful eyes of Simone Quincy and the others, shot a "fierce" look at the boy next to her and said, "Nathan Chaney, did you score one point higher than me on purpose?"

Hearing her voice, Nathan Chaney turned his head to meet the girl’s small, round face. He pushed up his glasses and said in a low voice, "I thought you already knew."

Serena Shaw froze. ’What does he mean, "I thought you already knew"? If I knew, why would I ask him?’

’I would’ve just outscored him in a heartbeat.’

Unable to figure it out, she asked directly, "You did it on purpose?"

"Yeah." Nathan Chaney didn’t hide it.

His straightforwardness left Serena Shaw speechless. She was angry, yes, but something felt off. After holding it in for a long moment, she suddenly blurted out, "Do you have a crush on me?"

The moment the words left her mouth, she realized what nonsense she’d just spouted. She quickly added, "Whether you like me or not, I don’t like you."

Nathan Chaney stared straight at her for a few seconds, then picked up his book, stood up, and walked to the front of the room. He seemed a little angry.

Serena Shaw ruffled her hair in frustration. ’What was I saying? Nathan’s not going to think I’m crazy, is he?’

She looked at Autumn Underwood next to her, pointed at herself, and asked, "Did I sound like a psycho just now?"

Autumn Underwood nodded, though it pained her to do so. "Asking him like that... I’d say it’s much more likely that you’re the one who likes him."

Serena Shaw: "..."

’Like I’d ever fall for Nathan Chaney.’

Holly Winslow had a feeling that Serena Shaw and Nathan Chaney had a thing for each other, but they were both a little too thin-skinned.

’If she had half the courage I had when I was chasing after Mortimer, she could have not just one Nathan Chaney, but ten of them wrapped around her finger.’

She lifted her chin at Mortimer Quincy, looking a little smug. "Quincy the Puppy, if I had been even a little bit shyer back then, your wife would have vanished in a flash."

Her sudden comment made Mortimer Quincy break into a grin. He reached out, pinched her cheek, and played along. "And where would my wife fly off to?"

"Off into a field of flowers, where I could take my pick of all the boys."

Before Holly Winslow could finish, she got a light tap on the forehead, followed by Mortimer Quincy’s warning tone. "Take your pick? How about *I* pick a time tonight for us to... you know?"

Holly Winslow: "..."

She placatingly rubbed her forehead against his chin. "Quincy the Puppy, if you keep tapping me, you’ll knock me silly. Then our kid won’t be smart."

Mortimer Quincy raised an eyebrow and pretended to ponder for a moment. "Hm, my intelligence can make up for it. You have nothing to worry about, darling."

Holly Winslow: "..."

’Stupid Quincy the Puppy.’

’He’s looking down on my intelligence, but I haven’t even complained about his being too high!’

’Ahem, okay, fine. It’s hard to complain about high intelligence.’

She drew an imaginary line between them. "If you cross this, you’re a total goof," she warned.

Mortimer Quincy fearlessly reached over. Just as Holly was about to call him a "goof," he beat her to the punch. "Darling, I’m a total goof."

Coming from his lips, the words were somehow a little heart-stirring.

Her: "..."

’It’s over. I’ve been completely brainwashed by this guy Mortimer.’

She poked his arm. "Quincy the Puppy, can’t you have a little masculine pride?"

"Masculine pride?"

Mortimer Quincy looked at her with a half-smile, and Holly Winslow had a bad feeling. She quickly reached out and covered his mouth. "Never mind, don’t say it."

’It’s probably not going to be anything proper.’

The three single pringles, led by Autumn Underwood, glanced at the clingy couple, shivered in unison, and picked up their books to evacuate the PDA-zone.

Just then, the professor walked in. Holly Winslow lowered her hand and opened her textbook when a puff of hot air suddenly tickled her ear. "I just need to have it in bed."

"If one round of ’pride’ isn’t enough, we’ll go for two. If two aren’t enough, we’ll go for three."

Her: "..."

’Pride my ass.’

When class ended, Nathan Chaney was standing at the door. Feeling guilty about what happened earlier, Serena Shaw hid beside Autumn Underwood, preparing to slip past him.

But Nathan Chaney spoke up. "Serena Shaw, I have something to tell you."

Remembering the things Nathan Chaney had said in high school, Serena Shaw didn’t want to listen. "I don’t have time."

"Then I’ll say it here," Nathan Chaney said, pushing up his glasses. He stared straight at her. "Yes."

His random "Yes" left Serena Shaw completely baffled.

The next second, he said, his voice neither too loud nor too soft, "I like you."

Serena Shaw was stunned speechless by his words. She would rather believe that Nathan Chaney liked dogs than believe he liked her.

Then, the boy added, "The reason I scored one point higher than you is because I wanted you to notice me."

"So, will you let me be your boyfriend?"

A collective "Wooooow" erupted from the onlookers. Serena Shaw’s face flushed crimson in an instant, and she ended up fleeing the scene in a hurry.

’That confession was so manly!’

Holly Winslow also let out a "Wow" and couldn’t help but take another look at Nathan Chaney. The next second, a large hand turned her head back, followed by Mortimer’s faint, jealous voice. "Good-looking?"

"Keep looking and I’ll strip you naked when we get home."

Holly Winslow: "..."

’Look at how that guy talks, and then look at how *he* talks.’

’He really has gotten greasy in his middle age.’

She looked up at him. "Quincy the Puppy, you really are getting old. We have a generation gap."

Mortimer Quincy: "..."

’Even if he were thirty, no one would have ever called him old.’

He said faintly, "Has the dazzling world outside blinded you?"

Holly Winslow: "..."

She couldn’t help but laugh.

...

So Mortimer Quincy was angry, all because she said he was old. From her years of experience as a married woman, when a husband gets angry, it’s best to just let him cool off for a bit.

She returned to her dorm and went about her business as usual.

When Mortimer Quincy got back to his dorm, he did something completely out of character: he stood in front of the mirror and stared at himself for a while. The more he looked, the older he seemed. His skin looked a bit dry.

He leaned in closer. It looked like he was getting crow’s feet at the corners of his eyes.

If Holly Winslow were there, she would have known exactly what he was thinking.

It was Howard Gardner’s first time seeing him stand in front of a mirror like that. He teased, "Mortimer, did you get stunned by your own handsomeness?"

Mortimer Quincy shot him a look, then sat down and started searching online, just like his father-in-law would. He even paid three yuan to read the full article.

After ten-odd minutes, he came away with three points.

Sleep early, wake up early.

Skincare products.

A cheerful mood.

Of the three, he currently had none.

Howard Gardner nudged Xavier Jennings, gesturing toward the unusually-acting Mortimer Quincy, and whispered, "What’s up with him?"

Xavier Jennings put on an "all-knowing" expression. "When a man goes quiet, it’s usually because he’s been hurt by love."

Howard Gardner let out an "Oh" of sudden realization. "No wonder."

The dorm room wasn’t large. Mortimer Quincy heard their entire conversation clearly. "..."

He turned his head and stared at them gloomily. "It’s still better than your situation."

He paused, then mercilessly spat out two words. "No one."