Professor Emily Brooks sat in front of Noah Miller, took a sip of water, and smiled with gentle warmth. "Let me guess… does this have something to do with your sister?"
"You even know that?"
"Because your sister is a psychology professor too. If you're not talking to her and came to me instead, it's probably something related to her."
"Professor Brooks, you won't tell my sister about our conversation, will you?"
"Of course not. Protecting student privacy is part of my responsibility."
"Actually…" Noah paused for a moment, gathering his courage to say what he had prepared. "It's exactly like you guessed. My sister has been way too strict with me lately. I feel really suffocated."
"Can you tell me more specifically?"
"It's just that she wants me to come straight back to her place right after every class. Whenever I have free time, I have to stay with her. I need to get her permission for anything, and she almost never gives me any time to myself."
"Evelyn would actually do that…?" Professor Emily Brooks thought for a moment. In her impression, Evelyn Miller was an outstanding teacher—humble, gentle, conscientious, almost without any flaws.
But no one is perfect. It was understandable that she might have some psychological issues. After all, it wasn't as severe as something like dissociative identity disorder or manic depression.
What surprised her was that Evelyn would experience psychological abnormalities. Perhaps it proved the old saying… doctors cannot heal themselves.
"Have you talked to her about it? Told her you don't want to be controlled like this, that you want more time to yourself?"
"Yeah…" Noah nodded, his expression still full of dejection and helplessness. "She just tells me to listen and behave."
Professor Emily Brooks had encountered similar situations before. Most were cases of parents controlling their children. Older sisters controlling younger brothers were less common, but she assumed it stemmed from the same psychology—the belief that only under their guidance and control could the other person walk the correct, bright path.
At least, that was true of all the cases she knew, so she instinctively made that connection without considering the possibility of a more obsessive possessiveness.
As a result, the advice she gave Noah wasn't a targeted solution.
"Your name is Noah Miller, right?"
"Yes."
"Noah, you can try letting your sister see your independent side. Show her that you can take care of yourself and keep yourself in line. Blindly submitting to Evelyn's control won't change the situation. I'll talk to her later and hope it helps you."
"Thank you, Professor. I'll give it a try." Noah stood up and bowed respectfully.
"Alright, alright. Is there anything else?"
"No, that's all. I'll head out now. Goodbye, Professor."
After leaving the counseling office, Noah stopped by the package station. The knee-high boots he had ordered for Evelyn a few days ago had arrived.
Back at the faculty housing building, he lay down and slept for a while. He didn't wake until the sun had sunk low in the sky and the bell signaling the end of the last class rang. A warm, soft female voice beside his ear gently pulled him from sleep.
"Did you sleep well, Nate?" Evelyn asked, watching as he slowly opened his eyes.
"Mmm… yeah. You finished with class, Eve?"
"Class is over. Don't you have a basketball game? Come on, I'll go with you, Nate."
Noah rubbed his eyes and stretched. Once he was fully awake, he picked up the package box beside his feet. "I got you a gift. See if it fits."
"Why the sudden gift for me? Is there something you want from your sister?" She smiled and pinched his cheek.
"No, no. You always take such good care of me, so I wanted to do something in return."
"Silly boy. Taking care of you is what I should do."
Evelyn's lips curved with abundant smile, the corners of her eyes holding a soft arc. She opened the package box. Inside lay a brand-new pair of sleek black knee-high boots, finely crafted and beautiful, the material soft and comfortable to the touch.
"Try them on and see if they fit." Noah said, trying to please her.
She slipped off her sneakers. Her white cotton socks wrapped around her slender, delicate feet, revealing the smooth, soft skin of her lower calves. She slid her feet into the boots. The tall boots enveloped her long, slim legs, outlining perfect, elegant curves.
Evelyn took a couple steps in the boots, the heels producing crisp clicks on the floor. "They fit quite well. So that's why you asked for my shoe size last time."
"Yeah, I'm glad they fit."
"But…" She lowered her gaze to meet his eyes. "Nate, you went out, didn't you?"
"Just for a little while, to pick up the package."
"I told you not to go out, didn't I? Being disobedient again, Nate." Evelyn gripped Nate's chin, pinching his face with a light but firm pressure. "I'll forgive you this time, Nate. But there won't be a next time. Do you understand?"
"Got it."
Hearing the boy's meek compliance, Evelyn tentatively accepted Nate's small rebellion. "Let's go. After the basketball game, I'll take you out to eat."
...
The school basketball court in the evening often hosted spontaneous student games, but today's match had been arranged in advance and attracted quite a crowd. Boys and girls gathered around the perimeter, cheering for their classmates and friends.
Evelyn pulled the hood of her jacket up, hiding her face. Her figure looked no different from that of an ordinary young female college student. No one recognized the slender silhouette standing quietly apart in the corner as the advanced math professor they usually feared most.
Noah wore a borrowed jersey with a number on it. Standing among the tall, sturdy guys, he didn't particularly stand out, but a closer look revealed that his fair, refined face held a handsome charm that drew people's attention.
The game stayed fiercely contested, with the score going back and forth. Aside from the occasional night runs with Evelyn, Noah rarely exercised.
His skills were mediocre. He was mostly just there to fill out the numbers, exactly as his roommate had requested before the game.
But against all odds, the final crucial pass came to him. Noah caught the ball and instinctively sprinted forward, unexpectedly breaking past the defender. However, no teammates were there to follow up.
As he approached the basket, his teammates shouted for him to shoot. If he drove any further, he'd be blocked, and passing back was no longer an option.
He held the ball and made a fake move to drive, causing the opponent to commit forward. Instead, he jumped from where he stood and released the shot.
It was a long-range attempt. His teammates already knew he was only there to make up the numbers and held little hope. If they lost, it wouldn't be his fault.
The basketball traced a beautiful arc across the dark red sunset, hit the backboard, and rebounded straight into the hoop.
"Great shot! Beautiful, Noah!"
Cheers and shouts erupted across the court in an instant. The game ended with their team winning by a single point.
Noah turned to look toward the corner of the crowd. That tall, graceful figure was softly clapping as she watched him. He smiled at Evelyn, finished celebrating with his teammates, took off his jersey, and walked over.
Evelyn approached with a sports drink in hand, but suddenly a girl emerged from the crowd, stepping in front of Noah and offering him a bottle of water.
"Thirsty? I brought you some water."
"Thanks." Noah hadn't expected Nora to show up with water for him. Without much thought, he accepted it in a daze.