The ordinary days passed one by one. The cold wind howled through deep winter as the semester drew to a close. Finals week would begin next week, so many unfinished courses were rushing to cover the remaining material, some even adding extra classes.
Noah didn't need to worry much about failing any classes. Based on his current performance, passing was clearly not an issue. It was only the final scores that affected scholarship evaluation, so he still needed to review thoroughly.
For the last month he had been confined by Evelyn to the faculty housing building as usual.
Aside from class, he rarely went out, and the few times he did were always with her. He was almost entirely kept within her line of sight.
The professor at the counseling office seemed unable to change her.
It was Saturday under gloomy gray skies. A thick layer of gray veil covered the heavens, draining the world of color and leaving everything dim and somber.
Her straight, slender legs rested across Noah's hands. He held the nail clippers carefully, trimming the slightly long cuticles.
Evelyn never painted her toenails. Her soft, small toes always kept a healthy, delicate natural tone, like a patch of fresh snow resting on the treetops in winter.
Evelyn wore silver-framed glasses, her gaze scanning rows of practice questions in the textbook. Her legs draped lazily, her feet hanging in Noah's hands.
"Eve, what are you looking at?"
"Key points. I have to prepare the exam paper."
"Are you making this year's paper?"
"It's me and another female professor together." Evelyn looked up at him. Her exquisite, beautiful face appeared even more gentle and intellectual behind the glasses.
"Can you leak me some questions?" He asked half-jokingly, holding onto a bit of hope.
"Of course. If you finish all the problems in this textbook of mine, you can score at least ninety."
He looked at the thick three-or-four-centimeter textbook in Evelyn's hands and smiled helplessly. "That's basically the same as saying no."
"Nate, you really want to take shortcuts? If you dare cheat or fail my class, I'll spank your butt until it blooms red."
"I… I was just joking. Eve, don't always scare me."
"I'm serious." She lifted her leg slightly. Her cool, smooth foot pressed against Noah's chin, forcing him to raise his head and meet her eyes. The shy panic in the boy's gaze was exactly what she loved most.
"I won't cheat, and I won't fail." Noah reached up to press her ankle, lowering her foot again. "If I'm just a little short on points, you'll help me out, right?"
"That depends on my mood. Anyway, if Nate has to retake the class, I wouldn't mind teaching you again." She tilted her head and gazed at him with a smile. Her beautiful mature features showed a trace of playful charm.
"I don't believe you. You'll definitely take care of me."
"We'll see." Evelyn lowered her eyes and continued planning the knowledge points in the textbook for the questions. Her long legs rested lazily across Noah's lap. The room fell quiet again, filled only with the soft rustle of pages and the snip of nail clippers.
A pleasant, familiar ringtone sounded. Noah took out his phone, glanced at the contact, answered and put it on speaker, setting it aside.
"Hey, Noah, where are you?"
"I'm at my sister's. What's up?"
"Is Professor Miller next to you?"
"She…" Noah opened his mouth, about to answer, but saw Evelyn staring straight at him with a serious expression. Her foot lifted and pressed against his chest as she shook her head slightly.
"She's not here," he answered after a moment's hesitation.
"So here's the thing. Next week is the advanced math final, right? You're the best at math in our class, so…"
"No!" He refused immediately, his tone firm and righteous. "Studying is for yourself. You have to rely on your usual hard work. Cramming at the last minute is wrong."
As Noah spoke he glanced at Evelyn ingratiatingly, as if to reassure her.
"Why do you sound so strange?" The three guys on the other end exchanged confused looks. "We've actually been studying hard. This is just extra insurance. Advanced math is so difficult, you know."
"Still no. You should review properly on your own."
"I'll gift you that Sett skin. The Kingdom Mech God set," Ryan offered the bribe to change his mind.
Noah swallowed. He didn't refuse right away this time. He glanced tentatively at Evelyn's reaction, only to find her staring coldly at him.
"Hey, Noah? You agree?"
"I…" He was still hesitating when Evelyn drew closer, wrapping her arms around his slender neck. Her full, proud softness pressed against his chest in an intimate squeeze.
His heartbeat grew chaotic. Desire spread through him like black ink staining clear water. She leaned into his ear and whispered seductively, "Refuse them, Nate."
"Mmm… okay."
Noah picked up the phone like a puppet. "Sorry, I still can't. My sister won't allow it."
He hung up right after. Although Evelyn had forcefully kissed him many times before, the tactic remained completely effective on him.
"You actually hesitated. I'm not satisfied, Nate."
"But that skin is really cool."
"I knew I shouldn't have let you play games." She reached out and poked Noah's forehead. "If you fail even one subject on the finals, Nate, I'll delete all your games."
"I won't. Have some faith in me, Eve."
Evelyn was about to speak when her own phone rang from her pocket. She took it out and answered. A gentle female voice came through. "Hey, Evelyn, what are you doing?"
"Disciplining Nate. What's up, Mom?"
"Disciplining Nate? What trouble did he get into this time?"
"He was plotting with his classmates to cheat on the final. In the advanced math class I teach."
"Then he definitely needs to be taught a lesson." Laura Miller paused, then got to the real purpose of the call. "Have you bought the tickets home yet? It's almost the holidays next month. When are you coming back?"
"Don't worry, Mom. We bought them a long time ago. The 15th."
"That's good, that's good. Let me talk to Nate for a bit. I haven't heard his voice in so long."
Evelyn handed the phone to Noah. The moment he took it and opened his mouth to speak, a tingling sting spread across his neck. She was gently biting down on it.
"Hey, Nate, are you listening?"
"Yeah, I'm here." His voice came out strained. The sensation on his neck made it impossible to stay calm; his mind was a mess.
He glanced sideways at Evelyn. The woman was deliberately causing trouble, smirking as she met his eyes.
"Nate, you have to listen to your sister while you're there. Don't help anyone cheat, understand?"
"Got it… I won't."
"Alright, I'll hang up now. Be safe on the way back."