Chapter 4

Clutching the green hat in my hand, I sped over to Professor Ryan's place on my electric scooter and frantically pounded on his door.

As soon as the door opened, all the anger in my mind was instantly displaced by the sight of Professor Ryan's body.

He really does have a deceptively fit physique under those clothes.

I didn't get a clear view last time through the sheer outfit, but now I could see everything in perfect detail.

I could even trace how the water droplets traveled down his eight-pack abs before disappearing into the towel wrapped around his waist.

"Had enough of looking? If you're done, close the door and get out!" Professor Ryan raised an eyebrow at me.

That snapped me out of my daze. I tossed the green hat at him and turned my head away in annoyance. "Who's looking? I wasn't! I'll definitely be bigger than you someday!"

"Oh? Bigger where exactly?"

Damn perverted old man!

I glared at him, but for some reason, my eyes couldn't help but wander downwards. I suddenly felt dissatisfied:

We do the same exercises, so why does Professor Ryan have such great abs!

If I had a body like his, wouldn't I be able to pin him down instead?

"Still looking?"

"Who's looking at you! I couldn't care less! You're the one doing a wet body tease - I'm just playing along."

Professor Ryan snorted. "So I should thank you then?"

I nodded and pointed at the green hat I'd thrown at him earlier. "I don't remember ever giving you a green hat. I think you've been drinking too much and developed paranoid delusions."

Professor Ryan set down the wine glass in his hand. "Do I need to remind you of what happened last time?"

Under Professor Ryan's interrogating gaze, I instantly cowered.

But I couldn't lose face. I suddenly stood up, looking down at Professor Ryan sitting on the couch. "I know I was wrong. But as an artist, you know we have to sacrifice for love. How can you not understand that?"

Professor Ryan pushed up his glasses and looked up at me. "Then you should understand me too. As a scholar of literature, I need to seal off my heart and devote myself entirely to my work."

The smile on my face nearly crumbled. I really shouldn't try to play word games with a professor. Since the soft approach wasn't working, time for the hard approach.

"Don't you have a heart? I've been thinking about you so much I can't eat or sleep. I've lost so much weight." As I spoke, I pinched the flesh on my face and gave him a pitiful look.

Professor Ryan suddenly stood up and leaned in close.

My spirits lifted and I tilted my head up towards him.

Was he going to touch me? Was he going to take pity on me? Just one more push!

The next second, my facade crumbled completely. Professor Ryan had reached past me to grab a scale from behind.

"Come on, let's weigh you." His tone was casual, but I swear I heard a hint of anticipation?!

I stared at him in shock, unable to say a word for a long moment.

Looking at the scale on the ground, then at Professor Ryan's mocking gaze, I took a deep breath. Fine, I'll do it. My classmates have all been saying I've lost weight lately.

But when I saw the actual number displayed, I wanted to curl up and die.

I'd actually gained 5 pounds?

"This can't be right. The scale must be broken."

Professor Ryan raised an eyebrow and stepped on it himself. Damn, he'd actually lost 4 pounds.

Wait a minute?! If Professor Ryan lost weight, doesn't that mean he's been thinking about me?