Reborn with My Genius Husband

Chapter 179: Who Pursued Who, You or Mortimer Quincy?

Gabe Chaucer watched the group of kids making a scene, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. He said, half-jokingly, "I know I was hard on you all these last three years. From now on, you can have as many girlfriends as you want, and I won’t interfere."

"You can invite me to your weddings, too, but I can’t afford a big gift."

"As for Mortimer Quincy and the others... it’s my fault I didn’t catch them."

’Actually, it wasn’t that I didn’t catch him. Mortimer told me he was in a relationship from the start; I just never imagined he’d be so bold as to have it be right under my nose.’

’And they were even deskmates.’

’I actually thought they were just cousins who were particularly close.’

Everyone else laughed. One of the boys who had spoken earlier hugged Gabe Chaucer, crying with exaggerated heartbreak. "Old Shaw, even though you’re the reason I don’t have a girlfriend anymore, I’m still going to miss you!"

The atmosphere was a bit sentimental, but when Holly Winslow saw Gabe Chaucer’s helpless expression, unable to break free, she couldn’t help but laugh. She wasn’t the only one; the others laughed too.

But no matter how much they horsed around, all parties must come to an end. Gabe Chaucer left, and the other students departed in small groups.

Pantheon and his friends had made plans to go to karaoke that afternoon, and the group of a dozen or so people started walking toward the KTV.

Right in front of Pantheon and the others, Mortimer Quincy took Holly Winslow’s hand and said, deliberately showing off, "From now on, we can hold hands out in the open."

Pantheon and the others: "..."

’Dammit, Mortimer, you’re such an ass.’

Paul Powell finally understood how Pantheon felt—it was enough to give you a toothache. He clutched the side of his face. "I’m outta here. See you at the KTV."

He took a few steps, then stopped and looked back at Luna Lynch, stammering, "I’ll take you. You don’t know the way."

Luna Lynch nodded.

The other guys whooped.

Boris Owens raised his hand. "Count me in! I just got my heart broken; I can’t stand here and watch you two be all lovey-dovey."

In the end, only Holly Winslow and Mortimer Quincy were left, strolling slowly behind the others.

A karaoke session wouldn’t be complete without Truth or Dare and card games—in this case, "Chemical Element Cards."

Pantheon and the others had already formed a united front, specifically targeting Mortimer Quincy. But knowing they couldn’t beat him, their gazes fell upon Holly Winslow.

Pantheon nudged Chase Hawkins, who was still sulking, signaling that their chance had come.

Chase Hawkins rolled his eyes, but in the next second, he was all enthusiasm. "Cousin... bah, I mean, sis-in-law! Come play cards."

Mortimer Quincy understood their intentions at a glance. He raised an eyebrow. They were probably in for a disappointment. When it came to playing games, Holly Winslow was more gifted than she was at her studies.

Holly Winslow didn’t refuse and sat in the spot they’d saved for her. Before she could even speak, Pantheon started explaining the rules, aiming them squarely at Mortimer Quincy. "No helping from the peanut gallery. Anyone who says anything about the cards is a son of a bitch."

Mortimer Quincy gave him a cool glance, then lazily sat down next to Holly Winslow.

Holly Winslow, Pantheon, Paul Powell, and Chase Hawkins gathered around a table to play.

Holly Winslow had never played this type of card game before, so she was a bit green. With the three of them deliberately ganging up on her, she lost.

A torrent of dirty questions almost escaped Pantheon’s lips, like:

"Have you and Mortimer Quincy done ’it’ yet?"

"Where did you have your first kiss?"

But when faced with a girl, he couldn’t bring himself to ask.

In the end, the three of them conferred and asked a more conservative question: "Between you and Mortimer Quincy, who chased who?"

Holly Winslow was just about to say it was her when Mortimer Quincy, sitting beside her, spoke up. "I did. Any objections?"

Pantheon couldn’t help but click his tongue. "Wow, who knew? You actually know how to pursue someone."

Then he added, "Teach me a couple of your moves so I can find a girlfriend just like Holly Winslow."

Mortimer Quincy shot him an indifferent look that seemed to say, ’In your dreams.’

Beside them, Paul Powell couldn’t resist snapping the daydreaming Pantheon out of it. "Have you looked in a mirror lately? Why don’t you ask our cousin—pfft, I mean, sis-in-law—if she’d ever like your type? Short, ugly, and broke."

Pantheon shot back, "That’s the pot calling the kettle black. We’re both ugly."

Zeke Zane commented from the side, "At least you’re self-aware."

The onlookers roared with laughter, practically doubling over.

In the second round, Holly Winslow was about to lose again when Mortimer Quincy, who was next to her, suddenly pointed to a card. "Play this one."

Pantheon complained loudly, "Mortimer, you’re cheating!"

Mortimer Quincy raised an eyebrow and lazily uttered the words from the rule, "I’m a son of a bitch."

The people around them: "..."

’Why did the words "son of a bitch" sound so classy coming out of his mouth?’

Holly Winslow couldn’t help but chuckle. Since Mortimer Quincy had already broken the rule, she felt no shame in leaning over to ask him what her next move should be.

In the end, Pantheon lost.

Chase Hawkins showed him no mercy, grinning wickedly as he asked, "What’s the name of the girl you have a secret crush on?"

Kids their age were more genuine; they weren’t good at lying.

Pantheon glanced at Mortimer Quincy, and his face suddenly turned red. Holly Winslow, who was holding the cards: "..."

’Don’t tell me he has a crush on this jerk Mortimer Quincy.’

Seeing her eyes go wide, Mortimer Quincy knew exactly where her thoughts had gone off track. "..."

He reached out and flicked her on the forehead, asking ominously, "Looking to experience some ’domestic violence’?"

Holly Winslow: "..."

She rubbed her nose and chuckled sheepishly. "Purely an accident, a total coincidence."

Pantheon stammered, "Wu... Qin."

The moment the words left his mouth, Holly Winslow choked on her own saliva. "COUGH. COUGH. COUGH."

’Pantheon actually has a crush on my second cousin!’

’To be honest, she had always wondered what kind of man it would take to "tame" her second cousin, who was the epitome of a career woman.’

’But Pantheon was definitely not it. Her second cousin couldn’t stand guys who talked too much.’

Of course, later on, she would eat her words.

Everyone else let out a collective "Whoa!" Chase Hawkins seized the opportunity to tease him relentlessly. "Yo, you like the brainiac cousin, huh? Think your grades can keep up?"

Pantheon irritably kicked him. "Get lost."

The original plan had been to dig up dirt on Holly Winslow and Mortimer Quincy’s relationship, but this new development made Pantheon switch sides. Plus, Holly had now gotten the hang of the game and was trouncing Chase Hawkins, who was crying out in defeat.

The questions ranged from his first love to the color of his underwear—though not from Holly, of course.

Afraid they were about to "dig up his ancestors’ graves," Chase Hawkins threw in the towel and fled to the karaoke machine, proceeding to poison everyone’s ears.

Pantheon couldn’t take it anymore, so he quit the game and went to snatch the microphone.

Having sat for a long time, Holly Winslow’s back was a little sore. She naturally leaned against Mortimer Quincy and said smugly, "This human backrest is very sturdy."

Mortimer Quincy raised an eyebrow and squeezed her waist with one hand. "This part is soft. We really are a match made in heaven."

Holly Winslow: "..."

She pinched his wandering hand. "Made in heaven, my ass."

Mortimer Quincy replied, "Mmm, but what a heavenly ass."

Her: "..."

Just then, the noisy atmosphere suddenly quieted down as a new song began to play: "Super Like You."

The microphone was now in Paul Powell’s hands. After a collective whoop, the crowd started to applaud.

Paul Powell looked at Luna Lynch, who was wearing a white dress for the first time. He nervously gripped the microphone, his voice trembling with tension. "Luna Lynch, I like you. I’ve liked you ever since you helped me with that first math problem."

"Now that we’ve graduated, will you... be my girlfriend?"

He was clearly so nervous that he didn’t know what to do with his hands.

A clumsy, youthful confession is more sincere than any that comes later, free of any impurities.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, a blushing Luna Lynch nodded.

It was a fact that everyone had known for a long time, but that didn’t stop them from being happy for them, clapping and cheering wildly.

Pantheon pushed Paul Powell to stand beside Luna Lynch. Paul’s face was so red it couldn’t get any redder.

Mortimer Quincy saw Holly Winslow turn to look at him with wide eyes. He raised an eyebrow, but before he could speak, he heard her ask, "Mortimer, are you just that thick-skinned? How come you’re not blushing?"

’She really had never seen Mortimer Quincy blush.’

Mortimer Quincy: "..."

He considered her question seriously. "The time I blushed, it was dark."

He paused for a moment, then added, "Let’s leave the lights on next time."