Reborn with My Genius Husband

Chapter 193: I’ve Gained Weight, You Can’t Carry Me

Sophia Zane nodded in satisfaction. "Your pronunciation is very good. Have you studied before?"

"I have." Holly had indeed signed up for a spoken English class before.

After talking for a few minutes, Sophia Zane felt she was a good fit. "Saturday and Sunday, four hours of tutoring a day, for two hundred a day. Is that acceptable to you?"

The tutoring fee was a bit on the low side, but Holly wasn’t doing it for the money anyway. She nodded and said, "That’s fine."

"Alright then. Are you free this afternoon? We can do a trial session." Seeing her nod, Sophia Zane led her to the study.

A girl of about fifteen or sixteen was sitting at the desk doing problems. The desk was piled high with test papers and books; she looked like a high school sophomore.

Sophia Zane made a brief introduction and then left the two of them alone in the room.

Hearing the sound of a girl explaining a problem from the other end of the line, Mortimer, who was standing by the door, finally turned and left, reassured.

When Holly finished tutoring, it was already past three in the afternoon. She pulled out her phone and saw the call was still connected. She put it to her ear and tentatively said, "Hello?"

"Done?" Mortimer’s voice came through, seemingly mixed with the sound of machinery, making it a bit noisy.

Holly said, "Mhm. I’m going to buy groceries and head home. You should come back when you’re off work."

"Okay." Mortimer was probably busy. He didn’t say much before hanging up.

Back home, Holly cleaned their small apartment from top to bottom before she started cooking rice and washing vegetables. By the time she finished, it was already past six.

Mortimer still wasn’t back.

She didn’t call to rush him. Instead, she took out a textbook and did problems at the coffee table. She lost track of time until a knock came at the door.

She got up to open the door. Seeing the familiar figure at the entrance, she said with a beaming smile, "Hubby, you’re back."

Spotting the item in his hand, she added joyfully, "Did you buy the durian mille-crepe from Yu Kee?"

Seeing her almond-shaped eyes widen, Mortimer chuckled. He raised the box and said, "Call me ’hubby’ one more time, and hubby will let you have it."

Holly obediently complied. But that rascal Mortimer, pushing his luck, leaned in and offered his cheek. "Give me a kiss."

Holly’s eyes darted around. A second later, she "kissed" him. Looking at the faint teeth marks on his cheek, she raised her chin in satisfaction. "Want another one?"

Mortimer let out a series of low chuckles. "Don’t be in such a hurry, wifey. The night is long. We can have hundreds of kisses; we’re not short on this one."

Holly: "..."

She snatched the durian mille-crepe from his hand and walked away.

Mortimer went to take a shower, so Holly went to the kitchen to stir-fry the dishes. She made two dishes and a soup. Just as she set them on the table, Mortimer came out in his pajamas.

After dinner, the two of them had dessert.

Holly habitually plopped down on the sofa, but Mortimer reached out and pulled her up, chiding in a low voice, "A habit I spent years breaking, and you’re bringing it right back. Get up and go for a walk."

"..."

Holly’s face fell instantly. She clung to the sofa. "I don’t want to. I still have problems to do, a lot of them."

She quickly added, "I’ll read while standing."

Seeing her standing by the wall with her book, Mortimer couldn’t help but laugh. He reached out and tapped her on the head. "Not going? Hmm? Should I carry you then?"

Holly: "..."

She looked at him and said seriously, "I’ve gained weight. You can’t carry me."

Mortimer: "..."

’Damn it, she’s absolutely hilarious.’

"Fine, stand and read then."

He went to the bedroom, grabbed a book on finance, and then sat on the sofa, crossing his long legs and looking completely relaxed.

Holly, who was standing and reading: "..."

’That damn Mortimer. He’s definitely doing this on purpose.’

She "fiercely" bared her teeth at him and growled, "Let’s go!"

Seeing her get all "bristly," Mortimer let out a low chuckle and deliberately teased her, "You know what? Let’s not go today after all."

Holly, now thoroughly "bristled," put down her book, pounced on him, and said through gritted teeth, "Quincy the Puppy, are you trying to pick a fight?"

Pinned down, Mortimer raised an eyebrow. With his hands on her waist, he replied, his voice full of desire, "How did you know, wifey?"

He paused for a moment before adding, "Hubby’s favorite kind of fight is a two-person one."

As he spoke, he flipped her over and pinned her underneath him. He raised a single eyebrow, his alpha aura on full display. "In this exact position."

Holly: "..."

In the end, the two of them still went out for a walk. They passed the barbecue stand in their residential complex, and the aroma was enticing. Holly shot Mortimer a look, her meaning obvious.

Mortimer shook his head without leaving any room for negotiation. "No."

Seeing that she was about to start pouting again, he patted her head. "Forgetting the date again? We can eat it after it’s gone."

Holly suddenly remembered her period was due in a few days. She giggled, "Okay." Then she shoved her hand into his pants pocket and deliberately scratched his palm.

It was nine o’clock when they got home. Holly called Wyatt Winslow and chatted for a few minutes.

Because her period was coming, Mortimer obviously couldn’t do anything. Holly smugly propped her leg on his, rested her head on his shoulder, and found a comfortable position to read.

Mortimer shot her a glance. ’Don’t come crying to me in a few days.’

After a dozen or so seconds, he retracted his gaze and also started to read.

The bedroom light stayed on until eleven o’clock before it was turned off.

...

The school clubs started their recruitment drives. Joining a club could earn you academic credits, so many students were competing for spots.

Holly went with her dorm mates to sign up. They squeezed through the crowds, and in the end, submitted applications to almost every club.

Later, interview notices would be sent out via text message.

Back in the dorm, Serena Shaw started making cynical remarks. "We probably don’t stand a chance. I heard you need connections to get into a club."

The academic credits weren’t easy to get, which was why so many people were signing up for clubs.

Simone Quincy sprayed some mist on her face, then gave each of them a spritz before saying, "If we don’t get in, so be it. It’s the taking part that counts. Should we go out for a meal today?"

Autumn Underwood agreed. "Sounds good."

Holly and Audrey Shaw had no objections either.

For dinner, they went for dry pot at a place right outside the school gate. Ahem, as luck would have it, they ran into Mortimer, Zeke Zane, and Pantheon’s group.

’That rascal Mortimer probably did it on purpose. Otherwise, with so many dry pot places around, why would they have to eat at the one she mentioned?’

Zeke Zane: "..."

He was starting to understand that Mortimer treating them to dinner was just a pretense; being with his girlfriend was the real reason.

Pantheon didn’t think too much of it, simply assuming it was a coincidence. He greeted her with pleasant surprise, "Sister-in-law, you guys are here to eat too? Eat with us! Our food hasn’t arrived yet."

"Ma’am, can we get a bigger pot?"

Holly looked at Autumn Underwood and the others, asking for their opinion. When they had no objections, they sat down.

Mortimer shifted the stool beside him halfway, gesturing for Holly to sit next to him.

Serena Shaw laughed and gave Holly a gentle push. "Holly, your boyfriend is calling you over."

Simone Quincy and Autumn Underwood couldn’t help but laugh.

After dinner, Mortimer and Holly naturally split off from the others and went for a stroll across campus.

Holly told him about signing up for clubs, then finished by asking, "Did you sign up?"

Mortimer shook his head. "Wifey, want to pull some strings?"

Holly looked at him in confusion. "Do you know someone?"

"Mhm." Mortimer raised an eyebrow.

"Who? A guy or a girl?" ’If it’s a girl, she’s definitely trying to steal my man,’ Holly thought.

Seeing the "catching a cheater" look in her eyes, Mortimer was so exasperated he laughed.

He tapped her on the forehead and said cryptically, "A guy. You know him."

"Holly Winslow’s husband, Mortimer Quincy."