Colin was still in the shower. I wanted to wait for him to fall asleep together."If you're tired, just sleep. Don't strain your eyes." The bed sank beside me as he finally climbed into bed. Looking at my strange posture, he chuckled and removed my hands that were prying my eyes open.I shamelessly rolled over and snuggled into his arms. His body was still warm from the shower and had the scent of shower gel.I rubbed against him like a little puppy, finding the most comfortable position to nestle in. "Colin, your birthday is coming soon."He grunted in response while gently stroking my back with his large hand, affectionately kissing my forehead before rubbing his chin against it. "And you're not sleeping because of that?""Mm, you've always celebrated my birthday before. So, this time, I want to celebrate yours properly.""It's just a birthday that happens every year. It's not a big deal. There's no need to make a fuss about celebrating it.""No, we're celebrating it." I was s
The entire creation process would be recorded, and there would be an additional score for creativity.The judging panel would score the artwork based on the actual situation in the rooms, which would be included in the total score.In summary, this competition was not just about painting skills but also about personal psychological maturity and creativity. Those who were fixed in their ways of painting would be eliminated by the times.This was considered a pioneering initiative for such competitions. It would provide greater room for expression and pose a greater challenge to artists, making it fairer and more transparent. This would serve as a new test as well.Therefore, it aroused great enthusiasm among students from famous universities nationwide. The number of participants doubled, and many students who did not sign up regretted missing such a good opportunity.Winston was a master of oil painting. The team he led had five members, three male and two female. They were all we
Just a moment ago, I almost thought that I would become that unlucky strawberry."Are you sure? I think you're quite the daring one! Young people nowadays really have no conscience. When they need you, they'll come to you eight times a day, almost begging each time. But once they become successful and famous, they'll kick you away without hesitation."What kind of society is this? Respecting the elders and valuing education has completely become just a meaningless phrase."The professor exaggeratedly pounded his chest and stomped his feet. He even squeezed out two tears from the corners of his eyes. It was as if once I uttered one more word of refusal, I would become the ungrateful student deserving of punishment."I definitely didn't mean that, but you can't just force it on me, right? I'm just thinking about your reputation. "Professor, think about it. I'm your apprentice. If I reluctantly do something uncertain and it goes wrong, both your reputation and ability to judge peopl
"I heard that there are four new tutors in the freshman year, all of them from graduate school. The response toward the other three tutors was mediocre except for you, Ms. Luna. Everyone had high praise for you. It's as if they worship you."This must be the psychological maturity that Professor King talked about. Come on, tell me, how did you brainwash the students? I want to learn too," Winston asked me with a smirk.I rolled my eyes at his remark.What was all this about? Why would I brainwash my own students? Why would I waste my time on something like that? It was useless.If the students said I was good and liked me, it was because of my personal charm and my skills in painting. It was definitely not some calculated strategy!But how could I explain this to him? There was no way to explain it. It was just not in my nature to play games.So, I kept my mouth shut and ignored him."Ms. Luna, I heard that the professor arranged for you to be our psychological counselor. Have y
We talked and bickered for a while until we saw the transparent dome of Crystal House."In fact, when it comes to psychological resilience, your inner personality traits play a significant role. While external influences may have some effect, the progress won't be very noticeable. Overall, it still depends on your self-discipline."If you lack this inner strength, it won't change the nervousness you feel when facing difficult situations."My words made Winston burst into laughter. "Ms. Luna, you really sound like a 60-year-old scholar."Scholar? I was clearly a pretty young woman.But before I could explode in anger, Winston took the opportunity and redirected the conversation. "So, what we need is practical experience, not just theoretical knowledge. We can read up on psychology, but we can't truly empathize without experiencing it ourselves."That was true.I stopped in my tracks to ponder. I couldn't really disregard the professor's arrangement as he had entrusted this matter
I knew many young, handsome men, and they all had their own charm.The 18-year-old Felix was aloof and proud; the Matthew who became the heir of his family was reserved and bold; Andrew was outgoing but possessive; Maxime who taught me weaving was the embodiment of elegance.And Colin, whose face was as mesmerizing as the moon and whose eyes sparkled like the stars, could be gentle yet fearless when needed. The mole next to his eyes added to his allure. If an incubus truly existed in this world, it'd be him.As exceptional as he was, Colin kept a low profile. He focused on his work and me, maintaining a polite distance with everyone or everything. Nevertheless, he was a regular on the Confession Wall. Even I, who barely paid attention to the goings-on on campus, had heard about how popular he was among the ladies.So when he stood on the path leading to Crystal House under the sunlight, it was like gazing at a masterpiece. Inside Crystal House, other than Winston and me who wer
"Come back, Wendy. Mr. White is here to pick Luna up. Don't be a third wheel now," called out a male student, disregarding whether the whole revelation would put Wendy in an awkward situation."Wait, is that true, Mr. White? Luna is your girlfriend?" Wendy covered her mouth in disbelief. Her eyes lit up as if she was surprised and delighted to learn that I was Colin's girlfriend."Yes." Colin nodded and walked toward me, who was standing by the entrance. He tucked a lock of hair behind my ears and grabbed my hand. "I came to pick her up for lunch."Sheesh. Did he have to perform all these romantic gestures in public? Where was his decorum as a lecturer? Everyone would mock him.I blushed uncontrollably and whispered to him that he should stand farther from me. However, he ignored my demands and pulled me into his arms. Several other students screamed loudly, especially Wendy, who nearly confessed to him just now. She was so happy that she was kicking her feet.Seriously? Even the
With Winston's convincing suggestion, Colin lost his right to decide how he wanted to celebrate his 29th birthday. I felt sorry for him but was also relieved that it turned out this way. Thank goodness I hadn't started brainstorming what to do for his birthday. Otherwise, I would've worked for nothing.And now, everyone was eager to throw Colin his birthday party. All I had to do was be there to celebrate the joyous occasion. Colin was new to the college and was already very popular, thanks to his impressive talent and charming personality.At around 1:00 pm, everyone had their fill of good food. Colin went to get the bill while several mischievous students covered their mouths and sniggered as if they were about to pull a prank.The payment went about normally. Noticing my confusion, he gave me the bill. I looked at it and almost had a heart attack. 3,700 dollars? How much did they order?I had nothing to do when I went back. But since everyone had such an eventful morning, to avo