Uh-huh?

Looking at the girl in front of him who wore a somewhat regretful expression, Bai Ye couldn't help but chuckle:

"You didn't want to learn just a moment ago, and now you don't want to leave?"

"It's all because Jingu-kun teaches so well..." Sato lowered her head slightly.

"He certainly teaches well," Horikita said coldly. "Sato-san, do you have a problem with me? It took you three times to understand when I taught you, but you got it on the first try with him?"

"Because..."

"That is your reason right there, Suzune. Haven't you realized the difference between your teaching style and mine?"

"I know, but I still think your method is too troublesome. If all teachers taught like you, wouldn't they be exhausted to death?"

"Naturally, there are different teaching methods for different people. There is an idiom in China called 'teaching according to the student's aptitude.' Only I can understand your method; someone like Sato, who is a bit of a dunderhead, naturally wouldn't grasp it."

"That's her own fault. Who told her to be slow?"

"No, that's just your perspective. In the eyes of true geniuses, there is no difference between you and Sato. If they used terminology you didn't understand, would you be able to learn it?"

"Um..." Sato raised her hand weakly.

"What?" Both of them looked at her simultaneously.

"N-nothing..."

Sato really wanted to defend herself.

She wasn't a dunderhead!

Also, if the two of you are going to argue, could you please not insult her in the process?

She could accept it from Horikita, but being called that by Bai Ye made her feel a sense of loss in her heart.

She was not a dunderhead!

She said it again to herself.

In the end, Bai Ye won this argument, and Horikita eventually yielded to him, deciding to use his method to teach Sato next time.

Without realizing it, Sato felt as though she had become a lab rat.

However, she felt that this was actually quite good. For the first time, she discovered another side of Horikita—that she wasn't the type of girl who refused to listen to anything. As long as one reasoned with her properly, it was possible to win her approval.

But then she thought, not just anyone could reason with her. It was only because Bai Ye was her boyfriend; if she tried to reason with Horikita, she wouldn't pay her any mind at all.

Because the other party already considered her a dunderhead!

"..."

"Then I'll see you tomorrow. Bye-bye, Horikita-san, Jingu-kun."

After agreeing to meet at the same spot for tutoring tomorrow, Sato said her goodbyes and left.

Once she was gone, Horikita said calmly:

"Tell me, why are you tutoring her?"

"Wasn't it you who wanted to tutor her?"

"I only chose to help her because I saw you had no intention of refusing... and through my observations just now, I believe she... seems to like you."

Horikita frowned slightly.

"I know, but it's not as serious as you imagine. After all, people are naturally drawn to attractive members of the opposite sex. Since she's so close to me, it's normal for her to have such thoughts. It would be the same if it were any other handsome guy."

"Very well then."

Horikita nodded and asked no more.

"Let's go back. Didn't you have a 'little sister' you wanted to introduce to me?"

"Yes, I've already had her wait in my dorm. Follow me."

As soon as the two entered the dorm, they saw Wang Meiyu running toward them.

Her expression seemed a bit anxious, but upon seeing the two of them holding hands, she puffed out her cheeks.

Bai Ye spoke first:

"Let me introduce you. Meiyu, this is my girlfriend. You should call her..."

"Hello, sister-in-law."

"Mm." Horikita nodded slightly and just stared at her. Only when she saw the girl looking like she was about to run away did she say, "He has already told me about your situation. I'll leave things to you from now on."

"I wouldn't dare..."

Wang Meiyu was filled with trepidation. This aloof woman was actually being so polite.

Could it be a conspiracy? Trying to win her favor first and then, when she least expected it... snap.

Seeing Wang Meiyu's increasingly terrified expression, Horikita couldn't help but pat her own forehead.

Only then did she patiently explain:

"Don't worry, I won't do anything to you. If I were to bully you, he wouldn't let me off the hook either."

In fact, Bai Ye had already spoken to her on the way here, telling her not to bully Wang Meiyu.

Although she was a bit annoyed, she still agreed to it.

Actually, she wasn't the type of person who liked to control her boyfriend; as long as he didn't do anything out of line, she couldn't be bothered to care.

But when it came to Bai Ye, her thoughts were slightly different.

She didn't really want to see Bai Ye getting too close to other girls, because whenever that happened, she felt empty inside, as if he might leave her at any moment.

She had experienced this feeling before, with the older brother who had always taken care of her.

She... was ultimately still an immature person.

With all sorts of chaotic thoughts in her mind, she successfully became friends with Wang Meiyu under Bai Ye's mediation.

Moreover, looking into those innocent eyes, she slowly developed a sense of "pity."

Now she finally understood why Bai Ye wanted to look after this "little sister."

This "little sister" was indeed very cute.

...Much cuter than her.

After Wang Meiyu left, Bai Ye looked at the restless, cold beauty and couldn't help but pull her onto the chair at his desk, while he sat on the edge of the bed.

"What's wrong? You've been in a bad mood since we started."

"Nothing... I was just thinking about something."

"Then let me tell you a joke."

"Don't... yours aren't funny at all..."

"It's just that your standards are too high. Even dogs used to laugh at the jokes I told."

"You've told jokes to a dog?" Horikita looked at him suspiciously.

"Yeah, I was too bored living alone back then, so the butler got me a Tibetan Mastiff. It would laugh every time I told a joke."

"You..." Horikita frowned, suddenly feeling something was off. "Wait... how can a dog laugh? Are you messing with me?"

"It could. That butler told me that when the dog was happy, it would chase people and bite them, so it must have been laughing quite happily."

"..."

Horikita glared at him, the corners of her mouth twitching upward. "You're sick..."

"See? You laughed."

Bai Ye winked at her.

It was quite sad to think about, but he really had thought that way at the time. He had genuinely believed that dog had a unique personality, only to find out later after checking some information that dogs don't actually laugh.

He didn't like to bring up those things.

However, he had managed to make Horikita laugh after all.

"I'm going to read for a bit, don't bother me."

Horikita pulled a book she hadn't finished reading last time from his desk and started to read.

"Alright."

He stared at the ceiling, feeling a bit bored.

"..."

Seeming to feel she had neglected him, Horikita shifted her chair to face him. After a moment of hesitation, she lifted her beautiful legs, clad in black over-the-knee socks, and gently rested them on his lap.

"Horikita, you..."

"Didn't you want to play? ...Do whatever you want."

She then added in a cold tone, "It's fine if you take the socks off, too."

"Oh."

Bai Ye nervously placed his hands on those beautiful legs. He looked up at Horikita and, seeing that she truly didn't seem bothered, he felt relieved and began to play with them boldly.

Of course, he wasn't going to be too rough; after all, these were the legs of the woman he loved most, so he had to examine them carefully.

At the same time, he observed Horikita's expression. Seeing that her pretty face remained calm and her reading pace was the same as usual, he couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration.

But when he slowly peeled off her stockings and his fingers gripped her bare, fair, and tender soles, her expression finally shifted slightly, and a rosy flush bloomed on her fair face.

As his movements intensified, Horikita's breathing grew heavier and heavier.

Those beautiful eyes were no longer clear, and Bai Ye noticed that although her gaze was still on the book, the page hadn't been turned for a long time.

He smiled and said, "Suzune, you've already finished this page."

"Get lost..."

Horikita immediately pulled back her legs, put her stockings back on, and hurried out of his room under his teasing gaze.

Her face was flushed a deep crimson.