Chapter 14

Vivian consoled her colleague but was relieved. Her life seemingly returned back to normal. Edward Levin’s sudden appearance gave her a fright, then disappeared without a trace.

She registered for an entrance exam in her former school. The academic advisor was her original academic advisor. He had been seeking knowledge his entire life and was an upright and meticulous scholar. Despite his fondness for her as his pupil, he made it clear that she had to pass the entrance exam through her own merits and that he would not be pulling any strings for her. Vivian sent an emoji of a face with tears of joy to her lecturer to express her sadness and helplessness.

Her parents were not as supportive of her decision to study for her doctorate. Although her family was not exactly rich, they did not exactly lack funds either. They felt that she could enjoy an easy life and did not need to exhaust herself like that. Luckily, she had Liam’s support, so he checked through the data and ran the errands flawlessly. Vivian only detested the fact that he was in a completely different field. Their different professions meant that they were worlds apart, thus he could not tutor her.

As she strived to sail through the sea of knowledge, her family members continuously enjoyed many blessings. First, Mr. and Mrs. Carraway won a free vacation by a stroke of luck. The elderly couple jetted off to visit the beautiful mountains and rivers of their beloved country. Then, Liam received a valuable opportunity to join a workshop abroad.

Vivian was both jealous and proud. She could not help but sulk in jealousy as she helped Liam pack. She threw his suitcase onto the floor and exclaimed bitterly, “I don’t care. I’m going to be a nag. Why should I pretend to be a good wife?”

Liam chuckled as he walked towards her and held her down. “I won’t go if you don’t want me to. Your parents aren’t home and I don’t feel comfortable with leaving you here all on your own.”

This was all just talk. She was not a child, so it was not like she needed a guardian to keep her company all the time. Besides, this was a rare opportunity for him and would benefit him in the future. She grabbed him by the collar. “Don’t worry. I won’t stand in your way when it really matters,” she said, half-sincere, “Relax and enjoy picking up foreign skills, dear husband. I’ll go back to school and bury myself in books. In the future, we’ll be together again and live happily ever after.”

Her cheekiness made Liam burst into laughter. He lowered his head and showered her with kisses. He peeled her clothes off as they fooled around, then he teased her, “Allow me to leave you with a token. I shall marry you when I return.”

The pair quickly embraced intimately. His breathing became rapid, but his eyes were like gentle pools of water. “I love you, Viv,” he declared.

She bent down and kissed him on the lips. “I love you too, Liam,” she replied.

She loved him too. Very, very much.

After sending Liam off, she really did pack her bag and went off to revise her homework at school. Every day, she would join the students and sit in the library. She was frequently mistaken for a student too. In less than two days, boys regularly volunteered to save her a seat.

When she mentioned this during a call with Liam, she sounded rather pleased. “Oh, you’ve definitely hit the jackpot by marrying me. I’ve got such delicate features that by the time you’re in your fifties, I’ll look like I’m in my early thirties. Then, people will think of you as a successful man. Otherwise, how could have you possibly gotten a young girl like me?”

Liam smiled as he played along with her. Then, he reminded her to take care of herself. “If it’s too much for you, resign. If you fail this year, we can always take the exam again next year. It’s not like I can’t support you.”

“F*ck you! You jinx. What makes you think I won’t pass this year? Can you not underestimate my intelligence? I was known for my gifted intellect in the past!” She spat at him but was afraid that he was still worried, so she assured him, “There’s really nothing much to do at the university. Students these days are pretty mature and rarely cause trouble for me.”

The very next after she said this, a student in her class unexpectedly brought trouble to her. As some would say, there were consequences of boasting.