Reborn with My Genius Husband-Chapter 76: A Cold War Is Impossible

Holly Winslow couldn’t have cared less if he was unhappy. She ignored him and focused on her homework.

Mortimer Quincy shot her an aggrieved look, then rested his head on the desk to sulk under the guise of sleeping.

Scholar Quincy kept lifting his head and then putting it back down, making it impossible for Holly Winslow to do her homework. ’...’

’So childish, Mortimer.’

She gave up on her homework and rested her head on the desk to sleep as well.

It was her silent way of telling him his resistance was futile.

Mortimer was speechless. ’...’

Pantheon found it a bit strange that he hadn’t seen the lovebirds in front of him talk all afternoon. He nudged Zeke Zane and gestured for him to look ahead.

Zeke Zane glanced over, then rolled his eyes at Pantheon. ’Why’s a single guy like you getting so worked up over them?’

Just then, Holly Winslow shook her pink water bottle. It was empty. She instinctively held it out to the sulking Mortimer beside her. "Get me some water."

Mortimer Quincy took the bottle, giving in to his girlfriend’s point-deduction system. He stated a condition, "Add two points."

Holly Winslow nodded readily and took out her notebook to add two points for him.

Pantheon glanced over curiously. ’...’

’A whole section for "Slick Remarks"?’

’And another for "Banned Words"?’

’What the hell?’

’As a single guy, he couldn’t make heads or tails of it.’

...

During the second period on Wednesday, Mortimer Quincy finished his love letter and exchanged it with Holly Winslow.

Holly Winslow looked at the red, heart-shaped note and mentally complimented Scholar Quincy. She carefully tucked it under a book to read it in secret, but within seconds, her expression soured.

’...’

Mortimer Quincy’s "love letter" read: ’Holly, it’s me, your husband, Mortimer Quincy. To help you become an even better student, I’ve created a customized study plan just for you.’

’Math: Your fundamentals are weak. You need to memorize more formulas. Also, you’re not doing enough practice problems. I’ve already ordered some math practice tests for you online. One per day.’

He had written a plan for all six subjects, and it was quite detailed. He had clearly put some thought into it.

But she was not happy that he had turned a love letter into a study plan.

’I don’t want a husband anymore.’

After taking a deep breath, Holly Winslow took out her demerit notebook, deducted a full 1,000 points, and then shot Mortimer Quincy a look.

Mortimer Quincy was still immersed in Holly Winslow’s love letter. When he saw the "–1000," he hadn’t processed it yet. "Wha—"

Then, it slowly dawned on him. ’...’

He leaned close to Holly Winslow, his low voice so heart-melting it felt like it reached her bones. "Honey, I love you."

"Honey, I love you."

"Honey, I love you."

"Honey, I love you."

...

The pouting Holly Winslow was instantly placated. She huffed twice; she was a total sucker for this side of him.

Seeing her soften, Mortimer Quincy reached over, took the demerit notebook, and tore out the first page. "Honey, stop deducting points. I’m not going to follow these rules anyway."

’Giving her the silent treatment is out of the question.’

But he still had to soothe his girlfriend’s feelings. He leaned his face even closer. "Here, you can pinch me."

Holly Winslow didn’t hold back. She reached out and pinched him a few times, muttering softly, "Stupid husband."

"Yep, I’m a stupid husband." Mortimer Quincy had his methods for coaxing Holly Winslow down pat. When his girlfriend was angry, he had to go along with her.

...

That afternoon was the English speech competition. The entire school wasn’t required to attend; only the contestants and the faculty judges went to the sports field.

Holly Winslow was the ninth contestant, scheduled right around dinner time. After his afternoon self-study session, Mortimer Quincy went to the school store and bought two buns and two cartons of milk.

He then headed to the sports field, where quite a few students were already watching.

Being tall, Mortimer Quincy immediately spotted Holly Winslow in her white pullover sweater and black jeans. Her hair was in a ponytail, and she was looking down, mouthing the words to her speech. A wisp of hair had drifted to the corner of her lips.

A boy with glasses was sitting next to her, staring at her nonstop.

Mortimer pursed his lips in displeasure, walked through the crowd, and stood beside Holly Winslow. Brimming with jealousy, he asked the boy, "Good view?"

The boy froze for a second, then blushed, got up, and left his seat.

Mortimer Quincy sat down, tore open a bun, and handed it to Holly Winslow. "Eat."

Holly Winslow took it and, smiling, leaned close to his ear to say, "My jealous husband, you reek of vinegar." After speaking, she took a bite of the bun.

Mortimer then handed her the milk, with the straw already inserted, and casually draped his arm over the back of her chair. "Want a taste? Free for life."

Holly Winslow was speechless. ’...’

Holly Winslow was halfway through her food when it was her turn. She shoved the rest of the bun and milk into Mortimer Quincy’s hands and went onstage.

With English skills good enough to be a teacher’s, and having given a speech to the whole school before, she wasn’t the least bit flustered. She began her speech, "Good afternoon, everybody! It’s my honor to speak here, and I am very glad to share my topic with you. Today, I’d like to talk about learning methods..."

Mortimer Quincy took out his phone and snapped a picture. Just as he was about to post it to his feed, he saw a friend request—from "Summer Wind."

’Father-in-law.’

He paused, exited the friend request screen, went to his settings, and set all his previous posts to private. Only then did he accept Wyatt Winslow’s friend request.

Before he could send anything, a message came from Wyatt Winslow: Is Holly with you? She’s not picking up her phone.

Mortimer Quincy was speechless. ’...’

’I knew it. My father-in-law wouldn’t have added me for no reason.’

He sent the picture he had just taken, then typed a message: Uncle Winslow, Holly is in the middle of the English speech competition.

Wyatt Winslow replied with an "Mm" and then went silent.

Mortimer Quincy was speechless again. ’...’

’If Wyatt Winslow’s name wasn’t still on my friends list, I would’ve thought he’d deleted me again.’

When Holly Winslow came off the stage, he showed her the phone. "Your dad was looking for you."

Holly Winslow’s phone was back in the dorm. She took Mortimer Quincy’s phone to call Wyatt Winslow, but he immediately hung up.

Holly Winslow was speechless. ’...’

’He must think it’s a spam call.’

She tried calling again, and Wyatt Winslow hung up again.

When she tried a third time, she discovered that Wyatt Winslow had blocked Mortimer Quincy’s number.

Meeting Mortimer Quincy’s aggrieved gaze, she rubbed the tip of her nose. "I’ll get Dad to unblock you when I get home."

The results of the competition wouldn’t be announced until the next day. Holly Winslow checked her watch; there were still twenty minutes until the evening self-study session. "Mortimer, have you done your classroom cleaning duties yet?"

It was Mortimer Quincy’s group’s turn to clean this week. There was a big clean-up every Wednesday.

"Not yet." Mortimer Quincy handed the bun and milk he was holding back to her, then started on his own food.

Back in the classroom, Holly Winslow grabbed a broom to help Mortimer Quincy clean his group’s section. She started sweeping from the front, and he swept from the back.

Zeke Zane and Pantheon, returning from dinner, were rendered speechless. ’...’

’I really hate being in this classroom this year.’

’No matter what you do, you’re reminded of the profound sadness of being single.’

When Holly Winslow reached her and Mortimer Quincy’s desks, she became very thorough, sweeping out the crevices in the corner and around the desk legs. She happened to glance into Mortimer’s desk drawer and saw several more love letters.

She took them out, threw them on the floor, and swept them up with the rest of the trash.

When Mortimer Quincy saw this, he raised an eyebrow, very satisfied with his girlfriend’s jealousy.

After they finished sweeping, they started wiping down the balcony and windows. Since Mortimer was tall, he took care of the windows. He was wearing a hoodie, and when he stretched his arms up, a small section of his firm waist was exposed.

When Holly Winslow saw it, she habitually walked over and hugged his waist.

Her soft fingers brushed against the exposed skin of his waist. Mortimer’s body stiffened, and he turned his head to look at her.

A few seconds later, he cursed ’Fuck!’ in his mind, then said in a low, hoarse voice, "Holly, let’s take the day off and go home."

He said it so suddenly that Holly Winslow didn’t immediately register it. "Take the day off for what?"

"Take the day off and go home..." Mortimer pulled his hand back, tossed the rag into the bucket, then grabbed her by the wrist. "To hug... or to *do* it. Either is fine."