Chapter 41: Computer Class Can Certainly Crash!

Chapter 41: Computer Class Can Certainly Crash!

"Thank you, Rick."

Linda’s grey eyes focus on me, showing the first real spark of life I’ve seen in them today. Staring back at her, I can’t shake the feeling that having her as my permanent seatmate is either going to be an absolute disaster or the best thing that’s happened to me all semester. On the bright side, she smells incredible, looks even better, and doesn’t feel the need to fill every silence with pointless chatter.

Before I can think on it any further, Victoria steps up to the podium. She opens her notebook, adjusting her posture before looking out at the rows of students to address the room.

"Welcome to the introductory Micro and Macroeconomics business course," Victoria says, her voice carrying a crisp, authoritative edge that instantly commands attention. "I am Teacher Long. I will be taking attendance today for the very first time. After this afternoon, you are entirely on your own. Come to class, or don't. It is your own money and your own grades on the line. However, do pay close attention to where you are currently sitting, because this seating arrangement will remain unchanged for the rest of the semester."

She pushes her glasses up the bridge of her nose, her eyes scanning the lecture hall as she begins calling out names, methodically writing down seat numbers next to each entry to match the faces to the grid.

"Dean Dong?"

"Right here, Teacher Long!"

"Cat Woo?"

"I'm here!"

I look past the row toward the white-haired girl sitting right next to Jim. My eyes narrow slightly as pieces connect in my head. That’s Steve Woo’s wife.

Glancing sideways, I catch Tina and Jennifer shifting their gazes toward her too. It looks like they’ve heard plenty of gossip about her before, but this is the first time they’re seeing her in the flesh.

"Linda Lang?"

"I'm here, Teacher Long," Linda answers quietly beside me.

"And lastly, Rick Lee?"

Victoria’s gaze lands squarely on me. Because she’s a professional, she doesn’t let a single flicker of recognition cross her face. She treats me exactly like every other face in the room, keeping a perfect wall between our private life and the university. I can't help but feel a tiny smirk tugging at my mouth.

Alright, my internal appreciation for her just went up a solid notch for being so level-headed.

"Rick Lee, I would like to ask you to serve as my teaching assistant for this course," Victoria announces, her eyes locking onto mine with an unreadable expression. "Your advanced grasp of the subject will be a strong asset to the classroom. In exchange, I will personally guarantee you a prime internship position for university credits. Will you take on this responsibility for me?"

I lean back in my chair, calculating the offer. The internship program she’s talking about is usually reserved for the upperclassmen in the business major, forcing them to pull part-time shifts at local firms for academic credit while the professor grades their actual workplace performance. With so many business students competing across different colleges and departments, finding a decent opening that isn't just fetching coffee is an absolute nightmare.

"If it doesn't get in the way of my regular studies, then sure," I reply casually.

"Thank you. I will have a copy of the roster ready for you shortly," Victoria says with a sharp nod. "Moving forward, I will have you handle the attendance logs while class is actively in session. Now, to begin our first lesson..."

Instead of wasting time on a watered-down, boring syllabus lecture, Victoria dives straight into the real material.

I pull out my notebook, listening intently. Up until I turned eighteen, the system had crammed an entire lifetime of advanced business knowledge straight into my brain, hardwiring it directly into my memories. But that knowledge came with a major hitch.

Any new information, market shifts, or regulations that come out after my eighteenth birthday have to be learned the old-fashioned way. My mind has master-tier business instincts, but it doesn't update in real time. I know this specific year's business tax codes inside and out, but I don't inherently know next year's.

Because of that, I already understand everything Victoria is putting on the board. But if she drops any niche case studies or financial updates from the last two months, I actually have to focus to pick them up. Building on top of my existing skills makes learning new material a breeze, but if I ever want to manually push my abilities to an absolute master level, I have to put in the hours like everyone else. There's no sleeping through lectures for me.

To my right, James is breaking a sweat frantically scribbling down every single sentence coming out of her mouth. I take a much more modern approach for my university classes.

I pull my custom laptop out of my bag, resting it on the desk to type out streamlined notes, keeping a couple of background windows open to pass the time if things get slow. I catch Linda glancing over at my screen every few minutes. She’s still using a standard pen and paper, probably not a big tech person. To be fair, before my life got flipped upside down, I was way too broke to care about high-end computers either.

The machine I'm using sits inside a heavy, solid titanium briefcase fitted with a heavy-duty physical lock. I built the laptop myself, adding modified extra battery packs into the frame so I can keep it running for days on end without needing a wall outlet. More importantly, underneath the custom-cut foam interior lining of the case, I’ve got a couple of hidden weapons tucked away just in case a situation on campus gets ugly.

The lecture passes by incredibly fast. Victoria is a natural at commanding a room, proving she’s actually phenomenal at her job rather than just being eye candy at the front of the hall.

"So, that covers the core framework for the first half of the semester," Victoria says, closing her digital presentation. "If any of you run into questions, send an email to my inbox and I will get back to you as soon as possible. I am letting you out ten minutes early today so those of you who are new can find your way around campus. See you next session."

The lecture hall instantly erupts into noise as students start packing up their gear. I pack my laptop away, snap the titanium locks shut, and lean over to James.

"I’ll meet you over at the computer lab," I tell him. "I need to drop Tina off at her next room first, so head over and save me a spot in the back row."

Linda looks up, clearly wanting to say something to me but seemingly unable to find the words. She just watches me quietly while gathering her own books. Honestly, I don't really know how to talk to her either.

I don't hate her anymore, but the air between us is still completely awkward. Part of me wants to strike up a massive, flirtatious conversation just to absolutely break Scott’s sanity, but that’s a pretty terrible reason to use someone. Maybe as the semester goes on, we'll find a normal rhythm. I just give her a short, casual nod before walking over to where Tina is waiting with her bag packed.

"Your introductory management class is right on the way to my lab," I say, swinging my briefcase into my hand. "Let's move so I don't end up late."

As we step out into the hallway, Scott intentionally brushes past us, his face twisted into a heavy scowl. Looking at his sour expression, I can’t help but think about the hilarious details I recently discovered about our family tree. The idiot has absolutely no clue that I know he's my cousin. He also has no idea that I'm fully aware of his father’s strict orders to stop our little street fights. Having that kind of leverage feels amazing.

"Hey, Scott! Great seeing you out here, buddy," I call out, flashing him a massive, completely fake grin. "Let's make sure to have a ton of fun together this year."

Scott stops dead in his tracks, spinning around to glare at me. Seeing my face full of pure, unadulterated joy makes his veins pop. He knows he can’t just order his goons to punch me out in the middle of a campus hallway anymore, and the forced restraint is making his blood boil. Then, something seems to click in his head. He glances down the hall toward the engineering wing, a nasty smirk spreading across his lips.

"Enjoy that smile while you can, Lee," he spits out. "You won't be wearing it for long."

"Oh yeah? By the way, how are your two oversized gorillas doing?" I ask, leaning in slightly. "I heard a nasty rumor that they had a bad slip-and-fall in a public bathroom. Must have been a real bloody mess for the hospital staff that day, huh?"

For a split second, Scott looks completely blindsided. He hadn't even considered the possibility that I was the one who systematically dismantled his personal bodyguards. Seeing the completely satisfied, cold smirk on my face, his eyes widen in realization. He raises a finger, pointing it directly at my chest, but since I didn't actually utter an official confession, he can only huff out a breath of pure rage, turning on his heel to storm off.

Tina watches his retreating back, raising an eyebrow at me. "What was all that about?"

"Oh, nothing much," I reply as we start walking again. "I ambushed those two massive bodyguards he always used to send to beat me up. I put them both straight into the hospital intensive care unit without them ever catching a glimpse of my face. I just figured it was about time I let Scott know exactly who did it."

We weave through the crowded courtyard toward the management building.

"Because breaking their bones once wasn't nearly enough," I continue, keeping my voice low. "I want them to come looking for me again for a second round. If they ever get anywhere near my wives, I won't just break them—I'll put them in the dirt. I'm keeping tabs on every single move they make."

Tina steps closer, leaning her head toward my shoulder to whisper into my ear. "Now that university is officially back in session, Number Six is going to be making his move to challenge you. He is another candidate my father personally handpicked. Make sure you don't forget the engagement rules when he drops the challenge."

I stop at the corner, giving her a flat, thoroughly annoyed look. "You still haven't given me a straight answer as to why you dragged me into this ridiculous battle royal in the first place."

Tina’s lips curve into a playful, knowing smile. "If I told you the real reason I picked you is because out of every single guy I've met over the last four years, you were the only male who never looked at me with pure, unfiltered lust... would you actually believe me?"

"Of course I did, plenty of times!" I scoff, rolling my eyes. "And what does that have to do with making me fight a bunch of corporate martial artists? Stop talking like some cryptic old martial arts master."

Tina chuckles, her eyes gleaming with mischief as she throws out a bizarre question. "Then tell me, before the specific day you broke into the twins' locker room, what kind of fantasies did you have about me?"

I open my mouth to retort, but the words stall in my throat. Before that day? Honestly, none. I only started actively thinking about her body after I actually started working alongside her.

"See? You never did," Tina says, capturing my hesitation instantly. "What about after that day? Have you ever actively pictured my face during one of your sexual encounters, or when you're taking care of things yourself?"

I feel a sudden wave of heat hit my face. Why does this conversation make me feel like I’m being put on trial just for having normal boundaries? And why on earth is she so completely fixated on my sex life?

"The look on your face tells me my observations were entirely correct," Tina notes, her voice dropping into a softer, more probing tone. "So let me ask you directly, Rick. Do you actually find me attractive?"

"You're easily on the top ten list of the most beautiful women I've ever laid eyes on," I admit bluntly, refusing to back down. "So yeah, obviously you're attractive."

Like an instructor pushing a student through a difficult exam, she presses right past my defense, her questions getting even more forward. "Let's play pretend for a second. If you were my husband, would you have sex with me?"

"Now you're just asking completely stupid questions," I say, throwing my hands up in exasperation. "By default, that is exactly what being a husband implies. Obviously."

She nods her head slowly, a dangerous, seductive spark lighting up her eyes as she takes a final step into my personal space. "Then would you take me into one of these empty classrooms right now and have sex with me?"

"No," I answer instantly, my voice entirely flat as I take a step back. "Your questions are completely out of line for a bodyguard arrangement. Stop messing with my head and get to class."

With a winner’s smile, Tina points a finger right at my chest and answers my first question.

"This is exactly why I picked you," she says, her eyes flashing with absolute satisfaction. "You aren't blindly chasing after me or obsessing over my body like every other guy on this campus. Your only real goal is to beat the hell out of Steve Woo and keep him from taking home the prize."

I let out a heavy, exhausted sigh, shaking my head at her. "I swear I don't get you sometimes, Tina. Look, here's your room. Go inside and find a seat before I end up late for my own class."

Tina laughs, punching my arm softly as she steps toward the open doorway. "Actually, the real reason I picked you is because of something I witnessed back during our freshman year. I will never forget that day as long as I live. But I am only going to tell you the full story after you win this whole thing."

I watch her sway into the classroom, her hips moving with a confident rhythm that turns every single head in the room. Walking away, my mind starts spinning. What the hell could she have possibly seen me do back during our first year of high school? And if she had a real reason all along, what was the point of all those crazy, probing questions she just threw at me in the hallway?

Once I make sure she’s safely settled in a lecture hall where no random guys are going to mess with her, I turn on my heel and push through the crowd toward the engineering wing for my computer lab.

As I walk down the long, linoleum-tiled hallway, I can't help but think about how weird the whole situation is. I am fully aware of how incredibly attractive Tina is, yet I've never actually sat down and fantasized about her. But right now, remembering the way she just smiled at me leaves a strange, warm feeling in my chest. I guess it’s just proof that we're actually becoming close friends. Who knew you could actually just be normal friends with a gorgeous girl?

"Rick! Over here! There's only one seat left!"

James’ voice cuts straight through my thoughts the exact second I step through the heavy door of the computer lab. I look toward the back-left corner of the room, expecting to just see my buddy waving me over. Instead, my eyes lock onto two sisters I haven't seen in what feels like an eternity. I freeze right in the doorway, completely stunned.

The computer lab is laid out in a massive, rigid grid. There are three rows of long desks running down the left side, one block in the middle, and another section on the right. Each desk is packed with four desktop computer monitors, creating four complete rows from the front of the room to the back. The instructor's main console sits right at the front center of the floor, leaving an even forty-two computer stations open for the students.

Right in the back corner, James is sitting on the outer edge nearest to the main aisle. Nichole is sitting right next to him. To her left, there is a single empty chair, and pinned directly against the far wall is Nadia, wearing a massive, mischievous grin like she just pulled off the ultimate prank.

James shoots me a totally helpless look, silently signaling that he tried his best to keep the seat next to him open, but the twins had clearly forced their way into the row and taken over the spot.

I quickly wipe any emotion from my face, schooling my expression into a look of casual indifference as I approach the desk. I look at the twins like they are nothing more than random classmates.

"Um, I’m not sure it’s a great idea for me to sit right between you two," I say, keeping my voice level. "People might get the wrong impression. Besides, James is my lab partner."

Nichole is already typing away at her keyboard, her eyes glued to her monitor as she answers me without even glancing up.

"No, if I let you two idiots sit together, I’ll have to spend the next two hours listening to you gossip and crack stupid jokes," she says, her voice dripping with artificial coldness. "We are actually here to learn. Plus, my sister is absolute garbage with computers. You can tutor both of us if we run into issues, since your friend James here couldn't stop bragging about what a tech genius you are. Do you have an actual problem with that, Lee?"

Jesus Christ. If I didn't already know her true character, I would want to slap her just for that incredibly annoying, condescending tone. But since I know for a fact that they are just putting on a massive show for the surrounding students, I decide to play right along with the act.

"Are you Tang girls trying to mess with me on Scott's orders?" I ask, narrowing my eyes.

Still refusing to look at me, Nichole simply points a finger at the empty chair between her and Nadia. "Sit down and shut up already. It is the literal last open seat in the room and class is starting. Humph."

Glancing over, I see James looking away, pretending to be deeply fascinated by his blank monitor to avoid feeling guilty for selling me out with his big mouth. Inwardly, though, I am absolutely thrilled. I pull out the chair, drop my titanium briefcase onto the floor, and slide into the seat before powering on the desktop.

Sitting crammed between Nadia and Nichole after a long summer away feels completely bizarre. We talk through encrypted text messages all the time, but actually sitting this close, feeling the heat off their bodies, and smelling their perfume is a completely different story.

Before I can say anything, the instructor marches into the lab, loudly greeting the room as she drops her bag and starts setting up the digital projector for the afternoon lecture.

Suddenly, a soft, warm hand slips underneath the edge of the desk, pressing firmly against my right thigh. The fingers gently squeeze my leg, conveying a deep sense of comfort and reassurance, silently telling me that nothing has changed between us.

I cut my eyes to the right to look at the culprit. Nichole is casually moving her mouse around with her right hand, while her left arm is hidden completely beneath the desk, stealthily rubbing my thigh. Her face is a total mask of innocence, looking as if the hand on my leg belongs to someone else entirely.

Gulp.

My throat tightens, and I can literally hear myself swallow as I catch a tiny, almost invisible twitch at the edge of Nichole’s lips. She is absolutely loving my reaction. Before I can process it, Nadia taps my left shoulder, leaning over toward my side of the desk to point at her screen.

"Hey, Lee, how do I register on this portal?" she asks out loud.

I know exactly what she's doing. She’s using the screen as an excuse to get me to lean in close, and the second my ear is near her lips, her voice drops into a tiny, breathless whisper.

"Hiya, Ricky. Did you miss me~? Oh, and just remember not to be mad at me, okay? It was entirely Nichole’s idea to tell that massive lie, not mine! Also... I want to tell you a little secret. My sister and I have never actually slept with anyone else. Not even Scott."

I type out a quick command on her keyboard, keeping my hands moving while my brain completely stalls. The twins have no idea that I already know that, mostly because I never admitted to spying on Scott's phone logs. But what the hell did she mean by telling a lie? And why is she telling me not to be mad at her?

"There, your login profile is completely ready to use," I say out loud, pulling back.

Nadia catches the massive look of confusion plastering my face, looking utterly delighted. She clearly thinks my shock is just because I care about who they’ve been sleeping with. Since I didn't deny her text or get angry, she feels completely comfortable pushing my buttons.

To my right, Nichole notices the exchange. Her grip on my thigh tightens, her fingernails digging into my jeans slightly to get my full attention as she leans in to whisper.

"What did she just tell you?"

"She asked if I missed her," I whisper back honestly.

Nichole’s fingers instantly relax, the tension draining out of her shoulders. She doesn't look worried at all anymore. It looks like whatever secret she was trying to keep—whether it was the lack of intimacy with Scott or whatever lie they just spun—she's glad her sister didn't ruin it yet.

"Well? Did you?" she murmurs.

"No," I whisper, looking straight ahead at the whiteboard. "I missed both of your company. Real life is way better than reading text messages."

The hand on my thigh gives a very gentle, affectionate pat, signaling that I just gave the absolute perfect response.

By now, the teacher has finished setting up the projector and is actively running through the attendance sheet. I hear her call out James' name from the top of the list.

"James Tong?"

"Right here, Teacher!"

"Ah, let's see... Nichole Tang and Nadia Tang?"

Nichole instantly lets go of my leg, slipping her hand back above the desk and raising it to catch the instructor's eye. "I'm Nichole, and that's Nadia right next to me, Teacher."

"Gotcha," the instructor says, checking two boxes on her digital clipboard before looking up with a sympathetic smile. "You two are already flagged in the system as pregnant. So if either of you starts feeling unwell or needs to rush out to the restroom, just go right ahead. I completely understand."

The words hit me like a physical blow. The noise in the computer lab instantly drops to a dull hum as the entire world seems to fade out into pure static.

Flagged in the system as pregnant... pregnant... pregnant?!

My mind frantically races backward, pulling up the exact transcripts of the encrypted text messages I intercepted from their phones weeks ago.

[ Due to not wanting Scott's baby so soon, we are on the pill, so don't pull out, okay. ]

[ Oh and just remember to not be mad at me okay? It was Nichole that fibbed and not me! ]

The pieces crash together with the force of a freight train. The lie about being on the pill. The text messages to Scott. They were setting up an alibi. They used Scott's name as a cover story to hide the fact that they were carrying a pregnancy, but Scott never touched them. Which means...

"MR. RICK LEE, CAN YOU HEAR ME?!"

The teacher’s voice shatters my trance like a brick through glass. The entire room erupts into a wave of loud laughter at the sight of my completely pale, ghost-white face. I blink rapidly, staring blankly at the front of the room.

"Yes, Teacher! I can hear you!" I stammer out.

"Mr. Lee, the only things allowed to crash in this lab are the computers, not the students," the teacher says, rolling her eyes as the class giggles. "Please make sure to get some actual sleep before you come to my class. Now, moving on to the next student..."

Nichole keeps her eyes locked dead ahead, refusing to turn her head even an inch to look at my expression. But I can see a deep, crimson blush creeping all the way up her neck and staining her cheeks in pure embarrassment. Holy hell, did she actually know I was going to find out the truth right here in the middle of a crowded lab?

I slowly turn my head to the left. Nadia is sitting back in her chair, clicking her mouse with a look of pure, unadulterated happiness. Her lips move in a tiny, silent mumble meant only for me.

"Surprise, Daddy. Ufufu."

"B-B-Both?" I choke out, my voice cracking into a bare whisper. "Are they mine?"

Nadia gently rubs her flat stomach with one hand, giving me a massive, glowing smile that makes her look like the literal goddess of absolute chaos. She nods her head once.

I look back over to my right, fully expecting to see Nichole melting with shame or hiding her face after the teacher's announcement. Instead, the embarrassment vanishes from her face, replaced by a sharp, calculating glint. She leans over the desk, her breath brushing against my ear.

"Congratulations," she whispers, her voice dripping with a playful, wicked edge. "Now, I am going to blackmail you for the rest of your life, fufu."

I've spent enough time around her to know she isn't completely serious about destroying me... I think. I swallow the lump in my throat, trying to keep my composure. "And what exactly does Mrs. Blackmailer want from me?"

"Just keep both me and Nadia completely satisfied in secret," she whispers, her fingers tracing a slow line along the edge of my knee under the table.

"Do that, and we won't have to make a sudden home visit to have a long, friendly chat with your wives, fufu. Just keep doing exactly what you did to us before, and absolutely nobody else has to know."

Nadia leans in from the other side, her voice joining the synchronized assault on my sanity. "Ricky, I am literally getting paid by our family to mess around with you. So you better make sure you do a phenomenal job, my Ricky, fufu."

I lose track of the next hour entirely, completely missing the first half of the technical lecture because of the two smug women sitting on either side of me, playing their little bad-guy extortion game. Deep down, I know the blackmail is just a massive excuse for them to keep sleeping with me without facing the social fallout.

But as I stare at my monitor, my chest tightens with a massive wave of panic. I actually want to be blackmailed by them.

Oh, no. This is a total disaster. How the hell am I supposed to break the news to Mary and Hana about this?