Doug Feng was practically boiling—both in temperature and emotion. He had never faced a situation like this before, and the rush of adrenaline was hitting him like a tidal wave. Just as he was about to lose all reason and give in to the chaos…
DING!
A cold mechanical voice echoed in his mind like a sudden slap to the face.
"Warning! Affection score is below 60. Physical intimacy is currently prohibited. If such action is attempted, the Affection System will automatically self-destruct, causing unpredictable consequences."
"What? What the hell does that mean?! I can't even kiss her until it hits 60?!"
Doug's surging passion instantly crumbled. He glanced up and saw the familiar floating number above Ms. Qing Fang's head—now at 15 points. Just a moment ago it was 11. So she had actually gained four points in this mess?
"At this rate, when will it ever hit 60?!"
Meanwhile, Ms. Qing Fang was clinging to him even tighter, her body instinctively drawn to him. She was completely unaware of what she was doing, lost in a haze of heat and confusion, trying to pull Doug closer as if wanting to melt into him.
"Ms. Fang, we—we really shouldn't…"
Thanks to the system's icy intervention, Doug had completely sobered up. He slapped himself hard across the cheek and cursed under his breath.
What the hell is wrong with me? She's my teacher! My homeroom teacher!
She's six, maybe seven years older than me—and my English teacher, for crying out loud! If anyone finds out about this, her reputation will be completely ruined!
"I… I feel hot… I don't feel right…"
Ms. Fang's voice was weak and dazed. Her body trembled slightly under the thin covers. Doug recognized it immediately—this wasn't just a fever. She was definitely drugged, just like back at the hotel.
Damn it. That jerk Lin Yi must've dosed her. Maybe it didn't kick in immediately because she showered… but now it's hitting her full force.
He glanced around the room and spotted a glass of water on the nightstand. Stretching over carefully, he grabbed it, then—splash!
Cold water drenched Ms. Fang's face.
"Ms. Fang! Wake up! Please snap out of it!"
He gave her shoulders a gentle shake, trying not to panic.
Her eyelashes fluttered. Then suddenly—
"W-What's going on?! Doug? What are you doing here?! Why am I—why am I holding you?!"
Soaked and blinking at the bright light, Ms. Fang finally came to her senses. Realization slowly dawned on her face, and her expression morphed from confusion to horror.
Memories came flooding back—her erratic behavior, the way she'd grabbed him, and—oh no, did she kiss him?!
"Ms. Fang, don't panic! It's not your fault! You were drugged—definitely by that guy Lin Yi."
Doug exhaled in relief now that she was lucid again. He stood up from the bed… only to immediately regret it.
He was still wearing that ridiculously small butterfly-patterned pink pajama set—hers, obviously. The top barely covered his chest, and the shorts were struggling for dear life around his thighs.
Ms. Fang looked away in embarrassment, face red as a tomato. "I—I think I need another cold shower…"
She darted toward the bathroom like her life depended on it, slamming the door shut with a loud bang.
Doug slumped onto the sofa again, wiping his face with a hand. He could hear the shower start up behind the frosted glass. The sound of water echoed in the silence—along with her still-labored breathing.
She's been in there for half an hour already… is she okay?
He knocked gently on the bathroom door.
"Ms. Fang? Are you feeling any better?"
There was a startled shuffle from inside, and her blurry silhouette jumped to press against the frosted glass door.
"No! Doug, don't come in!"
The showerhead had fallen to the floor, sending water spraying in every direction. Ms. Fang was clearly using her body to block the door. Doug took a cautious step back, hands raised.
"Don't worry! I'm not coming in. I'm just… checking. You've been in there a while. If the medicine hasn't worn off, maybe we should go to a hospital?"
Inside, Ms. Fang hesitated. Her voice was small, hesitant, even a little shaky.
"Doug… my body still feels… out of control. The water helps me stay sane. If I come out now, and I lose it again… and something happens between us… I'd never forgive myself."
"Ms. Fang…"
"You should go to bed," she continued. "You have class tomorrow. Don't worry about me. I'll stay here until the effects pass."
Doug sighed and rubbed his temples.
Like I can sleep after all that?!
"Ms. Fang, look, I get it. But this isn't going to work either. You can't just sit in cold water all night. You'll catch a cold or worse. Besides, I read somewhere—uh, not that I bought any—but this kind of stuff doesn't just go away on its own without the body processing it. We need a real solution."
Before his rebirth, Doug had worked as a customer support rep for a shady online pharmacy. While he never sold this kind of drug directly, he'd picked up enough knowledge to know how they worked.
From behind the door, Ms. Fang's voice sounded again—more like a pout than anything else.
"No way. I'm not going to a hospital. That's way too embarrassing. And I'm not coming out either. I—I can't face you right now!"
Now she was sulking like a kid. Doug blinked in disbelief. Was this really his usually strict, no-nonsense English teacher?
He knocked gently again. "Ms. Fang, come on. You can't hide in the bathroom forever."
"No! I'm staying right here until it wears off. I don't care if I have to live in the tub now."
Doug stared at the door, dumbfounded.
Seriously? Is she planning to become a bathroom hermit now?