That evening, when Tony Snow arrived at the library with Clara Quinn, he noticed right away that she was wearing the jacket he had bought for her.
Her expression was radiant, her happiness barely concealed beneath a calm exterior.
In truth, the hoodie Tony had chosen was simple—just a basic, casual pullover that he thought looked decent. His taste wasn't exactly refined. He'd just picked something based on instinct, thinking it would suit her.
But when Clara wore it, the plain hoodie seemed transformed. It wasn't that the clothes made her look good—it was that she made the clothes look amazing.
Some people wore fashion; others were fashion.
"You could seriously be a model," Tony said with a smile as she walked up to him outside the dorms. Her long hair was still slightly damp from a recent shower, her eyes bright, her skin fresh and glowing. "You just need to pair that with the right jeans, snap a photo, post it online—and boom. Instant likes."
Clara raised an eyebrow and gave him a playful look. "So... I'm not good-looking enough as I am?"
Tony scrambled to recover. "You look great. I mean it—absolutely great. Just saying, you're next-level today."
But even as he spoke, he was already thinking about ordering her a pair of jeans to match the hoodie.
Saturday came quickly.
That afternoon, Tony headed to the Sharp residence, where he tutored Lina Sharp every weekend.
As he arrived at the upscale apartment complex, the security guard at the front gate stopped him. This time, unlike last weekend, Mr. Sharp wasn't there to escort him in.
Fortunately, Mr. Sharp had given Tony an access card last week.
Swiping it, he passed through the gate and made his way toward Building C.
He walked the familiar path past trimmed hedges and quiet walkways until he reached the high-rise tower. Each building had an additional security door, and Tony didn't have access to this one. He used the intercom to buzz the Sharps' apartment.
Moments later, the door clicked open. Tony stepped in and rode the elevator up.
It was Lina who opened the door.
"No Mr. Sharp today?" Tony asked casually, stepping into the apartment and slipping off his shoes.
It was an innocent question, but it sounded unintentionally suggestive, and Tony regretted it the moment it left his mouth.
Lina didn't seem to mind. "He's got meetings," she said, tossing him a pair of house slippers. "Just because he's the boss doesn't mean he lounges at home on Saturdays."
Tony gave a sheepish chuckle as he followed her inside.
"You know, your dad must really trust me," he said, again without thinking. "Just the two of us here, no chaperone…"
"I've done taekwondo for five years," Lina said dryly. "And there are cameras in almost every room. So no, I'm not too worried."
That jolted Tony's memory. Right—Mr. Sharp had cameras everywhere. This wasn't the kind of place where you could get away with anything inappropriate.
Lina led the way into her study. This time, she was dressed more carefully—still casual, but clearly intentional.
Last week, she'd worn house clothes—comfortable, simple, effortless. This time, it looked like she had put in a bit of thought. A clean sweater, brushed hair, and a hint of lip gloss brought out her natural good looks.
She was pretty, Tony had to admit. Even without makeup, she had a refined charm—soft features, sharp eyes, a confidence that made her feel older than she was.
"How are you planning to teach me today?" she asked, reclining slightly in her chair, arms folded behind her head.
Tony caught himself staring just a second too long.
Her eyes had that glint again—bright, lively, and curious.
Clara's eyes are the same, he thought suddenly. Bright and full of life.
But this wasn't infatuation. It was like admiring a beautiful painting or a sunset. There was nothing romantic about it—it was just human appreciation for beauty.
"Alright," Tony began, shaking the thoughts from his mind. "I reviewed your level last time. Here's what we'll do today. Start by finishing your usual school assignments. Then I want you to go through this set of math problems I marked. Try to do them all on your own. No help, no Googling answers. If you get stuck, skip it. We'll go over it next weekend."
"As for English," he continued, "you've got a solid foundation. Focus on vocabulary expansion, grammar review, and especially listening practice. That'll raise your test scores quickly."
He was thankful she didn't have to pass a speaking test like the TOEFL or IELTS. Despite his strong command of English, Tony's spoken accent wasn't great—something he blamed on the simulator.
He suspected the life simulator treated spoken language as a skill, not knowledge, which meant he didn't automatically gain fluency through experience.
"But I haven't even finished my regular homework yet," Lina said, pouting slightly.
"Then finish that first," Tony said, amused. "My stuff is bonus material. You've got a full week. No pressure. But you have to do it yourself. Otherwise, there's no point."
After a few follow-up questions from Lina, Tony left her to work and started flipping through her math book, circling representative problems and jotting a few notes in the margins.
When he was done, he wandered over to her bookshelf, scanning the spines for anything light to read.
"Hey, mind if I read this?" he asked, pulling out a slim paperback titled Dragon Raja I: The Dawn of Fire.
It wasn't exactly literary greatness, but it was the kind of book perfect for killing time—young adult, fantasy, fast-paced.
He figured, if he was going to relax while Lina worked, he might as well enjoy something entertaining.