Begging for some monthly votes! I've got 33 so far. My ask isn't big—just 30 more votes, and I'll go all out with a 30,000-word burst update during the National Day holiday. Look at those big-shot authors adding one chapter for thousands of subscribers. Me? Just 30 votes. I'm pleading—my stats are rough!
"Haha, no need to see me out, really! I'm thrilled to be your neighbor!" Clair Lee said warmly as he stepped out of his neighbor's house to the left.
It wasn't until this moment that Clair realized the folks living in Hawaii's ritzy Diamond Head neighborhood were either loaded or connected. Take his neighbors to the left, for example. Their house wasn't as lavish as Clair's, but the couple carried themselves with an air of intellectual sophistication. Chatting with them, Clair—a guy who'd somehow ended up in this world—felt like he could barely keep up with their vibe.
When he learned they both worked at Wells Fargo, Clair relaxed a bit. As they showed him around their place, he couldn't help but size it up like he was already planning to own it one day. After they headed back inside, Clair peeked over the tall fence at their yard and muttered, "Tch, that yard's perfect for an open-air gym someday!"
Satisfied, he strolled toward his other neighbor's house like a little old man with his hands behind his back. But as he reached their gate, a sudden bark startled him.
"Holy—!" Clair yelped, clutching his chest and taking deep breaths. When he saw not one but three dogs charging toward the gate, he seriously considered bolting. Inside, Michelle Monaghan, about to dig into a feast, groaned, "Oh, come on! I just fed the dogs to let them stretch their legs. Who's showing up unannounced now?"
Maggie Q, cooking in the kitchen with an apron on, poked her stunning profile out and called, "Hurry up! Go check if it's the new neighbor!"
"Ugh, fine," Michelle grumbled, sneaking a piece of bacon from the clay pot rice and popping it in her mouth. The greasy goodness had her smacking her lips, but when she checked the security monitor and saw Clair Lee, her eyes widened in disbelief. She rubbed them like she'd seen a ghost.
Maggie, noticing Michelle frozen at the monitor, shouted, "Who is it? A delivery? I don't remember ordering anything!"
"F—! Maggie, you sure you never hooked up with Clair?" Michelle's exclamation made Maggie frown in the kitchen. When the doorbell rang again, Maggie sighed, set down her spatula, and wiped her hands on her apron.
As she reached the door and glanced at the monitor, both women exchanged shocked looks. Maggie, flustered, stammered to Michelle, "I swear to God, we haven't had any contact since that one time we ran into each other at the park!"
She reached for the door, but Michelle, more level-headed, grabbed her arm and pointed at her outfit—a single T-shirt. Maggie gasped, realizing her state, and dashed upstairs. Michelle, shaking her head, hit the intercom and said sweetly, "Just a sec, I'm cooking, but I'll open the gate soon!"
Clair, staring at three snarling golden retrievers behind the fence, gave a helpless shrug. If not for the bright lights spilling from the villa, he'd have left already. Just as he turned to go, a pleasant voice came through the speaker, stopping him in his tracks. "A lady neighbor?" he wondered.
Time ticked by. The dogs seemed to tire of barking, and one even started wagging its tail at Clair. He muttered, "Hmph, I'll let you off this time. But if you come at me like that again, I'm feeding you alcohol-soaked buns and dropping you at the pet shelter!"
Feeling a bit guilty for the threat, Clair ran home, grabbed a steak from his fridge, and tossed it through the fence. When the three dogs, previously united, started fighting over it, Clair leaned back, amused, watching the chaos unfold. The dog that had wagged its tail won, and Clair, feeling bold, even gave its head a few pats.
Suddenly, the villa's door clicked open. Maggie Q, in a sleek black dress, stepped out with a smile. Clair was floored—she was gorgeous. When he realized it was Maggie Q, a wild thought popped into his head: If I win over her dogs, does that mean I've got free rein in her house?
Maggie's smile snapped him out of it. "Hi, so sorry for the wait. My friend answered earlier—I was in the shower, and she was alone. My bad!"
Her fresh scent hit him, and Clair, ever the gentleman, shook her hand briefly. "No worries. Any guy would wait for a beautiful woman to open the door."
Maggie, leading the way, felt her cheeks warm at his words, like a little fire sparking inside her. Michelle, now in a formal evening gown, stood at the door, her eyes practically sparkling at Clair's arrival. As Clair admired the house's layout, Maggie pinched Michelle under the table. Michelle shot her a glare before making her move.
Clair felt an unfamiliar arm loop around his shoulders. Startled, he dodged like he'd been shocked. Maggie, who'd been tense, relaxed at his reaction, but Michelle played it cool. "Oh, don't be nervous, Mr. Clair. I just wanted to invite you to try my cooking—food, it's delicious!"
"You know me? And you cook food?" Clair asked, surprised.
"Of course! I've been lucky enough to visit Hong Kong and Taiwan," Michelle said, sitting primly at the table. The way her dress shifted caught Clair's eye, and he quickly looked away.
"Hi," he said.
"Your is pretty good, right, Miss Maggie?" Clair added.
Maggie, snapping out of Michelle's bold move, started toward the kitchen but nearly tripped in her heels. Clair, with his athlete's reflexes, caught her in his arms. Michelle muttered, "If you two don't have something going on, I'll eat my hat. Too many coincidences."
Neither Clair nor Maggie heard her. Maggie's eyes, misty and wide, locked onto Clair's. Startled by her gaze, Clair gently set her on the couch and slipped off her white heels. Raised in the U.S., Maggie wasn't fussy. She pulled a bottle of red flower oil from the couch cushions and handed it to Clair. "This is from an old injury I got training with the Jackie Chan Stunt Team. Rub it on, or I won't be able to walk tomorrow."
Clair expertly massaged the slightly swollen spot. When she mentioned the stunt team, he looked up, intrigued. "Jackie Chan? I'm a huge fan. Could you get me an autograph sometime?"
"No problem!" Maggie grinned.
As the two bonded, Michelle sulked. "Ugh, what was supposed to be a nice dinner got hijacked."
Clair, hearing her, chimed in, "If you don't mind my cooking being awful, I can finish dinner for you guys!"
"You sure?" Michelle asked.
After applying the oil, Clair politely slipped on a pair of pink Hello Kitty slippers and headed to the kitchen to finish Maggie's half-cooked meal. The two women in the living room launched into a silent battle of glares, each daring the other to make a move. Too bad Clair missed it—it would've been a palace drama for the ages.
---
Clair was thrilled that his cooking won Maggie over last night. As for Michelle, he couldn't shake the feeling she was a bit… off. She kept kicking his leg under the table or sneaking touches when Maggie wasn't looking. Still, he figured she wasn't his type, so maybe he could handle her.
Michelle, still sleeping in, had no idea Clair thought this. If she did, she'd probably toss all her compliments about him into the Pacific.
Up early after his workout, Clair spotted Maggie heading out for a run. "You're up early!" he called.
"Yeah, Honolulu's air is amazing. Wanna join me?" Maggie's face flushed as she invited him, but Clair shook his head regretfully. "No can do. I've gotta head to the University of Hawaii for enrollment today. If my classes aren't too intense, I'll definitely work out with you."
"University of Hawaii?" Maggie asked, surprised. The school wasn't exactly top-tier, known mostly for agriculture and marine science.
Seeing her expression, Clair shrugged. "Yup. I'm studying computer science. I'm an athlete, sure, but I'm into computers."
"Oh, okay. Just… it might not be the best fit for you," Maggie said tactfully.
After a quick goodbye, Clair headed to his garage. His car wasn't flashy—just a sleek, new Ford convertible. The black finish kept it low-key, perfect for quietly handling enrollment without broadcasting his move to Hawaii. The University of Hawaii's prime location meant Clair reached the campus in under 40 minutes from Waikiki Beach, despite some traffic.
The grand entrance made Clair roll his eyes—though the huge football field inside caught his attention. The enrollment office wasn't crowded, and the sight of many Asian students gave Clair a familiar vibe.
"Got all your documents for enrollment?" the staff asked.
Before they could finish, Clair pulled a kraft envelope from his bag. The staff was friendly, but when they saw his info, their jaw dropped. "What the—! Clair Lee! You're the Clair Lee? You're actually enrolling at the University of Hawaii?!"
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