Life Through the American TV Show World

Duncan's Apartment. 

Late at night. 

"Holy shit!" 

MAX scrambled to push Adam away with all her strength and shouted, "I was just joking with you! Did you really take me that seriously?" 

"I'm an honest man." 

Adam withdrew, lying beside her with a smile. "Whatever you say, I take it literally—no exceptions." 

"Beast!" 

Any warmth MAX had felt from Adam's appreciative gaze vanished completely. She glared at him and snapped, "At this rate, you're bound to join the Mormon Church. Otherwise, any woman who marries you is doomed. You're a total freak." 

The Mormon Church was a religious group in America that promoted polygamy and all sorts of chaotic beliefs, making it seem almost like a cult. 

"No interest." 

Adam lazily replied, "That's the wrong path, not the right one." 

"You're not on the wrong path?" 

MAX scoffed, "I'd say you love taking detours down the dark road." 

"Heh." 

Adam chuckled but didn't argue. Instead, he changed the subject. "MAX, have you thought about what I said last time—going to college for further studies?" 

"Not really." 

MAX replied unhappily. 

Whenever this topic came up, she felt uneasy. 

She had always dreamed of becoming a children's book illustrator. 

But to her, dreams were dreams because they were unattainable. 

She had enrolled in community college to study illustration mostly to experience her dream—to get a little closer to it. 

But honestly, she had never truly considered pursuing it seriously, let alone dared to hope she could achieve it. 

In fact, the thought of getting too close to her dream filled her with an inexplicable sense of fear. 

"Tell me." 

Adam turned to face her. "What are you afraid of?" 

"There's a lot I'm afraid of." 

MAX, true to form, started with a dirty joke. "You and your brother are at the top of the list." 

"Oh, really?" 

Adam grinned. "Then you better confess everything, or your fears might just become reality." 

MAX rolled her eyes, fell silent for a moment, then chuckled self-deprecatingly. "Maybe I'm just a coward. Every time things start going well, it doesn't feel real. I always have this nagging feeling that when I wake up tomorrow, something unexpected will happen. And it's never something good." 

"I get it." 

Adam nodded. 

This was a kind of coping mechanism—a form of self-protection. 

If you don't expect good things to happen, then when bad things come, you won't be disappointed or, worse, devastated. 

"So, what do you think meeting me was? A good twist of fate or a bad one?" 

Adam smiled. 

"Half and half." 

MAX quipped, "Good when we're out of bed, bad when we're in it." 

"…" 

Adam was speechless. Maybe he had been a little too indulgent with MAX, but could he really be blamed? She was the one who kept making dirty jokes and teasing him. 

Like tonight—it was her idea to let him do whatever he wanted. She said she was fine with anything. 

What was Adam supposed to do? 

Naturally, he took her at her word. 

"No one is lucky forever, and no one is doomed forever." 

Adam pulled MAX into his arms and offered her some heartfelt encouragement. "Maybe you've had a tough time so far, but I have a feeling that from now on, your luck is about to change." 

"Because of you?" 

MAX smiled. 

"Yes." 

Adam said seriously, "Maybe I'm your lucky star. What do you think?" 

"Lucky star." 

MAX murmured, then pressed her face against Adam's chest and smiled, neither confirming nor denying it. "Maybe." 

"So…" 

Adam got back to the point. "Do you still have any concerns? You can tell me anything." 

"Tuition, I guess." 

Unable to resist Adam's persistence, MAX finally started opening up. "Community college is already expensive enough, let alone a regular university. And even if I do manage to graduate, there's no guarantee I'll find a good job. It's not like struggling artists are rare." 

The cost of community college was relative. 

Compared to traditional universities, community college was much cheaper. 

But for someone like MAX, who was juggling school and waitressing, it was still a heavy burden. 

If paying for community college was an occasional splurge to bring her a little closer to her dream, then the cost of a four-year university was entirely out of reach. 

Besides, even if she got her degree, there was still the issue of employment. 

Art-related fields were notorious for high unemployment rates. 

Most graduates couldn't find jobs in their field and were forced to switch careers, rendering their expensive education practically useless. 

At just 19, MAX had already learned how tough life was. She wasn't naïve enough to believe that every struggling artist was just a misunderstood genius. 

After all, talent is like pregnancy—sooner or later, it shows. 

And if most artists were struggling, it was clear the issue wasn't just about being unrecognized. The industry simply wasn't big enough to support everyone trying to make a living from it. 

Given that reality, she wasn't confident enough to assume she'd be one of the lucky few to succeed. So, how could she not hesitate? 

"That's exactly why I said you're lucky to have met me." 

Adam smiled. "Both tuition and employment aren't problems anymore. Actually, they're the same problem—you're only worried because you don't have confidence that you'll find a job after graduation and pay off student loans, right?" 

"Well, obviously." 

MAX rolled her eyes. 

"What if I told you I've already secured a job for you in advance?" 

Adam had thought about this before, so he was completely confident. "All you need to do is go to college, study hard, and improve your skills. The moment you graduate, a job in your field—one with great pay—will be waiting for you. Would you still be worried then?" 

"What kind of job?" 

MAX was intrigued. 

"A children's book illustrator." 

Adam smiled. "Isn't that exactly what you've always dreamed of doing?" 

"For real?" 

MAX gasped, but then her excitement faded. She shook her head. "Forget it. You probably had to ask someone for a favor, right? I'd rather not." 

"Asking for favors is pointless." 

Adam laughed. "You know I'm a writer, right? I have an idea for a project, but to bring it to life, I need an illustrator. You'd be responsible for the artwork while I handle the story. Together, we'll create a high-quality children's book. What do you think?" 

"I've already given you everything—I don't have any more tricks up my sleeve. You don't need to keep sweet-talking me." 

MAX was skeptical. "If you really had a great idea, wouldn't you just hire a professional artist right now? There are plenty of talented illustrators out there. Why wait for me to graduate?" 

"Well, for starters, it's just an idea right now. Good projects take time to develop—two years is perfect. Plus, hiring the right person isn't just about skill, but also trust. And I trust you more." 

Adam said with a straight face, smoothly mixing truth with fiction. "Of course, I won't deny that I want to help you. But those two things aren't mutually exclusive. We're friends, right? Helping you when I can is totally normal." 

"This isn't just a friendly favor anymore." 

MAX pushed Adam's wandering hand away, sat up, and looked at him. "Are you trying to be my sugar daddy?"