Life Through the American TV Show World

**Duncan's Apartment.** 

It must be said, ever since Adam started studying medicine, his understanding of the human body had become increasingly precise. 

MAX slept straight through until ten o'clock. When she opened her eyes and saw the bright daylight streaming in, she immediately panicked. She was about to jump up and rush to work—only to realize that her entire body felt weak. 

Then, she instinctively reached for her waist. 

"Ow, damn you, Adam!" 

Lying on her side, MAX groaned in pain and cursed under her breath. 

To be fair, this wasn't entirely Adam's fault. 

She had always had a weak lower back—after all, carrying so much weight in the front took a toll. 

After lying still for a while, she finally started to feel a little better. Her eyes landed on a note resting on Adam's pillow. She reached for it, read it, and discovered that Adam had already called in to get her shift covered. 

"So experienced… He's definitely done this plenty of times before." 

MAX muttered to herself, "No wonder he keeps saying he doesn't want a relationship—just something more than friendship but less than love. Probably because no one actually wants to be his girlfriend." 

She let out a sigh, still holding her waist as she lay flat on her back, staring at the ceiling in silence. 

"I should probably keep my distance from him." 

MAX mumbled, "If this keeps happening every day, who could handle it? What a freaking maniac…" 

After venting her frustrations, she couldn't help but reflect on the real reason she was in this state—it was entirely her own fault for provoking him. 

And just like that, she fell into the same dilemma she'd faced the night before. 

She was moved by Adam's encouragement. 

But at the same time, she felt inferior—unworthy of imagining a better future. 

Of course, she could feel Adam's feelings for her. Otherwise, she wouldn't have shared so much of her past with him. 

Wanting to keep her distance wasn't just about getting "taught a lesson" after provoking him—it was more about the anxiety she felt as he got closer. 

As an experienced player, she wasn't afraid of physical contact. 

But even the slightest emotional connection? That terrified her. 

### Over the Next Few Weeks 

To her relief, before she even had to make an effort to keep her distance, Adam had already started holding back. 

He no longer brought up the dreams that had once made her anxious. 

And those intense, over-the-top physical interactions? He toned them down to a more reasonable frequency and intensity. 

---

### At MAX's Diner 

"You know what? I just realized that all of last year, I only went on dates with Richard and Julio." 

Monica complained to Adam, "Didn't you always say that your med school class is full of hot guys and beautiful women? You need to hook me up! Help me get back into the dating scene—I'm begging you!" 

"It's not that I don't want to help…" 

Adam hesitated. "It's just that none of my classmates are right for you. Trust me, even if they're ridiculously handsome, you wouldn't enjoy dating them." 

"I know, I know." 

Monica sighed, "You guys are insanely busy, with no time for relationships. But I'm not looking for something super serious right away. I just want a hot guy to help me get back in the game. You know, like you—something more than friends, but not quite lovers. That'd be perfect." 

Adam gave her a strange look. 

"What?" Monica shot him a glare. "You mean to tell me you can go months without 'clapping' and just stare at my fake boobs all day, but I can't have a little hormone imbalance that needs fixing?" 

"I didn't say that. You do you—I support you." 

Faced with Monica's bold declaration, Adam could only give her a thumbs-up. 

"Tell me what kind of guy you're looking for, and I'll see what I can do." 

"My standards aren't that high." 

Monica finally smiled, rubbing her hands together. "He doesn't have to be super hot—just someone I find attractive." 

"Does it have to be him?" 

Adam teased. 

"Of course not." 

Monica shot back, "But if you're willing to hand MAX over to me, I'd take her." 

"Sure." 

Adam grinned. "I don't mind—you do whatever you want." 

He wasn't Ross Geller—he wouldn't have a meltdown over finding out his wife was into women. 

A real man wouldn't react that way… right? 

"…" 

Monica was speechless at his shamelessness. 

---

### A Customer Calls for Monica 

"Excuse me." 

Monica dragged her feet over to the customer's table. "What can I get you?" 

"A slice of cheesecake." 

The customer was counting his tip money but looked up and smiled. "And another date, if possible?" 

"We've already been over this." 

Monica clearly knew this guy. She chuckled, "You only want to date me because I'm blonde, well-endowed, and serve you food." 

"Of course not." 

The customer smirked. "If that were the case, I could just date my aunt." 

*Cough cough.* 

"In America, that's illegal." 

Adam couldn't help but chime in. 

"I was joking." 

The customer clarified. 

"So was I." 

Adam studied the guy's face—it seemed familiar. He extended a hand. "I'm Adam, Monica's good friend. And as you may have just heard, Monica has outsourced her dating life to me, so…" 

"So, I need to win you over first?" 

The guy was quick on the uptake and shook Adam's hand. "Peter Burke, pursuing Monica." 

---

Adam frowned. 

"I feel like I've seen you somewhere before." 

"You into comics?" 

Peter raised an eyebrow. 

"Uh… comics?" 

Peter had thought Adam recognized him—but then Adam suddenly changed the topic. 

"They're okay, I guess." 

"Ever read *Iron Man*?" 

Adam asked. 

"You think I look like Iron Man?" 

Peter stroked his mustache, looking pleased with himself. 

At that time, Iron Man wasn't yet an A-list superhero, but his playboy billionaire lifestyle definitely appealed to the wealthy crowd. 

Just like how good-looking guys relate more to the "average-looking" protagonists in novels, Peter—being rich himself—felt a certain connection to Iron Man. 

"No." 

Adam said with a straight face. "I think you look like Happy Hogan, Iron Man's bodyguard. If they ever make a live-action movie, you should totally audition for the role." 

"…" 

Peter's face fell. 

Happy Hogan? 

Who the hell is that? 

Should he just fund an *Iron Man* movie himself and cast himself as the lead? 

"Adam!" 

Monica shot Adam a glare. 

"Don't get me wrong." 

Adam explained, "This is a compliment. Happy might just be a bodyguard, but he's Iron Man's closest friend and trusted confidant. In the end, he inherits a fortune and even marries Pepper Potts. Total life winner." 

"Really?" 

Peter hesitated. 

He'd read some *Iron Man* comics but wasn't well-versed in every storyline. Marvel and DC were notorious for constantly rebooting timelines and creating parallel universes—it was impossible to keep track of everything unless you were a hardcore fan. 

But if what Adam said was true, then Happy Hogan really was a winner in life. 

Comparing him to Happy wasn't an insult at all. 

"Yeah." 

Adam nodded. "You know why he beat Iron Man and won over Pepper? Because he genuinely loved and cared for her. 

Compared to a 40-something billionaire still partying all the time, the guy who's always there for her? That's the real deal." 

"Now that you mention it…" 

Peter's lips curled into a small smile. *That's exactly the kind of guy I am. Maybe I should audition for Happy Hogan if they ever make a movie… or better yet, just produce it myself. That could be fun…* 

Watching Peter's reaction, Adam nearly burst out laughing. 

Because Peter was *literally* Jon Favreau—the real-life director of *Iron Man* and the actor who played Happy Hogan. 

Well… at least they had the same face.

(End of chapter)