After a Flash Marriage with a Professor - Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Are You an Elder?

“Professor… Shen?” Yan Mingshu called out in a panic. Her waist was held so tightly that it was difficult for her to speak.

She didn’t dare to look back. Yan Mingshu was extremely flustered, not understanding why Professor Shen had suddenly restrained her.

The action was too intimate. She moved slightly and felt embarrassed. To avoid her as much as possible, she hunched her body forward.

“Professor Shen?” she tentatively called again, not having considered for a moment that Professor Shen might have other intentions.

Shen Junlan held Mingshu’s slender waist with one hand for a long time before letting go. Through her own pajamas, she could feel the temperature of Mingshu’s waist. That warmth was rejecting her, wanting to break free from her arm.

Was she too impatient?

Shen Junlan suppressed the restlessness in her heart and let go. Mingshu hadn’t reacted yet and was still sitting on her lap. She took the opportunity to take the white porcelain spoon back from Mingshu’s hand and leaned in to scoop up some of the corn soup. It wasn’t for herself to eat, but to bring it to Mingshu’s mouth.

“Eat a little more.”

Yan Mingshu opened her mouth blankly and ate the food that Professor Shen offered. The warmth under her reminded her that she was still sitting on Professor Shen’s lap. Professor Shen’s left hand was loosely wrapped around her, as if the tightness from before was an illusion.

“Professor Shen, can I get down now?” Yan Mingshu’s face was flushed with heat. She didn’t dare to look back and asked, with her back to her, from her position on Professor Shen’s lap.

“I’ll let you down after you finish this corn soup,” Shen Junlan said softly, staring at Mingshu’s fair and delicate swan-like neck.

Yan Mingshu breathed a sigh of relief.

It turned out that Professor Shen was worried she wouldn’t eat properly, which was why she was acting this way. At the same time, she remembered what Professor Shen had said earlier. Lingyu had told her that she hadn’t eaten all night, which was why Professor Shen wanted to make sure she ate. Yes, that must be it.

After figuring it out for herself, Yan Mingshu felt much more at ease.

“Then… I’ll eat it myself. You don’t have to bother feeding me.”

Perhaps because she was still sitting on Professor Shen’s lap, she felt a little embarrassed, and her voice became softer without her realizing it.

The speaker had no intention, but the listener’s heart was in turmoil. Shen Junlan wished she could swallow that soft, sweet voice. She had thought that her uncontrolled, sudden move would expose her, letting the young woman see her true colors. She didn’t know what excuse the young woman had made up for her in her mind, still seeing her as the righteous Professor Shen.

So, she would cooperate a little more.

Shen Junlan gave the bowl of corn soup and the white porcelain spoon to Mingshu and quietly watched her eat. Because she was behind her, she didn’t have to pretend. She almost looked right through Mingshu from the back.

As sensitive as Yan Mingshu was, she couldn’t care about that right now. Her only thought was to quickly finish the corn soup that Professor Shen had made with her own hands, and then get off Professor Shen’s lap.

“I’m done, Professor Shen,” Yan Mingshu said excitedly.

Shen Junlan fulfilled her promise and completely let go. Mingshu immediately jumped off her lap, like a little rabbit in a hurry to escape a tiger’s mouth.

“I’ll wash the dishes,” Mingshu said, taking her used bowl and spoon to the kitchen. She often helped her mother with housework at home, so she went naturally.

Shen Junlan didn’t stop her. She got up and followed behind her, reluctant to let the young woman out of her sight, but also afraid of following too closely and scaring her.

This was tormenting herself too much.

Shen Junlan laughed at herself. The moment she and Mingshu reunited, she told herself not to be in a hurry, but she couldn’t help but feel impatient.

The distance was so close, within her reach. Of course, she could be more forceful, but…

Yan Mingshu carefully washed the bowl and spoon, rinsed them, dried them with a dedicated towel, and put them back in their original place.

With the task completed, Yan Mingshu’s unease lessened. She turned around and saw Professor Shen standing by the door, smiling at her. A sense of fear inexplicably rose in her heart, just a little, not much.

“Let’s go upstairs and rest,” Shen Junlan said with a smile, extending a hand to Mingshu.

Yan Mingshu looked at the hand Professor Shen was offering. She remembered that they had held hands when they took their wedding photos and wasn’t averse to it. She hesitated, walked over, and placed her hand in Professor Shen’s. The moment she touched it, she was held tightly.

“Your hands are cold. You don’t need to wash them yourself in the future. Just leave them there, and Auntie Zhang will handle it.”

“It’s okay. I often help wash dishes at home, so I’m used to it. Auntie Zhang is resting, and it’s not good to leave dirty dishes overnight; they’ll attract cockroaches,” Yan Mingshu explained softly. Suddenly, something struck her.

Professor Shen’s house had Auntie Zhang. What else could she do for Professor Shen?

Also, because of her father’s debt and the crisis with Boss Huang, she had overlooked a very important question: why did Professor Shen choose her to be her wife?

She only remembered that Professor Shen had said she was suitable to be a wife, but she didn’t say why she was suitable.

Yan Mingshu was horrified. Did Professor Shen value her for her looks?

No, she didn’t think Professor Shen was that superficial.

Or was Professor Shen’s family pressuring her so much that she needed to find someone to appease them, and she happened to run into her, who was in a crisis? Professor Shen was kind and wanted to help her?

“Mingshu, be careful!”

Yan Mingshu was so lost in thought that she didn’t notice she was on the stairs and missed a step. Fortunately, Professor Shen was holding her hand and quickly wrapped an arm around her, so she didn’t kiss the staircase.

“What are you thinking about? You’re so careless.”

It was a close call. Even though she had caught Mingshu, Shen Junlan was still shaken. If her right arm hadn’t hugged Mingshu’s waist from the front, Mingshu would have fallen hard. Not to mention her face, her whole body would have been in danger.

“I…” It was something that was difficult to say. Yan Mingshu swallowed it. “I’m sorry, Professor Shen, I’ve caused you trouble again.”

“It’s not trouble. It’s worry,” Shen Junlan corrected her. As she spoke, she leaned closer to check the silver butterfly pin on Mingshu’s chest and tightened the clasp. “You’re so careless. If the pin came loose and pricked your skin, wouldn’t it be excruciatingly painful?”

Yan Mingshu looked blank, stunned. It had been a long time since anyone, like an elder, had cared for her and gently admonished her.

Professor Shen held her hand tighter and watched her with a slight tilt of her head. Yan Mingshu couldn’t be distracted anymore and focused on walking up the rest of the stairs.

Back in the blue-themed, minimalist room with the attached bathroom, Shen Junlan finally let go of her hand. Yan Mingshu clasped her hands together and stood obediently, wanting to ask where she would sleep tonight.

Professor Shen came with a hairdryer and asked if she wanted to brush her teeth or dry her hair first. Yan Mingshu naturally assumed that this was the room Professor Shen had arranged for her.

“I want to brush my teeth first,” Yan Mingshu said. This was her usual routine. After she dried her hair, she could go to sleep.

“Okay.” Shen Junlan picked up the thick book from before and let Mingshu go into the bathroom to get ready.

Yan Mingshu felt that something wasn’t right, but Professor Shen had already lowered her head to read, so she went into the bathroom, deciding to see what the situation was when she came out.

When she came out, Yan Mingshu saw that Professor Shen was still there.

“Hurry and dry your hair,” Professor Shen said, closing the book and reminding her.

Yan Mingshu nodded and began to dry her hair. In the sound of the hairdryer, she vaguely heard Professor Shen say, “I’m going to take a shower. Mingshu, you can go to sleep after you dry your hair.”

She was telling her not to wait up.

After drying her hair, Yan Mingshu sat on the edge of the bed and waited. Her bag and phone were downstairs, and she didn’t want to go get them. Even if she did, she didn’t want to turn on her phone yet.

She was a little bored. Since Professor Shen was taking a shower in the bathroom in this room, she couldn’t just go to sleep. She sat on the edge of the bed and waited. Her eyes unintentionally fell on the book on the nightstand, an English original. Yan Mingshu had read a translated version of this book before. She couldn’t remember the exact content, but she vaguely remembered that the translation wasn’t very authentic.

Yan Mingshu really wanted to read the original, but she didn’t dare to touch it. She stared longingly at the worn book cover, wanting to ask Professor Shen if she could look at it when she came out.

Shen Junlan came out after she had showered and gotten ready. She saw Mingshu sitting on the bed, staring at the English original that she was preparing to translate.

Shen Junlan walked over and sat down next to Mingshu. The mattress was very soft. Mingshu felt the slight dip next to her and turned her head sharply. Their eyes met. Professor Shen was above, and she was below. The distance between their faces was no more than two centimeters.

Yan Mingshu held her breath nervously.

“Are you interested in that book?” Shen Junlan asked with a smile, not finding anything wrong with the distance.

Yan Mingshu nodded stiffly and moved to the side. Unfortunately, the space was limited. She hit her back against the headboard, and her arm ached, but she didn’t show it.

Isn’t Professor Shen going back to her own room to rest? Yan Mingshu thought to herself.

“It’s late. You can read it tomorrow if you’re interested. Let’s rest first,” Shen Junlan said, lifting the thin blanket. She then asked Mingshu if the room temperature was comfortable and if she needed it adjusted.

“No, this is perfect.”

Yan Mingshu saw that Professor Shen had no intention of leaving. She felt a little panicky. Her eyes darted to the bathroom, and she realized that this must be the master bedroom, Professor Shen’s room. She jumped up from the bed as if she had been pricked by a needle.

“Professor Shen, where do I sleep tonight?” Yan Mingshu asked, mustering up her courage.

“Here,” Shen Junlan replied with a smile. “We’ll sleep together.” She said it as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

Yan Mingshu couldn’t get over her mental block and didn’t dare to get into bed.

Shen Junlan saw that Mingshu was scared. She put her hands on her shoulders to make her sit back down on the bed. “Mingshu, you sleep here, and I’ll sleep on the sofa.”

“The sofa?” Yan Mingshu’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Shen Junlan nodded. “The guest room has been empty and hasn’t been tidied up. There’s no time to clean it now.”

“Then… I’ll sleep on the sofa.”

Yan Mingshu got up and was held down again.

“You’re not well. How can I let you sleep on the sofa? Besides, I’m older than you, and I should take care of you.”

Shen Junlan let go of her hands, her eyes full of smiles, and her gentleness undiminished. “Mingshu, please hand me that pillow next to you.”

Yan Mingshu obediently took the pillow but didn’t hand it to Professor Shen. Her conscience was bothering her. She had already been so much trouble for Professor Shen, and now she was taking her bed.

“Mingshu, what’s wrong?” Shen Junlan asked with a smile, enticing her.

Yan Mingshu put the pillow back down and lowered her head. “The bed is so big, Professor Shen… why don’t you sleep with me?”

“Okay.”

Yan Mingshu, with her head still bowed, was surprised that Professor Shen had agreed so readily. Then she heard Professor Shen ask if she wanted to sleep on the inside or the outside.

“…The inside,” Yan Mingshu replied, automatically moving to the inner side of the bed.

Shen Junlan turned off the light, a smile playing on her lips.

Yan Mingshu kept moving inward, not bothering with the blanket. Shen Junlan shook her head helplessly in the dark. How afraid of her was this young woman? Even though she was afraid, she still wanted to get closer.

“This blanket is for one person. It’s a bit small, Mingshu. To avoid catching a cold, we have to sleep closer together.”

Yan Mingshu responded with a quiet “okay” and didn’t move anymore. Professor Shen leaned over to cover her with the blanket and lay back down. Besides their arms touching, there was no other movement.

But even with just that, Yan Mingshu couldn’t sleep.

After a long time of deliberation, Yan Mingshu tentatively asked in a low voice, “Professor Shen, are you asleep?”

“No.”

“Then… can I ask you a question?”

“Mmm.”

“Did you choose me to be your wife because you know me and I happen to be in a difficult situation, so you wanted to help me?”

Shen Junlan didn’t answer. After a moment of silence, she asked in return, “Mingshu, what kind of person do you see me as?”

Yan Mingshu thought for a moment and answered seriously, “I think you are a responsible and professional professor, and a gentle, helpful, and respectable elder.”

In the darkness, Shen Junlan frowned slightly, chewing on the word “elder.”

“Professor Shen, you still haven’t answered my question.”

Yan Mingshu mustered up her courage and urged her softly. After she said that, she didn’t know what went wrong, but Professor Shen, who was next to her, suddenly turned over and pressed down on her.

A kiss with a hint of annoyance landed heavily on her lips.

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