After a Flash Marriage with a Professor - Chapter 15

Chapter 15: My Heart is Pounding

Yan Mingshu was already on tenterhooks when she was grabbing her bag. When Professor Shen spoke, she was startled again and took a step back, almost falling onto the mahogany side table beside the sofa. Professor Shen grabbed her hand and pulled her back in time.

“Am I some kind of monster, Mingshu? Why are you so afraid of me?”

“No, Professor Shen.” Yan Mingshu denied it hastily. She was a little afraid of Professor Shen, but not extremely so.

After seeing that Mingshu was stable, Shen Junlan let go of her hand.

“Have you decided to leave?” Shen Junlan didn’t look at Mingshu, but her gaze involuntarily fell on the hand she had just used to pull Mingshu.

“Not yet… I just…”

“Just what?” Shen Junlan looked up, gazing at Mingshu from her seat on the sofa. Mingshu was not used to it and simply squatted down, picking up the blanket that had fallen on the sofa.

“I just wanted to get my bag,” Yan Mingshu said. “My strap was tangled around your little finger. I tried to be gentle, but I still woke you up. I’m sorry.”

“Weren’t you trying to leave early in the morning?”

“Huh?” Yan Mingshu tilted her head in confusion. She didn’t know why Professor Shen would think that.

“It’s nothing. If you’re not leaving, we’ll have breakfast together later.”

“…Okay.”

“Then I’ll go upstairs to get ready.” Shen Junlan let out a relaxed smile, feeling reassured.

“Professor Shen!” Yan Mingshu called out to her anxiously.

“What is it?”

“My bag.”

Shen Junlan looked down and saw that she was holding Mingshu’s bag. She took a few steps back and handed the bag to Mingshu. Mingshu took the bag, but she didn’t let go immediately.

The two of them had a silent stare for a few seconds before Shen Junlan finally let go and turned to go upstairs.

Yan Mingshu finally got her phone back. She turned it on. It was 8:30 in the morning, not too early, not too late.

She was about to contact her brother when she saw a message from him from last night.

Sister, are you okay? Sister Lingyu said you got married to one of your professors from college. Is she treating you well?

I haven’t touched the million yuan yet. If she’s not treating you well, I’ll return the money to her.

Yan Mingshu looked at the words, and she could already hear her brother’s youthful, worried voice in her ears. She couldn’t help but smile faintly.

I’m fine.

Really? Sister, you finally replied to my message. I haven’t slept all night because I was afraid something happened to you. Sister, don’t lie to me. I know this million yuan came at the cost of your freedom. I feel terrible about it.

Wenxuan, I’m okay. Don’t be rash. Today’s the day the debt collectors are coming. Give them the money. We can’t let them really chop off Dad’s fingers.

I know, sister. But we got through this crisis by you sacrificing your happiness. What about the next time? I think it’s better if they really chop off a finger. Dad will never learn otherwise.

Wenxuan!

Yan Mingshu was startled. She couldn’t imagine such a bloody scene. When she saw such a plot in old movies, she would always look away beforehand.

Sister, I’m just joking. Don’t be scared. I’m Dad’s son, after all. I wouldn’t really want him to lose a finger. While typing a reply to his sister, Yan Wenxuan felt how his nimble fingers were working. His eyes suddenly darkened.

For some reason, Yan Mingshu felt a chill and a strong sense of unease.

I’ll go back later, too, Wenxuan. Don’t do anything reckless.

Sister, I’m not a child anymore. I won’t do anything reckless. But it’s good that you’re coming back. You should bring our sister-in-law. Boss Huang said he would come again today. If you show up with your sister-in-law, it will make Boss Huang give up.

Yan Mingshu didn’t agree to bring Professor Shen with her. She just gave her brother a few more words of caution and ended the chat.

In the kitchen, Auntie Zhang had already prepared breakfast. She peeked out. She had done this once before and saw Junlan and the wife very close, which was quite ambiguous, so she had hidden back in the kitchen. This time, she only saw the wife by herself, and the wife was holding her bag, so Auntie Zhang couldn’t stay calm. She rushed out like an old cannonball.

“Madam, are you leaving? Are you not going to have breakfast with Junlan?”

Auntie Zhang’s approach was too fast, and Yan Mingshu, who was already on edge, was startled. Her phone dropped to the floor. Auntie Zhang was also startled by Mingshu’s reaction and blamed herself in her heart. Last night, Junlan had clearly reminded her that the wife was shy around strangers.

“My apologies, Madam, I…” Auntie Zhang quickly helped her pick up the phone. “Is it broken?”

Yan Mingshu took it and looked. The phone had landed face up, and the screen protector was fine.

“No,” she said. “You’re… Auntie Zhang?” Yan Mingshu vaguely remembered that Professor Shen had called the half-gray-haired, yet spirited, aunt by that name last night.

“Yes, I’ve taken care of Junlan for many years.” As Auntie Zhang looked at Mingshu, her two wrinkled hands rubbed nervously. She felt that this wife was both the same and different from what she had imagined. The same in that she was timid and easily startled, and different in that her attitude toward her was a bit too respectful. She was not used to it. After all, she was just a servant of the Shen family, an old servant.

“By the way, what did you say just now? I was thinking about something and didn’t hear you clearly. Could you say it again?” Yan Mingshu was still a little timid around strangers, but Auntie Zhang had the aura of a kind elder, which allowed her to manage the conversation despite her timidity.

Auntie Zhang repeated herself with a smile and told Mingshu not to call her “you” (a polite form in Chinese). She could call her Auntie Zhang, just like Junlan did.

Junlan? Yan Mingshu was in a daze for a moment before she matched the name with Professor Shen. She smiled. “I’ll have breakfast with Professor Shen.”

“Does Madam prefer Western or Chinese breakfast?”

“Either is fine. I’m not a picky eater,” Yan Mingshu said. At the end, she added a strict clarification, “Except for ginger.”

Auntie Zhang smiled kindly and said, “I’ll remember that.”

Shen Junlan quickly got ready and rushed downstairs. She didn’t change her bathrobe. When she saw Mingshu was still there from a distance, she felt a slight sense of relief. As she got closer, she saw a faint, shy smile on Mingshu’s face. The gloom that had been in her heart all night began to dissipate. Finally, she saw Auntie Zhang standing in front of Mingshu, and she could hear Auntie Zhang’s happy laughter. She smiled, too.

“What are you two talking about that’s so fun?” Shen Junlan asked with a faint smile. Mingshu quietly called her “Professor Shen.”

Auntie Zhang turned her head to look at Shen Junlan and lovingly criticized her, “I was just asking about Madam’s eating habits. She’s much better than you in that regard.”

Yan Mingshu was surprised. Was Professor Shen a picky eater? She only thought about it in her mind and didn’t dare to ask out loud.

For breakfast today, Auntie Zhang had two options ready. The Chinese breakfast had pigeon and scallop congee and soy milk. The Western breakfast had Portuguese egg tarts, steamed coconut cake, and milk.

Auntie Zhang was extremely enthusiastic and told Mingshu to try her cooking. Mingshu ate a little of both. Auntie Zhang’s cooking was really good. The pigeon and scallop congee was delicious, and the soy milk was pure, with a light sweetness. The Portuguese egg tarts were sweet and flaky. The steamed coconut cake was the biggest surprise; it was fluffy and tender. It was hard to believe that this was just a normal breakfast you could have at home.

As Yan Mingshu ate, she felt ashamed of herself. How had she been so confident that she could be a good wife who took care of Professor Shen’s daily life? Her cooking skills were far inferior to Auntie Zhang’s.

After eating, Yan Mingshu saw that it was already nine o’clock. She stood up in a hurry and told Professor Shen and Auntie Zhang that she had to go home for a bit.

“Do you want me to go with you?” Shen Junlan asked.

“No, I can go by myself.” Yan Mingshu lowered her head to get her bag, not daring to look at Professor Shen’s eyes. Although her brother had said it would be best to bring Professor Shen with her, Mingshu felt it was unnecessary. To make Boss Huang give up, she only needed to show him the marriage certificate. There was no need to let Professor Shen step into a terrible environment and witness terrible things.

“Wait.” Shen Junlan stood up, too, and reached out to wipe off a piece of flaky crust from a Portuguese egg tart that was stuck on the corner of Mingshu’s mouth.

“You’re in such a hurry. I’ll drive you, Mingshu. And what about your shoes? Are you going out in slippers?”

“My shoes were left at Lingyu’s place,” Yan Mingshu said weakly.

“You can wear mine.”

“Huh?” Yan Mingshu’s feet were small. Her whole frame was small. She was 165cm tall, but her feet were only size 36. Could she wear Professor Shen’s shoes?

“Sit down and wait.”

Mingshu was pulled by Shen Junlan to sit on the sofa. Auntie Zhang glanced at Mingshu’s feet and said with a smile that she would get the shoes.

“Do you have a lot of questions?” Shen Junlan asked with a smile.

Mingshu nodded.

Shen Junlan explained with a smile, “I have a shoe room at home. It’s full of shoes that my mother bought for me before she passed away. They range from small to large sizes, and many of them I’ve never even worn. Your size should be there, too. It should be fine to pick a pair for you to use in an emergency. The styles might be a bit old, Mingshu. Do you mind?”

Mingshu immediately shook her head. Why would she mind? Professor Shen was helping her out of kindness. But, had Professor Shen’s mother passed away? At that moment, anyone who heard that would probably offer a few words of comfort to Professor Shen. Yan Mingshu wanted to, too. She slightly parted her lips, not knowing what to say to be comforting without making Professor Shen sad.

Just as she was in a predicament, she was suddenly pulled into a warm embrace.

They collided hard. Mingshu felt a little pain. Her delicate eyebrows slightly furrowed, but she didn’t dare to move recklessly. She let Professor Shen stroke her back, pressing her against her body with force.

Yan Mingshu was pressed so tightly that she felt a little breathless. She could feel Professor Shen’s heartbeat, which was being transmitted without any distance, extremely clearly.

Thump-thump—

Thump-thump—

Thump-thump—

Even when Yan Mingshu was in extreme panic, she could still hear her own heartbeat.

“Professor Shen…”

“Let me hold you for a while.”

Professor Shen still didn’t relax her grip. Mingshu could only quietly feel it. The feeling of suffocation caused by the compression of her chest made her have to open her mouth and use it to breathe as well.

Shen Junlan heard Mingshu’s slight breathing. It sounded a lot like the gasping of someone who had been bullied to a certain breaking point. Her throat tightened. She loosened her grip a little. Mingshu instinctively took a big breath. The full amount of oxygen entering her lungs made her feel like she could continue to live.

“Professor… Shen?” As soon as she spoke, she was held tightly by Professor Shen again. The last word came out with difficulty. Mingshu had no idea what Professor Shen was thinking, only guessing that she had mentioned her deceased mother and was touching on a painful memory.

If a hug had the power to comfort, then she could silently comfort Professor Shen.

Yan Mingshu tried to raise her hands. They paused in the air a few times before finally landing on Professor Shen’s back.

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