After a Flash Marriage with a Professor - Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Screams

Shen Junlan felt a jolt in her heart as Mingshu’s light touch. A burning sensation spread from the center of her heart, and the dormant volcano within her was on the verge of erupting.

Was Mingshu responding to her?

No, Shen Junlan immediately dismissed the thought that had popped into her head. Mingshu was still afraid of her; it was impossible for her to accept her so quickly.

While she was thinking, those soft little hands began to gently pat her back.

“Professor Shen, I’m not very good at comforting people. I don’t know what to say to make you feel better. Are you feeling better now?”

Shen Junlan thought back to what had happened before she had uncontrollably hugged Mingshu and had a sudden realization.

Was Mingshu too kind, or too naive?

Girls like her were easy targets for bad people. If she met the wrong person, it would become a great tragedy.

Shen Junlan felt that she was “bad” in a way, too, but she was confident that she wouldn’t let Mingshu’s future turn into a tragedy.

“Much better.”

“But, if you stop calling me ‘you’ (a polite form of address in Chinese), I might recover a little faster.” Shen Junlan didn’t explain why she had suddenly hugged Mingshu, and so tightly. She didn’t even know why herself.

Shen Junlan didn’t want to think about it anymore. She just wanted to feel their perfectly fitting, unconventional hug at this moment.

Mingshu felt that Professor Shen’s mood should have improved. She considered her words carefully and said, “Professor Shen, if you, oh no,” Mingshu remembered what Professor Shen had just said about recovering faster if she didn’t call her “you,” and quickly corrected herself, “if you’re willing to trust me, I can be your confidant and I promise to keep your secrets.”

“Professor Shen, I will never betray you.”

Shen Junlan was not used to confiding in others, and at this moment, she couldn’t bring herself to refuse Mingshu. Mingshu was too sincere.

After a long silence, Shen Junlan replied with a quiet, “Okay.”

Mingshu then said, “Professor Shen, is it okay if I be your confidant after I’ve handled my family’s matters and come back?”

Shen Junlan could tell that Mingshu was truly in a hurry, but she still didn’t let go. She said gently, “Wait until Auntie Zhang finds you a pair of suitable shoes, and then you can go.”

“Okay,” Mingshu answered obediently. She then said, “Professor Shen, can you let go of me first? I want to order a taxi on my phone.”

Shen Junlan finally let go of Mingshu. She knew that if she held on any longer, there would be problems.

After being released from Professor Shen’s embrace, Mingshu sat on the sofa nearby. She quickly looked at her phone and started hailing a ride.

Shen Junlan also took out her phone and sent a message. The person on the other end quickly replied.

Sister Junlan, I’ll be right there!

Mingshu wasn’t so lucky. She found that she couldn’t get a taxi here at all. She looked at the map closely and saw that this area was a wealthy seaside villa district in H City. It was likely that every family here had a car and a driver, so very few ride-sharing cars were willing to come here.

Mingshu didn’t know what to do. Was she going to have to do what her brother said and bring Professor Shen with her, and have Professor Shen drive her?

While she was thinking, Mingshu heard Professor Shen call her name.

“Can’t you get a taxi? I’ll find someone to drive you. It’s Auntie Zhang’s niece, a girl a little younger than you. She got her driver’s license last year and is a good driver.”

“Won’t that be too much trouble?” The thought of bothering someone else made Yan Mingshu’s nerves tense up.

“She’s idle and likes to make friends. She’ll probably be very happy to meet you.”

Yan Mingshu was about to say that she really didn’t want to trouble anyone when Auntie Zhang came out from around the corner of the stairs, holding a pair of white handmade cloth shoes.

“Junlan, what were you talking to the wife about? She looks a little pale.”

Shen Junlan smiled and explained the situation to Auntie Zhang. Auntie Zhang neatly placed the shoes by Mingshu’s feet and then clapped her hands with a hearty laugh, holding her hands together, not letting go.

“Madam, please don’t be a stranger. My niece called me yesterday and said, ‘Auntie, hasn’t Sister Junlan’s vacation already started? We promised to hang out together during her vacation. Are you free tomorrow? I’ll drive you guys.’ So I told her, ‘Your Sister Junlan brought her wife home yesterday, so she probably won’t have time to play with a little kid like you tomorrow.’ She was indignant and said that she’s already an adult and will graduate from college next year, and that she could take your wife out to play with them, and that it would be a good chance to meet her. The little girl is very curious about your wife.”

Yan Mingshu’s face flushed. This niece of Auntie Zhang was younger than her. If she was a “little kid,” then so was she.

“Mingshu, don’t be nervous. Auntie Zhang’s niece is named Zhang Jiajia. She’s very friendly, talks a lot, but she’s not hard to get along with.”

Yan Mingshu had already imagined the scene in her mind. She thought of all the possible difficulties she might face. For example, if she couldn’t keep up with Jiajia’s train of thought, and their communication was out of sync, would she be misunderstood?

Seeing that Mingshu was lost in her own thoughts, Shen Junlan crouched down by Mingshu’s feet and put on her a pair of her own unworn handmade flat cloth shoes. Both sides had faint crystal purple orchid embroidery. Many of the things her mother had prepared for her when she was alive didn’t actually suit her. But on Mingshu’s feet, they were a perfect fit.

Shen Junlan gently squeezed Mingshu’s ankle until Mingshu came back to her senses before letting go.

“Stand up and walk around. See if they fit.”

Yan Mingshu had just stood up and hadn’t had a chance to take a step when she heard a piercing car horn outside.

“That must be Jiajia,” Auntie Zhang said with a laugh. She walked out. Professor Shen also smiled and held out her hand to Mingshu. Mingshu’s heart was fluttering with anxiety. She needed a little courage. This time, she didn’t hesitate to take Professor Shen’s hand and walk out with her.

After honking the horn, Zhang Jiajia got out of the car. She had a short bob, dyed orange. Her face was round, and her eyes were round, too. She looked a little like Lingyu, but their styles and temperaments were different. Lingyu had longer hair, permed into big curls, and dyed chestnut. Her eyes didn’t have this happy, bright look.

The weather was nice and sunny today. Zhang Jiajia was wearing a red and black plaid tank dress. With her cute face and her sweet but edgy style, she was bending over to look at herself in the small mirror on the car door, with an orange lollipop in her mouth. She only straightened up when she heard footsteps.

“Auntie, where’s my Sister Junlan and her wife?”

“Wife, my foot. The neighbors are going to report you for disturbing the peace,” Auntie Zhang said, walking over and pulling up Jiajia’s tank top. Her expression was serious. “There’s so little fabric. It doesn’t matter if it’s safe or not, you’re going to catch a cold.”

Zhang Jiajia took a step back and pouted. She bit down on the lollipop in her mouth, breaking it in half.

“Auntie, you messed up my bow.”

Shen Junlan and Mingshu came out holding hands at that moment. Zhang Jiajia was feeling wronged. She leaned forward to Shen Junlan and pointed to herself, “Sister Junlan, look. What’s wrong with my outfit?”

Shen Junlan only took one glance and then looked away. She shook her head with a smile. This scene had played out many times before.

“Jiajia, let me introduce you. This is Mingshu. From now on, you’ll call her…” Shen Junlan suddenly paused. After the marriage law was revised and same-sex marriage was allowed, the titles became a bit confusing.

Generally speaking, in a same-sex couple, the person who earns more money can be compared to the male role in a heterosexual relationship. In that case, Jiajia calling her “sister” and then having to call Mingshu “sister-in-law” would be awkward.

“Just call her Sister Mingshu,” Shen Junlan said as a compromise.

Zhang Jiajia had already started observing Mingshu. At first, she only used her peripheral vision and was vaguely amazed by Mingshu’s profile. “So delicate.” Now that she saw Mingshu’s face, she thought Mingshu was incredibly beautiful. With her snowy skin and red lips, her face was small, her lips were small, and her eyes were big and slightly slanted, giving her a hint of charm. Her expression was gentle and timid, with a strong sense of fragility. Her looks and temperament were comparable to the stunning movie stars in old-century magazines.

She was even more special. She made a simple white dress look so good on her.

“Hello, Sister Mingshu,” Zhang Jiajia said with a smile, though she felt a little hurt inside.

Yan Mingshu pursed her lips and said stiffly, “Hello.”

“Just call me Jiajia.”

After a simple introduction, Zhang Jiajia drove Mingshu home. As she was driving, she couldn’t help but wonder if Sister Junlan was a member of the “looks club.” But she immediately dismissed that thought. For so many years, she had been quietly watching. She had seen all kinds of beautiful women try to get close to Sister Junlan, and Sister Junlan was never moved.

Why was she having a shotgun wedding this time?

Zhang Jiajia felt a little depressed. She softened her voice and asked, “Sister Mingshu, how did you and Sister Junlan meet?”

“We met at school,” Yan Mingshu answered simply, without elaborating.

“A campus romance? Do you also work at H University?”

“No, I used to… study at H University.”

Study? Zhang Jiajia slammed on the brakes. Yan Mingshu’s body lurched forward. Fortunately, her seatbelt held her in place, and she was thrown back into her seat.

No way. Sister Junlan…

Zhang Jiajia couldn’t believe it. It took her a while to compose herself. She looked at the person next to her. “Sister Mingshu, are you okay?”

Mingshu shook her head, holding the seatbelt.

Zhang Jiajia stared intently at Mingshu’s profile, like a hawk in the dark. Yan Mingshu felt that the atmosphere wasn’t right. She turned her head to look, but she only saw Jiajia apologizing with a smile, saying it was just an accident.

Mingshu asked her to take her home as soon as possible. Zhang Jiajia started the car again and said with a chuckle, “Seeing you, I finally know what kind of person Sister Junlan likes.”

Yan Mingshu didn’t respond. She didn’t know what to say. Although Professor Shen had chosen her, she didn’t think Professor Shen had chosen her because she liked her.

For the rest of the way, Zhang Jiajia didn’t say another word. She drove straight to Mingshu’s building.

Mingshu got out of the car, thanked Jiajia, and told her not to wait for her. After that, she walked upstairs.

Jiajia didn’t leave right away. She wanted to know more about the kind of person Sister Junlan liked and see if Mingshu was worthy of Sister Junlan’s affection. So she got out of the car and leaned against it, observing her surroundings.

The buildings here were old residential buildings. The families who lived here definitely weren’t well-off.

With such a big difference in their family backgrounds, and Sister Junlan still liked her. Zhang Jiajia clenched her fists. She could no longer see Mingshu’s back.

She only saw a lot of dust on the ground. There was a cracked area, and a large pothole. A streetlamp next to it was broken, bent over, about to fall. A black bird, a bit like a crow, was perched on the bent part. The surroundings were eerily quiet, but not a peaceful kind of quiet.

Jiajia rubbed her bare arms. It wasn’t because she was cold, but because she felt a chill in her heart. She couldn’t help but look up at the sky. The sunlight was so bright it hurt her eyes. She closed her eyes and focused on feeling the warmth of the sun on her body. The chill in her heart slowly melted away.

Just then, her eyelid twitched violently, as if something was about to happen. She opened her eyes, got back into the car, and reached for an orange lollipop to calm her nerves. Before she could tear the wrapper, she heard a series of heartbreaking screams coming from the residential building. The screams of both men and women were mixed together.

The lollipop fell to the ground.

Zhang Jiajia stared blankly as several men came out of the building Mingshu had just entered. They looked panicked and ran to a pink Lamborghini parked in front of her car. Their hurried movements looked comical. One of the younger men paused as he passed her and let out a whistle.

A fat man with a dark face in the car yelled, “Why are you still standing there? Waiting for the police to come and arrest us?”

“Dad, I don’t think their family would dare to call the police.”

“Even so, we can’t make a big scene. It’s best to leave. It’s just a shame we didn’t get that girl, Yan Mingshu. I’m not giving up.”

The gaudy pink Lamborghini drove away. Zhang Jiajia came back to her senses. She had never seen a scene like this before. Her heart was in a panic, and many guesses popped into her head. The most certain one was that Yan Mingshu’s motive for marrying Sister Junlan was not simple.

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