After a Flash Marriage with a Professor - Chapter 36

Chapter 36: Show Affection

Yu Le had been single for several years and wasn’t usually bothered by public displays of affection, but when the person showing affection was Shen Junlan, she suddenly found it a bit unbearable.

“Buy me dinner,” Yu Le sent a voice message.

“Alright, what do you want to eat?”

“Haven’t decided yet. Drive over here first.”

Shen Junlan didn’t refuse. Yu Le had done her a favor, and she was free right now and needed to kill some time.

An hour later, Shen Junlan arrived at Yu Le’s house. Yu Le was starving.

Shen Junlan had come prepared and handed something over.

“What’s this?”

“Steamed sticky rice chicken, Aunt Zhang made it. It’s still hot.”

Yu Le took it, quickly unwrapped the outer leaves, inhaling the fragrant lotus leaf scent. She took a big bite without worrying about her table manners, finishing it in a minute, like a whirlwind. After eating, Yu Le threw the leaves into the trash and grabbed a few tissues to wipe her hands.

“Wait a minute, Shen Junlan. Are you trying to feed me beforehand so I don’t bleed you dry?”

Shen Junlan smiled at her. “Didn’t you eat enough when you went out for a late-night snack with Jiajia yesterday?”

“It’s the afternoon, alright? No matter how full I was from a late-night snack, I should be hungry by now.”

“Have you decided what you want to eat?”

“Japanese food. Haven’t had it in a long time.”

“Sounds good.”

“Professor Shen, you’re being so agreeable today?” Yu Le asked suspiciously.

Shen Junlan was in a great mood. Yu Le felt like her face was practically blooming.

A woman nourished by marriage.

Walking outside, Yu Le was surprised. “You drove yourself? Why didn’t you call Old Liu?”

“To thank you for your help yesterday, I’m personally being your chauffeur.”

Yu Le brightened up. “Then I should definitely enjoy this. I could even come up with a viral title: ‘About the H University Professor Who Became My Driver.’ What do you think, appealing?”

“Are you planning to change careers from running a restaurant to writing articles?”

“No, I was just asking casually. But writing might not be a bad idea. I’m pretty free right now, too.”

The two unoccupied people went to the Japanese restaurant in the afternoon. At 3 o’clock, it wasn’t a typical dining time, and there were no other customers in the restaurant.

“This is great, private dining treatment,” Yu Le remarked.

Shen Junlan wasn’t hungry but let Yu Le order. Yu Le was typically the kind of person who could eat anything and never gain weight, so there was no need to worry about leftovers.

Midway through the meal, Yu Le suddenly looked up and noticed that Shen Junlan, though chewing her food, was clearly not focused on enjoying the meal.

“Junlan, what are you thinking about?”

Shen Junlan didn’t hear her, but a slight smile suddenly appeared on her lips. Yu Le called her again, and Shen Junlan’s smile deepened.

“Hey, Junlan, you’re spacing out.”

Shen Junlan snapped back to attention this time. “What did you say just now?”

“I asked what you were thinking about so intently.”

“Thinking about my wife.”

Yu Le: “…”

Ugh. The good mood she’d had from the Japanese food was gone again. Married Shen Junlan was truly annoying.

Yu Le took a deep breath. She managed not to be completely overcome by envy and jealousy. After calming down, she asked the question that had been lingering in her mind.

“Aren’t you going to ask why I took Jiajia out for a late-night snack after dropping her off last night?”

Shen Junlan looked at her doubtfully, then paused before saying, “Do you like Jiajia?”

Yu Le leaned back, shaking her head and waving her hands. “That little girl is definitely not my type.”

“I thought you might like someone like Jiajia. Didn’t you date a younger girl before?”

Yu Le gave an unreadable expression. “Don’t bring it up. The past is too painful to revisit. A love disaster.”

“Haven’t gotten over the heartache after all these years?”

“It’s not the heartache I haven’t gotten over; it’s the trauma.”

“Then why did you…”

“Didn’t you ask me to help?” Yu Le was a bit reactive, her voice slightly louder.

Shen Junlan nodded. “Yes, which is why I’m buying you dinner. Eat your fill.”

Yu Le continued eating, but the food was no longer as delicious as before.

Shen Junlan was full and watched Yu Le’s disheartened, soulless eating, feeling a little uncomfortable.

“I know another young woman. Maybe she’d be suitable for you. She should be around Ming Shu’s age.”

Yu Le looked up, wanting to smile but not quite managing it. “Junlan, didn’t you say you’re not a matchmaker and can’t introduce anyone to me?”

“I didn’t want to, but I don’t like seeing you like this even more.”

“How am I now?”

“Like a trapped beast who can’t get over heartbreak,” Shen Junlan said bluntly. “Yu Le, if you truly want to date, you don’t lack options.”

Yu Le said nothing, raising her hand to ask the waiter for rice wine. The waiter quickly brought it.

“Want some?” Yu Le asked. Shen Junlan shook her head. “I won’t drink. I have to drive.”

The person drinking had changed. Yesterday, it was Shen Junlan; today, it was Yu Le.

Yu Le took a sip of rice wine and said, “Junlan, you’re talking about me, but who was it yesterday who dragged me out and drank until they were passed out?”

“That was me.”

“Exactly. And let me ask you, if Ming Shu dumped you, would you be able to just let it go?”

“Ming Shu wouldn’t do that.”

Yu Le tried to widen her small eyes to glare at Shen Junlan, then drank two more cups of rice wine.

“You still haven’t told me exactly why you broke up,” Shen Junlan said softly.

She only remembered Yu Le’s last relationship was during her time studying abroad in the US. Yu Le somehow connected with a young woman with short blonde hair who was on a gap year. It was a passionate, fiery romance. At that time, Shen Junlan was busy with literature reviews and thesis writing and didn’t pay much attention. Yu Le had always been like that quick to jump into a relationship and quick to get out of one. Shen Junlan didn’t understand it but respected it.

One morning, Yu Le returned to their shared apartment, and things started to feel wrong. Yu Le seemed drained of energy, becoming listless and uninterested in everything. She still hadn’t fully recovered and had been in a state of laid-back indifference ever since. Fortunately, her family was well-off, so she didn’t have to worry about a livelihood even when slacking off.

“Please, Shen Junlan, let me keep one secret. You even know the color of my underwear.” Yu Le clasped her hands together, pleading as if to a deity.

“I don’t know.”

“Oh, so Professor Shen is done with me and just throws me away, is that it?”

Shen Junlan rubbed her forehead in exasperation. “Don’t always say things that are so easily misunderstood. When was the underwear incident? When we were roommates abroad, you always forgot to pick up your laundry after showering. Of course, I knew what color you wore when I helped you collect them. I don’t know now.”

“That’s still ‘used and thrown away.'” This was referring to the times Yu Le helped Shen Junlan ward off potential suitors. When Shen Junlan was abroad, she wasn’t interested in dating. Whenever a hint of romance appeared and someone approached her, Yu Le would pop up and tell Shen Junlan right in front of the other person what color underwear she needed her to wear tonight. The first time Yu Le did this, Shen Junlan was a bit appalled, but later, realizing the tactic was quite effective, she stopped commenting on it.

Shen Junlan was grateful to Yu Le.

“Tell me about that young woman you think is suitable for me,” Yu Le changed the subject. After resisting a bit, she circled back. Maybe she really was lonely, and it was time to move on. Even Shen Junlan was married; how could she stay stuck in the past?

“It’s hard to say. I’ll just introduce you two directly when there’s an opportunity.”

“You haven’t even formally introduced Ming Shu to me yet.”

“Come to my place for dinner tomorrow night. I’ll introduce you two. A preemptive warning: Don’t get any ideas about Ming Shu.”

“Am I that kind of person?”

Shen Junlan smiled. “Eat more.”

Yu Le’s mood brightened a little. She continued to eat. For some reason, she felt hopeful that she could emerge from her slump and find a partner this year. Perhaps Shen Junlan’s success in getting married after a single blind date had given her confidence.

Seeing Yu Le’s appetite improve, Shen Junlan was completely relieved and went back to thinking about Ming Shu.

Yu Le finished eating but wasn’t full. Shen Junlan offered to order another dish, but Yu Le stopped her.

“I’m tired of this. Let’s switch to another restaurant. Are you treating, Professor Shen?”

“Yes,” Shen Junlan asked, “What else do you want to eat?”

“That place we went to once before.”

“The one with the good red wine and foie gras?”

“Yes.”

The two decided to go immediately. Shen Junlan drove again. Yu Le was slightly tipsy and opened the window for air.

“My stomach is a bottomless pit. Good thing I’m not poor, and neither are my friends,” Yu Le laughed at herself.

Shen Junlan smiled faintly. “Maybe you didn’t eat enough in your past life. This life, you can gorge yourself and not gain weight.”

“You can eat more too, if you want,” Yu Le said.

“I can’t,” Shen Junlan replied. “I gain weight easily. Besides, I’m older than Ming Shu, so I need to take better care of myself.”

“I know you have a wife. You can’t go three sentences without mentioning Ming Shu. It’s annoying.”

“You should find someone quickly too.”

“I’m waiting for you to introduce me. Hurry up and put it on the agenda, Professor Shen.”

Ming Shu and Lingyu didn’t go out today. In the morning, after Ming Shu made breakfast, she called Lingyu to eat. In the afternoon, they ordered takeout for lunch.

During lunch, Ming Shu received an invitation from Ling Han. Ling Han asked if she was free tonight and wanted to invite her to her family’s restaurant to taste more food.

Lingyu was nearby and saw the message. Curious, she asked, “Who is Ling Han?”

“A colleague at the company, also a friend.”

Lingyu was happy for her. “Ming Shu, you finally made a friend at work!”

“She was the only one who stood up for me when I was wrongly accused last time. We started eating lunch together often and became friends. Her family owns a restaurant. Professor Shen once delivered food to me at the company, and it happened to be from Ling Han’s family restaurant. So, she offered to treat me there next time.”

“Is it a boy or a girl?” Lingyu asked, as the name was quite gender-neutral.

“A girl. A cool older sister with a buzzcut.”

Lingyu smiled, forming a guess in her mind: Ling Han was most likely a butch lesbian (T), but it was just a guess. It could also be a purely platonic friendship.

“I should probably tell her another day,” Ming Shu typed, preparing to send the message. Lingyu laughed. “I want to try that restaurant.”

Ming Shu was slightly stunned. “Then I’ll ask Ling Han if I can bring a friend.”

“Mhm. We’ll pay for ourselves.”

Ming Shu messaged Ling Han, who replied welcoming her and her friend.

Lingyu looked at the messages repeatedly but couldn’t spot anything unusual. She decided to analyze the situation from Ming Shu’s perspective. “Does this Ling Han know you’re married?”

“Not yet.” Ming Shu shook her head. “I haven’t told anyone at work about my marriage.”

Lingyu wavered again. Putting herself in that position: when Ming Shu was single, she, Lingyu, liked Ming Shu even though she existed as Ming Shu’s friend. Could this Ling Han be just like her used to be?

Lingyu wanted to tell Ming Shu her thoughts but was afraid it would affect Ming Shu and Ling Han’s friendship. It would be terrible if she caused Ming Shu to lose such a rare friend. She decided not to say anything for now and would observe carefully during dinner. She thought that if Ling Han liked Ming Shu, she would be able to tell.

The two stayed home all afternoon. Towards the evening, they quickly got ready and drove together to Ling Han’s family restaurant.

Upon arrival, Ming Shu realized it was a high-end restaurant and hesitated, feeling a bit out of place. Lingyu was calmer than her.

“Your colleague seems to be a rich second-generation too.”

Ming Shu immediately looked down at the balance on her phone, worried she wouldn’t have enough money. Lingyu enthusiastically held her arm. “Let’s go, let’s go. I want to eat. You already made me longevity noodles yesterday, gave me the jade pendant gift, and ordered the takeout. This meal is on me.”

The Western restaurant where she had the blind date with Professor Shen was also high-end and expensive. This place was certainly expensive too.

Ming Shu felt Lingyu shouldn’t have to pay for everything, so she suggested, “Should we split the bill?” Ming Shu thought she could afford her half.

“There’s no getting around you. Fine, let’s split the bill.”

The two entered the restaurant. Ling Han personally greeted them. The red wine and foie gras were also cooked by Ling Han herself.

“How does it taste?” Ling Han asked.

“It seems even better than last time,” Ming Shu said.

Lingyu also thought it was very good, but she was more focused on observing whether Ling Han liked Ming Shu.

The waiter quickly served a few more dishes, all recommended by Ling Han. Ming Shu recognized the crispy lamb chops, which she had eaten before. She didn’t recognize the remaining dishes. She barely recognized the caviar but was hesitant due to its appearance and didn’t dare to try it. Seeing Lingyu eat it naturally, she gave her portion to Lingyu.

“Ming Shu, Ms. Jiang, can you drink alcohol?” Ling Han asked.

Ming Shu said, “I’ll try a little.”

“I won’t drink. I have to drive.”

Ling Han personally selected the best champagne in the restaurant and poured half a glass for Ming Shu. Ming Shu took a small sip. It felt spicy at first, but after a moment, she tasted the fruitiness. The overall feeling was complex yet layered. She savored it, drinking the entire half glass.

“Does it taste good?” Lingyu asked with a smile.

Ming Shu nodded.

“Your face is red from the drink. Don’t drink any more. You’ll feel sick if you drink too much.”

“Okay.”

The two interacted very casually. Ling Han watched them and couldn’t help but ask, “Are you two… a couple?”

“No, I’m single,” Lingyu replied with a smile, then carefully observed Ling Han’s eyes.

Ling Han was looking at Ming Shu now, clearly wanting to hear Ming Shu’s answer. Ming Shu pursed her lips and said, “Lingyu and I are good friends. You could say best friends.”

A look of joy appeared in Ling Han’s eyes. She had a black diamond stud in her right ear today, which now sparkled with light.

She definitely likes Ming Shu. Lingyu could basically conclude that. Eyes don’t lie. How could she persuade Ling Han to back off without damaging the friendship? It was hard for the socially anxious Ming Shu to make a friend at work.

Just as Lingyu was worrying, Ming Shu spoke. “Ling Han, I’m going to tell you a secret. You can’t tell anyone else at the company, okay?”

Ling Han was still immersed in joy and asked with a smile, “What secret?”

Ming Shu patted her face, which was flushed from the alcohol, and placed her hand over her mouth, whispering, “I’m already married. I have a wife. I’m not single.”

The smile on Ling Han’s face froze for a second, then dissolved. “Ming Shu, you’re drunk. You’re joking with me, right?”

“What Ming Shu said is true, Ms. Ling,” Lingyu testified for Ming Shu.

“I still don’t believe it.”

Ling Han couldn’t believe it. Why would she?

If Ming Shu was already married, she could have used the fact of her marriage to clear her name when the office rumors were running wild before.

“When did you get married?” Ling Han asked, clutching a sliver of hope.

“Just last week. It’s only been… a little over ten days,” Ming Shu managed to say clearly despite being slightly tipsy.

Ling Han’s heart sank. Last week. That was after the Vice President’s wife mistakenly took Ming Shu for a mistress.

But why would Ming Shu get married so hastily?

“Ming Shu, were you coerced by someone?”

“No, it was voluntary.”

Ming Shu was indeed a willing participant in the marriage registration with Professor Shen.

“No, I still find this hard to believe.” Ling Han felt the whole situation was absurd and strange.

Jiang Lingyu looked at Ling Han with some sympathy. She felt that Ling Han also genuinely liked Ming Shu.

“Hey! Professor Shen! My wife is here!” Ming Shu suddenly stood up excitedly, staring towards the restaurant entrance.

Shen Junlan and Yu Le, who had just walked in, were both momentarily stunned to see Ming Shu suddenly stand up.

Shen Junlan immediately walked toward Ming Shu without hesitation. Yu Le paused for two more seconds.

Could this be the miraculous connection between wives? Yu Le admitted she felt jealous again, but she followed them anyway.

Reaching the table, Shen Junlan reached out and touched Ming Shu’s flushed face. “Why is your face so red? Did you drink again?”

Ming Shu tightly grasped her hand and looked at Ling Han across the table. “See? I really do have a wife!”

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