After a Flash Marriage with a Professor - Chapter 40

Chapter 40: Gathering Leaves

Ming Shu felt that what Professor Shen said was a little too mushy. She looked at Ling Han worriedly, calculating the distance, feeling confident that Ling Han couldn’t hear.

However, fearing Professor Shen might say something else that shouldn’t be heard by others, Ming Shu lowered the volume to the minimum.

“Wife, what are you looking at?” Shen Junlan asked.

Ming Shu blushed and lowered her voice: “My colleague.”

It was the height of summer, and the rooftop was especially hot. Ming Shu was sweating slightly, dampening the wisps of hair on her forehead.

Shen Junlan kept staring at Ming Shu. The strong sunlight shone on Ming Shu’s flushed face. She couldn’t help but quickly take several screenshots to comfort herself during the next few days of long distance.

“Ming Shu, where are you right now? Why does it look so hot?”

“I’m on the rooftop of the company building.”

“Aren’t you going to eat?”

“I’ll go soon.” Ming Shu didn’t know when Professor Shen would hang up the video call, so she just answered whatever Professor Shen asked.

Shen Junlan quickly realized that Ming Shu probably didn’t want to take the call in a crowded public area, so she went up to the rooftop.

“Is work going smoothly?”

“…Smoothly.”

“Why the hesitation, hmm?”

Shen Junlan raised her hand, her finger lightly touching the screen. Ming Shu felt a fleeting sensation as if Professor Shen’s hand had passed through the screen, across space and time zones, and was gently stroking her head in comfort.

“It’s just… well, it’s nothing. Everything is normal. Professor Shen doesn’t need to worry about me.”

Ming Shu suddenly had a strong urge to confide in Professor Shen about the expectation, fear, struggle, and confusion in her heart, but she stopped herself at the edge of the cliff. Professor Shen must have her own things to attend to during this business trip. It was the middle of the night in the US, and Professor Shen needed to sleep. If her confession affected Professor Shen’s sleep, she would feel terribly guilty.

The lie was too obvious. Ming Shu was terrible at lying, and Shen Junlan saw right through it.

“Tell me about it. If you don’t tell me, I won’t be able to sleep tonight.”

Ming Shu was surprised. “Professor Shen, you noticed?”

“Yes, I’m very willing to listen. Do you want to tell me?”

“…Perhaps not.” Ming Shu refused, then turned her face away. A humid summer wind blew over, messing up her fine hair, making her look ruffled.

If she told her, Professor Shen might be even more unable to sleep.

Shen Junlan put on a hurt expression. “Why don’t you want to tell me?”

Ming Shu remained silent, thinking to herself: She has almost no secrets from Professor Shen, nowhere to hide. Professor Shen understands her, but her understanding of Professor Shen is still lacking.

Even though they were wives, this imbalance and excessive exposure still frightened her. She had experienced the physical aspect: the night Professor Shen left, she was completely naked, while Professor Shen was fully clothed from start to finish, returning to normal in an instant upon leaving, as if the entire ordeal had only been a personal turmoil for her.

Professor Shen could withdraw at any time and had the right to withdraw at any time.

Sweet words shouldn’t be taken seriously, especially those spoken in that context. She felt she might need to amend that thought: Of course, one can sweet-talk and pamper the other as long as they haven’t grown tired of them.

Being treated this way, she couldn’t help but blush and feel her heart race.

Once, twice, three times, she could still call it thin skin and inexperience, but with repeated occurrences, she could sense the difference herself.

She was truly starting to like Professor Shen, not just feel gratitude.

But could she like Professor Shen? Of course, she could, if she wanted to, but she was afraid of forgetting what she was originally like, afraid of becoming dependent on Professor Shen, afraid of sinking step by step into a life of luxury, losing her already not-so-strong abilities. By then, her flaw wouldn’t just be social phobia; she would regress into a pampered bird kept in a luxurious villa.

When Professor Shen grew tired of her, it would be a devastating blow to her, the already-pampered bird.

This hypothetical scenario made Ming Shu incredibly fearful. She almost constantly remembered that she was mismatched with Professor Shen, just as Jiajia had attacked her earlier it was harsh, but it was the truth.

Shen Junlan waited patiently for a moment. Afraid that Ming Shu might suffer from heatstroke under the scorching sun, she said, “It’s okay if you don’t want to talk now. Whenever you’re ready, just contact me. A call or a text is fine. Go downstairs to eat first.” With that, Shen Junlan proactively ended the video call.

Ming Shu used the wall behind her to stand up. The wall was also very hot from the sun.

“Ling Han, let’s go down.”

Ling Han turned around and smiled at her. “I thought you two would chat a little longer.”

Ming Shu shook her head.

Did the conversation not go well?

Ming Shu still shook her head. Ling Han didn’t press further. Not knowing exactly what happened, she changed the subject. “Ming Shu, have you changed your mind about the project to the US?”

Ming Shu still shook her head. Ling Han said, “No rush, you still have time to think.”

The two went downstairs to the company cafeteria. A group of colleagues who had finished eating were leaving and ran right into Ming Shu and Ling Han. Ming Shu keenly noticed those colleagues scanning their faces like scanners, sensing that new gossip awaited her.

Sure enough, as they walked past and the distance grew, a few unpleasant comments reached her ears. They didn’t even lower their voices, seemingly intending for them to be heard.

“See, I told you. Yan Ming Shu and that Ling Han have been getting quite close recently.”

“Normal. Didn’t they dig up that Ling Han is a hidden rich second-generation? Her family owns a high-end restaurant. She’s here to experience life and date while she’s at it.”

“Yan Ming Shu has such a beautiful face. What good fortune. If she couldn’t cling to the Vice President, clinging to a Ling Han isn’t bad either.”

Ming Shu felt dizzy and didn’t dare to look at Ling Han’s face. After getting their food and finding a seat, she finally looked up to apologize to Ling Han.

Ling Han smiled. “Ming Shu, this isn’t your fault. Their mouths are their own. They enjoy the pleasure of gossiping about others. They only care about having something to talk about after dinner, not what the truth is. We can’t let them get to us.”

“But, Ling Han, don’t you care?”

“Me,” Ling Han shrugged, feigning indifference, “I’m more thick-skinned than you. If people try to make me unhappy, I definitely won’t give them the satisfaction. They won’t see what they want to see.”

Ming Shu listened intently but didn’t understand, tilting her head in confusion.

Ling Han froze for a moment, then asked, “You don’t actually think those people genuinely believe that, do you?”

Ming Shu nodded.

If they didn’t think that, why would they say it? Don’t they feel guilty intentionally trying to smear others?

“No, that’s not it,” Ling Han’s shock was indescribable. She chose her words carefully before continuing. “Ming Shu, I find it hard to believe that you still harbor such charitable thoughts toward these people.”

“Some people are just bad. They don’t attack because of a misunderstanding. They just act on rumors or intentionally create them, forming a group for a malicious, bullying frenzy. You are the victim. You can’t automatically rationalize their behavior, quietly digest it, and suffer alone.”

Ming Shu started to understand what Ling Han meant. She seemed to have always been accustomed to this way of thinking: when something happened, she instinctively looked for the problem within herself. Why did others misunderstand or humiliate her? Did she really do something that caused misunderstanding or hatred? She had never considered that the other person was simply malicious, deliberately releasing ill-will towards her, using the weapon of groupthink to attack her, or even destroy her.

“I won’t be defeated,” Ming Shu said, her voice still small but her tone firm.

“That’s the spirit,” Ling Han smiled. At least Ming Shu was stronger inside than she appeared.

“Thank you, Ling Han.”

“Don’t be a stranger with me.”

Ming Shu finally relaxed. The two chatted while eating, eventually circling back to how to resolve the rumors. Ming Shu worried about affecting Ling Han’s dating life.

Ling Han said, “Then we’ll wait until the person I like shows up to talk about it. They are malicious towards you. Even if you clarify things, if it’s not me this time, they’ll just pair you with someone else. That person might not be as unconcerned as I am.”

“That’s true.” Ming Shu looked thoughtful. It was rare to find someone as nonchalant about rumors as Ling Han.

After lunch, they returned to the office. Many colleagues were already taking their lunch break, lying on their desks. One male colleague was snoring. Ming Shu tiptoed back to her workstation. She wasn’t sleepy and messaged her brother on her phone.

She first asked about her brother’s finger recovery and then about the preparations for going abroad.

It was the second week of recovery. Yan Wenxuan felt he was recovering well and even thought he could be discharged, but his brother-in-law (Shen Junlan) and the doctor insisted he stay for a full two weeks of observation to ensure there were no issues before discharge.

Yan Wenxuan was naturally happy to receive a message from his sister. Qin Shu sat beside him, frowning. “Don’t type so fast. Take it easy. Be careful with your hand.”

“Mom, I’m fine. I don’t use my pinky to type on my phone.”

“You still need to be careful. Who are you chatting with?”

Yan Wenxuan stopped replying and hid under the covers. If his mother found out he was chatting with his sister, she would definitely explode again.

Sis, the doctor says I’m recovering very well. I can be discharged in a few days. I don’t really understand the procedures for going abroad. My brother-in-law found a friend who works in that field to help me. I haven’t had to worry much. The only thing I’m worried about is not adapting immediately and the language barrier, but I’ll be attending a language school for a year first. Brother-in-law told me to build a solid foundation.

Are you nervous about going abroad soon?

A little, but mostly excited. Sis, why are you suddenly asking me this?

Wenxuan, what do you think if your sister went to the US for a business trip?

If there’s a chance, you should try it! Your English is much better than my current Japanese level. You can try to overcome your social anxiety. Like when you had oral and interpretation classes in college, you got through them all. Sis, I really think you can do it. You need to have confidence!

[But you must pay attention to safety abroad! It’s best to travel with someone. Don’t go out at night. I heard the US isn’t as safe at night as at home.]

Ming Shu smiled. Why did Wenxuan believe in her so much?

It’s just an opportunity. I need to sign up to compete for it. I don’t know if I should try.

Try it! Brother-in-law is also in the US on a business trip. Sis, you’re wavering because of that, right? You probably would have ignored this kind of opportunity before.

Ming Shu took a deep breath. That was certainly part of the reason. If possible, she also wanted to try to challenge and improve herself, to see if she could get a little closer to Professor Shen, not just by sleeping in the same bed. She wanted to draw closer to Professor Shen in terms of ability as well.

She had only been thinking vaguely, but Wenxuan had given her encouragement.

Shen Junlan woke up from her nap and, calculating the time difference, called Jiang Lingyu for help, asking if she knew why Ming Shu seemed upset today.

Lingyu was confused. “Ming Shu didn’t say anything to me either.”

“Does Ming Shu have anything she particularly likes? Something that would make her happy to see?” Shen Junlan asked, thinking about bringing Ming Shu a gift when she returned home.

Jiang Lingyu opened her desk drawer and took out a small box. Inside were various different leaves she had collected. After drying them, she had carefully written many things she had always wanted to say to Ming Shu but didn’t dare to.

Now, she no longer had the chance to say them, and she didn’t want to disrupt Ming Shu’s happy married life. She closed the drawer again.

“Professor Shen, I thought of something. Ming Shu likes unique leaves. If you’re on a business trip in the US, you could collect some for her. I think she’d be happier with that than with a purchased item.”

Shen Junlan thanked her and ended the call. It was noon here, and the students were still eating. She had stepped out alone to make the call. When she returned, the students would have finished eating, and she needed to take them to the local publishing house for a field trip.

Since the appointed time hadn’t arrived yet, Shen Junlan told the students to return to the hotel to rest, and they would leave in an hour.

The team leader asked, “Professor Shen, aren’t you going back to rest with us?”

Shen Junlan looked around, surveying all the trees within sight. “I have something to do. The leader will take everyone back first.”

The hotel was less than 200 meters from the restaurant. The students all knew the way, and the leader guided everyone back.

“What is Professor Shen busy with?”

“Could it be meeting her old partner from when she studied abroad?”

“What partner?”

“I saw it on the campus forum. It said Professor Shen dated a foreign girlfriend while studying abroad, broke up when she returned home, and hasn’t dated since because she couldn’t forget her.”

“Are the rumors on the forum credible?”

“We can secretly watch and find out, can’t we?”

A student suggested quietly observing if the supposed ex-girlfriend of Professor Shen appeared. After observing for a long time, they didn’t see anyone arriving for an appointment. They only saw Professor Shen occasionally bending down to pick up leaves from the ground. It seemed she wasn’t picking up every leaf, but carefully choosing them.

Everyone rushed back. The team leader took the lead and asked, “Professor Shen, are you collecting different species of leaves in the US for the botany professor to make plant specimens? We can help!”

Shen Junlan: “…” How should she explain to this group of students that her leaf collection had nothing to do with academic research and everything to do with her love life?

Just as she was pondering how to handle the students, Shen Junlan’s phone rang. It was Ming Shu calling her.

Shen Junlan walked to the side to answer Ming Shu’s call. The group of students were all little mischievous spirits, quietly talking amongst themselves: “Professor Shen smiled when she saw the phone screen, did you see that?” “I saw it, I saw it!”

Like playing “One, Two, Three, Red Light,” the students stealthily followed their respected Professor Shen.

Shen Junlan was immersed in the joy of Ming Shu proactively contacting her and didn’t notice the students being so bold.

Based on the time difference, it should be just past midnight in China.

Shen Junlan said softly, “Wife, why are you still awake so late, thinking to call me?”

Ming Shu said, feeling extremely embarrassed, “Didn’t Professor Shen say you missed me? If I’m bothering you, I won’t call anymore.”

“You’re not bothering me. I’m very happy that my wife is calling me voluntarily.” In Shen Junlan’s mind, this was equivalent to Ming Shu expressing that she missed her too.

“Is Professor Shen with your students now?”

Shen Junlan was about to say that the students were nearby, a little distance away, when a student hiding behind her, too excited about discovering Professor Shen’s shocking secret marriage, couldn’t help but speak first.

“Yes! Hello, Teacher’s Wife!”

Immediately afterward, both Ming Shu and Shen Junlan heard a chorus of “Hello, Teacher’s Wife!”, each shouting louder than the last.

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