After a Flash Marriage with a Professor - Chapter 43

Chapter 43: New Understanding

The thought of those night lessons shrouded Ming Shu in a complex emotion.

She was initially scared and resistant to those lessons, but now she was mostly accustomed to them. However, the last time, Professor Shen’s “teaching” pace had suddenly accelerated, becoming a bit too rapid, and she found it difficult to cope again.

Right now, she felt a fresh wave of panic. Professor Shen was rushing over late at night, and she honestly couldn’t find any reason other than another night lesson.

Ming Shu took three deep breaths to calm herself. Whatever Professor Shen was coming for, she would accept it.

First, I should take a shower.

The long-haul flight had left Ming Shu exhausted. She disliked the feeling of weightlessness when the plane suddenly shot through the clouds; it reminded her that her marriage to Professor Shen had also been a sudden ascent.

She was grateful to Professor Shen for saving her when she needed it most. She never for a moment dared to forget the gap between herself and Professor Shen. Even on her first flight, the novelty and joy weren’t as intense as the sense of unworthiness caused by the huge chasm between them.

How could she forget that feeling, even temporarily?

Even for just one second, one second where she could dare to believe Professor Shen liked her, and where she could dare to like Professor Shen in return.

There was no such moment. Not even for a second.

Ming Shu walked into the bathroom. The hotel bathroom didn’t have a shower, only a bathtub. Ming Shu studied it for two minutes, figured out how to use it, and started running hot water. Since it wasn’t convenient to wash her hair, Ming Shu pinned it up and only submerged herself into the tub.

She felt like a willingly trapped pet fish now. Professor Shen was the owner, and they were joined by the modern institution of marriage. It was perfectly normal for an owner to say “I like you,” or even “I love you,” to a pet.

This was Ming Shu’s perception of Professor Shen’s affection for her.

Ming Shu lay in the bathtub, thinking. This idea gave her a moment to breathe, preventing her from panicking as she had last night.

She accepted Professor Shen’s demands and controlled herself not to make demands in return. This way, she could maintain her original intention and prevent any fanciful notions. Even if the relationship dissolved or underwent a major change, it wouldn’t cause a huge upheaval for either of them.

But why do I want to be closer to Professor Shen?

Her actions today were clearly attempts to draw closer and follow Professor Shen’s footsteps.

Ming Shu’s mind was pulling wildly between plucking the star and self-control, constantly leaning from one end to the other.

She realized she was starting to develop feelings, but she desperately wanted to control and forbid herself from falling in love.

Subconsciously, she believed that a person couldn’t pluck a star, let alone someone who had painfully climbed out of the mud like her.

The star fell beside me on its own.

Ming Shu always felt that Professor Shen, the star, had briefly descended to her side, gotten dirtied by her, and momentarily had her light obscured. One day, after cleaning off the mud, she would return to the dazzling night sky, out of Ming Shu’s reach.

All Ming Shu could do was try her best to repay the star for its initial descent and rescue while it was still here.

Ming Shu washed off the dust and fatigue and stepped out of the bathroom wrapped in a pure white bathrobe. Just then, there was a knock at the door. There was no peephole, so she couldn’t see outside. Ming Shu cautiously didn’t open the door and asked, “Who is it?”

“It’s me, Ling Han.”

Ming Shu breathed a sigh of relief, opened the door, and asked Ling Han if everything was alright.

Ling Han stared blankly at Ming Shu, who had just emerged from her bath. Ming Shu wore a loose bathrobe, which was still beautiful despite being ill-fitting. Her snow-white skin, steamed by the hot water, looked softer and suppler than it had during the day. A few damp wisps of hair clung to her skin. With every breath, a subtle fragrance flowed, making her extremely captivating.

“Ling Han?” Ming Shu looked at her, confused. “Is there something on my face?”

“N-no…” Ling Han quickly averted her gaze and coughed lightly into her fist, trying to hide her inner restlessness and turmoil.

“Did you need something?” Ming Shu asked again.

“Oh, you haven’t eaten all day. I figured you must be hungry and wanted to see if you wanted to grab a bite nearby.” Ling Han’s gaze was still wandering, afraid to return to Ming Shu.

Too tempting. Ling Han licked her own lips, feeling incredibly parched.

Ming Shu didn’t think much of it, assuming Ling Han was simply trying to be respectful by not looking, given she was wearing a bathrobe, which, while not revealing, was still somewhat intimate.

Her stomach was indeed rumbling, but knowing Professor Shen would arrive any minute, she couldn’t leave right now, so she had to refuse.

“Sorry, I don’t really want to go out. I think I’ll go to sleep.”

Ling Han looked at the floor and smiled. “That’s okay. I’ll go by myself. I’ll bring you something back. I’ll knock again. If no one answers after three knocks, I’ll assume you’re asleep.”

Ling Han left. Ming Shu returned to the room and opened a bottle of mineral water. After taking a sip, she suddenly felt strange. A hot flow surged down below. She rushed to the bathroom and saw that her period had indeed arrived.

Her cycle was always very regular, so this sudden early arrival was a surprise.

Ming Shu pondered the reason. The biggest variable in her life recently was Professor Shen—Professor Shen’s sudden arrival to save her, Professor Shen teaching her night lessons, leading her to experience what was previously forbidden territory, Professor Shen’s gradual, occasionally uncontrolled, attempts to “consume” her.

She accepted it but also felt anxiety and fear about it.

Ming Shu felt a mix of embarrassment and relief—at least it didn’t happen while she was in the bathtub.

The problem now was the lack of sanitary pads. Ming Shu couldn’t comfortably go out to buy them. She had a heavy flow, and even padding with toilet paper didn’t feel safe enough for a trip out. In desperation, she could only turn to Professor Shen for help.

Shen Junlan had just parked her car outside Ming Shu’s hotel and answered the phone immediately.

“Wife, I’m at the hotel entrance. Are you hungry? Should I bring you something to eat?”

Ming Shu was in no state to think about food. She spoke shyly, “Professor Shen, could you please buy me some sanitary pads?”

Shen Junlan paused. “Has your period started?”

“Mhm. I’m sorry, Professor Shen.”

Shen Junlan frowned in confusion. Why would Ming Shu apologize for a normal biological occurrence?

“Are you uncomfortable anywhere? Do you have menstrual cramps?”

“It’s fine. It just started. Usually, my lower back and legs start aching on the second day, but it’s within my tolerance level.”

“Hold on, I’ll check the nearby stores for you.”

Shen Junlan entered a 24-hour self-service store and went straight to the feminine hygiene section. Most of the shelf stock was tampons, with few pads available. Shen Junlan asked, “Are you comfortable using tampons?”

“I’ve never used them. I always use pads.”

Shen Junlan smiled. Of course. Ming Shu had previously found it difficult even to look at issues concerning her physiology. The use of tampons was still a concept many women in China hadn’t fully embraced.

Shen Junlan bought all the cotton pads on the shelf, along with the last two packages of overnight pants tucked away in a corner. After scanning and paying for the items, Shen Junlan stepped outside with the bag. Seeing a nearby Chinese congee shop still open, she went in and got a takeaway order of Seafood Congee, along with a side dish and a cup of brown sugar water.

The owners, a middle-aged couple, felt an immediate kinship with her and enthusiastically spoke to her in Chinese.

Shen Junlan smiled and bid them farewell after receiving her order.

She quickened her pace entering the hotel, found Ming Shu’s room, 308, knocked, and simultaneously called Ming Shu.

Ming Shu, having padded herself with a thick stack of tissue paper, opened the door. Shen Junlan walked in and saw a visibly distressed Ming Shu. She quickly handed the entire bag of feminine hygiene products to Ming Shu. “You can wear the overnight pants. You’ll sleep more soundly tonight.”

Shen Junlan herself never used the overnight pants. Since her time studying abroad, she had switched to tampons. Her flow wasn’t heavy, and even standard domestic overnight pads had previously met her needs.

The overnight pants looked a bit like diapers, which always gave Shen Junlan a childish feeling. She didn’t use them, but she felt they were perfect for the anxiety-prone Ming Shu.

Ming Shu immediately chose the overnight pants and went into the bathroom. After changing, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. She washed the soiled underwear before coming out.

“Come and eat the congee.” Professor Shen was sitting at the small glass table by the window, smiling and gesturing to her.

Ming Shu hesitated for a moment, then walked over and sat down beside Professor Shen, slightly lost in thought.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Professor Shen, you must be very disappointed.”

“Hm?” Shen Junlan stirred the congee in the clay pot with a spoon. The sweet scent of the seafood congee permeated the air; it was still very hot.

“I mean…” Ming Shu didn’t have the courage to look at Professor Shen, who had rushed over late at night. She lowered her head and whispered, “My period suddenly started. You must find it quite a mood killer, right?”

“Why a mood killer?” Shen Junlan was slightly confused.

“You came to see me so late, you must have wanted to…” Ming Shu trailed off halfway. She couldn’t bring herself to say the rest.

Shen Junlan understood. Ming Shu was very simple; she didn’t play games, and her thoughts were easy to guess.

After carefully choosing her words, Shen Junlan admitted honestly: “It’s my fault. I admit that I often think about that. From the moment we reunited, I wanted to marry you, and I wanted to do that with you.”

Ming Shu was stunned that Professor Shen would say such a thing and was speechless for a moment.

“Wife, while I want to, it’s not a must-do. I’m not without self-control. Otherwise, I would have casually dated all these years. Besides, Wife, I am also a woman. I know the discomfort and inconvenience you are experiencing right now. If I were still only thinking about that at a time like this, I would be less than human.”

“If that were the case, you shouldn’t call me Professor Shen. You could call me Beast Shen.”

Ming Shu was dumbfounded. Professor Shen was constantly refreshing her perception of her.

Feeling she had made herself clear, Shen Junlan scooped a spoonful of seafood congee, blew on it, and smiled as she held it to Ming Shu’s slightly parted lips. “Wife, eat something.”

Ming Shu opened her mouth. The delicious sweetness of the congee filled her mouth. The seafood was fresh and cleaned well, which contributed to the excellent taste.

“Have a little more.” Shen Junlan offered a second spoonful.

Ming Shu looked up and took another spoonful. It was warm and sweet. For some reason, her eyes suddenly became blurry.

The third spoonful.

The fourth spoonful.

Ming Shu started crying.

Ming Shu’s tears came so suddenly that Shen Junlan felt a rush of panic. She put down the congee and pulled Ming Shu into an embrace. Ming Shu cried into her shoulder. Shen Junlan didn’t rush to ask why, allowing Ming Shu to vent.

She had learned earlier from Jiang Lingyu that Ming Shu’s company had a project related to an American publisher, but she hadn’t held out much hope that Ming Shu would compete for it. It must have been incredibly difficult for Ming Shu to muster the courage to participate, and winning must have subjected her to immense pressure and testing, Shen Junlan thought, her heart aching.

After a long while, Ming Shu slowly stopped crying. She looked up at her, sobbing: “Professor Shen, why is it always… you taking care of me… I should be the one… taking care of you.”

So, Ming Shu was crying about this. Shen Junlan’s heart clenched. She hadn’t done much, yet Ming Shu’s reaction was so intense. It wasn’t hard to deduce that Ming Shu hadn’t received much care or kindness previously. Ming Shu severely lacked love. When others were good to her, she felt unaccustomed, afraid, and flustered, instead of accepting it naturally and feeling worthy of others’ goodness and love.

Shen Junlan gently wiped the tears from Ming Shu’s face and coaxed her with a self-deprecating tone: “Wife, there is no such thing as one-sided ‘shoulds.’ Even if there were, it would be me. I’m older, I’m the older cow eating tender grass. I should take care of you more. Otherwise, what do you want from me? Just the pure one million? You’re young and in your prime. Trading the rest of your life’s happiness for one million is too much of a loss, and the money wasn’t even used on you. It’s only right that I take better care of you. I want to.”

Ming Shu was stunned by this explanation, and her sobbing ceased.

After a moment, Ming Shu earnestly countered to comfort her: “Professor Shen, I don’t think you’re old.”

“I’m seven years and a bit older than you,” Shen Junlan said, feigning nonchalance about something she deeply cared about.

Ming Shu said sincerely, “Honestly, it’s fine. I think anything within 10 years is fine, truly!” Ming Shu stared at her with her swollen, red eyes.

She was worried about Shen Junlan when she herself wasn’t fully recovered.

Shen Junlan was amused by Ming Shu’s serious comfort. Her little bunny wife was truly kind and adorable.

“You haven’t eaten enough, have you? Have a few more bites.” Shen Junlan continued to feed her.

Ming Shu felt embarrassed. “I can feed myself.”

Shen Junlan handed the congee to Ming Shu, letting her eat on her own, so that Ming Shu wouldn’t worry about bothering her or tiring her out and end up not eating enough.

Just as the congee was handed over, there was a knock at the door.

Ming Shu thought it might be Ling Han and immediately set the congee on the table, pulling Professor Shen up.

“Who is it?” Shen Junlan asked.

Ming Shu “shushed” her, telling her to hide behind the door. Shen Junlan did as Ming Shu said, remaining silent.

Ming Shu opened the door. Shen Junlan hid between the door and the wall, listening to Ming Shu and Ling Han’s conversation.

“Here, Ming Shu. If you’re still awake, eat this. I brought you a little bit. Not much.”

“Thank you. How much is it? I’ll transfer it to you.”

“I didn’t keep track. This is just a small portion. I ate most of it. It’s not much. No need to transfer money.”

Ming Shu felt guilty. “I’ll treat you next time.”

“That works.” Ling Han smiled. Having returned from outside, she had built up a little more courage. This time, she couldn’t resist glancing at Ming Shu a few times. Even if they couldn’t be together, she could at least look.

She had just confided in a friend who encouraged her to fight for what she wanted, but Ming Shu was already married, and Ling Han had met her spouse. They seemed very much in love, and Ling Han had resigned herself to the fact.

She just felt a pang of regret. She felt it was a matter of timing. If she had met Ming Shu earlier, maybe they would have had a chance.

Ling Han’s eyes traced Ming Shu’s face. When her gaze met Ming Shu’s eyes, she became unsettled.

“Ming Shu, what’s wrong? Your eyes are red.” Ling Han worriedly glanced into Ming Shu’s room, afraid something had happened, but she didn’t see anything, only smelled a sweet, fresh aroma.

“I’m fine.” Ming Shu smiled at Ling Han. “Thank you for the trouble, Ling Han. Get some sleep. See you tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow. You can call me for anything at all. Don’t worry about bothering me.”

“Mhm, good night.”

The conversation ended, and Ming Shu closed the door.

Shen Junlan smiled. “Wife, don’t you think we look like we’re having a secret rendezvous?”

Ming Shu’s face instantly flushed. She carried the food Ling Han bought further into the room.

“Can you still eat?” Shen Junlan asked.

Ming Shu said, “I’ll finish the rest of the congee.” She didn’t want to waste it.

As for what Ling Han had brought, it seemed to be grilled meat. She opened it and offered Professor Shen some. Professor Shen didn’t refuse, nor did she show any unhappiness. She even ate it with gusto, which finally allowed Ming Shu’s tense nerves to relax.

After the meal, the two went to wash up. Shen Junlan had already showered before coming, so she only needed to wash her face and brush her teeth like Ming Shu. They stood side-by-side in front of the bathroom mirror, one tall, one slightly shorter. Ming Shu kept her head down, avoiding the mirror. Shen Junlan watched her with a continuous smile.

Even just washing up with Ming Shu is this much happiness.

After they finished washing up, Shen Junlan lifted her little bunny wife horizontally into her arms. Ming Shu was slightly startled and instinctively looped her arms around Shen Junlan’s neck.

“Professor Shen, what are you doing?”

“Carrying my wife to bed.”

Unconsciously, Ming Shu had grown accustomed to the term “wife.” She allowed Professor Shen to carry her to the bed and set her down very gently, as if she were a precious treasure.

Professor Shen then got into bed herself and lay down beside her.

With the lights off, they could hear each other’s breathing.

Ming Shu asked, “Professor Shen, will you make it back in time tomorrow morning?”

Shen Junlan thought for a moment. “I have to take students out for a summer project at 8:30 AM. If I wake up early, it shouldn’t be a problem. It’ll be a bit rushed, though. Should I go back now?” she asked tentatively.

Ming Shu didn’t reply. Shen Junlan felt a slight disappointment, but the next second, she felt Ming Shu reaching out to grasp her hand. Ming Shu’s hand wasn’t as long as hers, only managing to hold her thumb.

In the darkness, Shen Junlan’s lips curved up. “I’m not going back. I’m staying to sleep with my wife.”

Ming Shu, clutching her thumb, explained earnestly, “Professor Shen, I didn’t mean to ignore you last night. I honestly didn’t know how to respond.”

“Do you know how to respond now?” Shen Junlan turned onto her side, facing Ming Shu. Unable to help herself, one hand snaked its way like a meandering serpent across the snow-white expanse, punctuated only by two spots of red plum.

Ming Shu asked anxiously, “Professor Shen, why are you breaking your word?”

Shen Junlan smiled. “I just wanted to check if you ate enough.”

Ming Shu’s face flushed crimson in the dark. She whispered tremulously, “Then Professor Shen should be checking my stomach, not there.”

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