After a Flash Marriage with a Professor - Chapter 47

Chapter 47: No Homecoming

Ming Shu didn’t catch on at first. It took her a moment to realize what Professor Shen had said, and her cheeks flushed hot. She felt she had completely steamed herself.

Embarrassed and annoyed, she wanted to say something—to accuse Professor Shen of being improper, of having two different faces in the day and night. But the words hovered on her tongue, and she ultimately swallowed them all back down.

She had touched upon Professor Shen’s pain. Professor Shen was clearly hurting but used such inappropriate language. Ming Shu was adept at empathizing and putting others first. She quickly figured out that Professor Shen was doing this to divert her attention and keep her from worrying about her.

The thought only made Ming Shu feel more sorrowful, her heart squeezed to the point of bursting. She had to do something for Professor Shen.

Since meeting Professor Shen, all the help she had received was tangible, both material and spiritual. She, too, needed to help Professor Shen solve a problem.

“Professor Shen, I can’t bring you a spring rain right now.” As she spoke, Ming Shu clearly felt something dropping, like rain watering a forest. She bit her lip shyly and continued, “I can let you have a spring rain first.”

Shen Junlan’s eyes widened in shock.

Ming Shu pushed herself to speak. “If you’re willing to trust me and let me try again.”

Shen Junlan pondered for a moment, then smiled.

She couldn’t remember when she started setting this gentle trap for the little bunny. It was true that she wanted to help the little bunny, but it was also true that she coveted and wanted to possess the little bunny.

Now, she had walked right into the net herself.

The Big Bad Wolf wants to eat the Little Bunny.

The Big Bad Wolf patiently set a net to lure the Little Bunny.

The Big Bad Wolf felt compassion.

The Big Bad Wolf felt sorry for the Little Bunny.

The Big Bad Wolf liked the Little Bunny.

The Big Bad Wolf cherished the Little Bunny.

The Big Bad Wolf still wanted to eat the Little Bunny.

The Little Bunny said she was willing to be eaten by the Big Bad Wolf.

The Little Bunny kissed the Big Bad Wolf’s scar. The Big Bad Wolf asked the Little Bunny for a spring rain.

The simple Little Bunny offered to help the Big Bad Wolf have a spring rain first.

The Little Bunny summoned her courage again, her face crimson, her heart fluttering nervously as she looked at the Big Bad Wolf.

The Big Bad Wolf smiled and agreed.

The Little Bunny was too pure and inexperienced. Finding no way to summon rain, she covered the Big Bad Wolf’s eyes with her fair hands. The Big Bad Wolf then presented the very tie that made her look gentle, refined, and elegant during the day. The Little Bunny didn’t react.

The Big Bad Wolf chuckled, “Use this to cover your eyes.”

“Oh, I forgot that was an option.” The Little Bunny was delighted, recalling a previous “night lesson” the Big Bad Wolf had taught her.

“Mhm.”

The Big Bad Wolf couldn’t see, and the Little Bunny seized the opportunity, secretly opening her phone to review her study materials.

“Wait for me for a bit.”

The Big Bad Wolf heard the Little Bunny jump off the bed and go to the bathroom. She curled her lips into a smile and waited quietly. The rose-shaped scar on her back, a remnant of years past, throbbed faintly, but it didn’t matter. She had a painkiller now.

The Little Bunny returned to the Big Bad Wolf’s side, having prepared herself in the bathroom.

Ming Shu lightly touched Professor Shen. Professor Shen bolted upright. Ming Shu was startled and took a step back, hesitant to proceed.

Shen Junlan took a deep breath, suppressing her reflexive urge to take control, and told herself to be patient.

Shen Junlan took Ming Shu’s hand. “Like this…” She leaned against Ming Shu’s shoulder and sighed softly.

Ming Shu blushed, diligently following the instruction.

Suddenly, a crack of thunder sounded outside, followed by the drumming of rain against the window. A swift summer downpour had begun. The entire world was engulfed in the noise of the storm.

Ming Shu leaned into Professor Shen’s ear and whispered, “It’s raining.”

Shen Junlan smiled. “A downpour.”

They had successfully summoned the rain.

The water heavily lashed the window. Shen Junlan held Ming Shu as they listened to the night rain, watching the water streak the large windowpane. The window must not have been properly sealed, as the curtains swayed in the breeze.

“I’ll close the window,” Ming Shu said, concerned the room would get wet from the heavy rain. She jumped out of bed.

The cool breeze and rain hit Ming Shu as she closed the window. She hurried back to Professor Shen.

Professor Shen pulled Ming Shu back into her arms. Ming Shu hugged Professor Shen in return. She could feel Professor Shen’s wildly beating heart.

“Professor Shen, I just…”

“You were great.”

“But… you did most of the leading,” Ming Shu said guiltily.

Shen Junlan nuzzled her face against Ming Shu’s like a cat. “Wife, I love your temperature.”

“Tem… perature?”

“Mhm.”

“As long as it’s you, I like it.”

“If you don’t know how, we can learn slowly, or you can leave everything to me.”

“I will ensure you have a lifetime of spring rains.”

Ming Shu couldn’t imagine what it would be like for her to have a spring rain. Last time, even through her clothes, she had experienced a lot, and Professor Shen had been in a hurry to leave, so the time was short.

She had witnessed Professor Shen’s spring rain tonight—like a fish struggling for life, convulsing and twitching for a long time.

Ming Shu felt her hand was completely numb and tired. If Professor Shen were to do the same to her, an image of a flash flood automatically surfaced in her mind.

Oh dear, Ming Shu felt that Professor Shen had led her astray without her realizing it.

“Wife, what are you thinking about?”

“N-nothing…” Ming Shu patted her hot cheeks.

“Wife, help me take off the tie.”

“…Okay, right away.”

Ming Shu reached for the gray tie covering Professor Shen’s eyes. The moment she removed it, she saw Professor Shen’s eyes, deep as a dark pool, wondering if she had been fully satisfied.

“You must be tired. I’ll carry you to the shower.”

Ming Shu was carried away by Professor Shen before she could react.

Is Professor Shen… this strong? Ming Shu was shocked. She remembered the night Professor Shen left for her trip; it took less than ten minutes for her to be weak for a long time, and she was still trembling as she made her way to the window to see Professor Shen off.

How did Professor Shen recover so quickly? She looks perfectly fine, even more energized.

Ming Shu struggled. “Professor Shen, I… I already showered. I don’t need another one.”

“Are you sure, Wife?” Shen Junlan chuckled softly. “Did you not have a little shower?”

Ming Shu: “…”

Ming Shu gave up resisting and let Professor Shen have her way. Professor Shen was in charge tonight.

As Professor Shen said, she really had a little shower, but her attention had been completely focused on Professor Shen at the time. How did Professor Shen know her so well, better than she knew herself?

After showering, Ming Shu still hadn’t figured out the question, but she didn’t ask. It was late, and it was time to sleep.

Professor Shen was especially clingy tonight. After turning off the light, not only did one hand have to tightly hold her, but the other hand also had to hold hers while she slept. Ming Shu held her breath and pretended to be asleep.

The next morning, Ming Shu woke up and found Professor Shen gone again. She stretched and sat up, feeling something on her wrist.

She looked down to see Professor Shen’s formal gray tie knotted like a bow tie around her wrist.

When did Professor Shen tie this on?

Ming Shu was utterly shocked.

Can I really sleep this soundly next to Professor Shen now?

Ming Shu was surprised by her own change. She had never slept this peacefully even at home.

She had actually found the long-missing sense of security and stability next to Professor Shen.

Her debt to Professor Shen seemed to be growing. Could she ever repay it all?

Professor Shen spoke of forever yesterday. Could they truly be together forever?

Ming Shu felt it was an incredibly gorgeous, unreal dream. She wasn’t sure how long she could possess such beauty, and she only wanted to be as good to Professor Shen as possible before the beauty vanished.

It wasn’t until the last minute before leaving the room that Ming Shu reluctantly removed the tie, which carried Professor Shen’s faint orchid scent.

Shen Junlan drove back to the hotel arranged by the university and happened to run into a few students heading out early.

“Good morning, Professor Shen!” the students greeted her enthusiastically.

Wearing a mask, Shen Junlan still managed to be recognized by her students. She smiled and said good morning, briefly asked the students where they were going, reminded them to be careful, and set a time for them to return for the meeting before going back to her room.

The students naturally agreed in unison. Once Professor Shen was out of sight, they started gossiping.

“Professor Shen must have stayed out all night. She doesn’t look like she just came back from breakfast.”

“What ‘stayed out all night’? Professor Shen is a married woman. It’s normal for her to visit Mrs. Shen, right?”

“Right, right. Mrs. Shen is so beautiful. If I were him, I’d want to be glued to her every day.”

“Wake up. Professor Shen said not to covet Mrs. Shen. You guys are dreaming big.”

“As if you weren’t thinking the same thing. Thinking isn’t a crime.”

“Even though they call her ‘Mrs. Shen,’ they haven’t said they’re actually married, have they? Anything is possible if they’re not married.”

“Maybe they’re secretly married. Professor Shen is always very private. All those people who tried to add Professor Shen on WeChat only got the work account. Professor Shen doesn’t reply to personal matters outside of class. She keeps work and life very separate.”

“Could it be that because the teacher-student relationship is sensitive, and it’s not good to get too close, Professor Shen, who has professional ethics and knows her charm, did this to deter everyone?”

…

Shen Junlan, who was washing her face, suddenly sneezed twice in succession. She wondered if she had caught a chill. She waited for a third sneeze, but it never came.

Is someone talking badly about her, or discussing her?

Shen Junlan couldn’t help but think of the lively, quick-witted students, feeling a slight headache.

After washing up, Shen Junlan picked up her phone to check the time and saw a few messages from Ming Shu.

“Wrist tie jpg.”

“When did you tie this on, Professor Shen?”

“It’s not convenient for work, so I’ve taken it off.”

“Have a successful workday, Professor Shen. See you tonight.”

Shen Junlan smiled, her lips curving. Her little bunny wife had automatically accepted the arrangement of their nightly private meetings.

How should she reply?

She had tied the tie on after her little bunny wife had fallen asleep and she had gently indulged in some loving attention on her for a long time.

Best not to say.

“See you tonight, Wife.”

“Cat kiss GIF.”

Ming Shu received Professor Shen’s reply a few minutes before the meeting started. She blushed immediately, and her breathing became rapid.

Ling Han and the negotiator both thought she was nervous and came over to encourage her.

Only Ming Shu knew that seeing the GIF of one cat pouncing on and kissing another cat made her think of how she had done the same to Professor Shen last night.

“It’s okay, Ming Shu. You did great yesterday. With the negotiator here, we just need to provide support.”

“Mhm.” Ming Shu turned off her phone, forcing her mind back to work.

The morning’s work went smoothly overall. During a break, she went to the restroom and ran into a few Chinese female students. They seemed very excited to see her. Ming Shu assumed it was just because they saw a fellow compatriot and didn’t think much of it, quickly leaving.

The few girls who saw Ming Shu squealed excitedly and sent messages in their team chat.

“I ran into Mrs. Shen! She’s truly stunning up close!”

“Sigh, sigh. Wait, Professor Shen isn’t in this group, right?”

“No, only students are in this group. Professor Shen and Professor Lin are in another one.”

“Did anyone take a picture?”

“No, I didn’t dare. Taking secret pictures is impolite.”

Ming Shu did not return to the conference room immediately after leaving the restroom. She found a relatively quiet corner and called Aunt Zhang.

Aunt Zhang was happy to receive the call, asking many questions, worried that she wasn’t eating or sleeping well away from home.

Ming Shu said, “I’m doing very well, Aunt Zhang, please don’t worry. I even saw Professor Shen here.”

Aunt Zhang paused, then laughed. “That is fate. Fate is decided by heaven. You two must cherish this relationship.”

“How is Junlan doing over there?”

“Mhm, she’s doing well. We see each other every day.”

“Aunt Zhang, I have a question for you, if I may?”

“Of course, what does Madam want to ask?”

“Aunt Zhang, do you know what happened with the rose scar on Professor Shen’s back?”

Ming Shu was afraid that asking Professor Shen directly would deeply stir up painful memories, so she decided to ask Aunt Zhang first. Aunt Zhang had taken care of Professor Shen for so many years and would surely know.

Only by understanding what happened could she know exactly how to comfort Professor Shen.

Aunt Zhang was silent for a long time.

Ming Shu waited quietly, her heart growing more uneasy the longer she waited.

Finally, Aunt Zhang spoke. She let out a long sigh first, then said, “I can only tell you that Junlan suffered a lot when she was a child. For the specifics, you’ll have to ask her yourself. It’s not appropriate for me to say.”

“Aunt Zhang, what can I do to truly help Professor Shen?”

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