After a Flash Marriage with a Professor - Chapter 48

Chapter 48: Putting Together A Bouquet

Aunt Zhang remained silent for a long time again.

Junlan had been taciturn as a child, keeping her thoughts bottled up. Back then, Aunt Zhang watched her all day and spent a lot of time with her. By exchanging a few words each day, she could guess some of Junlan’s thoughts. Now that Junlan was an adult and she herself was getting older, and with Junlan working, she didn’t have her under her watchful eye all day like when she was a child. She was no longer as sure of Junlan’s mind.

Only one thing she could confirm.

Junlan really liked Madam.

“Aunt Zhang, is this also inconvenient to talk about?” Ming Shu was a little confused. She understood that past painful memories shouldn’t be casually uncovered, but couldn’t she even suggest ways to make Professor Shen happy?

“No, it’s just that I’m old now, and I’m not sure what Junlan likes these days. What I know is all outdated, sigh~ Things she liked that weren’t fulfilled then may have become an untouchable taboo now. How can they still be used as a reference for what she likes?”

Ming Shu felt disappointed. “I don’t know what Professor Shen likes, either. I don’t know how to make her happy.”

“Junlan likes you, Madam,” Aunt Zhang chuckled. “After marrying you, Junlan has visibly become much happier.”

“Me?” Ming Shu was surprised, leaning slightly forward. She saw Ling Han walking toward her.

“Yes, Madam. Just stay with Junlan and be kind to her. Junlan is very easily satisfied.”

Ming Shu didn’t know if Professor Shen was easily satisfied emotionally, but she was not easily satisfied in that area. There were a few times when Ming Shu was tired, and she could still feel Professor Shen’s hand lingering, moving very gently. She hadn’t been very comfortable with it before, but now she was better; now she could sleep through it.

Aside from this, is there no other way to help Professor Shen?

Ming Shu felt powerless. In many aspects, she was inferior to Professor Shen. Professor Shen helped her, but what she could do for Professor Shen was very limited.

Saying goodbye to Aunt Zhang and ending the call, Ming Shu slumped her shoulders in discouragement. Ling Han happened to walk up to her.

“You’ve been out for a bit. I was worried something happened, so I came to check.”

“I’m fine, thank you, Ling Han.”

“You don’t look fine. Did something happen at home?”

“It’s really nothing. You don’t need to worry about me.”

Ming Shu quickly composed herself and said, “Let’s go back.”

“Okay.” Ling Han returned with Ming Shu. Several colleagues were having coffee with the American representatives in the reception area. After they sat down, a waitress immediately came over to ask what they would like to drink. Ming Shu didn’t know much about coffee. She remembered the cappuccino Professor Shen made for her and smiled, saying, “I’d like a cappuccino, please. Thank you.”

Ling Han was momentarily stunned, then also said she wanted a cappuccino.

The negotiator smiled knowingly at them both, leaned closer, and asked, “Are you two having a secret romance?”

Ming Shu’s eyes widened in shock. Ling Han was quicker to react, immediately denying it. “No, I’m single. Ming Shu already has a partner. We’re just friends.”

“Just friends, huh? You seem quite concerned about Ming Shu.”

“When we’re away, friends should look out for each other.”

“That’s true. But you don’t need to be so nervous. Our company doesn’t explicitly prohibit office romance, as long as it doesn’t affect work.” The negotiator gave Ling Han a meaningful look and went back to sipping her coffee.

Ming Shu didn’t catch the nuance and sincerely thanked Ling Han. She wasn’t good at explaining things to people and sometimes couldn’t even speak when flustered.

“No need to be so polite with me.”

When the coffee arrived, Ming Shu didn’t drink it immediately. She looked at the latte art on the surface and couldn’t help but think of the art Professor Shen made especially for her. The cappuccino pattern, like the name of the coffee, was also a type of rose. Thinking of the rose, Ming Shu couldn’t help but recall the rose scar on Professor Shen’s back.

Ling Han picked up her coffee and clinked her cup against Ming Shu’s, saying, “Cheers.”

Ming Shu quietly replied, “Cheers.”

During the lunch break, Ming Shu couldn’t help but ask Ling Han, “Have you ever been in a relationship?”

Ling Han was a little surprised that Ming Shu would ask such a personal question. She smiled and said, “I have, but it was in university. I dated a girl who was bisexual. She said she wanted to have children, so we broke up before graduation. We were together for a little over a year.”

“Ah…” Ming Shu didn’t expect Ling Han to summarize the whole story for her. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up painful memories.”

“It’s okay. I’m not sad anymore. If it’s not the right fit, it’s better to let each other go early than to drag it out.”

“That’s true.” Ming Shu lowered her head. She thought of Lingyu. Lingyu was the one who was dragged out in a past relationship. When Ming Shu first met her, Lingyu was emotionally drained and hadn’t even been given the title of a girlfriend.

“Why did you suddenly ask me that?” Ling Han asked with a smile.

Ming Shu snapped out of her memories of Lingyu and looked at Ling Han. “I wanted to ask you for advice on how to make someone you like happy.”

“The person you like, you mean Professor Shen, right?” Ling Han asked with a bitter smile.

Ming Shu nodded shyly.

“That’s wonderful,” Ling Han murmured, lowering her head. Initially, she thought Ming Shu’s flash marriage was out of necessity. But last time, when they ate at her family’s restaurant, Ming Shu introduced the suddenly appearing Professor Shen as “my wife.” Now, Ming Shu was asking her how to make the person she liked happy.

It seemed Ming Shu and Professor Shen genuinely loved each other. She had absolutely no chance.

“Did you and Professor Shen have a fight?” Ling Han asked, forcing a smile, unable to let go completely.

“No, we didn’t fight. I just genuinely want to know how to cheer someone up. I didn’t date before getting married, so I have no experience. That’s why I’m asking you.”

Ling Han laughed aloud. “Cheering someone up is an art. Different people require different methods. I don’t know Professor Shen well, so I can’t give random advice.”

“I see.”

Ming Shu sighed, looking troubled.

Ling Han thought for a moment and said, “If Professor Shen is going through something unhappy, you could try being gentler, being more patient, and showing more care for her. When bad feelings are released, she’ll be happy.”

“That makes sense.”

“Thank you, Ling Han.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Ming Shu lowered her head to message Professor Shen. Their chat log was paused from the morning, where Professor Shen sent the cat-kissing GIF. Ming Shu felt Ling Han’s advice was sound. She needed to be gentler, more patient, and show more care for Professor Shen.

Ming Shu searched for a matching emoji and sent it.

“Cat kiss jpg.”

“Did Professor Shen eat lunch?”

Shen Junlan was halfway through her meal, taking a call from Yu Le, holding her phone to her ear, and hadn’t seen Ming Shu’s message yet.

“Junlan, you don’t need to set me up with any blind dates for now.”

“You found a target?”

“Something like that.”

“Ming Shu’s best friend?”

“How did you know!”

Shen Junlan just smiled without speaking.

Yu Le’s heart pounded. “Talk to me! You teachers are terrifying. Your eyes are like surveillance cameras; nothing escapes you.”

“That’s an exaggeration. I just thought Lingyu was your type.”

“Huh?”

Yu Le thought back carefully. “So, Lingyu was the person you wanted to introduce me to?”

“Not too slow to catch on.”

“…”

“What happened after Lingyu drove you home last time?”

“Nothing much.”

“Did you try to contact her again later?”

“I did.” Yu Le paced her living room frantically. “When I got out of the car that day, I took the initiative to ask for her WeChat. She was a little reluctant, but she gave it to me.”

“Reluctant?”

“…Anyway, she gave it to me in the end.”

“Mhm. And then?”

“Shen Junlan, you’re laughing at me!”

“I’m not. Hurry up and tell me what happened next. I have to lead the team this afternoon, I don’t have time to mess around.”

“Ugh, only you are busy.”

“It’s okay. Ming Shu is here too. We sleep together every night.”

“Shen Junlan, will you die if you don’t provoke me?”

“Alright, I won’t say any more. You talk.”

Yu Le was exasperated. “Later, I tried to ask her out a few times using excuses, but she said she was busy and rejected me. Junlan, do you think she’s just not interested in me?”

“Probably.”

“Aaaaaah! As a good friend, shouldn’t you be encouraging me right now?”

“Love can’t be forced.”

Yu Le deflated, not wanting to talk anymore.

“Should I ask Ming Shu to help you ask her?”

“Yes, please help me put in a good word.”

“Are you serious about her?”

“Of course I am.”

“Fine. When I go to see Ming Shu tonight, I’ll ask her to help.”

After hanging up, Shen Junlan finally saw Ming Shu’s message and immediately replied.

“Cat intimacy jpg.”

“Ate half. Yu Le called me just now, so I didn’t reply right away. Wife, do you want to video chat?”

“Yes.”

Ming Shu immediately called Professor Shen before Professor Shen could call her. Professor Shen quickly answered.

Ming Shu asked, “Professor Shen, what did you have for lunch?”

“The students wanted KFC, so I ate burgers, pizza, fried chicken, and Coke with them.”

“Sounds pretty good.”

“It’s okay once in a while, but it gets tiresome if you eat it too much, and it’s high-calorie.”

Ming Shu’s mind spun frantically, trying hard to find topics to chat about with Professor Shen.

Shen Junlan noticed Ming Shu’s odd behavior. After chatting with Ming Shu for a while, she asked if anything was wrong.

“No, nothing’s wrong.”

“Good. Wife, there’s something I need your help with.”

As soon as Ming Shu heard Professor Shen needed her help, she immediately perked up.

“What is it? I’ll definitely help if I can.”

“My friend, Yu Le. Do you remember her, Wife?”

“Yes, what about Miss Yu?”

“She has feelings for Lingyu. She wants to communicate more with Lingyu and be good friends first, but Lingyu doesn’t seem to be giving her a chance. She asked me for help, so I was hoping you could help me ask Lingyu how she feels about Yu Le. If she doesn’t dislike her, maybe she can try giving her a chance. If she truly isn’t interested, I’ll help refuse.”

“Okay, I’ll ask Lingyu. See you tonight, Professor Shen.”

“Wait.”

“Is there something else, Professor Shen?”

“When will you call me Wife again?”

Ming Shu’s cheeks flushed. “When it’s just the two of us tonight, okay?”

“Isn’t it just the two of us now?”

“We’re outside. Other people will hear.”

“Fine, tonight then.”

After the call with Professor Shen, it was almost time to go back to work. Ming Shu opened her chat with Lingyu. They hadn’t chatted in days, and she wondered how Lingyu was doing. There wasn’t time to contact her now, so she would have to call her tonight.

After work that afternoon, Ming Shu’s first action was to message Lingyu. It was early morning in China, and Lingyu might still be asleep, so she didn’t reply. Ming Shu decided to wait two more hours and call Lingyu.

Ling Han asked her out to dinner alone, and Ming Shu accepted. After dinner, the two went to buy flowers. There were no orchids at the flower shop, so Ming Shu chose several different flowers to put together in a bouquet: cappuccinos, hyacinths, and sunflowers.

“Is that for Professor Shen? Why didn’t you pick a few red roses?” Ling Han asked.

Ming Shu couldn’t say much and simply explained, “Professor Shen doesn’t like them.”

“Can I have one?” Ling Han asked.

“Sure, pick one. Take a few,” Ming Shu said. She calculated that she still had money in her account. This month, apart from the money spent on a gift for Lingyu, she had barely spent anything else and still had savings. Starting next month, she would be able to save even more.

Ling Han only took one red rose.

After paying, the two returned to the hotel as it grew dark.

Shen Junlan arrived early today, too, anticipating that “Wife” she hadn’t yet heard.

Ming Shu also remembered her promise and had practiced many times with the bouquet before Professor Shen arrived.

She planned to give Professor Shen a surprise.

Shen Junlan arrived and knocked on the door. The moment the door opened, she saw Ming Shu, who had already changed into her bathrobe. Her skin was dewy and translucent, like a freshly peeled lychee, conveying sweetness before even tasting it.

Shen Junlan instinctively swallowed.

“Professor Shen,” Ming Shu called out, looking at her gently.

The beautiful fantasy of hearing a term of endearment was shattered. Shen Junlan maintained her composure, silently picking up the pieces of her broken heart.

“Professor Shen, please go to the bathroom and take a shower. I’ll wait for you.”

Ming Shu still called her Professor Shen. Shen Junlan looked at Ming Shu, wanting to speak but holding back.

Maybe Ming Shu is busy with work and forgot. It’s just a name. Ming Shu is my wife anyway, so it doesn’t matter if she calls me that or not, Shen Junlan consoled herself and walked into the bathroom.

After seeing Professor Shen go in, Ming Shu brought out the hidden bouquet, sitting at the foot of the bed, waiting for Professor Shen to come out and give her a surprise.

About 20 minutes later, she heard the doorknob turn. She immediately stood up, holding the bouquet of cappuccinos, sunflowers, and hyacinths.

Shen Junlan finished her shower, put on her bathrobe, and curved her lips into a smile before reaching for the doorknob, preparing to open the door.

The moment she pulled the door open, she saw Ming Shu standing straight, holding a bouquet of flowers, her eyes shining as she looked at her. Her voice was soft and gentle, full of a sweet smile. “Wife, this is for you.”

Ming Shu pushed the flowers forward.

Shen Junlan’s knot of depression instantly dissolved. She took a long stride, closing the distance between them, and pulled both the person and the flowers into her embrace.

“Wife, are you happy?” Ming Shu asked expectantly.

“Very happy. Reward: one night lesson.“

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