After a Flash Marriage with a Professor - Chapter 53

Chapter 53: Poor Wolf

“Forever?” Ming Shu was shocked. This wasn’t the first time Professor Shen had used such a weighty word with her.

The first time it was said without thinking, but what about the second?

Ming Shu’s heart began to pound violently in her chest, uncontrollably. The light in her eyes, the invisible dust, and even the whole world seemed to be beating in sync with her heart, beating wildly for Professor Shen.

“Yes, forever.” Shen Junlan lowered her head and reverently kissed Ming Shu’s hand.

“There’s a ring missing here, Wife. How about we find some time to customize a pair of unique rings that belong only to the two of us?”

Ming Shu’s heart was beating even faster. Her body seemed unable to contain the small heart that was so excited it could no longer be described in words.

Ming Shu didn’t know her heart could beat this fast.

“Wife, do you want to get them customized domestically or abroad?”

“Let’s also have a wedding, okay?”

“You still want to have a wedding?” Ming Shu asked in surprise. “Didn’t we agree not to when we were on our blind date?”

“Yes, but the situation has changed now. I can’t wait to let the whole world know you’re my wife. Wife, you should have all the beautiful ceremonies. I want to make up for all of them for you. I’m sorry it’s a little late.”

“I… I… really don’t care. It’s okay not to have one. You know I’m afraid of people and don’t like too many strangers or crowded scenes.”

Shen Junlan smiled softly, carefully kissing each of Ming Shu’s fingers, as if performing a sacred ritual. The final kiss was imprinted on Ming Shu’s soft palm.

“Who says a wedding has to be grand and lively, or that we have to invite so many unimportant people we don’t have a good relationship with? Our wedding will be decided by us alone.”

“Wen Xuan hasn’t gone abroad yet. He would also hope that his sister could have a beautiful wedding.”

“Wife, don’t you want to wear a wedding dress just once?”

Ming Shu’s heart couldn’t help but stir. What girl in the world hasn’t fantasized about wearing a beautiful, dreamy wedding dress for the person she loves?

“Wife, I also want to wear a wedding dress for you.” Shen Junlan covered Ming Shu’s hand, palm to palm, a true meeting of hearts.

Ming Shu’s heart stopped for an instant.

“For me?”

“Yes, for my wife, and for myself, for us.”

“I also want to announce it in the newspaper, like in the Republic of China era, with the news of our marriage in all the newspapers.”

“Wouldn’t announcing it in the newspaper be too exaggerated?” Ming Shu asked nervously. She couldn’t imagine the news of her marriage to Professor Shen appearing in the news.

Professor Shen was an exceptional and respectable person, well-known in academic circles. Her life’s major event certainly deserved to be announced in the newspaper and celebrated by everyone, but Ming Shu felt as small as a speck of dust, unworthy of occupying public resources.

Being widely followed by the media and the public, with so many eyes watching, Ming Shu felt she couldn’t bear it. The thought alone scared her.

“Professor Shen, if we’re going to get married, can we not announce it in the newspaper?”

“Okay.” Seeing Ming Shu visibly starting to panic, Shen Junlan immediately agreed. Nothing was more important than Ming Shu’s feelings.

“We won’t do anything my wife doesn’t want. There’s no need to create a big spectacle just to prove something to others. Everything will be based on my wife’s preferences.”

“What about you, Professor Shen?”

“I already have what I want most.”

“What is it? How come I don’t know?”

“You, my wife.”

Upon hearing this, Ming Shu quickly lowered her head in embarrassment.

Shen Junlan held Ming Shu tightly and continued, “I truly want to hold you like this forever, until we grow old.”

Ming Shu said, “To stay like this forever, we’d have to become a pair of statues.”

“Becoming a statue would be nice too, as long as I can be with my wife.”

Ming Shu’s face was red and her heart was racing, her blood felt hot.

Tiny sparks gathered, sweeping through her heart, gradually becoming a blazing fire.

Ming Shu also made a brave decision. “If Professor Shen truly wants me forever, I’m also willing to be with you forever, never to leave.”

“Wife, you can never leave me for the rest of your life.”

“You were destined never to leave me for the rest of your life. In this life, you are meant to be my wife.” Shen Junlan smiled. “You gave up on the two chances to leave me.”

Ming Shu shyly lowered her head. As long as she wasn’t being forced, with Professor Shen being so good to her, why would she ever want to run away?

The two of them embraced like this, leaning on each other.

“Wife, are you tired?” Shen Junlan asked.

“No.”

“Then let’s wait for news from Aunt Zhang and Old Liu together.”

“Okay.”

“Do you want to get up and look at the moon?”

“Yes, I’ve never seriously looked at the moon here. Will it be any different?”

“There’s not much difference. If I had to say, I think the moon abroad is colder.”

Ming Shu and Shen Junlan got out of bed together, held hands, and walked to the window. Each pulled back a side of the curtain.

There were no stars tonight, only a solitary crescent moon, which made it feel particularly cold.

Ming Shu couldn’t help but recall how Professor Shen had briefly talked about her experience studying abroad during a translation class a few years ago. She asked curiously, “Professor Shen, were you particularly lonely during all those years abroad?”

“Not really. I lived a very fulfilling life back then. Yu Le was the lonely one.”

“Did Miss Yu not adapt to life abroad?”

“She’s a homebody.”

“People who are homebodies must have very happy families, right?” Ming Shu said with a sigh. “Back in college, my dorm had four people, and the other three would go home for the summer break, but I would stay on campus to find a part-time job.”

“By yourself?”

“I was alone before I became friends with Lingyu. I studied alone, ate alone, and worked part-time alone. As long as no one paid attention to me, being alone wasn’t so bad.”

Shen Junlan lifted the hand she was holding and wrapped her arms around Ming Shu, lowering her head to rest her chin gently on Ming Shu’s shoulder. “It seems difficult for a wife this beautiful not to get attention.”

“Professor Shen, did you also notice me because of this face?” Ming Shu asked with a worried tone.

“No. Although I am a lustful glutton, I didn’t first notice you because of your face.”

“Wife, do you remember when we first met?”

Ming Shu thought carefully and responded earnestly, “During the first translation class?”

“Incorrect. Think again.”

“The matriculation ceremony?”

“I didn’t attend the ceremony for your class.” Shen Junlan smiled and revealed the answer, “The first time I saw you was in the cafeteria. My perspective only saw your back. A large group of students was surrounding you. A boy was publicly trying to pressure you into being his girlfriend. As a teacher, I had a responsibility to protect my students. At that time, you were my student.”

Ming Shu was deeply touched. “Responsibility?”

“Mhm. When on campus, teachers have a responsibility to protect their students. I have basic professional ethics. I would not allow my students to be bullied.”

“But… but…” Ming Shu’s mind was flooded with painful memories. She subconsciously closed her eyes, and the world plunged into darkness.

She was suddenly back in the darkest moments of her life. In elementary school, a boy would lift her skirt, and the teacher would say she shouldn’t wear a skirt. In middle school, boys would privately gamble on her and get into fights. When something happened, the boys’ parents, teachers, and the school would all say it was her fault, blaming her for not paying attention to school rules. Her mother also despised her for causing trouble. In college, various ridiculous scenes of boys who couldn’t get her affection were played out on campus. Ming Shu could only hide. One day, baseless rumors suddenly spread. Almost everyone in the school would give her a meaningful look, including Lingyu, who had not yet understood her and had not yet become her friend.

But she had done nothing but exist.

The coldness of the crescent moon outside seemed to transfer to the person watching it. Ming Shu felt very cold and shivered abruptly.

Shen Junlan saw the pained expression on Ming Shu’s face and hugged her tightly with a heavy heart. “Did you think of something bad?”

“Professor Shen, you are the first and only teacher who protected me as a regular student.” A tear fell from Ming Shu’s right eye, crossing her mole, catching the cold moonlight, leaving a beautiful trail.

Shen Junlan reached out to catch it. The tear fell perfectly into her palm, just like the tear Ming Shu shed in her palm when they first met, seeping into her skin and burning a mark on her heart.

“I’m not your teacher anymore. I’m your wife.” Shen Junlan clenched her right hand, not letting the tear slip away. She used her body temperature to make the tear evaporate, becoming happy, unrestrained air.

Ming Shu also broke into a smile. “It’s so good that Professor Shen is my wife.”

“Oh no, I’m getting a runny nose.” Ming Shu created some distance from Professor Shen, wanting to run and get some tissues.

Shen Junlan followed behind Ming Shu, watched as Ming Shu brought back a pack of tissues, and continued to watch the moon with her.

“Professor Shen, I cry so much. Will you find it annoying?”

“No. Crying can release toxins and relieve emotions, which is a good thing. But don’t cry too much, your eyes will get hurt. You can always cry in front of me.”

“Liar. Professor Shen is a big liar.”

“Huh?”

Suddenly being called a liar by her wife, Shen Junlan was a bit confused.

“You said last time that I…” Ming Shu’s eyes and nose were red from crying, and her face became subtly red as she said this.

“Said what?” Shen Junlan asked, puzzled.

“You said I had too much liquid, and that it would be better if it were all left for… there…” Ming Shu complained in a tiny voice, holding the tissue.

Shen Junlan couldn’t help but laugh upon hearing this. “It was dirty talk, nonsense said in a moment of passion. Don’t mind it, Wife.”

Ming Shu glared at her, but because of her gentle and soft demeanor, she had no real power to intimidate. Instead, she made Shen Junlan feel an ache in her heart. She wanted to kiss Ming Shu again, to kiss her hair, forehead, eyebrows, eyes, nose, cheeks, and lips.

She wanted the kisses to be like a fire, burning its way downwards.

Despite her thoughts, Shen Junlan stopped herself just in time.

“I was wrong, Wife. Next time, I’ll control myself.”

Shen Junlan’s attitude in admitting her mistake was impeccable. She immediately took a tissue and gently wiped the tears from Ming Shu’s eyes. “Can you forgive me, Wife? I was also very pathetic today.”

That’s right. Professor Shen, who had just revealed her scars to her, was also very pathetic. Ming Shu’s heart softened almost instantly.

But despite the softness, Ming Shu retained a shred of rationality.

She stopped looking at the moon. She turned around to face Professor Shen and embraced her. Her hands moved upwards to hug Professor Shen’s back, and based on her memory, she located the rose scar and pressed it gently through the bathrobe.

“Can you tell me how you got this rose scar?”

Shen Junlan took a deep breath. “Wife, do you really want to know?”

“Mhm.”

Ming Shu realized this was another issue that was difficult for Professor Shen to talk about. The previous “difficult to say” was something Professor Shen could say, but the true “difficult to say” was like this, where Professor Shen couldn’t say it at all.

Ming Shu had no choice but to probe with her own guess.

“Did Qiao Qian and her mother do it?”

“No.”

Ming Shu didn’t dare to ask again. The only people left to guess were Professor Shen’s closest relatives. She couldn’t imagine why Professor Shen’s closest relatives would do something like that to Professor Shen.

Shen Junlan waited quietly for a while, then smiled and buried her head in Ming Shu’s neck again, inhaling deeply.

“Wife, you are so good.”

“What about me is good?” Ming Shu was confused. She was distressed that she had once again brought up Professor Shen’s painful past but was powerless to heal her.

“Your care has boundaries, unlike me, who always loses control.”

“I really like you so much, Wife.”

This confession, which carried a hint of heartbreak, made Ming Shu feel uncomfortable. She felt that Professor Shen’s words were meant to comfort her, and also to numb herself.

She didn’t know what Professor Shen had specifically been through, so all verbal comfort seemed pale.

She could only give Professor Shen what she was able to.

Ming Shu gathered her courage, stood on her tiptoes, and actively kissed Professor Shen.

At first, Professor Shen was like a piece of wood, not responding. Ming Shu herself continued the kiss until it was long and she had to gasp for air before letting go.

After a long while, she asked with a red face, “Professor Shen, are you feeling better?”

“…A little.”

This was the first time Shen Junlan’s reaction was so slow, as if her reflex arc was very long. She longingly licked the corner of her lips that carried Ming Shu’s scent.

The nervous Ming Shu finally showed a faint, relieved smile. “Professor Shen, do you want more?”

“Mhm. But just now wasn’t enough. I still need a sea-salted kiss.”

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