After a Flash Marriage with a Professor - Chapter 63

Chapter 63: No Compromise

After carefully holding the moon rabbit and looking at it for a long time, Ming Shu’s heart was gradually filled with a warm and peaceful emotion.

She gently touched the yellow moon supporting the moon rabbit with her finger, and a sweet smile appeared on her face.

It turned out that Professor Shen wasn’t just a star; she was also her moon.

Ming Shu turned her head. The light from her phone screen illuminated Professor Shen’s gentle and well-defined face. It was clearly a heroic face, yet it was so generous in releasing gentleness to the world and love to her.

Ming Shu felt more and more that Professor Shen was so good, so good that she was someone she had never dared to wish for in her dreams.

She liked Professor Shen so much, and her affection was growing stronger.

A thought flashed through Ming Shu’s mind: she wanted to steal a kiss from Professor Shen.

The phone screen had already gone dark, and the surroundings were silent and dim, but Ming Shu still found it difficult to act on her impulse. After a moment of hesitation, she raised the moon rabbit in her hand and let the little rabbit gently kiss the moon’s cheek on her behalf.

“Wife.”

Ming Shu’s hand was caught by Professor Shen, accompanied by the word “wife” that Professor Shen blurted out.

Ming Shu nervously swallowed. “Professor Shen, are you awake?”

There was no response. After a few more seconds, Ming Shu confirmed that Professor Shen was not actually awake, but just talking in her sleep.

Did Professor Shen dream of her too?

Ming Shu was overjoyed, but what was the content of Professor Shen’s dream about her? It wouldn’t be… again, would it?

No, no, no, Ming Shu shook her head. How could her thoughts be so debased?

Ming Shu was afraid of waking Professor Shen, so she didn’t directly pull her hand away. Instead, she let Shen Junlan continue to hold it and slowly lowered it, letting it rest on Shen Junlan’s seat. This state continued until the flight attendant’s announcement that the plane was about to land and passengers should prepare to deplane.

When Shen Junlan woke up, she found Ming Shu’s wrist tightly held in her hand, leaving a clear red mark.

Shen Junlan was very apologetic. Ming Shu smiled and comforted her, saying it was okay.

After they deplaned, Ming Shu said goodbye to her colleagues and went outside the airport with Professor Shen. Old Liu was already waiting for them at the parking area.

“Professor Shen, Mrs., I’m over here!” Old Liu rolled down the car window and waved in their direction.

“Over there.” Ming Shu saw Old Liu first and walked over hand in hand with Professor Shen.

“Professor Shen and Mrs., are you going back to the villa first or to the hospital to see Aunt Zhang?” Old Liu asked, turning his head back.

“To the hospital first.”

“Okay.” Old Liu answered, still with his head turned back.

Shen Junlan keenly asked, “Did something else happen?”

Old Liu was stunned for a moment, then shook his head slowly, his expression somewhat heavy. After turning his head forward, he said, “I’ll take Professor Shen and Mrs. to the hospital first.”

“Okay.”

Shen Junlan didn’t ask further, and Ming Shu didn’t either. She was still looking at the moon rabbit Professor Shen had made.

“When did Professor Shen learn to do crafts?”

“Yesterday, when Professor Zhang and the students were having our last lunch. Several students were making them. Tian Tian taught me. I thought my wife would like it, so I asked Tian Tian to teach me.”

“I really like it. Thank you, Professor Shen.” Ming Shu thanked her sincerely. “I used to like making them when I was a child, but I’ve forgotten now.”

“We can make them together at home sometime.”

“Okay!”

Seeing Ming Shu so interested, Shen Junlan thought for a moment and said, “Then we’ll have to schedule the time well so it doesn’t affect the progress of the night classes.”

Ming Shu’s eyes widened, and she used her eyes to signal Professor Shen not to talk about night classes here. Professor Shen just smiled.

Old Liu, who was driving, laughed. “Is Professor Shen a bit too strict? Mrs. is already working so hard, and she still has to take night classes when she gets home.”

“My wife is eager to learn.”

“Oh~ So Mrs. is so hardworking. No wonder she could get into a big company,” Old Liu praised with a smile, not seeing that Ming Shu’s face in the back seat had turned completely red.

Ming Shu was thankful that besides her and Professor Shen, no one else knew the true meaning of ‘night classes.’

Ming Shu looked at Professor Shen with shy annoyance, lowering her voice. “Didn’t Professor Shen say last time that I didn’t have to force myself and that we would stop the night classes? You lied to me again.”

“Wife, I said you don’t have to actively learn anything, just lie back and enjoy. Leave everything to me. I didn’t say the night classes were canceled.”

“The students don’t even have to study anymore. What’s the point of night classes?”

“I have to maintain excellent teaching traditions, Wife. Please be considerate.”

“…”

Ming Shu’s face flushed. This wasn’t a matter of being considerate or not. It wasn’t that night classes couldn’t be held, but she thought the frequency could be appropriately lowered, for example, three days of classes and four days off.

However, with Old Liu present, it wasn’t a good time for her and Professor Shen to negotiate. This matter had to be discussed in more detail behind closed doors.

Near the hospital, Shen Junlan held Ming Shu’s hand and got out of the car to buy some fresh fruit nearby.

When they arrived at the hospital, the three of them got out of the car together. Old Liu led the way, taking Shen Junlan and Ming Shu to Aunt Zhang’s hospital ward.

Aunt Zhang was in a regular ward with other patients, with only a few family members of the patients accompanying them.

After greeting each other, Aunt Zhang smiled and said, “Junlan, Mrs., was your business trip smooth?”

Shen Junlan nodded, and Ming Shu smiled and replied, “Yes, it was. Aunt Zhang, how are you feeling now?”

“Me? If Junlan hadn’t insisted that I stay here and had Old Liu keep an eye on me, I would have been discharged a long time ago. People of our generation can endure hardship. Our bodies are tough. A little ailment won’t defeat me.”

“This is not a little ailment, Aunt Zhang,” Shen Junlan sighed. “You’re getting on in years now, and falling is the biggest taboo for the elderly, not to mention you were maliciously pushed by Qiao Qian.”

“Let’s not talk about that anymore. Junlan, Mrs., please have a seat.”

There was only one chair by the bed. Shen Junlan let Ming Shu sit down. Aunt Zhang moved over on the bed. “You can sit on the bed too.”

Shen Junlan sat on the edge of the bed. Old Liu asked for Shen Junlan’s permission to go back to the car downstairs.

“Aunt Zhang, are you and Old Liu hiding something from Ming Shu and me?”

“Sigh~” Aunt Zhang lowered her head and rubbed her eyes. “It’s nothing, really.”

“Did Shen Muhua and Qiao Li come to threaten you again?”

“No.”

“Then it’s Jiajia. What happened to Jiajia? I don’t see her here.”

When Shen Junlan mentioned Jiajia, Aunt Zhang became distraught. Her eyes were red. Ming Shu quickly took out a tissue from her bag and handed it to Aunt Zhang.

“It’s Jiajia. That child is too impulsive. I’m ashamed to tell you, Junlan.”

“Jiajia also told me not to tell you, afraid of causing trouble for you and your wife.”

“It’s no trouble at all. I’ve watched Jiajia grow up. Aunt Zhang, please tell me. I’m back home now. I’ll find out sooner or later.”

Aunt Zhang held the tissue Ming Shu gave her but didn’t use it. She just used her wrinkled, dark-spotted hands to wipe her eyes.

“Jiajia… she, as my family member, went to the police station for mediation…”

“And then?”

“And then, Jiajia hit Miss Xixi right in front of the police. She punched her hard and then pushed her down forcefully. They say Miss Xixi’s face was swollen, her mouth was bleeding, and she also injured her back when she fell. She’s in the hospital now with a police guard, and Jiajia has been detained for intentional assault.”

“Mr. Shen and Miss Xixi’s mother still tried to go the mediation route, but Jiajia just wouldn’t accept it. She’d rather have her future job prospects affected than compromise. Junlan, what do you think we should do?”

“That serious.”

“Why else would I say Jiajia is impulsive? That child has been stubborn since she was little. She insists on ‘an eye for an eye.’ When the police questioned her, she openly admitted that she deliberately retaliated. Miss Xixi is also angry, so we adults are anxious now.”

“Aunt Zhang, don’t worry. Take care of yourself. I’ll go and talk to Jiajia.”

“Junlan, Jiajia has always listened to you. Please talk some sense into her.”

“I’ll try. Jiajia doesn’t always listen to me. The girl has her own ideas. Aunt Zhang, there’s always a way to solve things. Relax and take good care of yourself so you can be discharged soon.”

“Junlan, I can be discharged now. You and your wife are back. You can’t be left without anyone to take care of you.”

“It’s okay. I’m not working during the summer vacation. I can take care of myself and Ming Shu.”

“Then… can I still continue to work there in the future?”

“Of course, as long as Aunt Zhang is willing. Ming Shu really likes your cooking.”

“Yes, I love Aunt Zhang’s food,” Ming Shu said sincerely.

Aunt Zhang’s eyes were filled with tears and a smile. She placed Shen Junlan’s and Ming Shu’s hands on top of each other and gently patted them. “Even if this is resolved, they will still find a way to separate you two. Junlan, I hope you and your wife can stay together and continue to be happy.”

“We definitely will, Aunt Zhang,” Shen Junlan replied with a firm smile.

Aunt Zhang’s gaze fell on Ming Shu. Ming Shu said, “As long as Professor Shen still wants me, I won’t leave.”

“Then you’ll be our Junlan’s for life.”

“Aunt Zhang knows me best.” Shen Junlan smiled. “Aunt Zhang, get some rest. Ming Shu and I are going to the police station to see Jiajia.”

“Okay.”

But Ming Shu said, “Wait, I’ll peel an apple for Aunt Zhang.”

“No need to trouble yourself, Mrs. I can eat it with the peel on.”

“It’s no trouble. I’m fast at peeling.”

In less than a minute, Ming Shu had finished peeling the apple and handed it to Aunt Zhang. She then left with Professor Shen.

Old Liu drove them to the police station again. After explaining their purpose to the police, they were led to see Jiajia. The detention center was dimly lit, different from the dimness after the plane lights were turned off, and it felt more oppressive.

Ming Shu held Shen Junlan’s hand tightly, following the police officer down the corridor.

“Since you are also this young girl’s elders, please try to talk some sense into her. She’s had her moment, but she shouldn’t ruin her future. She should reconcile,” the police officer advised.

Shen Junlan said, “I’ll do my best.”

They finally saw Jiajia. Across a small window, Jiajia was inside, and Shen Junlan and Ming Shu were outside.

The moment she saw Shen Junlan, Jiajia was a little happy, but there was more shame. She felt that her image in front of Sister Junlan had always been good, if not perfectly well-behaved, at least not one of fighting and assaulting people.

“Sister Junlan, I…” Jiajia stopped, because she saw that Yan Ming Shu was also next to Sister Junlan. Her face immediately changed. It was already bad enough to be embarrassed in front of Sister Junlan; did she have to be embarrassed in front of Yan Ming Shu as well?

“I’ll go outside. You two can talk,” Ming Shu said, understanding Jiajia’s look, and voluntarily retreated.

“Ming Shu has gone out. Jiajia, what were you going to say? Go ahead.”

Jiajia turned her head away, remaining silent. Shen Junlan sighed and said earnestly, “Jiajia, I agree with Aunt Zhang and the police. You’ve had your moment. Don’t gamble with your future. You’re still young.”

“I’ve checked. If I don’t take a civil service exam or join a government institution, it shouldn’t have much of an impact. That Qiao Qian is so arrogant. I couldn’t stand it, Sister Junlan. I hit her because she pushed my aunt, but there’s another reason.”

“What’s the reason?”

Jiajia became silent again. She couldn’t say it. She couldn’t say that Qiao Qian had provoked her, saying she knew Jiajia had a crush on Sister Junlan, mocking her for not being worthy, asking how she dared, and even saying that Yan Ming Shu would also make way for her sooner or later, as if Sister Junlan was a doll to be fought over without any will of her own.

No matter the reason, Qiao Qian was too arrogant. Jiajia felt it was necessary to teach Qiao Qian a lesson, especially a legal one.

As for herself, she didn’t care.

“Are you still unwilling to reconcile?”

“No.” Jiajia said firmly.

“Sister Junlan, you were in such a hurry to get your marriage certificate with Yan Ming Shu because those disgusting people were trying to forcibly arrange your marriage, right?”

“That was one reason, but I truly love Ming Shu.”

“I know. What about Yan Ming Shu? Does she love Sister Junlan now?”

Shen Junlan smiled. She had already seen a clear sign of hope.

“I see, Sister Junlan. I want to say something to Yan Ming Shu alone.”

“Oh, Sister Junlan, I’m locked up. I can’t hurt her, and I won’t verbally attack her. I promise.”

“Okay.” Shen Junlan went out and let Ming Shu in.

Ming Shu came in fearfully. “Jiajia, what do you want to say to me?”

“Still that question. Do you love Sister Junlan?”

After asking, Jiajia stared closely at Ming Shu’s face, not missing a single subtle expression. The current Yan Ming Shu was very different from before. She was no longer as guilty and unable to answer when asked this question.

Ming Shu still couldn’t answer, but her flushed face gave her away.

“I see. Yan Ming Shu, you have to be good to Sister Junlan.”

“You…” Ming Shu was surprised by the huge change in Jiajia’s attitude towards her.

“Although I don’t really like you, you are still much better than that Miss Xixi. At least Sister Junlan likes you, and she will be happy with you.”

“I wish you both well, and I hope you don’t give up easily. If you encounter obstacles, don’t compromise. I’m willing to help you.”

“Thank you.”

Walking out of the police station, Shen Junlan asked nervously, “Wife, what did Jiajia say to you?”

“Jiajia said she is willing to bless us.”

Shen Junlan looked surprised. Ming Shu pulled her hand and ran forward, telling Old Liu to drive to the large shopping mall in the city center.

“Wife, what are we going to do?”

“Buy rings.”

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