After a Flash Marriage with a Professor - Chapter 66

Chapter 66: Shameless

Ming Shu was stunned. Her thoughts couldn’t shift as quickly as Professor Shen’s.

It took her a while to react.

“Professor Shen, you’re being naughty again.”

“My wife promised this herself. Are you going back on your word?”

“No, I don’t want to go back on my word. It’s just…”

“Are you still not ready?”

“No, I just find it strange that whenever we talk about serious matters, Professor Shen always manages to bring up that thing.”

Shen Junlan smiled. “It seems that’s true.”

Perhaps this was the best way for her to shake off those painful memories.

Love is a good medicine, and the medicine needs to be brewed patiently.

“Wife, let’s go home.”

“Shouldn’t we eat dinner before going back?”

It was already late. Aunt Zhang was hospitalized, and it would take some time to drive back. Going back hungry and then having to cook would be less efficient than eating first. Then, they could focus entirely on brewing, boiling, and taking the medicine.

Thinking this, Shen Junlan smiled and said, “Wife, let’s go to Yu Yue’s restaurant.”

“Okay.” Ming Shu didn’t have any better restaurant recommendations and was willing to follow Professor Shen’s arrangement, but she had a slight concern.

“The matter with Miss Yu and Lingyu…”

“It’s fine. We did our best. If she’s not giving up, she’ll have to put in more effort to pursue her. Don’t worry about being awkward. If Lingyu isn’t willing, we can’t force them together. Yu Yue is also aware of this. Wife, you don’t need to feel guilty for not helping.”

“I don’t feel guilty. I’m just afraid it’ll be awkward.”

“Then should we change to another restaurant?”

Ming Shu shook her head. “Let’s go to Miss Yu’s place after all.” Maybe Miss Yu really needed to talk to Professor Shen right now.

“Okay.”

Shen Junlan called Yu Yue, telling her she had returned to the country today. Sure enough, Yu Yue asked her out for a drink, sounding very depressed.

“Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.”

“Ming Shu and I haven’t eaten yet. We’re planning to go to your restaurant. You can join us. Drink less, and you can talk to us about anything.”

“Then hurry up and come over. I’ll make arrangements now.”

Hanging up the phone, Shen Junlan turned her head to look at Ming Shu. “It seems Yu Yue is really frustrated.”

Ming Shu didn’t know what to say. After thinking for a moment, she said, “I’ll also call Lingyu and check on her.”

Shen Junlan started driving towards Yu Yue’s restaurant. Ming Shu dialed Lingyu’s number.

Jiang Lingyu was currently sitting on the living room floor of her apartment, crying. Her phone rang for a while before she noticed it. It was Ming Shu calling.

Trying hard to suppress her sobs, she answered the phone. The moment she heard Ming Shu’s voice, she couldn’t hold it back and burst into tears.

Ming Shu was startled. She had been leaning back relaxed against the seat, but hearing Lingyu’s cries, she immediately sat up straight.

“Lingyu, what’s wrong?”

“Mingshu… when did you… return to the country?”

“I’m already back today, here in the country. Lingyu, did something happen to you?”

Lingyu couldn’t speak, she just cried.

“What’s wrong with Lingyu?” Shen Junlan, who was driving, also heard Lingyu’s distress and asked with concern.

“I don’t know.”

“Lingyu, I’ll come to you right now. Wait for me.” Ming Shu said.

Lingyu still didn’t speak, just cried. Ming Shu was worried, so she kept the line open and didn’t hang up.

“Professor Shen, I might not be able to go to Miss Yu’s for dinner with you. I need to go see Lingyu. Where can you park up ahead? Just let me get off, and I’ll take a taxi there.”

“I’ll drive you.”

“But Miss Yu…”

“It’s fine. She wouldn’t want anything bad to happen to Lingyu either.”

Shen Junlan sped up and quickly drove Ming Shu to Lingyu’s apartment complex.

“Professor Shen, I might have to stay with Lingyu tonight. Can I fulfill my promise later?” Ming Shu said apologetically before getting out of the car.

“Yes, I’ll listen to my wife.”

Ming Shu felt even more guilty because Professor Shen was so understanding.

“Wife, get out of the car. Go see Lingyu.”

“Kiss me.” Ming Shu said, blushing.

Shen Junlan leaned in. Ming Shu gently kissed her on the lips. “Goodbye, Professor Shen.”

Ming Shu got out of the car. Shen Junlan, alone in the car, recalled the gentle kiss, feeling a bit lost.

Just then, someone called her. Yu Yue asked how much longer she would take to arrive.

“About an hour.”

“How are you driving further away?”

“I’ll explain when I get there.”

Shen Junlan started the car and headed towards Yu Yue.

Lingyu knew Ming Shu was coming and had already opened the door. Ming Shu walked straight into the courtyard, closed the iron gate, and saw Lingyu sitting barefoot on the doorstep.

Ming Shu hurried over.

“What’s wrong, Lingyu?” Ming Shu squatted beside her. Lingyu grabbed her wrist, tears streaming down. “Mingshu, I don’t have parents anymore.”

“Uncle and Auntie… what happened?”

“Car accident… they passed away.”

Ming Shu’s eyes widened in shock. How could this happen so suddenly? When she chatted with Lingyu before, Lingyu was still in a cold war with her parents. How could they be gone just like that?

After organizing her thoughts for a long time, Ming Shu could only manage to say: “My condolences.”

The incident happened two days ago. Relatives and friends helped arrange the funeral. The ceremony was quick. The bodies were cremated and buried in the cemetery. Lingyu didn’t even get to see her parents one last time.

“My dad called me, but I didn’t answer, Mingshu, I… I…”

“You didn’t expect this to happen. It was an accident, Lingyu. Don’t blame yourself,” Ming Shu comforted softly.

When Shen Junlan arrived at Yu Yue’s restaurant, Yu Yue had already had a few drinks herself.

“Why are you so late? I’m almost closing.”

“Something seemed to have happened with Lingyu, so I dropped Ming Shu off first.”

Yu Yue abruptly stood up. “What happened to Lingyu? Why don’t I know?”

“Don’t get excited yet. I don’t know either. I’ll ask Ming Shu later.”

“Ask now.”

“Yu Yue, I’m tired and hungry. Let me eat something first, at least have a drink of water.”

Yu Yue swiftly poured Shen Junlan a drink and picked up some food for her. “Please help yourself.”

“Thank you.”

Shen Junlan didn’t drink alcohol. She only ate a few bites of beef and then picked up her phone. “Let me state this beforehand: I can only try. Ming Shu knows I’m here, which is equivalent to Lingyu also knowing. Lingyu might not be willing to tell you about her personal matters.”

“I know. Just try.”

Shen Junlan called Ming Shu. Ming Shu answered immediately, without avoiding Lingyu. Lingyu was leaning on her shoulder, looking miserable and shedding tears of regret.

“Wife, how is Lingyu doing now?”

Ming Shu tilted her head to look at Lingyu and asked quietly, “Did Miss Yu ask you to call?”

“Not entirely. I’m worried too.”

“Lingyu’s situation is not very good.”

“Can I ask what happened to Lingyu?”

“Don’t say anything,” Lingyu lifted her head from Ming Shu’s shoulder and pulled her arm.

“Okay,” Ming Shu agreed.

“Lingyu doesn’t want Miss Yu to know. I’m sorry, Professor Shen.”

“It’s alright, wife. Have you and Lingyu eaten? I’ll order some takeout for you.”

“Not yet. Thank you, Professor Shen.”

“Alright then. Call me if anything happens.”

Hanging up, Shen Junlan shook her head at Yu Yue. “No luck.”

Yu Yue immediately finished the drink in her glass. “She told me she doesn’t want to date. I don’t know if she simply doesn’t want to date or doesn’t want to date me.”

“You have to ask her yourself.”

“I wanted to ask, but then I got blocked. Maybe she really hates me.”

“Not necessarily. Ming Shu mentioned a bit about their past, not in detail, but I can catch some hints. Lingyu might have gone through something bad and doesn’t want to, or rather, doesn’t dare to date.”

“Really? Shen Junlan, you’re not lying to me, are you?”

“What I said is based on my own feeling. I can’t guarantee it.”

“So that means I still have hope, but I’m also afraid she really hates me. If I keep pursuing her, I’d really be harassing her.”

“Wait a minute. Ming Shu and Lingyu haven’t eaten yet. I’ll order some takeout for them.”

“Takeout?” Yu Yue excitedly leaned over to grab Shen Junlan’s phone.

“Yu Yue, why are you snatching someone’s phone?”

“I run a restaurant. I can deliver takeout.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m going to deliver the takeout.”

“You’ve been drinking. Drunk driving is illegal.”

“You haven’t been drinking, have you?”

Ten minutes later, Shen Junlan once again played the role of a driver, taking Yu Yue to deliver the takeout.

“Thank you, Professor Shen. I’ll pay you 100 times the delivery fee.”

Shen Junlan: “…”

“Drive faster, faster, even faster.”

“I suggest you shut up and sober up first.” Shen Junlan tossed a bottle of mineral water beside her. “Drink some.”

“I’m not drunk.”

“Have you ever seen a drunk person delivering takeout?”

After driving for nearly an hour, the two finally arrived outside Lingyu’s apartment. Yu Yue got out of the car with the packed food and rang the doorbell.

Ming Shu had gone to the bathroom. Lingyu felt much calmer after talking to Ming Shu and went out to get the takeout herself.

She kept her head down, not wanting anyone to see that she had been crying. She opened the door, but the person on the other side didn’t say, “Enjoy your meal.” Instead, they asked, “Miss Jiang, are you alright?”

This voice was quite familiar to her; it belonged to Professor Shen’s restaurant-owning friend.

“Why are you here?” Jiang Lingyu looked up and stared at her, asking.

“Junlan said she was going to order takeout for you, and I thought since I run a restaurant, and Ming Shu was originally supposed to have dinner at my place tonight, I felt bad for not accommodating her. I happen to have time, so I decided to deliver it myself.”

“Oh,” Lingyu reached out to take the food.

“And also to check on you. I heard your condition wasn’t very good.”

“I’m fine now. Give me the takeout. Thank you, Miss Yu, for personally delivering it.”

“It’s a bit heavy. I’ll help you carry it inside.”

“Miss Yu!”

“Yes, I’m here.”

Lingyu took a deep breath, unsure how to respond. She found this person a bit thick-skinned, quite different from Professor Shen.

Shen Junlan stayed in the car, observing. Seeing that Yu Yue hadn’t been granted entry, she shook her head, got out of the car, and went to help.

“Lingyu.”

“Professor Shen, why are you here too?” Lingyu was shocked, her attitude immediately becoming much more obedient.

“I’m driving for a certain person. I was pulled here after barely eating two bites of my dinner.”

“Professor Shen, please come in and eat together.”

“Is that alright?”

“Yes,” Lingyu nodded emphatically. “I’m so sorry for calling Ming Shu over so late at night. My emotions were truly not good at the time. After we finish eating, Professor Shen, please take Ming Shu home.”

“Don’t you want Ming Shu to stay with you?”

“No need. I’m fine now, Professor Shen, please. Ming Shu is in the bathroom.”

Just as she was speaking, Ming Shu came out of the house and was surprised to see so many people.

“Professor Shen, Miss Yu, why did you come over?”

Shen Junlan glanced at Yu Yue. Yu Yue held up the packed meal. “Delivering takeout.”

Ming Shu smiled. Shen Junlan walked over to Ming Shu first, leaving the space to Yu Yue and Lingyu.

The two still stood at the door, staring awkwardly at each other.

After a while, Yu Yue said, “It’s quite heavy.”

“Give it to me.”

“No need, I can still hold it. Can I come in?” Yu Yue asked with a smile.

Lingyu turned around and walked into the courtyard, not closing the door. Yu Yue hesitated for two seconds, smiled, and stepped into the courtyard.

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