After a Flash Marriage with a Professor - Chapter 79

Chapter 79: Birthday Gift

Compared to Professor Shen, Ming Shu was still too innocent. She managed to avoid trouble last night, but she was fooled again early this morning, leaving her undeniably frustrated.

Shen Junlan was naturally very satisfied after getting her way. She then began to coax her little bunny wife, who was cross with her.

“Wife, please don’t be angry anymore, okay? Today is my birthday.”

Just one sentence softened Ming Shu’s heart considerably. It was true; today was Professor Shen’s birthday. With that thought, it became difficult for Ming Shu to stay angry with Professor Shen, though she was still unwilling to accept how easily Professor Shen always fooled her.

“Good wife, let’s get up.” Shen Junlan carried Ming Shu out of bed and continued to sweet-talk her for a while. “I just had an episode, but I didn’t go all the way, did I? I was only seeking ‘nurturing’ nourishment from you.”

Ming Shu, held by Professor Shen, wrapped her arms around Professor Shen’s neck, her face flushing again. “Alright, I’m not angry anymore.”

Ming Shu secretly resolved never to fall into Professor Shen’s trap of words again.

Birthday Gift Shopping

After breakfast, Ming Shu went to work. The morning’s work went smoothly, and it was soon lunchtime.

When it was time to leave, Ming Shu told Ling Han, “I have something to do today, so I can’t go to lunch with you.”

Ling Han observed Ming Shu’s expression, and only after finding no negative signs did she nod, asking her to remember to eat something.

Ming Shu hurried downstairs, squeezing into the crowded elevator. She stood in the front-left corner, feeling as if she could hear a dozen people breathing simultaneously. She felt a little breathless. A team member tried to talk to her, asking why she wasn’t with the team leader for lunch.

Ming Shu, sweating and tense due to the crowd in the confined space, didn’t hear what the team member said and didn’t reply. The team member thought the deputy team leader was displeased with her asking private questions in the elevator and quickly shut up.

Finally reaching the first floor, Ming Shu got out of the elevator. The short tens of seconds had been extremely difficult for her. Lingyu was already waiting for her at the company entrance. They had agreed to go shopping together to find a gift for Professor Shen.

Ming Shu recognized Lingyu’s car and jogged purposefully towards it, quickly getting into the passenger seat.

“Are you hungry? Have a little something to tide you over first.” Lingyu handed Ming Shu a hand-rolled pancake, smiling. “The ‘whole family’ version.”

Ming Shu took it; it was still warm. Taking a bite, the texture was incredibly rich, with all the fillings added, making it plump. Ming Shu asked, “Did you buy this from the stall outside H University?”

“Yeah. I left work early today to pick you up. I passed by there, saw the shop was still open, and bought some. There’s also a rice ball. And here, corn juice too.” Lingyu piled everything she bought in front of Ming Shu, urging her to pick and choose.

Ming Shu recalled how Lingyu used to buy many things herself and share them with her when they were in college, simply because Ming Shu was genuinely afraid of crowded places, often feeling like she couldn’t breathe. It took her years to feel a little sense of security even at school. She avoided crowded places outside whenever possible, and it was especially difficult when she first started working after graduation. Fortunately, over a year later, her anxiety about the outside world had lessened considerably.

“Thank you, Lingyu,” Ming Shu said sincerely.

“Saying that to me again.” Lingyu smiled helplessly and handed the still-warm corn juice to Ming Shu. “The vendor doesn’t seem as reliable as before. The corn juice tastes much weaker, but it’s still okay.”

Ming Shu took a sip from Lingyu’s hand. “It really does. It seems like they added too much water.”

Lingyu nodded emphatically. “Right? It’s not my taste that changed.”

The two chatted and laughed all the way. Lingyu drove to a large shopping mall nearby. It wasn’t crowded at noon, and since it wasn’t the weekend, there were even fewer people, which was perfect for Ming Shu. With little psychological burden, she walked into the mall side-by-side with Lingyu. Once inside, the temperature dropped significantly, completely shutting out the summer heat. Ming Shu even felt a little cold.

“Lingyu, it feels like we haven’t linked arms in a long time,” Ming Shu said.

Lingyu was startled, her expression slightly unnatural.

“What’s wrong?” Ming Shu asked with a smile.

“Nothing.” Lingyu shook her head.

Ming Shu proactively took Lingyu’s arm, just like before. Lingyu, however, was unsettled, feeling as though her heart had jumped into her throat, and her breathing became heavy.

Fortunately, Ming Shu didn’t keep holding her arm. Whenever she saw a potential gift candidate for Professor Shen, Ming Shu would let go of her hand to look closely. Sometimes she had to semi-crouch or bend down to see, and other times she would fully squat, reaching for an item on the shelf, focusing intensely on choosing a gift for Professor Shen.

However, after looking at many items, Ming Shu still hadn’t found anything suitable. It seemed none of them would catch Professor Shen’s eye.

Ming Shu inevitably thought of the inappropriate thing Professor Shen had said to her last night—that being passionate during the birthday night “lesson” would be the best gift.

How could that be considered a gift? The absurdity of the thought made Ming Shu blush.

“What’s wrong, Ming Shu?” Lingyu asked worriedly, thinking Ming Shu might be unwell.

“I’m fine. Let’s keep looking.”

The Wolf and Rabbit Pyjamas

In the end, Lingyu chose Professor Shen’s birthday gift first: an English book, Fingersmith. She thought it suited Professor Shen’s identity as an English professor, even though Professor Shen had likely read the novel already. Lingyu felt there was no more suitable birthday gift, or rather, not only this. Lingyu had browsed the entire mall’s bookstore and also selected a few dictionaries. She figured Professor Shen certainly wouldn’t lack English dictionaries, but Professor Shen might lack some dictionaries of ancient Chinese, which would be useful if Professor Shen decided to research the translation of Chinese classical works in the future.

Ming Shu thought Lingyu’s gift idea was excellent and said Professor Shen would probably like it. Lingyu bought all the books and dictionaries she had her eye on, had them packaged, and carried the weighty bag in her hand.

With Lingyu’s gift for Professor Shen purchased, the remaining time was dedicated to Ming Shu choosing her gift for Professor Shen.

“What should I get?” Ming Shu found herself getting a headache the more she thought about it.

As they passed a pyjama store, Lingyu pulled Ming Shu’s arm and said, “How about getting Professor Shen a comfortable set of pyjamas? It’s practical, isn’t it?”

Ming Shu turned her head. Through the transparent display window, Ming Shu saw that the pyjamas inside were quite avant-garde. Just walking into the store was a significant psychological hurdle for her.

Lingyu chuckled. “I think pyjamas are a pretty good gift.” Lingyu said this because she recalled accidentally seeing that very daring white silk pyjama set in Ming Shu’s bag last time. Ming Shu naturally remembered the incident too.

“Let’s just go in and take a look.” Lingyu knew Ming Shu was shy but had been swayed inside, so she simply pulled Ming Shu into the store.

Once inside the store, she could only look, Ming Shu reassured herself.

A salesperson enthusiastically approached to inquire about their needs, warmly suggesting they also had matching role-play outfits, including animal themes like the wolf and the rabbit.

Ming Shu’s inner shock was indescribable. Could a store like this really be openly operating in a central shopping mall? Or was her thinking too backward for a young person?

“The wolf and rabbit would be great, Ming Shu, what do you think?” Lingyu turned to ask Ming Shu. In her mind, Ming Shu was a beautiful and innocent little bunny. As for whether Professor Shen was a Big Bad Wolf, she didn’t know; only Ming Shu did.

“The wolf and rabbit themes are over there. Follow me, please.”

The sales clerk led the way. Ming Shu was dragged along by Lingyu. She was extremely shy, though she was absolutely certain in her heart that this was a gift Professor Shen would love. However, she found it incredibly difficult to overcome her own mental barrier.

“They are all here. Please take your time looking.” The sales clerk brought them to the section and proactively stepped away. “I’ll be over there. Please call me if you need anything.”

Ming Shu felt much more relaxed after the sales clerk left, but she still felt embarrassed.

Lingyu reached out to feel the texture of the pyjamas, finding them all quite soft and comfortable, urging Ming Shu to try them too. Ming Shu hesitantly raised her hand to touch the Big Bad Wolf style pyjamas. Looking at the wolf’s sharp teeth and gray-green eyes, she felt that Professor Shen’s version of the Big Bad Wolf was much gentler and cuter.

“Which set do you think is better?” Lingyu asked.

Ming Shu pointed to the set she had noticed first. She felt the demeanor of the Big Bad Wolf in this set was the closest to Professor Shen’s. The Big Bad Wolf in the other sets either looked too fierce or too foolish. Her Professor Shen was not foolish at all; in fact, she was very cunning.

“I think this set is good too,” Lingyu agreed. However, her perspective was different from Ming Shu’s. She felt that the little bunny figure in this set strongly resembled Ming Shu, with slightly fearful big eyes conveying an innocent terror of the world, making one feel highly protective.

As it was getting close to the afternoon working hours, they didn’t have much time left to choose other items. Ming Shu felt she wouldn’t find a more suitable gift, so she grit her teeth and bought the set of couple’s pyjamas. Wearing this tonight should also meet Professor Shen’s expectation of showing enthusiasm.

Lingyu drove Ming Shu back to the company. Ming Shu carried the carefully packaged black bag, which hid the couple’s pyjamas, back into the company, cautiously placing it in her locker.

The Birthday Evening

After work in the evening, Ming Shu walked downstairs with her gift, only to find Professor Shen also there with Old Liu to pick her up. She put the gift in the trunk. Once seated in the car, she nervously asked Professor Shen why she had come.

Shen Junlan said, “It’s my birthday today, but my wife has to work. I can only try to seize more time to be with my wife.”

“Does sharing a car ride count?”

Shen Junlan clingily squeezed Ming Shu’s hand and said, “Of course it does.”

“What did Wife just put in the trunk? Is it a gift for me?”

“Mmm.”

“What is it?”

Ming Shu blushed and said, “I can’t tell you yet.”

Though curious, Shen Junlan resisted asking again.

Back at the villa, Ming Shu carried her gift upstairs herself. She wanted to quickly wash and dry both sets of the couple’s pyjamas and specifically told Professor Shen not to follow her upstairs.

Shen Junlan obediently listened to her wife. Aunt Zhang was preparing dinner and asked where Madam had gone. Shen Junlan shrugged and looked up.

“Upstairs. It’s so mysterious. Madam must be preparing a big surprise for you.”

Shen Junlan’s heart was itching as if a thousand ants were crawling on it. Every minute and second she didn’t see Ming Shu was agony. Ming Shu seemed to be deliberately tormenting her, taking back the time she had “stolen” during the car ride by refusing to see her.

Shen Junlan was very frustrated until Yu Yue arrived. Yu Yue was dressed very formally today. Not only had she specially styled her hair with a perm and wore vintage clothing, but she also wore thin, square-framed glasses, giving her a very Hong Kong-style look.

Shen Junlan felt like Yu Yue’s eyes seemed bigger.

“Do I look good?” Yu Yue walked boldly towards her with open arms.

Shen Junlan didn’t speak. When Yu Yue got closer, she reached out and took off Yu Yue’s square glasses. Her eyes were still big, bigger than before. “Did you have eye surgery?”

“Haha.” Yu Yue burst out laughing. “Just put on double-eyelid tape. Did I trick you?”

Shen Junlan sighed in relief and handed the glasses back to her. “Not bad. It’s very different from your usual style, giving a fresh impression.”

“Professor Shen, you sound like you’re writing a review,” Yu Yue said, laughing as she punched Shen Junlan’s shoulder.

“Has Lingyu arrived?”

Shen Junlan smiled. “Are you here to celebrate my birthday or to chase someone?”

“A bit of both. Besides, didn’t Professor Shen painstakingly create this opportunity for me?”

“No. I just want to see what kind of birthday gift my wife will give me.” Moreover, her birthday was like an all-purpose “get out of jail free” card. Whatever she did, and how she did it, would be forgiven.

Yu Yue made a look of heartache. “I knew you weren’t doing this entirely for me.”

Shen Junlan said, “Exaggerated.”

The doorbell rang just as she finished speaking.

“That must be Lingyu. I’ll get the door.” Yu Yue was very eager. As she spoke, she shoved a small gift box into Shen Junlan’s hand. “Your gift. Happy birthday.” Then she left without looking back, as if the birthday celebration was no longer about Shen Junlan from that moment on.

Shen Junlan let her go. She turned and, since she couldn’t go upstairs, went to the kitchen to help Aunt Zhang.

Yu Yue opened the door for Lingyu and saw her carrying a huge gift. She helped her carry it inside. Lingyu couldn’t stop saying, “Thank you. You’re Professor Shen’s friend, aren’t you?”

“Yes.” Yu Yue answered with a smile. Lingyu was momentarily stunned, then looked at her seriously and was even more surprised. “You’re Miss Yu?”

“Yes. Challenging a new style today. What do you think?” Yu Yue asked, showing off like a peacock. Lingyu averted her gaze, not daring to make eye contact with her again, and mumbled, “It’s nice.”

Inside the house, Lingyu didn’t see Ming Shu and felt a little uncomfortable. Having no choice, she could only make small talk with Yu Yue in the living room. She hadn’t realized Yu Yue hadn’t given up.

“Lingyu, have you been on any blind dates lately?”

“Not yet.”

Yu Yue smiled and asked very directly, “Do you want to try going on a date with me this weekend?”

Lingyu didn’t answer, continuously lowering her head to drink water. The water she drank created noticeable ripples in her heart. She finally relaxed a little when Ming Shu came downstairs.

Ming Shu had quickly washed the pyjamas, added a touch of orchid scent, and dried them in the dryer. The pyjamas were now neatly folded and placed in the wardrobe she shared with Professor Shen.

After Ming Shu came downstairs, Aunt Zhang’s dinner was ready. The dinner for five was very lavish. Ming Shu smiled and said, “It could pass for a New Year’s Eve dinner.”

Aunt Zhang laughed and said, “There’s still a soup in the kitchen. Eat first, and I’ll bring it out later.”

This was Lingyu’s first time eating Aunt Zhang’s cooking, and she was surprised by the deliciousness of the food. Aunt Zhang smiled and said, “Miss Jiang, since you are Madam’s friend, please feel free to visit often.”

The atmosphere was very harmonious and pleasant. Yu Yue tried to serve Lingyu some food, and seeing Lingyu didn’t reject it, she served her a few more times. Yu Yue didn’t drink alcohol this time, but Lingyu had a little with Ming Shu and Professor Shen.

After dinner, it was time to cut the cake. Professor Shen asked Ming Shu to cut it. It was an ordinary-looking cream cake without excessive decorations, but its quality came from its high-quality, fresh ingredients. It was an 8-inch cake. Ming Shu cut it evenly into eight slices. The first slice was for Professor Shen. Feeling it wasn’t enough, she added another piece. Shen Junlan didn’t particularly like sweets, but she ate both pieces Ming Shu cut for her.

When it was over, Ming Shu realized that no one had sung the birthday song, and Professor Shen hadn’t made a wish. Thinking of making up for it, Shen Junlan put her arm around Ming Shu’s slender waist and said with a smile, “It’s fine. What I want most is already by my side.”

The evening was enjoyable for both the hosts and guests. Yu Yue proactively offered to drive Lingyu home. Lingyu had some reservations, but she couldn’t argue when Yu Yue said it was a return favor, as Lingyu had driven her home a few times before. Lingyu ultimately agreed.

After the guests left, Shen Junlan and Ming Shu helped Aunt Zhang clean up and then went back to their room to rest.

Shen Junlan forgot about her gift and asked Ming Shu to shower first, as usual, before she would shower afterward.

After Shen Junlan finished her shower and opened the door, her eyes suddenly lit up. She saw a true little rabbit kneeling on the bed with her back to her, entirely snow-white, with furry limbs, except for her smooth back. She walked over, knelt behind the little rabbit, reached forward, and embraced the furry bundle.

Barely containing her excitement, she asked, “Wife, is this the birthday gift you prepared for me?”

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