After a Flash Marriage with a Professor - Chapter 85

Chapter 85: Beef Jerky

After Shen Junlan and her group walked away, the calm expression on Shen Muhua’s face completely cracked. He turned to Qiao Qian and asked furiously, “Qianqian, was it really you who deliberately arranged this?”

Qiao Qian was startled by Shen Muhua’s reaction and hid behind her mother, softly saying, “Uncle Shen, you scared me.”

Qiao Li patted her daughter’s hand on her shoulder soothingly, while smiling gently at Shen Muhua, “Muhua, Qianqian grew up under your eye. Don’t you know what kind of person she is?”

“I don’t know.” Shen Muhua turned his head away and said angrily. He recalled that since he brought Qiao Li and her daughter into the house, their home had been anything but peaceful. It was only after he sent Qiao Qian abroad to study, and he and Qiao Li moved out of Junlan’s mother’s villa, that things had been quiet for a few years.

It had always been a facade of peace. Shen Muhua painfully realized that his heart had long ago strayed to the Pacific. He was too conceited and too proud, and for so many years, he refused to admit his shortcomings toward his biological daughter. Instead, he allowed himself to fall deeper and deeper into the trap of Qiao Li and Qiao Qian. Fundamentally, it was because he dared not face the mistakes he had made, using more mistakes to cover himself, walking down a path of darkness, as if when mistakes accumulated, they would cease to be mistakes and just become a lifestyle he chose.

“Muhua, it’s alright. Junlan’s hostility towards us didn’t start yesterday. It’s not so easily resolved. We’ll take it slowly, okay?” Qiao Li gently persuaded, her hand stroking Shen Muhua’s chest.

“Qianqian, quickly apologize to Uncle Shen.”

“I’m sorry, Uncle Shen.” Qiao Qian immediately apologized, her tone sounding wronged and pitiful, but she was unconvinced. She heard the poisonous snake sleeping inside her heart awaken, hissing softly.

Shen Muhua’s expression froze for a moment. He didn’t dare look at Qiao Qian’s face. Her eyes reminded him of something that shouldn’t be recalled. He looked as if he had instantly aged 10 years, sighing heavily, then waved his hand, signaling that the matter was over.

The bodyguard asked, “Mr. Shen, should we still send the person to the police station?”

Shen Muhua was already turning back, his steps unwavering, and he didn’t turn his head.

“Send him.”

Some superficial gestures still needed to be made.

Qiao Li was relieved to have survived another disaster caused by her daughter. She looked at her daughter with a mixture of doting affection and helplessness, hoping she wouldn’t stir up such a big trouble without any sense of propriety again.

Qiao Qian merely smiled at her mother. Her poor mother, still naively believing that Shen Muhua compromises repeatedly because of her, the mistress.

No, it had never been that. The reason Shen Muhua kept her and her mother around was because of a secret known only to Shen Muhua and her, Qiao Qian. Shen Muhua wanted her to forget it. She agreed on the surface, but how could she forget? This was the most powerful weapon to protect her and her mother.

Shen Junlan drove Ming Shu’s brother and parents home. This time, Qin Shu did not refuse.

In the car, Qin Shu, sitting in the back seat with her husband and son, suddenly said, “Do you know why you always suffer a loss when dealing with the Qiao family?”

Shen Junlan focused on driving, only devoting a little attention to listen and not much thought to ponder. Ming Shu, in the passenger seat, turned her head.

Yan Hongbo answered first, “What else could it be? They abuse their power to bully people.”

Wen Xuan said, “They have dark intentions and play dirty tricks.”

Qin Shu said, “Because they have no morals, and they’ll do anything to achieve their goals.”

“When facing bad people, all moral codes and rules of conduct only bind law-abiding people. Bad people do as they please, while you limit yourselves within this framework. If you don’t suffer losses, who will?”

Yan Wen Xuan said, “Mom, although I think you have a point, we can’t break the law just to fight them, can we?”

“I didn’t tell you to break the law.” Qin Shu said, patting Wen Xuan’s face, “You just focus on your studies.”

Yan Hongbo’s eyes flickered. He looked at his wife, but she was not looking back at him.

Only after stopping the car in front of the old residential building did Shen Junlan say, “I think there are other ways. We shouldn’t turn ourselves into the same kind of villains just to fight evil. It’s not worth it.”

Yan Hongbo and Yan Wenxuan both agreed.

Qin Shu chuckled contemptuously, said nothing, and walked towards home.

“Don’t mind her. She went through a lot when she was young,” Yan Hongbo rubbed his rough palms, smiling apologetically to his children and son-in-law.

Shen Junlan smiled, “I won’t.”

“We’ll go up now. We won’t keep you. Take good care of Ming Shu.” Yan Hongbo carried Wen Xuan’s suitcase upstairs.

Just as he stepped onto the first stair, the suitcase, which had been subjected to violent inspection at the airport, suddenly burst open, spilling clothes and food.

Yan Hongbo and Yan Wenxuan frantically tried to catch the items. Ming Shu also ran over to help, and Shen Junlan followed.

Yan Wenxuan chuckled self-mockingly, “I guess I’ll have to buy a new suitcase tonight.”

Yan Hongbo said, “Dad will carry this suitcase up first, and then go buy one for you.”

Yan Wenxuan said, “No need. Don’t we have an old one at home? It can be used. It doesn’t have to be new.”

“How can that be? You’re going abroad. You can’t leave without a decent suitcase.”

“It’s okay, Dad.”

Yan Hongbo didn’t listen. He quickly carried the suitcase upstairs, was scolded by his wife for buying poor-quality items, and came back down with her. Wen Xuan tried to protest again, but his sister and sister-in-law persuaded him otherwise.

Shen Junlan said, “You’re going away for a long time. Let your parents worry about you a little.”

Yan Wenxuan invited his sister and sister-in-law upstairs. He pulled out two bags of beef jerky from his broken suitcase, “Sis, this is for you. I remember you love eating this the most.”

Ming Shu declined, insisting Wen Xuan keep it for himself. Wen Xuan then handed it to Professor Shen, who accepted it, smiling and asking, “Wife, I didn’t know you liked beef jerky.”

“It’s not that I like it very much,” Ming Shu said.

Wen Xuan said, “This isn’t store-bought. Mom made it herself.”

“No wonder the packaging is a bit different.” Shen Junlan smiled.

Shen Junlan and Ming Shu didn’t stay long and left. Yan Hongbo and Qin Shu returned shortly after, not seeing them.

“Did your sister and brother-in-law leave?” Yan Hongbo asked.

“They did.”

Qin Shu indifferently walked over to open the newly bought suitcase. She transferred the items one by one into the new suitcase and noticed that two bags of beef jerky were missing. Assuming Wen Xuan had secretly taken them out, she asked him where he put them.

“I gave them to my sister and brother-in-law,” Wen Xuan said truthfully. “Mom, you’re not angry, are you?”

Qin Shu quietly turned back to continue organizing the items, saying nothing. Yan Hongbo whispered in his son’s ear, “Your mom also made some for your sister. She just didn’t know how to give it to her. It’s good you helped deliver it.”

“Yan Hongbo, what nonsense are you spreading in front of your son again?” Qin Shu turned her head, glaring at him.

“Nothing. How would I dare to talk nonsense? There’s still more beef jerky at home. I’ll go get some to replace what Wen Xuan gave away.”

Yan Hongbo quickly retrieved two more bags and put them into the new suitcase, still feeling a bit uneasy, “The flight is rescheduled for tomorrow. Should be fine, right?”

“Brother-in-law said nothing should happen tomorrow. Don’t worry, Dad.”

On the way home, Shen Junlan, who was driving, told Ming Shu, “Wife, I want to try the beef jerky.”

Ming Shu opened the vacuum-sealed bag, took a piece of beef jerky out, and held it to Professor Shen’s mouth. Professor Shen, however, didn’t eat it.

“I suddenly remembered that it’s better not to eat while driving and to focus on the road. I’ll try it when we get home. You eat it first, Wife.”

Ming Shu said, “Professor Shen, you’re doing that on purpose.”

Shen Junlan smiled, “What are you talking about, Wife? I don’t understand.”

Ming Shu had no choice but to eat it herself. Her mother’s homemade beef jerky was different from the market-bought ones; the shape and color were different. It was very tough and chewy, and the seasoning was quite salty. Unknowingly, Ming Shu started to tear up from the taste.

“Wife, what’s wrong?” Having entered the suburbs, Shen Junlan pulled the car over and asked with concern.

“Nothing, the beef jerky is a bit hard to eat.”

“Let me try.”

Ming Shu took another piece of beef jerky and held it to Professor Shen’s mouth. Professor Shen, however, leaned in further and tasted the beef jerky from her lips, “Hmm, it seems a bit salty.”

Ming Shu was stunned.

Shen Junlan pulled back, then ate the beef jerky from Ming Shu’s hand. Eating the jerky directly was saltier, making her frown from the saltiness.

They both drank a bottle of water and smiled at each other in the car.

Shen Junlan said, “It’s good with rice. Eating this tonight will let you eat more rice, so you won’t be physically weak.”

Ming Shu closed the bag and said, “Then Professor Shen better not eat it.”

“I won’t fight with Wife over it. Wife, you eat more.”

At dinner, Ming Shu ate two bowls of rice with the salty beef jerky. When they returned to the room to rest, Professor Shen pulled Ming Shu close to taste the resulting “sea salt flavored drink” and said, “It doesn’t seem to have any effect.”

The next morning, Ming Shu took time off work to send Wen Xuan to the airport. Shen Junlan didn’t have class and went along. This time, everything went smoothly without a hitch, and Ming Shu finally sighed in relief.

Shen Junlan asked Ming Shu if she wanted to visit H University. Ming Shu shook her head. Perhaps because the majority of her memories there were not pleasant, she subconsciously didn’t want to step back into the campus.

“Then we won’t go,” Shen Junlan smiled. “Let’s go eat. A Chinese couple’s restaurant has opened directly across from Yu Le’s Western restaurant. Let’s go try it out.”

Ming Shu asked, “Right across from Miss Yu’s restaurant, won’t that be awkward?”

“No, it won’t.”

Ming Shu went to the restaurant with Professor Shen. Both restaurants had glass walls facing each other, allowing a general view of the other’s business.

They had barely sat down for two minutes when Shen Junlan received a call from Yu Le. Yu Le’s voice sounded somewhat distraught, “If you still consider me a friend, come over.”

Shen Junlan was a little surprised and asked, “What’s wrong? Isn’t it good that I’m here to scout out the competitor’s dishes for you?”

“No need. Junlan, my ex-girlfriend is over there.”

“Katherine?”

“Just come over first, and I’ll tell you.”

Having just sat down and not yet ordered, Shen Junlan took Ming Shu and got up to go to Yu Le’s side. As they were leaving, they coincidentally bumped into Yu Le’s ex-girlfriend. The blonde, blue-eyed woman had her hair styled in a Chinese bun, wore a red qipao, and smiled as she greeted Shen Junlan, asking in somewhat broken Chinese, “Is this your girlfriend? Why the sudden rush to leave? Was the service not up to par?”

Shen Junlan was very surprised. She remembered that the woman didn’t know Chinese.

She only said that something urgent had come up and left with Ming Shu. Ming Shu was also very confused. Had Miss Yu’s ex-girlfriend chased her all the way from abroad to China? What was going on? Were they still entangled? What about Ling Yu?

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