I Woke Up and Found Myself Married to the Dean - Chapter 28

Chapter 28: Why is the Most Charming Also the Most Dangerous?~

To describe Si Nanyu’s mood as “wonderful” wouldn’t quite do it justice. She funneled all that excess energy into Paigu, happily leading him home. She took such good care of him that she even had his gear packed and ready for his next trip to the pet shop.

Everything was set; all that was missing was for Wen Qingyan to wake up.

Placing the steaming baskets of Xiaolongbao on the dining table, Si Nanyu sat in a well-behaved posture, waiting for Wen Qingyan.

As for the late-rising Wen Qingyan…

When she saw Si Nanyu, she felt a bit dazed. She hadn’t slept well, plagued by dreams all night, yet the culprit was now staring at her with wide, expectant eyes.

Wen Qingyan didn’t speak first. She washed up, dressed neatly, and sat at the table. Keeping her eyes forward, she went straight for the buns. After eating only a few, she found herself “harassed” by Si Nanyu’s persistent gaze.

Inevitably, she recalled the sight of Si Nanyu’s flushed face from the night before. The traces of an eighteen-year-old were displayed vividly in her every movement, making Wen Qingyan feel even more unsettled.

Feigning composure, she looked over and asked, “What is it?”

Si Nanyu, who had been dying to talk but found the silence too heavy, seized the moment. She tried her best to look natural as she started some small talk: “I noticed this morning when I went to get the buns that the two owners are a couple.”

“It must have been so difficult for them to be together at their age…” As she spoke, she actually became more relaxed, her voice filled with genuine sentiment.

Wen Qingyan remained expressionless, but her hand holding a bun paused. She asked reflexively, “Which relationship is ever easy?”

Getting together isn’t easy, and maintaining it is even harder. Wen Qingyan didn’t say the rest out loud, and it took a moment for Si Nanyu to process it before she nodded solemnly in agreement: “Teacher Wen is right!”

“Relationships are never easy, but… isn’t it also very happy to be in love?” Si Nanyu blinked innocently, adding her limited insight.

Wen Qingyan was momentarily speechless. She lifted her eyelids, not knowing how to respond. To that question, she didn’t have a correct answer.

Usually, after breakfast, Si Nanyu would clear the trash because Wen Qingyan had more things to prepare. Today was no exception, but just as Si Nanyu reached out, Wen Qingyan’s hand moved at the same time.

Their hands brushed. Si Nanyu gave a slight shiver.

It was a crisp autumn day and the temperature wasn’t particularly low, but Wen Qingyan’s hand was freezing. Si Nanyu’s reaction was mostly an involuntary reflex, though a small part was due to the sudden intimacy.

Given their relationship, a mere touch of the fingertips felt incredibly suggestive, didn’t it?!

Yes, it did.

A sliver of a smile played on Si Nanyu’s lips. Wen Qingyan found it odd. She had seen the shiver and assumed Si Nanyu was startled by her cold hand—but why the smile?

Regardless, Wen Qingyan offered an explanation: “I just washed my hands.”

“Washed my hands.”

Another “suggestive” phrase. Si Nanyu’s cheeks burned red. Although in her own memory she was just barely an adult, she had been a bit of a “bad kid”; she’d encountered things before eighteen that she shouldn’t have. To her, this mention of washing hands… only made things feel more intimate.

“Smiling one moment, blushing the next. Do you want to go to work or not?”

“What… exactly are you thinking about?”

Wen Qingyan was baffled, but she had her own theories. Especially after yesterday, she was feeling a bit sensitive. She assumed Si Nanyu was still dwelling on her being “older” and thus disliked her touch. While a part of her suspected the truth was different, Wen Qingyan chose to filter that out.

She waited quietly for an answer. Si Nanyu realized she couldn’t avoid it. She shifted her weight, looking coy and fidgety as she whispered, “You… you touched my hand.”

“And my hand touched yours.”

As their gazes locked, a realization seemed to hit Wen Qingyan. Her face grew hot, and she bit her lip, letting out a low, frustrated huff: “Si Nanyu, are you sick?”

It sounded a bit fierce, yet soft at the same time…

Si Nanyu thought the choice of words wasn’t great, but why did it sound like… bashfulness? Or shy annoyance?

Oh no, Wen Qingyan must think she was hinting at something, but she really wasn’t! Although she “knew” a few things, it was only a surface-level understanding. Her fantasies were all blurry; aside from some soft moaning, she couldn’t really picture anything else. Her embarrassment was purely from the physical contact with Wen Qingyan.

How could she explain? How could she explain without making it more confusing?

Si Nanyu’s expression turned solemn. She decided to stick to the truth: “Teacher Wen, because I like you, even a tiny bit of contact makes me feel joyful and shy!”

“I didn’t mean anything else!” By the time she finished, she was crimson. she frantically gathered the trash, not daring to look at Wen Qingyan, and bolted for the door. Only when her back was turned did she feel like her racing heart was returning to her chest.

Little did she know, behind her, the flush on Wen Qingyan’s face was spreading even further.

The emotions hadn’t quite dissipated, so Wen Qingyan was still a bit reluctant to interact with Si Nanyu. Consequently, she didn’t invite her to ride to school together.

Seeing that she didn’t mention it, Si Nanyu could only steal glances at Wen Qingyan as they walked out. It wasn’t until they reached the bicycles that she said, “I’ll… ride my bike to work today.”

Her tone was a mix of tentative testing and a touch of disappointment. She obviously still wanted to go with Wen Qingyan, but Wen Qingyan didn’t give much of a response, just a soft “Mm” of acknowledgment.

Si Nanyu had no choice but to lower her head and pedal fast. Since biking is slower than driving, and she had assumed they’d go together, she was now running a bit late.

Mondays are always busy, filled with summaries and setting the schedule for the week. After they parted at the parking lot, they didn’t contact each other until after lunch. Si Nanyu had intended to, but she didn’t run into Wen Qingyan at the cafeteria, and a deliberate stroll past Wen Qingyan’s office yielded nothing.

She returned to her office dejectedly. Before she could even get settled, Yang Miao burst in and slapped a registration form on her desk.

“Nanyu, this is the sign-up sheet for the staff sports meet. Take a look and fill it out.”

“Our office is relatively small, so don’t feel pressured.”

There weren’t many people in the office—only them and the dance teacher, Jiao He. Looking at Jiao He’s slender waist and delicate appearance, Yang Miao didn’t hold out much hope there. She turned her gaze back to Si Nanyu and changed her tune: “Actually, Nanyu, you should try to compete for something.”

“Okay!” Si Nanyu nodded solemnly and looked over the list.

When her eyes hit the name “Qu Yixuan,” her pupils shrank. She saw that Qu had signed up for both the 100-meter and the 5000-meter dash. The staff long-distance events were different from the students’; the boys did 5000 meters at most to avoid interfering with studies, and the girls did even less—only 3000. For the teachers, the men did 10,000 meters and the women did 5000.

Qu Yixuan’s choices—the sprint and the long distance—were clearly meant to steal the spotlight. Si Nanyu stared at the paper, then wrote her own name right behind Qu’s and handed it back to Yang Miao.

“Nanyu, are you serious?!” Yang Miao looked at the form in shock.

Si Nanyu remained very calm. Her head was full of the memory of Qu Yixuan boldly inviting her Teacher Wen to a movie. That was her Teacher Wen!

“Yes! I’m serious. Just these two events.” Planning to take the wind out of Qu Yixuan’s sails, Si Nanyu spoke with total conviction. She then stood up to stretch… The competition was about a week away; she didn’t have much time.

“Teacher Yang, I’m going to go practice!”

Seeing Si Nanyu looking like she’d been injected with adrenaline, Yang Miao couldn’t even blink. She didn’t even have a chance to voice a protest. She could only turn to ask Jiao He (who shared her shocked expression) and Xu Jinghao (who had just returned and missed the whole scene) what they wanted to sign up for.

Unless there was a special circumstance, every teacher had to register. The deadline was Monday, so Wen Qingyan received the final list as she was leaving work.

100 meters — Qu Yixuan, XX, XXX, XX, Si Nanyu, XXX… 5000 meters — Qu Yixuan, XX, Si Nanyu, XXX…

Is Si Nanyu serious?

Wen Qingyan had the same question. She managed to intercept Si Nanyu as she was biking home.

“Get in.” The car stopped by the subway entrance. It wasn’t a coincidence; Wen Qingyan had been following Si Nanyu since they left the school.

But how was Si Nanyu to know? Having been unable to find Wen Qingyan all day, she naturally assumed she was busy and didn’t dare disturb her. She was planning to go to the market first and then text Wen Qingyan to ask about dinner. She hadn’t expected this “chance” encounter.

She waved with a look of pure joy: “Teacher Wen, what a coincidence! We really are fated.”

Wen Qingyan saw her drenched in sweat. Her heart tightened for no reason, and her tone turned anxious: “Get in the car, quickly.”

“I’m all covered in sweat, I’d better not—”

“Do I have to say it a third time?” Wen Qingyan’s eyes were sharp, and her aura was so commanding that Si Nanyu didn’t dare argue.

Nor did she want to. How could she not want to go home with Wen Qingyan?

So, she happily folded her bike, put it in the trunk, and sat in the passenger seat, shrinking herself into a small ball. Wen Qingyan stole a glance at her, her expression frosty.

Si Nanyu quickly explained: “I’m sweaty because before school let out… I mean, before work ended, I went to the track to run two laps, hehe~”

She thought she was diffusing the tension, but she didn’t expect Wen Qingyan to purse her lips as words of concern burst out: “Who gave you permission to sign up for the 5000 meters? Why are you trying to be a hero?”

The moment she said it, Wen Qingyan regretted it. She fell silent, ignoring the way Si Nanyu’s expression was becoming increasingly jubilant.

They got home a bit late. Seeing that Si Nanyu was still covered in sweat, Wen Qingyan took it upon herself to order takeout. It was the Mao Cai they both liked, plus some boneless chicken feet that Qin Hua had brought over.

After they got back, Si Nanyu sheepishly went to shower. Wen Qingyan waited for the food alone. The takeout arrived, but Si Nanyu still hadn’t come out. Wen Qingyan walked toward the bathroom to call her, but as she got closer, she heard Si Nanyu singing.

She was a music student; though her timbre wasn’t extraordinary, it was very pleasant for a regular person, and her breath control was steady. But today, for some reason, it was all over the place.

“Oh~ oh~ I love bathing, my skin is so good, oh oh oh~~” “Oh~ oh~ the body wash smells so good, oh oh oh~~~”

After those two lines, she suddenly switched songs: “…Oh~ why is the most charming also the most dangerous~~” “In my eyes, you really are~ special~”

The ending was soulful and lingering. Wen Qingyan frowned unconsciously. She decided not to disturb her and turned to leave, only to hear Si Nanyu start talking to herself: “Teacher Wen is so dangerous.”

“Because she’s the most charming!!” “Because she cared about me today!!”

The song and lyrics were so cheesy they made Wen Qingyan’s heart race and her face flush. She instinctively quickened her pace to leave the area. Once she was further away, she couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh.

An impromptu lyrical adaptation in the shower… only an eighteen-year-old Si Nanyu could pull that off.

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