I Woke Up and Found Myself Married to the Dean - Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Then You Probably Don’t Like Me Anymore Either.

Si Nanyu received a flick to the head. Although it didn’t hurt, it successfully made her behave.

She lowered her head and took a mouthful of porridge. Even though it was still scalding, she didn’t dare cry out, because Qin Hua truly looked like she might hit her again.

While she wasn’t exactly afraid of Qin Hua and knew her mother loved her Qin Hua’s fiery temper had always kept her from being too reckless. She usually preferred to hover just around the edges of her mother’s bottom line.

Clearly, she was about to cross that line.

“This year marks the third year you and Xiao Wen have been married.”

“At first, I didn’t agree to you two being together. Your personality is so restless, and Xiao Wen is too quiet. I was afraid that over time, you would bully her.”

“I’m your mother; how could I not know you? You have a three-minute passion for everything. Just look at the college entrance exams.”

“We agreed beforehand that you’d apply to the Southwest Conservatory of Music, but once the scores came out, you changed your mind and insisted on the Xijing Conservatory of Music.”

“The two universities are similar, but you were just so indecisive. When I asked you why, you refused to say a word.”

“If you’re so capable, why not keep it a secret for a lifetime?! During your junior year of college, you got sick. I rushed back from Yunzhou in a panic and just happened to see Xiao Wen taking care of you. That was the only reason you finally told me about changing your application and secretly dating her!”

“Look at how ‘capable’ you are, having such big ideas of your own!” Qin Hua grew angrier as she spoke. She stood up from her stool, paced in a circle, and then pointed at her in accusation: “And puppy love! You dared to like someone when you were just a teenager. Fortunately, Xiao Wen is a good person. If you had been a stupid teenager and picked the wrong person, where would I have gone to cry?”

“Never a moment of peace, never a moment of peace! Even after getting married, you’re still a handful!” Qin Hua’s voice grew quieter until she finally turned away.

Si Nanyu took it all in. She had long since put down the pumpkin porridge and listened to her mother swallow back tears, looking like she was on the verge of crying herself.

Though the voice was small, she heard it clearly.

“She was stable for a few years then started acting out. Now she’s made such a mess of herself that she remembers nothing. What a sin!”

It wasn’t that Qin Hua was afraid of Si Nanyu hearing her; she just felt a fire in her chest.

The more she thought about it, the more frustrated she became. She turned back around to continue scolding Si Nanyu: “Once you’re discharged, pack your things and move back to your own home. Don’t come running to me for no reason.”

“A married daughter is like splashed water. In the future, unless Xiao Wen comes with you, don’t come back alone.”

She didn’t care about what the doctor said—about the patient needing rest or avoiding stimulation.

If stimulation worked, that would be great—it might stimulate her memory back!

She couldn’t stand seeing this foolish look—holding a bowl with porridge residue still on her lips.

Qin Hua pulled out a tissue and wiped Si Nanyu’s face several times, her tone still full of disdain: “You’re twenty-eight this year. Don’t eat like an eight-year-old.”

“I’m your biological mother, so it’s fine, but won’t Xiao Wen find you repulsive?”

Wen Qingyan was Si Nanyu’s lifeblood. Although Qin Hua didn’t know why Si Nanyu had been so difficult the past few years, mentioning Wen Qingyan always worked.

It was the same for the current Si Nanyu.

Still dazed by her mother’s words, Si Nanyu took the tissue, carefully wiped the corners of her mouth, and silently continued drinking her porridge.

When it was almost gone, she remembered to say to Qin Hua: “Mom, I won’t make you worry anymore in the future.”

Qin Hua had already sat down on the sofa to play with her phone. Hearing this, she shifted her body and glared at her sideways: “Better not!”

Then she added: “And don’t make Xiao Wen worry either!”

“I know. Teacher Wen, she…”

Qin Hua didn’t understand bedroom “playfulness,” so she naturally didn’t have the same reaction to that title as Wen Qingyan. However, hearing the address felt extremely awkward to her; it made Si Nanyu seem incredibly fake.

Moreover, after years of knowing her, she had a hunch that Wen Qingyan wouldn’t be very happy to hear it.

So, she gave Si Nanyu a “kind” piece of advice: “Change how you address her. Your wife won’t be happy hearing that.”

Boom.

Because of the word “wife,” Si Nanyu’s face turned completely red.

Earlier, Qin Hua had spoken so fast and said so much that the word had slipped by. Now that it was highlighted so clearly, the eighteen-year-old Si Nanyu couldn’t handle it at all.

She had only just confessed!

How was she supposed to transition into this kind of relationship with Wen Qingyan?!

Wen Qingyan had been called to the school over the weekend because of the sports meet. She was teaching the senior class this year. It had been two weeks since the start of the semester, and the Autumn Sports Meet plus the National Day holiday were approaching; she needed to coordinate the curriculum arrangements in advance.

Zhennan High School was a private institution established over twenty years ago. Initially, it was like any other key high school, but reform began a decade ago to focus on the holistic development of students, promoting “happy learning.”

In recent years, the number of students with special talents (art/sports) had grown significantly. While college admission rates weren’t a concern, the teaching and research groups focused purely on academics found it quite a headache.

The primary way to promote “happy learning” was through stress relief. Consequently, traditional courses had begun to bore the students, and arranging a sports meet became an exhausting drain of energy.

It was already 6:30 PM when she left the school.

Wen Qingyan dragged her tired body to the parking lot. Before she could open her car door, her path was blocked by a female teacher in sportswear.

The newcomer was a PE teacher hired just this year. Wen Qingyan didn’t have a deep impression of her; the few times they’d met were during research meetings.

Teacher… Qu?

She frowned, trying to recall the name, when the woman offered it with a bright smile: “Hello, Teacher Wen! I’m Qu Yixuan.”

As the saying goes, one doesn’t strike a smiling face. Qu Yixuan had “smiling eyes”—they narrowed into slits when she grinned. She waved her hand with exceptional enthusiasm.

Wen Qingyan could only offer a faint smile, withdrawing her hand from the car door to ask politely: “Teacher Qu, is there something I can help you with?”

“Um… it’s the weekend, and it’s just about dinner time. A few of us wanted to invite Teacher Wen for a group meal…” Qu Yixuan spoke candidly but scratched her head awkwardly, pointing her other hand behind her.

At the corner of the parking lot stood several teachers in their early twenties, both men and women.

They were the same batch hired last year, the same people who had just been in the meeting upstairs.

The school organized faculty dinners unless it was a special period, like the lead-up to the college entrance exams. Otherwise, they happened every month.

Wen Qingyan knew she wasn’t particularly social, but she usually wouldn’t refuse such formal occasions.

However, beyond those, she never accepted private invitations.

This time was no exception.

She waved her hand and explained: “Someone in my family is sick; I need to go to the hospital.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Please excuse me.”

The reason was sufficient, the tone polite but distant.

A flash of disappointment crossed Qu Yixuan’s face, but it vanished instantly, replaced by another smile: “Busy yourself then, Teacher Wen. Another day… uh… whenever you have time.”

“Have fun.” Wen Qingyan opened her car door and said with a faint smile.

As she drove out of the parking lot, she glanced in the rearview mirror. Seeing Qu Yixuan still standing there, she couldn’t help but frown.

She had an inexplicable premonition.

However, she didn’t have much time to think. She turned on the GPS and headed to a shop she frequented.

She bought a serving of ham and beef porridge Si Nanyu’s favorite.

Si Nanyu loved sweet, salty, and spicy foods there was practically nothing she didn’t like.

To satisfy her cravings, she would often travel miles and miles. Wen Qingyan often found it hard to understand, but when she saw the look of pure satisfaction and those dancing eyebrows when Si Nanyu ate something she loved…

She seemed to understand a little.

Or rather, she understood Si Nanyu’s happiness.

She still didn’t understand traveling so far just for food.

But when Si Nanyu was sick or throwing a tantrum, Wen Qingyan would try her best to indulge her.

Like this bowl of ham and beef porridge.

It was likely the most delicious thing she could eat while ill.

It was 7:00 PM when she reached the hospital. Si Nanyu was carrying a takeout box toward the door, but before she could enter, she heard Qin Hua’s voice from inside: “Hungry, hungry, hungry. All you know is being hungry! Didn’t I give you that other half of the pancake Xiao Wen confiscated this afternoon?”

“And you still want to eat…”

“You really are my debt collector. I’ll go buy it for you right now!”

Qin Hua’s voice moved from far to near at a rapid pace. Wen Qingyan didn’t have time to dodge and ran right into her.

Seeing Wen Qingyan standing outside the door, Qin Hua realized her voice had been loud enough to be overheard, and her face filled with awkwardness.

She looked exactly like a parent caught red-handed indulging a child.

“Xiao… Xiao Wen… you’re back?” She smiled broadly, taking the takeout box and welcoming Wen Qingyan in. She then turned to Si Nanyu and said crossly: “Look how good your wife is to you, remembering to buy what you like.”

After a whole afternoon of processing, Si Nanyu finally dared to look at Wen Qingyan. But it was just… one glance.

Then she looked back at Qin Hua and “passed the buck”: “I was hungry this afternoon. My mom wanted the easy way out, so she gave me the pancake.”

“Hey! You brat! You, you, you…” Qin Hua wasn’t going to take that. She was unhappy to hear it and pinched her cheek. Then she turned back to Wen Qingyan with a placating smile: “The doctor came by this afternoon. I asked, and he said it was fine to eat a little…”

“Mhm.” Wen Qingyan acknowledged her, then said neutrally: “Drink the porridge.”

She turned, set her bag aside, and sat on the sofa to look at her phone.

There were a few messages in the group chat. She replied briefly before looking up at Si Nanyu and Qin Hua again.

Qin Hua was always harsh with Si Nanyu but exceptionally gentle with her.

So occasionally, she needed to mediate their relationship.

But things were different now. Everything had changed since Si Nanyu woke up.

It felt as though… she could no longer fit in.

Qin Hua had work to do, so after Si Nanyu finished her porridge, she left.

Only Wen Qingyan and Si Nanyu were left in the ward.

It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Wen Qingyan was the one to break the silence. She stood up, rolling up her shirt sleeves, and looked down at Si Nanyu: “I’ll help you wash up.”

“No… no need. My mom… she helped me do a quick clean.”

Si Nanyu spoke bashfully, her cheeks slightly red.

But the more Wen Qingyan looked, the more irritated she felt. She stopped her movements, said nothing, and rummaged through her bag to take her toiletries to the bathroom.

The sound of running water and clinking bottles made Si Nanyu’s face outside turn even redder, feeling excessively hot.

The thought of being in the same room as Wen Qingyan made her feel like she was about to explode.

She covered her face, shaking her head back and forth incessantly.

When Wen Qingyan walked out and saw her like this, she was perplexed yet helpless.

Pretending nothing was happening, she opened the cot for herself and took off her jacket…

At that moment, Si Nanyu’s movements suddenly became exaggerated.

Even though one was on the bed and one was below, and Wen Qingyan had only taken off a jacket, Si Nanyu hurriedly covered her eyes.

But she didn’t cover them completely. Through the gaps in her fingers, Wen Qingyan could see her eyes darting around. When their gazes met, Si Nanyu shut her eyes tight and scooted backward.

Wen Qingyan thought it was just as well. She reached behind her back and unclipped her bra.

Even in a hospital, wearing it was uncomfortable.

This movement caused her collar to pull wide, revealing the “evidence” of Si Nanyu’s mischief from a few days ago.

If she hadn’t seen it, it would have been fine, but seeing it now, an nameless fire rose in Wen Qingyan’s heart.

She stepped past the cot, went directly to Si Nanyu’s bedside, and sat down to stare at her.

Si Nanyu widened the gap between her fingers. Seeing Wen Qingyan so close, she couldn’t help but shiver. Then she heard her say: “The cot is uncomfortable. We are both thin; your hospital bed should fit us both.”

It was a statement, not a question. Without waiting for a reaction, Wen Qingyan lay down.

Seeing that she wasn’t moving, Wen Qingyan grabbed her arm and asked with an unreadable look in her eyes: “Do you hate me that much?”

Si Nanyu lowered her hands and shook her head frantically.

How could she?

She just… didn’t know how to interact with Wen Qingyan, who had become her wife.

“I-I-I-I… of course I… mmpf!”

One more button of Wen Qingyan’s shirt popped open from the movement. She leaned against Si Nanyu’s bent knees and covered her mouth: “Then let’s go to sleep.”

Si Nanyu didn’t know how to navigate the relationship, but she was good at being obedient.

She rolled over, tucked herself into her blanket, and looked at Wen Qingyan with blinking eyes.

Like a child waiting for praise.

But Wen Qingyan wasn’t in the mood to praise her. She was exhausted.

She lay on her side next to Si Nanyu, the distance between them neither too close nor too far, a faint fragrance wafting through the air.

Si Nanyu was also very tired. She let out a silent yawn and gradually began to drift off…

But she vaguely heard Wen Qingyan’s slurred, muddled voice: “Then you… probably don’t like me anymore either.”

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