Professor Shen’s Needy Little Lover - Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Long Xin was startled, and cold sweat broke out all over her body, especially prominent around her forehead where fine beads of sweat emerged continuously.

While thinking “impossible,” she repeatedly deconstructed that image in her mind.

A scene she wouldn’t even dare to imagine could not have appeared in her head without reason, yet she couldn’t remember clearly when it had happened.

“Long Xin, come help.” Shen Zaiqing’s voice interrupted Long Xin’s chaotic, exploding thoughts. She looked up and saw Shen Zaiqing standing by the hearth, a large basin of boiled fish in front of her, looking toward her for help.

Long Xin shook her head. She thought that if such a thing had truly happened, the Professor would surely behave abnormally, but looking at the Professor’s current state, it didn’t seem like it…

Long Xin fell back into a state of indecision.

“Long Xin, what are you thinking about over there? Hurry up and come here.” Shen Zaiqing couldn’t move such a large basin of fish by herself. She called for Long Xin, but the girl remained rooted to the spot like a block of wood, brow furrowed in thought. She urged her again.

“Coming.” Long Xin responded and strode toward Shen Zaiqing. The troubling image, at the moment she moved, vanished like a suddenly popped bubble.

Long Xin didn’t have time to dig it out and ponder it carefully; after moving the fish, Shen Zaiqing sat her down to eat.

There was no time to think at the dinner table either. Aunt Liu was a genuine southerner, and her cooking style suited Long Xin’s palate perfectly. The Professor kept picking up food for her and even deboned the fish; she barely had time to eat.

Long Yin had originally intended to act as a wingman for Long Xin, but after careful observation, she noticed that small moments of ambiguity were constantly generated in their interactions. It felt like her intervention wasn’t needed at all.

In fact, it wouldn’t be long before these small sparks rolled into something bigger, naturally developing into an unstoppable heat.

Long Yin felt that they were currently “lost in the game,” but as an onlooker, it was clear: there was a thread of sugar between the two. All their interactions, including eye contact, pulled at that sweet thread.

So, in terms of their relationship, they weren’t quite “together” yet, but they certainly couldn’t be “apart.”

Given this momentum, she felt their feelings would become clear before long. There was no need to worry too much.

After the meal, Long Yin took Long Yao and Long Pei and set off back to Longya Mountain.

Since Long Yin and her children didn’t have “human” identities, taking public transport was inconvenient. Liu Mao called a private car to take them directly to the mountain.

After a short afternoon nap, the sun was no longer as intense. The Liu couple, each wearing a straw hat and carrying small baskets, led their granddaughter Liu Qingyuan toward the mulberry fields.

Shen Zaiqing had just come down from upstairs. Seeing them, she asked, “Are you going to pick mulberries?”

Liu Mao replied, “Yes, many are ripe. If we don’t pick them, the birds will eat them all. Is Professor Shen interested in picking? Why not call Long Xin to come along?”

“Hahaha, we aren’t selling these. They’re for ourselves or for gifting. You can eat as many as you pick; eating while picking is fine too.”

Coming to a farmhouse meant experiencing all sorts of agricultural fun. Shen Zaiqing had been looking forward to picking mulberries for a long time. She said, “You go ahead first. I’ll go call Long Xin and join you in a bit.”

Perhaps still dwelling on those two big fish, whenever she was idle, Long Xin liked to run to the edge of the fish pond. She would either stare at the center of the pond or sit in the shade of a tree in a daze.

When Shen Zaiqing arrived, she was sitting cross-legged under the tree, holding a small wooden stick and prying at the ground.

Both her hands were covered in mud, especially her fingertips.

Long Xin was currently wearing a white short-sleeved shirt. She had worn long sleeves in the morning but felt hot at noon and changed; while others were still wearing layers, she had already switched to short sleeves.

Dragons have high body heat. Even in human form, they are more sensitive to heat than humans. Of course, this state can be changed, though the method is temporary rather than permanent.

That method is eating watermelon. If one isn’t enough, then two.

Long Xin hadn’t had watermelon for a few days during this trip, so the heat she had regulated earlier was recurring. Shen Zaiqing decided she would ask Liu Mao later where they could buy watermelons to cool her little dragon down.

“Long Xin.” Shen Zaiqing walked to the tree and called softly.

Long Xin squinted and looked up. A drop of sweat slid past the corner of her eye onto her cheek. Seeing it was Shen Zaiqing, she called back, “Professor.”

Seeing her covered in sweat, Shen Zaiqing said, “It’s so hot, why are you still staying outdoors? Go back and use the fan.”

She had already pulled out a handkerchief to wipe Long Xin’s sweat.

Long Xin tilted her face up to make it easier for Shen Zaiqing. Her hands were muddy; even if she wanted to wipe it herself, the Professor likely wouldn’t allow it.

She said, “It’s alright, the weather isn’t that hot. It’s just my body heat making me sweat. It’s more interesting out here.”

Shen Zaiqing finished wiping her sweat and looked down at the pit she had dug. “What were you busy with? You didn’t take a nap; have you been here the whole time?”

Long Xin showed the Oxalis (wood sorrel) rhizomes she was holding to Shen Zaiqing. “Professor, when I was in Longya Mountain, I often dug these up to eat.”

“The ones growing here are actually bigger than the ones back home.”

Shen Zaiqing looked at the rhizomes in Long Xin’s hand and smiled. “There’s a mountain behind Jianghua University with even larger ones. I’ll take you to dig them next time.”

Shen Zaiqing often found this plant during field research, so she naturally remembered their distribution.

“There’s no way they’re bigger than this.”

Long Xin was skeptical. She leaned back, stretched her long arm, and pulled over the small basket leaning against the tree. She rummaged through the heap of rhizomes and pulled out the largest one to show Shen Zaiqing.

Shen Zaiqing’s focus wasn’t on the plant but on the full basket. She laughed and asked, “How did you dig so many? Have you been doing this all afternoon?”

She glanced over at the upended patch of Oxalis nearby and thought, No wonder she’s sweating so much; she’s been working hard digging all this time.

It seemed she had only sat down to rest after digging up the very last one.

“Digging this is fun.” Long Xin grinned, and Shen Zaiqing saw a shimmer of light dancing in her eyes.

“Uncle Liu and the others are picking mulberries in the field. Do you want to go try? Their mulberries are big, fragrant, and sweet.” Shen Zaiqing intentionally emphasized the last six words, hoping Long Xin wouldn’t be put off by the sour green ones from yesterday.

“Is the Professor picking too?” Long Xin asked.

“Mhm, I’m going too.”

“Okay, let’s go to the field then.” With Shen Zaiqing’s company, Long Xin agreed quickly. She stood up and patted the dried mud off her palms.

Shen Zaiqing had been squatting and stood up as well. As she moved to walk up the slope, her foot stepped on a displaced Oxalis plant and slipped. Her center of gravity shifted, and she tilted forward.

Long Xin was quick-handed, grabbing her arm while kicking away the basket that might have tripped her.

The basket full of rhizomes was kicked by Long Xin and rolled into the fish pond. The contents spilled out, instantly triggering a feeding frenzy among the fish.

Shen Zaiqing’s body had been steadied by Long Xin. Worried that she might have twisted her ankle, Long Xin asked urgently, “Professor, are you okay? Did you twist your foot?”

“I didn’t twist it; I just didn’t stand steady and fell a bit.”

Shen Zaiqing shook her head. Looking at the bamboo basket in the water and the sinking rhizomes, she said regretfully, “Those are all for the fish now. You worked so long for nothing.”

Long Xin didn’t care about the plants at all; she only cared if Shen Zaiqing was hurt. The basket was in the way; if the Professor had stepped on it or tripped, the consequences would have been unthinkable.

Seeing Shen Zaiqing still dwelling on the things in the pond, Long Xin comforted her: “It’s fine. Those can be dug up again, but the Professor must not get hurt. They are far less important than the Professor.”

She spoke with such absolute seriousness that Shen Zaiqing turned to meet her eyes.

They were standing very close. Long Xin’s hands were still clutching her arms tightly. In Long Xin’s eyes, Shen Zaiqing saw the only thing she cared about.

It was her.

Only her.

Shen Zaiqing’s gaze flickered; it felt as if a feather had brushed against her heart.

In the next breath, her body instinctively performed an action that took even Shen Zaiqing by surprise.

She leaned forward and embraced Long Xin.

Leaning her head on Long Xin’s shoulder, Shen Zaiqing took two deep breaths. She wondered if she had been stimulated by Long Yin’s hug earlier to act this way.

Her own dragon she hadn’t even hugged her yet. How could she let an outsider go first?

The more she thought about it, the more she disliked it. She was making up for it now.

The moment the Professor hugged her, Long Xin was the truly shocked one. Her entire body, including her thoughts, froze instantly.

H-How could the Professor suddenly hug her?

She was stiff and nervous, her hands and feet unsure where to go. The Professor’s hands were around her waist, but her own arms were still suspended in the air, held up awkwardly.

Her throat felt blocked by something hot. she wanted to say something, but every breath felt searing. Her heart rate was impossibly fast, and it was trembling.

Shen Zaiqing felt Long Xin’s tension and hugged her tighter as if complaining.

Shen Zaiqing couldn’t understand why Long Xin’s hug with Long Yin had been so natural and submissive, yet in her own arms, she was as stiff as a board. She wasn’t hugging back and was even showing signs of squirming, as if she were uncomfortable and wanted to push her away.

Long Xin really did want to push her away, because she couldn’t control her heartbeat or breathing. If they kept hugging like this, she feared her carefully hidden feelings would be exposed.

“Professor, you…” Long Xin opened her mouth and finally said something.

She suspected Shen Zaiqing had been frightened. This was the edge of a fish pond; one slip and you’d fall in. The Professor must have been scared and lost her head for a moment, which is why she suddenly hugged her.

Long Xin explained it to herself this way. But even with an explanation, it didn’t ease her stiffness or rapid breathing. She had to leave this spot to restore their distance.

Long Xin placed her hands on Shen Zaiqing’s arms and pushed outward, saying, “Professor, the edge of the pond is too dangerous. You were scared, right? I’ll take you back to rest.”

Shen Zaiqing had long noticed her intent and held on, not letting go. Her voice came muffled from Long Xin’s shoulder.

She said, “You are my dragon. Can’t I just hug you for a little while?”

Long Xin’s movements froze again, her expression turning rigid. She simply couldn’t refuse the Professor’s request. “O-Of course you can.”

Long Xin completely dared not speak now, standing straight with her arms hanging by her sides. Because she hadn’t refused, the Professor had the power to hug her for as long as she wanted. She had no initiative.

She tried to close her eyes to dispel stray thoughts. Since she couldn’t push her away, she could only adjust herself.

A refreshing breeze blew across the pond, swaying the branches of the camphor tree and dropping some old leaves around them. The sunlight was blocked by the dense shade, and the wind cast dappled shadows.

Indeed, it was much better with her eyes closed.

Everything around was very quiet, as was the Professor’s breathing. Gradually, Long Xin’s heart grew calm.

A hug was supposed to be a beautiful thing.

An uninterrupted, endless hug made everything around them turn soft.

Liu Mao looked up from the mulberry field toward the fish pond and said to his wife, “Professor Shen said she was going to call Long Xin. It’s been over half an hour; why aren’t they back yet?”

From his angle, he could only see the sturdy trunk of the old camphor tree and the swaying branches; he couldn’t see the two of them at all.

Aunt Liu was also puzzled; her basket was nearly full of mulberries. “It has been a long time. They must have been delayed by something.”

The surroundings were quiet. Having hugged for so long, Long Xin’s body finally relaxed.

Shen Zaiqing felt this was a “proper” hug and finally released her with satisfaction. She didn’t know how long they had been hugging; while they were, time seemed to stand still.

Shen Zaiqing had to find an excuse for her sudden action. “I was indeed startled just now, but Long Xin’s hug was very useful. I feel better after a while.”

“I’m all better now,” Shen Zaiqing said with a smile.

She walked toward the road, saying as she went, “To compensate for your lost snacks, let’s go pick mulberries for you. Everything I pick is yours.”

“Mhm.” Long Xin responded in a low voice. Her pupils were tinged with a faint pink, and her ears were a bit red.

A trace of body heat that didn’t belong to her lingered on the side of her neck. She didn’t dare look up and meet Shen Zaiqing’s eyes.

Fortunately, the Professor walked straight toward the courtyard after speaking, leaving her with only her back and not saying anything more.

Long Xin followed silently, looking at Shen Zaiqing’s back. A very light, soft smile appeared in her amber eyes.

The two went to the storage room next to the courtyard, grabbed straw hats and small baskets, and then washed their hands under the tap before entering the field.

“You’re here!” Seeing movement, Liu Mao, who was nearly at the end of the row, called out to them.

Shen Zaiqing waved and asked, “Uncle Liu, where should we start?”

Liu Mao pointed to the next row. “We’re almost done with this one. You pick the row next to it.”

“Okay.”

After responding loudly, Shen Zaiqing led Long Xin to the next row of mulberry trees. “Let’s start here. You pick the left, I’ll pick the right.”

“Okay.”

They set off back-to-back, sweeping toward the end of the field.

Long Xin picked them one by one seriously, her mind still on that hug earlier. She had no interest in the mulberries and no desire to eat while picking. She likely would have felt the same even if these were her favorite jaboticabas.

Just as she was about to put a mulberry into the basket, Shen Zaiqing suddenly called her name: “Long Xin, turn around for a second.”

“What is it, Professor?”

Long Xin turned and saw Shen Zaiqing holding two mulberries between her fingertips. She was holding her hand high in an awkward posture, afraid to exert force yet fearing they would drop. “These two grew together and are perfectly ripe, but I accidentally squeezed them while picking. Hurry up and eat them.”

Some fresh mulberry juice had seeped out, staining Shen Zaiqing’s fingertips dark purple. The ripe black mulberries emitted a sweet fragrance; they weren’t buggy or diseased, just squeezed. It would be a waste to throw them away, so she had to feed them to Long Xin.

Long Xin lowered her head, aimed for Shen Zaiqing’s fingers, and opened her mouth.

Shen Zaiqing tucked the mulberries into Long Xin’s mouth.

Long Xin chewed, her mouth filling with the fresh scent of mulberry. It was so delicious she squinted her eyes. Because Shen Zaiqing fed her, the flavor was twice as good.

Anything squeezed couldn’t be put in the basket, as it would spoil others faster. Whenever she hit one like that, Shen Zaiqing would call Long Xin over to eliminate it immediately.

Long Xin was very cooperative. As soon as her name was called, she would open her mouth and turn around, posing for a feeding.

After many feedings, Long Xin could judge when the Professor picked a good one versus a damaged one, preparing herself in advance. When the Professor picked a good one, her movements were continuous as she put it in the basket and moved to the next. If she picked a damaged one, she would pause for two or three seconds before calling, “Long Xin.”

At that point, Long Xin would turn her head, mouth already open, waiting for the Professor to feed her.

The first few times, their coordination was seamless. The mulberries always landed safely in Long Xin’s mouth.

But this time, Shen Zaiqing was a bit slow in withdrawing her hand, and Long Xin’s tongue licked her fingertip.

Shen Zaiqing knew it was an accident, and Long Xin showed no abnormality, but the tingling sensation on her fingertip made Shen Zaiqing feel unnatural.

She told herself to be extra, extra careful while picking next and not damage any more.

As it turned out, the next one was a difficult one. Her first pull didn’t get it off, so she used more force on the second, damaging it again.

Shen Zaiqing froze for two seconds with the damaged mulberry. Long Xin, familiar with the routine, had already turned around and brought her head close. Her mouth was slightly open, her gaze bright and eager: “Professor, I’ll eat the bad ones.”

Long Xin’s head was right there. If Shen Zaiqing didn’t feed her now, it would seem like she had a guilty conscience. Gritting her teeth, she handed the damaged mulberry to Long Xin’s lips.

This time, Long Xin didn’t just lick Shen Zaiqing’s finger; she gave it a little suck.

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