Professor Shen’s Needy Little Lover - Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Shen Zaiqing went to the kitchen to grab a small bowl and then to the balcony to pluck some jaboticabas. She planned to make fresh jaboticaba jam to spread on bread for breakfast.

Long Xin would surely love a breakfast like this.

Although it was her first time making it and she didn’t have much experience, the mere thought of Long Xin’s satisfied expression upon eating it made Shen Zaiqing eager to try.

While picking the fruit, Shen Zaiqing thought to herself that she needed to arrange for some watermelons at home. Although it wasn’t the peak season for watermelons, supermarkets and fruit stands had them year-round; she should buy a few to keep in stock. She also needed to restock the ice cream so it would be available whenever they wanted it.

It seemed a trip to the supermarket was necessary today.

Shen Zaiqing planned to go to the supermarket in the afternoon, as she had already promised to take the little dragon downstairs to play in the morning. Unfortunately, her car was still at the Dragon Management Bureau, so she couldn’t buy too much at once; otherwise, she could have replenished everything she wanted in one go.

She had applied for a “Vehicle Protective Layer”—essentially a ring of the same material used for the perimeter of Building No. 3 applied to the interior of the car. This way, while inside her car, the little dragon could switch back to her cub form whenever she liked. It was very convenient for outings, as the little dragon wouldn’t have to maintain a human form for long periods.

The application for the protective layer had been approved, but the “filming” process was time-consuming. Shen Zaiqing had sent her car in three days ago, and there had been no news yet. I’ll call and ask later, Shen Zaiqing thought.

She washed the jaboticabas and put them into the juicer to make a fruit puree. The skin of the jaboticaba is quite tough and won’t soften just by boiling in a pot; it must be broken down by a juicer first to facilitate the next step.

Once the machine stopped, Shen Zaiqing poured out the puree, transferred it to a pot, added some rock sugar, and began simmering it slowly. During the simmering process, it had to be stirred constantly. As it thickened, the fragrance of the jaboticabas grew more intense.

Turning off the heat, Shen Zaiqing had a premonition. She turned around and, sure enough, the scent had lured the little “greedy cat” over.

Long Xin was clinging to the bars of the kitchen gate, her two antennae squeezed through the gaps. She was too short to see what Shen Zaiqing was busy with in the pot, but it was fragrant and alluring—enough to make one want to poke their head in for a sniff.

Shen Zaiqing used a long spoon to scoop up some jam, blew on it to cool it down, and walked toward Long Xin. Long Xin’s pupils reflected Shen Zaiqing’s figure, though at this moment, her focus wasn’t on Shen Zaiqing, but on the spoon in her hand. She stared at the spoon, her hands resting awkwardly at her sides, her anticipation so great that she looked ready to drool.

“Try it and see if it’s good,” Shen Zaiqing said, bringing the jam to Long Xin’s mouth and waiting quietly for her reaction.

The moment Long Xin took the spoon, the fragrance of the jaboticaba raced through her mouth. The sweet taste spread from the tip of her tongue, making her blood boil. Long Xin felt her mind go blank, and then a brilliant firework of flavor exploded in her head.

Shen Zaiqing didn’t hear a verbal review, but the smile on her lips deepened. Long Xin’s eyes spoke for her; she saw a soul-deep satisfaction in them and had the answer she wanted.

Furthermore, the dragon herself had entered a dazed state, suffering from a bit of a “sweetness hangover.” Her expression was frozen, her gaze dull; one could almost imagine a ring of little stars circling her head to indicate: So delicious I’m seeing stars.

Shen Zaiqing patted her head to wake her up and pointed to the dining table. “You can go wait at the table. In five minutes, breakfast will be served.”

With a smile, Shen Zaiqing turned back, put the jam into a small bowl, and quickly toasted a few slices of bread in the toaster. By the time she brought the jam and bread to the table, Long Xin was already seated. Her little hands were fragrant; she had washed them very thoroughly just now.

Shen Zaiqing handed her a slice of bread and taught her how to spread it. Long Xin was a quick learner, presenting her own results in sync with Shen Zaiqing’s demonstration.

“Eat up.” Putting two slices together, Shen Zaiqing took a bite. Long Xin followed suit; as soon as she swallowed, she took another bite, eating with great gusto.

Shen Zaiqing felt very satisfied with this breakfast, and half the credit went to Long Xin.

After breakfast, she cleared the plates. When she came out of the kitchen, her phone in the bedroom rang. Seeing it was a call from a colleague, she hurried to answer. “Hello, Teacher Lin? What’s the matter?”

A female voice came from the other end. After listening for a while and understanding the situation, Shen Zaiqing said, “It’s no problem, Teacher Lin. If you’re feeling unwell, you should go to the hospital immediately and get some rest. Leave the judging to me. I’ll give the Dean a call later to let him know.”

The other person thanked her repeatedly: “Thank you so much, Teacher Shen.”

Shen Zaiqing replied warmly, “It’s quite alright, don’t mention it.”

Hanging up, Shen Zaiqing tilted her head, the smile still on her lips. The caller was a fellow teacher from her department, Teacher Lin, who taught the same major. Teacher Lin was eight months pregnant but still frequently ran outdoors to teach students. When students went to collect specimens, she followed along, and she actively participated in various school activities—a vibrant, enthusiastic, and cheerful teacher.

Today was Tuesday, and their college was hosting a flower arrangement competition in the afternoon. The student union officers had invited Teacher Lin to be a judge, and she had readily agreed. However, she was feeling very unwell this morning with severe morning sickness and needed to take leave. Since the judging seat couldn’t be left empty, she wanted Shen Zaiqing to fill in for her.

The atmosphere in the college was excellent; teachers in the same department often swapped classes and helped each other out, maintaining very harmonious private relationships. To Shen Zaiqing, this was a minor favor, so she agreed. In fact, the student union officers had approached her before, and she had wanted to go, but the timing hadn’t worked out.

Except for weekends, Tuesday afternoons were a public break for the university; students had no classes, and teachers didn’t teach. Various activities were often scheduled for Tuesday afternoons. Shen Zaiqing’s older brother was a “research demon” who stayed in his lab day and night; only on Tuesday afternoons would he liberate himself to have a meal with her. They had agreed to meet every Tuesday afternoon.

For this reason, Shen Zaiqing had turned down the students’ invitation. But as it turned out, her brother had bailed on her this week, saying he had an important academic forum to attend and asking to move their meal to the weekend.

So, there was no problem with Shen Zaiqing acting as a judge this afternoon. But as for Long Xin… would she go out with her?

Shen Zaiqing went to the living room, sat on the sofa, and told Long Xin about the situation. She asked if Long Xin wanted to go to the university with her.

Long Xin didn’t hesitate: “I want to go with you.” She was currently clinging to Shen Zaiqing tightly and didn’t want to be apart for a moment.

“Alright then. We need to go pick out some clothes now. We’ll be leaving the house in two hours,” Shen Zaiqing said. “Your height is similar to mine, so you can wear my clothes for now. After the competition, we’ll go to the mall to buy some for you.”

The clothes she had prepared for Long Xin were all for a little girl. Knowing she was coming, she had spent days picking them out at the mall, but she hadn’t expected to be sent a twenty-five-year-old young woman. Having no new clothes for an adult, she could only let her wear her own. She remembered from the records that Long Xin’s height and weight were similar to hers, so it should be fine.

Long Xin nodded in agreement. She knew she had to go through this step no matter how awkward it felt; she couldn’t hide forever, so she might as well face it.

Shen Zaiqing wasn’t sure of Long Xin’s taste, so she took out every style of clothing from her wardrobe, paired them into outfits, and laid them on the sofa for Long Xin to choose. Long Xin didn’t have much of an opinion either, so she grabbed the nearest outfit and ran back to her room.

She held the clothes in both hands, struggling to bundle them up so the sleeves and pant legs wouldn’t drag on the floor. Shen Zaiqing offered to help, but Long Xin said she could manage on her own and would come out once she was dressed.

Shen Zaiqing knew she was shy, so she let her be, but she couldn’t help but feel expectant. She realized she couldn’t quite imagine what Long Xin would look like in human form and was very curious.

“Click—” Long Xin’s door opened a crack. A slender shadow appeared at the door. Shen Zaiqing’s gaze followed it. Upon seeing Long Xin’s appearance, her breath hitched.

Long Xin had chosen a pale green hooded sweatshirt with jeans underneath. The hoodie fit Shen Zaiqing perfectly, but on Long Xin, it appeared loose and oversized. She hadn’t straightened the collar, leaving her delicate collarbones partially visible. Her neck was long, her shoulder-length hair tucked behind her ears, and the lines of her jaw were tight and smooth.

Her skin was fair, her lips a deep red, and her eyes were as bright as ever. She didn’t need makeup; she looked fresh and clean, far more beautiful than those who were “as gorgeous as peaches and plums.” It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call her a natural beauty.

A Long Xin looking like this would definitely be the center of attention on the street.

After looking her up and down, Shen Zaiqing took a sharp breath. Because she had been staring for too long, Long Xin felt a bit self-conscious and hurriedly asked, “Does it look bad? Or did I put something on wrong?”

Shen Zaiqing steadied herself, a smile spreading across her lips as she replied, “Neither. It’s just that Long Xin is so beautiful, I can’t look away.”

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