"What to do When the Pretty Woman I Kissed is My Best Friend's Professor" - Chapter 102

Yan He’s voice was drowned out by the crowd; she could not see or hear anything except the smiling eyes of Shen Jinrong. That beautiful pair of eyes, which Yan He had praised countless times, met hers. Yan He was worried her voice would be lost in the din of the crowd, but Shen Jinrong heard it.

The sound reached her ears with absolute clarity, as faint as the wind, yet as impactful as the continuous ringing of a nearby church bell.

If she had to define it, Shen Jinrong thought this was the sentence she had been waiting a long time for.

She simply smiled, saying nothing.

Then, under Yan He’s anxious yet expectant gaze, she took a step forward and clasped Yan He’s hand holding the necklace box. The people around them politely stepped back, creating a small, clear space for them amid the crowd.

“Honestly,” Shen Jinrong’s slightly chiding voice whispered in Yan He’s ear, “I thought you would hold it in until we returned home.”

Yan He’s eyes widened as she watched Shen Jinrong slowly approach her. A single second seemed to stretch into eternity; at this moment, even breathing came to a brief halt. The birds in the sky stopped flapping their wings, the church bell paused its chime, and the colored lights on the Christmas tree ceased their flashing.

The crowd stopped talking; the world itself seemed to stop revolving.

Yan He could feel her left wrist held by her elder sister’s right hand. They stood facing each other, a stance much like exchanging vows at a wedding ceremony.

Shen Jinrong kissed her.

Walking through the crowd to a small drink shop, Shen Jinrong ordered a glass of champagne, while Yan He pointed to a strange name and placed her order. When Shen Jinrong leaned over to look, Yan He smiled and pointed it out to her: “Look, this name is eterno, which means ‘eternal’.”

Yan He was practically pressed against Shen Jinrong, leaning against her arm and smiling, “I want to try it.”

Eternal.

When the drink was served, Shen Jinrong smelled the strong aroma of alcohol from the glass even from a distance. She frowned, but ultimately could not bring herself to stop Yan He, only saying, “Drink slowly,” as she handed over the small Martini glass.

It must have been made with several high-proof spirits as a base; the after-effects would be potent.

Yan He instinctively frowned after just one sniff. She held up the glass decorated with a small lemon wedge and looked at her sister with a pained expression. “Jiejie—” After this address, she seemed to realize she now had the right to call her by other names. She tilted her head in thought for a long moment, then called out with a silly giggle, “Darling!”

Shen Jinrong pretended to casually turn her head and sip her champagne, but as she turned, her reddened ears were exposed to Yan He. The champagne was slightly acidic, and the chilled bubbles burst in her mouth, the stimulating sensation momentarily distracting her.

“Call me that quieter,” Shen Jinrong nudged her, her ear tips still red.

Yan He glanced around. Seeing that everyone was looking at them with kind eyes, she lowered her voice and said, “Darling.”

Shen Jinrong nearly choked on her champagne again. Clenching the delicate stem of the champagne flute, her face flushed. She looked left and right, trying to find somewhere to rest her gaze, but eventually, her eyes fell upon Yan He.

Her… girlfriend.

Shen Jinrong thought that if her father were still alive, she could proudly tell him that she, too, could be loved, and she, too, could love someone. She recalled the words her father had scoffed at her when she was a teenager: “Shen Jinrong, your life will be like this forever; no one will ever be with you.”

This sentence felt like a malicious curse that lingered in Shen Jinrong’s ears for the next decade-plus. She tried desperately to ignore it, yet she lived involuntarily under its shadow.

Yan He suddenly felt her hand being clasped by her sister’s. She looked up in confusion, only to see Shen Jinrong’s eyes shimmering with light, the rims tinged red, even the tear mole sparkling with an unusual radiance.

Then, she said, “Thank you.”

Yan He thought, It should be me thanking you.

“What are you thanking me for?” Yan He took a sip of her drink. The sharp alcohol was masked by the layer of fruit juice but still present. Yan He’s eyes held a laugh. “Thanking me for having such an amazing girlfriend?”

Shen Jinrong laughed and playfully slapped her hand. She felt the dark cloud that had covered her for many years finally dissipate completely, and the long-obscured sunlight finally pierced through the layers of clouds and fell upon her. It was a long-lost warmth she had not felt since her mother passed away.

Returning to the ice rink in the city center, the couple they had seen earlier were still leaning against each other, but Yan He’s mood was completely different now. She squeezed her sister’s hand and whispered, “I want a kiss.”

“You can say that a little louder,” Shen Jinrong leaned closer, smiling.

Yan He then raised her voice slightly, “I want my girlfriend to kiss me!”

So Shen Jinrong leaned in and kissed her.

Yan He thought, A kiss when you’re officially in a relationship just feels different.

Her tongue intertwined with Shen Jinrong’s, like intimate lovers who hadn’t seen each other for centuries; all their emotions erupted at this moment. With one hand, she encircled Shen Jinrong’s waist, pulling her closer so their lower abdomens pressed tightly together. Even through their thick down jackets, they could still feel the warmth of the other’s body.

Her other hand rested on the back of Shen Jinrong’s head, drawing her nearer and deepening the kiss. Their tongues tangled, unwilling to part. The distance between the two was infinitely compressed until they were completely pressed together.

After the kiss ended, Shen Jinrong was breathing heavily. Her eyes held a beautiful sheen of moisture, a thin layer of fog appearing in her gaze, even the tear mole at the corner of her eye was moistened with a touch of dampness. The watery light shimmered, breathtakingly beautiful.

“Why are you sticking so close?”

“Because I want to cuddle with my girlfriend,” Yan He answered matter-of-factly. “Besides, there are so many people, what if I get lost?”

Shen Jinrong was still dizzy from the kiss and did not have the presence of mind to think much, only subconsciously feeling that Yan He’s words made sense, so she nodded in agreement.

Yan He laughed, “Why do you agree with everything I say?”

Shen Jinrong stroked her hair: “Because you are you.”

In one’s long life, one always meets many people: some teach you humility, and others teach you how to face the world. If you are lucky enough, you might also meet someone who teaches you how to love.

But such a person is not always easy to find. Shen Jinrong had waited twenty-eight years for this day. Just when she thought she would never meet that person, Yan He appeared.

“I feel like I have so much I want to say to you,” Yan He began slowly. She felt a fullness and satisfaction in her heart she had never experienced before. “But I also feel that when I’m with you, even if I don’t say anything, you will understand everything.”

“Yet I still have to ask you ‘What’s wrong?’ countless times a day,” Shen Jinrong played with Yan He’s fingertips, looking down and secretly smiling where Yan He couldn’t see.

“The necklace is beautiful,” the one holding the box was now Shen Jinrong. “I hope you will be the one to put it on for me.”

“My honor,” Yan He held up two fingers, giving her a salute.

They walked around the city center, intending to find a random place to eat. Their choice was simple: they would go into any place that was open and order.

Yan He looked up at the green sign, a look of hesitation on her face: “Do we really have to eat at Subway?”

Shen Jinrong pursed her lips: “This is the only place open, unless you want McDonald’s.”

Yan He pouted. She had originally thought that their official start as a couple would involve a candlelight dinner, with lit candles and exquisite food. But eating Subway was fine, too; anything was good as long as it was with her girlfriend.

There were too many people ordering, so after placing their respective orders, they decided to wait outside. Shen Jinrong glanced at the twilight sky and said, “I need to use the restroom.”

Yan He’s eyes flashed, and she nodded with a smile: “Okay.” She slowly added, “I’ll wait for you here.”

Shen Jinrong patted her head and walked off in the direction they had just come from.

After confirming that Shen Jinrong could no longer see her, Yan He sighed a breath of relief, clutched her bag, and ran quickly toward the flower vendor she had seen earlier. After buying the flowers and confirming with the owner that they could be delivered to the hotel front desk, Yan He paid and quickly ran back.

She arrived at the door of Subway just as their order was ready. Yan He, breathless, grabbed the bag and uttered a quick “Thank you.”

She carried the bag out the front door and spotted Shen Jinrong standing right outside. Seeing Yan He emerge, Shen Jinrong gave a soft smile: “I thought you disappeared.”

“How could I!” Yan He rubbed her nose. “I just went in to grab the food.”

Shen Jinrong stepped forward and linked her arm through Yan He’s. Yan He, however, felt a hint of mischief in her sister’s smile, as if she were plotting something. But Yan He herself was guilty of hiding a secret—it was difficult to conceal—and she was afraid her sister would notice her unusual behavior, so she didn’t press the matter.

“On our way back, come with me to see Grandmother, will you?” Shen Jinrong mentioned this casually as they walked towards the parking lot.

Yan He froze for a moment. Although she had met Grandmother before, her identity was different now (she was now the future granddaughter-in-law of Grandmother Shen), and the thought of seeing her again brought a nervousness akin to meeting one’s in-laws.

Seeing her anxiety, Shen Jinrong wanted to laugh: “Why are you nervous?”

“N-nothing…” Yan He looked left and right.

Shen Jinrong then embraced her waist and laughed: “Silly girl.”

The place Shen Jinrong touched happened to be where Yan He had hit herself earlier in the day when she fell, where the necklace box had pressed into her. Yan He instinctively let out a small “hiss.” Shen Jinrong quickly withdrew her hand: “What’s wrong? What is it?”

Yan He tried to play it off: “What’s wrong? Nothing!”

“Did you fall somewhere today?” Shen Jinrong frowned. “When we get back, take off your clothes and let me look.”

Yan He’s ears immediately turned crimson: “T-t-that wouldn’t be appropriate, would it?”

“What’s inappropriate about it?” Shen Jinrong leaned in and bit her lip, her eyes full of amusement: “Are you unwilling to show your elder sister?”