"What to do When the Pretty Woman I Kissed is My Best Friend's Professor" - Chapter 115

Sitting on the train heading to Rome’s airport, Yan He turned her head to look at the scenery outside. She had previously stayed here for almost a year, met many people, and seen many different sights. Yet now, upon seeing the walls covered in graffiti, her heart held only the joy of returning home.

She was going to see Shen Jinrong.

She had come to Rome with her, but now that she was leaving, she was utterly alone. Yan He felt a little lost, but soon, this feeling was filled with the happiness of going home.

The girl sitting next to her seemed to be going to pick up a friend. Yan He briefly exchanged greetings with her when using the socket next to her. The tall boy across from her was carrying a guitar, which he leaned against the adjacent seat when he sat down.

Everyone had their own life; everyone was operating according to a routine. Under the shroud of life, we each have different choices.

As the train neared the station, a ticket inspector arrived. He scanned the QR code on the ticket, said, “Thank you,” and left. Then, Yan He heard some commotion in a car not far away. When she peeked over, she found many people gathering to watch a spectacle; it seemed someone had been caught traveling without a ticket.

Her ears were still filled with the low, fragmented chatter in Italian, but Yan He no longer had the inclination to listen to what they were saying. She looked up at the time display on the train, finding that everything was just right.

Yan He liked the state of everything being “just right”—though she preferred the feeling of arriving a few minutes earlier than the scheduled time. This was a bit different from Shen Jinrong; Shen Jinrong preferred to arrive just on time, no matter the event.

The sky gradually darkened, and the lights inside the train came on. The large expanse of fields in the distance took on an unusual color under the setting sun—it resembled lavender, yet also withered branches and dead leaves that had lost their vitality. But they were still neatly arranged there, seemingly unperturbed by external forces.

She thought of a wall she had seen in Pisa, covered with Keith Haring’s cartoon figures. He seemed to have a special fondness for Pisa; near the train station, an entire wall was filled with his cartoon characters. If the setting sun were to fall upon it, it should also cast different colors.

There was also the small castle near Florence, and that clear lake whose name she had forgotten—there were so many, many places she had not yet seen with her older sister.

Yan He thought that perhaps there would still be time; they had a long future ahead of them. She lowered her eyes and fiddled with the charm on her handbag.

The train quickly reached the station. She carried her luggage off the train and followed the escalator to Terminal 1. After passing through security, she bought some gifts for her family at the duty-free shop inside. After a long hesitation, she also bought a few Italian sausages for Granny Shen.

—She still remembered the conversation with Shen Jinrong about bringing gifts. Yan He thought, her older sister was in such a rush to return; she probably didn’t have time to buy anything, right?

Thus, Yan He’s small bag bore a weight it should not have had to bear.

As she sat on a long bench near the boarding gate waiting to board, many compatriots gradually arrived, scattered around. Hearing the familiar sound of their discussions, Yan He suddenly felt a greater sense of reality—she was going home.

After lining up to board, everyone got onto the shuttle bus. Yan He even gave a hand to a woman with her suitcase. She held onto the handrail, put away her passport, and tucked her belongings into her small carry-on bag.

“Going home,” the woman just now said softly.

Yan He subconsciously responded, “Yes.”

She was indeed going home.

She was going home to find her beloved.

In the morning, Tan Ning called Shen Jinrong: “Do you have anything on today?”

Shen Jinrong had just woken up and was preparing to eat breakfast before heading to the airport to pick up her “little friend.” She yawned and said, “I’m free in the morning, but I have something to take care of around three or four in the afternoon.”

“Do you want to have lunch together?” Tan Ning “oh’d” and then asked, “How did you handle the situation yesterday?”

Shen Jinrong was in a good mood. She said, “It was alright; it’s considered cleanly resolved. Shall we meet for lunch and talk about it then?”

Tan Ning agreed, then hesitated for a moment before saying, “I also have something I need to tell you.”

Shen Jinrong seemed to have anticipated what she was going to say, and quietly responded, “Alright, then shall we meet at the shopping mall on Chuxin Road for lunch?”

Tan Ning was surprised: “Why go so far? That place is almost near the airport, isn’t it?”

Shen Jinrong was a little embarrassed: “I have to go to the airport this afternoon to pick someone up…”

Tan Ning raised an eyebrow and smiled knowingly: “Oh—I get it. You’re going to pick up your partner, right?”

Shen Jinrong also smiled: “Yes.”

Tan Ning said helplessly, “Fine, fine, I understand. I’ll just drive over.”

After finalizing their plans, they hung up. Shen Jinrong stared blankly at her chat history with Yan He on her phone. Why hadn’t Yan He replied to her message yet? Could something have happened to her?

Yan He’s last message to her was: “Are you okay?”

Seeing those three words, Shen Jinrong sighed again. She hesitated for a long time, then suddenly remembered that Li Xiuxi and Yan He were good friends. She also recalled that Li Xiuxi had sent her an email requesting leave at the beginning of the year, so she started rummaging through her mailbox and eventually found Li Xiuxi’s email.

She didn’t have Li Xiuxi’s phone number and didn’t want to contact her counselor for it, so she decided to send an email, including her mobile number: “Hello, student Li Xiuxi, I am Shen Jinrong. I would like to ask you about something concerning Yan He. Please add my WeChat if it is convenient for you: xxxxxxx.”

When Li Xiuxi saw the email, she was already on her way to the airport. She was startled at first to see an email from Shen Jinrong, but calmed down after realizing it was about Yan He.

Could it be that Yan He lost her phone and didn’t tell Professor Shen?

Li Xiuxi hesitated for a moment, then added Shen Jinrong’s WeChat—Help, oh help, why is Shen Jinrong looking for me!

“Hello, Professor Shen!”

Shen Jinrong quickly replied: “Hello, student Li Xiuxi. I apologize for disturbing you, but I can’t reach Yan He here. Is she alright?”

Li Xiuxi thought that there shouldn’t be a problem if she told Shen Jinrong that Yan He had lost her phone. So, she said, “Yan He is fine, but it seems her phone is lost.”

Shen Jinrong frowned, her fingers flying across the keyboard: “Okay, I understand. Thank you!”

If Yan He’s phone was lost, then why did Li Xiuxi know, but she didn’t? Shen Jinrong suddenly recalled the Italian number that had called her before. When she called back, someone answered but couldn’t clearly explain what was going on, so she gave up. Thinking about it now, could that have been Yan He calling?

Shen Jinrong rubbed her temples.

Li Xiuxi quickly replied, “You’re welcome, not at all,” and then put away her phone, letting out a long sigh of relief.

Help, oh help! The pressure of chatting with Shen Jinrong is too intense! How did Yan He overcome this pressure and get together with her?

However, Li Xiuxi quickly reconsidered—since Shen Jinrong wasn’t Yan He’s teacher, it shouldn’t be a big issue.

At eleven-forty in the morning, Yan He’s plane landed smoothly. It would take a while to exit after landing. Li Xiuxi stood at the exit, taking off her down jacket and holding it, feeling that the heating in the airport was too high.

Around twelve o’clock, Yan He came out with the crowd, dragging her suitcase. Seeing Yan He, Li Xiuxi’s eyes lit up, and she quickly stood on her tiptoes and waved at her: “Yan He! Over here!”

Yan He’s eyes also lit up. Li Xiuxi readily took her luggage and started speaking sarcastically: “Oh my, oh my, some people come back and don’t tell their partner; the message that your girlfriend was looking for you even got sent to me!”

Yan He gave an awkward laugh: “No, I called her from a landline, but she didn’t pick up.”

Li Xiuxi rolled her eyes: “I swear—do you know how she contacted me? Through email! Help, she sent an email asking me to add her WeChat.”

Yan He rubbed her nose: “Is that so? Did you tell her?”

“Yes, yes, I did, or you would have been doomed waiting for you to tell her.” Li Xiuxi looked down at her phone: “Alright, let’s find a nearby mall to buy a phone first, then eat, and then get a SIM card.”

Yan He nodded in agreement.

Sitting in the taxi on the way to the mall, Yan He borrowed Li Xiuxi’s phone to call Ms. He, telling her not to come and pick her up.

Ms. He called her a “little bastard” over the phone, and the volume was loud enough that Li Xiuxi couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

“What are you laughing at!” Yan He was slightly annoyed and embarrassed: “Stop laughing!”

The phone store was on the first floor of the mall. After buying a phone, Yan He looked over her new phone repeatedly, then sighed.

Li Xiuxi comforted her: “It’s alright, maybe your old phone is also returning home now.”

Yan He glared at her: “To where? To be disassembled for parts in Huaqiangbei?”

Li Xiuxi burst into laughter: “Alright, alright, stop talking about it. Let’s go up to the second floor and eat?”

“Jinrong!” Tan Ning finally found Shen Jinrong standing at the entrance and quickly walked over, smiling and saying, “Sorry, I’m late.”

Shen Jinrong gave a faint smile: “It’s alright; I just got here too.” Thinking of what she had to tell Tan Ning later, Shen Jinrong silently sighed in her heart. How could she say it without hurting Tan Ning?

“Shall we go? I heard Old Zhao say a new restaurant just opened upstairs that’s very good. Want to check it out?” Saying this, Tan Ning naturally linked her arm through Shen Jinrong’s.

It was right at this moment that Yan He and Li Xiuxi walked out of the nearby phone store.

Shen Jinrong felt the weight on her arm. She opened her mouth, intending to politely refuse, but didn’t speak. Instead, she pretended to look for something: “Oh, right, I think my power bank is in my bag—” Tan Ning’s hand also unlinked from hers.

Shen Jinrong had just let out a sigh of relief when she heard a familiar voice nearby. It seemed to be the voice of one of her students. She looked up, only to see Li Xiuxi standing with her “little friend.” The latter’s eyes widened, and her face turned pale.

“Professor Shen, Teacher Tan… hello…” Li Xiuxi stopped mid-sentence as she saw the person next to her grow dark-faced, then turn and walk away quickly.

“Hey! Yan He! You—” Li Xiuxi rushed to call her, but Yan He was walking too fast and paid no attention. She could only awkwardly apologize to Shen Jinrong and Tan Ning. Immediately after, she chased after Yan He.

Tan Ning was stunned, and looking at Shen Jinrong’s expression, she seemed to understand something.