"What to do When the Pretty Woman I Kissed is My Best Friend's Professor" - Chapter 118

“Speaking of which, we have known each other for eight years.” Tan Ning observed Yan He’s expression while saying this. Seeing the light in Yan He’s eyes visibly dim, she sighed. She wanted to say something, but hesitated and held back. Some words should not be said by her.

“That’s a very long time,” Yan He smiled. She knew her smile must look terrible, but in front of Tan Ning, she felt compelled to smile this way. She didn’t even know why she felt the need to echo such a meaningless phrase that simply repeated Tan Ning’s point, as if doing so would make her look less wretched.

“It’s all in the past.” Tan Ning raised her water cup and gave a slight smile. She was also hinting to Yan He that the past was done, and everything prior belonged to history.

Yan He being jealous because of her was somewhat frustrating for Tan Ning. Not to mention that there was nothing between her and Shen Jinrong; even if there were—a hypothesis that was not true.

She was inclined to say something on Shen Jinrong’s behalf, but seeing Yan He’s desolate gaze, she felt it would be inappropriate for her to say those words.

Tan Ning blinked, thinking that Shen Jinrong would be arriving soon anyway. The task of placating her ‘little friend’ still had to be handled by Shen Jinrong herself. Watching Shen Jinrong fall in love also made Tan Ning feel much better about the entanglement with her ex-husband—truly, one should watch more sweet romances of young people.

Oh, wait, this should now be Shen Jinrong’s fiery pursuit of her wife.

Tan Ning mused this while stroking her chin.

“Then—Teacher, I’ll be leaving first!” Yan He bowed slightly. She wanted to quickly flee this place.

“Ah, won’t you stay for a little longer before you go?” Tan Ning subtly tried to keep her, thinking, Why isn’t Shen Jinrong here yet? The person is already leaving.

Yan He smiled: “No, Teacher Tan, I have other things to attend to shortly. Thank you for your time.”

Tan Ning could only nod and smile: “Alright. Then be careful on your way.”

Yan He also smiled and nodded, then pushed the door open and walked out.

Tan Ning grumbled from her seat: “Where is Shen Jinrong? The person is gone. Is she even coming today?”

Everything seemed normal. Yan He walked down the stairs, and the teaching building was empty. She could faintly hear the sound of teachers lecturing, but the volume was minimal, as if it were coming from a different building.

The staircase she was using was in shadow and somewhat dim compared to the sunlit areas elsewhere. Yan He knew in her heart that she would certainly walk this path again—at least until she graduated, she would have to meet with Tan Ning many times.

And Shen Jinrong? What excuse did she have now to go find Shen Jinrong?

Today, Yan He was actually afraid of running into her. She dreaded the impending separation, she dreaded the unknown that was about to push her out of her comfort zone, and she was uneasy about her own feelings and Shen Jinrong’s attitude.

Despite thinking this, she still secretly hoped for a glance from afar. Just to see her without being discovered herself—that would be enough. Yet, Yan He thought that if they did meet, she would probably turn and run away.

She stepped slowly down the stairs, listening to the regular sound of her footsteps, which gradually calmed her heart. Then, her rhythm was broken by another sound, which seemed to be the click of high heels ascending the stairs.

Yan He thought she must be crazy to hope that the person coming was Shen Jinrong—but she did not want to see Shen Jinrong here—at least, not near Tan Ning’s office.

Yan He took a deep breath. She walked down slowly with her head lowered, not looking at who the person was, deliberately keeping to the right to avoid them from a distance. She didn’t want to socialize or exchange pleasantries with anyone right now; she only wanted to be alone.

But the sound of high heels stopped.

Instinctively, Yan He’s footsteps also halted.

The stairwell was empty and quiet. The sunlight fell just right, and the dust particles floating in the air were clearly visible.

The voice that she had dreamed of countless times, the voice that haunted her thoughts, sounded out. In that moment, Yan He almost thought she was still dreaming: “Yan He.”

How much it resembled a dream! The older sister she loved was standing where the sun fell, still smiling gracefully, calling out her name. Her voice was still gentle when she called her, and her eyes were still focused. Yet, Yan He felt that something had already changed.

Had Shen Jinrong changed? Probably not. The one who changed was herself.

Yet—it had to be right next to Tan Ning’s office.

Yan He couldn’t get over the hurdle in her heart.

“What a coincidence, Professor.” She deliberately addressed her this way, and then saw an expression of confusion and helplessness appear on Shen Jinrong’s face. Watching her go from joy to bewilderment, seeing her eyes slightly redden, Yan He felt that there should be a sense of vindictive pleasure in her heart—but there was none. The second after she said it, she regretted it.

Why was she retaliating against Shen Jinrong? She shouldn’t be doing this. But the words that had been spoken were like dust scattered in the air, impossible to take back. Yan He pressed her lips together, remaining silent.

“Yan He, I…” Shen Jinrong looked like she wanted to explain something. With her mouth half-open, Yan He saw tears gradually welling up in her eyes, saw her hesitate to speak, and saw her take a step in her direction. Her high heels clicked against the floor, making that beautiful sound unique to Shen Jinrong.

—Yan He stood on the stairs, looking down at her.

In a trance, Yan He suddenly felt the scene was familiar. As if time had reversed, she thought of the time after she substituted a class for Li Xiuxi and Shen Jinrong chased her out to ask for her contact information. At that time—their positions were reversed. Shen Jinrong had stood on the steps, looking down at her, smiling sweetly.

She didn’t have time to consider the cause of this change. She wanted to flee, to run. She didn’t want to see Shen Jinrong sad because of her.

Her mind was blank. She only felt her heart and stomach twinge in unison. She didn’t even dare to look into Shen Jinrong’s eyes, and she desperately tried to make her voice sound less dry: “Professor Shen, Teacher Tan Ning is waiting for you in her office.”

Shen Jinrong frowned, her voice softening significantly: “Yan He, can’t we talk?”

“Teacher Tan is very important to you, isn’t she?” Yan He raised her eyes to look at her, only to meet the shimmering moisture in Shen Jinrong’s eyes. Unable to bear looking any longer, she averted her gaze.

Shen Jinrong said nothing, merely standing there and watching Yan He, seemingly pondering why she would say this—why she had to say this.

She did not deny the importance.

“I don’t have—” Shen Jinrong tried to grab Yan He’s hand, but Yan He dodged her touch. Shen Jinrong could no longer speak the rest of her sentence. She also seemed to realize that nothing she said at this moment would be useful.

They gazed at each other. Shen Jinrong’s heart suddenly panicked. She seemed to foresee what Yan He was about to say next, but a glimmer of hope still flickered within her.

And then, her ‘little friend’—her ‘little friend’ who always smiled and came over to hug her, her young lover—looked at her and softly said: “Professor Shen, you just want someone to love you.”

Her voice was very, very soft, like dust scattered in the air, like a meteor that never finds a resting place in the universe.

Yan He stepped back, looking at her with a gaze Shen Jinrong had never imagined, never realized she would direct at her.

Seeing the emotion in her eyes, which looked as if she were viewing a complete stranger, Shen Jinrong thought she was probably about to lose her.

Shen Jinrong knew, and she assumed Yan He also knew, that the next line Yan He was probably going to say was “that person could be anyone.” But Yan He didn’t say it. Only Shen Jinrong knew, and she used to think Yan He also knew, that the person was only Yan He, and it would only ever be Yan He.

But, Yan He, why, why would you say that?

She wanted to open her mouth to ask Yan He why, but sorrow surged up, blocking her throat. She trembled, unable to utter a single word.

“Let’s talk when I get back,” Yan He smiled at her. Seeing Shen Jinrong’s tearful eyes, she desperately controlled her impulse to rush forward and embrace her, and spoke the sentence.

She didn’t wait for Shen Jinrong’s response; she didn’t dare to look. She hurried past Shen Jinrong, leaving behind only a breeze that lightly rustled Shen Jinrong’s hair.

In the moment they passed each other, Yan He smelled a perfume on her that was completely different from before. Unlike the former sweet citrus fragrance, her current perfume had a faint sandalwood note, more clean and crisp, with a subtle fruity scent. It was like flowers, like grass, like all beautiful things in the world.

But it was notably unlike before.

Yan He slowly walked down the stairs. She heard her regular footsteps again, but she didn’t hear the sound of Shen Jinrong’s high heels—was she still standing there?

Yan He thought of the small green lime she had cut yesterday, of the mist and the instant burst of fragrance as the unripe peel burst open in the sunlight.

—Even the right to reminisce had been stripped from her.

What did Shen Jinrong mean to Yan He?

She meant the whistling sound of a subway train as Yan He waited at the station, she meant the sincere wish Yan He made by the Trevi Fountain, she was the wind that blew over the Alps and landed on the Christmas tree in the center of Bolzano, she was the ray of sunshine that pierced the clouds over the sea of Naples in the early morning.

She was every aspect of her life.

But now? Anger clouded her mind, causing her to speak those words to the person she deeply loved—Yan He hadn’t expected Shen Jinrong was there for her, just as she had fled in shame the moment she saw Tan Ning linking arms with Shen Jinrong in the mall.

She walked out of the teaching building. The moment the sun fell upon her, there was no warmth, only biting cold.

She turned to look at the familiar building, watching it reflect the familiar light under the cloak of the sun. She wanted to chase back and apologize to Shen Jinrong, but she cowardly retreated. She held her phone and opened the chat window with Shen Jinrong. Only when she typed did she realize that her hand was trembling constantly.

“I’m sorry.”

She sent the message.

Shen Jinrong did not reply.