"What to do When the Pretty Woman I Kissed is My Best Friend's Professor" - Chapter 131

For Shen Jinrong (Professor Shen), it was just another ordinary morning. She woke up at seven o’clock sharp according to her biological clock. She sat on the bed in a daze for a while, looking at the memo on her phone to see which campus she needed to go to today, what tasks she had to handle, and what meetings she had to attend.

She tucked the strands of hair scattered across her cheeks behind her ear, stretched, and saw that she had a meeting in the city center at nine o’clock this morning. Shen Jinrong (Professor Shen) sighed, flopped back down heavily, and buried her face in the quilt—”I don’t want to go to work!”

Five minutes later, her alarm rang. Professor Shen leaped out of bed and slowly walked to the bathroom to start her routine. Since the holiday ended, her daily routine had been like this: home, workplace, Grandma’s house. She was already tired of driving these few routes.

When would Yan He be back?

Shen Jinrong (Professor Shen) thought this as she slowly brushed her teeth, looking at herself in the mirror. Yan He had said she could return by the Lantern Festival, but now that the earthquake had happened in Sperando, would her return date be postponed?

When the warm water splashed on her face, Shen Jinrong’s (Professor Shen’s) hazy mind finally cleared up a bit. She changed her clothes. Since today’s meeting required her to speak, she put on a light makeup. Just as she was tilting her head to put on her earring, she heard the doorbell ring.

Who would come at this hour?

Shen Jinrong (Professor Shen) was momentarily stunned, thinking she had imagined it. She had only put on one earring, which felt a little unbalanced. She turned her head to look at the time, finding that it was only a little past eight in the morning.

Did they press the wrong doorbell?

Shen Jinrong (Professor Shen) didn’t remember ordering takeout or buying anything. But then, the doorbell rang again. She frowned, quietly walked to the door in her slippers, and looked outside through the peephole.

A bouquet of flowers?

Shen Jinrong (Professor Shen) tilted her head. The earring on only one side made her feel like her head was unbalanced. She cleared her throat and asked the person outside, “Who are you looking for?”

Yan He, outside the door, secretly smiled. She deliberately lowered her voice: “Hello, I’m the florist. Someone ordered flowers for you.”

Shen Jinrong (Professor Shen) blinked. There was indeed a bouquet of flowers outside the door. She hesitated for a moment and opened the door: “Who ordered them—” Yan He stood in front of her, holding a large bouquet of roses and smiling brightly, with her suitcase placed behind her.

Shen Jinrong (Professor Shen) was caught off guard and instantly given an armful of flowers. Her eyes widened, and her mind couldn’t yet process the sight before her. Yan He? Wait a minute—wasn’t Yan He abroad? How—how did she come back?

She didn’t react for a moment—just two days ago, she had seen Yan He reporting in Sperando, so how was she now—”Jie-jie, I’m back.”

Yan He had a smile on her face. The sunlight fell behind her, making it brightly dazzling. Shen Jinrong (Professor Shen) looked at her blankly, opened her mouth, but couldn’t utter a single word.

“May I come in?” Yan He tilted her head and asked with a smile.

Shen Jinrong (Professor Shen), holding the flowers, moved aside, obediently letting her pass.

Yan He couldn’t help but laugh. Shen Jinrong (Professor Shen) was stunning holding the large bouquet of red roses. The reflection of the red roses fell on her face, as if staining it with a blush. This red color was entirely reflected in her eyes, merging with the original light in them. It was like a sunrise, like a playful sunset, as if it merged all the most beautiful things of time.

“You…” Shen Jinrong (Professor Shen) seemed to have many questions to ask, but as soon as she met Yan He’s eyes, all those questions became unimportant. She placed the flowers in her arms on the coffee table, opened her arms to Yan He, and the smile in her eyes was gentle and doting: “Come here, hug me.”

And so, Yan He embraced her.

“Jie-jie…”

Her embrace was as warm as before, but she had become much thinner. The moment she was held, many words flashed through Yan He’s mind to describe the warmth of the moment, yet no single word or phrase was sufficient to describe her satisfaction.

It was only at this moment that she felt her heart had finally found its home.

“May I kiss you?” Yan He asked in her ear. Her lips were very close to Shen Jinrong’s (Professor Shen’s) dangling earring. The slightly cool silver ornament brushed against her lips, tickling them.

They ended the hug. Shen Jinrong (Professor Shen) raised an eyebrow at her, smiling sweetly. Even the mole at the corner of her eye carried a gentle smile: “You don’t need to make an appointment to kiss your own girlfriend.”

Yan He then leaned in for a kiss.

It was a long-awaited kiss—so long that while waiting, Yan He had almost thought she would lose Shen Jinrong (Professor Shen) forever.

As if sensing Yan He’s lack of concentration, Shen Jinrong (Professor Shen) gently bit her lip. In the midst of their lips and tongues intertwining, she managed to whisper, “Pay attention.”

“Little one.”

Those last three words became the fuse that completely ignited Yan He. Her hand stroked Shen Jinrong’s (Professor Shen’s) waist, guiding her backward. Then, Shen Jinrong (Professor Shen) felt a sudden spin, and the next thing she knew, she was sitting on the sofa.

Yan He straddled her, sitting on Shen Jinrong’s (Professor Shen’s) lap, with her knees resting on the sofa. She placed one hand on the back of Shen Jinrong’s (Professor Shen’s) head, deepening the kiss.

“Jie-jie.”

“Shen Jinrong.”

“Shen Jinrong.”

As she called out “Shen Jinrong” repeatedly, the kiss began to deviate from its course. Trembling, she kissed Shen Jinrong’s (Professor Shen’s) eyes, kissing away her tears, and then reverently placed a kiss on her tear mole.

It wasn’t until she tasted the sourness on their lips that Shen Jinrong (Professor Shen) realized Yan He was crying.

The atmosphere immediately shifted from flirtatious to frantic. Shen Jinrong (Professor Shen) clumsily tried to wipe away Yan He’s tears, but they seemed endless.

“During the earthquake, I almost thought I wouldn’t see you again,” Yan He choked out, her voice sounding incredibly wronged: “I had just mailed the postcard to you then. I even wondered, ‘Was the message on that postcard the last thing I would ever say to you?'”

Shen Jinrong’s (Professor Shen’s) eyes also reddened. She held Yan He in her arms, stroking her long hair repeatedly. Yan He’s hair had grown longer; it used to reach her shoulders, but now it was lower down. Her soft strands rubbed against Shen Jinrong’s (Professor Shen’s) arm, which was ticklish and yet felt wonderful.

Her little one had grown up and could stand on her own.

Shen Jinrong (Professor Shen) couldn’t help but recall the first time she met Yan He. Even then, she had noticed the little one’s subtle gaze, and of course, she also noticed her visible panic when their eyes met. But back then, the little one was just a little one. Now, she was completely different.

“Silly girl,”

Shen Jinrong (Professor Shen) murmured softly, unsure if she was referring to Yan He or herself.

“Going to report when it was so dangerous. Are you hurt?”

Yan He shook her head while nestled in her arms. Shen Jinrong (Professor Shen) only felt her movements and the damp heat when she exhaled: “No.”

“I received the postcard,” Shen Jinrong (Professor Shen) pointed to the envelope on the table, right next to the roses. She hadn’t dared to open it, wanting to wait for Yan He to come back so they could open it together. She didn’t know what Yan He had written to her, but she wanted to keep the words as a cherished memento.

“Did you read it?” Yan He raised her head to rub against Shen Jinrong’s (Professor Shen’s) chin.

Like a small cat.

Shen Jinrong (Professor Shen) shook her head: “Not yet. I’ll read it with you when you get back.”

Yan He’s face flushed. Thinking about what she had written in the postcard, she felt embarrassed. She lowered her head and tugged at Shen Jinrong’s (Professor Shen’s) sleeve, whispering, “Could you read it when I’m not around?”

Really—sitting next to your girlfriend while watching her read the little love letter you wrote her is so awkward!

Shen Jinrong (Professor Shen) raised an eyebrow, smiling meaningfully: “Is that so?”

Yan He stammered, unable to speak.

A beam of sunlight fell on Yan He’s hair, and the black strands quickly absorbed a higher temperature. Shen Jinrong (Professor Shen) covered that lock of hair with her hand, watching the sunlight briefly pause on the back of her hand.

She couldn’t quite tell whether it was that distinct light beam that brought her warmth, or if it was Yan He’s arrival that injected warmth into her. She only felt that her heart, too, was becoming warm because of Yan He’s presence.

The little one clung to her side, seeking kisses and incessantly repeating how much she missed her. Shen Jinrong (Professor Shen) stroked her hair. The morning affection was incredibly precious at this moment.

So—what exactly broke this moment of tenderness?

Yan He thought it was probably Shen Jinrong’s (Professor Shen’s) secretary’s fault.

Professor Shen’s secretary called her: “President Shen, are you stuck in traffic?”

Shen Jinrong (Professor Shen) woke up as if from a dream. Her eyes widened. Only then did she notice that it was already nine-ten. She fiercely rubbed the head of the little dog beside her, maintaining a calm tone: “Yes, I apologize. I might be a little late.”

The little dog, who had been obediently lying in her Jie-jie‘s (Sister/Elder Sister’s) arms, also knew she was late. She sat on the sofa, watching Professor Shen hurriedly gather her things and prepare to leave. While Shen Jinrong (Professor Shen) was putting on her high heels, Yan He smiled: “Jie-jie, you’re missing an earring.”

Shen Jinrong (Professor Shen) gave her another gentle glare and frantically rushed into the bedroom to put on the earring for her other ear—no wonder she had felt something was off.

“Be a good girl at home! I’ll be back at noon!” Shen Jinrong (Professor Shen) gave Yan He a big kiss on the forehead and then hurried out.

Yan He leaned against the door to say goodbye to her, watching Shen Jinrong (Professor Shen) get into the elevator. She inexplicably felt like—she was a wicked concubine, the kind who bewitched the king to skip the morning court.

She closed the door and checked herself in the nearby glass—oops.

Her lips were covered with lipstick marks left by her Jie-jie (Sister/Elder Sister), and there was also a large lipstick print on her forehead. This reminded her of the time in Vienna when her Jie-jie (Sister/Elder Sister) had kissed her like this before leaving.

A goodbye kiss. She understood.

But the present was different from the past. Back then, she thought that she and Shen Jinrong (Professor Shen) might never meet a third time. But now, all she was thinking was—what should she and her Jie-jie (Sister/Elder Sister) have for lunch?

Yan He smiled. She walked to the mirror and carefully wiped away the marks on her face.

She was no longer the insecure little dog from a year ago. She was a person with a girlfriend now.

The little dog wagged her tail, pushed her suitcase aside, checked what ingredients her Jie-jie‘s (Sister/Elder Sister’s) fridge held, tidied up, and went out to buy groceries.