"What to do When the Pretty Woman I Kissed is My Best Friend's Professor" - Chapter 37

“Oh my!” Ms. He nearly collided with Yan He, who was looking down to select shoes, just as she entered the house. Startled, she took half a step back in her high heels, and Yan He also stood up, looking embarrassed.

He You saw that her daughter was neatly dressed and ready to go out, and, knowing her daughter was grown up, she didn’t ask much, casually instructing: “If you’re not coming back tonight, be careful.”

Yan He was momentarily stunned, thinking, When did Ms. He become so generous? She used to always object if I wasn’t coming back for the night.

“I’m coming back tonight,” Yan He told her.

Ms. He rubbed her temples: “It’s fine, you’re an adult now. You can go out and play if you want; just take care of yourself.”

Yan He recalled the time she had stayed over at Jiejie’s place, when she was drunk and insisted on sleeping at Jiejie’s house. In fact, every time she thought about her actions that night, she felt embarrassed. However, since the embarrassing memory included Jiejie’s presence, recalling it brought a feeling of sweet pain.

This reinforced Yan He’s vow to never drink again unless absolutely necessary.

Mmm, absolutely necessary.

Yan He thought strictly: If it’s with Jiejie, it might be necessary.

“I’m definitely coming back tonight,” Yan He repeated, afraid her mother hadn’t heard and would lock the door. But if Ms. He really did lock the door, maybe I could stay over at Jiejie’s place again?

As she was haphazardly thinking, she saw Ms. He raise her eyebrows, scrutinizing her with a strange look. Just as Yan He was about to dodge back into her room, He You spoke, asking: “Are you dating recently?”

Yan He froze, immediately feeling all the blood rush to her face. She knew her face must be very red, but her fingertips were icy cold.

Why would Ms. He suddenly ask that? Yan He’s mind was in chaos, but she didn’t forget to maintain her outward composure, saying nonchalantly: “No, why?”

In Yan He’s twenty-one-year-long struggle with Ms. He, she had long since learned from experience: when Ms. He asks a question seemingly by chance, she is often probing for important information. Yan He absolutely had to pretend to be as nonchalant as her mother; failing to do so and giving anything away under Ms. He’s casual attack would be disastrous.

She couldn’t give anything away! Otherwise, Ms. He would catch her and deliver a fatal blow.

“Oh, really?” Ms. He countered. She seemed to realize that her daughter was older now and harder to trick into an answer, so she resorted to psychological tactics, laying out a fact: “When I came in, Grandpa Zhao at the door asked me if you were dating.” Ms. He said slowly: “He said he just saw a car drop you off.”

“That’s a professor from my school,” Yan He’s heart tightened. Why is he always sitting at the main entrance?

How could I have forgotten about Grandpa Zhao, who is always sitting on a small stool fanning himself by the gate? Grandpa Zhao is the neighborhood’s notorious gossip (big loudspeaker); once he knows, the whole neighborhood knows.

Yan He felt extremely annoyed.

“Eh? A professor from your school?” Ms. He had originally asked with the intention of tricking an answer out if possible, and simply letting it go if not. Hearing this solid answer, she laughed awkwardly and said: “Never mind, never mind.”

No sooner had the words faded than Ms. He, seemingly to save face, added: “If you are dating, you can bring them home, and I’ll help you vet them.”

Dating what? Yan He thought. Nothing has been decided yet (the character ‘eight’ hasn’t even had a stroke for the character ‘one’ yet).

However—If I could date Jiejie— A picture gradually formed in Yan He’s mind: When she woke up in the morning, Jiejie would already be washed and dressed, sitting at the dressing table, tilting her head slightly to put on a pearl earring. The morning sun would fall upon her, and the pearl would reflect a soft, gentle light.

“Since it’s not a romantic partner, then forget it,” Ms. He’s voice broke Yan He’s fantasy. She said: “I’ll tell Grandpa Zhao next time I see him to stop spreading rumors.”

Ms. He clearly knew about Grandpa Zhao’s gossip nature. She patted Yan He’s shoulder and returned to her own room.

Yan He stood still, calmly touching the corner of her mouth, and pursed her lips. She thought, I didn’t drool, did I?

“Aiyo, you’re really not having dinner with me tonight?” Wen Yuan called Shen Jinrong, her tone carrying a slight knowing insinuation. As she spoke, she waved at her girlfriend, Qiu Yannan, sitting beside her.

Qiu Yannan glared at her, telling her not to tease too much; it was already difficult enough for Shen Jinrong to find someone she liked.

Shen Jinrong tossed her phone onto the bed and stood in front of the closet, picking out clothes. She found time to reply to Wen Yuan: “I’m not eating with you. I have a date.”

There was a subtle hint of showing off in her tone.

“Ooh, a date,” Wen Yuan said strangely: “With whom? Do I know them?”

Shen Jinrong snapped: “Speak properly!” She paused, then added: “You should have met them once.”

She thought, I just don’t know if Wen Yuan still remembers.

Wen Yuan certainly remembered. She still recalled Shen Jinrong holding the “Little One’s” hand as they sat in front of her. But she didn’t expose the matter between Shen Jinrong and the “Little One,” only saying: “If you two make it official, bring them over. Let Yannan and I take a look.”

Shen Jinrong agreed.

Yan He ran into Mr. Yan just as she was leaving. Mr. Yan was momentarily startled when he saw her with a small backpack, ready to head out. He placed his keys casually on the low cabinet next to the entrance and asked: “Where are you off to? Not eating at home?”

Yan He saw the bag in his hand, which looked like a takeout container for the beef noodles from downstairs.

“I’m not eating,” Yan He told him that she had a date tonight and wouldn’t be eating at home.

“Did you tell your mom?”

Yan He nodded.

Yan Guangming smiled: “Alright, since your mom agreed, go ahead. Be safe tonight, and come back early.”

Yan He smiled and nodded, thinking, They don’t look divorced at all! The argument I overheard during the New Year must have just been a little spat between them.

This time when she left, she didn’t forget to check whether she had taken her key. Taking the key was crucial, as it would mean she was choosing to return home rather than being forced to stay at Jiejie’s place.

Little Yan He walked with a light step, carrying her small backpack toward the agreed-upon location. On the way, she also picked up the small cake she had ordered.

When Yan He arrived, Shen Jinrong had already been there for five minutes. She had booked a private room in advance, sent Yan He her location, and told her to ask the waiter when she came in.

“Hello, I’m looking for someone, in a private room on the second floor,” Yan He smiled shyly at the waiter standing at the door.

“Certainly, are you looking for Ms. Shen?” The waiter looked down to confirm the information and smiled: “I’ll take you up now.”

The restaurant seemed to have just opened. There weren’t many people in the main hall. Although it was already dinner time, it still felt deserted. Yan He thought, Jiejie seems particularly fond of finding these newly opened places. Last time it was a Cantonese restaurant in the suburbs; this time it was a restaurant near the school. She scanned the surroundings but couldn’t quite tell what kind of cuisine the restaurant served from its sign.

On the second floor, the sides of the not-very-wide corridor were lined with mirrors, and Yan He could see her own reflection. She winked and smiled at herself in the mirror, and the reflections of Yan He on both sides smiled back at her.

The mirror-lined corridor visually expanded the area, but in reality, it was still narrow, and staring for too long could even make one feel dizzy.

The air was filled with a faint aroma of food, a mixture of many scents, but it was subtle and became less noticeable after smelling it for a while.

Yan He followed the waiter to one of the doors. Watching her knock and open it, Yan He saw Jiejie sitting inside.

She was just sitting there, like a perfect painting.

Before meeting Shen Jinrong, Yan He had doubted the saying “beauty like a painting.” But after meeting Jiejie, she realized that some people truly look as if they have walked right out of a painting.

Upon seeing her, you would sigh at the Creator’s grace and also marvel at your own luck—because you are lucky enough to encounter her.

Then—how lucky do I have to be to be with her?

Jiejie seemed to have dressed up carefully. She was wearing a fitted silk dress with a jacket draped over it. Yan He swallowed, suddenly feeling that a Jiejie like this shouldn’t be seen by anyone else.

She turned her head and told the waiter: “Thank you, I’ve arrived.”

The latter nodded slightly and closed the door as she left.

“You’re here?” Shen Jinrong didn’t stand up. Instead, she beckoned Yan He over, her voice smiling but soft, almost coquettish, as she said gently: “I thought you’d be early.”

Yan He pursed her lips, not daring to look directly at Jiejie. She stared at the tabletop and said: “There was a little traffic.”

In fact, she couldn’t entirely blame traffic; she had gotten a little lost due to the many alleyways near the university town. But in Yan He’s mind, the excuse of “traffic” sounded better than “getting lost.”

It… must sound better, right?

Yan He thought to herself.

“It’s alright, it’s alright,” Shen Jinrong raised her hand and casually rested it on the “Little One’s” shoulder.

This casual movement made Yan He’s heart skip a beat.

She sat next to Jiejie, Jiejie was on her right. The distance between them was less than half a meter. If Yan He wanted to, she could even pretend to lose her balance and fall into Shen Jinrong’s arms.

But, the “Little One” thought, that kind of maneuver is too clumsy. I won’t use it!

However, upon suddenly meeting Jiejie’s smiling eyes, Yan He’s heart began to waver—Actually—maybe—if it means getting close to Jiejie, being a little clumsy might be okay?