"What to do When the Pretty Woman I Kissed is My Best Friend's Professor" - Chapter 5

Shen Jinrong stood in the bathroom, hesitating for a long time, finally letting out a soft sigh and pulling the door open to step out. After indulging herself once, she felt clearer. Remembering her behavior just now—lying in the bathtub with the shower running to mask the sound—a flush crept up her cheeks. Looking at her own clearly flustered reflection in the mirror, she sighed again.

The obvious bite mark left by the little one on her neck was clear evidence of her irrational behavior just now.

The room was very quiet. Shen Jinrong peeked out to check on Yan He and found the little one was already asleep, face-down on the bed. She let out a long breath, her tense body relaxing, not knowing whether to feel relieved or amused.

Too crazy.

Shen Jinrong shook her head, putting down the hairdryer she had picked up. Since the little one was asleep, she would be quieter.

She casually grabbed the white towel nearby to dry her hair. After confirming her hair was semi-dry, she walked over to her small carry-on bag in her bathrobe and pulled out a book. The cover was goose-yellow, showing a small blonde boy standing on a tiny planet.

She turned to look at the sleeping Yan He, turned off the overhead light, and left only the table lamp next to the sofa glowing with a pale yellow light. The lamp’s light wasn’t harsh. In the dim glow, Shen Jinrong found only a Rock glass. She opened the small refrigerator in the room, took out a few ice cubes and placed them in the glass, and then took out a bottle of whiskey.

She sat on the small sofa directly facing the bed, placed both the book and the liquor on the small table beside her, and lifted her eyes to look at Yan He again.

The little one is sleeping soundly.

How nice.

She swirled the glass. The ice cubes clinked softly against the glass wall. After taking a small sip, she flipped to the place where she had left her bookmark and opened the book.

“Che cosa vuol dire ‘addomesticare’?” (What does ‘tame’ mean?)

Yan He, lying in bed, turned over, the quilt rustling.

Shen Jinrong looked up at her, her left index finger subconsciously tracing the edge of the book.

“Vuol dire ‘creare dei legami’.” (It means “to create ties.”)

I guess it’s too late to create ties now.

Shen Jinrong shook her head. She lowered her eyes, her gaze resting briefly on the red-tailed little fox in the illustration.

Yan He opened her eyes blearily. Her head was still swimming, but it was completely different from the uncontrolled state of last night. She sat up with a splitting headache, but saw the woman, dressed in warm-toned casual loungewear, sitting quietly on the sofa with a laptop resting on her knees.

The room’s window faced the sun beautifully. Today was a rare sunny day in winter. Shen Jinrong sat on the sofa, with the bright yet soft morning sun falling directly on her. She was wearing slippers. Yan He saw her ankles again, fair and slender, hidden beneath the loose trouser cuffs.

Shen Jinrong wore a pair of glasses on her nose, framed by thin silver rims. She seemed to have heard the movement from Yan He’s side and looked up.

Through the lenses, Yan He couldn’t clearly see her eyes. The lenses reflected a blue-green light in the sunlight, and it was this blue-green light that coincidentally obscured her Jiejie’s eyes.

Yan He was a little dazed, as if the scattered sunlight didn’t stop on the woman’s lenses but was transmitted onto her own body through their mutual gaze.

Warm.

“Are you awake?”

Shen Jinrong’s voice was a little hoarse. Seeing Yan He looking over, she closed her laptop and asked.

Yan He sat in place, tilting her head. Her brain processed for a moment before she slowly replied: “Awake.”

And then? Now that I’m awake, is this dream about to end? She opened her mouth, but before she could speak, she heard her Jiejie’s smiling voice: “Go wash up.”

Yan He obediently followed her words, got out of bed, and went to the washroom. As she entered, she saw her Jiejie’s travel-sized cosmetics placed next to the sink. Yan He stood there looking at these small bottles and jars, her expression almost solemn. She wanted to perceive the woman’s presence from these perfectly ordinary objects.

Having tidied herself, Yan He walked over to the woman’s sofa and sat leaning on the armrest, her long legs braced on the floor.

“Jiejie.” Yan He leaned in and lightly licked the woman’s lips. She didn’t refuse, allowing Yan He’s exploration. But Yan He didn’t go deeper. She just kissed her and then narrowed her eyes, like a satisfied cat: “It tastes like whiskey.”

Shen Jinrong put down her book, took off her glasses, and placed them aside calmly. Then, her fingers traced Yan He’s waistline upwards, pulling the little one into her arms.

Slender, yet strong.

Landing on her Jiejie’s lap, Yan He’s bent legs rested on the sofa armrest as she looked up at her Jiejie. Looking up at her, she noticed her Jiejie’s eyes were red. It didn’t look like she had stayed up all night but rather like she was emotionally exhausted. She noticed her Jiejie’s expression looked somewhat weary.

“I have to leave soon. My flight is at noon,” Shen Jinrong smoothed Yan He’s fallen hair behind her ear.

Yan He could feel the temperature of her fingertips. Her temperature wasn’t scorching, but when it traced her skin, it sent a shiver, like an electric shock. Yan He leaned in her arms. Listening closely, she could hear her heartbeat.

They were so close that Yan He realized her own heartbeat was slowly converging with hers. The duet gradually merged into one.

“My flight is tonight,” Yan He realized her voice was also a little hoarse.

Shen Jinrong smiled. Yan He thought this smile probably held no other meaning.

Shen Jinrong said: “Then we won’t run into each other this time.”

Yan He smiled with her. Shen Jinrong’s smile had a strange infectious power, making people involuntarily follow her lead.

“What if it’s delayed?” Yan He leaned in and kissed her lips.

Both of them laughed.

The leisurely chime of church bells drifted in from outside the window. Yan He didn’t count how many times they rang. She stared steadily at Shen Jinrong, but her heart knew this was likely their last meeting.

How long can good luck last? Meeting someone you’re attracted to twice is already a grace. The church bells seemed like a countdown, urging Yan He to realize: This is your stolen time.

Yan He sat on the bed watching her Jiejie pack. She noticed that every step her Jiejie took was composed, and every movement exuded an astonishing beauty.

Her phone in her pocket vibrated. When Yan He reached for her phone, she suddenly touched her room key in her pocket. She guiltily glanced at Shen Jinrong, and after confirming her Jiejie hadn’t noticed her, she carefully pulled out her phone, afraid of pulling out the room key from her pocket.

It was a message from her friend Li Xiuxi: “[Witty face] Are you up, my sister?”

“It’s time to get up! We’re going to [Expletive redacted] this afternoon! Didn’t we book the tickets three months ago!”

“We fly back home tonight! Don’t you forget!”

Yan He typed: “Up. Don’t think nonsense, nothing happened.”

After sending this sentence, she paused for a moment. Indeed, nothing happened, except that everything that should have happened before the final step had happened.

Li Xiuxi: “[Duck head, your little thoughts are showing]” Li Xiuxi: “I’m not thinking nonsense, okay? Tell me when you’re ready. The concert starts at three in the afternoon.”

Yan He looked at the time: 8:04 AM. She thought confusedly, I got to the room at past 3 AM yesterday, right? Did Jiejie not sleep all night? Was it because I took her bed?

Shen Jinrong finished packing, placed her small suitcase aside, and adjusted the collar of her overcoat in the full-length mirror. She turned around, her red lips slightly parted, and said to Yan He: “Little one, Jiejie has to go now.”

“Go back to sleep for a bit. Remember to check out.”

Shen Jinrong was fully dressed. She wore light makeup, less alluring than last night, but still beautiful enough to steal Yan He’s soul. Yan He suddenly had a strange feeling. Looking at her Jiejie’s face, it was as if she had already been living with her—waking up early in the morning and seeing her Jiejie off to work.

The big dog on the bed, with a head full of messy hair, looked at her Jiejie longingly. Taking advantage of her Jiejie turning to open the door, she ran across the carpet barefoot, hugged her Jiejie from behind, and plaintively rested her chin on her shoulder.

Her Jiejie was wearing high heels and was slightly taller than Yan He.

“My name is Yan He.”

“Yan from hai yan he qing (peace and prosperity), He from he bi (why bother).”

“I don’t even know what Jiejie’s name is… and I don’t have Jiejie’s contact information.”

The little one’s wronged voice rang out near her ear. Despite the thick winter clothes, her body temperature was transmitted without loss. Shen Jinrong recalled the conversation between the two young ones when they met in the theatre, thought for a moment, and still didn’t tell her her name.

Shen Jinrong turned around and pressed a kiss onto Yan He’s forehead: “Little one, if we can meet a third time…”

Her words were incomplete, but Yan He understood. Yan He’s eyes were slightly red, like a wronged big dog watching its owner leave.

She closed the door. In the air, there was only the faint, sweet and sour scent of preserved plum, a fragrance that quickly dispersed as her Jiejie departed.

Like an illusion.

Shen Jinrong closed the room door, thinking, If the little one’s friend doesn’t skip class, we should meet again soon.

She curled her lips and smiled.