"What to do When the Pretty Woman I Kissed is My Best Friend's Professor" - Chapter 63

The two people stared at each other.

Yet, Yan He’s first reaction wasn’t why Shen Jinrong was here. In a flash of lightning, she thought of what Grandma Shen had told her during the New Year—a father’s infidelity, an early deceased mother, and a granddaughter who grew up under a long shadow.

Yan He couldn’t grasp it. Just a few brief words outlined a person’s experience over twenty years. Time was ruthless, and life was equally so to Shen Jinrong. Yan He thought of the scar on her left wrist, the vulnerability she inadvertently showed, and the pure innocence in the moment she blew out the candles.

Her heart felt as if it had been struck heavily by something, then fiercely gouged out. Cold wind blew in through the gap, turning her scorching heart ice-cold.

The person she loved—the person she liked so, so much—why did she have to endure such a thing?

Shen Jinrong was so wonderful, she smiled so brightly, but why—why did the shadows cling to her for so many years, refusing to dissipate? She used to think Shen Jinrong was heavily favored by God, but if that were true, how could God bear to let her suffer this hardship?

Yan He had only felt sympathy, perhaps even pity, for Grandma Shen’s granddaughter, but that was for a stranger. Knowing that the person she loved had been through all this, an inexplicable fury flared up in Yan He. For a moment, she was even overcome by rage, wanting to confront Shen Jinrong’s father and demand to know why he had done such a thing.

In that moment of consuming fury, her mind felt hazy, and only one thought remained. But this thought was too wild; Yan He knew she couldn’t, nor could she possibly, act on it. Yet—her breathing was ragged, her eyes were bloodshot, and she could feel her vision darkening and her nose stinging with unshed tears. She wanted to cry, to hold Shen Jinrong tight, to hug her fiercely. She wouldn’t ask anything, wouldn’t want to know anything. She only wanted Shen Jinrong to live well. She wanted to go back in time, walk up to little Shen Jinrong, take her into her arms, and tell her not to be afraid.

But she ultimately couldn’t do it.

At that time… how scared Shen Jinrong must have been!

How could this be… how could this be? How—how could this happen!

The little person in her heart cried silently, trembling all over. Yan He raised her eyes to look at the Older Woman before her, but her throat tightened, and she couldn’t utter a single word, as if something was lodged there, suffocating her. Her nose felt punched, her eyes brimmed with redness, and the urge to cry could no longer be suppressed.

Fortunately… she is still standing here, she is still smiling, she is still real.

“Are you alright?” Shen Jinrong frowned, keenly sensing Yan He’s distress, and took hold of her hand.

Yan He felt a momentary trance. The Older Woman’s fingertips were cold, but her palm was warm. Her temperature snapped Yan He back to reality. She slowly raised her eyes, then suddenly stepped forward and embraced Shen Jinrong tightly.

Nothing else mattered—in this instant—in this very moment, nothing else mattered.

The hole in her heart was refilled. The moment she pressed against Shen Jinrong, Yan He felt as if some substance was slowly filling the emptiness she had just lost. A bright white light suddenly flashed before her eyes. The light was too brilliant. Yan He instinctively squinted, and when she opened her eyes again, only a confused Shen Jinrong remained.

A few strands of hair fell onto Yan He’s face, tickling her like a gentle comfort. Her fragrance was concentrated behind her ear, faint and subtle, yet carrying a startling and fatal temptation. Yan He had never closely considered the scent of her perfume—it was rose, green plum, the blazing sun at noon, the edge of the shore with surging waves at dawn, the sweet and sour scent of lime bursting open, and the clear spring water flowing slowly through the mountains.

It concealed her affection, and it concealed the fiery heart that had once been extinguished.

“I’m fine,” Yan He lowered her eyes and slowly released Shen Jinrong. She cherished that embrace, and the moment they separated, the heart that had just been mended developed a crack again as she moved away from Shen Jinrong.

“You—” Shen Jinrong held the bag in one hand and reached out to steady Yan He’s arm. Just then, Grandma Shen’s voice rang out from the kitchen—”Little Yan! Who is it?”

“Grandma! It’s me!” Shen Jinrong saw the confusion in Yan He’s eyes, decided not to press for answers, and pulled her inside the door. Shen Jinrong casually placed the groceries she brought by the entrance and led Yan He to the kitchen doorway: “Grandma.”

Grandma Shen’s eyes curved into a smile upon seeing Shen Jinrong and Yan He together. She quickly put down her spatula and began to introduce the two: “Little Yan, this is my granddaughter I told you about, Shen Jinrong. And this is Little Yan, a kind-hearted young friend I met by chance.”

Shen Jinrong nodded slowly.

Grandma Shen naturally saw the doubt in her eyes and explained, “Do you remember when I bought fish earlier this year? It was this girl who paid for me.” Grandma Shen turned off the heat, stood smiling at the kitchen doorway, and introduced her to Shen Jinrong: “Little Yan is a real hero! She even saved a drowning child before.”

“Oh… she’s your—’little friend’?” Shen Jinrong raised an eyebrow slightly, a knowing and teasing smile appearing in her eyes.

Yan He also gave a timely smile and, as if meeting for the first time, extended her hand to Shen Jinrong: “Hello, Yan He.”

“Hello, my little hero. Shen Jinrong,” Shen Jinrong winked at her and took her hand.

It was strange to think that they had known each other for almost a year, yet this was the first time they had given such a serious and formal self-introduction. Yan He smiled faintly, and Shen Jinrong also wore a smile. It was as if a loss that hadn’t been rectified during their first meeting had now achieved a perfect ending.

Grandma Shen, suspecting nothing, smiled as she watched the two introduce themselves. She said, “You two go to the living room and watch TV! Oh dear! I’m an old woman! I don’t have much in common with you two!”

“I just said I’d help you out—” Yan He quickly said.

Grandma Shen laughed heartily: “Help out with what! I can still move! You two go get acquainted! Exchange WeChat contacts or something! Young people have more topics to talk about!”

Yan He and Shen Jinrong were pushed by her to sit down in the living room.

Grandma Shen said a few random words and then returned to the kitchen to continue cooking, leaving the two people who already knew each other sitting on the sofa, looking at one another.

“Hmm… my Grandma’s ‘little friend’?” Shen Jinrong raised one eyebrow high, her tone teasing.

Yan He’s face blushed, and she briefly recounted how she had met Grandma Shen.

Shen Jinrong cupped her face, looking very surprised: “The two of you are that fated?”

Yan He’s face grew redder.

“I remember your family lives in the city center, right? Why did you go all the way to the lake park?” After saying this, Shen Jinrong seemed worried that Yan He might misunderstand, so she added, “I mean, did something happen to you?”

Yan He lowered her eyes, avoiding the Older Woman’s worried gaze: “Just a small matter.”

Shen Jinrong nodded, considerately not asking any further.

The two chatted casually. Shen Jinrong asked, “I remember you said before that you’re being transferred abroad?”

Yan He responded with a soft “Mm-hmm”: “I’m getting ready. My boss gave me two weeks off.” She thought, During these two weeks, I should find a place to stay—or travel. She didn’t want to stay at home.

Shen Jinrong was a little surprised: “That long?” She tilted her head in thought, took out her phone and glanced at it, then said, “Hold on for a second.”

Yan He nodded obediently.

About two minutes later, Shen Jinrong smiled: “I thought so. I have a teaching and research meeting in a few days. It’s been changed to an online format for some reason, but the school still gave me two weeks off.”

Yan He tightly pursed her lips. She remembered Shen Jinrong saying that they should have a meal together before she left. She wanted to set a date with Shen Jinrong right now, but the words were stuck in her throat, and she didn’t know how to begin.

Fortunately, Grandma Shen came to her rescue in time: “Dinner’s ready, dinner’s ready! You two young comrades! Come over and get your bowls and chopsticks!”

Grandma Shen’s cooking was excellent; Yan He thought it was much better than her own. Both she and Shen Jinrong ate quietly, with little conversation at the dinner table.

Halfway through the meal, Yan He suddenly remembered what Grandma Shen had said earlier about her granddaughter having a partner. She secretly raised her head and glanced at Shen Jinrong sitting across from her, thinking, She must be lying, right? How come she didn’t know the Older Woman had a partner?

Maybe the Older Woman just said it casually to reassure the old lady?

With this thought, Yan He’s heart settled down a little.

Yan He and Shen Jinrong helped the old lady wash the dishes. As they were leaving, Grandma Shen, who was engrossed in watching a video, said, “I don’t have anything else going on here, so why don’t you two leave first.” She stood up and patted Yan He on the shoulder with a smile: “Little Yan! My granddaughter has a car! Let her take you home.”

Yan He opened her mouth, intending to say that she didn’t want to go home, but seeing the old lady’s concerned eyes, the words wouldn’t come out. She could only nod and turn to Shen Jinrong, who was fiddling with her keychain, and say, “Then I’ll have to trouble you.”

A faint smile appeared on Shen Jinrong’s face: “It’s nothing, I should. After all, you’re my grandmother’s ‘little friend,’ right?”

Shen Jinrong said “little friend” teasingly. Yan He smiled in embarrassment, while Grandma Shen glared at her disapprovingly, as if blaming her for teasing.

“Alright, then you take Little Yan home,” Grandma Shen gave Shen Jinrong a pointed look.

.As they walked out of Grandma Shen’s house, Yan He subconsciously turned her head and saw the clock hanging on the living room wall. The hour hand clearly pointed to the “eight.” It was exactly eight o’clock in the evening, right after dinner. The time was neither too early nor too late.

After saying goodbye to Grandma Shen, Yan He turned and left with Shen Jinrong. She heard the iron door behind her bang shut, followed by the sound of the old lady locking it from inside.

Shen Jinrong didn’t look back, leading her downstairs. Grandma Shen’s house was in an old apartment building with no elevator. Yan He followed behind, listening to Shen Jinrong’s rhythmic footsteps, and the restlessness in her heart was gradually soothed.

She remembered meeting the Older Woman and Tan Ning at the nearby market during the New Year with Li Xiuxi. Did Tan Ning’s family live nearby, too? Or was Tan Ning just visiting Grandma Shen for the New Year?

At that time… was Tan Ning like this, too? Following the Older Woman, walking down the stairs with her.

Yan He lowered her eyes, looking down at the steps beneath her feet. She thought, Tan Ning must have walked these steps, too.

When they reached the floor below, the light above them went out. Shen Jinrong stomped her foot hard, and the light immediately came back on. Yan He looked up. It was a sound-activated light. The incandescent bulb emitted a pale yellow, warm light in the night, illuminating the path beneath their feet.

Shen Jinrong paused at the stair landing, her bright black eyes looking directly at Yan He, as if to confirm that Yan He was keeping up with her. Seeing that Yan He was right behind her, she casually turned back and continued walking.

Yan He was still immersed in her own world and didn’t notice the Older Woman’s gaze.

Shen Jinrong’s car was parked downstairs. Yan He habitually walked to the passenger side door, but the moment her hand grasped the door handle, her heart suddenly gave a violent thump. She straightened up, her gaze passing over the roof of the car to Shen Jinrong on the other side. The latter also noticed her stare and slightly raised an eyebrow, looking puzzled.

Yan He got into the car.

There was a scent of car fragrance inside, but it wasn’t pungent; instead, it was a faint, clean, ethereal aroma.

Shen Jinrong turned on the dome light and asked, “To your house?”

Yan He thought, If she really wanted to take me home, why would she turn on the light and ask?

She turned to look at Shen Jinrong, her voice low: “I don’t want to go home.”

Shen Jinrong adjusted her seat and gently asked, “Can I know why?”

Yan He didn’t want to tell the Older Woman about it. She just lowered her head and repeated softly, “I don’t want to go home.”

“I want to travel for these two weeks off.”

“I don’t want to stay here anymore.”

Shen Jinrong frowned slightly. She thought, Yan He must have run into something, right? Or—is there someone or something at home she temporarily doesn’t want to face?

A wild idea emerged in Shen Jinrong’s mind. She was momentarily stunned that she could have such a crazy thought. She thought, I don’t want to stay here either—if—if it were possible—I also want to escape.

She had originally planned to tell Grandma about Wang Dingyun today, but Yan He was present, so it wasn’t appropriate. Fortunately, the matter wasn’t urgent. Knowing a little earlier or a little later didn’t really matter.

Shen Jinrong thought, Then—can I also temporarily put aside these complicated matters and find a place to breathe?

“Do you have a place you’d like to go?”

Yan He suddenly looked up, her eyes wide, staring at Shen Jinrong in disbelief.

Shen Jinrong didn’t meet her gaze. Both hands were on the steering wheel, her eyes lowered, and her voice was very calm. Yan He almost thought the words she heard were her own illusion.

“Maybe… I’ll go abroad and take a look,” Yan He said slowly. She had no plan and didn’t know where she should go. It seemed like anywhere was fine; it seemed like every place was the same.

“Let’s run away together.”

Shen Jinrong raised her eyes, and the words she spoke astonished Yan He. She frowned and looked at Shen Jinrong, only to find those eyes crystal clear, with a hidden smile in them, full of anticipation. In that moment, the light in her eyes was something Yan He had never seen before.

Let’s run away together, let’s leave together.

I want to become the wind, I want to become a kite soaring into the sky.

I want us to become entangled, and then fall together.

I’ll give you my freedom, I’ll give you my rope.