"What to do When the Pretty Woman I Kissed is My Best Friend's Professor" - Chapter 65

“You need to go home to get your things later, right?” Shen Jinrong walked over to Yan He. It was as if nothing unusual had just happened. She lightly rested one hand on Yan He’s shoulder with great familiarity, as if this were the most ordinary gesture.

Yan He tried hard to ignore the weight and warmth on her shoulder. She calmed her breathing and softly said, “Yes, I have to go back and pack, take a few changes of clothes and such.”

Shen Jinrong slightly raised her eyebrow: “I’ll drive you back.”

Yan He replied, “No need. I’ll pack my things, and we can meet directly at the airport this afternoon.”

Shen Jinrong tilted her head, hesitated for a moment, and then responded with a good-natured smile, “Alright. Then get up and wash up. Have you talked to your mother?” she asked, as if suddenly remembering.

“I have,” Yan He said, pressing her lips together.

“Then shouldn’t you give your mother my contact information? If—um, I mean just in case…” Shen Jinrong hesitated, “If your mother can’t reach you, she can call me.”

Yan He lowered her head, not looking at her, but feeling uncertain inside. Should she… give the older sister’s contact information to Ms. He? She selfishly didn’t want to; she was an adult now and didn’t need this. So, she refused Shen Jinrong: “No need.”

Shen Jinrong didn’t ask further; she simply nodded slightly, sat on the sofa, and watched Yan He go to the bathroom to wash up. She thought that the toothbrush and other items Yan He had used the last time she was here were still on the vanity, and she hadn’t put them away.

Why hadn’t she put them away? Shen Jinrong didn’t know why she had kept them. Perhaps subconsciously, seeing the two toothbrushes placed side by side made her feel less lonely.

Now, she was sitting on the sofa, which still held some residual warmth. Shen Jinrong reached out and lightly touched the quilt Yan He had slept with last night. She thought she should ask the child if she slept well last night and if she regretted her hasty decision to travel with her.

But she didn’t ask. She knew Yan He had already made up her mind.

“Want some breakfast?” When Yan He came out, she saw Shen Jinrong sitting at the dining table, gesturing toward the items set out.

“I’m not very good at cooking, and I can’t do latte art. I just made two simple cups of espresso,” Shen Jinrong said casually, pointing to the two small cups on the table. “If you need it, add water or milk.”

Yan He’s heart trembled.

Shen Jinrong’s hair was down, falling softly onto her shoulders. Her casual wear was also light-colored. She sat in the chair with her legs crossed, her eyes slightly narrowed, appearing relaxed and composed.

Yet, her cheeks were flushed, like two soaring red clouds. Her eyes sparkled, brimming with allure as they moved.

“Okay.” Yan He sat beside her. She felt like the person sitting right next to her was suddenly untouchable, an illusion of being beyond reach. She involuntarily thought of the kite flying in the sky that day, and how insignificant one felt standing below looking up. “Is she my kite too?”

So, Yan He reached out and grabbed Shen Jinrong’s hand, which was resting on the table.

Her slender wrist was caught by Yan He. Shen Jinrong was startled, but she had developed a resistance to the child’s occasional sudden advances. She merely gave a slight twitch, then picked up the espresso on the table with her left hand, took a light sip, and feigned indifference: “What is it?”

Her wrist was exposed and cool. Yan He’s hand could easily encircle her wrist, and her pulse beat beneath Yan He’s fingertips, the sensation transferring completely.

Shen Jinrong raised an eyebrow at her: “Do you want to check my pulse?”

The older sister looked so beautiful with her eyebrow raised, radiating an unutterable charm amidst a bold expression.

Yan He steadied herself: “No.”

After a pause, she added, “I just wanted to hold on to you.”

Shen Jinrong smiled, her lips lightly curving: “Have you held on to me now?”

“I guess… I have,” Yan He replied, smiling back at her.

Yan He took a taxi home by herself. She knew it was the weekend and she might run into Ms. He, but she didn’t expect to see Ms. He sitting on the sofa, staring straight at her, the moment she opened the door.

Seeing Yan He return, Ms. He seemed a little flustered. She stood up, her two hands clasped together unnaturally: “You’re back…”

Yan He nodded. Seeing Ms. He’s appearance, she felt a strange pang of sympathy: “I’m back to pack my things.”

“Ah… good,” Ms. He said. “Your things are still where you left them; I haven’t moved anything.”

Yan He acknowledged this. After taking a couple of steps, she realized Ms. He was following closely behind her. She forced a smile and said, “Mom, you don’t have to be like this. I’m just going out to have fun, not running away in a fit of pique or anything. I’m not a child anymore.”

Ms. He smiled awkwardly and said softly, “I just feel… I let you down a little.”

She finally said it. When she made up her mind to divorce Mr. Yan, she had no regrets. After getting the divorce certificate, she still had no regrets. But yesterday afternoon, the moment she finished saying those words to Yan He and watched her child leave, He You regretted it. She thought: shouldn’t I be less selfish and try harder for my child?

But she and Mr. Yan had already tried for too many years. The marriage had been shaky for a long time, and there was no longer any need to sustain it.

Yet, she was still very sad when she saw Yan He unhappy.

“Mom, you didn’t let me down; you’ve done very well.” Yan He blinked and smiled: “I’m quite happy for you. A long, unhappy marriage finally ending should be a very happy thing. You’ve done wonderfully.”

Yan He’s words were sincere. He You looked at her serious face, calmed down, and smiled along: “Yes, you’re right.” She thought to herself: I have done my best, and my child doesn’t blame me.

While Yan He was packing, Ms. He walked over with a glass of juice: “Is your friend a boy or a girl?”

Yan He raised an eyebrow and said, “A girl.”

“Oh…” Ms. He opened her mouth, but didn’t ask anything else. She only said, “Hurry up and pack your things; don’t forget anything. When is your flight? Shall I take you to the airport?”

“It’s tonight. I’m going to the airport this afternoon,” Yan He said. “I’ll call my dad in a little while and tell him I’m going away for two weeks.”

“Good, call him. He’s quite worried about you too.” Ms. He leaned against the wall, smiled at Yan He, and then turned to go to her own room.

At four o’clock in the afternoon, Ms. He called Yan He, intending to drive her to the airport after they ate.

The two of them went out, found a random place, had a meal, and then Ms. He drove her to the airport.

On the way, Yan He sat in the passenger seat, constantly looking at the scenery outside the window. Her heart was beating violently, though she couldn’t tell if it was because of the coffee she’d had or something else. Her mind was active, and she didn’t feel sleepy even when she closed her eyes.

Seeing her state, Ms. He casually asked, “What is your friend like?”

Yan He opened her eyes, recalled her daily interactions with the older sister, and answered, “She’s alright.”

“If it’s a girl…” Ms. He paused, her words seemingly holding a subtle meaning: “Is it the one you have saved in your phone as ‘Older Sister’?”

Yan He was instantly stunned, her whole body freezing up. Hearing this question asked so casually by Ms. He, she felt a chill run through her, and her blood seemed to stop flowing for a moment. She slowly turned her head, trying hard not to let Ms. He see her distress.

“What ‘Older Sister’?” Yan He feigned composure.

“Oh! It was the last time you had a fever. That night, an ‘Older Sister’ called you to ask if you had arrived home. I saw the saved name, told her you had a fever, and then hung up.”

Yan He’s mouth was half-open, her mind blank. For a moment, she didn’t know how to explain.

Looking at Yan He, Ms. He had actually guessed a few things. She intentionally asked, “So, are you really going with that ‘Older Sister’?”

Yan He nodded, explaining weakly, “She’s just an older student from the same school; she’s a very nice person.”

Ms. He slightly raised her eyebrow, said “Oh,” and didn’t say anything more. However, Yan He felt as if she had just gone through a major battle. She hadn’t figured out how to tell Ms. He about her relationship with the older sister. Ms. He’s sudden question caught her off guard.

If she and the older sister were together in the future, she would definitely have to tell her, but it absolutely couldn’t be now.

Yan He thought this to herself.

It was six o’clock in the afternoon when they arrived at the airport. At six o’clock in winter, the sky was almost completely dark. The car drove on, and the lights outside the window gradually came on.

Yan He leaned against the seat back, quietly turning her head to look out the window.

“Are you two planning to just travel in Italy for these two weeks?”

“Probably,” Yan He thought for a moment. “We probably won’t go anywhere else; two weeks should be enough to travel around.”

Ms. He “Mm”-ed and parked the car at the terminal entrance. She opened the trunk, got out of the car, and helped Yan He take the suitcase out.

“Do you want me to help push it inside?”

Yan He looked down at the time. The older sister had just messaged her saying she would arrive in half an hour, so Yan He said, “I’ll go in by myself.”

“Alright, then you take care of yourself.”

Since there was only one suitcase, Yan He didn’t bother with a trolley and pushed the suitcase inside herself.

Ms. He stood at the entrance and watched her intently for a while before getting back into the car and driving away.

Yan He bought a cup of coffee at the airport cafe and simply sat inside to wait for Shen Jinrong to arrive. She looked down at her phone, which had 89% battery, and put the power bank back into her small crossbody bag.

She waited for a while and didn’t see Shen Jinrong, but she received a call from He Wei. Seeing the caller ID, Yan He raised her eyebrow in surprise. Then, she thought, perhaps Ms. He had told her about the divorce, so her aunt came to console her?

Yan He sighed but answered the phone anyway.

After a moment of small talk, He Wei finally stated her purpose: “I heard from your mother that you’re going traveling with a friend?”

Yan He absentmindedly took a sip of her iced Americano, the coldness hitting her teeth: “Yes.”

He Wei paused, and a strange silence fell over the other end of the line: “…Is that friend Shen Jinrong?”

“Yes.” Yan He frowned. Considering her aunt’s profession, she seemed to know what He Wei was about to say. Just as she was about to stop He Wei, she heard her sigh and slowly ask, “Do you know about Shen Jinrong’s past?”

“Do you… know that she was with—Tan Ning—” “Do you like her?”