"What to do When the Pretty Woman I Kissed is My Best Friend's Professor" - Chapter 66

Absolutely inexplicable.

Yan He thought that even if she wanted to know more about Shen Jinrong, it should be by hearing it from her directly, not by hearing some groundless talk from others. She pushed the iced Americano in front of her aside, rested her elbows on the small wooden table, and fixed her gaze on the paper straw: “Auntie, I don’t know what you are talking about.”

Yan He was noncommittal. She neither said whether she liked Shen Jinrong nor whether she was curious about Shen Jinrong’s past. She just stated this calmly, hoping He Wei understood her meaning.

Of course, He Wei understood her meaning, but Shen Jinrong’s situation did not allow He Wei to be empathetic. She simply stated directly: “Do you know that Shen Jinrong had depression before? Do you know that Tan Ning was the one who rushed her to the hospital when she tried to cut her wrists? Do you know what her relationship with Tan Ning was before?”

Yan He’s brows furrowed tightly, and her face darkened. Her voice was low: “Auntie! That’s enough.”

He Wei seemed startled by her serious tone and paused briefly on the other end of the line. Yan He sighed, intending to hang up the phone, but heard He Wei’s hoarse voice come through: “Yan He, you can’t be with her.”

“You don’t need to tell me these things; I won’t listen. I don’t want to learn about the past of the person I love from others. If she wants to tell me, I’ll listen, and if she doesn’t, that’s fine too.” Yan He’s expression grew grim, and her eyes held an unprecedented cloudiness: “Auntie, you are a psychologist; you should have professional ethics.”

He Wei frowned and countered, “You don’t know, do you? Shen Jinrong and Tan Ning were in a relationship! You didn’t know that? Couldn’t you tell?”

“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear what you said today.” Yan He fell silent for a while; she could even hear the grating, sour friction as she clenched her back teeth.

“Auntie, I’m a working adult now, and I have my own judgment about the person I love. You all treat me like a child, but I’m not a child anymore. I have my own thoughts, and my own person that I love. Is this something that should be hidden?”

Yan He intensely disliked how she and all the elders treated her as an inexperienced child. This perspective seemed like protection, but it was also an invisible chain.

“It will be very difficult.” He Wei’s tone calmed down. She sighed, knowing Yan He’s mind was made up, and that she couldn’t change anything. She knew how difficult it would be to pursue a relationship with Shen Jinrong, which was why she was reluctant for her niece to walk this path.

But love is what makes people blind—it is fleeting and leaves no trace. It doesn’t know when it will appear, nor when it will recklessly rush into a person’s heart. And then—it’s like fighting fire with fire, or trying to suppress a boiling pot.

“Do you love her? Or is it a momentary infatuation? Or pity?”

Yan He’s expression grew even gloomier. She couldn’t understand why her aunt had this attitude towards Shen Jinrong. If she absolutely had to choose between her aunt and Shen Jinrong, she thought she would choose Shen Jinrong.

How could it be momentary infatuation or pity? She loved Shen Jinrong, a love that had started the very first time she met her when she sat beside her, and it continued to this moment. Yan He thought it was destiny—even if it was only the first meeting, only that single, stunning glimpse, and they could never meet again, it was still destiny.

There will always be that one person who appears. Even if she just walks past you, you will feel your heart racing, as if a beam of light has fallen on her, like the only bright spotlight right before the stage curtain drops. Even if the surroundings are noisy, you feel like the whole world only has her in it.

“We don’t need to continue this conversation.”

After saying this, she was so angry that her hands were trembling, and she hung up on He Wei.

She picked up the iced Americano in front of her and downed several large gulps, as if trying to cool her temper. The coolness and bitterness started from her tongue and dropped all the way to her stomach, chilling and stimulating. She sobered up considerably. Recalling He Wei’s words, her only regret was not stopping her the moment she spoke the first sentence.

So what? So what if the older sister’s mental state wasn’t good before? Her relationship with Tan Ning—Yan He’s heart suddenly sank.

She had always thought He Wei was the elder who understood her the most, but now? He Wei had so easily revealed a secret Shen Jinrong had kept hidden for so long, as if someone else’s secret was merely a topic of conversation for her. How could she do that? How could she be like that?

It was false to say she didn’t care about Tan Ning. Yan He could naturally sense the hidden spark between Shen Jinrong and Tan Ning. The first time she saw the way Shen Jinrong looked at Tan Ning, she felt a familiarity. Later, she thought that the way she looked at Shen Jinrong must be the same way.

Yan He looked up as if sensing something. She squinted and saw that familiar figure slowly walking towards her from a distance.

Does it matter? Maybe. Let’s just leave everything here.

Shen Jinrong’s passport was at her grandmother’s house. After packing her things at her own place, she drove to her grandmother’s house.

What she didn’t expect was to find Tan Ning sitting inside when she opened the door. Seeing Tan Ning, Shen Jinrong remembered the message she had just received. The look she gave Tan Ning couldn’t help but carry a hint of scrutiny.

Grandma Shen heard the door open, looked up, and was also surprised to see Shen Jinrong: “Did you tell me you were coming over for a meal?”

Shen Jinrong arrived exactly at lunchtime. Grandma Shen and Tan Ning had just finished eating. Shen Jinrong shrugged, noticing the clean, cleared dining table: “No, I came back to get my passport.”

“Going on a business trip?” Tan Ning asked casually upon hearing this.

Shen Jinrong hesitated but didn’t say that she was going traveling with Yan He. She only said, “Yes, there’s an exchange conference.”

“Has your school arranged it already?”

“It’s already arranged. Professor Zhao is covering my classes again.”

Grandma Shen said, “Should I go get your passport for you? Do you know where it is?”

“It’s fine, you sit down. I’ll get it myself!”

Grandma Shen didn’t really intend to go get it. She nodded, content to sit on the sofa.

Shen Jinrong went into the room and came out quickly, holding her passport and tucking it into her bag.

“Are you in such a rush?” Tan Ning asked her.

“Yes, quite rushed. My flight is tonight.”

Hearing this, Tan Ning blinked. Although she felt it was a little strange, she didn’t say anything.

Before leaving, Shen Jinrong looked at Tan Ning, who was chatting with her grandmother, hesitated, and said, “Tan Ning, I have something to tell you.”

Tan Ning was a bit surprised. She said something to Grandma Shen and then walked over to Shen Jinrong. Since they were standing by the door and speaking softly, Grandma Shen couldn’t hear clearly.

“Is Jiang Qiang back?” Shen Jinrong asked her.

As this question was asked, Tan Ning acutely sensed that Shen Jinrong’s tone was off. Coupled with the serious way Shen Jinrong posed the question, Tan Ning instinctively felt something was wrong. She looked up at Shen Jinrong’s eyes, but the latter looked away, dodging her questioning gaze.

“Yes, he’s back. Just returned last week,” Tan Ning shrugged and said. “But he told me he has to leave for another business trip right away. It can’t be helped; he’s always running all over the country.”

Shen Jinrong looked at Tan Ning, seeing her appear utterly ignorant of the matter. Her heart sank, and she could only choose to subtly warn her: “Do you really not feel that Professor Jiang has been acting strangely recently?”

Tan Ning blinked, seemingly puzzled as to why Shen Jinrong would say that: “Nothing’s strange? He just came back from a business trip—everything is the same as before.”

Shen Jinrong frowned. Regarding Jiang Qiang, although she already had solid evidence, it was difficult to tell Tan Ning directly. She could only say, “I’ll be away on business. If anything happens to you, I might not be able to rush back in time.”

Tan Ning laughed: “What could possibly happen to me that would make you rush back from a meeting? Come on, you should go now!”

Shen Jinrong shook her head, hesitated, and then said aloud to Grandma Shen, “Then I’ll get going, Grandma! Call me if you need anything!”

“Alright, hurry up and go. You’re getting old and starting to ramble,” Tan Ning said, pushing her with a smile.

Shen Jinrong called a car to Terminal 2 of the Capital Airport. Sitting in the back, she messaged Yan He, saying it would take her a while to arrive and to eat first if she hadn’t already.

Upon arriving at the airport, the driver helped her take out her suitcase. Shen Jinrong pulled her suitcase and walked towards the cafe Yan He had mentioned. The sky was already dark, and the entire terminal was brightly lit. There were many people either seeing off travelers or rushing for flights, making the vast space feel somewhat noisy.

Many shops were open. Shen Jinrong calculated the time; she had more than enough time for a meal. However, since it was already evening, she didn’t have the desire to eat anything else. The matters concerning Tan Ning and Wang Dingyun were pressing down on her like a mountain. What exactly did Tan Ning’s husband, Jiang Qiang, want? And Wang Dingyun? Were the things she said truly inexplicable?

Shen Jinrong kept walking, her mind constantly contemplating how she should handle these matters when she returned in two weeks. But for now, her most important task was to find the child.

The cafe Yan He mentioned was prominent, located next to the escalator to the second floor. Shen Jinrong saw the sign from a distance. She quickened her pace, and as she got closer, she saw the child sitting right by the entrance.

The child was sitting there alone, a cup of iced Americano in front of her, idly fiddling with her phone with her right hand. She was the only one next to that row of solid wood tables. The child seemed to be wearing combat boots. Sitting on a high stool, one leg was swinging back and forth carelessly.

She seemed to have noticed her arrival. Even from this distance, Shen Jinrong, wearing glasses, clearly saw the light in the child’s eyes. Her heart softened. The next second, she saw the child drop her suitcase where she was and quickly walk towards her.

A full, complete hug.

It was like a travel-weary person returning home and being given a hug by a loved one; the heart found its home.

Yan He’s hug had a faint mint scent, mixed with the unique coffee aroma of the cafe. Shen Jinrong also dropped her suitcase where it was, hugged Yan He back, and gave her a big embrace.

“Did you wait long?” Shen Jinrong asked her.

“No.” The child, wearing combat boots, was a little taller than her. As she spoke, her lips seemed to unintentionally brush against Shen Jinrong’s ear, her voice light and gentle: “Waiting for you is a very happy thing.”

Just the thought that you are about to arrive by my side makes my heart constantly shout and cheer for your arrival. Every minute and second waiting for you, the passing of time is meaningful. With every second that passes, you are one step closer to me.

Yan He suddenly felt a strong urge to cry.

Her older sister, the older sister she loved.

Yan He felt wronged on her behalf.

“Alright, little one.” Shen Jinrong released the embrace. She stroked Yan He’s ear, her eyes smiling: “Do you have all your documents? We’re about to escape from here!”

“Does this count as… elopement for us?” the child asked, tilting her head to look at her older sister.