"What to do When the Pretty Woman I Kissed is My Best Friend's Professor" - Chapter 75

The heating in the room was set quite high. In the middle of the night, Yan He woke up from a dream. She lay on her back, facing the ceiling. Only after seeing the white ceiling—completely different from the one at home—did she realize with a start that she was in Rome.

In Rome, and with Shen Jinrong.

The hotel comforter was a bit too thick. She felt her heart rate inexplicably speeding up, each beat especially distinct in the silent night. She took a few deep breaths, only to find the rapid heartbeat made her anxious, accelerating her breathing as well. She let out a long sigh, then worried that her movement might wake her older sister. She abruptly cut the sigh short halfway through.

She had spent many, many boring days and nights. Sometimes, when she couldn’t sleep, she would stare at the ceiling, as if she could see her future self through it. But Yan He knew she was just bored, just adrift and without an anchor for her heart.

She carefully turned over, trying not to make a sound, terrified of waking her older sister. The comforter rustled softly, and the bed gave a slight ‘creak,’ but thankfully, everything remained within a controllable range. When Yan He cautiously peeked at Shen Jinrong, the latter made no move.

Yan He sighed in relief. She picked up her phone; the screen emitted a faint, pale light. It was three-thirty in the morning. Everything around them was silent; the entire city was deep in slumber.

She stared at the phone, taking a moment to remember why she had picked it up. She then nestled under the covers and checked some information about the Trevi Fountain for a while before placing the phone back on the nightstand.

She rested her head on her downward-facing arm and quietly watched Shen Jinrong. Her older sister was curled up with her back to Yan He. Yan He couldn’t help but recall how her older sister looked when she was sick and sleeping before. It’s a sleeping posture that lacks a sense of security, she sighed inwardly.

Her eyes had adjusted to the darkness. In the gloom, Yan He could only make out a general silhouette: a small, huddled mass, covered by the mound of the comforter.

Her heart, however, felt as if it had been struck by something, and it began to beat even faster.

Yan He heard her older sister’s even breathing, very faint but steady. She suddenly felt that if things could just continue this way, it wouldn’t be bad at all. Her rationality dictated that she should be content just to watch her from afar, but her heart was screaming for her to get closer.

There will always be that one person. When you think of her, you feel a radiant flower slowly blossoming in your heart. Every petal, every stamen of this flower has been nurtured and grown by you with meticulous care. This flower holds all the memories between you and her.

When you think of her, when you get close to her, this flower blooms even more brilliantly. The tiny seed in your heart eventually grows into a dazzling bouquet. When the flowers bloom, you want that person to see them too.

Sleepiness gradually washed over her. Yan He couldn’t resist the urge to move closer to her older sister. She stared at the nightstand separating the two of them for a long time, finding it very much an obstruction. She wanted to move it away with sheer willpower, but ultimately, her efforts were futile.

She quietly slipped out of bed and turned down the heat near the door. Only then did she return to bed and lie down. After pulling up the covers, Yan He took a long, deep look at Shen Jinrong before finally falling into a deep sleep.

After Yan He’s breathing became even, Shen Jinrong, who had been lying with her eyes closed, opened them. She slowly shifted her body to look at the little one facing her and smiled softly.

You can look openly, Yan He.

Early the next morning, the alarm clock rang. Yan He groggily reached for her phone and turned off the alarm she had set the night before. She abruptly sat up, rubbed her messy hair, and instinctively turned to look at the adjacent bed.

It was empty, and the comforter was neatly smoothed out.

Yan He jolted, her sleepy mind instantly clearing. She was suddenly panicked, afraid that upon waking, she would find everything had been a dream.

Then, she heard the trickling sound of water coming from the bathroom. Yan He breathed a sigh of relief.

The room was dim, with the curtains drawn, and only the bathroom light was on. The warm, yellow light softly shone in the white space, adding a touch of warmth to the cool white.

Yan He turned on the bedside lamp and started changing into the clothes she would wear for the day.

She was living with Shen Jinrong—though only sharing a room, she was already quite content.

The illusion of living life with her older sister had never been as intense as it was now. She had felt this way before—the night her older sister took her in, and when she saw her own toothbrush placed on the sink in her older sister’s house that morning.

There were many moments when Yan He often had this delusion. She would even feel as if she and her older sister were together, and though she knew they were just delusions, she let herself fantasize.

But never before had it been as clear, as profound, as it was today.

Her mind hadn’t fully woken up yet. She sat on the bed, shaking her head slightly, her eyes fixed on the bathroom door, as if trying to see the person inside through the wall.

What should I do now? Yan He thought. I should wash up, and then we’ll head out according to the route my older sister and I planned yesterday.

In fact, she had visited all the attractions on the route planned yesterday. But going alone, going with friends, and going with the person you like feel completely different. If she went alone, she would prefer to choose an uncrowded time and wander as she pleased. But when going with the person you love, you want to prepare a detailed itinerary to show off a little in front of them.

My older sister shouldn’t have discovered me secretly checking information last night, right?

Yan He shuffled to the window in her slippers and forcefully drew open the curtains. She opened the window, and a blast of cool air rushed in. The window overlooked the sidewalk, and across the street was an old building, somewhat resembling a church, where the lights were not yet on.

Day was just breaking. Looking up, she could still see a half-moon hanging high in the deep blue sky. If she looked closely, she could even spot a few stars.

Yan He leaned on the window, looking up for the Big Dipper. Just as she found it, she heard the bathroom door open. Shen Jinrong walked out in her pajamas and, seeing Yan He by the window, said apologetically, “Did I wake you up?”

Yan He shook her head. “No, I was looking at the stars.”

“Looking at the stars?” Shen Jinrong was amused by her words. “Looking at the stars this early in the morning?”

“There really are some.” Yan He pointed towards the sky that was just beginning to brighten outside the window. “Look over there, that’s the Big Dipper.”

Shen Jinrong raised an eyebrow, walked over to her side, and the two of them squeezed together by the window to look up.

Yan He pointed to a twinkling star in the sky and said, “That one is the North Star.”

Shen Jinrong frowned, squinting at the star Yan He pointed to for a moment. Then she picked up her glasses from a nearby table, put them on, and observed carefully for a while. She suddenly spoke, “Are you sure that’s the North Star?”

“Of course!” the little one was quite sure.

“…Are you sure that’s not an airplane?”

“How could it be an airplane?” Yan He widened her eyes, looking incredulous. “My eyesight is excellent! That is absolutely not an airplane!”

Shen Jinrong laughed, poked Yan He’s shoulder, pointed at the sky, and teased, “Look, your North Star is moving.”

Yan He followed the direction of her finger and realized that the “North Star” she had just pointed to was indeed moving. Looking closely, the star was still twinkling, leaving a faint white trail in the already brightening sky.

Yan He stood with her mouth half-open, utterly dumbfounded.

Shen Jinrong was highly entertained by her dazed expression. She held onto Yan He’s shoulder and burst into a fit of laughter, only stopping when Yan He started to get a bit annoyed.

“Alright, alright, I won’t laugh at you anymore. Go and wash up quickly. We’ll head out as soon as it gets light.”

Yan He pouted, “Then you are not allowed to laugh.”

Shen Jinrong controlled her laughter, looking serious. “Yes, yes, I won’t laugh.”

Yan He became even more embarrassed. She pursed her lips, her eyes darting away from Shen Jinrong, looking as if she had something to say but couldn’t. She wanted to explain to her older sister that she actually could recognize the North Star, but that airplane had been flying in too perfect a spot, and she hadn’t looked closely—but facing her older sister’s eyes, which were full of suppressed amusement, she couldn’t get the words out. She could only grind her back teeth in frustration and leave for the bathroom.

After Yan He left to wash up, Shen Jinrong leaned on the window and looked up towards the direction where Yan He had pointed out the North Star. Right beside it was the Big Dipper, the seven stars forming the shape of a ladle, emitting a faint light in the night sky.

Looking to the side, a moon hung high, emitting a cool and pure glow.

She had last seen this moon on the airplane yesterday.

Shen Jinrong closed her eyes and smiled. She shut the window, walked over to her suitcase, and began choosing the clothes she would wear today.

It was past seven o’clock by the time both of them were ready. Shen Jinrong adjusted the bag on her back and turned to Yan He, who was putting on her coat. “Shall we go?”

Yan He fumbled into her coat, grabbed her bag, and slung it over her shoulder. “I’m ready!” She gave her older sister a bright smile.

“Then let’s go.”

It was a little past seven on a December morning. The sky was only slightly lit up. Some streetlights were on, some were not, but there was enough light to see the road. The sidewalks were deserted on both sides, making it strangely quiet.

Yan He took Shen Jinrong’s hand, rested her head on her shoulder, and softly said, “Older Sister, let’s walk a little slower.”

Shen Jinrong obediently slowed her pace, indulging Yan He’s sudden dependence. “What’s wrong?” She rubbed Yan He’s head. “Are you still sleepy?”

Yan He silently nodded, but soon she seemed to feel that this state was inappropriate to display in front of the person she liked. She straightened up, stretched her neck, and then looked completely energized. “I’m awake, I’m awake!”

Shen Jinrong was amused. “There’s no rush.”

She went to bed very early last night, so why would she be tired?

Shen Jinrong recalled the little one who had been secretly looking up information under the comforter when she turned over last night. Hearing her move, the little one hiding under the covers nervously extinguished her phone screen, pretending to be asleep, yet failing to realize she had been spotted long ago.

Thinking of this, Shen Jinrong had to work hard to suppress her laughter.

Yan He turned her head, saw the corner of Shen Jinrong’s mouth twitching, and asked, “Are you thinking of something funny?”

Shen Jinrong finally couldn’t hold back her laughter. She said, “I was thinking of something amusing.”

She only said this, clearly having no intention of sharing the “amusing” thing with Yan He.

Yan He secretly pouted but held her hand tighter.

Holding hands is truly a bond that connects two people. Palms meet, transmitting each other’s warmth. Two people become connected by such a simple act, like a visible ribbon.

A few bars along the road were already open. Staff in uniforms and aprons were busy inside, though no customers had arrived yet.

“Should we eat at this place later?”

Yan He gently tugged Shen Jinrong’s hand, pointing to a shop along the road that said “Bar.”

“Sure.” Shen Jinrong followed her gaze. “If you’re hungry, we can actually go eat now.”

“Let’s go see the Trevi Fountain first!” Yan He blinked and felt her pocket. She had prepared two coins before going to sleep last night.

“Toss one coin, and you’ll return to this Eternal City again,” she murmured softly.

Shen Jinrong’s smile momentarily froze, though Yan He didn’t notice. She continued, “You can make three wishes. The first wish is—to be able to return to this Eternal City again.”

Shen Jinrong remained silent. She was quiet, and Yan He noticed the shift in her mood, turning to look at her with concern.

Shen Jinrong smiled. “The last time I came, I made a wish too.”

Yan He blinked, looking at her as if she didn’t understand.

“To return to this Eternal City again,” Shen Jinrong’s voice was soft. She repeated the words Yan He had just spoken, her tone calm and gentle. “It actually came true.”

She smiled at Yan He, a smile that seemed to contain some other meaning, but Yan He couldn’t grasp it yet.

“With you.”

Shen Jinrong added this sentence.

“Yes, with me.” Yan He offered her a comforting smile. “The Trevi Fountain doesn’t have a rule that you can only make three wishes in a lifetime, right? Maybe you can make a wish every time you come!”

She smiled at Shen Jinrong, her voice very, very light, as if a breeze had blown by and carried away the words she had just spoken, scattering them a little.

“I haven’t made a wish yet,” the little one mumbled.

After crossing the traffic light and the street, the two walked into a narrow alley. Shen Jinrong looked at the surrounding environment and felt it was a little familiar; it seemed they had been here last night.

When she saw a familiar street sign, she widened her eyes and turned to Yan He. The latter simply raised an eyebrow and smiled, and Shen Jinrong understood.

“The Trevi Fountain is about two hundred meters straight ahead on this road.”

“Last night—you—” Shen Jinrong originally wanted to ask why they hadn’t walked forward last night, but as the thought surfaced, she recalled the incident where the little one had led her into a different alley for a kiss halfway through their walk.

—The unsaid half of the sentence was forcibly swallowed.

Yan He offered an innocent smile.

Shen Jinrong gave her a side-eye, pouting and not saying anything more.

Yan He tried to placate her, going forward to hug her arm. “Older Sister, don’t be mad! There were so many people last night. What if I got lost?”

Her words sounded soft and vulnerable, but Shen Jinrong had long since seen through her little trick, though she chose not to expose her. She “hmphed” and didn’t reply.

They walked a little further, arriving at an open, flat area. A small truck was parked nearby, and a man was setting up a canopy, busy moving vegetables back and forth from the vehicle.

Seeing the two of them look over, he gave a kind smile and continued with his work.

“We’ll be there soon!” Yan He explained. “At this hour, there shouldn’t be many people.”

An official-looking car was parked at the intersection ahead. Yan He pointed to the vehicle. “The Trevi Fountain is to the right.”

The sound of water reached their ears. When Shen Jinrong saw the fountain, she wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but she felt a cool breeze rushing towards her. Mixed with the rushing sound of water, the air was moist and chilly.

In the early morning, the Trevi Fountain was still lit up with a clear turquoise light, whether from the color of the pool water or the hue of the basin floor reflecting on the water’s surface. The sky was deep blue, with a few pigeons or gulls occasionally flying overhead. A streetlamp beside the fountain cast a faint, yellowish glow.

In the early morning, only the sound of flowing water could be heard. A few lights shone on the base of the statues, illuminating the warhorses rearing up on their hind legs. In the very center, Neptune, standing on the submerged rocks, looked down upon all creation.

Shen Jinrong remembered what Yan He had just said—”Toss one coin, and you’ll return to this Eternal City again.”