Chapter 16 Maitai could no longer suppress the surging heat within him...
When Shen Cen sent the message, Jiang Shiyu was in a meeting at Guangyi Technology.
This meeting primarily discussed the historical advisor and planning matters raised at the previous meeting. Since its official launch, "Huaxia Fengyun" has achieved remarkable success, dominating various charts for the past two days.
Players have praised "Hua Xia Feng Yun," saying that it represents a significant step up from "Wen Ding Zhong Yuan" in terms of both graphics and historical accuracy. The question of when new dungeons will be released has become a major point of interest for many.
“I think the proposal we put forward last time was very good. The history department of Jingjia University has a very prestigious reputation in the country. In my opinion, since our ‘China Chronicles’ is aiming for an S+ level in all aspects this time, we should naturally hire the top historians in the country as our history consultants.”
Someone suggested.
Everyone else agreed.
Jiang Shiyu himself approved of the plan, and seeing that no one else had any objections, he nodded in satisfaction.
"Li Qi, I'll hand over the coordination with Jingjia University to you after that."
"Okay, boss."
Li Qi is a girl with short hair parted in the middle. She is usually very good at communication and socializing, and she speaks and acts very efficiently. She is usually the one who handles matters that require external coordination and discussion.
After the meeting, Fu Cheng did not return to his own office, but followed Jiang Shiyu to the president's office.
The two sat on the black leather sofa in Jiang Shiyu's office. Fu Cheng skillfully picked up the tea set on the table, brewed two cups of tea, and handed one of them to Jiang Shiyu.
"You're injured, why are you still coming to the company?"
Jiang Shiyu has been working from home for the past two days, but he suddenly came to the company today.
Jiang Shiyu took the tea with his right hand. "Actually, it's not serious."
"Regarding the matter of the history advisor for Peking University, do you already have someone in mind?" Fu Cheng asked bluntly.
Jiang Shiyu sipped his tea slowly, without denying it: "Yes. However," he paused, then continued, "I don't want to let personal feelings get involved in this matter, so I won't interfere afterward. Li Qi will naturally choose the most suitable person."
"But I hope it's the person I have in mind."
Although Jiang Shiyu usually seems carefree and irresponsible, he is absolutely meticulous when it comes to work, which puts Fu Cheng at ease.
After Fu Cheng left, Jiang Shiyu took out his phone. It had been on silent all day, and he didn't know if anyone had messaged him.
Upon opening WeChat, Jiang Shiyu saw three messages from someone pinned to the top of his chat list, and a smile involuntarily crept onto his face.
He opened the chat window between the two of them.
However, it showed that Shen Cen had retracted three messages.
The time was half an hour ago.
Jiang Shiyu's fingertips paused on the keyboard. After a long while, he sent a message: [?]
-
Shen Cen was on tenterhooks for half an hour.
The moment Shen Cen realized she had accidentally sent a picture of the game's male protagonist's abs to Jiang Shiyu, her mind went blank. She quickly opened their chat window and swiftly deleted all three photos.
In the last photo, taken from the most awkward angle, Shen Cen almost pressed the delete button.
Playing dating simulation games wasn't a problem for her, but if Jiang Shiyu found out she was playing one, she would feel inexplicably uncomfortable. Especially since it involved a sensitive word related to their relationship—
Abdominal muscles.
Apart from Wen Jie, she rarely shows her inner self to others.
When Shen Cen received the message from Jiang Shiyu with a question mark, he didn't know whether Jiang Shiyu had seen the photo or not.
She decided to take the initiative: "What's wrong?"
Jiang Shiyu: [Teacher Shen, I should be asking you that question.]
Why does your tone sound so strange? Did you see something?
Shen Cen hesitated for a moment, then asked, "[I sent the wrong message. I meant to send it to my best friend.]"
Jiang Shiyu: [I see.]
What kind of situation is this?
Chen Cen's heart pounded faster and faster: "What did you see?"
Jiang Shiyu: [No, I just turned on my phone.]
Shen Cen breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good then."
Jiang Shiyu: [However, I have doubts about what you said.]
Chen Cen's heart, which had just settled, jumped again: [Hmm?]
Jiang Shiyu:
I suspect you did this on purpose.
[She deliberately sought out an opportunity to chat with me.]
Shen Cen couldn't control himself and sent three question marks:
【？？？】
【I don't! 】
Jiang Shiyu: [Okay, just kidding. Aren't you bored at home alone?]
Seeing Jiang Shiyu's reaction, Shen Cen figured he hadn't seen the pictures and replied: "It's alright."
Jiang Shiyu: [If you're bored, you can invite your best friend over to our house.]
Shen Cen initially wanted to say it wasn't quite appropriate, but fearing that being too polite would seem distant, she agreed instead: "Okay."
"Oh, right," Jiang Shiyu continued, "I won't be home for dinner tonight; I have a business dinner."
Upon seeing this sentence, Shen Cen felt as if ripples had been stirred in the surface of a lake.
After a while, she suddenly realized that Jiang Shiyu's words had a reporting connotation.
-
By the end of June, the semester was coming to a close. Shen Cen, following the stipulated timeline, compiled and organized the exam analysis reports for the courses she taught, packaged them, and sent them to the head of the history department.
After receiving the message, the department head told Shen Cen, "Shen, come to the school for a meeting tomorrow afternoon at 2 PM."
The next afternoon, Shen Cen arrived at Peking University at the appointed time.
When she entered the conference room, quite a few people were already there. She immediately spotted Chen Shili sitting in the corner and walked over to sit down next to her.
"Why the sudden need for a meeting?"
"The director was acting strangely, saying that something important needed to be done and that he needed to choose someone."
As Chen Shili spoke, her hands didn't stop moving. Shen Cen looked over and saw that she was playing a new game.
She leaned closer curiously: "What game is this?"
"The Legend of China" is a new game released by the same company that made The Conquest of China.
Shen Cen watched as Chen Shili opened a card pool and did a ten-pull. The cards he drew were all cultural relics from different periods, and each card had an introduction to the cultural relic on the back.
Just as I was engrossed in reading, the head of the history department walked into the conference room.
"Ahem, I called everyone over on this hot day because there's something very important."
"I don't know if everyone has heard about this, but a few of the younger teachers probably do."
The department head specifically pointed towards Shen Cen and her group.
"There is a game company in China called Guangyi Technology, which has been developing very well in recent years. They recently released a historical mobile game called 'Huaxia Fengyun' and want to hire a history consultant from the History Department of Peking University to assist with some planning work."
Chen Shili's phone slammed onto the table with a "thud," and everyone's eyes turned to look in the direction of the sound.
"Director, I want to give it a try!" Chen Shili's eyes lit up.
"Are there any other people?" The director scanned the room from left to right.
Several older professors said, "We're not interested in games either, so let's give the opportunity to the younger teachers."
"Okay, what about the others, Xiao Shen, Xiao Zhou?"
Shen Cen was suddenly called out and didn't react in time: "Ah... Director, I can try too."
Zhou Mingrui replied, "Director, I can do it too."
“Okay, then Xiao Chen, Xiao Shen, and Xiao Zhou, the three of you. The person in charge at Guangyi said they hope each of you can submit a game design proposal, and they will select the appropriate candidates based on everyone’s proposals.”
In terms of historical knowledge, all three of them are top-notch. However, this time, Guangyi's focus is more on planning. Their key consideration is whether they can draw inspiration from history and perfectly adapt history to the game.
"This is a great opportunity for training and it will also allow the public to further understand our ancient Chinese culture. If we can participate in the subsequent game development of Guangyi, we can also use this case to apply for a research project next semester."
The director added a few more words of advice, "...that's about it. The deadline is two weeks. Good luck."
Only after the director left did Chen Shili dare to grab Shen Cen's hand and cheer:
"Oh my god, I still can't believe it, it's Koichi!"
Half an hour ago she was playing games at Guangyi, and half an hour later she was suddenly told that there was a chance to work at Guangyi. Chen Shili dared not even dream about this at night.
Throughout the journey, Chen Shili kept talking about this, clearly showing how much she wanted this opportunity. In contrast, Shen Cen and Zhou Mingrui were much calmer.
But in fact, Shen Cen also cherished this opportunity. Whether it was "Conquering the Central Plains" or "Summer Echoes," Guangyi's games suited her taste very well, and she naturally developed a lot of goodwill towards Guangyi.
Moreover, this was a completely new attempt, belonging to a field she had rarely explored before, and she was very willing to try it.
Shen Cen drove home.
After the rainy season, Jingjia immediately entered the sweltering summer, and every extra step on the road was an ordeal. Jiang Shiyu's home was not far from Jingda University, only a fifteen-minute drive away.
Jiang Shiyu originally wanted Shen Cen to drive his Maybach, but Shen Cen felt it was too ostentatious.
While waiting at the traffic light, I received a message from Jiang Shiyu: "Are you coming home for dinner tonight?"
Since it was inconvenient for Shen Cen to type, he sent a voice message: "On my way home."
About half a minute later, Jiang Shiyu also sent a voice message: "Then, I'll wait for you to come home."
The man's voice was always pleasant to listen to, especially when it came through the cell phone's speaker, which added a touch of sophistication.
As if an electric current was flowing through her, Chen Cen's heart suddenly clenched. She pressed play again.
"Then, I'll wait for you to come home."
In the enclosed space, the sound was amplified dozens of times, and every word could be heard clearly.
Waiting for her to come home.
Since her parents' divorce, Shen Cen's concept of "home" has become increasingly vague. Although her mother later remarried into the Lu family, whose villa was tall and large, to Shen Cen it was just a big house, not a home.
Uncle Lu and his mother were busy with work, and by the time they got home, she was already asleep.
Only her brother, Lu Baichuan, made her feel a touch of kinship in the Lu family. Later, when Lu Baichuan went to university, the house became increasingly deserted.
She misses her 100-square-meter house in the small town south of Beijing even more; that was home.
However, during this time, Shen Cen found a sense of home at Jiang Shiyu's house.
There will be someone to watch movies with her and eat two meals a day with her.
He would ask her if she was coming home for dinner and say he would wait for her to come home.
-
After dinner, Jiang Shiyu took out two tickets to the Beijing-Jiaxing Grand Theatre.
"You actually managed to snag tickets to this play?" Shen Cen took the tickets, incredulous.
The play had been generating buzz online for a month, with reservations far exceeding the number of tickets available. It's said that tickets sold out in a second on the day they went on sale. Shen Cen was surprised that Jiang Shiyu had managed to snag two tickets, and in the best possible spot – the second row, center section.
While still in college, she and Wen Jie had competed for tickets to the Beijing-Jiaxing Grand Theatre several times. However, by the time they got in, all the good seats were already taken, leaving them only to suffer the heartbreak of being behind bars.
"Hmm, these tickets are hard to get?" Jiang Shiyu raised an eyebrow, surprised.
"Your spot will practically sell out in seconds." Shen Cen didn't think Jiang Shiyu would be the type to be glued to his phone at the exact moment to snatch tickets. After a moment's hesitation, she asked, "Did you buy it from a scalper?"
Jiang Shiyu: "..."
He put down his chopsticks, looked up at Chen Cen seriously, and asked, "What if I said I stole it?"
"I'm really lucky to have managed to snag such a good spot."
Luck played a major role in securing such a prominent position.
"Anything else?"
"The internet speed is also good."
Otherwise, you won't be able to access the ballot page at all.
Jiang Shiyu: ...
Can't you just say he worked hard?
“Chen Cen”.
Jiang Shiyu didn't ask any more questions, but instead called her name.
"Want to go see it together? This Saturday."
-
Before we knew it, the day for watching the play arrived.
Summers in Jingjia are very hot, but perhaps because of its proximity to the river, you can feel a cool breeze when it blows on you at night.
Shen Cen wore a blue and white striped knitted camisole with a thin light blue shirt over it, and A-line white shorts on her lower body, making her look fresh and clean.
Jiang Shiyu recalled a wine on the Siji wine list, "A Midsummer Night's Dream," which also had a refreshing gradient blue color.
"Let's go," Shen Cen urged Jiang Shiyu, who was lost in thought.
From the moment she got into the car, Jiang Shiyu's eyes never left her.
As the car drove out of the residential area, Jiang Shiyu finally couldn't help but compliment, "Teacher Shen looks beautiful today."
Shen Cen politely replied, "Boss Jiang looks very handsome today too."
That's true. Jiang Shiyu only wore two colors, but the combination was not monotonous, and he had a youthful vibe.
However, following his coat, Shen Cen's gaze moved to the cuffs, where he could still see the scars from the injury.
More than half a month has passed, and Jiang Shiyu's wound no longer needs to be bandaged. His right hand can also do some simple work, such as typing on the computer and driving. However, the scar has not yet healed.
A long, thin snake, stretching from the elbow to the wrist, was coiled on the hand, a truly startling sight.
Hey bro, do you know any good scar removal creams?
She lowered her head and silently sent a message to Lu Baichuan.
Germany has many effective scar removal creams, and Lu Baichuan, being a medical student, is also quite knowledgeable in this area.
Lu Baichuan was probably busy and didn't reply to her message immediately. Shen Cen quietly turned off her phone again.
The play didn't start until 8 p.m., so the two went to have dinner first.
Jiang Shiyu's Maybach pulled up in front of a restaurant. The restaurant was very large, and judging from its exterior, it was clearly an extremely high-end establishment.
The restaurant manager rushed over, and Jiang Shiyu rolled down the car window.
The restaurant manager said respectfully, "Mr. Jiang, we'll park your car in the usual spot. Please go to the private room first."
Judging from the manager's demeanor, Jiang Shiyu must be a regular here.
Shen Cen was no longer surprised. Since their marriage, Jiang Shiyu had never mentioned his parents, but judging from Jiang Shiyu's daily life, his family must be quite wealthy.
Otherwise, Si Ji's annual income would not be enough to support Jiang Shiyu's expenses.
Shen Cen followed Jiang Shiyu into the restaurant, with the manager personally leading the way. Finally, the manager stopped in front of a private room at the very back.
"Mr. Jiang, Mrs. Jiang, this way please."
This private room is small, only accommodating two people. But it is quiet and elegant, and also the best spot to view the lake outside the window.
The sunset, ablaze with color, burned brightly before nightfall, painting the lake a crimson hue. Distant skyscrapers were reduced to black silhouettes, adding a touch of brilliance to the panorama of the setting sun.
Shen Cen was very satisfied with the seat. She went in, sat down, and Jiang Shiyu sat down opposite her.
The two were very close.
A tranquil space amplifies one's senses. The pleasant woody scent gently touches her nose, making her feel as if she were in a cedar forest.
“I ordered all your usual favorites,” Jiang Shiyu said, breaking the silence.
"Mr. Jiang, do you know what I like to eat?" She deliberately mimicked the way the manager addressed Jiang Shiyu.
Upon hearing the words "Mr. Jiang," Jiang Shiyu paused, his hand holding the cup still. In the past, everyone in the business world had respectfully addressed him as "Mr. Jiang," a title he had grown accustomed to.
However, Shen Cen's address of "Mr. Jiang" gave him a completely different feeling.
He found it incredibly pleasant to hear, and even wanted to hear her call it a few more times.
He clenched his fist to signal himself to calm down: "We've been living together for almost a month now, and I've pretty much figured out what Teacher Shen likes and dislikes."
He then asked, "And you? Have you figured out my preferences?"
This stumped Shen Cen, who remained silent for a long time.
Seeing that she remained silent for a long time, Jiang Shiyu's eyes darkened.
Shen Cen saw a fleeting hint of self-mockery and disappointment in his eyes, but he quickly concealed these emotions, as if it were just her imagination.
Halfway through the meal, Shen Cen's phone rang; it was Lu Baichuan calling.
"I'll go out and take this call."
"Okay, I'll wait for you here."
Shen Cen walked out of the private room, pressed the answer button, and headed towards the restroom.
"What's wrong? Are you hurt somewhere?" Lu Baichuan's voice sounded very anxious.
"It wasn't me, it wasn't me," Shen Cen quickly explained, afraid that Lu Baichuan would worry.
Hearing that it wasn't Shen Cen, Lu Baichuan was instantly relieved, and his tone returned to its usual gentleness: "Is it your friend? Then I'll send some back to you."
After finishing her phone call with Lu Baichuan, Shen Cen took the opportunity to touch up her makeup at the sink.
"Hey, isn't this Shen Cen?" A woman with long, wavy hair, wearing a well-tailored little dress, walked out of the bathroom. She was clearly taken aback when she saw Shen Cen.
Shen Cen recognized her at a glance; she was her classmate from her graduate school days, Brunei.
Brunei was also very beautiful, but unlike Shen Cen's aloofness, Brunei was a stunningly beautiful woman. During their graduate studies, Shen Cen sensed that Brunei and he didn't get along; Brunei's words were always barbed.
Brunei, wearing her bespoke leather shoes, walked to the sink.
After a brief "whoosh" sound, she didn't turn her head, but looked at Chen Cen in the mirror and said:
"I heard from an old classmate just a couple of days ago that Chen Zhao was somehow locked up in the police station and lost his job after he got out."
Back then, Chen Zhao pursued Shen Cen with great fanfare, recruiting many wingmen and becoming acquainted with many people in the history department, so Brunei naturally knew about their relationship.
"Lost your job?" Shen Cen stared wide-eyed in surprise, clearly unaware of the situation.
Are you faking it?
Brunei, unaware that the two had broken up, scoffed.
"We broke up a long time ago."
"You broke up?" Brunei covered her mouth in surprise, but there was a hint of exaggeration in her gestures. "Oh, right, I heard you stayed on as a teacher at the university. I guess you didn't like Chen Zhao anymore."
Shen Cen frowned; Brunei's words sounded strange no matter how you looked at them.
"I broke up with you because we had different values, and it had nothing to do with whether I stayed at Peking University as a teacher."
Since they were on different paths, Shen Cen didn't want to waste any more words on her and turned to leave.
Brunei grabbed Shen Cen's wrist, her red lips slightly parted: "Why are you in such a hurry to leave? Aren't you going to catch up with your old classmate?"
Shen Cen pulled away from her grasp. "Is there anything else you want to say?"
"You've probably heard of it, right? My husband is in business and has a partnership with Guangyi, the company where Chen Zhao used to work. Oh no, it should be the company he used to work for. It's currently the leading company in the domestic game industry."
As she spoke, Brunei flicked her hair across her forehead, looking quite pleased with herself.
Shen Cen was completely bewildered by her seemingly random question, "So?"
“You got your PhD and stayed on as a teacher, but in the end you're just like us, or even worse off. So, I advise you to just marry a rich man. My husband knows a lot of young, unmarried business owners. For the sake of our old classmate relationship, I can ask my husband to introduce you to some people.”
When I was studying for my master's degree in Brunei, I met my boyfriend, a rich second-generation heir. That man was really ugly, but he was genuinely wealthy. After graduating from my master's program, I got married in Brunei and became a full-time housewife. In recent years, I've frequently posted about my luxurious life on social media.
Shen Cen shook off Brunei's hand: "No need, I'm already married. Also, please respect other people's choices."
"What? You're married? Who's your husband? Hey, wait a minute, don't go!"
Brunei retorted angrily, "Could it be that your husband is poor and ugly, not as good as Chen Zhao? Is he really that unpresentable? Who exactly is your husband?"
Shen Cen stopped in her tracks. She wasn't concerned about Brunei's words; on the contrary, she rarely cared about what others thought.
However, when she heard someone slandering Jiang Shiyu, she felt an urge to defend him and speak up for him.
She was about to say something.
Suddenly, the next second, a cold male voice rang out:
"It's me."
Brunei looked in the direction of the sound and saw a tall and imposing figure.
Compared to his striking physique, what was even more striking about the man was his exquisite face. His features were clear and handsome, as if drawn by divine inspiration, each one flawless.
Even movie stars on screen pale in comparison to him.
However, the man's expression was extremely indifferent at this moment. Just by standing there, one could feel the air around him freeze, and one couldn't help but feel afraid.
Brunei was first stunned by the man's handsome face, and then felt a little intimidated by his imposing demeanor.
Seeing the man's gaze fixed on her hand that was holding Shen Cen, as if staring at something disgusting, Wen Lai quickly let go.
"You...you're Chen Cen's husband?"
No one answered her.
Jiang Shiyu looked at Shen Cen's arm, which had just been pinched by Wen Lai, and saw several red marks on his fair skin. His brows furrowed, as if a precious jade that he himself would not dare to touch had been treated so carelessly.
"Did it hurt?" His fingertips caressed Shen Cen's skin.
Shen Cen was taken aback when she first saw Jiang Shiyu being so gentle and considerate. But then she realized that Jiang Shiyu was probably trying to put on a show of affection for Brunei.
Brunei felt awkward being left out. But she dared not speak again; the man's imposing presence was intimidating, and she was afraid. She picked up her handbag from the sink, preparing to leave quietly.
The man, however, keenly noticed Brunei's movement, turned his face, and said coldly, "Next time, stay away from her."
-
Shen Cen treated what happened in the restroom as a minor incident and didn't pay much attention to it.
It was past seven o'clock when they left the restaurant, and the two prepared to head to the Jingjia Grand Theatre. After getting into the car, Jiang Shiyu asked Shen Cen:
"Was that your classmate just now?"
Shen Cen was bending down to fasten her seatbelt when she heard a "click" sound. She replied, "Yes, a classmate from my graduate school days, not very close."
"We're not that close, why are you so malicious?"
Jiang Shiyu frowned unconsciously. He hadn't seen Chen Cen return for a long time and assumed she was lost, so he went out of the private room to look for her. But as he passed the restroom, he overheard the question, "Who exactly is your husband?"
It seemed that Shen Cen was telling her about the marriage. But the atmosphere between the two was very awkward; the woman's words were barbed and sarcastic. Jiang Shiyu couldn't hold back and stepped forward to reveal his identity.
He didn't know if Shen Cen minded his rash action. After all, the two had had a brief argument about this before.
Shen Cen didn't really know why. In this world, there will always be some people who are naturally hostile towards you. All she could do was ignore them.
"It's alright, everything's been resolved. Besides..."
Shen Cen's beautiful eyes filled with a smile, "Mr. Jiang, your acting skills are truly excellent."
Jiang Shiyu ran his index finger across Shen Cen's nose, just like a playful fight between ordinary couples, "Chen Cen, who taught you to call me that?"
The man's fingers were warm and somewhat rough, and the pressure was just right. Chen Cen felt a tickle on the tip of her nose, which felt very comfortable.
But the next second, she realized that the man's actions were a bit ambiguous, and she gently punched his arm, "Just talk, don't hit me."
But she didn't notice that she hit Jiang Shiyu's wound instead.
"hiss."
"Are you alright? I'm sorry, I just forgot about your wound."
She quickly reached out and pulled on Jiang Shiyu's cuff to check.
To her surprise, Jiang Shiyu suddenly turned his hand and grabbed her wrist.
Shen Cen's arms were slender, and Jiang Shiyu could hold her firmly with one hand.
"You care about me that much?"
Shen Cen struggled twice, but couldn't budge. She muttered softly, "I think you're almost fully recovered."
Jiang Shiyu released Shen Cen's hand. He hadn't actually used much force because he was afraid of hurting her. "But aren't you afraid she'll tell your old classmates about your marriage?"
He wanted to test Shen Cen's attitude towards this matter.
"Actually, I've been thinking about this ever since I came back from Grandma's last visit. Now I think it's best to just let things take their course, and if they find out, I'll just admit it openly. However," Shen Cen gave an embarrassed smile,
"I'd be a little embarrassed to make it official right away."
However, the above sentence was enough for Jiang Shiyu.
"It's okay, take your time."
“Yes, let’s take it slow. But the rest of our agreement is still valid. If you don’t want to continue someday, we can end it anytime.” Shen Cen emphasized, worried that Jiang Shiyu might feel pressured.
Jiang Shiyu listened but didn't say anything. He turned his head to the side, and after a long while, he started the car. "Let's go."
The Beijing-Jiaxing Grand Theatre is not far from here; it's only about a ten-minute walk.
Jiang Shiyu handed one of the tickets to Shen Cen, saying, "You go up first, I'll be there after I park the car."
Shen Cen clutched the ticket in his palm. "How about I wait for you?"
The underground parking garage was damp and humid, and Shen Cen was wearing shorts. Jiang Shiyu was worried that her legs would hurt if she stood for too long. He had previously learned that teachers who stood on the podium were prone to leg joint problems.
"I still need to find a parking space; I might not be able to make it before it starts."
"Alright then." Shen Cen didn't insist anymore. "I'll go first."
"Wait a minute." Jiang Shiyu took off his coat and handed it to Chen Cen through the car window. "Take this coat over for me first."
Shen Cen paused for a moment before taking it.
-
With five minutes to go before the performance was scheduled to begin, Jiang Shiyu had yet to arrive, and Shen Cen began to feel increasingly uneasy.
Are we going to get lost?
She took her phone out of her bag and texted Jiang Shiyu.
Why haven't we arrived yet?
She typed those words, then felt they sounded a bit too teacherly, so she deleted them and typed another line.
Do you need me to come out and meet you?
The moment she sent the message, she heard a "ding-dong" sound above her head.
Looking up, I saw Jiang Shiyu.
He was carrying two cups of milk tea, and his forehead was covered with fine beads of sweat, perhaps because he had been running so fast.
In addition, he was wearing a very common white T-shirt, which inexplicably reminded Shen Cen of the boys on the basketball court in college.
He has a very youthful vibe.
"Why did you go to buy milk tea?"
She glanced at the packaging and had never heard of the brand before; it must be a handmade milk tea from a private shop.
Jiang Shiyu sat down next to her, poked a hole in a cup with a straw, and handed the cup to Chen Cen. "When I parked just now, I heard them say that the milk tea shop across the street had a buy-one-get-one-free offer, so I bought it because I thought it was a good deal."
"Um?"
Shen Cen was skeptical; Jiang Shiyu didn't seem like the type to rush to buy milk tea just because he heard it was buy-one-get-one-free.
He probably just wanted to drink milk tea himself.
Shen Cen chuckled softly, thinking to himself that Jiang Shiyu was quite stubborn.
The performance has officially begun. This is a historical drama, set in the Northern Song Dynasty.
Shen Cen was captivated after watching for only two minutes.
After watching for ten minutes, she remembered that she still had a cup of milk tea in her hand, picked it up and took a sip.
The taste is very familiar.
She couldn't quite place where she'd had it before, so she took a couple more sips. It wasn't until she sucked up the red bean topping from the milk tea that she remembered having had this milk tea in Jingnan Town.
This milk tea shop's signature red bean milk tea is made with sweet and soft red beans that perfectly balance the subtle bitterness of the milk tea.
So she turned her head and asked Jiang Shiyu in a low voice, "Has this store opened in the city center now?"
Jiang Shiyu: "You know this store too?"
"Yes. I used to drink it often in Jingnan Town."
When she was little, whenever she did well on her final exams, her father would secretly buy her a drink, but he would do it behind Fu Meihua's back because Fu Meihua wouldn't allow Shen Cen to drink such things.
When he has saved up enough pocket money, Chen Cen will buy himself a cup, and sometimes he will share it with a few other children.
After moving away, she often missed that milk tea shop. The last time she went back to Jingnan with Jiang Shiyu to visit her grandmother, she passed by the original address of the shop and found that it had been replaced by a coffee shop, which made her feel secretly regretful.
Unexpectedly, she was able to drink it again.
"I heard that their business grew so much that they opened a branch in the city and even changed the name of their store," Jiang Shiyu said.
Shen Cen nodded. "I see."
It seems that Jiang Shiyu must have frequented this milk tea shop when he was a child.
But why haven't the two met before?
-
Before we knew it, the play was coming to an end.
Shen Cen forgot that Jiang Shiyu's coat was covering her legs. When she stood up, the coat fell to the ground and she accidentally stepped on it, leaving a shallow footprint on the black coat.
She bent down to pick it up, but her bangs covering her forehead blocked her view, and she didn't see the man's hand reaching towards her coat as well.
The next second, their hands touched, and Shen Cen suddenly pulled back, making quite a commotion.
"Chen Cen, you startled me."
Jiang Shiyu picked up the coat and gently patted off the dust.
"Excuse me……"
Shen Cen also felt that her reaction was a bit too much, but it was also out of instinct.
Jiang Shiyu stood up and looked at the person in front of him. The theater lights shone on her face, making her pupils appear even clearer and brighter, and a faint pink blush rose to her fair complexion.
"How can we put on an act in front of others like this?"
"Um?"
Before she could react, she felt a soft touch on her hand.
Jiang Shiyu first gently covered her hand, then slipped his fingers through hers, and they intertwined firmly behind her back.
"What I mean is, we need to do desensitization training."
Shen Cen's fingertips trembled, and Jiang Shiyu noticed these subtle reactions.
Actually, this wasn't the first time the two had held hands. They had held hands before at Grandma Jiang's house, trying to appear affectionate in front of the elderly woman. But this time it was like…
Did the two of them hold hands spontaneously?
Shen Cen wasn't sure what this feeling was like, but it felt different from the previous time.
However, Jiang Shiyu's words also made sense. Just as she had become desensitized to seeing photos of abs, the two of them should also become desensitized to these intimate gestures between couples. Otherwise, if Fu Meihua suddenly decided to come and see them, with her keen insight, she would immediately see through their lack of genuine feelings.
Having figured this out, Shen Cen stepped forward, tightening his grip on the hand that Jiang Shiyu was holding.
The two held hands even tighter, as if nothing in the world could separate their hands.
Jiang Shiyu hadn't expected Shen Cen to take the initiative. A complex mix of emotions flashed in his eyes—surprise and delight—but he quickly concealed them well.
"I put the coat on my legs because I felt cold sitting inside."
As they walked out of the theater, Shen Cen and Jiang Shiyu talked about why his coat was on her lap.
"Know."
Jiang Shiyu responded softly, but the corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up slightly.
Idiot, can't you see that I meant to cover her with my coat? Otherwise, why didn't you ask her for it back after you came in?
However, Shen Cen's gaze was not on Jiang Shiyu at this moment, so she did not see how pleased the man's expression was.
After returning to his room that evening, Jiang Shiyu sat on the small sofa, brought the coat that Chen Cen had covered his lap to his nose, and sniffed it.
Her scent seemed to linger on her coat, a faint fragrance of gardenias, just like her—cool and elegant.
In fact, before the two got married, including the first week or two after they got their marriage certificate, Shen Cen's attitude towards Jiang Shiyu was aloof and distant, like a flower on a high mountain.
However, over the course of their time together, Shen Cen's true nature has gradually emerged. She would joke with him, blush and feel shy when he teased her, and her eyes would light up when she saw things she liked.
It slowly overlapped with the deep memory of Shen Cen.
Jiang Shiyu picked up his coat again and brought it close to his nose. The scent of gardenias still lingered. He recalled the scene of the two of them holding hands that night, and he could still remember the feel of every inch of her skin.
For some reason, Jiang Shiyu felt a surge of heat throughout his body. He realized he couldn't suppress the churning heat within him, let out a low groan, and headed towards the bathroom in the bedroom...
Half an hour later, Shen Cen knocked on Jiang Shiyu's door, "Jiang Shiyu, are you there? I've come to apply your medicine."
"exist."
The moment Shen Cen pushed open the door, he shivered from the cold air in the room.
"Why is the air conditioner set so low?" She picked up the air conditioner remote from the bedside table and found that the air conditioner was only set to 18 degrees Celsius.
"It's a bit hot right now, could you turn it up a bit for me?"
Shen Cen turned up the volume a bit and walked up to Jiang Shiyu, only to find that he had just finished showering and the water droplets on his body had not yet completely evaporated.
She skillfully applied the ointment to Jiang Shiyu.
"The wound is healing quite quickly, but the scar is still quite noticeable. It should be almost gone after I finish using the scar removal cream."
"Scar removal cream?"
"Yes, I asked my brother to send some back from Germany. He's also studying medicine, so he knows a lot about this."
"Oh?" Hearing that Shen Cen had specially bought scar removal cream for him, Jiang Shiyu's eyes flashed with undisguised joy. "Then please thank your brother for me."
"However, the person I need to thank the most is you," Jiang Shiyu added.
Shen Cen smiled and continued:
"By the time the scar removal cream arrives, your injury should have mostly healed."
"I'm planning to move back then."
-----------------------
Author's note: Boss Jiang: [rolls eyes] Hmph, do you think I'll let you go?
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