Chapter 37 Yu Heng "Starry Waves"
Shen Yuheng's breath hitched, and his eyes widened slightly.
[Oh my god! It turns out Teacher Jiang is the one who goes straight for the chase!]
[Brother, tell me quickly!]
[Say that and you'll win the heart of your beauty!]
However, things don't go as smoothly as the audience expects.
"Knock knock knock—" The door of the private room was knocked, and the cameraman's head poked in through the crack in the door. "Teachers, according to the rules of the program, confessions are not allowed before the last day."
Jiang Xinglan raised an eyebrow, glanced at Shen Yuheng across from her, and then looked back at the cameraman, asking, "So, in the cameraman's opinion, Teacher Shen's answer would be a confession?"
The cameraman fell silent.
[The cameraman's expression is hilarious!]
[My heart goes out to the cameraman for a second!]
[Nobody's praising Teacher Jiang? So perceptive!]
"I don't know what Teacher Shen's answer was," the cameraman struggled, "It was just a friendly reminder. Please continue, I won't disturb you any longer."
The cameraman considerately closed the door, but to the audience, it looked like they were fleeing in panic.
The room fell silent again.
Jiang Xinglan sat directly opposite Shen Yuheng, but lowered her eyes, her gaze falling on the teacup in front of her.
Although she could deduce from the cameraman's actions, it was ultimately just deduction, and he needed to verify it.
Jiang Xinglan's gaze returned to Shen Yuheng. "Since the production team has made a request, then for the next question, Teacher Shen, you just need to answer yes or no."
Shen Yuheng's Adam's apple bobbed up and down; he suddenly felt a little nervous.
His intuition told him that the next question was important.
"Did Teacher Shen come to this show because she wanted to start a relationship?"
[As expected of a master! You've hit the nail on the head!]
[Brother, we shouldn't need to teach you how to answer, right?]
[Hurry up and tell me! I'm so anxious!]
Without any hesitation, Shen Yuheng said firmly and clearly, "Yes."
The moment the word was uttered, Jiang Xinglan felt her heart clench.
All my guesses were overturned, and a sense of desolation, mixed with bitterness and a touch of embarrassment, welled up in my heart.
Her rational mind was telling her: See, the guest list for the show is confidential; there's no way he could have known it beforehand.
So he came to this show just to find someone and start a relationship.
But her heart was telling her: No! Shen Yuheng treats you specially! Maybe he came here specifically for you! Just think about the cameraman's reaction!
However, Jiang Xinglan's rationality gradually prevailed. She suppressed all her emotions and said in her usual calm voice, "Okay, I've finished asking my questions."
[Teacher Jiang's reaction is a bit off!]
[I feel like this isn't the answer Professor Jiang wanted.]
The door to the private room was knocked on a second time. This time it was the waiters who came in one after another and placed the dishes on the table.
"Your dishes have all been served. Please enjoy your meal."
Jiang Xinglan nodded slightly. "Thank you."
"The food here comes out pretty quickly," Jiang Xinglan said casually. "Let's eat!"
[Why do I feel like Teacher Jiang has suddenly become a bit distant!]
The atmosphere is tense.
What viewers can perceive even through the screen, Shen Yuheng can feel even more of in person.
He felt a pang of panic; ever since he finished answering, he hadn't made eye contact with her again.
He could even feel the person in front of him getting further and further away.
“Teacher Jiang,” he called out hurriedly, “you have finished asking your question, but my answer is not yet finished.”
Jiang Xinglan paused slightly as she was about to pick up some food. She put down her chopsticks, looked up, and calmly gazed at Shen Yuheng, waiting for his next words.
Deep in my heart lies an expectation I've never realized.
Shen Yuheng's gaze was gentle yet firm, as if it held a thousand unspoken words, which ultimately condensed into one sentence:
"Teacher Jiang,"
"I came to this program because of Jiang—"
"Teacher Shen!! Please respect the program rules!!"
This time, the cameraman didn't even knock on the door; he pushed it open and shouted directly inside.
[Production team!! You have no heart!!]
[Aaaaaaah, so close! Just a tiny bit more!]
Who is Jiang? Oh dear, this is so hard to guess!
Shen Yuheng's words were abruptly interrupted, and his face was filled with helplessness.
He looked at the photographer with a hint of resentment, his eyes accusing him of his sudden intrusion.
The photographer completely ignored Shen Yuheng's gaze, standing rooted to the spot, showing no intention of leaving.
After a brief moment of surprise, Jiang Xinglan looked at Shen Yuheng's anxious expression and everything seemed to become clear.
A smile gradually appeared on her face.
Almond tofu was served on the first day of my stay;
The work schedule was almost non-stop;
A lame excuse after preparing breakfast;
He always said "okay" to her suggestions;
When I'm with her, I feel a subtle, almost imperceptible tension.
And those unfinished words, which seemed to explain everything…
It seems that all these phenomena indicate:
He knew the list in advance;
He came for her.
Jiang Xinglan chuckled, drawing the attention of the two who were locked in a silent standoff.
Shen Yuheng turned to look at Jiang Xinglan, whose smiling eyes dispelled the tense atmosphere like a gentle breeze.
He stared at her, unwilling to look away.
“Then let’s not talk about this anymore, I promise,” Jiang Xinglan said to the cameraman, then looked at Shen Yuheng, “Right? Yuheng?”
Shen Yuheng's heart skipped a beat. Was he hallucinating?
Otherwise, how come he seemed to hear Teacher Jiang call him Yuheng?
"Teacher Jiang, what did you say?" he asked cautiously to confirm.
Jiang Xinglan seemed oblivious to the expectation in his eyes. "I said, let's not talk about this anymore, okay?"
"Okay." Shen Yuheng was captivated by Jiang Xinglan's gentle tone.
It seems that the words that were never spoken are no longer so important.
The cameraman glanced at the two of them, deciding to trust them one more time, but…
"Please both teachers abide by the program rules!"
Before leaving, the cameraman emphasized it again.
"Alright, let's eat," Jiang Xinglan said, picking up her chopsticks. "Otherwise, the food will get cold."
Shen Yuheng, however, did not pick up his chopsticks for a long time.
Seeing this, Jiang Xinglan suppressed a laugh and asked, "What's wrong? Don't you want to try the restaurant you recommended to me?"
Shen Yuheng was somewhat sullen, even though many people called him Yuheng in his work and life.
But only the two words "Yu Heng" spoken by Jiang Xinglan made his heart tremble.
He wanted to confirm that what he had just experienced wasn't his imagination.
However, he felt that the timing was not right. He picked up a piece of Dongpo pork and put it on his plate, poking and prodding it with his chopsticks.
He would prefer to address her in a more intimate way, like the others in the cabin.
I just need to ask one question, but I can't bring myself to ask it!
The word "明明" has been on my tongue countless times.
Shen Yuheng glanced up discreetly and met Jiang Xinglan's gaze.
He quickly lowered his head and continued poking and prodding at the innocent piece of flesh.
Jiang Xinglan almost laughed at his actions. She put down her chopsticks, sat up straight, and asked, "Does Teacher Shen have something to say?"
“Teacher Jiang,” Shen Yuheng emphasized these three words, “you’re asking a question you already know the answer to.”
Jiang Xinglan's smile deepened. "Is it because of 'Yu Heng'?"
Shen Yuheng finally stopped poking the meat and nodded.
"But haven't you noticed that everyone in the cabin has started calling each other that?"
“I found out,” Shen Yuheng said. “I was planning to tell Teacher Jiang, but…”
"However, I haven't found the right time."
"I think the timing is good, so do you want to ask me now?"
Jiang Xinglan's tone contained a silent encouragement.
Shen Yuheng's eyes lit up. "Then can I call you Jiangjiang from now on?"
[Brother, forgive my bluntness, but you're likely to get beaten up if you keep acting like this.]
Jiang Xinglan narrowed her eyes, "Teacher Shen, you're a little bit..."
She paused for a moment, as if searching for a suitable word to describe the person in front of her, "Little by little, making progress!"
Shen Yuheng wasn't upset about being politely rejected; there would always be other opportunities in the future.
He spoke again, "Then let me ask you again, Xinglan, may I call you that?"
This time, Jiang Xinglan answered without hesitation, "Okay."
[This part really pleased me!]
Jiang Xinglan is a woman who knows how to hook men!
My older son has finally figured it out!
[Sprinkling flowers! Sprinkling flowers!]
“Now,” Jiang Xinglan’s gaze swept meaningfully over the meat that was now scattered all over his plate, “can we leave this piece of meat alone?”
Shen Yuheng suddenly panicked, somewhat unable to meet Jiang Xinglan's gaze, and was flustered, not knowing what he was busy with.
Jiang Xinglan lowered her head, using the cup to hide the smile on her lips.
Indeed, hands-on experimentation is more direct and effective than observation.
Moreover, she really liked the results of this experiment.
The two ate quietly for the rest of the time, occasionally exchanging their opinions on the dishes.
"Is there anywhere else you'd like to go, or anything else you'd like to do later?" Jiang Xinglan asked naturally as the meal drew to a close.
"Hmm? Look at Jiang Jiang—"
Jiang Xinglan raised an eyebrow.
"It's up to you! I'm fine with anything!" Shen Yuheng readily agreed.
“Actually, if we follow my plan, we can return to the cabin after dinner today,” Jiang Xinglan said frankly.
However, she keenly noticed the fleeting disappointment in Shen Yuheng's eyes and added, "But since it's a date, it should be more varied. As the other person on the date, do you have any good suggestions?"
Shen Yuheng's eyes grew brighter and brighter as Jiang Xinglan spoke, "I've looked it up. There's a very quiet art park nearby, and a private bookstore with a nice atmosphere. And then..."
"What?"
"There's also a movie theater, but if you just want to take a walk, that's fine too!"
"Let's skip the walk; we can do that when the weather's nicer," Jiang Xinglan leaned forward slightly. "I'd like to know which one you'd prefer to go to?"
[Cinema! ! ! ]
[The desire for haunted houses never dies!!]
[I have a feeling my brother would choose a bookstore!]
"I..." Of course Shen Yuheng wanted to go to the movie theater!
However, on the one hand, he did not want to cause a large gathering of people, and on the other hand, he felt that he had already gained a lot today.
Next time I'll go eat drunken crab;
Let's go for a walk together next time;
Most importantly, he could rightfully call her "Xinglan".
For him, anywhere was fine, as long as he could be with her.
"The bookstore," Shen Yuheng made his final choice.
“Okay,” Jiang Xinglan nodded, “Let’s go to the movie theater then!”
"Huh?" Shen Yuheng was completely taken aback by this turn of events.
He has lost count of how many of these little surprises he has experienced today.
From Jiang Xinglan's smile, he realized that she had seen through his little schemes long ago.
He lowered his head, his fingers tracing the rim of the teacup. "Okay."
[I'm dying of laughter! My brother can't hide his thoughts at all!]
I suspect Jiang Jiang studied psychology!
[I always become silly in front of someone I like.]
[My brother's ears are red again!]
[It's not that it's become popular again, it's that it's never faded away!]
[So innocent, what will become of her in the future!]
[I'll explain in detail later!]
Jiang Xinglan took in Shen Yuheng's barely concealed joy, and her mood also brightened.
She was now unsure whether the joy in her heart stemmed from the results of the experiment or from the person in front of her.
Or perhaps, there is no difference between the two.
"The movie 'Against the Current' hasn't been released yet, shall we watch a comedy movie first?" Jiang Xinglan asked.
“Hmm…” Although Shen Yuheng was happy, he was still a little worried. He glanced at the camera.
“Don’t worry,” Jiang Xinglan said lightly as she put on her coat, picked up her bag, and stood up. “Yuheng, let’s go.”
Shen Yuheng was taken aback again. "Okay."
When the audience arrived at the cinema, they finally understood why Jiang Xinglan had said not to worry.
First of all, after they got on the bus, there was only sound, no visuals;
Secondly, when the screen lit up again, there were only a few seats left in the theater—it looked like a private cinema.
[Teacher Jiang's execution ability is off the charts!]
Teacher Jiang is so thoughtful!
[My brother loves it even more now, hahaha! I wonder if he'll watch the movie or look at Teacher Jiang later.]
[Is that even a question?]
After the movie started, Shen Yuheng would occasionally turn his head to look at Jiang Xinglan beside him.
In the darkness, the light from the screen made Jiang Xinglan's profile appear even more aloof.
However, whenever she makes a humorous laugh, her eyebrows and eyes change, and the corners of her mouth turn up slightly, making her appear gentler.
Shen Yuheng also told himself not to look anymore, what if he got caught!
But the unique fragrance wafting from his nose constantly reminded him that the person sitting next to him was Jiang Xinglan.
He simply couldn't stop himself from turning his gaze to her.
Jiang Xinglan sighed and said softly, "Teacher Shen, watch the movie, don't look at me."
Shen Yuheng's body stiffened, and the tips of his ears instantly turned red.
He sat up straight, quickly turned his head to face the screen.
But a sense of annoyance began to creep into my heart; I'd been found out after all!
But the next moment, he thought of Jiang Xinglan's tone, which not only did not blame him, but also carried a little bit of indulgence.
She noticed I was looking at her, but how could she have noticed if her attention was entirely focused on the movie?
His frustration was overshadowed by immense joy. A few minutes later, he took the opportunity of adjusting his posture to move a little closer to her.
Only when the comedic moment arrives again will he take the opportunity to turn his head to look at her, make eye contact with her, and then return his gaze to the movie.
And so, Shen Yuheng watched the entire movie.
The two ate dinner outside before returning to the cabin.
On the way back, Jiang Xinglan was driving again.
"What are your plans for next Saturday?" Shen Yuheng asked.
"Unless something unexpected happens, my brother and I should both be attending the wedding," Jiang Xinglan said after thinking for a moment. "What about you? Do you have any plans for the next few days?"
“There are a few brand events, but they’re all in Beijing, which is quite convenient,” Shen Yuheng said.
"That's great, you don't have to rush to catch a flight, and you have plenty of time to rest."
That's true.
The two parked their car in the park's parking lot and walked towards the cabin.
Shen Yuheng walked to Jiang Xinglan's left, his gaze fixed on their feet until their steps were in sync, only then did he look away with satisfaction.
“Xinglan,” Shen Yuheng suddenly spoke.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Xinglan glanced at the person beside her and asked, "What's wrong?"
"I'm very happy today, really very happy," Shen Yuheng said slowly.
“Yes, I’m very happy too,” Jiang Xinglan replied.
"I hope my next date will be with Teacher Jiang again."
Jiang Xinglan stopped and turned to look at Shen Yuheng.
The streetlights cast long, intertwined shadows of the two people.
A soft "okay" clearly reached Shen Yuheng's ears, dispelling the bleakness of the autumn wind.
As the two entered the small house, they saw Jiang Yunye sitting on the sofa with his arms crossed, looking like he was about to interrogate them.
Upon seeing the two of them, he sneered, "Oh, so you know how to come back after all!"
[Shen Yuheng's First Chase for His Wife: Jiang Yunye]
[A question from my future brother-in-law.]
"Hmm? Doesn't the cabin rule say that unless there are special circumstances, you must return to the cabin at night?"
Compared to Shen Yuheng's tension, Jiang Xinglan was much more relaxed. "Besides, it's not even eight o'clock yet."
"You still can't come back this late!" Jiang Yunye didn't care about any of that. He stared straight at Shen Yuheng, expressing his dissatisfaction.
“Brother, you’ve got something wrong,” Jiang Xinglan said.
"What?"
"As the one who initiated this date, I decided on today's itinerary." Jiang Xinglan's calm voice left Jiang Yunye speechless.
He glanced at the two of them again, then turned and went upstairs.
“I’m stating the facts, aren’t I?” Jiang Xinglan said, looking at Shen Yuheng.
Jiang Xinglan's matter-of-fact attitude automatically turned into cuteness in Shen Yuheng's eyes.
He couldn't help but gently pat Jiang Xinglan's head. "Next time, I'll talk to Mr. Jiang."
Jiang Xinglan ignored his words, took a step back, and looked at him.
"Sorry, I couldn't help myself." Shen Yuheng apologized tactfully and lowered his head. "Xinglan can touch it back."
Jiang Xinglan looked at his hair, which was already a little messy from the wind, twirled her index finger and thumb, and then raised her hand to gently rub it. "Don't do it again."
After saying that, Jiang Xinglan withdrew her hand, turned around, and went upstairs.
Shen Yuheng watched her back, and although he didn't notice her slightly red earlobes, he still laughed out loud.
[Wait! Teacher Jiang's ears are red too! Am I seeing things?!]
[No! No, I took a screenshot! I'll have to send it to my brother via private message later!]
Su Wanqing took in all of their interactions. She came out of the kitchen and asked, "Yuheng is back?"
Shen Yuheng frowned. "Miss Su, please just call me Shen Yuheng."
"Uh, okay." Su Wanqing suppressed her embarrassment. "Shen Yuheng, what did you and Xinglan do today?"
"This is between her and me. I'm going upstairs now. Goodbye." Shen Yuheng said goodbye politely and distantly, then quickly went upstairs.
[My brother has a firm grasp on male virtues!]
[Male Morality Training Class: Outstanding Graduate Shen Yuheng.]
[Miss Su Wanqing, please choose someone else! My brother is a complete idiot!]
[The person in front of me, you know how to describe them!]
Su Wanqing looked at Shen Yuheng's back and just smiled, but when her back was to the camera, her eyes became somewhat ambiguous.
For the next two days, the production team did not arrange any activities, and everyone seemed to start living a routine life.
I leave for work in the morning and return to the little house in the evening after get off work.
Although Shen Yuheng and Jiang Xinglan eat breakfast together every day, the time they can actually talk is roughly limited to this time.
---
On Saturday, Jiang Yunye, as Cheng Rui's best man, left home without even having breakfast.
Jiang Xinglan, on the other hand, planned to leave a little later.
Shen Yuheng had a schedule on Friday night, so he woke up a little late.
When he came downstairs, Jiang Xinglan was still leisurely eating her breakfast.
A white knitted dress softened her cool demeanor and added a touch of gentleness.
A hint of amazement flashed in Shen Yuheng's eyes.
Jiang Xinglan handed the soy milk, fried dough sticks, and fried egg to Shen Yuheng, saying, "Good morning!"
"It's Saturday today, aren't you going to a wedding?" Shen Yuheng said, taking a sip of soy milk.
“There’s still time,” Jiang Xinglan said. “Besides, if you go early, you’ll mostly be socializing, which is something my brother is good at.”
"When will you be back?" Shen Yuheng asked again.
"Probably in the afternoon, it shouldn't be too long," Jiang Xinglan estimated the time, "two or three o'clock?"
"Would you like to have dinner together tonight?" Shen Yuheng extended an invitation.
After finishing the last sip of soy milk, Jiang Xinglan said apologetically, "I might not have time. The production team said there might be an event tomorrow, so I have to go to the lab today to make some arrangements."
"Let's meet up next time."
"Okay!" Jiang Xinglan tidied up her plate. "I'm leaving now, see you tonight."
"See you tonight." Shen Yuheng saw Jiang Xinglan out the door.
---
When Jiang Xinglan arrived at the wedding venue, Cheng Rui was followed by Jiang Yunye, Song Huai, and Zhou Cuo, who were greeting the guests.
"Xinglan, you're finally here! I thought you weren't coming!" Cheng Rui said casually.
"Cheng Rui, happy marriage!" Jiang Xinglan said with a smile.
"Thank you. Let your brother Zhou Cuo take you inside. We'll have a good chat later." Cheng Rui gave Zhou Cuo a wink.
“No need,” Jiang Xinglan said, looking at Jiang Yunye. “My brother can take me in.”
“Okay, I’ll take her in.” Jiang Yunye stepped forward and led Jiang Xinglan to a private room on the second floor.
“Everyone in this private room knows me, so please sit here!” Jiang Yunye said.
"Okay." Jiang Xinglan nodded.
"Then I'll go take care of my work." Jiang Yunye saw Jiang Xinglan to the door.
"Don't drink too much later, let's make it clear beforehand. If you drink too much, I won't be able to carry you home," Jiang Xinglan warned in advance. "I have to go to the lab this afternoon."
"Okay, got it." Jiang Yunye patted Jiang Xinglan's head and left.
Jiang Xinglan tidied her hair, knocked on the door, and then pushed it open to enter.
Most of the people inside were childhood friends, so they weren't exactly strangers. They quickly became acquainted after a few words, and the wedding was about to begin.
The wedding ceremony was unremarkable, except for the announcement at the end by the emcee that the Cheng and He families would be embarking on a new collaboration in an emerging field.
Jiang Xinglan was somewhat disinterested. After the banquet started, she ate a few bites and planned to leave after the toasts were over.
About 40 minutes later, Cheng Rui and the others arrived at the private room.
Jiang Xinglan offered water instead of wine to congratulate Cheng Rui on his marriage.
"Thanks!" Cheng Rui smiled, looked at Zhou Cuo, then at Jiang Xinglan, "When is Xinglan getting married? I've already prepared the gift!"
The others then started to jeer.
Jiang Xinglan smiled and said politely, "It's still early."
Seeing that Jiang Xinglan was unwilling to talk much, everyone tactfully changed the subject and chatted about other things for a while before heading to the private room next door. Jiang Xinglan called out to Jiang Yunye.
"I'm going back to the lab now," Jiang Xinglan said.
"Okay, be careful on the road."
"Drink less," Jiang Xinglan reminded him once again before leaving.
"rest assured."
---
Around nine o'clock in the evening, Jiang Xinglan, who had already returned to the cabin, glanced at the time and called Jiang Yunye.
When the call connected, it wasn't Jiang Yunye's voice that came through.
"Xinglan, it's me, Zhou Cuo."
Jiang Xinglan frowned and asked, "Brother Zhou Cuo, where's my brother?"
“Yunye has had too much to drink,” Zhou Cuo said with a hint of apology. “I was just about to contact you. Should I take Yunye back to the cabin, or…”
"Let's take him back to his house. I'll be there in a bit," Jiang Xinglan quickly decided.
“Okay, I’ll go first, and I’ll leave when you arrive.” Zhou Cuo’s voice carried a hint of amusement.
Jiang Xinglan didn't notice this and after hanging up the phone, she planned to communicate with the production team.
Shen Yuheng, who had been keeping a close eye on Jiang Xinglan, noticed her expression and came to her side, asking in a low voice, "What's wrong?"
“I went to a wedding today, and my brother got drunk,” Jiang Xinglan explained. “I was planning to go check on him.”
“I’ll take you,” Shen Yuheng said. “Firstly, it’s too late, and I’m worried about you driving alone. Secondly, I can help you if you’re too busy.”
What Shen Yuheng said made sense. Jiang Xinglan thought about it and nodded, "Okay, thank you."
"It's no trouble at all."
The two asked for leave, explained the situation, and then drove together to Jiang Yunye's house.
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