Shen Yu’s first task upon arriving at the school was to process Zhao Minqing’s paperwork for changing supervisors.
Some documents required signatures from the Academic Affairs Office. Before Shen Yu could enter the office, he spotted Zhao Minqing in the corridor, leaning against the railing with a can of cola in one hand while scrolling through his phone.
Hearing footsteps, Zhao Minqing looked up and curled his lip. “Ah, Professor Shen, you’re here.”
He emphasized Shen Yu’s name with a hint of gritted teeth.
In the past, Shen Yu wouldn’t have noticed Zhao Minqing’s subtle attitude. Today, however, he halted his steps toward the office and turned to face the tall student.
“You’re not happy about changing supervisors?” Shen Yu inquired.
Zhao Minqing squeezed the cola can. After not seeing Shen Yu for days, he had planned to teach this ungrateful beauty a lesson. But face-to-face with Shen Yu, his anger was stifled, unable to erupt.
“It wasn’t my idea to switch,” he replied irritably. “How could I be happy?”
Shen Yu glanced at him.
“Your purpose in joining my group wasn’t for academic reasons,” Shen Yu stated calmly. “With your attitude, you wouldn’t graduate under my supervision. Changing supervisors is the best choice. I’ve checked the Academic Affairs Office’s adjustment. Your new supervisor’s research aligns closely with your original major. Starting over shouldn’t be too difficult.”
Zhao Minqing retorted, “So, I should thank you?”
Shen Yu countered, “Why not?”
Zhao Minqing was speechless.
“After all these days, Professor Shen, you’ve become…” He raised an eyebrow and drawled, “quite eloquent.”
The description wasn’t entirely accurate. Beyond the speaking style, Zhao Minqing sensed that Shen Yu had gained some “emotion.”
These additional emotions transformed Shen Yu from the students’ stereotypical image of a cold, beautiful professor into someone more vivid.
“I explained the transfer because you didn’t seem to understand,” Shen Yu concluded. Noting the time, he turned and entered the office first.
Zhao Minqing leaned in the corridor, contemplating as he finished his cola. After tossing the can in the trash, he followed Shen Yu into the Academic Affairs Office.
The visit to the office was merely to sign some documents agreeing to the change of supervisors. Zhao Minqing’s new supervisor was unavailable that day, so he wasn’t present.
Surprisingly, Zhao Minqing didn’t intentionally make things difficult for Shen Yu. He signed the papers quickly. As they were leaving, perhaps noticing Shen Yu’s confusion, he paused and spoke:
“In your eyes, I’m just a clingy rich kid, right?”
“You’re not wrong to think that,” Zhao Minqing shrugged, his tone casual. “But I separate matters of the heart from academics. If I can’t graduate, I can’t face my family.”
“Besides,” he added with a smile, “even if cooperation fails, we can still be friends, right, Professor Shen?”
Shen Yu replied, “We won’t be friends.”
Zhao Minqing was left speechless.
Shen Yu’s rejection was absolute. He didn’t bother to acknowledge Zhao Minqing’s expression as he hurriedly left the administration building, rushing towards the laboratory.
He now spent more time at home, having recently taken a week off. There was much work to attend to at school, leaving no time to idle away chatting with casual acquaintances.
Zhao Minqing watched Shen Yu’s retreating figure for a long while before exhaling and muttering, “…How cruel.”
*
After several days of picking up and dropping off Shen Yu to and from work, Qi Fang began waking up earlier and earlier, even resorting to cold showers in the morning.
There was no other reason except that he had been consuming too many blood-replenishing foods lately.
Qi Fang hid a case of Wangxiaoji herbal tea under his bed, secretly drinking it every midnight. But even this couldn’t counteract the carefully selected blood-nourishing meals Shen Yu prepared for him. Most frustratingly, he cooked these meals himself every day.
At 5:49 a.m. on Saturday, Qi Fang woke up and immediately noticed the bulge beneath his thin blanket in the dim morning light.
“…” Qi Fang closed his eyes, trying to hypnotize himself. “It’s all Shen Yuyu’s love. I love him, he loves me. Our love is sweet. Eating more lamb is fine…”
After lying stiff as a dead fish for a moment with no sign of subsiding, Qi Fang had no choice but to get up and rush to the bathroom.
The sound of running water persisted for over ten minutes when suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
Shen Yu waited outside Qi Fang’s bedroom. When no one came to open the door, he frowned slightly.
Last night, Qi Fang had told him they would visit Chen Ke together today for a chat.
Shen Yu vaguely understood this was for regular psychological therapy.
Their appointment with Chen Ke was at 8 a.m., quite early, and the drive would take some time. They had decided to wake up early, but now they were already behind schedule.
Shen Yu hesitated for a moment outside the door before pushing it open and entering.
…Strangely enough, Qi Fang used to sleep with his door open, but these past few days, it had been tightly shut, as if hiding something.
This fleeting thought crossed Shen Yu’s mind as he stepped into Qi Fang’s bedroom. To his surprise, the bed was empty, and the bathroom light was on.
As Shen Yu entered, still not understanding why someone would shower so early, he heard the water stop. Qi Fang sighed deeply inside, and the bathroom door opened.
A completely naked Qi Fang walked out nonchalantly, then locked eyes with Shen Yu in the room.
Shen Yu: “…”
Qi Fang: “…”
The room fell into a few seconds of frozen silence.
In the next moment, Qi Fang sharply inhaled, instinctively moving to cover himself while quickly stepping towards the bed to grab his clothes lying there.
However, under Shen Yu’s gaze, Qi Fang’s steps faltered. He accidentally tripped over his own feet near the bed, slipping and falling flat on his back.
Shen Yu’s gaze fell on a certain area, and he too fell silent.
Lying on the floor, Qi Fang took a few deep breaths. His thoughts raced from wishing for reincarnation to claiming a split personality. Finally, devoid of hope, he reached up to pull the blanket from the bed, covering himself.
Shen Yu took a few steps closer, lowered his head to meet Qi Fang’s eyes, and asked, “What’s wrong with you?”
“Anemia. Feeling dizzy. Just lying here for a bit,” Qi Fang replied, his spirit crushed.
“The floor’s cold,” Shen Yu crouched down, reaching for Qi Fang’s blanket. “Go sleep on the bed.”
Qi Fang felt a chill and snatched the blanket back in horror. “No! I love sleeping on the floor!”
“Why?” Shen Yu paused before continuing, “Is it because it stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system more?”
Worried Qi Fang might not understand, he pointed at the covered area, saying, “Here?”
Qi Fang: “……”
Shen Yu’s dark eyes gazed at him calmly. “Do you want me to help?”
Qi Fang: “Huh??”
“No, no,” Qi Fang hurriedly said, “I’m fine now.”
This was true. The shock of exiting the bathroom had quelled any remaining fire, especially after the cold shower.
Even if Shen Yu was willing, Qi Fang wasn’t – his online-ordered flowers, cocktails, and love candles hadn’t arrived yet. How could they do such things in this rushed, unromantic setting?
Wouldn’t his love candles be wasted?
If Shen Yu remembered this day in the future, would his mind be filled with the image of Qi Fang’s bare bottom slipping at the bathroom door?!
Absolutely not!
“Shen Yuyu,” Qi Fang said, “I’ve broken my leg, had a heart attack, and developed middle-aged dementia. I got dizzy from anemia when I woke up. I request to rest on the floor for half an hour until I feel better.”
Shen Yu stared at him, saying slowly, “You don’t have any of those conditions.”
Qi Fang was stunned, then overjoyed. “Shen Yuyu, you finally think I’m healthy?”
“…” Shen Yu’s expression hesitated for a moment, but facing Qi Fang, he nodded slightly and said, “Generally healthy.”
Qi Fang felt somewhat relieved and continued, “But we should still meet Chen Ke today. We’ve made an appointment, and it’s not good to stand her up suddenly.”
Shen Yu nodded, indicating it was fine.
“Then…” he lowered his gaze to Qi Fang on the floor and asked, “Can you get up now?”
Feeling relaxed, Qi Fang’s mischievous side emerged. He couldn’t help saying, “I can’t get up, Professor Shen Yuyu. Don’t know why I have no strength. Could it be because I haven’t received my good morning kiss yet?”
“You still owe me ninety-three kisses,” Qi Fang added.
Shen Yu: “…”
They remained at an impasse for a while. Shen Yu glanced at the wall clock, and finally, his innate sense of urgency overcame Professor Shen’s rationality.
He sat down on the carpet, leaned over, and very gently kissed Qi Fang’s cheek, whispering, “Ninety-two left.”
Qi Fang clicked his tongue disapprovingly. “Shen Xiaoyu, this is contract fraud.”
He sat up and reached out, embracing Shen Yu’s shoulders and pulling him into his arms.
“Let me teach you properly,” Qi Fang said. “This is how you kiss.”
*
Despite rushing through breakfast, they still arrived at Chen Ke’s office over ten minutes late.
Shen Yu’s expression was notably unnatural, his lips appearing much redder than usual. Li Congming was sitting in Chen Ke’s office talking when he turned to see Qi Fang and Shen Yu enter. He paused for a moment before asking:
“Shen Yu, did you eat spicy snacks?”
Shen Yu: “…”
“?” Qi Fang interjected, “Shut up, Li Fathead.”
“Why? What did I do?” Li Congming protested. “Chen Ke asked me to stay here and chat with Shen Yu.”
Qi Fang pondered briefly before understanding Chen Ke’s intentions.
Shen Yu wasn’t close with her, and for someone with high defenses, having a familiar friend present during non-private conversations could actually lower their guard. This was a psychological treatment technique.
“Please, have a seat,” Chen Ke invited.
Her office was cozy, decorated in soft, warm colors. The table held various snacks and drinks.
As he was about to sit down, Shen Yu hesitated for a moment and looked up at Qi Fang.
“Could you step out for a bit?” he said softly. “I… I want some cake.”
Qi Fang was taken aback.
Wanting cake—Shen Yu’s excuse was really lame.
Chen Ke and Li Congming exchanged glances, not quite understanding why Shen Yu was deliberately trying to send Qi Fang away.
Qi Fang hesitated for a moment, making eye contact with Chen Ke and Li Congming in turn, before nodding. “Alright, I’ll go buy you some cake. You all can chat first.”
After Qi Fang left, Chen Ke asked, “Professor Shen, is there something you wanted to tell us?”
Shen Yu nodded.
Chen Ke paused, then had a sudden realization. “Is it… about new symptoms you’ve noticed in Qi Fang?”
“Yes.” Shen Yu lowered his gaze, his tone calm. “I think he’s suffering from… erectile dysfunction.”
Chen Ke: “Huh?”
Li Congming slapped the table. “I knew he had that problem!”
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