Chapter 21

Wen Yi had no time to wonder how Qin Nanshan knew she was there, because the students had already followed his gaze and looked over. Their stares were burning. Discussion rose and fell all around. Even Manager Wen, who had weathered many storms, could not stand this scene.

Old Chen was in a rare good mood and cheered from the side. “Young lady, why not satisfy everyone’s curiosity?”

The lecture staff had already thoughtfully handed over a microphone.

Wen Yi was forced onto the stage. Her scalp went numb. Once again she was glad she had worn a dress and put on makeup. Otherwise standing up today would have been far too embarrassing. A woman’s refinement and dignity could not be thrown away at any time.

A process of falling in love? Where did they have a process of falling in love? They had gone straight through in one shot, all right?

Wen Yi shot a distant glare at the man on the stage. She had not expected that this dull personality of his could still give her this kind of “surprise.”

She lightly tapped the microphone. After confirming there was sound, she put on the most beautiful voice of her life. “Good evening, everyone. I am Professor Qin Nanshan’s wife. My name is Wen Yi.”

“Wow~~”

The hall was full of gasps.

Wen Yi looked toward the stage and cleared her throat. “Teacher Qin and I were high school classmates. We do not have any earth-shattering love story. We simply reunited after years of being apart, discovered that each other was the right person in our lives, came to know each other, fell in love, and decided to walk through life together. Now we are about to have a lovely baby. A world of one person is becoming a family of three.”

She remembered to elevate the theme. “Students, university is the most precious time in a lifetime. We can fall in love, but we must never lose ourselves in love. Please also do not forget to become a better you. I am very fond of a line of poetry. ‘Read widely and take the essence. Accumulate deeply and release lightly.’ I give it to everyone.”

Done!

Wen Yi pressed down her thundering heartbeat and handed the microphone back to the staff.

The man on the stage always had a smile at the corner of his mouth. Following the students’ gazes, he never left.

Two seconds later the auditorium thundered with applause once more.

…

Old Chen led Wen Yi and Qin Tan to the backstage. Qin Nanshan walked over. Wen Yi glared at him fiercely, wishing she could cut him into a thousand pieces.

Qin Nanshan met her eyes, then directly ignored her and nodded at Qin Tan.

Wen Yi clenched her fists. Fire rose in her heart. Very well. Tonight he could forget about coming into the room to sleep!

“Teacher, why did you come?”

Old Chen smiled kindly. “I happened to have business at the school and came by to see you. I did not expect Xiao Yi to be here as well.”

Only then did Qin Nanshan look at Wen Yi again. The corners of his eyes lifted. “Then I suppose there is no need for too much introduction.”

“Stinky brat, now that you are married, restrain yourself a bit. Do not stay at school all day.” Old Chen then said to Wen Yi, “Young lady, this old man will say it first. We do not have work here that requires extra hours. If you cannot find him in the future, you cannot blame me.”

Wen Yi smiled and agreed. After Old Chen said a few more sentences, he left first.

Only three people remained backstage. Wen Yi looked at the girl who had been standing quietly beside them. “Xiao Tan, have you eaten? Your brother and I will treat you.”

Qin Tan quickly waved her hands. “Sister-in-law, I have already eaten. You two go eat.”

“All right.”

The little girl quickly looked up at her, then lowered her eyes again and said in a small voice, “Um, Sister-in-law, can I add your WeChat?”

“Of course.”

After adding WeChat, a smile appeared on Qin Tan’s obedient face. She left happily.

The moment the person left, Wen Yi’s expression instantly sank. She glared at him and headed outside. Qin Nanshan smiled faintly, picked up his bag, and followed.

On Friday night there were many students coming and going on campus. The location of the small auditorium was odd. After walking for a while, Wen Yi got lost.

Unwilling, she looked back. The man behind her was half a meter away. She said viciously, “Lead the way.”

He was neither hurried nor impatient and did not take her anger to heart at all. “Have you not eaten? The cafeteria is still open. Want to go eat?”

“No!”

“Then let’s go. The car is in the parking lot.”

He started walking back.

Wen Yi was furious!!!!

She must have been kicked in the head by a donkey to come here, and she had waited for him so long on an empty stomach!

The dog of a man really walked away. Wen Yi would not compromise. She asked a student where the cafeteria was and went in the opposite direction from him.

After two steps, someone followed behind her again. Under the streetlamp the shadow stretched long.

Wen Yi quickened her pace, but she could not outdo Qin Nanshan’s long legs. He came up beside her.

He looked to be in a very good mood. “Why did you come over?”

“My brain short-circuited.”

Wen Yi glanced at him. “When did you discover me?”

Qin Nanshan recalled with extreme seriousness. “When I spoke the first sentence. Thirty-seven seconds after the lecture began.”

“…”

“Why did you call me out! It was so embarrassing!”

He explained properly. “Our process of falling in love was made up by you in the first place. The person herself was present. I could not infringe on the author’s copyright.”

“?? Do not twist things. You clearly wanted to make me look bad.”

“Was it not quite pretty? How did it look bad?”

“…”

Wen Yi paused and stopped talking.

Was this a new trick he had learned? Or had Qiao En been right, and he was the reserved type at heart?

But this trick was very effective. Wen Yi decided to temporarily and reluctantly forgive him a little.

The cafeteria was not far. But at this hour there was no proper rice left, only a few small stalls with porridge, noodles, and such. Quite a few students sat scattered at the seats.

Wen Yi remembered something and looked at him. Qin Nanshan thought she wanted to eat. “What do you want? I have a meal card.”

“… That is not it.” Although she had been busy before, she had not missed a single nine o’clock live class. When socializing ran late she listened while driving. “My class starts at nine. I have to attend class.”

Qin Nanshan looked around. “Is it all right to do it here? The cafeteria closes at eleven.”

“It is all right.”

They found a corner seat and sat down. There were still a few minutes before it started. Qin Nanshan asked what she wanted to eat. Wen Yi was too hungry and wanted everything. After scanning a circle she said, “Milk tea, fried chicken cutlet, small wontons, fruit, pan-fried dumplings.”

The more Qin Nanshan listened the more his brows furrowed. “Eating too much at night easily causes indigestion.”

Wen Yi touched her belly, her expression sad. “Baby, Mom will find you a new dad. In this family we cannot eat our fill or stay warm…”

Qin Nanshan was both helpless and amused. He got up to buy for her.

At a glance the two of them were clearly not students. Qin Nanshan’s fame at their school was probably not low. While they were talking quite a few classmates had already looked over. Wen Yi could not put on a thick face after all. She quickly put on her earphones and entered the live meeting room.

By the time he came back with large and small bags, Wen Yi’s live class had already started. She was listening carefully.

The course fee was high and the content was not watery. After working for a week, coming back to listen brought even greater gains.

Qin Nanshan put the fruit and pan-fried dumplings beside her hand, set the small wontons aside to cool, and there was also milk tea. He had bought it warm and inserted a straw for her.

“Thanks.” Wen Yi accepted it with complete peace of mind, picked up the milk tea and drank. Junk food truly made one’s mood pleasant.

After Qin Nanshan finished serving her, he also took out his computer and prepared to work. But Wen Yi’s fussing was far from over.

“I want to eat pan-fried dumplings.”

Qin Nanshan turned his head. She shrugged, as if it were only natural. “I have to take notes and drink milk tea. I have no hands.”

A light laugh spilled from his throat. He picked up a dumpling and fed her.

After feeding two, “Too dry. Eat a peach.”

After eating the peach, “Have the small wontons cooled?”

After finishing the small wontons, a certain someone was satisfied and continued sipping milk tea while listening to class.

If this scene were ordinary young lovers in the heat of romance it would not be strange. But this was Professor Qin, who was stern and unsmiling in class. When that face of his sank, the whole class fell silent. Students who recognized him dropped their jaws in shock.

In less than ten minutes, photos of that corner of the cafeteria had spread through class groups and the confession wall.

[Is it real or fake? Is it really Teacher Qin?]

[Absolutely true. Teacher Qin’s wife also came to the lecture today!]

[Oh my god. Who would have thought Teacher Qin is actually a wife-doting maniac.]

[Can someone tell me what they are doing in the cafeteria? Showing off their affection?]

[No. Teacher Qin’s wife seems to be in class. Teacher Qin is accompanying her.]

[!!! Is this what a power-couple looks like?! I admit defeat.]

Wen Yi, who had gained the extra title of “academic overachiever,” had no idea that a wave of discussion had risen at the school. Only when more and more students’ gazes fell on them did she lower her voice and say, “Are they looking at us?”

“Yes.”

“It is a bit embarrassing.”

Qin Nanshan was speechless. She could still feel embarrassed?

Wen Yi never told lies. Being stared at by the students made her face red. She packed up. “Let’s go. I will listen to the rest in the car.”

Anyway she was full.

They left under the clustered gazes of the students. After walking out of the cafeteria, Wen Yi touched her chest and let out a breath.

Her car was parked outside the school. Qin Nanshan would come back tomorrow to drive it back. The two of them took the same car.

When they arrived home the class had just ended. Wen Yi went to shower. Qin Nanshan had no work tonight. After she finished he also went to wash early.

Wen Yi’s phone had already been bombarded by Zhao Ling: [Wen Yi, you have become famous.]

[I have never seen people show off affection in a cafeteria.]

A few sneak-shot photos followed. One of the two of them working seriously. One of Qin Nanshan feeding her fruit. And another… Wen Yi enlarged it to look. Qin Nanshan had actually been peeking at her!!

At that moment she had been focused on eating. Qin Nanshan’s gaze was entirely on her, his expression concentrated. The more Wen Yi looked, the more she actually saw a hint of doting.

She gradually got goosebumps and quickly swiped to the next one. It must have been the candid shot and the angle!

The students’ photography skills were superb. Several photos were taken truly like a movie. The color grading and atmosphere were first-rate. She flipped back and forth and tapped save.

She replied: [What showing off affection? I was forced to study there. The kids exaggerated the facts. We just ate a meal. I am pregnant, all right?]

[Does a pregnant woman have no hands?]

[I do, but I am only carrying a baby this one time in my life. If someone is there to serve me, why not use it?]

Zhao Ling did not listen to her nonsense. [Fine, fine. I know you two are loving.]

[Do not disgust people.]

After half a minute she asked again: [Where did you see these photos?]

Zhao Ling tossed over a short video link. Wen Yi tapped it. Seventy thousand likes, five thousand comments. The caption below even carried the address of University A.

It was a bit… embarrassing.

She covered her eyes and only through a small gap between her fingers opened the comments. The top hot comment: [Teacher Qin’s wife is so pretty!]

Wen Yi immediately put down her hand and liked the comment.

The students had good taste. They deserved praise.

She scrolled down a bit. Most of the comments were friendly. There were no harsh ones.

[Teacher Qin’s wife looks very intellectual. She matches Teacher Qin so well!]

[I cannot imagine how pretty their baby will be.]

[Which university is this? I want to go!]

Qin Nanshan finished showering and came in. He saw the woman on the bed with the corners of her mouth stretched to the roots of her ears. The moment their eyes met, Wen Yi gave a light cough, gathered her smile, and at the same time hid her phone. “I want to drink water.”

Qin Nanshan handed her the warm water from the nightstand, waited until she finished, put it back, and lay down on the bed.

Once the water was drunk, Wen Yi’s stomach began to swell and ache faintly. Her brows furrowed. It was over. She really had indigestion.

Qin Nanshan noticed. “What is it?”

Wen Yi said carefully, “Are there any digestive tablets or that kind of medicine at home…”

After speaking she lowered her head and did not dare look at him.

Qin Nanshan let out a light sigh and said helplessly, “There are none. Shall I rub it for you?”

He moved closer. The hand that often applied pregnancy oil reached into the quilt, familiar with the way.

The temperature under the quilt was high. His hand was cool. The moment skin touched skin Wen Yi felt extremely comfortable, but she could not show it.

“A little higher. What you are touching now is the baby.”

The palm obediently moved up. Both of them froze at once.

Before, when he applied pregnancy oil for her it had been limited to the abdomen. Other parts were covered tightly. The pajamas Wen Yi wore came with built-in cups. At this moment she was wearing nothing underneath. A hand without medical common sense charged straight in.

Qin Nanshan immediately withdrew, his expression somewhat unnatural. Even his words no longer came out smoothly. “I, I will go buy medicine for you.”

Wen Yi had originally been a bit embarrassed too, but his reaction was bigger than hers, so she only found it fun. Life was so dull. Teasing him had become her new amusement. She said properly, “It is very late now. Do not go out.”

“I feel my chest has gotten a lot bigger again this month, and soft. I do not know if it is an illusion. What do you think?”

“I do not know.” Qin Nanshan returned to his original position, half a meter away from her.

“Did you not just touch it?”

“It was accidental. Sorry.”

“…” Wen Yi rolled her eyes in her heart. What was there to apologize for?

She softened her voice and said pitifully, “The internet says the swelling and pain now is preparation for breastfeeding later. I do not know how long it will hurt. My stomach is also uncomfortable. Pregnancy is so hard.”

Even if Qin Nanshan were any more foolish he could hear her intention. His expression gradually loosened and he laughed softly. “You want me to touch again?”

Wen Yi blinked. “May I?”

“It is not appropriate. If your stomach is still uncomfortable I can rub it for you, but not there.”

“…” Wen Yi could not hold it anymore. “Tell me honestly, that night was not you, right? Everything that should have been done was done. What are you pretending now? When you applied the oil I did not hear you say no.”

Qin Nanshan was silent.

After a while he called her name. “Wen Yi, this is different.”

A block of wood, Wen Yi cursed in her heart. Tofu delivered to the door and he still would not eat it.

But in the end the one who had to compromise could only be her. Wen Yi said angrily, “Qin Nanshan, my stomach hurts!”

He looked over, pressed his lips together, and moved closer again.

This time the hand no longer landed in the wrong place.

The palm gradually grew warm, circling again and again on her belly. The pain eased a little.

Wen Yi looked up. The man was turned sideways, close to her. Under the warm yellow light above, his refined face looked soft and casual. Only then did Wen Yi notice that his double eyelids were distinct, the folds at the inner corners deep, the outer corners widening from narrow to broad, like an opened folding fan.

His eyes were also very beautiful. The curve at the outer corners lifted slightly. The pupils were pure black, without impurities, like the man himself, clean and bright.

Wen Yi’s mood improved a little. These eyes placed on a girl would be stunning enough. Her daughter would certainly be pretty.

She stared at him and remembered those few photos. “Qin Nanshan, why did you peek at me today?”

“When did I peek at you?”

“In the evening when we were eating in the cafeteria.”

“I did not peek. You saw wrong.”

Wen Yi smiled proudly. “Heh. I have evidence.”

Qin Nanshan stopped his movement. His gaze came over. “What evidence?”

Wen Yi was feeling comfortable and was dissatisfied. She pulled his hand to continue, then found that photo and shoved it in front of him.

Qin Nanshan saw the photo clearly. A trace of emotion flashed through his dark eyes.

Wen Yi was confident and proud. “Tell me. Have you fallen in love with me?”