TIL - 2

Wen Huo slowly approached Shen Cheng, stopping behind him.

Shen Cheng turned around, and only then did Wen Huo notice he was wearing silver-rimmed glasses. He switched hands to undo the other cufflink and said to Wen Huo, “Help me.”

Wen Huo understood and used both hands to take off his glasses.

Shen Cheng’s eyes were beautiful. Mencius said, “I am adept at nurturing my vast, flowing qi.” Yan Jidao said, “An inch of autumn ripples, a thousand measures of bright pearls feel not enough.” Shen Cheng’s eyes gave one the immediate feeling of having a vast spirit within, pearls not even coming close.

He had some astigmatism; she didn’t know the exact degree, but not wearing glasses privately was usually enough for him. She didn’t know why he was wearing them this time.

Wen Huo’s constitution wasn’t good; her hands and feet were perpetually cold, especially during awkward seasons like spring and autumn. She accidentally touched Shen Cheng’s skin, and he looked up at her.

Wen Huo dared not move, holding his glasses, just standing there stiffly.

Shen Cheng had never lost his temper with Wen Huo, but he had never been gentle either. He was a man who, from outside to within, was calm and unruffled. He had many tricks in bed, but Wen Huo had almost never seen him climax.

Of course, it was very likely that he was just good at concealing it.

Shen Cheng looked at her for a while, then took the glasses from her hand, walked through the archway, and placed them on the side table by the floor lamp, saying nothing. He didn’t ask the usual gentlemanly question, “Why don’t you wear more clothes?”

Wen Huo didn’t expect him to; the Shen Cheng she knew wouldn’t say such a thing.

Next, Shen Cheng busied himself with his own affairs, and Wen Huo took out her laptop, began to calculate formulas, and refine her thesis.

The wall clock in the living room was the most active object in the entire room, its second hand ticking around and around. Wen Huo and Shen Cheng were like strangers in the same space, minding their own business without interfering with each other.

After an unknown period, Shen Cheng came out of the study, took a bottle of wine, and went back in.

Shen Cheng wasn’t good with alcohol; the wine he kept at home was almost entirely for Wen Huo. He also had a lot of wine, all gifts from friends. His friends were either rich or noble, and the wines they gifted were rare single bottles from precious vintages.

Wen Huo held her liquor well. In the years she had been Shen Cheng’s mistress, she had more than once taken the wine glass from his hand and helped him finish the leftover wine. However, every time this happened, Shen Cheng would press her against the wall and enter her.

Shen Cheng truly couldn’t drink. Every time he had two glasses, his face would flush like a peach blossom, then he would embrace and kiss Wen Huo, acting as if nothing had happened afterward.

Just as Wen Huo was thinking about Shen Cheng’s reactions after drinking, he walked over and looked at her computer screen: “You submitted to PRL?”

“Mm-hm,” Wen Huo replied softly.

Shen Cheng’s hand covered hers, which was holding the mouse, and he used her hand to scroll the interface: “Where’s the problem?”

Wen Huo honestly told him: “Everywhere.”

Shen Cheng took her wrist, pulled her away, and then sat in her chair himself, starting to look at her thesis.

Wen Huo knew he was drunk. She didn’t know why he was drinking, but this was how Shen Cheng acted when he was drunk. He usually wouldn’t care about her survival; he only cared if she could make him comfortable in bed.

Shen Cheng was very serious; he calculated Wen Huo’s findings as he read.

Wen Huo said nothing, just watched quietly from the side.

Shen Cheng was even more knowledgeable than her supervisor, and if he helped her, she would save a lot of detours. But she had never actively asked him for guidance. To be honest, she couldn’t imagine a scenario where the person who undressed her would help her calculate formulas.

However, Shen Cheng was indeed Shen Cheng. He quickly pointed out several dead ends that had plagued Wen Huo and offered some guidance.

Wen Huo was suddenly enlightened. Competitive as she was, she felt it was an unfair victory to rely on someone else’s help, yet she couldn’t help but accept Shen Cheng’s assistance. There was no other way; Shen Cheng was truly too brilliant. Although their relationship was physical, she only needed to know his skills in bed, but Wen Huo just felt that if he continued down the academic path, there would probably be no other physicist who could share his influence.

Shen Cheng marked Wen Huo’s errors and then gave up the seat. He didn’t explain anything to her; he knew how smart Wen Huo was, often understanding things without needing explicit explanations.

Wen Huo sat down and continued to extend Shen Cheng’s line of thought.

Shen Cheng leaned nearby, watching her study and research.

Time seemed to stand still again, with only the second hand of the wall clock ticking.

Suddenly, Shen Cheng called her name: “Wen Huo.”

Wen Huo looked up: “Hm?”

Shen Cheng stared at her for a while, then leaned down and kissed her lips, just a light touch, but the desire was instantly there.

Wen Huo responded slowly, then opened her eyes wide, staring at him when he released her.

Shen Cheng asked her: “You know I’m not thinking clearly right now. Is there anything you want to ask me for?”

Wen Huo pursed her lips, thought for a moment, and said, “Tickets to the public lecture, is that possible?”

Shen Cheng didn’t answer immediately: “Then what do you have to exchange for it?”

Wen Huo couldn’t understand. Didn’t he just ask her to request something? Why did he ask for an exchange now? She stopped talking. He was drunk now, so silence was better.

Shen Cheng looked at her: “Again.”

Wen Huo looked up again: “Hm?”

Shen Cheng kissed her lips again. This time the kiss was long and delicate, completely like two people caught up in an intense, intimate moment.

After he finished kissing her, he said, “The tickets will be delivered to your school tomorrow.”

Wen Huo lowered her head and touched the saliva on her lips: “Oh.”