CEG Chapter 10

On Saturday mornings, Jiang Muping had no classes and got up later than usual. His teaching assistant called him at that time.

 

“Hello?” Jiang Muping opened the curtains, and the dazzling sunlight from outside shone in, making him squint.

 

“Professor, are you awake?”

 

“I’m up.” Jiang Muping’s voice was a little hoarse.

 

“Alright, don’t forget the debate at 9:00 AM,” the teaching assistant said on the phone. “I’ll come pick you up later, or is there anything you want me to do?”

 

Jiang Muping walked out of the bedroom in his slippers and said, “You go first, I’ll go over by myself later.”

 

“Okay, see you later.”

 

There was a debate competition in the city today, and Jiang Muping, a professor of criminal law at the North City University Court, was invited by the organizers to be a guest. Since there were students from North City University among the contestants, Jiang Muping did not decline.

 

Jiang Muping went to the bathroom to take a shower and wash up. The electric shaver seemed to be broken. After charging it overnight, it still wouldn’t start. Jiang Muping thought about buying a new one when he got back, and he took out the manual shaver that hadn’t been used for a long time from the cabinet.

 

Jiang Muping hadn’t used his hands in ages, so he accidentally got a small cut on his chin. Blood spread through the white shaving foam. Jiang Muping endured the slight stinging pain and shaved off the remaining stubble, then rinsed the foam off his face.

 

Jiang Muping raised his chin and looked in the mirror. The wound was on his jaw and was not noticeable.

 

Breakfast was still a cup of warm water and a few slices of whole wheat bread. It wasn’t tasty, but Jiang Muping had no better choice. He wasn’t a very good cook, and he didn’t like going to the supermarket. His requirement for three meals a day was “as long as it’s cooked”

 

The bread was probably a little dry and hard because it had been stored for a while. Jiang Muping took several sips of water before he could swallow it.

 

Before leaving, Jiang Muping opened his wardrobe and spent a long time choosing a tie that he was satisfied with.

 

Lin Weijing was going to participate in a city-level debate competition on Saturday, and he had informed Cheng Yan early, hoping that Cheng Yan could attend. Cheng Yan refused in person, but secretly came to the event.

 

Cheng Yan arrived late. The debaters had already taken their seats on the stage. Among them was Lin Weijing, who was wearing a black suit, had a handsome face and looked very energetic.

 

Cheng Yan hunched over and found a seat in the back row. The host walked onto the stage and began to speak. Cheng Yan listened absentmindedly for a while, and suddenly caught some sensitive information from the host’s words.

 

“…Now, I have the honor of introducing the distinguished guests attending this debate: Professor Jiang Muping of Criminal Law at the Law School of Beicheng University…”

 

The man sitting in the guest seat stood up following the host’s introduction. He looked very tall. Cheng Yan saw him turn sideways and bow slightly towards the audience.

 

The frameless glasses, the high nose bridge, the thin lips, and the side profile were definitely Jiang Muping himself.

 

There was warm applause from the audience, and the photographer ran to Jiang Muping with his camera and took several photos in succession.

 

Jiang Muping was a guest, not a judge, so he had little presence throughout the whole process, but Cheng Yan’s attention was all attracted to him; he originally came to see Lin Weijing, but now his eyes kept glancing at where Jiang Muping was sitting from time to time.

 

Jiang Muping sat upright with his back straight, looking at the stage intently. He held a pen in one hand and his other hand rested relaxedly on the table, occasionally lowering his head to write something down.

 

It was not until the second half that Cheng Yan’s attention returned to Lin Weijing.

 

The Beicheng University debate team won the victory, and Lin Weijing was awarded the title of outstanding debater.

 

I don’t know if it was a deliberate arrangement by the organizers. Although there were senior guests who were more experienced than Jiang Muping, the task of presenting awards to the North City University Debate Team still fell into the hands of Jiang Muping, a young professor.

 

Jiang Muping felt that his behavior was inappropriate, and when he went on stage, he was not very happy, with no expression on his face. When he saw the students from his school, he only raised the corner of his mouth slightly. Lin Weijing smiled brightly, and when taking pictures, he deliberately leaned close to Jiang Muping, grinning foolishly.

 

Just because Cheng Yan stayed here for a while longer, he was discovered by Lin Weijing when he was leaving.

 

At that time, Lin Weijing was discussing the debate with Jiang Muping and reviewing it. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his brother’s familiar figure – Cheng Yan’s hairstyle was too eye-catching, and his appearance was also eye-catching, like a celebrity. One could tell at a glance how different he was from others.

 

By the time Cheng Yan wanted to leave, it was too late. Lin Weijing waved and shouted, “Ge!”

 

Jiang Muping turned around with his notes in hand and looked at him. Cheng Yan’s eyes were first attracted by his(JMP) tie. Cheng Yan now had formed a conditioned reflex and every time he met Jiang Muping, he could not help but look at his(JMP) tie first.

 

Jiang Muping never wore the same tie twice, and today was no exception. His tie colors weren’t particularly different, just subtle variations in style and texture, which Cheng Yan could always spot.

 

Lin Weijing ran up to Cheng Yan, holding the certificate and said, “Didn’t you say you couldn’t come because you had something to do?”

 

“I’m temporarily free again.” Cheng Yan said calmly. He glanced at Jiang Muping, who seemed to be coming over to say hello.

 

Cheng Yan saw the scratch on Jiang Muping’s chin when Jiang Muping was two meters away from him.

 

“What’s wrong with your face?” Cheng Yan asked.

 

“Huh?” Jiang Muping didn’t react.

 

Cheng Yan pointed to his chin and asked, “Did you get cut while shaving?”

 

Jiang Muping touched the thin cut with the tip of his thumb and nodded, “Yeah.”

 

Cheng Yan wasn’t very talkative, so he just uttered some meaningless nonsense, “Electric ones are more convenient.”

 

“It’s broken, so I use the manual one.”

 

The venue was bustling with noise, and Cheng Yan vaguely heard someone in the crowd calling Lin Weijing.

 

“Ah-jing! Ah-jing!”

 

Lin Jianmin and his wife squeezed through the receding crowd. Lin Jianmin held a bouquet of flowers in his hand, and the couple’s faces were beaming. However, when they saw Cheng Yan, their expressions were a little unnatural.

 

“Dad, Mom, why did you rush here?”

 

“Of course I came to watch your performance.” Lin Jianmin patted him on the head and stuffed the roughly wrapped bouquet of flowers into his arms. “These are the flowers your mother bought for you.”

 

Lin Weijing has asthma and cannot smell the smell of pollen, so his mother bought him a bunch of cotton, which was white and fluffy and very cute.

 

Lin Weijing’s expression was still a little dazed, but after he took the flowers, a smile gradually appeared on his face: “Thank you, Dad, thank you, Mom.”

 

Mother Lin’s gaze shifted to Cheng Yan, “Cheng Yan.”

 

Cheng Yan said politely, “Aunt Lin.”

 

Mother Lin nodded slightly, “You are here too.”

 

Lin Jianmin hurriedly introduced Jiang Muping to Lin’s mother: “Shuqing, this is Ajing’s teacher, Professor Jiang.”

 

Lin’s mother wore a pair of old-fashioned glasses, and her manners and words revealed a certain elegance, very much like an intellectual. “Hello, Professor Jiang.”

 

“Hello.”

 

Jiang Muping sensed a certain distance in her expression as she spoke to Cheng Yan. Lin Jianmin and his wife treated Cheng Yan in a similar way, polite and courteous, yet with a certain distance. And Lin’s mother was even more so than his father, seemingly unwilling to speak to Cheng Yan for more than a few words.

 

Of course, we cannot rule out the possibility that Lin’s mother is naturally taciturn.

 

“I won a bonus, and I’m treating everyone to dinner today!” Lin Weijing announced, holding up the red envelope in his hand. “Professor, please join us.”

 

Lin’s mother was the first to stop him, “Don’t spend the money you have, save it and use it as living expenses.”

 

“A meal doesn’t cost much.”

 

“Mom, please.”

 

Jiang Muping shook his head,”No, thank you.”

 

Cheng Yan received many messages. He lowered his head to look at his phone and heard the gentle voice of Lin Weijing’s adoptive mother, “Cheng Yan, how about you?”

 

Cheng Yan raised his head and shook it almost subconsciously, “I have something to do. I won’t be able to come.”

 

Lin Weijing said nothing, just staring at Cheng Yan with a slight frown between his brows. After a moment, his brows relaxed, and he said in a complaining tone, “Why? Are you in trouble again?”

 

“You think I am you?” Cheng Yan replied rudely.

 

“My daily schedule is also very full!” Lin Weijing yelled in anger.

 

“Okay, let’s go.” Mother Lin took Lin Weijing’s arm and said, “What do you want to eat later?”

 

She walked forward arm in arm with Lin Weijing, then suddenly paused, as if she had suddenly remembered to say goodbye to Cheng Yan. She turned and said, “Cheng Yan, we’re leaving first.” She nodded to Jiang Muping and said, “Goodbye, Professor Jiang.”

 

“goodbye.”

 

Lin Jianmin patted Cheng Yan on the shoulder and followed him.

 

They walked into the crowd, chatting and laughing as they headed towards the exit of the venue. Jiang Muping saw Lin Weijing’s adoptive mother still holding her son’s arm tightly, and saw Lin Jianmin rubbing Lin Weijing’s head vigorously with his broad, rough hand.

 

Jiang Muping had taught so many students and met so many people that he could not fail to see the subconscious rejection of Cheng Yan by Lin Jianmin and his wife.

 

Moreover, he understood that this rejection was not one-sided, because Cheng Yan himself would not take the initiative to get close to them.

 

Cheng Yan stared at the crowd for a few seconds. Jiang Muping didn’t know what he was looking at, maybe Lin Weijing, or maybe he was looking at nothing.

 

Jiang Muping didn’t feel sorry for Cheng Yan, he just suddenly felt the wound on his chin hurt again.

 

Manual razors are really hard to use, and whole-wheat bread that had been left out for a few days which was hard to swallow.

 

The current situation does not have to remain unchanged. He can try to change it, and so can many other things.

 

“Cheng Yan.”

 

“Hmm?” Cheng Yan turned his head.

 

“Do you want to marry me?”

 

Cheng Yan was stunned.

 

“Marry me and start a family.”

 

“Jiang Muping…” Cheng Yan looked at him in disbelief.

 

The curled hair on Cheng Yan’s forehead covered his long eyelashes, and as he blinked, it trembled rapidly. Jiang Muping brushed aside the hair and said, “I’m not joking.”

 

“I…can I think about it?” Cheng Yan felt like he was hit on the head with a bat, and his mind was a little confused.

 

“Yes.” Jiang Muping replied.

 

Cheng Yan lowered his head, as if considering something. Ironically, he didn’t think for long before answering.

 

He still lowered his head, “…Um…Okay.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

_______________________________________

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Damn, just last chapter I was complaining about them being slow, now suddenly it’s so fast and unexpected. Lol even though muping thinks he’s neutral about Yanyan and the lin family situation his bias and care towards Yanyan is sleeping throughhh.

Aaahhhhh anyways they’re getting married, that’s a step forward lol (⁠・⁠∀⁠・⁠)

Write down your thoughts about today’s chapter :DD