ISBH - Chapter 40
Chapter 40: Extra
Shen Qian was buried in preparation for the Postgraduate Entrance Exam.
Shen Qian had two idols in her life. One was Mo Sang, a star of film, television and music in the entertainment industry, and the other was Han Tian, a genius of exceptional talent in her academic field.
Whenever studying grew tense, Shen Qian liked to listen to Mo Sang's songs.
In the words of the industry, Mo Sang had a voice kissed by God. Her singing held a kind of magic that could make people forget the sorrow and negativity in their hearts and give them endless hope.
Shen Qian had fallen for Mo Sang when she first heard her songs in her final year of high school. After that she diligently did Chart Voting for Mo Sang and bought her records. Because she often visited Mo Sang's Super Topic, she met a group of outstanding friends there. From her final year of high school to her fourth year of college, it could be said that Mo Sang had accompanied Shen Qian through her entire youth.
And whenever she hit a wall in her studies, Shen Qian liked to browse Han Tian's Weibo.
Professor Han represented Shen Qian's academic ideal in her heart.
Shen Qian wanted to pass the Postgraduate Entrance Exam and go on to a doctorate. She was determined to devote her life to research and vowed to study under Han Tian and become a top physicist.
Yet Professor Han's Weibo read like that of a retired old cadre. Every time Shen Qian saw it she sighed. They were only a few years apart in age, yet Professor Han's mind was already on such a high plane. Perhaps that was the difference between a master and an ordinary person.
Shen Qian's own grades were actually excellent. She had graduated from a top university in the country and her major courses were outstanding. Yet she had one weakness. Her English was really too poor by comparison! It dragged her down badly.
Although Professor Han kept a low profile, everyone knew she was a master. Those who wanted to become her graduate students were beyond counting, and as Shen Qian prepared for the exam she felt a huge sense of crisis.
To study English well, Shen Qian changed her Weibo name to "Tell Me to Study" and cut down her daily time online. When she did go online each day she only chatted with the fans she followed in the Super Topic and looked over current affairs questions.
In recent days Mo Sang had been viciously smeared, and with some news Shen Qian had heard from inside the industry, she could not even calm down to study. She focused on defending Mo Sang online. Watching the mass unstan scene in the Super Topic, Shen Qian felt awful, yet she still risked being mocked and posted on Weibo, "I believe in Sang Sang!"
As a loyal fan for many years, Shen Qian knew more. She knew Mo Sang had privately set up a foundation to help orphans and the elderly and had donated many schools to poor mountain areas...
Now that she knew about Mo Sang's background, Shen Qian suddenly understood why Mo Sang did these things, and she admired Mo Sang even more. The world had shown her great malice, yet Mo Sang still worked hard to give back to the world...
After Shen Qian posted that Weibo, a flood of voices cursing her as a brainless fan rushed in as expected. Amid those voices, Shen Qian saw a familiar ID like her post and leave a comment, "Go memorize your postgraduate vocab now."
This friend's old ID had been 'Cub Is Sweet Today'. For some unknown reason she had recently changed from a mom fan to a girlfriend fan, and her ID had become 'Mo Sang's Girlfriend'.
She was the fated lucky fan whom Mo Sang had acknowledged some time ago. Because of that, this friend had drawn even more attacks, yet she kept fighting the haters.
Sadly this friend probably rarely went online and was no match at all for those unreasonable haters.
At such a moment, being solemnly urged by this friend to go memorize vocabulary, Shen Qian suddenly found her a little cute.
Yet her heart was in turmoil. After reading for a while Shen Qian could not go on, and she went back on Weibo to fight the haters before she knew it.
Then she ran into 'Mo Sang's Girlfriend' under another Weibo post.
'Mo Sang's Girlfriend' tagged 'Tell Me to Study' and wrote, "Don't you want to become Han Tian's graduate student anymore?"
After seeing that line Shen Qian's nose stung. Thinking of something she had heard recently, she messaged that friend privately as if driven by some impulse. "I heard a rumor recently. It seems Master Han Tian was betrayed by her assistant and took a hard blow. She doesn't plan to take graduate students this year! T_T..."
A long time passed before that friend replied to her. "She does have that idea in mind. Do you really want to become her graduate student that much? From what I know, Professor Han isn't good with words and is slow in personal matters. Even her assistant betrayed her..."
Hearing this, Shen Qian knew this friend must also be an insider, and she immediately defended her idol. "That was her assistant's own fault. If I had such a good chance I'd burn incense in gratitude! Master Han Tian is so beautiful and so amazing. She was born to be admired. If I were her I'd strut sideways when I walk! The way she acts now is already super low key and modest..."
A few minutes later, that friend's message came back.
Mo Sang's Girlfriend wrote, "Thank you. I understand."
Mo Sang's Girlfriend wrote, "Rest assured. Han Tian will still take students this year. Although she grew up abroad, she's not strict about English. As long as you can read and translate the literature it's enough. She has been researching topics related to magnetic fields and spacetime lately, going into the relevant subfields... You can strengthen your practice in this area."
"Keep going!"
Shen Qian had not expected the other person to reveal so much information, and it all looked extremely professional. Shen Qian suspected she might be a future senior from the Research Institute, and her heart surged with excitement as she hurried to thank her.
Mo Sang's Girlfriend wrote, "No need to thank me. It should be almost midnight back home. Go rest now, and remember to memorize vocabulary tomorrow."
So this friend was abroad now?
Seeing that line, Shen Qian felt low again and could not help pouring out her troubles. "I usually sleep early at this hour, but seeing Sang Sang slandered like this makes me sad."
Mo Sang's Girlfriend wrote, "I'll protect her well."
Mo Sang's Girlfriend wrote, "Little one, go to sleep now."
...
This friend seemed super cute!
It was already past midnight, far beyond Shen Qian's usual bedtime. Shen Qian said good night to her and then fell asleep.
Because she had heard that Han Tian would still take graduate students, Shen Qian recovered some drive the next day. She got up early and went to the library to study on her own, and her efficiency recovered a lot. Before sleep she went on Weibo to thank that friend, but the friend never replied.
Shen Qian did not mind and kept getting up early to study at the library, but the classmate across from her suddenly looked at a mobile phone and blurted out, "Holy shit"...
Shen Qian looked up. The person across from her glanced at her with embarrassment and apologized repeatedly, "Sorry, I'm just too shocked! Holy shit! I really never thought Mo Sang would be linked to a master in the research world..."
?
Shen Qian could not study at all anymore. She took the chance of a bathroom break to scroll Weibo, then froze on the spot!
Master Han Tian knows Mo Sang?
And it looks like their relationship is far from shallow...
After getting over her initial shock, Shen Qian almost jumped up with joy!
She had nowhere to pour out this happiness, and Shen Qian suddenly thought of that friend using the 'Mo Sang's Girlfriend' ID last time, and she sent another private message. "Girl! My worlds just collided! I bet Master Han Tian and Mo Sang definitely have a secret affair! Aaaaaah!"
That friend did not reply at the time, and Shen Qian did not bother about it. She joined the many onlookers trying to figure out the relationship between the two.
After all, Professor Han's word 'support her' could mean many things.
After calming her excitement, Shen Qian secretly grew hopeful. The more she thought, the more she felt the two matched in every way. After thinking it over, Shen Qian changed her ID directly to "Sang Tian CP Locked Forever!"
What a lovely meaning Sang Tian CP has!
Even if seas turn to fields, they will never leave each other.
Shen Qian never thought the pairing she had started shipping in the morning would come true by night. Mo Sang made an Official Announcement directly!
That is so like her!
After seeing the music video Mo Sang posted, Shen Qian sat straight up in bed and turned into a screaming marmot, "Aaaaaah!"
She was not the only one in the dorm building screaming "Aaaaaah!" After Shen Qian cried out, many more cries of "Aaaaaah!" rang out from elsewhere in the building!
Too excited to hold back, Shen Qian scrolled Bilibili. Already some skilled editors said they wanted to cut videos of the two, but because Master Han Tian kept such a low profile, there were too few clips to be found for now, so they hoped fans would contribute enthusiastically.
Shen Qian happily submitted her treasured clips of Han Tian and showered the uploader with a stream of fan flattery about Han Tian.
When Shen Qian happily logged off, she found 'Mo Sang's Girlfriend' had replied to her.
Mo Sang's Girlfriend wrote, "It's not a secret affair. They're properly dating and have met each other's families."
?!
The other person knew so much inside information that Shen Qian became even more certain. This friend must be her future senior!
Shen Qian was so happy she almost jumped up!
She decided she must memorize postgraduate vocabulary well and become Han Tian's graduate student. Then she could not only meet both her idols but also enjoy their sweet moments anytime and anywhere!
But before becoming a graduate student, Shen Qian decided to kindly remind this friend. "Girl, Sang Sang already belongs to Master Han Tian. Is it really okay for you to keep using that ID?"
Mo Sang's Girlfriend wrote, "T_T, I want to change it too."
Mo Sang's Girlfriend wrote, "I've used up my chances to change it."
...
Could it be that two people share this Weibo account?
Shen Qian found this friend really cute. She shared with her the joy of sending clips to the skilled editor, and told her she would probably not log on to Weibo for a while. She had to study hard and was determined to become Master Han Tian's graduate student...
'Mo Sang's Girlfriend' patiently encouraged her.
Shen Qian worked incredibly hard in the time that followed. When the written scores came out she ranked in the top three in her major and made it to the interview.
At this point it was very likely she would be accepted by Han Tian, yet Shen Qian felt both happy and afraid. When a dream is within reach, people often grow more nervous, and Shen Qian feared she would be cut.
Just then, Shen Qian's cousin's girlfriend invited her to dinner, saying two other friends would join them.
Shen Qian's cousin is named Shen Xin, and her girlfriend is named Qiao Rou, a beautiful older sister who looks extremely gentle and intellectual.
Yet Shen Qian knew this was an illusion. When Qiao Rou was little she ignored everyone and only played with Shen Xin. Shen Qian still remembered how, when she was little, she once messed up Shen Xin's clothes while fooling around and did not apologize. That very day Qiao Rou hacked into her computer and sent her flirty chat logs with a boy from class to the family group, which forced Shen Qian to keep a low profile at home for a long time...
Shen Qian feared nothing in heaven or on earth except Qiao Rou.
Now that Qiao Rou had sent an invitation, Shen Qian did not dare refuse.
Shen Qian dawdled her way to the restaurant they had agreed on. She arrived early when no one else had come yet. Not wanting to enter the private room so early, she sat bored in the hall waiting for the rest.
The restaurant owner was very warm to her, and after she gave the name of the private room, the owner stuffed her with a pile of snacks. "You're a friend of our Mo... boss, and an honored guest of ours..."
Shen Qian paid no mind to the flicker of hesitation in the owner's words.
She stared wide eyed at the entrance. A pair of young women walked in.
Both wore masks and loose clothes that hid their figures...
Yet Shen Qian was a diehard fan, and the more she looked the more she felt these two resembled her idols...
The two walked into the corridor, and Shen Qian could not tell which private room they entered. She craned her neck, torn over whether to follow and take a look.
Just then Shen Xin and Qiao Rou walked in. Shen Xin glanced at Shen Qian with curiosity. "Qianqian, what are you doing?"
"Nothing," Shen Qian withdrew her gaze with regret and looked at Shen Xin. "What about you? Why invite me to dinner all of a sudden?"
Hearing this, Shen Xin laughed. "You've worked hard for the Postgraduate Entrance Exam lately. Qiao Rou and I want to give you a surprise..."
Qiao Rou giving her a surprise? More like a scare!
Shen Qian grumbled inwardly but did not dare show it. She could only smile obediently at Qiao Rou. "Thank you, Sister Qiao Rou."
Qiao Rou smiled and gave Shen Qian a meaningful look that covered Shen Qian in goosebumps, yet she said nothing.
The three walked into the private room together. When she saw the people inside who had taken off their masks, Shen Qian's eyes went wide, and then she pinched her own arm hard!
It hurt. It was not a dream!
So she was really going to have dinner with Mo Sang and Professor Han?!
Shen Qian almost fainted with happiness!
She sat down trembling, her heart about to leap from her chest, not daring to move at all.
Shen Qian never thought Qiao Rou would actually bring her a surprise!
Close to tears, she decided she would never say bad things about her behind her back to Shen Xin again!
...
Qiao Rou and Mo Sang seemed very familiar with each other. "I brought my cousin. You don't mind, right?"
In the past, whenever Qiao Rou called her 'cousin', Shen Qian would only sneer inwardly that Qiao Rou was pretending to be young. Yet now Shen Qian could not speak at all.
She felt like crying. Sang Sang was looking at her!
"It's fine," Mo Sang glanced lazily at Qiao Rou, and when she turned to Han Tian her gaze turned extremely gentle. "This is Qiao Rou, a master in the computer field. She was the one who dug up Wang Zhi's post last time."
Han Tian thanked Qiao Rou gently.
She felt like crying. She had gotten her sweet moment! She was dying!
Watching their interaction, Shen Qian felt incredibly excited. Holding back a goofy auntie grin, her face turned red from holding it in, and she could barely breathe.
Qiao Rou introduced the others on her side. When it came to Shen Qian, before Qiao Rou could say Shen Qian's name, Shen Qian had already stood up with a red face and bowed at ninety degrees. "Hello, Professor Han and Mo Sang. I'm Shen Qian. My Weibo ID is 'Tell Me to Study'. I recently changed it to... ahem, I'm a fan of you both. I'm really so happy to meet you today..."
Shen Qian did not notice Han Tian glance at her in surprise.
"Look at you," Qiao Rou glanced at Shen Qian helplessly, then turned to Mo Sang and got straight to the point. "Shen Qian has always wanted to test into your girlfriend's program as a graduate student. I brought her here on purpose today..."
"I never interfere in professional matters," Mo Sang glanced at Han Tian and took her hand. "Sister, don't listen to Qiao Rou's nonsense. Don't feel pressured. I paid Qiao Rou when I asked for her help..."
Han Tian's feelings about research were very pure, and Mo Sang did not want Han Tian to carry a burden because of her. Besides, Mo Sang was close to Qiao Rou and knew she would not get angry over such things.
Although Han Tian did not state her stance, Qiao Rou was willing to help her, and Shen Qian thought even more highly of Qiao Rou for it.
To Mo Sang's surprise, Han Tian glanced at Shen Qian and smiled with curved lips. "I think she's quite good..."
Coming from Han Tian, that was already high praise!
Shen Qian was so happy she almost floated!
Especially after the dinner, when Han Tian actually smiled and told her, "I'll wait for you in the lab," and Mo Sang actually asked to add her on WeChat!
Shen Qian felt this was the happiest day of her life!
Shen Qian took out her mobile phone with trembling hands and added Mo Sang on WeChat, nearly fainting on the spot!
Shen Qian did not notice Mo Sang's thoughtful gaze on her.
...
That very night Shen Qian excitedly told 'Mo Sang's Girlfriend'.
"I got my sweet moment!"
"I met Professor Han and Mo Sang in person!"
"They're both so beautiful! I love them so much!"
"I think I might really become Professor Han's student!"
"Aaaaaah! I'm going crazy!"
...
Mo Sang's Girlfriend wrote, "Han Tian likes you a lot. Keep going!"
So even her future senior already knew Professor Han thought highly of her?
Shen Qian felt her body fill with drive! She was determined to work hard and not embarrass Professor Han!
Shen Qian performed outstandingly in the interview and later indeed entered the Research Institute.
Han Tian was strict but not harsh in professional demands. After spending time together, Shen Qian found this master's personality was actually extremely simple, and sometimes even cute.
Shen Qian lived happily at the Research Institute. A senior teased her that she looked at Professor Han like a puppy seeing a meaty bone, and Shen Qian did not mind at all.
Only after working with her did she realize how formidable Professor Han was in this field!
Shen Qian felt she would probably never catch up to Han Tian in this lifetime, but she could work hard to follow in her footsteps...
Since Han Tian and Mo Sang went public, they had gained many shippers.
The shippers desperately wanted to find sweet moments, yet Professor Han was too mysterious, and the sweet moments they found were pitifully few.
One reason Shen Qian had wanted to become Han Tian's graduate student was to enjoy the sweet moments between Mo Sang and Han Tian. Sadly Mo Sang was busy with work, and half a month after school started Shen Qian had not seen Mo Sang visit Han Tian at the Research Institute once.
Shen Qian could only rely on herself to dig up sweet moments and shared them from time to time with her good friend 'Mo Sang's Girlfriend'.
Although Shen Qian had Mo Sang on WeChat, she never dared contact her. Sang Sang was already so busy. How could she waste her precious time? She was not worthy!
Shen Qian also tried hard to observe which senior 'Mo Sang's Girlfriend' might be, yet perhaps fearing discovery by Han Tian, that senior hid herself well.
Until one day, when the Research Institute had dinner together and everyone took a group photo. Because a speck of dirt had fallen on Shen Qian's shoulder and Han Tian brushed it off just as the photographer pressed the shutter, the photo came out looking as if Han Tian had her arm around her shoulder.
Shen Qian did not think much of it and posted the group photo to her social feed.
The next morning, Shen Qian saw Han Tian's expression change after taking a call, and she walked quickly out of the Research Institute.
The senior beside her told Shen Qian with great experience, "Mo Sang is probably here. Once I saw Professor Han and Mo Sang kissing in the parking lot..."
Shen Qian looked thoughtfully at the gossip shining in that senior's eyes.
At night, Shen Qian finally could not hold back and sent a message to 'Mo Sang's Girlfriend'. "Are you Senior Liu? When did you see them kissing in the parking lot? I wish I could have such luck too."
...
After a long while, Mo Sang's Girlfriend replied.
Mo Sang's Girlfriend wrote, "No."
Mo Sang's Girlfriend wrote, "Focus on your research and don't pry into Professor Han's private life. Smile.jpg"
Shen Qian realized then that she had indeed been rash. She felt this friend probably wanted to focus on enjoying sweet moments and did not want her identity exposed, and she understood her meaning. To ease the embarrassment, she sent another message. "Sorry! I just wanted to share the sweet moments I found lately. My seniors have all seen them being sweet except me. Two senior brothers once saw Mo Sang feeding Professor Han in the parking lot. Someone found that Professor Han's desktop wallpaper has long been Mo Sang. Everyone says Mo Sang is extremely possessive of Professor Han. Our professor is very likely the... bottom one..."
After a long wait, the friend on the other end finally replied with one line. "It's fine." Then she added three smiling faces.
Shen Qian suspected nothing and breathed a slight sigh of relief. "I'll share more sweet moments with you when I find them from now on!"
It seemed the friend was not angry.
Mo Sang's Girlfriend wrote, "Thank you. Be sure to tell me whatever sweet moments you find. Smile.jpg"
Yet in the following week Professor Han never took a call during research again.
Shen Qian did not know if it was her imagination. She felt the usually quiet Professor Han had grown even quieter, and even seemed afraid to meet the eyes of their group...
A few days later at noon, a delivery guy in loose clothes came to the Research Institute.
The guy wore a mask and held a bouquet, saying it was for Han Tian.
Shen Qian went out to watch the fun, but when she saw the delivery guy's eyes above the mask, her eyes went wide!
She sneaked a glance at Professor Han beside her. Professor Han's cheeks were a little red. She had clearly recognized the person too!
Professor Han obediently followed the 'delivery guy' to sign, and only returned long after with flushed cheeks.
In that moment Shen Qian almost wanted to scream!
...
After class that night, Shen Qian immediately messaged 'Mo Sang's Girlfriend' privately. "Aaaaaah! I finally saw it with my own eyes today!"
There was no reply, and then Shen Qian found she had received a WeChat message from Mo Sang.
A Mo Sang (Aaaaaah) wrote, "I beg you, stop shipping us. If you keep it up I'll end up sleeping in the guest room!"
...
?!
It took Shen Qian a long while to react, and then she went completely wild!
She had tasted the sweetest moment of all!
Close to tears, she realized 'Mo Sang's Girlfriend' was the real girlfriend!
The two of them had been openly sharing their love long ago!
Yet this sweetness was only the beginning.
Half a year later, Mo Sang and Han Tian both announced their marriage.
After that, Mo Sang, who rarely posted, turned her Weibo into a daily record of doting on her wife.
Mo Sang released songs more often too, and every song carried the sweetness of love, so that for a time the streets seemed filled with pink bubbles of romance.
At the award ceremony for the highest prize in physics, Han Tian thanked Mo Sang.
Mo Sang became a director and filmed a drama based on the two of them...
...
The way they existed together was the very image of love.
And their sweetness never ends.
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