Marriage First, Love Later: The Soft and Obedient Little Wife of Mr. Lu - Chapter 138: Shen Tangyu & Bai Fan (Part 1)

Chapter 138: Shen Tangyu & Bai Fan (Part 1)

[To avoid content review, this chapter will contain many homophones]

Shen Tangyu first met Bai Fan during his senior year of university.

At that time, he had already been recommended for postgraduate studies by his university and had co-founded a futures trading company with several like-minded partners.

While others were still confused about graduation, he had already found his future direction early on and was doing exceptionally well, with many wealthy people seeking cooperation with him.

Meeting Bai Fan was purely accidental, or perhaps, arranged by fate.

Their dormitory’s youngest member came from a poor family and had been working while studying throughout his four years of college. They all saw this but no one deliberately pitied him – it was all brotherly care.

The youngest was teaching at a tutoring class outside campus. One day when something happened at his home, he worried that skipping the tutoring class might cost him the job, so he begged Shen Tangyu to substitute for him for a few days.

Shen Tangyu didn’t have much going on at the time, so he agreed.

The tutoring class was full of students, but Shen Tangyu didn’t need any preparation for this level of knowledge. He had been an outstanding student since childhood, never dropping from first place in grades – the other people’s child that Masters often talked about.

However, these students weren’t paying attention in class, always secretly chatting or daydreaming. Instead, there was always a fuzzy little head outside the door watching with great concentration.

Every time Shen Tangyu noticed it, the little head would quickly hide, then peek out again after a few seconds.

Shen Tangyu found it somewhat amusing but didn’t pay much mind. After class when the classroom emptied, he walked out with his books and saw the owner of that fuzzy head at the doorway.

It was a slim boy with fair, tender skin, wearing cheap street vendor clothes – his jeans washed until faded and the cuffs worn out.

He seemed somewhat malnourished, his skin showing an unnatural pallor. He had round eyes, pale pink lips, and delicate, exceptionally pretty features.

At first glance, the boy reminded Shen Tangyu of the little kitten he had raised in his hometown as a child – well-behaved, soft, and adorable, though unfortunately it later ran away.

What are you doing?

Shen Tangyu couldn’t help asking. He had a calm temperament, usually taciturn, and when he spoke, his voice was deep and steady, making him appear particularly serious.

The child indeed turned even paler with fright, his eyes fearful as he stubbornly said, I’m waiting for my class to finish.

But everyone inside has already left.

The boy bit his lip, looking somewhat embarrassed. Oh, I didn’t notice. I’ll go catch up with him then.

With that, he ran off. Shen Tangyu watched the boy’s retreating figure and left shaking his head.

Unexpectedly, he encountered that boy again in the evening.

At that time, Shen Tangyu happened to be having dinner with several partners. They were all around the same age and got along well – a group of young people who never complained about hardships while pursuing their dreams.

They went to a barbecue restaurant outside the school, and the waiter serving them turned out to be the same boy from the tutoring class.

Bai Fan was also startled to see Shen Tangyu, but quickly returned to normal and began taking their orders.

He wore a small apron around his waist – that slender waist seemingly graspable with one hand – busy and sweating, his eyes moist.

Shen Tangyu didn’t think much of it at the time, enthusiastically discussing company matters with his friends – talking about which boss had invested how much money, which futures had recently earned how much profit.

Shen Tangyu came from a well-off family, but since starting university, he had earned a considerable amount through futures trading and stock investments. He no longer needed financial support from home and could even contribute money to his family.

The commotion occurred at the next table, where a group of rowdy adults, having drunk too much, began boasting loudly with heightened emotions.

Many around them frowned in displeasure, but the group paid no attention and grew even more excited.

When Shen Tangyu’s friend kindly reminded them to lower their voices, they became aggressive, their faces red and necks bulging as they started picking a fight.

Is this your house? I’ll talk however I want!

A bunch of college kids who haven’t even grown all their feathers, who do you think you’re lecturing?

………

Shen Tangyu’s friend also grew angry and was about to argue back when the restaurant staff, hearing the noise, hurried over to mediate.

Bai Fan apologized to Shen Tangyu and his friends, looking uneasy as he offered to move them to another table and provide a complimentary side dish.

However, the troublesome table refused to let it go. Seeing Bai Fan was young and easy to bully, they began nitpicking about the restaurant—complaining about slow service one moment and claiming the dishes were undersalted the next.

Bai Fan could only keep bowing and apologizing. His submissive attitude infuriated the passionate college students, who seethed at the sight of the arrogant group.

Unexpectedly, one of the drunk men lost control and dumped a freshly made bowl of dough drop soup all over Bai Fan.

The soup, just out of the hot pot, was still steaming. Bai Fan gritted his teeth against the scalding pain, not uttering a sound, though a fierce glint flashed in his eyes before he forcibly suppressed it.

The man’s friends, realizing he had gone too far, pulled him back to his seat. If the police were called, they would be the ones at a disadvantage.

Shen Tangyu and his friends, however, couldn’t stand by and watch. They wanted to demand justice for Bai Fan—how could a group of uncouth adults bully a kid like this?

But Bai Fan, clenching his jaw, stopped them. His white T-shirt was stained and dripping with soup.

His chest burned with a tingling pain, and the corners of his eyes turned red from restraint, glistening with unshed tears like a bullied stray kitten.

It’s fine, it’s fine. Let me get you another table. I’m really sorry.

We’re okay. You should go rinse with cold water quickly—be careful of burns.

What kind of people are they? Let’s call the police and report them!

Hearing this, Bai Fan waved his hands anxiously. No, don’t call the police! I’m fine, thank you.

His nervous eyes and troubled expression made him seem like a younger brother in their eyes, stirring uncontrollable pity.

What are you afraid of? We’ll testify for you—they started it!

I worked hard to get this part-time job. If the police come, my boss won’t hire me again.

Bai Fan explained cautiously, his eyes pleading. The group exchanged glances and reluctantly let the matter drop.

After the meal, Shen Tangyu saw his friends off one by one at the entrance and was about to head back to campus himself.

Suddenly, he spotted a furtive figure in the corner. Looking closer, he saw it was Bai Fan—secretly deflating a car tire and giving the vehicle’s rear a fierce kick.

How dare you throw things at me? Pah! Disgusting men!

Shen Tangyu couldn’t help but chuckle softly. Pretending he hadn’t seen anything, he returned to school.

The next day, at the tutoring center, he spotted that fluffy-haired head again during his lecture.

Shen Tangyu heard from classmates that Bai Fan came from a poor family—his parents had passed away when he was young, and he had been living with his uncle ever since.

Perhaps it was the discomfort of depending on others, or perhaps it was his innate pride, but Bai Fan often skipped classes. However, because he excelled academically, the teachers never contacted his guardians.

When those students talked about this, their eyes were full of contempt, and their lips curled into scornful smiles, seemingly resentful of the teachers’ unfair treatment.

After class, Shen Tangyu went downstairs but suddenly realized he had forgotten his phone. When he went back upstairs, he spotted a slender figure in the classroom standing by the podium, staring at the formula he had written on the blackboard.

Seeing Shen Tangyu return, the boy showed no surprise. Clutching Shen Tangyu’s phone, he pointed at the blackboard and asked, I don’t really understand this part.