Free Web NovelChapter 429: Chapter 429: Yanxi 37
As expected, after the list of the first sponsored students was announced, some people inevitably questioned the whole thing. But Xu Yanxi ignored it all.
She continued to teach her classes as scheduled, as if the campus drama didn’t affect her at all. After all, it was only a temporary fuss. A new scandal would break soon enough, and it would be far more explosive than any news about her.
Time trickled by. Xu Yanxi and Sheng Zhou never saw each other again, both having tacitly agreed to erase the other from their memories. Xu Yanxi genuinely couldn’t recall him. As for Sheng Zhou, who knew?
In any case, Jin Xiuyu never mentioned Sheng Zhou in front of Xu Yanxi, and it was even more unlikely for Tan You to bring it up. She had no interest in trivial romantic matters and disliked discussing them.
"Professor, I have an appointment to try on wedding dresses tomorrow. Do you have time to come with me?" Xu Yanxi had just gotten home from work and was petting her cat when she got the call from Jin Li.
Xu Yanxi chuckled. "You’re the one trying on wedding dresses. Why would I tag along?"
Jin Li pleaded, "Please come, Professor! It’s such an important occasion, and I want you to be there to witness it. I already checked—you only have two classes tomorrow morning. I’m begging you."
Xu Yanxi couldn’t say no to her. "Alright, fine. I’ll go with you to try on dresses. Come to think of it, isn’t Little Snow getting married soon too?"
Jin Li nodded enthusiastically. "Yep! We planned to have our weddings around the same time. Little Snow is going to try on dresses too, so you can just come for both of us."
Xu Yanxi thought it sounded like a meaningful occasion. "Alright, as long as you don’t mind my questionable taste."
"That’s not true! Professor, your taste is amazing," Jin Li immediately retorted. "Haven’t you noticed? A lot of us try to imitate your style. Your fashion sense is truly one-of-a-kind!"
’That’s because Tan You has good taste,’ Xu Yanxi thought. ’I just dress according to her suggestions. As for my own fashion sense, it’s completely average.’
"You’re exaggerating," Xu Yanxi said, shaking her head. "What time tomorrow? By the way, since you’re trying on wedding dresses, you probably can’t eat beforehand, right? Otherwise, the dresses won’t look as good."
Jin Li pouted. "Right. So I’m just drinking milk tomorrow."
"Professor, you’ve never been married. How do you know about that?"
A flicker of emotion crossed Xu Yanxi’s eyes. "Other professors at the university get married. I’ve been to a few weddings."
She remembered her wedding to Jin Taiyuan in her past life—all the preparations, everything. Back then, she had poured her heart into planning the ceremony while he was out having an affair. The irony was bitter.
Shaking off those thoughts, Xu Yanxi’s expression cleared. She had nothing to do with Jin Taiyuan anymore. Dwelling on the past now would just make it seem like she was still hung up on him.
「The next day was Tuesday.」 After finishing her two classes, Xu Yanxi left the university and headed to the bridal salon. When she arrived, Jin Li and Zheng Xue were already in the middle of getting their makeup done. Seeing her walk in, they both greeted her in unison, "Professor, you’re here!"
Xu Yanxi sat on the sofa behind them. "Mm, you both look beautiful today. You’ll be even more stunning on your wedding days."
Jin Li winked at Xu Yanxi. "Professor, would you like to try on a wedding dress? I heard the boutique just got a new shipment, all of them fresh off the runway."
Xu Yanxi refused flatly. "No, thank you. I don’t have a boyfriend or any marriage prospects. Why would I try on a wedding dress?"
Mostly, she just thought it would be a hassle.
Jin Li wheedled, "Professor, you should at least try one on! There’s a gown that I thought would be perfect for you the moment I saw it."
Zheng Xue added, "Is it that mermaid-style gown?"
Jin Li high-fived her. "I knew we were on the same wavelength! But it’s not a wedding dress. I asked the consultant—it’s an evening gown. Incredibly elegant and classy."
"It’s perfect for the Professor."
Hearing it was an evening gown and not a wedding dress, Xu Yanxi’s interest was finally piqued. "Alright, I’ll go take a look."
She owned quite a few gowns. Tan You took a certain pleasure in dressing her up like a doll, buying any beautiful clothes she saw for her. After Xu Yanxi had returned, her wardrobe had filled up with gorgeous outfits.
Of course, Xu Yanxi herself loved beautiful dresses, and she would wear whatever Tan You bought for her, her motto being to accept all comers.
Tan You appeared beside her. "That gown is indeed very beautiful. The size is right, and the design is elegant and sophisticated."
With Tan You’s personal stamp of approval, Xu Yanxi had only one thought: if the price was right, she would buy it. Following a sales associate into the fitting room, her eyes immediately fell on the mermaid gown, which was carefully encased in a garment bag.
Seeing the wonder in Xu Yanxi’s eyes, Tan You said softly, "It would suit you. Go try it on."
A few minutes later, the fitting room door opened, and a woman of stunning elegance emerged. The gown’s tailored cut perfectly hugged every curve of her body, yet the style was extremely conservative, covering her completely except for her hands.
And yet, no one could tear their eyes away from her.
Jin Li and Zheng Xue stared at Xu Yanxi, showering her with compliments, with Jin Li leading the charge. "Professor, you look absolutely gorgeous! That gown is perfect for you!"
Zheng Xue added, "I’ve never seen you dressed like this, Professor. I’m only just realizing how captivating this sophisticated charm of yours is."
"That goes without saying! The Professor isn’t just beautiful, she has an incredible presence too!"
Xu Yanxi felt a little light-headed from their effusive praise, but she managed to keep her composure. "I quite like it. Is this gown for sale?"
The sales associate’s face lit up. "It is! You have excellent taste, ma’am. Shall I ring it up for you?"
Zheng Xue had already brought over a pair of stiletto heels. "Professor, it’ll look even better with these shoes."
Xu Yanxi tried them on. "Nice. Wrap them up. I’ll wear this to your weddings. Will it be too flashy?"
"Not at all!" they said in unison. "It’s not red, so how could it be flashy?"
The corners of Xu Yanxi’s eyes crinkled as she smiled. "Alright, I’ll go change out of the gown."
When she saw the price at the register, Xu Yanxi couldn’t help but wince. Tan You sighed helplessly. "Let me buy it for you. The old man is worried you’ll be a spendthrift, but look how frugal you are."
Xu Yanxi argued righteously, "It’s not easy to make money. We have to cherish every penny we have. Even though I didn’t earn it myself, I still have to be careful with it."
To be fair, in her entire past life, right up until the day she died, Xu Yanxi had never possessed this much money. Every time she saw something she liked, she would have to deliberate over whether it was worth buying, and she almost always ended up choosing the most practical and affordable option.
But now that Tan You had given her so much money, Xu Yanxi didn’t dare spend it recklessly, worried that she wouldn’t be able to stop once she started. After all, bad habits were easy to form, and it would be difficult to go back to a frugal lifestyle once she got used to spending.
