Chapter 32

His gaze wasn't much different from usual, but at this moment it was indeed full of unspoken words, waiting for her to discover.
"Teacher Cheng, do you have something to say to me?" Shuangyun turned down the TV volume.
Cheng Lang just looked at her, a very faint smile at the corner of his mouth, more like helplessness, resignation.
"No." He said.
Then, Cheng Lang kissed Shuangyun again.
He kissed very restrainedly. After a few seconds, he also stood up, saying he still had some work to finish.
Shuangyun thought, he was angry.
But she didn't want to change what she'd said. Even if she really wanted to sleep with Cheng Lang, Shuangyun wasn't willing to change her bottom line. Everyone lived for themselves. Perhaps she was more selfish, and at the same time hoped others would be as selfish as her.
If she wanted to do something, don't force others to go with her, and don't give up her own ideas just because she felt lonely.
Even for couples, it was the same. If Cheng Lang had time and willingness to travel with her, she would of course be happy. But she didn't want Cheng Lang to sacrifice for her. Because she wouldn't sacrifice for Cheng Lang either.
She only did what she wanted to do.
Shuangyun knew she was lucky. She had money that didn't require her to worry about survival. She could willfully do what she wanted. So she was grateful and treasured it.
The TV was still playing the variety show, but Shuangyun no longer had the mood to keep watching.
Cheng Lang wasn't working in the living room. He had another desk in the bedroom.
She got up and knocked on the door. Cheng Lang opened it.
Shuangyun saw he was holding headphones.
"Are you going to have a meeting?"
Cheng Lang said: "There's a meeting with the US side tonight."
"How long?"
"Not long, half an hour. I'll come out to cook after it's over." Cheng Lang said.
Shuangyun said: "Can I come in and keep you company? I won't talk."
"It'll be boring."
"I want to keep you company."
Shuangyun grabbed Cheng Lang's hand. Cheng Lang couldn't refuse at all.
He brought her into the bedroom. Shuangyun automatically got on the bed.
"I'll just quietly play on my phone here."
"Really won't be bored?" Cheng Lang asked again.
Shuangyun pulled him and kissed his cheek.
"I want to keep you company a bit longer. Go ahead."
The meeting started quickly. Cheng Lang looked back at Shuangyun, then turned and put on his headphones.
During his last visit to the US university, they'd discussed some collaboration opportunities. Working with universities on projects didn't make much money. The research was difficult and hard to quickly apply, but Cheng Lang had never given up pushing forward.
Shuangyun didn't look at her phone, just kept listening to Cheng Lang speak.
He wore headphones. From the side, she could see his high brow bones and nose bridge. His speaking voice was deep and steady. When discussing academic issues, he was always very serious.
He liked doing research. Shuangyun was certain of this.
Working with universities, teaching at school, supervising students—none of it made much money. And every night Cheng Lang needed to spend his own time on research. Shuangyun thought, he liked it.
The meeting ended after more than forty minutes. Cheng Lang took off his headphones.
"Bored?" Cheng Lang reached for Shuangyun on the bed.
Shuangyun naturally hugged him.
"They invited you to take a teaching position in the US?"
Shuangyun had caught this information from Cheng Lang's meeting.
Cheng Lang picked her up and went to the living room.
"A professor there got new funding, so a position opened up. They asked if I wanted to go." Cheng Lang said. "I said I'd consider it."
"Then do you want to go?" Shuangyun asked.
Cheng Lang set her down on the sofa: "It's not that simple."
"But my question is simple," Shuangyun held Cheng Lang's hand, "I'm asking if you want to go?"
At a certain moment, Cheng Lang felt Shuangyun was like a sharp blade, able to smoothly expose weaknesses, and also precisely hit the vital point.
Cheng Lang sat down beside her.
Shuangyun continued: "Although you're the technical boss at the company, you know industrial models aren't that difficult. Graduate and undergraduate students can handle them after a year or two. You must have made quite a bit of money over the years, right? Going to the US would only make more. Your parents run a restaurant with employees. You don't need to worry too much about them. Every night you spend your own extra time tutoring students, preparing lessons, grading papers. Research isn't simple either, but even so you haven't given up. Cheng Lang, you have enough conditions and reasons to support you doing what you want to do."
Shuangyun clearly laid out all the objective conditions and subjective thoughts on the table.
Many years ago, when his mother was sick and the family was in the urgent moment of opening a new restaurant, that time had passed. Over the years, Cheng Lang hadn't deliberately sought opportunities to return to the US, but this time, the opportunity had really reappeared.
But was Shuangyun completely right?
In the quiet apartment, Cheng Lang looked at Shuangyun beside him.
What about her?
Everything around him allowed him to leave here and go to the US. But what about Shuangyun?
Cheng Lang looked at Shuangyun, certain she hadn't given any statement about herself.