Chapter 158: Unexpected Moments of Affection

Lily snatched the damaged underwear from his hand and hid it in her embrace.

Her face burned with embarrassment.

She thought to herself that it must be warm, after all, it’s something worn close to the body.

Lin Zheng Ran found her tsundere act amusing and quickly put on his clothes.

This clumsy girl wasn’t as meticulous at helping someone dress as Wen Wen.

“Don’t be shy anymore, let’s go. Toss the underwear away, and I’ll take you to get your hair done. We were almost up next, but this delay means we’ll have to line up again.”

Lily muttered under her breath, “Waiting in line isn’t a big deal… anyway, we don’t have anything else to do tonight.”

This way, she could spend more time with Lin Zheng Ran.

The two walked to a nearby trash bin, and Lily threw the item inside.

But she couldn’t shake the odd fear that some pervert might pick it up, or that stray dogs or cats might dig it out and run off with it…

So, she grabbed a stick and poked around, covering it with other trash.

Making sure it was completely hidden.

Lin Zheng Ran commented, “You’re pretty thorough about it.”

Lily glanced at him—it’s fine if you touch it, but no one else better lay a finger on it.

On the way back to the hair salon, Lily clasped her hands behind her back and quietly asked:

“Lin Zheng Ran, when you went to the underwear store earlier, did the owner say anything? Were there other female customers inside? Just thinking about it makes me feel awkward.”

Lin Zheng Ran recalled his trip to the underwear store.

Straight to the point: “You know, after I went in, there were actually a lot of girls picking out underwear. The female owner asked what I was buying, and plenty of people were staring at me.”

Lily’s face flushed red in embarrassment. “Ah? She really asked? What did you say?”

Lin Zheng Ran replied matter-of-factly: “I just said I was buying underwear, of course.”

“And then?” Lily worried. “They didn’t actually call you a pervert, did they?!”

Lin Zheng Ran pretended to think. “Emmmm…”

“Is that for real?” Seeing his hesitation, she thought he was holding back, so she clenched her fists and anxiously continued:

“If that’s the case, I have to go explain! I’ll tell them I’m your girlfriend and you were buying it for me. Otherwise, they might get the wrong idea!”

Lin Zheng Ran asked curiously: “I’ve already come back—wouldn’t going now just be unnecessary?”

Lily said seriously: “How could it be unnecessary? You’re my boyfriend, and this whole thing started because of me. I can’t let you get yelled at because of me!”

She grabbed Lin Zheng Ran’s hand, ready to drag him back to the store. “No, no, I need to set the record straight. Tell me which store it is—I won’t let anyone badmouth you! I have to clear your name!”

Lily knew her own temperament wasn’t the best, and if Lin Zheng Ran got picked on over this, what kind of girlfriend would that make her? She could handle her own troubles, but not his.

Lin Zheng Ran watched this flustered girl and gently took hold of the hand tugging at his clothes.

“Okay, don’t worry. They didn’t say anything like that to me.”

Lily turned to him: “Really?”

Lin Zheng Ran smiled: “Of course. Besides, in real life, people don’t just call someone a pervert to their face. That’s more of a movie thing. Unless they’re really mad, and even then, they’d say something like ‘you dead pervert.'”

Lily thought that made sense: “So, what exactly happened when you were in the store?”

“I mean, it’s just buying underwear—why does it feel like such a big deal?” Seeing how worried Lily was, he recounted: “When I went in, I told the owner I needed your size in underwear.

Then she gave me a look, and the other girls in the store did too, and then…”

Lily echoed: “And then?”

Lin Zheng Ran went on:

“Then the owner probably saw I didn’t look like some creep and suddenly started praising me, saying what a great guy I was for buying this for my girlfriend. She asked if it was my first time, and I said yes, so she took me to pick some out. She was really helpful.”

“Ah?” Lily was stunned: “What about those girls who were staring at you? Did they say anything?”

Lin Zheng Ran: “While I was shopping, some of those girls who had been watching me chatted from a distance about how guys like me are rare. Even knowing I was buying for a girlfriend, a few came up after I left and asked for my WeChat, saying they wanted to be friends.”

Lily’s mouth dropped open in disbelief, though Lin Zheng Ran’s story sounded a bit far-fetched.

But then it hit her—she’d been overlooking something: Lin Zheng Ran was drop-dead gorgeous with an aura that commanded attention.

With looks and presence like that, buying underwear wouldn’t make him seem like a pervert at all.

Only guys who skulk around or look shifty would raise suspicions.

“I should’ve never let you go,” she muttered quietly.

Now it was Lin Zheng Ran’s turn to be surprised: “Why? It all went smoothly, didn’t it?”

Lily balled her fists, her words tumbling out in a jealous rush, her big, sparkling eyes wide: “But—but girls were asking for your WeChat! You didn’t give it to them, right? You’re taken! And you already have two girlfriends—you can’t add more!”

Lin Zheng Ran: “I didn’t.”

“Really? Don’t lie to me! You seriously didn’t give it? Lin Zheng Ran, you can’t add any more girls on WeChat!”

“You don’t trust me?”

“How could I not? I believe everything you say, but when it comes to girls, I know you’re a total flirt! Oh, I should’ve gone with you! I never thought buying that would make girls like you!”

Lin Zheng Ran saw her getting even more dramatic.

He headed toward the hair salon: “Enough fussing. Time for your haircut.”

Lily hurried after Lin Zheng Ran.

“Were the girls who asked for your contact pretty?”

Lin Zheng Ran gave her a bored look, and the tsundere Lily knew not to push further.

Or she’d get in trouble.

But she still huffed jealously, thinking: Next time, I’ll go with you—no going alone.

On the way back to the hair salon, Lily lightly brushed her hand against Lin Zheng Ran’s.

She pretended to casually glance elsewhere, still showing a hint of jealousy.

Lin Zheng Ran took her hand in his.

Only then did the jealousy fade from Lily’s face, though she added: “It was my fault for sending you to a place full of girls this time, but thanks for buying the underwear for me.”

“What’s with the thanks between us?”

Lily’s cheeks turned red—for a girl, having a guy buy something like sanitary pads or special clothing wasn’t trivial.

Guys who didn’t really care for their girlfriends probably wouldn’t do it.

“Anyway, I’m really touched you did that today. If you ever get sick and can’t do things yourself, I’ll take care of you bit by bit at home, for the rest of your life.”

Lin Zheng Ran couldn’t follow this silly girl’s train of thought and had no idea how she jumped to that.

They got back to the hair salon and waited in line for over an hour.

Finally, it was Lily’s turn.

The female stylist washed her hair, and as she sat in the chair,

the hairdresser suddenly said: “Miss, your face and current hairstyle would suit dyeing your hair. Ever thought about going blonde?”

“Ah? I’m a student, and school doesn’t allow dyeing hair.”

“I know you can’t right now, but in my thirty years in this business, I haven’t seen anyone as perfect for blonde hair as you.”

Lily looked at the stylist in the mirror: “Sis, you look like you’re only in your twenties.”

The hairdresser waved it off with a laugh: “Don’t worry about that detail.” She picked up a color swatch and pictures to show Lily:

“See, this color. You can’t dye it now, but I highly recommend it after graduation. Blonde twin tails would suit you perfectly.”

Lily saw the yellow in the picture.

For some reason, she thought it looked pretty good.

“Maybe after university—I’ll ask Lin Zheng Ran about it then.”

So, the hairdresser started snipping away, cutting Lily’s hair to mid-back.

What she didn’t notice was that it was now 9:40 PM, approaching the girls’ dormitory curfew.

The ancient tree’s branches swayed gently, in the breeze, its leaves rustling softly, creating a soothing melody.