Chapter 161: Unexpected Overnight

He stepped into the bathroom and spotted the disposable toothbrush, toothpaste, and shampoo on the small edge shelf.

There were two sets of everything, so he handed one to Lily.

Lily examined the neatly packaged items, cradling them in her hands.

“Oh, it’s such small packaging. I thought it would be the big kind.”

Lin Zheng Ran: “Need anything else?”

Lily pretended to think, but her mind was a chaotic mess, short-circuiting. “What else do I need? Nothing, really.”

“Great, then go ahead and wash up. I’ll just reply to Heqing and that little fox’s messages.”

“Fox?”

Lin Zheng Ran sat on the bed. “That’s Han Wenwen.”

Lily blinked her sparkling eyes, wondering if Zheng Ran had ever called Han Wenwen that before. She did look a bit like a fox, after all.

But over the years, had he really never said it?

And why was Han Wenwen messaging Lin Zheng Ran? Was it because of Heqing?

She didn’t quite get it and didn’t dwell on it. She just headed into the bathroom.

She locked the door.

“Okay, I’m starting now,” she called from the bathroom.

Lin Zheng Ran replied, “Go ahead.”

“Don’t peek, Zheng Ran.”

“With the door locked, how could I peek? At most, I’d just listen to the water sounds while you bathe.” He glanced at his phone messages, casually teasing her.

It made Lily blush in the bathroom; she flung the door open a crack, her face flushed as she shouted, “Zheng Ran, you’re such a perv!”

Then she slammed it shut again.

Lin Zheng Ran didn’t look up and kept lounging on the bed, replying to Heqing first.

Heqing’s message was from that morning, which Lin Zheng Ran hadn’t answered yet: “Zheng Ran, check out the snacks I bought today. I snapped pics and sent them all. There’s a bag of chips, two slices of bread, and three packs of jerky.”

Lin Zheng Ran looked at her detailed list and all the various pictures.

He replied: “You don’t need to send so much detail.”

She shot back instantly: “Lin Zheng Ran, are you done with your stuff? I have to be detailed so you know how much I spent. A girl has to let her boyfriend know about every penny she spends.”

Lin Zheng Ran: “How much did you eat today?”

Heqing: “(*^▽^*) All of it! That new snack shop has great stuff. I want to go back next time.”

Lin Zheng Ran: “.”

Heqing: “But I saved some for you. Here.” She sent a picture: “These are the ones I thought were delicious. I set aside a bit for you to try.”

Lin Zheng Ran: “Don’t save any for me. Just eat them yourself tomorrow.”

Heqing: “You really don’t want any?”

Lin Zheng Ran: “No.”

Heqing: “Emmm, how about this? Next time you want some, I’ll take you along. I’ll remember what was good!”

What a snack-obsessed girl.

Heqing: “What have you been up to today?”

He chatted briefly with Heqing.

Then he opened Han Wenwen’s chat.

Her messages were always so straightforward.

Han Wenwen: “Brother Zheng Ran, remember to only hang out with Lily and no other girls, or I’ll turn into a little fox and watch you from the shadows!”

Lin Zheng Ran gave her a simple response.

Hearing the water running in the bathroom, he knew Lily had started her bath.

In the bathroom, Lily stripped off her coat and clothes, setting them aside, and let her twin tails down so her hair fell over her shoulders.

As the water flowed, she thought about how Lin Zheng Ran might be listening outside, and her face turned red.

She realized Zheng Ran was still just a guy, after all.

Quite the flirt.

But the conversation from earlier on the road made her heart race even faster.

She opened the small packet of body wash and squeezed some into her hand.

Without any tools to lather it, she rubbed it between her hands and spread it over her smooth, jade-like skin.

Thinking about taking the initiative… how would she even do that?

She’d never talked about this with anyone, but she’d accidentally stumbled upon some videos online a few times… or more.

She bit her lip, her eyes shimmering.

Guys were scary; she always thought it was just one way, but there were so many methods.

Her mind wandered, and she blushed so hard she crouched down.

But then she shook her head, thinking she was getting ahead of herself.

Tonight was just about a hug, after all.

Even that felt unimaginable to Lily right now.

She wondered if the usually serious Zheng Ran even knew how to hug a girl properly.

What if she hugged him and he just stood there with his arms hanging limp?

That would ruin the whole mood.

“Come to think of it, Zheng Ran might flirt a bit, but he’s probably not as bold as other guys. Everyone says boys our age are like wolves, but Zheng Ran isn’t like that. He probably hasn’t even seen that kind of stuff.”

She was different; she’d peeked a few times.

From outside, Lin Zheng Ran suddenly asked, “What are you saying in there?”

Lily hadn’t realized she’d mumbled out loud; she jumped up, almost slipping, flailing her arms as her face burned. “What? What did I say? Nothing! I didn’t say anything!”

Lin Zheng Ran didn’t respond from outside.

Lily finally relaxed, but her thoughts solidified.

Zheng Ran probably didn’t know much; she’d have to guide him later.

Half an hour later, after finishing her bath, Lily grabbed a towel to dry her hair.

From outside, Lin Zheng Ran called out, “Hey, Lily, don’t just wrap up in the towel. I need it too.”

“Oh?!” She reacted in the bathroom. “You need it? What am I supposed to do then?!”

“What do you mean? Use it like normal. Why do you think I let you go first? So you could use the towel first.”

Lily stared at the towel in her hand. “Wait, not like that—I mean, how am I supposed to come out without it? Hold on!”

Then it hit her, and she blushed furiously: “What do you mean I use it first? Are you saying we’re sharing the same towel?!”

Lin Zheng Ran sighed at her fussing: “What else? There’s only one in there. I can’t just walk out dripping wet after my shower, right?”

“This, this, this!”

Seeing her panic, Lin Zheng Ran tapped his fingers on the bedhead.

The sharp knock on the wood made Lily feel like she’d been hit out of nowhere in the bathroom.

It was like a distant shock.

PTSD kicked in; just the sound made her think he was going to knock her head again.

She clutched her head in there, even though it didn’t hurt, and quieted down.

Lin Zheng Ran said, “Quiet down! The setup here is what it is. And if you can’t use the towel, just put on your clothes.”

Lily thought about it and realized he was right. Since he needed the towel, she’d have to get dressed.

Still, the idea of him using her towel felt awkward. It wasn’t just for her hair.

Lily’s face turned red as she glanced back at her clothes on the toilet lid, dripping wet.

She blinked in confusion.

Bending down, she picked up her soaked, heavy clothes and realized what she’d done.

“My clothes!” she exclaimed, mortified, mouth agape.

She always washed her clothes while showering at home and changed into fresh ones, so she hadn’t thought twice about it.

But now, she had.

“Zheng Ran! My clothes are all wet! What do I do?”

“Huh?”

Lin Zheng Ran thought, What has this girl been up to in there? So much drama.

“What do you mean they’re wet? Where did you put them?”

“On the toilet!”

“Why on the toilet?! Who puts tomorrow’s clothes there?”

“I just tossed them there! I always change at home, so I forgot all about it! Now what?”

“They’re completely soaked?”

“Yeah, even the socks! Nothing’s wearable!”

Lin Zheng Ran: “.”

He was at his wit’s end with these girls; none of them were easy.

Soon, he took off his shirt and went to the bathroom door, handing it to her.

“Here, make do with this for now.”

Lily cracked the door open and reached out with her pale, slender arm, fumbling in the air.

Lin Zheng Ran had to push the shirt into her hand.

She murmured a thank you and pulled back.

She shut and locked the door again.

Inside, she looked at the shirt and asked, “Zheng Ran, is this just the shirt?”

“And the jacket. Why’d you shut the door so fast?” He shook his head.

“Oh.”

She unlocked it again, and he handed her the jacket.

Lily asked, “What about bottoms?”

“Nothing. What would I wear if I gave you everything?!”

Lin Zheng Ran explained, “This shirt’s big on you. Just put it on and tie the jacket around your waist like a skirt.”

Lily wanted to argue but admitted Zheng Ran was clever.

He always had been the top student!

No doubt about it!

Though tonight she’d made a fool of herself, her mind all over the place.

“Got it. Enough said. I’ll change now.”

“Okay, go ahead.”

In the room, Lily slipped on Lin Zheng Ran’s shirt; his scent enveloped her.

She shyly tied his jacket around her waist.

Using the sleeves as a belt, she secured it properly.

Surprisingly, it worked well—except her legs were a bit exposed, but everything else was covered.

Lily checked herself in the mirror and confirmed it was fine.

No choice about going without; it was what it was.

She opened the door.

“Zheng Ran, I’m done. You can go wash up while I dry my hair.”

As she said it, Lin Zheng Ran looked at her with her hair down post-shower, and Lily paused.

Seeing him bare-chested since he’d given her his clothes.

Lin Zheng Ran thought she really had grown more beautiful, though some things stayed the same as when she was little.

Lily lowered her head shyly, thinking, Zheng Ran even has abs…

Her heart fluttered wildly.

Her heart raced.