Chapter 251: Whispers in the Rain

The silk stockings hit the ground, but the little girl still hadn’t noticed.

Lin Zheng Ran spotted them first and picked them up. “What’s this?”

Heqing heard the sound and turned around. Spotting what Lin Zheng Ran held, she froze for a second before frantically checking her pocket. Sure enough, one was missing, so she reached out to grab it:

“Ah! How did my silk stockings end up in your hands?!”

But Lin Zheng Ran wouldn’t let go—her slight strength couldn’t win out.

As she reached, she failed to get the stockings back and instead pulled off the elastic band holding them.

The pantyhose slipped from Lin Zheng Ran’s grasp and unfurled.

Heqing’s face flushed with embarrassment, as if it were on fire.

She covered her face and squatted on the ground, too ashamed to look up.

Lin Zheng Ran examined the roll of white silk stockings and smiled. “Silk stockings? Why are you carrying these around? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you wear them.”

She felt utterly mortified and wished she could say they weren’t hers—that someone else had dropped them.

But she couldn’t lie to Lin Zheng Ran; she’d promised never to deceive him about anything.

So, she tried to explain it away: “I… I bought them on a whim. Saw them online while shopping once and thought I’d try them since I’d never worn any. Just haven’t had the chance.”

Lin Zheng Ran looked at the white silk stockings in his hand and felt the material.

He thought Heqing would suit white ones perfectly—her sweet and soft nature made them ideal for her.

“So why haven’t you had the chance?”

“Ah?” Heqing glanced up at him, unsure how to respond. “Because… because that night a week ago, we weren’t alone together.”

She finished and hid her face again.

Lin Zheng Ran remembered that evening when she came alone from the south to the small town in Ziteng City, the four of them crammed into one bed.

They’d planned for it to be just the two of them, but things didn’t go as expected.

Lin Zheng Ran crouched down with the stockings, making Heqing even more embarrassed.

Lin Zheng Ran asked, “So, if Lily and Wen Wen hadn’t been there that night, you were planning to wear these for me?”

Heqing’s cheeks were as red as tomatoes, and she murmured a soft “Mm.”

She explained, “Don’t make fun of me. I know I might not look right in them, but everyone says boys like silk stockings. I thought you might too—not in a weird way, just… just in case you did.”

Lin Zheng Ran rolled the stockings back up and handed them to her. “Here, take them.”

Heqing peeked at him and quickly snatched the stockings from his hand.

She tucked them away in her embrace.

Lin Zheng Ran sat on the steps. “I do like them. If you have time these next couple of days, wear them for me.”

“Hm?” Heqing stared at him, her face flushed, clutching the stockings tightly as she edged closer and sat beside him. She asked tentatively, “You really like things like this?”

Lin Zheng Ran replied matter-of-factly, “Most boys do.”

Heqing hesitated. “Then I’ll wear them for you another day.”

Lin Zheng Ran smiled, and Heqing blushed.

The two sat under the steps by the vending machine, watching the rain through the floor-to-ceiling window.

A quiet moment passed.

Heqing glanced at him secretly and said, “My mom says if you get the chance, you should visit the south. She’d love to have you as a guest.”

Lin Zheng Ran thought it over. “I haven’t visited Aunt in years. Once I’m in university, I’ll find a break and go back with you.”

“Yeah, that sounds good.”

They watched the rain in silence for a bit longer.

Heqing felt something off and suddenly asked, “Lin Zheng Ran, you’re acting a little strange today.”

“Hmm? How so?”

“Just… different. Normally, if you caught me hiding silk stockings, you’d tease me. For example, if you liked them, you’d say something like…” She imitated his usual tone and expression:

“I do like silk stockings. Since you brought them, why not find a spot and put them on for me now? We’ve got nothing else to do anyway.”

She looked at Lin Zheng Ran, puzzled. “But today, you just said I’d wear them another day and left it at that. It’s not like you.”

Lin Zheng Ran saw her imitation was spot-on.

He thought that usually, he might say that, but after what happened with Wen Wen earlier…

“I’m worried that if you put them on now, I wouldn’t be able to hold back.”

“Ah?!” Her face turned bright red. “Hold back from what?”

“Exactly what it sounds like.”

They stared at each other, and Heqing finally noticed it. Though she could be a bit clumsy, she knew Lin Zheng Ran’s every move and smile all too well—that boy she’d liked since childhood.

She saw that his eyes seemed more intense than usual… maybe excited?

Why? Was it because of the silk stockings she hid?

Heqing wasn’t sure what came over her—maybe just a spur-of-the-moment thing, or a test—but she said it anyway.

In her sweet, soft voice: “How about we get a room?”

A brief silence followed, then Lin Zheng Ran asked, “Are you sure?”

Heqing’s lips trembled as she nodded slowly. “Yeah, sure.”

Without another word, he stood up and pulled her along to get a room.

It startled Heqing half to death.

She stumbled up, flustered. “Lin Zheng Ran!”

They reached the front desk, where Heqing’s face was flushed, her other hand still clutching the silk stockings tightly.

Lin Zheng Ran asked, “Do you have a king-size room available?”

The receptionist thought, They were just chatting on the couch a minute ago—now they’re getting a room? “We have two rooms that just opened up.”

Lin Zheng Ran said, “We’ll take one.”

The receptionist replied, “Do you have ID?”

Lin Zheng Ran pulled his ID from his pocket and handed it over. The receptionist and Lin Zheng Ran both glanced at Heqing.

Heqing stammered, “I-I don’t have mine, but I can remember the number.”

“That works,” the receptionist said. “Just tell me the ID number, and I’ll enter it.”

Heqing looked at Lin Zheng Ran, swallowed hard, and though it was sudden, she was ready for what might come.

“My ID number is ********”

They got the room, and Lin Zheng Ran led Heqing to a king-size room on the first floor. He opened the door and they went in.

The curtains were drawn, and with the rain outside, the room felt peacefully quiet.

No lights were on.

Heqing was pulled to the bed and lay back on it.

Lin Zheng Ran leaned over her, hands on the bed, gazing down.

Heqing shut her eyes tight, her hands clenched in fear.

Lin Zheng Ran saw her trembling, tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

He asked softly, “Scared?”

Heqing slowly opened her eyes and stared carefully at Lin Zheng Ran above her.

In the dim room, after studying his expression, she whispered, “A little…”

Seeing her teary eyes, Lin Zheng Ran felt a pang—like for the little girl who’d always followed him around. His affection for her was like that for a childhood neighbor.

It was different from with Lily, who was his true childhood sweetheart.

“Do you want to keep going? Let me ask you one more ti—” He didn’t finish.

Heqing suddenly cried out, “Keep going.”

Lin Zheng Ran’s eyes flickered with emotion as he leaned closer, and Heqing tilted her head up—they kissed slowly.