Chapter 28: Whispers of the Night Encounter

Night was approaching, and lights began to glow in homes across the town.

In a house in the southern small town, a fox-like girl lounged on her narrow bed in a tiny bedroom, wearing a short skirt and loose short-sleeved top. She munched on chips while flipping through an adult romance novel she’d picked up somewhere.

The phone’s ringtone made Han Wenwen tense up as she saw the caller ID.

Just as she expected, Aunt He was calling.

Carefully, she retrieved the recorder from under her pillow and answered the phone: “Hello? Aunt He?”

Aunt He asked simply: “Wenwen, is Qingqing with you?”

Han Wenwen sat up against the headboard, lying without a hint of blush: “Yeah, she’s in the bathroom. Want me to get her to say a few words?”

Aunt He replied: “No need. As long as I know she’s with you, I’m relieved. It’s just a hassle for you to have her staying over again.”

“Aunt He, don’t be so polite. I stay over at your place sometimes too, right? I don’t mind having her here at all.”

Aunt He nodded with a smile: “Alright then, you two have fun. I just called to check. If you’re free tomorrow, come over for a meal at my place.”

“Okay, Aunt He, goodbye. Bye.”

After hanging up, Han Wenwen let out a sigh of relief, then quickly called Heqing.

With a mischievous grin, she lay back on her pillow and answered in a soft, teasing tone: “Little Qingqing? What are you up to? You must have met up with your dear brother by now, huh?”

On the other end, Heqing was eating at a noodle shop with Lin Zheng Ran. Her face flushed, she whispered: “We’re having dinner. How’s everything on your side? Did my mom call you?”

“She did, but Aunt He didn’t suspect a thing. Go ahead and enjoy your time together.”

Heqing shyly protested: “It’s not a date, just a meeting.” She noticed Lin Zheng Ran watching her and quickly said to her best friend: “Okay, I won’t chat more. Thanks for covering for me today. I’ll head back tomorrow. Gotta go.”

“Alright, I won’t interrupt you two. Have fun.” Han Wenwen hung up and set her phone down, staring at the white ceiling.

She murmured to herself: “Reuniting with your childhood sweetheart after years apart—it’s so romantic.” For some reason, she thought back to that encounter at the bus stop during her trip to the north half a year ago. Han Wenwen’s fox-like eyes blinked: “That guy… could he really be my future boyfriend?”

With a blank expression, she picked up the romance novel and continued reading: “It all feels a bit magical. Would I even like some guy?” She didn’t dwell on it much.

In the noodle shop at Xin Chun Grand Bus Station, Lin Zheng Ran paid the bill.

He led Heqing away from the bus station toward the outskirts, where many guesthouses dotted the area for long-distance travelers.

Heqing followed with her small backpack, passing crowded inns one after another.

They stopped at a quiet guesthouse that looked less busy. Heqing whispered: “This one seems empty—probably has rooms available.”

Lin Zheng Ran, walking ahead, didn’t catch on at first, but seeing her shy expression, he quickly understood.

Frustrated, he pinched her cheek: “You want to stay at a guesthouse? Do you have any sense?”

Heqing winced from the pinch, eyes closed, completely unaware of what she’d said wrong: “Isn’t that where we’d stay? I have my ID—we’ve stayed before with Mom.”

“What’s an ID got to do with it? Do you even know how old you are? Want to get me in trouble?”

Heqing, still confused, rubbed her sore cheek with a blank stare: “What do you mean, get you in? I didn’t ask you to go anywhere.”

“I’m not explaining this.” He turned away, exasperated, and kept walking: “Anyway, guesthouses are off the table. We’ll just find somewhere to crash for tonight.”

“Oh, wait for me! So we can’t stay at a guesthouse? I had no idea. Where are we going then?”

Luckily, it was summer, so they wouldn’t freeze on the streets at night. If it were winter, Lin Zheng Ran wouldn’t have bothered coming for this silly girl.

He bought two blankets from a small store, scouted around, and spotted an old, rundown yard full of scrapped vehicles, junk metal, and overgrown weeds.

Lin Zheng Ran climbed over the wall and found a scrapped car with intact windows. He checked inside—it was decent.

He leaned back over the wall and reached out: “Come on up.”

Heqing grabbed his hand, scaled the wall with his help, and they headed to the scrapped car.

They opened the door.

Inside, the car was still clean since it was sealed off, just with a thin layer of dust—perfect for sitting with a pad.

Lin Zheng Ran spread a blanket on the back seat: “We’ll make do here tonight. Head back on the bus tomorrow morning.”

Heqing nodded obediently; it didn’t matter where they were, as long as she was with him.

She even helped lay out the blanket: “It’s all my fault you’re stuck sleeping here tonight.”

Lin Zheng Ran glanced at her: “You’re right it is, but this is a one-time thing. If you pull another stunt like dragging me across the country just to meet up, I won’t come.”

“Okay, it won’t happen again because we’ll be seeing each other all the time from now on.”

As night deepened, the vast abandoned yard felt eerie, shrouded in darkness with frogs and insects chirping all around.

But with Lin Zheng Ran there, Heqing didn’t feel scared at all—in fact, the small space felt warm and cozy.

She opened her backpack and pulled out a carefully made treat: a swan-shaped filled chocolate.

“Look, I made this for you. Isn’t it nice?”

Lin Zheng Ran thought it was great; it resembled the one from the year they parted, just smaller—maybe because they’d grown up: “How long did it take to learn this?”

“Ages.” She unwrapped the box as she spoke: “I had no clue at first. From shaping it to getting the flavor right, it took months. This one’s a lucky success—the next one didn’t turn out as well.” She held it out: “Here, try it and see how it tastes.”

Lin Zheng Ran broke off a piece and popped it in his mouth. Heqing watched him expectantly.

After a moment, he chewed and said: “You’re way better than when we were kids. It’s delicious.”

Heqing bit her lip and grinned.

“Really? Let me try some too.”

As she ate the chocolate, Heqing looked at him: “Won’t your parents ask about you staying out?”

Lin Zheng Ran paused and pulled out his phone: “I called them on the way. I’ll check in again to put their minds at ease.”

He dialed his parents straightforwardly: “Mom, Dad, I met up with Heqing. Want to talk to her? Okay, I’ll pass the phone.”

“Oh? Do I need to say hi?” Heqing took the phone nervously: “Auntie, Uncle, yes, I met Lin Zheng Ran this afternoon. Everything’s fine, don’t worry.”

After the call, Heqing said in surprise: “You actually told your parents straight up that you’re here for me?”

“I’m a guy, so they’re less worried. Of course, I fudged some details—otherwise, they wouldn’t have let me come.”

Heqing gazed at him blankly; he was still the same Lin Zheng Ran: “Thanks for coming to see me.”

They chatted a bit more, but with only one blanket to use as a seat cover, they had to share.

The blanket was large, but Heqing wanted to sit close to Lin Zheng Ran under it; being apart would feel cold.

Yet she didn’t dare suggest it.

As they sat there, she suddenly spotted a big spider on the car window, spinning its web and looking terrifying.

Heqing yelped and instinctively burrowed into Lin Zheng Ran’s shoulder.

Lin Zheng Ran tapped the glass to scare the spider away: “Bugs are everywhere at night. If you’re scared, just stay close.”

Seeing him close his eyes to sleep, Heqing murmured agreement and scooted nearer. When he didn’t react, she carefully rested her head on his shoulder, feeling his warmth under the blanket, and closed her eyes with quiet gratitude.

“Thank you, Mr. Spider.”

The spider on the ground glanced back, as if thinking these two humans were the creepy ones out here at night—I need to get away.

It scurried off on its eight legs.