Chapter 330: Unexpected Roommates

After class, the group walked out of the classroom together.

Lin Zheng Ran stood at a spot on the campus.

The Three Little Ones surrounded Lin Zheng Ran, with no one else around.

Heqing fidgeted with her hands nervously in front of her: “I knew this day would come, but I didn’t expect to share a bed with the counselor right from the start.”

Lily asked: “When exactly is the counselor moving in? Is it from the first day?”

Lin Zheng Ran said: “Jiang Jingshi is giving up her place over the next couple of days, so she might not move in on the very first night, but it’s possible. Anyway, it’ll be within the next few days. Once she’s done, she’ll move right in.”

Han Wenwen covered her face and stared at Lin Zheng Ran without saying a word.

Greedy Brother Zheng Ran.

Lily pouted and muttered quietly: “Sharing a bed with Heqing the fox is fine, but adding the counselor makes it feel a bit awkward.”

“I know you three aren’t that familiar with Jiang Jingshi yet, but she’s a great person. Just take your time getting to know her. You don’t have to force it right away—that’s not realistic. You three can just act like you usually do.”

The three nodded.

Lin Zheng Ran’s phone dinged with a message from Jiang Jingshi.

She was asking if he’d told his uncle and aunt yet; she’d already printed out the day student application for him to pick up anytime.

After replying, Lin Zheng Ran found his mom’s number and headed to a nearby bench to sit down:

“You three, don’t just stand there—take a seat. I’ll call my parents about the day student thing. Jiang Jingshi has the application ready.”

The call connected.

After a few rings,

his mom’s voice came through, with background noise suggesting she was around a lot of people talking.

“Zheng Ran? What’s up?”

“Are you at work, Mom?” Lin Zheng Ran asked, sitting on the bench with the three others.

“Yeah, I’m working. We’re tallying the new cosmetics with my department colleagues. What’s on your mind, Zheng Ran?” Lin Xiao Li teased deliberately: “Go ahead, CEO Zheng Ran, speak!”

Lin Zheng Ran chuckled and explained: “It’s like this, Mom—I want to apply for day student status.”

“Day student? That means not living in the dorms, right?”

“Yeah, the school requires a parent’s signature for the day student application, so I wanted to let you know ahead of time.”

Lin Xiao Li thought for a moment: “Sure, Zheng Ran. You’re basically a big boss now with a lot to handle. Living in the dorms isn’t practical. But where will you stay? At the company or rent a place outside?”

“Rent a place, with the four of them.”

“Oh, okay… Wait, what?!” Lin Xiao Li was stunned, her eyes widening and mouth dropping open: “Zheng Ran, what did you just say? I think I heard something huge!”

Lin Zheng Ran: “Nothing much, just renting a place.”

“I mean the part after that—what exactly did you say!”

“Oh.” He rephrased: “I mean, I’m planning to rent a place with Heqing, Lily, Wen Wen, and Jiang Jingshi—all four of them together.”

“Zheng Ran!” His mom’s voice boomed, rising sharply in panic: “How did you come up with this idea? I disagree! Absolutely not! How can you have these girls living together? They’ll end up fighting! Arguments are the least of it—it could lead to something really serious!”

Lin Xiao Li shuddered over the phone: “Just thinking about it scares me! Girls facing off against each other is terrifying!”

The three sitting next to Lin Zheng Ran had overheard the aunt’s words, and each of them blushed with embarrassment, thinking she had no idea how things really were among them.

But truthfully, if it were a normal situation and Lin Zheng Ran only liked one person, who knows what might happen.

In a world of commitment, everyone liking the same person leads nowhere but hurt.

Lin Zheng Ran wiped his brow: “Mom, it’s not—”

Lin Xiao Li cut him off, shaking her head: “No, no, no! As a woman myself, I know how women feel. This is out of the question! I won’t allow it! Zheng Ran, even though you’re amazing, you can’t mess with emotions like this!”

She quickly asked: “By the way, are you coming home this weekend?”

“Yeah, I said I would.”

“Good! When you get back, your dad and I need to talk this over with you. And you—think hard about it over the next few days.” Lin Xiao Li softened her tone, like she was comforting him: “I know this might be tough for you, Zheng Ran, since they’ve all grown up with you, but you have to make a choice. You’re an adult now; you can’t keep things vague!”

Lin Zheng Ran looked at the expressions on the three beside him.

He sighed: “Mom, there’s no need to think about it. I’ve had my mind made up for a while.”

“Ah?” Lin Xiao Li was surprised on the other end: “What do you mean… like you’ve already picked someone? Who is it? Heqing? Wen Wen? Lily? Or Jiang Jingshi? It can’t be Xiao Meng, right!”

Heqing, Han Wenwen, and Lily reacted in unison: “Why is Fang Meng even in the mix?!”

Lin Xiao Li was shocked and embarrassed over the phone: “Zheng Ran, I hear Heqing and the others around you. Does that mean they’re all there? Have you already told them about moving out?”

Lin Zheng Ran said straightforwardly: “I have. And about that choice—just now, it’s not any one of them. I want all of them, and they’ve all agreed.”

A breeze swept past Lin Zheng Ran, leaving Lin Xiao Li, far away at the company, speechless and stunned.

Her son’s shocking answer short-circuited her brain, and she fell silent.

Everything went quiet.

“Zheng Ran, what did you say? I didn’t catch that.”

Lily suddenly clenched her fist, her face red as she added: “Wait, Aunt, Zheng Ran didn’t explain it right. Except for Fang Meng! This has nothing to do with Fang Meng!! And why is she even mentioned?”

“Zheng Ran! Come home on Saturday and see me! And Lily, you all come too!”

A few days later,

on the weekend,

The Three Little Ones and Lin Zheng Ran headed to the parking lot together.

Jiang Jingshi stood by an Audi car, waving to the group.

Heqing and the others greeted Jiang Jingshi.

The five got into the Audi car, with Lin Zheng Ran driving back to the Small Town.

As he started the car, he said: “Once we get to my place, I bet my dad and mom will grill you all with questions. Just say whatever you’re thinking—be honest. Don’t look at how my mom acts normally; she’s really sensitive about feelings. Trying to cover for me might just make her worry more.”

The four agreed.