Chapter 346: Whispers of Jealousy

After coughing and seeing Fang Meng’s face covered in saliva, Lily apologized, “Sorry, I choked! But what are you even asking? Is this just a minor issue?”

Fang Meng didn’t react much; she simply set down her little notebook, stood up, and said, “I’ll go to the restroom to wash my face. Wait a moment.”

Lily watched Fang Meng leave, completely baffled.

What on earth was she up to?

Soon, Fang Meng returned after washing her face and wiped the remaining water spots off the table with a tissue. “All right, let’s continue. But please don’t drink water while answering.”

Lily was about to take another sip when she heard that and set her drink down. “Continue what? Why should I answer these questions? If they were minor, maybe, but I have the right to stay silent on this.”

Fang Meng stared at Lily. “Why stay silent?”

Lily’s face turned red as she retorted, “Why ask why? I just don’t want to say! Your question is so vague! How could Zheng Ran possibly be juggling three—no, four relationships?”

Why was Fang Meng even interested in this?

Fang Meng picked up her little notebook again and said seriously:

“Then tell me, do you like Lin Zheng Ran? And do Heqing and Han Wenwen like him too? I remember Han Wenwen mentioned it on the first day of school.”

Lily felt a pang of panic. “So what if I do? Does that prove Zheng Ran is juggling relationships?”

“It doesn’t prove it completely, but it’s at least ten percent proof. After all, for a harem to exist, the girls have to like him first— you won’t deny that, right?”

“Hah, fine, say it’s ten percent. What’s the big deal?”

Fang Meng went on, “I got to know you all in high school. Back then, I asked Heqing, and she said she was Lin Zheng Ran’s girlfriend. She told me that herself, and you weren’t too happy about it— you won’t deny that either?”

“Okay, so what if I don’t deny it?”

“Since Heqing is already his girlfriend and they haven’t broken up, why are you so close to him all the time?”

“Why not? I want to be! We’ve been childhood friends, thick as thieves since we were kids.”

“But when a guy already has a girlfriend and you’re that close, isn’t that like being the other woman?”

Lily jumped to her feet, but glancing around at the people nearby, she lowered her voice and snapped, “Who are you calling the other woman? I’m not! To Zheng Ran, I’m a proper…”

“A proper girlfriend, right?” Fang Meng shot back.

Lily clapped a hand over her mouth, embarrassed, and sat back down. She thought to herself, why get so worked up? It was just reverse psychology.

“I didn’t say that. I meant a female friend.”

Fang Meng asked word by word, “So you’re not Lin Zheng Ran’s girlfriend? Just an ordinary friend? A stranger? Someone not as close as Heqing?”

Lily’s face grew even redder until she couldn’t hold back. “Nonsense! In Zheng Ran’s heart, I’m on the same level as Heqing— we’re both the most important to him!”

Reverse psychology still worked on Lily.

“I thought so. After all, I remember asking you about your relationship with Lin Zheng Ran in high school, and you said you were his girlfriend too.”

Lily looked utterly awkward. “Wait… if you already knew, why trick me into saying it? And talking about ten percent!”

“I just thought you were cute and wanted to tease you.”

Lily clenched her fists shyly, her twin tails bouncing with her movements. “You’re crazy!”

Fang Meng jotted it down in her little notebook. “So, does this mean you’re admitting Lin Zheng Ran is at least juggling two relationships?”

Lily sipped her drink and stayed quiet.

Fang Meng continued, “Our class advisor, who’s also the Eldest Miss, is Lin Zheng Ran’s girlfriend too. He admitted it himself, so that’s at least three relationships.”

Lily looked away.

Fang Meng added, “And finally, there’s Han Wenwen.”

Lily suddenly grew serious and warned, “I don’t know what you’re up to, but keep this quiet. It could cause trouble for Zheng Ran. We’re fine with it, but if you spread it, I can’t stop you— at most, we’re not friends anymore.”

Fang Meng paused her own words:

“Don’t worry. Whether for the Eldest Miss’s sake or our friendship and my bond with Lin Zheng Ran, I won’t tell anyone. I swear on my body— if I lie, Lin Zheng Ran can do whatever he wants with me.”

Lily’s face shifted from serious to full of confusion. “????”

What had she just heard?

Fang Meng picked up her notebook. “All right, let’s continue. So Lin Zheng Ran is really juggling four relationships— quite the player.” A hint of jealousy flashed across her face.

Lily said, “Wait… what did you just say?”

Fang Meng ignored her. “Okay, on to the second question.”

Lily didn’t get it. “You’ve asked a ton of questions already— how is this just the second one? And what did you say earlier?”

“That was just a way to punish you and show my resolve. Besides, all those questions count as one.”

“Nonsense! Do you think I’m that bored? I’ll answer one more, then you tell me how to break the Bad Luck Slump. Deal’s off after that!”

Fang Meng thought for a moment and agreed. “Fine. Last question: What do you like to eat? What do you like to do? What time do you usually go to bed? What do you do when you’re free? And what do you like about Lin Zheng Ran?”

She added, “Don’t worry, I won’t share these answers. If I tell anyone besides Qian Qian, it’s the same punishment as before.”

Lily was speechless. “Why do you need to know all this? Do you have a crush on me?”

“I don’t like girls, though you are really cute.”

Even so, Lily answered. After all, these questions weren’t anything too personal.

Plus, Fang Meng kept complimenting her cuteness and promised to keep secrets, so Lily didn’t mind her that much.

Fang Meng noted it all down. “Got it. It’s a bit different from what I observed before, but it fits your habits, Lily. Though the last part is vague— you said you like everything about Lin Zheng Ran. That’s too broad.”

Lily finished her drink and set the cup down, saying:

“Broad? I don’t think so. Do you know what it takes to say that? I’ve liked Zheng Ran for over a decade— my feelings are one hundred percent real!”

Fang Meng paused her writing and asked, “If it weren’t one hundred percent, you probably wouldn’t let your crush have a harem. If you didn’t like him that much, you’d have left by now.”

Lily huffed and fell silent again.

“Okay, thanks for your answers. Now I’ll tell you how to break the Bad Luck Slump.”

Fang Meng pulled out a stack of divination cards from her pocket, spread them out, and let Lily pick one. Lily thought it looked official and handed her the chosen card.

Fang Meng looked at the card and explained, “The way to break your Bad Luck Slump is to eat chocolate that’s been chewed up in your boyfriend’s mouth.” She blushed a little as she said it.

Lily’s face burned with embarrassment.

“What kind of ridiculous divination is that? And once it’s chewed, the chocolate’s just melted anyway!”

“That’s on the cards, not me.”

Lily turned to leave, but after a few steps, she stopped and said over her shoulder, “Hey, Fang Meng, you like Zheng Ran too, don’t you?”