Chapter 134: Whispers in the Night

I’ll heat up some water to drink first.

Lin Zheng Ran set his jacket aside neatly. Heqing, acting every bit the devoted wife, skillfully poured cold water into the kettle and placed it on the small household heater, then hit the heat button.

The icy water slowly warmed, tiny bubbles starting to form.

Heqing noticed Lin Zheng Ran sitting there, already tearing open the self-heating hot pot packaging. She carefully sat down next to him.

Right up against him.

“Let me handle this. You just rest—it’s nothing, I’ll take care of it.” Her voice was soft and sweet.

“Just ripping open a package. It’s no big deal,” he replied.

Lin Zheng Ran saw the way she looked at him, like she had questions but didn’t dare ask. So he said, “Thinking about Lily?”

Heqing’s hands slowed as she nodded slightly:

“Yeah… Were you two on a date? I remember you said the competition ended on the fifth or sixth, and today it’s the seventh. So you must have been on a date. Oh, and yesterday I asked Wen Wen, and she said Lily made it onto some leaderboard. Sounds impressive.”

She tried hard not to sound jealous.

“Yeah, to celebrate her making the final fifty, I took her to the city for a movie.”

“A movie…” Heqing pursed her lips, unable to hold back. She thought about how she and Lin Zheng Ran had never watched one together.

Then Lin Zheng Ran asked, “Hey, we’ve never seen a movie together, have we? Next time we date, we could go. Sound good?”

Heqing turned to look at him. The kettle was starting to make noise, with faint bubbling sounds.

“Yes.”

He reached out and gently stroked her head. “Then we’ll go next time.”

Feeling the warmth of his strong hand, Heqing suddenly grabbed Lin Zheng Ran’s sleeve with her pale little hand and rested her forehead on his shoulder, sounding upset: “So… are you and Lily together now? How far have you two gone?”

Lin Zheng Ran looked at Heqing: “We just held hands today.”

Heqing glanced up at him with trembling eyes: “Didn’t she kiss you too? On the neck? Was that your first kiss, or have you kissed a lot?”

Lin Zheng Ran cupped her cheek: “That jealous? It was our first kiss, and it was like her surprise attack—kind of like when you did it at school back then.”

“First time…”

Heqing knew Lin Zheng Ran wouldn’t lie to her. Knowing it was the first made her feel so much better—if it had been many times, she might have cried.

She lowered her head, absentmindedly tugging at his clothes like a little kid:

“Well, if it’s the first, that’s okay. I’ve thought for a while that you’d end up with both me and Lily. We’ve known each other so long, and you two are childhood friends. I can see you really care about her and like her a lot. I can accept it…”

She smiled slowly, her voice drawn out:

“I’m just a dummy, you know. When we were kids, I’d do whatever you said because I didn’t have a clue. I just followed you… At first, I thought about stopping you from being a player, not wanting you to like other girls.

But if I couldn’t stop it, what could I do? I figured I’d just accept it. Lily’s a good person, and she likes you too. We could be like sisters.”

She repeated: “I really thought I could accept it, but seeing her kiss you… it hurt more than I expected. Felt empty and uncomfortable. You…”

She whispered pleadingly: “Could you comfort me? Just a little, Lin Zheng Ran. If you do, I’ll let it go. Even one word would make me happy because I can’t stay mad at you. Please?”

Lin Zheng Ran saw how timid she looked, as if he might leave her.

He opened his arms, and after a moment of surprised delight, Heqing quickly wrapped her arms around his neck.

Half-kneeling, she hugged him tight.

Lin Zheng Ran meant for her to just sit in his lap, but Heqing had never hugged a boy before.

Instinctively, she copied what she’d seen on TV and held his neck.

That brought their bodies even closer.

After the hug, Heqing finally smiled: “You’re so warm… It’s the first time you’ve held me after knowing you so long.”

Lin Zheng Ran turned slightly to look at her: “You smell nicer than usual. Did you shower before coming?”

Heqing’s face turned red, suddenly remembering what Wen Wen had said about body scents.

They say people who like each other can sense each other’s unique smells.

Heqing nodded: “Yeah, I showered. Oh, right, Lin Zheng Ran, I wanted to ask you something else, not about Lily.

Can you smell that special scent on me? You know, like in books—when a boy and girl are into each other genetically, they can pick up each other’s unique smells. I can smell yours; what about mine?”

Lin Zheng Ran didn’t speak for a second.

Heqing thought he couldn’t smell it and got anxious: “You can’t? Just shampoo or body wash? That can’t be! Let me get closer—try again.”

She leaned her chest toward his face.

But Heqing was different from the other two girls; she was top-heavy.

Lin Zheng Ran could barely breathe from the pressure of her clothes.

Still, Heqing said, “Come on, smell it!”

Lin Zheng Ran sighed: “You don’t need to get that close. I can smell it for sure. I’ve noticed it since we were little. You have this special milky scent.”

“Milky?” Heqing’s flushed face was adorable as she looked at him: “Really? I have a milky smell?”

“Yeah, like milk, with a bit of unique sweetness. I can’t quite describe it. Can’t you smell it yourself?”

Heqing shook her head shyly: “Of course not. No one’s ever told me I have that smell. Only you can.”

Then she remembered: “Oh, wait! Once when I was a kid, I spilled milk on myself, and Mom said I smelled like it. Was that it?”

Lin Zheng Ran chuckled: “That was ages ago. No, it’s just naturally you.”

Heqing didn’t get it, but she cared about one thing: “Do you like it? The smell?”

Seeing him nod, she grinned happily like a fool.

Lin Zheng Ran asked: “You said you can smell mine too? What’s it like?”

Heqing thought, eyeing his torso and biting her lip: “It’s a cool kind of scent.”

“Huh? You can call a scent ‘cool’?”

“I don’t know, but it’s this special cool vibe! Not really a smell, but it’s amazing. That’s why I always want to be closer to you when we’re alone—to breathe it in more.”

They shared a smile.

Then they hugged again.

Heqing whispered in his ear:

“Lin Zheng Ran, it’s okay if you’re with Lily. I’m not that open-minded, but if you comfort me, I’d agree to you dating a few girls in a heartbeat. I can accept it, but… could you not sneak off with her?”

“Sneak off with her? When did I do that?”

Heqing thought he didn’t understand and explained:

“Don’t you know what ‘sneak off’ means? I learned it from Wen Wen. It’s like, if a guy has multiple girlfriends, as the main one, you can’t go all the way with just one while the others only get to hold hands.”

Her tone was unusually firm, though still sweet:

“And besides, I knew you first! I met you in kindergarten, and you taught me how to stand up for myself and so much more. If anyone’s sneaking off, it should be with me, not…”

She caught Lin Zheng Ran’s confused look and realized she’d messed up her own point.

Because she just said no sneaking off, but then said it was okay with her.

Heqing couldn’t help but laugh, embarrassed, and lowered her head: “I don’t know how to say it right, but what I mean is…” She stared at him seriously, her breath warm: “If she kissed you, then I want to too—and more than her. Can I kiss you twice?”

Lin Zheng Ran stroked her soft face. Heqing blinked her innocent eyes, waiting quietly for his answer.

Until he agreed, her expression shifted.

Lin Zheng Ran said: “Alright, where do you want to kiss?”

“First on the neck! But the other side, since Lily kissed this one.”

So Lin Zheng Ran turned his head: “Go ahead.”

Heqing happily leaned in toward his neck, eyeing his skin, swallowed, and slowly pressed her lips there.

But she didn’t pull away right away; she kept holding his neck, eyes closed.

Savoring the touch of her lips on his skin.

Clearly, seeing Lily and Lin Zheng Ran together had stirred more jealousy in her than she’d admitted.

She didn’t want her first kiss to end so quickly.

Lin Zheng Ran let her be, holding her fragrant body close.

It was more like her lips lingered on his neck than a quick kiss.

After a while, Heqing finally sat up, her face truly happy now, flushed all the way to her ears.

Lin Zheng Ran asked: “And the second one? Where now?”

Heqing’s eyes traced his features—from his ears to his eyes, nose, and finally his lips.

Her heart raced as she stared at his mouth, thinking it was probably okay anywhere…

After all, he seemed fine with it.

“This time, I want to… I want to kiss you proper—”

She didn’t finish “kiss” before the bathroom door creaked open, startling her like a skittish kitten. She scrambled off him and sat back down properly.

Han Wenwen emerged from the bathroom just then: “I’m changed. You two…”

The little fox’s sly eyes spotted Heqing’s red face as she sat there, head down, lips pursed, looking all innocent.

“Heqing, your face is so red.”

Heqing covered her cheeks with both hands, trying to hide: “No, it’s not! Not red at all.”

Lin Zheng Ran smiled at Han Wenwen: “You look good in that outfit.”

Han Wenwen hummed in agreement, but seeing them so close stirred an unspoken jealousy in her. Still, she acted like nothing was wrong.

Now, the little fox wore a pretty light red sweater with a classic pleated skirt.

It wasn’t quite stocking weather yet, but she’d probably add them when winter hit.

Lin Zheng Ran thought girls’ outfits were all pretty similar, though little changes like a new piece made a difference.

Heqing peeked through her fingers at Lin Zheng Ran.

Lin Zheng Ran glanced back, his eyes saying:

“We’ll find a private moment for that next time.”

Heqing’s face grew even redder, but she smiled secretly and nodded.

Their silent exchange didn’t escape Han Wenwen’s sharp notice, though she pretended not to see, letting her jealousy build as she checked the kettle.

“The water’s hot now.”

She saw the three self-heating hot pots unpacked: “Why’d you two just open them and leave it?”

Han Wenwen grabbed some cups, sat by Heqing, poured hot water into them, and added cold water to the hot pot bases.

That’s when Heqing realized she’d been holding in the need to go for a while.

The atmosphere had made her forget all about it.

“I’ll use the bathroom quick.”

Han Wenwen nodded: “Take your time. The hot pots need about five minutes to heat up.”

Heqing headed in without a second thought, glancing back shyly at Lin Zheng Ran before locking the door.

The rental house wasn’t great for soundproofing, so the girls always kept things quiet in there.

Otherwise, every noise would carry out, and that’d be embarrassing.

But that caution gave Han Wenwen and Lin Zheng Ran a moment alone.

The second Heqing was in the bathroom, Han Wenwen’s cheerful expression vanished, replaced by a huff of jealousy.

She turned away, not wanting to face Lin Zheng Ran.

She’d deliberately stayed in the bathroom to give them time, but it only let her jealousy over Lin Zheng Ran and Lily—and now Heqing—grow.

“Brother Zheng Ran, you done comforting Heqing? And your date with Lily?”

Lin Zheng Ran heard the shift in her tone and thought this fox’s jealousy was the strongest of the three.

“Yeah, jealous again?”

Han Wenwen looked at him, eyes full of grievance:

“What else? I saw you and Lily on the street and let it go, but then I had to hide in the bathroom, taking my time to change so you could make up with Heqing. How could I not be jealous? It’s killing me.”

Lin Zheng Ran leaned back on the bed and opened his arms: “Come here.”

Han Wenwen pouted, tilting her head with a huff, like she didn’t want to.

But afraid he’d pull away, she quickly snuggled into his arms.

She hugged his waist and buried her face in his chest, acting extra clingy.

She whispered: “Won’t you stroke my head?”

“Got it. You really are a fox through and through.”

As Lin Zheng Ran’s hand ran through her hair, Han Wenwen felt better, but today’s jealousy had hit hard.

Even with the petting, her expression didn’t fully ease.

“How was your day out with Lily? Fun? What did you do?”

Lin Zheng Ran recalled: “It was fun—I’m always happy on dates with you girls. We just watched two movies.”

“Two?” Her quick mind wondered why two, since watching could be tiring.

Sitting still made you stiff.

But she quickly figured it out—probably not just watching.

She looked up at him: “Why two? I bet during those movies, your mind wasn’t on the screen, Brother Zheng Ran.”

Lin Zheng Ran met her gaze: “You’re overthinking it. We were just watching. The first one was so she could nap—she didn’t sleep much last night.”

“And the second?”

“The second was the one we wanted to see, but she fell asleep again. So it looked like a morning date, but she slept through most of it.”

Han Wenwen blinked her charming eyes, skeptical: “You’re kidding! How could she sleep through two? That’s a date—does she have that big of a heart?”

Lin Zheng Ran laughed: “I don’t know, but she did. Oh, and since you can smell things, why not check? She was leaning on me a lot during those movies.”

“True, I’ll sniff and see if you’re lying.”

Han Wenwen held his shoulders and examined him closely, like activating some ancient instinct, checking everywhere from his face to his neck, shoulders, and whole upper body.

Lin Zheng Ran found it amusing: “Do you have to be that thorough? A quick sniff would do.”

Han Wenwen replied while sniffing: “No way. If I’m doing it, I need to get all the details.”

After circling back to his neck, she frowned.

The scent there was strong—and not just one girl’s.

One was especially intense, clearly from Heqing.

Han Wenwen pouted hard.

Lin Zheng Ran chuckled: “Well? Was I right?”

“You were, but did you hold hands?”

“Yeah.”

“For a long time?”

“Yeah, while she was asleep.”

Han Wenwen was full of envy: “You never held my hand the whole time I slept!”

“Didn’t you? Wait, no, you’ve never fallen asleep around me.”

“I haven’t, because I cherish every second with you and don’t want to miss a thing. But that’s beside the point—you still didn’t hold my hand when I was out!”

Lin Zheng Ran sighed: “Are you being unreasonable, Wen Wen?”

Han Wenwen argued back: “Yes, I am! Who asked you to be such a player? Kissing in the street where anyone could see!”

“I didn’t expect her to kiss me goodbye.”

“Good thing she kissed you first—if you’d done it, I’d be too mad to eat all day.”

Lin Zheng Ran didn’t hide it: “That’ll happen eventually.”

Han Wenwen grimaced: “Brother Zheng Ran! Even if it’s true, don’t say it. And Heqing kissed your neck too, right?”

“Yeah.”

“And you hugged her? Your whole embrace smells like her now.”

“Had to comfort her, didn’t I?”

Han Wenwen was exasperated: “When we’re not all together, it’s fine—we know we’re sisters. But now? It’s just jealousy city.”

“Then I want a kiss too.”

“Where?”

Han Wenwen eyed his neck, then smiled: “I have a question first. Everyone’s been kissing you, but have you kissed anyone yet?”

“Not yet. We’ve only held hands recently; we’re not at that stage.”

“Then I don’t want to kiss you. I want you to kiss me—on the neck, even a nibble.”

The little fox rubbed her nose against his.

“Please, just once.”

Lin Zheng Ran remembered last time: “Not scared of a neck bite now?”

Han Wenwen said confidently: “Of course not. That was then; I’m ready now. Oh, and I forgot to tell you something.”

She leaned in: “My eighteenth birthday wish is to give myself to you, but before that, it’s not off-limits. I know guys think about that stuff early, so if you ever can’t hold back,

come to me. We can’t go all the way, but I can help other ways.”

She touched her lips, blushing.

Then Lin Zheng Ran flicked her forehead: “You’re getting way too bold. What have you been watching?”

Han Wenwen clutched her head, pretending it hurt, looking pitiful: “I’m just a bad girl, aren’t I? You know that, Brother Zheng Ran. Your bad girl, though.”