Chapter 160: Whispers in the Night

Lin Zheng Ran looked down at her.

After a brief silence, Lily glanced up at Lin Zheng Ran when no sound came.

Their eyes met.

He stared until Lily’s face flushed red; she stood up, waving her arms frantically to explain:

“Wait, no, that’s not what I meant! I’m not saying I plan to do that with you tonight, and besides… I just…” She looked away:

“I’ve had a long day too. I just want to take a shower and get a good night’s sleep. If I go back to the dormitory, I won’t be able to shower.”

“That thing? What exactly is that thing?” Lin Zheng Ran asked deliberately.

Lily froze, then bit her trembling lip, her shyness turning to tears as she crouched down and covered her face with both hands: “Wahhh, stop asking! I didn’t mean it like that!”

As she cried, she started shouting:

“You big idiot, why do you always pick on me? You know exactly what I mean! It’s just so late, and you’re not going back to the dormitory, so why should I go alone?

It’s like I’m ditching you outside! Can’t we just find a place to sleep? Just normal rest! I just want to stay with you.”

Lin Zheng Ran couldn’t help but laugh at her outburst.

He patted her head.

Lily kept sobbing.

“Lily,” he called.

Lily slowly looked up, her eyes glistening but not fully crying: “What now, you big idiot!”

Lin Zheng Ran extended his hand: “Get up. If you want to stay with me and not go back, come along. But only if you’re not scared.”

Lily gazed at Lin Zheng Ran’s handsome and gentle expression.

Stubbornly, she reached out, pausing when her hand hovered over his before finally grasping it.

“Scared of what?” she said as he pulled her up. “I’ve known you for years. If I’m scared of you, then there’s nothing I’m not scared of.”

Lin Zheng Ran chuckled softly and led her by the hand toward a nearby hotel.

Though Lily claimed she wasn’t afraid, being led by a boy to stay out like this felt strange.

Even though he was her childhood friend, it still made her uneasy.

She wondered what Lin Zheng Ran meant by asking if she was scared.

As they walked toward the hotel, they passed an adult store.

Lily bit her lip, her face flushing, and stopped: “Zheng Ran.”

“Hmm? What is it?”

Lily didn’t know how to say it; she just carefully pointed to the unattended shop: “Maybe we should buy a box of that, just in case… you know, those things.”

Lin Zheng Ran followed her gaze, and as expected, he gave her a light flick on the head.

Lily protested: “Hey! Why hit me for that?”

Lin Zheng Ran sighed: “What are you thinking? You said it was just for sleeping, so why buy that?”

Lily glanced at him, embarrassed, and averted her eyes, thinking to herself: “I said it’s just in case.”

Doesn’t Zheng Ran want to buy it? If he doesn’t, that means he really has no such intentions.

But then Lin Zheng Ran added: “The room has some.”

“Huh?” She looked up, her eyes wide with surprise.

He pulled her along.

It scared Lily half to death; she panicked.

“Zheng Ran! Zheng Ran! You and I… you…”

Another flick on the head: “I’m just teasing you! What on earth is going on in your mind? Does sleeping always have to involve that? Don’t you have things to do tomorrow? Focus on what’s important!”

Lily rubbed her head: “Why blame me? They say boys in their youth think about that stuff all the time.”

Yellow waste material.

Lin Zheng Ran shook his head and kept walking, pulling her along. He’d moved past his youth, though hormones still played a role, but he was an adult now:

“That’s true, but I care about you girls a lot. I bet you’re thinking that if I wanted that, you’d just go along with it, right?”

Lily felt too shy to respond.

That was exactly what she thought—it felt like a girlfriend’s duty, even if it was a bit early.

But it seemed like many classmates were

So if Zheng Ran really wanted to do that, she wouldn’t mind much.

Lin Zheng Ran didn’t look back as he explained:

“Other things don’t matter, but something that important, especially the first time, don’t agree just to please me. Wait until you’re fully ready and come to me on your own.”

“Ah? Come to you… for that?” she said, incredulous and blushing. “There’s no way I’d initiate something like that!”

“You think so?”

“If you ask me like that, I…”

Lin Zheng Ran glanced back at her: “You what? What’s on your mind?”

Lily hung her head, unsure why they were discussing this, and murmured with a red face:

“Maybe someday. I want to take it slow—start with holding hands, then hugs, and go step by step. If we get to that point, I might take the initiative,

but I’m worried you don’t feel the same. We’re just at holding hands now; the rest is still far off.”

Lin Zheng Ran turned his gaze ahead.

Lily’s voice dropped lower: “Actually, I want to try the second step tonight.”

“Oh? Then let’s do the second step tonight.”

“Ah?! Really?”

“This time it’s real. Though that other thing is too soon, the second step is fine.”

Lily realized with a jolt—the second step was hugging.

But could they hug in a place like this?!

They picked a decent hotel.

Since it was near the school, the owner seemed unfazed: “ID cards.”

Lin Zheng Ran handed over his and Lily’s.

The owner entered them into the system.

He gave them the room number: “Three-zero-seven.”

Lin Zheng Ran took the key card and led Lily, whose face was bright red, upstairs.

This was Lily’s first time in a place like this, and with Zheng Ran no less. The surroundings felt different from what she’d seen in dramas.

It was a curious feeling, though she knew Zheng Ran wouldn’t do anything.

Still, her heart raced.

It pounded so hard it felt like it might leap out.

With a beep, they swiped in and entered the room.

Lily remarked: “Zheng Ran, how do you know how to check in so smoothly? You’re so experienced.”

Lin Zheng Ran replied: “I stayed here once with my parents.”

It was a casual excuse, and Lily didn’t question it, trusting him completely.

Inside, he inserted the room card and flipped on the lights.

A large bed with white sheets came into view.

As Lin Zheng Ran closed the door, she jumped a little.

Seeing how timid she was, Lin Zheng Ran slipped on the slippers.

“Didn’t you want to shower? You go first; I’ll go after you.”

Lily watched as Lin Zheng Ran removed his jacket and sat on the bed.

She blinked, her heart still racing.

“Okay.”

Curious, she stepped into the bathroom and found it clean and nicer than the school’s.

She poked her head out: “Zheng Ran, there’s no shampoo or body wash. How am I supposed to shower?”

Lin Zheng Ran, sitting on the bed with his phone out: “There should be disposable ones. Check the wall somewhere.”

Lily went back in, but in her flustered state, she couldn’t find them.

She leaned out again: “You big idiot.”

Lin Zheng Ran looked up.

She covered her mouth, realizing she’d used the wrong name: “Zheng Ran, help me find them. I can’t—I haven’t been to a place like this before.”

Lin Zheng Ran sighed, seeing how nervous she was: “You’re such a scatterbrain. I’ll get it for you.”