Chapter 166: Morning Secrets

Lily heard the noise and got out of bed, padding barefoot to the bathroom.

Last night, she’d slept wrapped in Lin Zheng Ran’s jacket, and by morning, it was all crumpled and unwearable.

In the bathroom, Lin Zheng Ran pointed to the door beside them.

The little fox was clever and understood his signal, ducking behind the door.

A moment later, the bathroom door stood half-open, with Lin Zheng Ran shirtless in the frame.

Lily saw him like that and remembered last night, her cheeks flushing pink as she lingered in the doorway, with him standing there too.

The two stared at each other, wide-eyed.

After half a minute, they both spoke at once.

“Come on in,” Lin Zheng Ran said.

“You go out,” Lily replied.

Lily paused, surprised. “Wait, how am I supposed to use the bathroom if you don’t leave?”

If Lin Zheng Ran left, Han Wenwen hiding behind the door would be exposed. That little fox was lucky she didn’t have a real tail in real life.

Otherwise, with that figure and a tail, she’d be impossible to hide.

“Just come in first. You go ahead, then I’ll leave,” he said.

Lily blinked, puzzled. “This is so weird,” she muttered, but she stepped inside anyway.

Lin Zheng Ran gently turned her by the shoulders, but spotting the mirror that might give them away, he pulled her into a hug instead.

Caught in his arms first thing in the morning, Lily panicked.

Her face buried in his chest, she stammered, “Zheng Ran! You big idiot, what are you doing?!”

Lin Zheng Ran held the back of her head to keep her from looking up. “Nothing much, just wanted to hold you for a bit.”

Han Wenwen, peeking from behind the door, watched them in shock.

She stood there, mouth agape.

Lin Zheng Ran signaled to Han Wenwen with his eyes, urging her to get out now—why wait?

Jealous, Han Wenwen nipped at Lin Zheng Ran’s arm.

Then she slipped out of the bathroom quietly, easing the door open and heading out of the room without a sound.

Lin Zheng Ran finally relaxed.

Lily’s face burned red in his embrace, and her hands slowly slid up to his back:

“Didn’t you hold me all night? Aren’t you over it yet? You’re so confusing…”

Just as she started to settle into the hug, Lin Zheng Ran let go.

“All right, that’s enough. Go ahead and use the bathroom—I’ll head out.”

Lily stood there, completely flustered: “.”

After a stunned moment, she exploded in embarrassment, her face bright red as she muttered curses: “Are you still asleep? Pighead! Idiot!”

She slammed the bathroom door shut with a bang.

Lin Zheng Ran just shrugged and went back to sit on the bed.

Half a minute later, Lily came out of the bathroom and heard a knock at the door.

She called out curiously, “Who’s there?”

Lin Zheng Ran, sitting on the bed, reminded her, “It’s probably Han Wenwen. I messaged her this morning to bring you some clothes.”

“Lily, Lin Zheng Ran, it’s me!” came Han Wenwen’s voice from outside.

“Huh?”

Lily glanced down at her outfit—still in Lin Zheng Ran’s shirt, with just his jacket draped as a skirt below.

It was basically nothing underneath…

“You open the door, Zheng Ran. I’ll duck into the bathroom for a bit! Otherwise, I’d be too embarrassed to answer like this.”

Lin Zheng Ran waved her off, and she hurried back inside.

These two girls were just endearingly clueless.

So Lin Zheng Ran got up again to open the door. Han Wenwen acted all serious, as if she’d just arrived, waving casually with a smile: “Lin Zheng Ran, I’ve brought clothes for you and Lily. Where’s Lily?”

Lin Zheng Ran played along, pointing to the bathroom so Lily could hear: “She’s in there.”

“Oh, I see,” Han Wenwen said, blinking.

Once she knew Lily couldn’t see, Han Wenwen’s eyes turned jealous again; she grabbed Lin Zheng Ran’s hand and playfully nipped at it, not hard enough to hurt.

In a whisper only they could hear, she looked up accusingly: “Brother Zheng Ran, you hugged her right in front of me?!”

“If I hadn’t, would you be here nibbling my hand right now?” he whispered back.

“And you call that a hand—it’s more like a paw!”

The little fox huffed, then switched back to her act, saying loudly: “I’ll leave the clothes here. I’m off—don’t want to interrupt you two!”

She shot Lin Zheng Ran a glare, then whispered, “Am I really leaving?”

She opened her arms slightly: “Brother Zheng Ran, just one more hug.”

Lin Zheng Ran gave Han Wenwen a quick hug at the door, and only then did she wave goodbye and head back to school.

She reflected on this short morning—less than half an hour of jealousy and joy, more eventful than the whole day before.

It had been a mix of envy and excitement, richer than yesterday entire.

After Han Wenwen left, Lin Zheng Ran knocked on the bathroom door with the clothes: “She’s gone. You can change now.”

Lily opened the door, face flushed, and took the clothes inside.

She thought, now Han Wenwen must assume she and Zheng Ran hooked up last night… if she tells Heqing about this, who knows what’ll happen.

It could lead to all sorts of trouble.

Over an hour later, Lin Zheng Ran, in just his shirt, headed out with the freshly dressed Lily to check out.

After checking out, he needed to return to the dorm to change his jacket.

Lily had to drop off her soaked clothes from last night back at her dorm too.

On the way back, seeing Lin Zheng Ran in only his shirt, Lily said with concern, “Aren’t you cold, Zheng Ran? Even though I used that jacket as a skirt all night, it could still work. I’m worried you’ll catch a chill—put it on.”

Lin Zheng Ran wasn’t bothered by the cold; the jacket was just for show: “I’m fine.”

Lily wondered if he was being stubborn.

“As compensation, once the New Star List money comes in, I’ll buy you a new one!”

Lin Zheng Ran nodded without refusing: “Sure.”

As they walked, Lily suddenly realized: “Wait, you’re the boss now, so that money’s basically from you. Does that even count as me buying it for you?”

Lin Zheng Ran tapped her head: “Why overthink it? You’re mine anyway, so it’s all the same.”

Lily blushed and shot back:

“I won’t deny that, but you don’t have to say it so boldly.”

They quickly tidied up at the dorm.

Then Lin Zheng Ran took Lily back to Zheng Shi Music.

He sighed at how strangely long and chaotic last night had been.

This Sunday turned out uneventful; Lily was recording her MV, while Jiang Jingshi was tied up with Jiang Group matters and didn’t show.

So Lin Zheng Ran watched Lily shoot outdoor scenes alone.

Before he knew it, afternoon rolled around, and he said goodbye to Wang Jie and Lily before heading home.

At the intersection, Lily waved: “Zheng Ran! Stay safe on the road! See you at school tonight!”

Lin Zheng Ran lifted a hand and got into the car.

“Got it.”

Lily stood at the intersection, watching his car drive away.

Her face held a soft blush, her twin tails swaying in the breeze; last night’s events had been a wonderful experience for her.

Now they’d shared hand-holding and hugs.

What was left were even more intimate moments.

Soon, Lin Zheng Ran arrived back in the Small Town; on the way, Lin Xiao Li called to ask when he’d be home, saying he’d been too busy lately and she hardly saw him.

Lin Zheng Ran admitted, “Yeah, it’s been hectic. I’m about five minutes from home. Who’s the guest today that I have to meet?”

Lin Xiao Li chuckled: “You’ll see when you get here. They’re already chatting with us.”

Lin Zheng Ran didn’t get what his mom was up to.

He reached the Residential Area, went home, and opened the door.

There in the Living Room sat his dad, mom, some unfamiliar uncle and aunt, and Fang Meng, all sipping tea.

Fang Meng, with her side ponytail, wasn’t surprised to see Lin Zheng Ran and waved: “Lin Zheng Ran, you’re here?”

Lin Zheng Ran stood there, confused: “Fang Meng?”