Chapter 173: Unexpected Encounters

Fang Meng stepped out of the bedroom after a moment.

“Go ahead and change your clothes, then call me when you’re done,” she said, helping him close the door.

Lin Zheng Ran glanced at her, then stripped off his outer layers and changed.

Fang Meng’s everyday style was trendy, like today with a thin yellow jacket over a pleated skirt and a white fitted long-sleeve.

Her side ponytail added the perfect touch, giving her a vibe like a girlfriend from outside school.

At least, that’s what Lin Zheng Ran’s mom, Lin Xiao Li, felt when she first saw the girl.

Once changed, Lin Zheng Ran called out, “Fang Meng, I’m done.”

Fang Meng, standing properly in the living room, walked back into Lin Zheng Ran’s bedroom and sat on his bed.

Lin Zheng Ran turned to look at her.

She turned to look at him too.

They stared at each other in silence.

No one blushed.

Lin Zheng Ran asked, “So? Why are you back at my place?”

“Just to take care of Aunt,” she replied.

“Hmm, I appreciate you visiting my mom, but coming all this way just to care for her? That reason doesn’t hold up. I don’t buy it.”

Fang Meng stared at Lin Zheng Ran and blinked.

“You’re right, so I’m really here for you. I’ve been in a bad mood lately and wanted to talk, but I don’t have any friends, so I came to you.”

Lin Zheng Ran: “.”

Fang Meng pulled out a wad of red bills from her pocket. “Here’s some money as your chat fee. Hope you’ll talk with me for a bit.”

Lin Zheng Ran sweated a little. “No need. You took care of my mom, so taking your money would make me look ungrateful. Besides, I’m not short on cash.”

Fang Meng caught something and blinked again, suddenly singing, “Brother, brother, so genuine, the path leads straight~”

Lin Zheng Ran froze in awkwardness, pausing before asking, “What are you singing?”

Fang Meng realized she was being silly, randomly acting up, and turned back. “Nothing, just a whim. But I think I’ve found your weakness, Lin Zheng Ran, though it’s probably useless now.”

“My weakness?”

“Yeah, it’s that if someone is genuinely good to you or your people—like how I just helped your mom—you’ll be good to them in return.”

“Is that even a weakness? Most people would do that, as long as it’s genuine and not with some evil intent.”

“Genuine is tough, though. People can’t always know what’s in others’ heads, but a weakness is a weakness—not everyone acts like you, Lin Zheng Ran.”

Lin Zheng Ran hummed in agreement, reflecting,

“You seem really off lately. Normally, you’d have pulled out a notebook to jot this down, but now you’re just philosophizing about life.”

He looked at Fang Meng, glowing like some enlightened being.

She pulled a book from nowhere, titled ‘How to Live a Life Without Worries.’

Fang Meng held it up like a saint and said,

“I don’t need to do those things anymore. Life doesn’t have to be about must-dos. Like this book says, if you ignore all constraints, you become free—you could eat with chopsticks meant for spoons, drink rice through a straw, or pull up your pants after the bathroom without wiping, free from society’s gaze.”

“People actually do that? Don’t tell me you’ve tried it all.”

Fang Meng paused. “The first two, yeah, but the third? I couldn’t pull that off. Not at that level yet.”

Lin Zheng Ran raised his hand and knocked her lightly on the head with his knuckles.

Shattering that golden glow around her.

Once done, Fang Meng snapped back to normal, and Lin Zheng Ran added, “Sorry, habit. Your weird outburst just reminded me of something, so I went with it.”

Fang Meng rubbed her head, which didn’t really hurt. “It’s fine. Actually, getting hit like that felt kind of nice. I like a bit of pain.”

Lin Zheng Ran frowned. “That sounds off. People might misunderstand.”

“No misunderstanding—it’s exactly what you think. If I had a boyfriend, I’d want him to be a bit rough, maybe even spank me now and then, as long as he could handle it. I’d fight back if he couldn’t.”

Lin Zheng Ran raised his hand in resignation.

“Enough! Why am I even talking about this with you? My rest time is precious. Just get to what you want to say. For helping my mom, I’ll listen.”

With that, Lin Zheng Ran lay back on the bed and closed his eyes. “Go on. I can rest while you talk.”

Fang Meng turned and saw Lin Zheng Ran lying there, her expression turning troubled as she lowered her voice.

“I don’t have much to say, and it’s a long story.”

Lin Zheng Ran cut in, “Then just hit the key points!”

The sharp tone startled Fang Meng.

“You can be so fierce sometimes… oddly matches my ideal boyfriend type, though I don’t think I’ll ever date, especially with Qian Qian’s feelings for you still up in the air.”

Lin Zheng Ran thought the words sounded familiar, like something a fox spirit might say.

Fang Meng straightened up and started rambling, spilling out old stories like they were tales from the past.

Lin Zheng Ran listened while resting, eyes closed, not interrupting.

By the end, Fang Meng looked down at the floor. “That’s how it is. That night in the car, after we argued, we completely cut ties.”

Lin Zheng Ran stayed quiet.

Fang Meng glanced at him, saw he seemed asleep, and nudged him. “Hey? Did you fall asleep? This is all real talk—you said you’d listen. That’s rude.”

But when Lin Zheng Ran opened his eyes, he’d actually dozed off—though his rest wasn’t normal sleep.

With his energy levels so high, it was more like meditation, letting his brain keep working while he rested.

Freeing up part of his mind for other things.

Lin Zheng Ran opened his eyes and stretched comfortably.

Fang Meng frowned. “You really fell asleep?”

Lin Zheng Ran ignored her and yawned.

“I heard every word. So, you’re regretting it, right? You want to make up with her, but you’re afraid she never saw you as a friend?”

Fang Meng was shocked. “No wonder you outmatch Qian Qian so much. Can your brain really keep going while you’re asleep? I read about geniuses who think while resting, even solve problems in dreams. I thought it was nonsense, but here it is.”

Lin Zheng Ran steered clear of talking about himself, lying back on the pillow and staring at the ceiling.

“As for whether Jiang Qian sees you as a friend, no one else’s opinion matters—only you know if she’s been genuine over the years.

But that incident back then is probably a thorn in her side. You two need to clear the air eventually. I’m surprised you’ve held it in this long—shouldn’t something that big get sorted out right away?”

Fang Meng pursed her lips, hesitating. “I just can’t tell what I meant to her all those years.”

Suddenly, she flopped down beside Lin Zheng Ran, sharing his pillow.

Lin Zheng Ran asked, puzzled, “What are you doing? This is my bed.”

Fang Meng turned away, slumped and defeated. “I’m so tired. Come sing and drink with me—my treat.”

“Do you think I’m that free?” He sighed, uninterested. “I hate dragging things out in relationships. If there’s a problem, fix it. What good is drinking and singing? It’s just a waste of time.”

Fang Meng fell silent.

Then, out of nowhere, Lin Zheng Ran sat up, flipped her over, and pinned her firmly on the bed.

Fang Meng’s cheeks flushed as she looked up at him, hair spread across the pillow, arms held tight.

She noted how strong he was—her wrists ached under his grip.

Lin Zheng Ran said seriously,

“If you want to make up, go talk to her properly, not halfway and then bolt. Lay it all out. It might work or it might not, but at least get it clear instead of wasting my time.

And come on, you really don’t know if she sees you as a friend? What about last week in PE class when she bought water—was that just for me? Or did she get some for you too?”

Fang Meng recalled the PE class incident, her eyes shifting.

Meaning, that second bottle was for her, just like the one for herself…

Lin Zheng Ran let go and got off the bed. “I’m heading to the bathroom. That’s my advice—keep it simple, don’t overcomplicate things.”

He left the room, leaving Fang Meng still sprawled on the bed.

Arms out, staring at the ceiling.

She muttered to herself, “My wrists hurt so much. Why’s he so strong? With that kind of power, a spanking would really sting.”