Chapter 175: A Night of Songs and Surprises

They casually picked a local KTV in the small town. In Lin Zheng Ran’s mind, these entertainment spots barely had any crowds anymore, but this one seemed surprisingly busy.

At least, the moment they stepped inside, nonstop howling filled the air as various people belted out songs with all their might in the rooms.

Lin Zheng Ran and Fang Meng chose a room and ordered a full half-case of beer.

Lin Zheng Ran asked, “Can you finish all that?”

Fang Meng sat on the sofa in their private KTV booth, eyeing the beers. “I’ll drink as much as I can. I just need a bit of courage anyway.”

Before the singing even started, Fang Meng clinked her bottle with Lin Zheng Ran’s and chugged more than half in big gulps.

It was clear she was really nervous about her meeting with Jiang Qian next week.

She selected a few love songs, grabbed the microphone, and exhaled the faint alcohol on her breath.

Her voice rang out clear and strong. It wasn’t as melodious as Lily’s, but Fang Meng had a decent singing voice.

She performed with both passion and skill.

“Keep my sorrows for myself, take your beauty with you…”

Lin Zheng Ran figured as long as she relaxed, it was fine. Though the song was a bit outdated.

After singing for over half an hour, Fang Meng had downed three or five bottles of beer. Not used to drinking, she slumped on the sofa, her voice growing hoarse and her face flushing red.

A little tipsy, she asked Lin Zheng Ran, “Is that all you’re having?”

Lin Zheng Ran glanced at the empty bottles in front of him. “Haven’t I had as much as you?”

Fang Meng held the microphone, puzzled. “But you don’t look drunk at all?”

Lin Zheng Ran replied, “That just means you can’t hold your liquor as well as I can.”

Fang Meng blinked, then leaned back on the sofa, listening to the loud background music from the screen. “Can I ask you something, Lin Zheng Ran?”

“Sure.” Lin Zheng Ran opened another bottle and took a sip.

Fang Meng stared at him. “If you were Qian Qian, and the people you helped as a kid never came back to help you, what would you do?”

Lin Zheng Ran sat beside her. “Nothing much. I’d just keep doing what I need to do.”

“What do you mean?”

“Just what I said. First, I only help people I choose—I’m not wasting time on everyone. There has to be something in it for me. Second, besides my childhood friends,

when I help others, it’s usually small stuff. Small favors mean I don’t expect payback. If they return the favor, great; if not, it doesn’t affect me.”

Lin Zheng Ran looked at Fang Meng:

“Jiang Qian’s childhood experiences show she didn’t know how to judge people. Not everyone’s worth helping, but not everyone’s worthless either. It depends. Of course, kids don’t know that—it’s just life experience.”

Fang Meng gazed at Lin Zheng Ran’s eyes, which held none of the typical teenage uncertainty about life.

She marveled, “Lin Zheng Ran, you sometimes seem like a big brother. You’re right, though—it’s that simple.”

She handed him the microphone. “I’ve been singing all this time. Do you know any songs?”

Lin Zheng Ran took the microphone. “I know a few.”

The screen showed the songs Fang Meng had picked, and Lin Zheng Ran didn’t bother switching them.

He sang along with the lyrics.

“Keep my sorrows for myself”

Fang Meng’s eyes fluttered slightly. In her tipsy state, her heart raced—she hadn’t expected Lin Zheng Ran’s voice to sound so good.

Gazing at his handsome profile, Fang Meng slowly pressed her lips together.

She picked up the second microphone and joined in.

Meanwhile, at the KTV entrance, two guys and two girls—students—headed to the counter to book a room, chatting and laughing.

But as they were about to book, a group of about ten police officers walked in and told the staff, “We suspect drug use here. Seal the front and back doors.”

The staff, caught off guard, nodded respectfully. “Yes, officer! We’ll cooperate fully.”

The four students, curious, tried to follow the police from a distance but got scolded. “Stay back!”

The officers and staff checked the suspicious rooms, eventually reaching a large one where they saw someone standing outside smoking and keeping watch.

Spotting the police, the person panicked and tried to warn the others, but the officers rushed in and pinned him down.

“Don’t move!”

Hearing the scuffle outside, the group inside the room came out to check.

Seeing the swarm of officers, they panicked. Some surrendered, others tried to bolt. The police at the door grabbed most, then chased the rest.

One criminal dashed past the men’s restroom, where Lin Zheng Ran was washing his hands.

The officers shouted behind, “Stop! You think you can get away?”

Lin Zheng Ran stepped out and saw the sallow-faced criminal charging toward him, yelling,

“Kid, get out of the way!”

Lin Zheng Ran stepped back and, as the man passed, casually grabbed his shirt and slammed him against the wall with ease.

That seemingly light press felt like a massive boulder crushing the criminal from behind.

He could barely breathe, his face turning pale.

The officers caught up and restrained him. “Still running? We’ve got people at every exit. Where do you think you’re going?”

Though Lin Zheng Ran’s move was simple, the officers were impressed. “Thanks, kid. You’ve got some strength.”

Lin Zheng Ran chuckled. “No problem. It was just on the way.”

In the booth, Fang Meng heard the hallway commotion and opened the door to see Lin Zheng Ran with the officers. She hurried over.

Worried, she asked, “What happened?”

Lin Zheng Ran explained, “Nothing serious. The police were arresting someone, and he ran past me, so I held him down.”

“Just like that?” Fang Meng eyed the restrained man in his thirties. He looked dazed, but clearly not someone easily stopped—yet she believed Lin Zheng Ran, remembering his strength from earlier that morning when he pinned her down.

From a distance, the four students who came to sing noticed and approached. “Hey, isn’t that the class monitor and Fang Meng? Wait, did the class monitor really take down the criminal?!”

Lin Zheng Ran and Fang Meng turned in surprise to see the four. The world felt small—two of them were in the same class.

A bit tipsy, Fang Meng asked, “What are you two doing here?”

The boys walked over, excited. “We’re from this town too. What a coincidence! Class monitor, is this a date with Fang Meng? We just saw your heroic move—impressive!”

One officer added, “You said your name’s Lin Zheng Ran? Which school?”

The boys chimed in, “He’s our class monitor. We’re from First Middle School.”

The officer laughed. “First Middle School kids? Good bunch. Got it.”

He patted Lin Zheng Ran’s shoulder, and the officers headed out.

Then, on Monday during study hall,

the homeroom teacher and guidance director burst into Class One, beaming. The guidance director announced,

“Everyone, quiet down. Let’s give a big applause to Lin Zheng Ran, our class monitor. Last week, the police were making an arrest, and a student helped catch the criminal. He was out singing with his girlfriend when he stepped up!”

“The police footage is on the school website now. It’s blurred, but you can still tell it’s Lin Zheng Ran and Fang Meng. The school will praise him at the next assembly and announce it school-wide.”

The class was stunned—not just by Lin Zheng Ran’s takedown, but by the idea that Fang Meng was his girlfriend?!

Lin Zheng Ran, Fang Meng, and Jiang Qian all sat with their mouths slightly open, eyes wide.

The homeroom teacher smiled, thinking the director had slipped up by mentioning the girlfriend part—they’d agreed to rephrase that. She said, “Lin Zheng Ran, Fang Meng, step out here for a moment.”