Chapter 179: Unexpected Bonds

Jiang Qian was completely serious.

“From now on, I’m your girlfriend. We can hop into bed anytime since I’m curious about what it’s like with a guy. Exploring human origins as the books describe should be fun.”

But there’s a catch: you have to marry me first. I only do that with my husband. After we’re married, I can support you, as long as you don’t cheat…”

“Stop!” Lin Zheng Ran raised his hand. “What are you even saying? When did I confess to you?”

Jiang Qian looked at Lin Zheng Ran, helping him recall: “Just now, you asked me to make a request, and you said you wanted to sleep with me. Isn’t that a confession? I agreed, but only if you marry me.”

“Hold on again!” He looked helpless. “That’s not what I said exactly. I meant anything except sleeping together.”

Jiang Qian nodded: “True, but you phrased it as a question—asking if everything except that was okay. And I said yes, even that, as long as you marry me.”

Lin Zheng Ran interrupted: “So, the choice is mine, right? I don’t have any interest in sleeping with you right now. That’s not the reward I want. I haven’t even stated my real request yet.”

Jiang Qian seemed dazed, not quite understanding:

“Why? I thought sleeping with me would be the top request. Don’t you find me attractive? My looks and figure should turn heads.”

“Plenty of guys have confessed to me, and I think they mean it when they say I’m pretty. I keep my body in shape—I’m even a C-cup.”

Instinctively, Lin Zheng Ran’s eyes flicked to a certain spot. He hadn’t paid much attention before, but Jiang Qian did have a great figure. He just didn’t expect her to be so direct:

“What are we even talking about? Honestly, you’re attractive enough to spark desire—black hair and all, which lots of people like. But that doesn’t mean my request has to be sleeping with you. Besides, I already have a girlfriend.”

Jiang Qian felt a twinge at the first part, but the second hit harder, and she lowered her head slightly, looking hurt.

“I know, but before marriage, you still have the right to choose a partner, right? A boyfriend is one thing; a husband is another. You can change boyfriends, but not husbands. And I’ve already agreed… From childhood, hundreds of guys have confessed to me, and you’re the only one I said yes to.”

Seeing her expression change, Lin Zheng Ran asked out of curiosity: “Jiang Qian, do you like me?”

Jiang Qian’s face flushed slightly, her eyes shifting away:

“I don’t like you,” she corrected herself. “Well, not to that extent. I just think you’re a good person and care about you a bit. So, marrying you seems fine.”

Jiang Qian was speaking from the heart. She didn’t really know what liking someone meant—she’d never felt it before.

Lin Zheng Ran blinked:

“Is that so? Anyway, I can agree to your request, but my reward isn’t being your boyfriend or sleeping with you. I’ll have other demands; I just haven’t figured them out yet.”

Jiang Qian looked at Lin Zheng Ran and had to accept it:

“Alright, then consider today as me owing you a huge favor. I’ll pay it back later. And if your first request ends up being to sleep with me and get married, I’ll still say yes, whenever it is.”

Lin Zheng Ran chuckled and dropped the topic.

“Got it. Now, let’s talk about you and Fang Meng. Isn’t that why you came to see me today?”

Jiang Qian hummed in agreement.

“Fang Meng and I met in second grade of elementary school.”

Though the story was basically the same, Lin Zheng Ran knew people always tell memories from their own perspective. The same tale sounds different from each person.

So, by hearing the key points from both, he could anticipate how the conflict would play out.

And sure enough, it matched what Lin Zheng Ran had imagined.

Jiang Qian truly cared about Fang Meng as a friend, but that question from back then still stung.

“If I hadn’t lent you money first, would you have lent me any when my family had trouble?” It really hurt her at the time, and it’s lingered all these years.

The spark that ignited it all was a year ago.

Jiang Qian said: “A year ago, Fang Meng’s parents visited my house. My parents were there too, and we chatted about college aspirations. I mentioned I wanted to go to Stanford, and Fang Meng’s parents said her childhood dream was always Tsinghua.”

“Then what?”

Jiang Qian recalled:

“When they asked that, Fang Meng wasn’t in the living room—I don’t remember what she was doing. But later, when I asked her alone about her plans, she said since I was going to Stanford, she’d try to join me. That’s when I realized I might have held her back all these years.”

Lin Zheng Ran thought they were both so casual about it, like Stanford and Tsinghua were just options on a menu…

“So, you started giving Fang Meng more space a year ago? Until your big fight last time, and that’s how it ended.”

Jiang Qian looked regretful: “Yeah, that day in the car, I made it clear—I just didn’t want to hold back her life, nothing more. I don’t know why it escalated like that. I haven’t cared about the past for ages.”

“Really?” Lin Zheng Ran challenged. “You’re over it now? If so, why do you keep bringing it up?”

Jiang Qian clenched her fists on her knees: “I…”

Lin Zheng Ran sighed:

“You were so straightforward earlier, so why get stuck here? If you’re still hung up on the past, just say it out loud. Tell her how much it hurt and why she didn’t respond then. Be direct with Fang Meng.”

Jiang Qian didn’t get it: “But won’t that start a fight?”

“Aren’t you fighting anyway? Keeping things bottled up just makes them explode later. Talking it out is best, even if it leads to an argument. Friends fight—it’s normal.”

“And you’ve got it wrong. Fang Meng might feel guilty toward you, but wanting to go to Stanford with you is just about being together. It’s not tied to the past because people’s dreams change. She wanted Tsinghua before, but not now.”

“She genuinely wants to attend the same school as you, but you’re seeing it as you influencing her. By not letting her, you’re actually influencing her more. She’d just think you’re trying to push her away.”

Jiang Qian listened intently, like a light bulb had gone off.

Lin Zheng Ran asked:

“Looks like you get it now? It’s really straightforward.”

“Yeah, hearing you explain it makes me see what’s in Fang Meng’s heart. I was right to come to you—it’s like you know exactly what’s on everyone’s mind, Class Monitor.”

Lin Zheng Ran gave a half-hearted smile.

He thought to himself, That’s only because everyone keeps coming to me for talks.

Jiang Qian was more direct than Fang Meng: “I’ll find her this afternoon and have a proper chat.”

“Good idea.” Lin Zheng Ran glanced at his phone; class was about to start. “Alright, that’s enough for now. We’ve talked a lot; time to head back.”

As Lin Zheng Ran stood, Jiang Qian’s lips parted slowly: “Thank you. You’re different from others—really a good person.”

Her face had a slight blush, and her lips curved into a soft smile.