Chapter 253: Whispers of the Afternoon

The sky gradually darkened, within the warmth of the covers.

Lin Zheng Ran gazed at the exhausted Heqing nestled in his arms.

Sweat dotted her forehead, with a few strands of hair sticking to her face from the moisture.

Her small hands rested in front of her, exuding an unusual beauty.

Lin Zheng Ran gently brushed the hair from her face.

Heqing stirred at the movement, waking slightly and opening her eyes. Seeing Lin Zheng Ran, she blushed and smiled shyly:

“Lin Zheng Ran, what time is it?”

“A little after four.”

“After four? Over three hours have flown by… it went so fast…”

Lin Zheng Ran asked how she felt, really meaning if she was tired.

Because Heqing had always been the obedient type; as a child, she’d do whatever Lin Zheng Ran asked.

Today was no different—she was incredibly well-behaved.

Heqing replied in a sweet tone:

“Well, I was a bit nervous at first.”

As soon as she said it, she felt shy. Her pure eyes fixed on his neck, avoiding his gaze: “But then I wasn’t. I’m completely yours now, though I always was.”

Lin Zheng Ran smiled and stroked her head.

Heqing smiled back in bliss and closed her eyes.

Lin Zheng Ran asked, “Feeling sleepy?”

“Yeah, I’m totally wiped out. I just want to sleep.”

“Why don’t you nap here? I’ll extend the room, and we can head back once you’re rested.”

Heqing shook her head: “No, let’s go back and sleep properly. I know you can’t stay here forever, and I’d be scared alone.”

Lin Zheng Ran chuckled: “Alright, then get up and change clothes.”

Heqing nodded: “Okay, I’ll help you with your socks.”

Lin Zheng Ran thought to himself that she was already so drowsy—how could she manage that?

“I can handle it myself.”

He helped her sit up.

Heqing sat on the bed and used her last bit of energy to change clothes.

She was completely drained, like a device in standby mode with no power left.

So, after she dressed, Lin Zheng Ran scooped her up in a princess carry.

Heqing panicked for a moment.

Lin Zheng Ran explained, “Just relax and sleep. I’ll carry you back—you probably couldn’t walk anyway.”

She knew her own state, so she blushed and rested her head against his chest, drifting into a deep sleep wrapped in gentleness.

Lin Zheng Ran carried her to check out.

They returned to the fifth-floor hotel room.

Lin Zheng Ran used the room key card to open the hotel door.

Inside, the little fox was still asleep. Lily had finished filling out forms and received some competition participant lists from Wang Lan.

It let Lily take a look first, so she’d been busy flipping through them all afternoon.

Until she saw Lin Zheng Ran return with Heqing in his arms.

Seeing him carry her back, Lily’s excitement about the upcoming competition faded quickly: “Zheng Ran, you’re back. Wait, what happened to Heqing?”

Lin Zheng Ran closed the door and explained, “She fell asleep on the first floor. Let’s not wake her—just let her rest.”

Lily nodded and watched as Lin Zheng Ran carefully placed Heqing on her bed.

Heqing was out cold, but a lingering, satisfied smile played on her face.

Lin Zheng Ran tucked the covers around her thoughtfully, leaving Lily puzzled by the scene.

She glanced at her phone and realized it was already four in the afternoon!

After getting Wang Lan’s message, she’d filled out the entry form and checked opponent details—before she knew it, over three hours had passed!

That meant she’d left Heqing and Zheng Ran alone for nearly four hours that afternoon!

But seeing Heqing asleep, she silently breathed a sigh of relief.

She figured Heqing must have gone downstairs around one to find Lin Zheng Ran, and they chatted on the lobby sofa until she dozed off on his shoulder.

Just like when she and Lin Zheng Ran watched movies together.

She’d slept straight through until now, so Lin Zheng Ran brought her back without disturbing her.

It had to be something like that!

Lily smiled softly and whispered, “Zheng Ran, I have good news. Zhang Jie called me this afternoon and asked me to fill out the entry for the music candidate competition. If all goes well, I can compete this year.”

Lin Zheng Ran lit up with excitement: “Really? They’ve finally got back to you. Timing-wise, it’ll fit with your university break. I’ll go with you then.”

Lily nodded eagerly, her twin tails bouncing: “Yes!”

But as soon as she agreed, Lily noticed Lin Zheng Ran glance at Heqing again, his eyes full of gentle affection.

Though he was always kind to Heqing, this look was more intense than usual.

It made Lily’s heart skip a beat.

A wave of jealousy hit her hard.

Lily’s eyes widened slightly, her lips parting.

She recalled that look before—it was the same way he gazed at her after they kissed during their hotel stay.

After kissing, he’d looked at her just like that.

Did that mean… down on the first floor, he kissed Heqing too?

Or something more…

She stared at Lin Zheng Ran’s eyes, afraid to think further.

Only one thought echoed in her mind: Impossible!

First, it was daytime, and second, there was no private spot for that. What was she even imagining? That kind of thing wasn’t so easy.

But still…

Lin Zheng Ran said, “It’s not too late now. How about we head out for dinner in an hour?”

Lily snapped back and replied, “Sure, sounds good.”

“Then I’ll lie down for a bit. If you need anything, come in—I’m not locking the door.”

The room was a mix of a triple and a single, so naturally, Lin Zheng Ran took the single.

He went into the single room, closed the door, and lay down to rest.

Lily kept watching him go in, then turned back to the sleeping Heqing.

Heqing slept peacefully, and Lily couldn’t help but smile to herself.

“I’m just overthinking this,” she muttered, as if reassuring herself. She raised a hand, closed her eyes, and chuckled softly:

“Zheng Ran’s so proper, not like other guys.” Her face flushed: “They probably just kissed. It’s okay, even if it stings a bit—we’re both his girlfriends.”

Right after she finished mumbling, the sleeping Heqing stirred, half-asleep, and murmured:

“Lin Zheng Ran”

Then she continued:

“I love you”

“Keep teasing me”

“I love it when you do.”

Lily’s beautiful eyes widened slowly, her pupils trembling with shock.