Chapter 286: Gifts and Secret Thoughts

This was the day after sending the contract photo to Lin Zheng Ran.

Xiao Heqing’s phone also received two express packages.

When she got to the delivery station, she found one was a yellow box and the other a red box.

They were birthday gifts from Han Wenwen and Lily.

The two had sent them together, using the same shipping label.

They even shared the same birthday card.

On it was written, “Wishing our dear friend and bestie Heqing a happy birthday!” The card was signed by Wenwen and Lily.

Xiao Heqing felt happy at first, but then realized something and felt embarrassed.

Because if Wenwen and Lily sent her gifts, that meant they knew that day she left was her birthday.

And they probably guessed what she and Lin Zheng Ran had done that day.

Xiao Heqing, feeling awkward yet smiling, messaged them back: “Thanks for the birthday wishes from Wenwen and Lily! Hehe~”

In a rental house in northern Ziteng City, a fox-like girl in super short shorts and an off-shoulder top lay on a pink bed, pulling a banana from the shopping bag on her nightstand.

She smiled at the message from her best friend, her snow-white, slender leg kicked up playfully.

In that position, her perfect waist and hips made her figure even more alluring.

Propping her cheek with one hand, she muttered to herself, “Xiao Qingqing has gotten so much smarter since we were kids—she really knows how to sneak away now.”

After saying that, Han Wenwen turned off her phone and flopped back on the bed, feeling a twinge of jealousy.

She held up the banana, staring at the ceiling as sunlight made one side of it glow slightly:

“On her birthday, Brother Zheng Ran must have gotten close to Xiao Qingqing, right? It’s possible nothing happened, but I doubt it—after all, he’s turned into a total carnivore now. Sleeping platonically just seems unlikely.”

Han Wenwen stared at the banana in her hand and peeled it open.

Revealing the fruit inside.

She gazed at it for a moment, her face turning redder by the second.

Until the little fox sat up, and Han Wenwen looked at the banana in her hand, opening her mouth to bite into it fiercely.

She chewed it angrily, the banana snapping in half.

“I’ll bite Brother Zheng Ran to death!”

The little fox leaned against the headboard, eating the banana bite by bite, using it to vent her jealous thoughts.

But that mood cooled down quickly:

“Wait, so Lily knew that day was Xiao Qingqing’s birthday too? I thought she didn’t. Looks like when we parted that day in the car, she didn’t ask on purpose. That means this year, everyone gets to celebrate their birthday alone with Brother Zheng Ran. I need to plan mine out properly.”

A smile tugged at the little fox’s lips as she tossed the banana peel into the nearby trash bin.

She smacked her lips, thinking the fruit tasted pretty good this time, and picked another ripe one from the nightstand.

Peeling it open again.

Han Wenwen stared at the golden fruit in her hand with a meaningful look:

“Even though Brother Zheng Ran has already been with Xiao Qingqing, Lily, and me, I’ve still got plenty of tricks up my sleeve for him. This is my specialty—I’ll make him addicted to me. Once he craves it, he’ll think of me first.”

Han Wenwen tucked her long hair behind one ear.

As the saying goes, genius is nine parts hard work and one part talent. Han Wenwen knew that to make Brother Zheng Ran happy and addicted to her in that way,

she’d have to practice diligently—it wasn’t just about natural ability.

Why else would she buy all these fruits?

Of course, to eat them. Fruits don’t sit around waiting to rot!

In another building in the residential area, Lily with her golden twin tails waved goodbye to her parents at the door.

She waved her little hand.

“Take it easy on your way to work, Mom and Dad!”

Lily’s parents turned back to look at their daughter with her dyed hair, and her dad chuckled.

But her mom still said, “Lily, next time you do something big like dyeing your hair, discuss it with us first, okay? No more acting first and asking later.”

Lily fiddled with one of her pigtails and whispered, “Got it. Take it easy on your way.”

After seeing her parents off, Lily bounced back to her bedroom.

She checked her phone.

Sure enough, that idiot still hadn’t messaged her.

Frustrated, Lily sat on the bed, puffing her cheeks and waving her little fists: “Dumb Zheng Ran! Stupid Zheng Ran! Don’t we chat in the morning after talking at night?!”

Then she remembered: “Oh, right, he’s going to the company today? Okay, I forgot about that.”

Lily grabbed her guitar from the bedside and sat cross-legged on the bed.

Her pretty fingers strummed the strings, and a proud expression crossed her face as she thought back to the day their trip ended and they parted.

Heqing had said she was going home, but actually spent her whole birthday with Zheng Ran.

Lily huffed dismissively.

Then sighed, muttering jealously, “Dumb Zheng Ran.”

She sang that old nursery rhyme she always did, and every time, it reminded her of meeting that idiot at the market when they were kids.

“Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are… you big dummy!”

In Purple Gold Garden, in Lin Zheng Ran’s residential area—

Lin Zheng Ran came out of the bathroom and saw his mom, Lin Xiao Li, still reading in the living room.

“Mom, when are you planning to interview at Zheng Shi Music?”

Lin Xiao Li looked incredibly nervous, staring at her book and mumbling as if practicing out loud: “It’s the day after tomorrow in the afternoon! I’m suddenly so anxious.”

“The day after tomorrow? Got it.”

Lin Zheng Ran had thought that if he was busy, he’d just give Wang Jie a heads-up.

But since he’d likely be free, he decided to handle his mom’s interview himself.

Lin Xiao Li on the sofa said shakily, “Things are so different now. I saw online that Zheng Shi Company is super popular lately, with low acceptance rates and tough interviewers. The job market pressure is insane.”

Lin Zheng Ran smiled: “It’s just the times we’re in, but Mom, don’t worry too much. With your skills, you’ll be fine.”

Lin Xiao Li chuckled nervously, sweat beading on her forehead: “I think so too, and I hope that’s the case.”

Lin Zheng Ran didn’t disturb her studying and went back to his bedroom.

His phone on the bed buzzed with a message from Xiao Heqing; that silly girl had called him earlier.

She said Aunt He got better right after taking his medicine and was full of gratitude.

Lin Zheng Ran picked up his phone from the bed.

Xiao Heqing asked, “Lin Zheng Ran, are you back from the bathroom?”

“Yeah. You haven’t hung up? Is there something else?”

“Emmm, not really, but are you heading out today?”

“I need to drop by the company to check on things.” Lin Zheng Ran picked out a jacket from the closet.

Xiao Heqing hummed, “Have a safe trip.”

“Okay, then I’ll hang up?”

“Wuuu, go ahead.”

“We’ll see each other soon. Just stay home and wait for school to start.”

Lin Zheng Ran put on his jacket and headed downstairs toward the Zheng Shi Company building.