Chapter 326: Whispers of Evening Plans

Footsteps drew nearer, revealing Lin Zheng Ran on a phone call with someone.

His voice was clear and smooth, carrying a hint of affection—he was obviously talking to a girl:

“Alright, you three pack your bags this afternoon. I’m heading out now. As for dinner back at school tonight, I probably won’t make it, so don’t wait for me.”

Jiang Jingshi couldn’t make out the voice on the other end, but it sounded like someone was arguing with Lin Zheng Ran.

Lin Zheng Ran smiled and said, “Okay, that’s all for now. Bye.”

Back in the dormitory, the Three Little Ones heard that Lin Zheng Ran was spending the afternoon with Teacher Jiang, so they exchanged glances, feeling a twinge of jealousy but powerless to change it.

Meanwhile, as Jiang Jingshi approached, her happy expression carried a subtle edge of jealousy.

Once Lin Zheng Ran hung up, she asked gently, “Zheng, who were you talking to?”

Lin Zheng Ran didn’t hide anything: “Just those three little ones. They asked if I’d be back for dinner at school, but I really feel like having your cooking tonight, so I won’t head back.”

Jiang Jingshi was surprised at how open Zheng was with her…

Even at school, it seemed like he never dodged anything, even right in front of her.

She nodded. “I’ll make dinner for you tonight.”

Lin Zheng Ran noticed the slight resentful look on Jiang Jingshi’s face, like a little wife, and knew what she was thinking. This time, with his request for day student status, he planned to clear up the matter of Heqing and the others with her.

“Let’s go to your place,” he said.

They walked side by side, with Jiang Jingshi’s half-rimmed glasses perched on her nose.

Maybe it was the way they were dressed, but from a passerby’s view, it gave off that teacher-and-student vibe.

Of course, once they left campus, no one paid attention to that.

Passing a clothing store, a snow-white dress hung in the glass display case.

It was eye-catching and elegant, yet simple and high-end.

Lin Zheng Ran suddenly thought, “Jingshi, do you ever wear formal dresses for events?”

Jiang Jingshi’s jealous expression softened, and she nodded: “Yes.” She glanced at the display and smiled. “But for most events, I wear blue dresses.”

“Blue? That’s not a color I’d picture you in. I don’t see you wearing blue clothes often.”

Jiang Jingshi explained:

“Because I usually attend with Qian Qian. She sticks to black and white, so if I wore white too, even with a different style, it might look too similar. That’s why I go with blue—plus, I really like it.”

She chose blue just to avoid matching her sister—Jingshi truly spoiled Jiang Qian.

“Do you have any photos? I’d love to see.”

Jiang Jingshi pulled out her phone: “Let me find one.”

But as she scrolled through her album for two minutes, buried in thousands of photos, she shook her head: “Looks like I don’t have any saved.”

“Oh well. But your phone has so many photos—took you that long to look?”

A faint blush crept up Jiang Jingshi’s face: “Most are from work.”

In reality, work photos made up only a third; another third was of Lin Zheng Ran.

She even had photos of Lin Zheng Ran from kindergarten…

Some of those came from when Jiang Jingshi asked Pan Lin to dig through Lin Zheng Ran’s files, and others she got from Lin Xiao Li in the last few days.

Ever since Lin Xiao Li started working, she and her mother-in-law had been chatting happily over WeChat and calls.

Jiang Jingshi gazed at the dress in the window: “Still, white looks better, don’t you think? It has that bridal vibe.” She said dreamily, “When you marry me someday, Zheng, can I pick a big wedding dress? Something like a princess gown?”

“Of course.”

Jiang Jingshi beamed at his agreement and teased, narrowing her eyes: “Then thank you, Teacher Lin Zheng Ran.”

Lin Zheng Ran played along: “No need to thank me, Teacher Jiang.”

They arrived at the house Jiang Jingshi was renting—it was surprisingly spacious, probably around 170 square meters at a glance.

The room wasn’t spotlessly clean.

It wasn’t dirty, just a bit cluttered, with stacks of company files and documents piled on the coffee table.

Once inside, Jiang Jingshi slipped off her high heels, revealing her pink-socked feet, and pulled men’s slippers from the shoe cabinet to set by Lin Zheng Ran’s feet:

“Sorry it’s a mess. I haven’t had time to tidy up lately. If I’d known you’d come yesterday, I would’ve cleaned ahead of time.”

“It’s already clean enough. I know how busy you are, Jingshi.”

Jiang Jingshi smiled softly: “I picked a smaller place this time for a cozier feel. What do you think?”

Small? Lin Zheng Ran chuckled to himself—this nearly 200-square-meter space wasn’t exactly tiny.

Jiang Jingshi added: “When I rented it, I thought smaller would make it warmer, but living alone, it’s hard to create that coziness on my own.”

“I’ve noticed you haven’t been sleeping well lately. What time do you usually go to bed?” he asked, looking at her face.

Jiang Jingshi wasn’t sure how to answer this time.

Watching Lin Zheng Ran with those three girls every day had been weighing on her mind.

“Not sure. Sometimes around nine, other times around midnight.”

“Nine? When you say sleep, do you mean just lying down in bed?”

She paused, then nodded slowly: “Yeah, that’s what I mean.”

Lin Zheng Ran let out a long breath.

They didn’t linger in the living room.

Lin Zheng Ran and Jiang Jingshi went straight to the bedroom, where it was just as cluttered as the coffee table—papers and files everywhere.

The blanket lay rumpled on the bed, covered in more documents.

The desk nearby held an open laptop.

They sat on the bed in silence.

Sometimes, the closer lovers get, the less they need words.

They just gazed at each other, and gradually, their hands intertwined.

Jiang Jingshi’s mature, sensitive face flushed with youthful shyness under his stare.

Lin Zheng Ran, taking in her current look, said playfully: “Teacher, can I kiss you?”

His words made her even more bashful.

A warm breath escaped her lips: “Of course… you can do anything you want to me, Lin Zheng Ran.”

“Anything? What do you mean by that?”

Jiang Jingshi averted her eyes, her gaze sparkling yet unsure why she’d said that, and whispered: “Do you really have to ask me that, Lin Zheng Ran? Do you have to tease me like this?”

He smiled and leaned in closer to her face.

Their lips met.

Her other hand rested on his chest.

As the atmosphere heated up.

They lay on the bed together.

Looking at each other again, the hesitation in her eyes faded, clearly showing her thoughts and desires.

“I’ll make dinner for you tonight, Zheng. Why don’t you stay here with me—with your teacher, with your sister?”