Chapter 348: Whispers of Admiration

“Could you have Heqing move over a bit? I can just ask her right here,” Fang Meng said.

“Oh, sure! But can I see the goods first? Maybe just a quick peek at those photos?”

“Of course,” Fang Meng replied, pulling out her phone and finding those super rare class group photos of Lin Zheng Ran to show Heqing and Lily.

The photos included shots of Lin Zheng Ran teaching and others of him writing on the blackboard.

Heqing and Lily stared in awe.

They couldn’t help but comment, “These are seriously super rare photos!”

Heqing quickly shifted closer, waiting attentively and focusing intently.

“Okay, Fang Meng, you can sit now. Go ahead and ask!”

Fang Meng sat next to Heqing with her little notebook: “My questions are pretty simple. Heqing, what do you usually like to eat? What time do you wake up and go to bed? What’s your favorite color? What do you do when you’re bored?”

Heqing thought to herself that these questions were just like Lily had described—basically a stalker’s survey.

Fang Meng added, “Don’t worry, I’ll only share your answers with Qian Qian. A girl’s privacy is important, and you can skip anything too personal. Just be honest with what you want to say.”

Heqing nodded: “Alright, I’ll answer them one by one.”

A few minutes later, Fang Meng jotted down Heqing’s responses and closed her notebook: “Thanks for answering. Deal’s done—I’ll send you the photos now.”

“Thanks,” Heqing said, quickly pulling out her phone to receive the photos. As she watched them transfer, the naturally clueless Heqing glanced at the pretty Fang Meng and asked, “Fang Meng, I have a question for you too.”

“Go ahead, I’ll answer what I can,”

“Why do you have photos of Lin Zheng Ran saved on your phone?”

“Hmm?” Fang Meng paused, looking up at Heqing.

Heqing continued, “I know Jiang Qian really likes Lin Zheng Ran, and as her close friend, you probably wouldn’t keep so many photos of him unless…”

Fang Meng cut in to explain, “I’m Qian Qian’s assistant, so I sometimes take the class photos, which is why they’re on my phone.”

Heqing blinked her youthful eyes:

“Is that so? But that doesn’t add up. I’ve taken class photos before and have them in my album too, but yours have a lot of solo shots—just Lin Zheng Ran with no one else. Even as Jiang Qian’s assistant, you’d think a girl’s phone wouldn’t have stuff like that saved. What do you think? I wouldn’t keep solo photos of any guy except Lin Zheng Ran. How about you, Lily?”

Fang Meng was at a loss for words.

Lily listened from the side, impressed, thinking Heqing’s observation skills had sharpened.

“Of course I wouldn’t either,”

Heqing pressed on, “See? And even if you took them before, you could just delete them. Jiang Qian has her own copies, so why keep them? You don’t have a reason to hang onto them unless you want to look at them yourself now and then.”

“I-I just…”

“Just what?”

Fang Meng tried to come up with an excuse but couldn’t.

“Fang Meng…” Heqing watched her struggle, covered her mouth, and suddenly realized something, her face flushing as she exclaimed, “You like Lin Zheng Ran too, don’t you? You do like him! Does Jiang Qian know?”

“Qian Qian, she…”

“Jiang Qian doesn’t know?” She lowered her voice and turned to Lily: “Lily, is this the leverage you mentioned earlier?”

Lily burst out laughing. The truth was right there: “Exactly.”

Fang Meng’s face turned bright red.

Did her crush on Lin Zheng Ran show that much? Had Lily and Heqing always been this perceptive?

Why could everyone see it?

A moment later, Fang Meng bought two more drinks from the bar and set them in front of the two girls.

She said shyly, “Here, have these drinks. Please don’t tell Qian Qian about this—keep it secret for me, and I’ll keep your secrets too.”

Soon after, Fang Meng grabbed her notebook and left the tea area, her face still flushed.

Heqing watched her go and mused, “So she likes Lin Zheng Ran too. Does that mean every girl around him has a crush on him?”

Lily leaned back in her chair, arms crossed: “What can you do? That guy Zheng Ran is like a charm demon reborn. How can any girl resist such an outstanding guy? Such a flirt, Zheng Ran.”

Heqing straightened up: “Another rival then.”

“Oh, it doesn’t matter much. Fang Meng’s always been on Jiang Qian’s side anyway. We’ve been watching out for those two before, and we’ll keep doing it. But more than that…” Lily said with a playful pout, “Can you send me a copy of those photos?”

Heqing chuckled and nodded: “Of course.”

With that, Lily scooted over to Heqing, and the two started sharing and admiring the photos.

As they passed them along, they kept gushing.

“Wow, this shot of Lin Zheng Ran on the podium is so handsome! Lily, check it out!”

“You’re right! Zheng Ran really photographs well—no matter the angle. And this group shot is great too!”

“What are you two looking at?” Han Wenwen suddenly appeared beside them, bending down to see what they were up to.

Heqing spotted her: “Wen Wen, you’re back!”

Han Wenwen held a few small bags and smiled: “Just got back from shopping. I picked up something for you two based on what you like. Here, this is for Lily, and this for Heqing.”

She handed the items to Lily and Heqing.

They glanced inside and saw brand-new underwear.

Lily said, surprised, “This brand’s pretty pricey. Thanks.”

Han Wenwen waved it off: “No problem, we’re all friends.”

After all, she’d sneaked in some time with Brother Zheng Ran that afternoon, and Han Wenwen felt like she’d already won big.

Heqing added, “We’re looking at the rare Lin Zheng Ran photos we just got. Want a copy, Wen Wen?”

“Oh? Brother Zheng Ran’s photos? Let me see!”

She joined them, eyeing the unseen solo shots: “He’s so handsome! Send them to me quick! How did you get these?”

Lily replied, “It’s a long story. We’ll fill you in slowly.”

“What’s got you all chatting so lively?” Lin Zheng Ran approached from a distance.

The three girls quickly hid the photos and chimed in unison: “Nothing much!”

After classes ended that afternoon, Lin Zheng Ran led the three little ones out of school to the villa for the night.

Heqing, Lily, and Jiang Jingshi had already been staying at the villa for a week, but Han Wenwen and Lin Zheng Ran hadn’t officially spent a night there yet.

Tonight would be their first under one roof.