Chapter 69: Evening Walks and Hidden Promises

They finished recording the song, and it was already late.

Lily’s singing impressed everyone, sparking hopes for the town’s competition next year and putting the studio on the map.

Lily strolled home with Lin Zheng Ran, her hands tucked behind her back.

Winter nights fell quickly, with cars zipping by on the street, cutting through the quiet.

“Hey, big dummy, I heard girls shoot up in high school. Do you think I’ll get super tall? Taller than you even?!”

Lin Zheng Ran watched Lily’s bouncing twin tails; she was a bit taller than Heqing. “You’re overthinking it. I’ll grow more, but you probably won’t add much height.”

“Huh? Why not?! I’m only 163 cm, and I’ve grown a lot these past few years.”

“Didn’t you learn biology? Middle school is when girls grow the fastest. High school might bring changes, but not much in height.”

“Not height? Then what?” She really didn’t get it.

Lin Zheng Ran gave her a sideways glance: “Look it up in a book yourself.”

“Hmph, stingy. You think you’re the only smart one? I’m doing great too, always climbing up from the middle of the pack.” Lily sneaked a peek at Lin Zheng Ran’s profile and muttered, “Though you’re even better.”

It was as if love made her see him as perfect—Lily always thought he looked incredibly handsome no matter what.

He just acted too cool sometimes, making him seem more grown-up than a kid.

Out of nowhere, she said, “Middle school’s flown by so fast. In a week, it’s winter break, and next year we’ll be in ninth grade. Ever since elementary school ended, I’ve been kinda scared.”

“Scared?” Lin Zheng Ran asked, curious.

Lily turned away, blushing: “Just scared that the grown-up world won’t be like I imagined as a kid.”

Lin Zheng Ran just hummed softly and didn’t interrupt.

Lily straightened up, staring at the ground ahead, knowing exactly what had scared her these past two years.

She feared that when Heqing came back, things between her and him would change—that the big dummy might get swept away by the adorable Heqing.

She worried he’d stop hanging out with her, forget her altogether. But…

“But after what you said this afternoon, I feel a lot more at ease.” From now on, I won’t doubt myself as the underdog because I heard exactly where I stand in your heart.

If even your honest words can’t boost my confidence, then I’m just hopeless.

“Starting today, I’ll believe I can win for sure. No more thoughts of losing will creep in.”

Lily’s ideas and words jumped around, some spoken aloud, others just in her head.

It made the whole thing sound jumbled to anyone listening.

Still, no matter what she said, Lin Zheng Ran never poured cold water on someone trying to fire themselves up.

“Keep it up.”

Hearing those two words, Lily’s heart raced, and she bit her lip as heat rushed to her face.

At the crossroads, she said goodbye to Lin Zheng Ran: “See you at school tomorrow, big dummy. Don’t forget what you promised today—if I win the competition next year, you have to take me to the zoo and a movie!”

“Don’t worry, I always keep my word.”

Lily waved with a smile and crossed the street, while Lin Zheng Ran turned to head home.

The girl with the twin tails paused at the vast crossroads instead of walking on.

She stopped quietly, watched Lin Zheng Ran disappear into the distance, then called out loudly:

“Big dummy! Don’t forget the promise we made when we hooked pinkies at school…” She waited for a big truck to pass, blending her next words with its noise before he could turn back, shouting:

“We’re going to be together forever!”

Lin Zheng Ran turned to look at the girl across the street.

But Lily was gone, vanished at the end of the road, making it seem like those words weren’t hers at all.

The truck’s rumble drowned out what she’d said for most people.

Lin Zheng Ran wasn’t most people, though.

He heard it clear as day.

With a smile, he let out a breath and continued toward home.

Lin Zheng Ran had tried it young, when he used the system to make a contract with the so-called fairy girl—it left no way out once sealed.

So when he made contracts, he didn’t just pick anyone; after all, once the red thread of fate connected, it was tough to break.

[Fairy He and Miss Jiang have both been stuck with heart demon bottlenecks lately, stalling their cultivation. If it goes on, they’ll lose their minds, risk demonic possession, and their talents will fade forever. Luckily, with your help, they’ve both overcome their inner demons and broken through to higher cultivation realms.]

[As reward, Fairy He gives you her handmade embroidered silk, a supreme immortal treasure crafted with her life essence. Once you have it, it’ll permanently boost your fate, cultivation speed, and all abilities.]

[Your fate link with Miss Jiang has grown stronger, giving your future cultivation a significant speed boost.]

[You’ve gained a huge upgrade: spiritual energy level plus three, cultivation speed doubled, strength plus five, energy plus five, charm plus five, stamina plus seven.]

[Your current spiritual energy level is forty-eight.]

[Your current attributes are:]

[Strength: Fifty-eight][Reach fifty and unlock the ability to maintain muscles without exercise][Unlocked]

[Energy: Fifty-five][Reach sixty and unlock the ability for seven rounds a night without fatigue]

[Stamina: Sixty-three][Reach seventy and unlock double stamina and triple endurance for tasks]

[Charm: Fifty-five][You’ve unlocked double affinity ability]

[You’ve successfully unlocked the special ability where your physical strength won’t weaken without exercise, and your body will be immune to all diseases—no illness will affect your health anymore]

On his way home, Lin Zheng Ran heard the system’s voice spilling out in his mind like beans from a bamboo tube.

He felt the surge in his body’s stats.

And he was surprised by the ability unlocked at strength fifty.

The effect of immunity to diseases wasn’t even listed clearly before—he thought it was just about maintaining strength, but it came with this bonus.

From now on, he could skip covering up at night since he wouldn’t get sick.

Of course, blankets were still cozier, so why not use them?

His figure faded into the distance, but at another street corner, Lily hid behind the wall.

Her chest heaved with nerves as she covered her flushed face with her hands.

She was shaking with excitement.

Suddenly, her phone rang, making Lily’s heart nearly leap from her throat as she fumbled for it in her pocket.

Thankfully, it wasn’t Lin Zheng Ran.

It was Mom.

“Hello? Mom? What’s up?”

Mom said, “Nothing much, just wondering why you’re not home yet. Dinner’s almost ready.”

Lily replied quickly, “Oh, okay, I’m on my way back right now.”

She hung up and hurried home, buzzing with joy.

After she left, no one noticed that on another street, a fox who had stepped out to buy something stared in surprise at Lily’s retreating figure.

That minute left Han Wenwen shocked for the whole day: “Is that really her being tsundere? She actually shouted it out on the street…”