Chapter 91: Whispers in the Night

She reached out to check Lin Zheng Ran’s heartbeat, but he quickly grabbed her hand.

“This hand just held a chicken skewer—it’ll get oil all over me.”

Han Wenwen met Lin Zheng Ran’s gaze; the little fox’s delicate hand curled in his grip. He released it, yet she didn’t pull away—instead, her fingers crept up his palm, slowly latching on.

As she did this, she spoke slowly, word by word:

“Brother Zheng Ran, you always stop me from hearing your heartbeat because you’re afraid I’ll find out that you’re just as excited when you’re with me. Why not admit you want as many girlfriends as you like, instead of hiding in these little things?”

She leaned in, her lips brushing his ear:

“I know deep down, Brother Zheng Ran, that dating isn’t your top priority. Your real goal is to grow stronger, to become more powerful, and only then chase what you truly want.

I used to think I was just like you, but I couldn’t figure out why. Now, I’m starting to understand…”

Han Wenwen continued, word by word: “That means, even though you seemed to have it all as a kid without any real hardships, inside, it’s like you’ve grown up alone, just like me. Why is that?”

Lin Zheng Ran stared at Han Wenwen in surprise; this perceptive little fox always noticed more than the average girl.

Though he knew her words were just guesses, this time, the little fox had hit the mark.

In his past life, Lin Zheng Ran grew up in an orphanage, and through sheer effort, he built something for himself as an adult.

Then, by sheer luck, he found his dying father and inherited his soon-to-be-demolished property, but right after, the System arrived, upending everything.

That life taught Lin Zheng Ran that strength was everything. Love could wait—it wasn’t worth focusing on in his youth. So, in this life, he’s been pushing to develop himself, ignoring everything else.

And because of that experience, as the childhood friend to these three girls,

Lin Zheng Ran wanted them to grow strong too, so they could pursue their dreams without being held back by their pasts or youthful doubts.

Han Wenwen’s eyes sparkled with charm, reflecting the image of the one she adored:

“Brother Zheng Ran, you always have so many secrets I can’t quite grasp. That’s probably why you’re so irresistible to girls—you keep us curious, always wondering what’s in your heart. But…”

Han Wenwen rested her soft forehead against his neck:

“Pushing so hard all the time gets exhausting. You don’t have to wait until the end to enjoy success—reward yourself along the way, right?” She glanced at their joined hands:

“For instance, a girl’s hand is so soft. Holding it won’t hurt anything, and it might even give you more motivation, don’t you think?”

Their hands settled together; the little fox’s heart raced until Lin Zheng Ran sighed, “You talk way too much—it’s distracting.”

Only then did their hands slowly intertwine.

A faint smile curved Han Wenwen’s lips.

“So what if I talk a lot? Girls are like that with the ones they like. With people they don’t, they stay quiet.”

She added playfully: “So, Brother Zheng Ran, tell me—your family is perfect, you’re great at school, you have two childhood friends, and now you’re even keeping a little fox. Why do I still feel like we’ve shared similar experiences?”

Lin Zheng Ran replied: “How should I know? That’s just my personality. Everyone wants to improve—who wants to get worse?”

The little fox leaned against his shoulder, looking content:

“True enough. But no matter what, I’ll always stick by your side. I’m ready to be your personal secretary—whatever you need, I won’t mind.”

She dreamed aloud: “And once my live streaming account takes off, I can earn some money to be your backup fund, just in case.”

Han Wenwen’s stomach suddenly grumbled.

They locked eyes, and Han Wenwen said shyly: “I got so caught up talking that I barely ate. Want me to switch hands so we can keep holding on? Otherwise, my left hand will get greasy from the food.”

Lin Zheng Ran checked his phone for the time: “It’s almost time for evening practice. Yeah, we should eat. If you keep clinging like this, who knows how long we’ll stay.”

Han Wenwen pouted at their clasped hands: “What’s the rush? I don’t have anything to practice tonight anyway—except you have to go play with that…” The little fox remembered Jiang Qian and shot him an annoyed glare.

Without missing a beat,

“Fine, I’ll eat fast! That way you can hurry off and practice with other girls. You’re perfect in every way, Brother Zheng Ran, except you’re such a flirt.”

Lin Zheng Ran popped another snack into his mouth, never having lied to these three about this:

“Everyone has flaws—that’s normal. If you want a lot, you come off as greedy. But if you give it all up, you’re just a saint, and I don’t want that.” He let go of her hand to remind her:

“Hurry and eat before it gets cold.”

“So boldly flirtatious.” She switched to holding his hand with her left, freeing her right to devour the chicken skewer.

The food’s flavor made the little fox’s sense of happiness even more subtle.

“But just so you know, Brother Zheng Ran, even as your secretary, I won’t help you chase other girls besides Xiao Qingqing and Lily. I’m totally against that.”

Lin Zheng Ran: “Who said I was chasing anyone? I don’t have time for that.”

Han Wenwen pretended to be angry, finishing one skewer and grabbing another: “You’ve got plenty without chasing, so if you started, it’d be chaos! How would you handle them all?”

“Enough with the nonsense—let’s eat and head back.”

Han Wenwen, munching on the bones, suddenly recalled their earlier talk: “Oh, right, Brother Zheng Ran, have you decided about staying at my place next month?”

Lin Zheng Ran: “Let me think—if your rental house has a second blanket, I’ll come.”

“Really?! Of course it does!” She bit her lip: “Even if it didn’t, I’d pick one up at the mall this week! So, it’s settled—you’re coming next month, we’ll go shopping, and you’ll stay over. No backing out.”

“And speaking of that, I have something to say. Last time you were sick, I nearly wore myself out taking care of you. Next time you fall asleep, could you try to stay still? Kicking the blanket is one thing, but your hands wander too—it’s impossible for me to sleep.”

“Do they?” She felt awkward: “Nonsense! I sleep perfectly fine.”

“Perfectly fine? Are you sure you look presentable when you wake up? Do you even believe that?”

The little fox huffed: “So what if I don’t? You always say I’m like a fox, and foxes are like that. You just don’t get it.”

“Hah.”