Lin Zhengran lowered his head to look at her.
After a brief silence, Jiang Xueli, not hearing a response, quietly raised her head to et his gaze.
Their eyes locked.
Jiang Xueli's face turned redder by the second until she suddenly stood up, flailing her arms in a flustered attempt to explain.
“No, that's not what I ant! I’m not saying that I plan to do that kind of thing with you tonight. I just ant... I just...” She looked away. “I’ve been busy all day too, and I just want to take a shower and sleep comfortably. If I go back to the dorm, I won’t even be able to take a proper bath.”
“That kind of thing? What kind of thing?” Lin Zhengran deliberately emphasized the words.
Jiang Xueli was at a loss for words. She suddenly bit her lip, trembling, and when embarrassnt reached its peak, it turned into tears. She squatted back down, covering her face with both hands.
“Wahhh! Stop asking already! I didn’t an it that way!”
As she cried, she shouted, “You big idiot! Why do you always bully ? You obviously understand everything! I just think it’s already so late, and since you’re not going back to the dorm either, what’s the point of going back alone? It’d be like I’m intentionally leaving you outside! Can’t we just find a place to sleep? It’s just resting, that’s all! I just want to stay with you!”
Lin Zhengran couldn't help but laugh at her antics.
He reached out and patted her head.
Jiang Xueli was still sobbing.
“Lili,” he called her na.
Only then did Jiang Xueli slowly lift her head, eyes glistening with unshed tears, though she wasn’t truly crying yet.
“What, you big idiot!”
Lin Zhengran extended his hand. “Get up. Since you don’t want to go back and want to stay with , then co with —unless you're scared.”
Jiang Xueli looked up at Lin Zhengran’s handso, gentle expression.
She hesitated for a mont, then slowly placed her hand in his, stopping for a brief second before gripping his palm.
“Scared of what?” She let him pull her up. “I’ve known you for so many years. If I were scared of you, then I’d be scared of everything.”
Lin Zhengran let out a soft chuckle and led her toward a nearby hotel.
Even though Jiang Xueli had just claid she wasn’t scared, being led by a guy to stay overnight outside—especially her childhood friend—felt a little strange.
She was also curious about what he ant earlier. What did he an by “unless you’re scared”?
As they walked past an adult store, Jiang Xueli bit her lip, her face burning.
She stopped in her tracks. “Z-Zhengran...”
“Hm? What’s wrong?”
Jiang Xueli didn’t know how to say it, so she cautiously pointed at the unstaffed store.
“Maybe... we should buy a box, just in case... you know, that thing...”
Lin Zhengran followed her gaze.
Without hesitation, he flicked her forehead.
Jiang Xueli held her forehead, looking aggrieved. “What was that for?! Why did you hit again?”
Lin Zhengran sighed. “What are you thinking? Weren’t you the one who said we were just sleeping? If it’s just sleeping, why would we need that?”
Jiang Xueli avoided his gaze, feeling deeply embarrassed.
"I just ant... just in case..." she muttered to herself.
So Zhengran really didn’t have any such intentions? If he didn’t even consider buying one, did that an he truly had no thoughts about it at all?
But then Lin Zhengran casually added, “There’s already so in the room.”
“H-Huh?” Her eyes widened in shock.
Lin Zhengran kept walking, pulling her along.
Jiang Xueli panicked, her voice trembling.
“Zhengran! Zhengran! Y-You... I...”
Another flick to the forehead.
“I was joking,” he said. “What’s going on in that head of yours? Do you think sleeping together always has to an that? Don’t you have things to do tomorrow? Are you planning to ditch all your responsibilities?”
Jiang Xueli rubbed her forehead. “How is this my fault? Isn’t it common knowledge that guys in puberty have their heads full of... you know... that stuff?”
Yellow waste.
Lin Zhengran kept walking, looking exasperated.
He wasn’t even in puberty anymore. Sure, hormones still had an effect, but he was a full-grown adult now.
“That may be true, but I actually care about you guys. And let guess, you were just thinking that if I really wanted to do that, you’d have no choice but to go along with it, right?”
Jiang Xueli blushed furiously and couldn’t bring herself to respond.
She really had been thinking that. She felt like it was part of her duty as a girlfriend, even if it was a bit early.
Besides, a lot of her classmates had already...
So if Zhengran really insisted, she wouldn’t have minded too much.
Lin Zhengran didn’t turn to look at her, but he spoke seriously.
“Other things don’t matter much, but sothing this important—especially the first ti—shouldn’t be decided just because you want to go along with . If you’re really ready, you should be the one to co to .”
“Huh? You an... I should be the one to ask... to do that?!” She was flustered. “That’s impossible! No way I’d ever take the initiative for sothing like that!”
“You think it’s impossible?”
“I... I an, now that you ask like that...”
Lin Zhengran glanced at her. “What? What are you really thinking?”
Jiang Xueli lowered her head, her face bright red, and mumbled.
“Maybe... one day. I want to take things slowly, step by step—holding hands, hugging... If the ti cos for that, maybe I’ll take the initiative. But... I was afraid you wouldn’t think the sa way. We’ve only just held hands. The rest is still far off.”
Lin Zhengran looked straight ahead again.
Jiang Xueli's voice beca even quieter. “Actually... I wanted to take the second step tonight...”
“Oh? Then let’s take the second step tonight.”
“W-What?! R-Really?”
“For real this ti. That kind of thing is too early, but the second step is fine.”
Jiang Xueli’s heart pounded.
The second step—hugging.
But was hugging in a place like this really okay?!
They chose a decent hotel.
Since it was right outside the school, the owner seed used to students staying there.
“ID cards.”
Lin Zhengran handed over both his and Jiang Xueli’s.
The owner entered their information into the system and gave them their room key.
“Room 307.”
Lin Zhengran took the key and pulled a completely flushed Jiang Xueli upstairs.
This was the first ti Jiang Xueli had ever been to a place like this, and with Zhengran, no less. Looking at her surroundings, she realized it wasn’t quite like what she had seen in dramas.
It felt surreal.
Even though she knew Zhengran wouldn’t do anything to her, her heart was still racing—so fast it felt like it would leap out of her throat.
With a beep, they swiped the card and entered the room.
Jiang Xueli suddenly asked, “Zhengran, how do you know how to book a hotel so well? You seem so experienced.”
Lin Zhengran replied casually, “I stayed at one before with my parents.”
A simple excuse.
Jiang Xueli didn’t think much of it at all—her trust in him was too high.
He inserted the room card to turn on the lights.
In front of them was a large bed with a neatly arranged white duvet.
When Lin Zhengran shut the door behind them, Jiang Xueli instinctively shuddered.
Seeing how nervous she was, he changed into slippers.
“Didn’t you say you wanted a shower? Go ahead, I’ll go after you.”
Jiang Xueli glanced at him taking off his jacket and sitting on the bed.
Her heart was still hamring.
“O-Okay.”
She walked into the bathroom and found it quite nice—clean and more upscale than the school facilities.
But as she glanced around, she realized sothing.
“Zhengran, there’s no shampoo or body wash here. How am I supposed to shower?”
Lin Zhengran, looking at his phone, replied, “There should be disposable ones sowhere on the wall. Check again.”
Jiang Xueli searched but couldn’t find them.
She hesitated before poking her head out of the bathroom.
“Big idiot.”
Lin Zhengran looked up.
Realizing her slip, she quickly corrected herself.
“Zhengran... help find it. I can’t find anything. I’ve never been to a place like this before.”
Lin Zhengran let out a long sigh.
“Seriously? You’re helpless. I’ll find it for you.”
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