On the other side, after finishing his ssages with Jiang Jingshi, Lin Zhengran walked out of the bathroom and sat on his bed.
Just as he was about to take a nap, his phone started buzzing again.
On the day of the graduation ceremony, among the three of them, only Little He Qing had returned to her hotown in the South. But since they had already planned a trip, she had promised at the station that she would be back in a week.
However, for so reason, this ti He Qing missed Lin Zhengran terribly. It had only been two days, but she already couldn’t stand it. Maybe it was because things with Fang ng hadn’t been properly resolved. Maybe it was for so other reason.
All she knew was that, for the past two days, she hadn’t been able to sleep well in her room alone. Even eating felt like a chore. Her mother thought she was just anxious about her exam results and reassured her not to stress.
But He Qing had simply replied, "Mom, I miss Lin Zhengran. I want to see him."
Her mother didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
"Didn’t you just co back from the North? And aren’t you planning to go back in a week?"
He Qing sat at ho with her head down. "I know… but I still miss him."
And that was how Lin Zhengran ended up receiving a flood of ssages from her.
He Qing: "Lin Zhengran, what are you doing?"
He Qing sent a photo: "Look! We had sticky bean buns at ho for lunch today! My mom made them herself. Do you want so? If you do, I’ll bring so when I co back next week."
He Qing: "Lin Zhengran, why aren’t you replying? What are you doing? Are you still asleep?"
He Qing: "Lin Zhengran… I want to co over this week instead. I don’t want to wait until next week—I can’t wait any longer."
Seeing the flood of ssages, Lin Zhengran didn’t bother replying—he just called her directly.
In her room down South, He Qing, caught off guard, imdiately sat up in bed. She nervously tucked her stray hairs behind her ears before carefully answering the call.
"Hello? Lin Zhengran? You’re awake?!"
Leaning against his headboard, Lin Zhengran yawned. "What’s with you so early in the morning?"
He Qing blinked her clear apricot eyes. "Nothing’s wrong, sa as always. I’m still ."
"Really? Do you know how many ssages you’ve sent in the past three days?" Lin Zhengran scrolled through his phone. "At least forty. And two nights ago, at three in the morning, you ssaged saying you dread of a bunch of rabbits?"
He Qing blushed. "I really did dream of them! I just wanted to tell you."
"And what happened to those rabbits? You sent so many ssages I didn’t even know how to respond."
"You could’ve just replied with anything! I just wanted to talk to you—it didn’t matter what we talked about. But… those rabbits had it pretty rough. In my dream, you turned into a big gray wolf and ate all of them… You were so cruel. I kept trying to stop you, but I couldn’t."
Lin Zhengran: "…"
Why was he never a good person in her dreams?
Then, in a hushed voice, He Qing asked curiously, "Do we have to call? Can’t we video chat? You always liked calling when we were kids—I could never see you, only hear your voice."
Lin Zhengran hadn’t even realized he had that habit. "Didn’t think about it. If you want, we can switch to video."
He Qing bead. "Okay! Then hang up, and I’ll call you."
"You hang up."
"No, you hang up!"
"I’m not hanging up. I’m too lazy to move."
He Qing hesitated, looking at her phone anxiously. "But… I’ve never hung up on you before. I’m scared you’ll get mad."
Lin Zhengran frowned. "You’ve never hung up on ?" He thought for a mont. "Now that you ntion it, I rember a few tis when I left my phone on during a call, went to the bathroom, and when I ca back, the call was still connected."
He Qing giggled. "Exactly! I never dared to hang up on you."
"Then do it this ti. I won’t get mad."
He Qing shook her head vigorously—even though he couldn’t see her. "No way! No girl would hang up on the guy she likes. I just can’t do it! Hurry and hang up already. I want to video call you. Stop ssing with !"
Silence.
Then, the call disconnected.
He Qing blinked, montarily stunned, before breaking into a wide smile. She imdiately called him on video. Curling up on her bed, she held her phone with both hands, looking as sweet and adorable as ever.
The mont the video connected, she saw Lin Zhengran’s exasperated face—and burst into laughter.
"Lin Zhengran, you look exactly the sa as when I left! Not even a little different! And why do you have that expression?"
Lin Zhengran sighed. "Because you’ve left speechless. And of course, I haven’t changed—it’s only been three days."
He Qing stared at his face, refusing to look away. "Only three days? It feels like forever. Anyway, I miss you."
Lin Zhengran studied her expression—innocent, endearing, naturally affectionate.
"You weren’t this clingy at school. Why do you act like this every ti you go ho? Like when we were kids."
Blushing, He Qing shook her head. "I don’t know. Maybe because at school, I can see you every day. Even if we don’t run into each other, I know you’re nearby, so I don’t feel uneasy. But here, you’re so far away… it makes anxious."
She suddenly pointed at his hair. "Oh! You have a strand sticking up on the right. Fix it."
Lin Zhengran ran his hand through his hair. "Here?"
"Yeah, right there! Much better now. Though you always look good anyway." She grinned, satisfied.
Lin Zhengran asked, "So you’re really coming this week instead of next?"
"Mhm!"
"What day?"
Lowering her voice, she covered her mouth and whispered, "Actually… I wanted to surprise you by coming today. But I couldn’t hold back and ssaged you instead. I woke up super early—like 2 AM—and secretly packed my bags. Look!"
Wearing her pajamas, He Qing turned the cara to show the packed suitcase by her bed.
Beaming, she said, "I packed all my travel stuff. And I brought so sticky bean buns for you too!" She grabbed one from a plate, took a bite, and showed him the filling before chewing happily.
"My mom made these. If you like them, I’ll learn how to make them for you."
Lin Zhengran chuckled. "Alright, I’ll try them. But waking up at 2 AM? That’s just not sleeping at all."
He Qing licked the sweetness off her lips. "I slept earlier, so I’m fine. I’ll head out soon. Can you pick up tonight? And help find a place to stay?"
"Just stay at my place, like last ti. I’ll sleep in the study, and you can have my room."
Her cheeks turned pink as she softly refused, "No… I don’t want to bother Uncle and Auntie again. And I don’t want to take your bed. I’d rather stay at a hotel nearby."
Then, in a tiny voice, she mumbled, "And… if you want, you can co over at night. We can play gas, I can… wash your feet, or whatever you want. I an… I am eighteen now…"
She bit her lip, her voice barely above a whisper.
Lin Zhengran wasn’t sure if he’d actually heard her or if he was imagining things. But he couldn’t help smirking.
"What was that? I didn’t catch the last part."
She shook her head. "Nothing!"
Lin Zhengran thought for a mont. "A hotel’s fine too. I’ll pick you up at the station tonight and help you find a place."
He Qing bead. "Okay! I’ll go tell my mom. Wait for !"
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