I'm Pretending to Cultivate in Kindergarten

Chapter 48: Chapter 48: Wenwen, It Seems He Spent the Night at Someone’s House

Lin Zhengran was jolted awake by the noise. He opened his eyes and slowly turned his head.

He saw the vixen leaning against the corner of the wall, her mind seemingly short-circuiting. He observed her expressions and movements closely, afraid she was still in the same state as yesterday.

Fortunately, what he feared didn’t happen.

Han Wenwen’s charming fox-like eyes fluttered. Her memories were fragmented but clear enough for her to realize that she had been subconsciously acting coy and clinging to him all night...

”L-Lin Zhengran, good morning?” Han Wenwen waved her hand, pursing her lips into a smile. Her expression was a mix of indescribable awkwardness.

Lin Zhengran breathed a sigh of relief and slowly sat up. During the first half of the night, she had been so impossibly clingy that he had no choice but to sleep while holding her hand. It wasn’t until the early hours of the morning that he quietly slipped his hand back, his palm completely sweaty from her tight grip.

”You’re finally back to normal? How are you feeling today?” he asked.

Han Wenwen took a moment to assess herself. ”Much better than yesterday. My body feels pretty comfortable after waking up, just a little sweaty.”

Lin Zhengran glanced at the air conditioner, which was set to a comfortable temperature. ”Sweating a bit is good, but don’t take a shower just yet. Wait until you’re fully recovered.”

”Mm.”

Lin Zhengran subconsciously reached out and felt Han Wenwen’s forehead. A blush instantly crept up her cheeks, but with her clear mind, she quickly suppressed it, staring blankly at him.

He hummed in acknowledgment. ”It seems a bit hot still. Summer fevers really don’t go away that quickly. Let’s take your temperature again.”

He got out of bed, found the thermometer, and tossed it to her before heading to the bathroom to wash up.

Han Wenwen watched his completely natural demeanor as he walked away. Only when he was out of sight did her composure completely crumble.

She covered her face in embarrassment, recalling all the clingy things she had said, and bemoaned, ”What in the world was I doing yesterday? I really hope Lin Zhengran doesn’t remember a single thing.”

Just as she placed the thermometer under her armpit, Lin Zhengran emerged from the bathroom.

He mentioned he was going to buy breakfast. Seeing him about to leave, Han Wenwen called out to him, ”Yesterday... thank you for staying here with me, Lin Zhengran. And for buying medicine and food and everything. Otherwise, I probably really would have ended up in the hospital today.”

Lin Zhengran looked back at her. She was wearing a bright, smiling expression.

”I’d love to say ’you’re welcome,’ but considering everything you did yesterday...”

Han Wenwen knew he definitely hadn’t forgotten. Feeling incredibly awkward, she held up a single finger and feigned innocent cuteness.

”I was running a fever yesterday! People do inexplicable things when they have a fever. Just consider it as me owing you a favor, Lin Zhengran. I’ll find a way to pay you back in the future!”

”That’s more like it. Just treat me to a few meals once you have the money. What do you want to eat this morning? I’ll head downstairs to buy it.”

Han Wenwen pondered for a moment, then spoke in unison with Lin Zhengran: ”Buns?”

Both of them paused. This wasn’t the first time they had been so perfectly in sync.

”Got it,” Lin Zhengran said.

Seeing him turn the doorknob, Han Wenwen finally asked the question she wanted to ask the most. ”Lin Zhengran, aside from acting all clingy yesterday, did I say anything else to you? Like... something that would make you really shocked?”

She stared intently at him, terrified that she had spilled things she shouldn’t have said.

The main issue was that her mind had been hovering between reality and dreams the entire previous day. She truly couldn’t distinguish what had actually happened from what she had dreamed. It was a complete mess.

Lin Zhengran recalled the things she had told him yesterday afternoon. Things like her liking him, and the stuff about the Heart Connection Festival.

”You said quite a bit, but nothing too special. Definitely nothing shocking.”

Han Wenwen breathed a sigh of relief, but a twinge of regret surprisingly welled up in her heart. Even though she didn’t want to break up Lin Zhengran and Qingqing... she wondered what he would have answered if she had actually confessed her feelings to him while in that delirious state yesterday.

”Oh, I should remind you, Lin Zhengran. Even though I was a bit unrestrained yesterday, I’ve never acted clingy toward any other boy before, even when sick. You’re the very first!”

Lin Zhengran simply replied with an ”Oh,” and went downstairs to buy food.

Listening blankly to the sound of the door closing, Han Wenwen grumbled, ”He really doesn’t get shy no matter what I say. He has absolutely no interest in me.”

Her brain short-circuited for a long time before she hurriedly grabbed a mirror from the table to check her reflection.

A delicate, oval face, fox-like eyes, and a small, dainty mouth—her features were completely flawless. Han Wenwen knew very well that she was exceptionally beautiful; otherwise, she wouldn’t have so many boys swooning over her. Unable to comprehend the situation, she cupped her cheeks in her hands.

”Am I not pretty enough? That can’t be it, right? Then why do all the other boys blush when they talk to me, but Lin Zhengran doesn’t?”

She stared unhappily at the face in the mirror. ”So this is what it feels like when the person you like doesn’t like you back. I really hate this. What type of girl does he even like, anyway?”

A short while later, Lin Zhengran returned to the rental apartment with the buns, only to find Han Wenwen on the phone with Xiao Heqing.

Xiao Heqing’s sweet and soft voice came through the receiver. ”Wenwen, when are you coming back? It’s been over a week.”

Han Wenwen waved at Lin Zhengran as he entered the room, trying her best to use a normal tone of voice with her best friend. ”I’m not sure when my uncle will finish up his business here. It’ll probably be quite a while longer. I’ll let you know in advance when I’m about to head back, Qingqing.”

Xiao Heqing let out a helpless hum. ”Alright then. Oh, by the way...” Her tone turned anxious. ”Wenwen, let me tell you, I called Mrs. Lin yesterday! Mrs. Lin said Lin Zhengran wasn’t home, that he spent the night at a classmate’s house!”

Han Wenwen let out an ”Ah.” Looking at Lin Zhengran, who was sitting on the edge of the bed unpacking their breakfast, she leaned back against the headboard, a cold sweat breaking out on her back. ”Is that so? Where could he have gone for the night?”

Sitting right next to her, Lin Zhengran could naturally hear the conversation, but he simply acted as if he heard nothing.

Xiao Heqing sounded a bit scared. ”I don’t know either! Mrs. Lin said he went to a male classmate’s house for the night? And the reason was to take care of some... injured little animal?”

Han Wenwen began to sweat profusely.

Xiao Heqing couldn’t figure it out. ”Wenwen, you’re in the same class as him. Do you know if he has any close male friends? How come I’ve never heard of any? I think this whole thing is so weird. I’m worried that...”

Han Wenwen brushed a hand through her hair, sneaking a peek at Lin Zhengran.

”I’m worried that... he didn’t go to a female classmate’s house to spend the night, did he?! That’s impossible, right?! Could he have gone to Jiang Xueli’s house last night?!” As she spoke, Xiao Heqing’s voice grew hoarse, as if she were on the verge of tears.

Han Wenwen hurriedly comforted her. ”What are you thinking, Qingqing? Impossible, absolutely impossible! Don’t you know Lin Zhengran? He would never do something like that!”

The Little Fox’s mind raced as she quickly added, ”As for close male friends, he probably doesn’t have any. Maybe it’s just an excuse. Who knows what he went to do. Did you forget that the last time he took a bus to see you, he definitely made up an excuse to trick your parents too?”

Xiao Heqing sounded pitifully aggrieved. ”Wenwen, are you saying he still went to see other girls? Why else would he make up an excuse?”

Han Wenwen turned her head to look at Lin Zhengran eating his breakfast and slowly bit her lower lip.