Chapter 200 - 168: Aspiration

Chapter 200: Chapter 168: Aspiration

After breakfast, as Lin Zhengran was heading out, he asked Fang Meng, "I have to go out today. Are you heading back, or...?"

Fang Meng, wiping the table, said, "I’ll head back after I finish cleaning up."

Lin Zhengran reminded her, "I already wiped the table."

"I’ll get it cleaner." She continued wiping the table.

Lin Zhengran didn’t press the issue and left. He had to get a haircut in the morning and then tutor Han Wenwen and Jiang Xueli.

The college entrance exams were just around the corner. Lin Zhengran was fearless, but Jiang Xueli and Han Wenwen, who both had side hustles, were bound to fall behind in their studies.

Luckily, they had Lin Zhengran, so the two of them could still maintain high rankings. Getting into a good university wouldn’t be a problem.

A short while later, he went downstairs.

As soon as he walked out of the residential complex, he saw Jiang Xueli and Han Wenwen at the entrance. The two of them were actually waiting for him already.

One had her hands behind her back, looking left and right, while the other was gracefully looking down at her phone, occasionally smiling and exchanging a few words.

Lin Zhengran was surprised. "What are you two doing at the complex entrance?"

The two girls looked up at Lin Zhengran and both took a few steps forward.

Jiang Xueli hadn’t changed much in the last two years of high school; at least, Lin Zhengran didn’t think her looks or figure were any different.

But perhaps from frequently posting videos and performing on stage recently, her aura had improved a lot.

Moreover, among the three girls, Jiang Xueli’s legs were the most slender, and their shape was getting better and better. ’What a strange way to develop.’

"Zhengran, we’ve been waiting for you for a long time."

Jiang Xueli remembered the night they got haircuts after her first visit to Zhengshi Music. Even after so long, the events of that night were still fresh in her mind, and she recalled them fondly.

"Didn’t you say last night you were getting a haircut today? I was thinking... back then... didn’t you go with me to get a haircut once?" Her cheeks flushed slightly. "So this time, I should come with you."

Lin Zhengran frowned. As he recalled, it had been a long time since he’d gone to the salon with her. "Going with you for a haircut? How long ago was that? First year of high school, right?"

Jiang Xueli pouted. "Yeah, but who cares how long ago it was? Anyway, I’m your girlfriend. Does there have to be a reason for me to come with you for a haircut?"

"That’s true."

Jiang Xueli tossed her head.

Han Wenwen, listening to their conversation from the side, was all smiles, but in reality, her little fox claws were clenching into fists.

She had already started feeling jealous the moment she heard Jiang Xueli say the word "girlfriend."

As the saying goes, women are made of water, but Han Wenwen was made of vinegar.

Lin Zhengran asked Han Wenwen, "So you came to find me this early for the same reason?"

Han Wenwen smiled sweetly. "Well, *I’m* not classmate Lin Zhengran’s girlfriend. It’s just that classmate Lin Zhengran has been helping me with my studies lately, so I thought I’d come along for the haircut."

’If I don’t go with them and just let Zhengran and Lili be alone, wouldn’t that be intentionally giving them an opportunity?’

’This is Zhengran’s day off. Theoretically, he doesn’t need to spend time with anyone. On a special weekend like this, there’s no way I’m letting Lin Zhengran be alone with another girl.’

Jiang Xueli, standing beside them, looked at Han Wenwen and chimed in:

"Han Wenwen, really, it’s fine if you don’t come... Sleeping in at home is nice too. Besides, both He Qing and I are... are his now. You don’t have to keep an eye on Lin Zhengran like you did in middle school."

Jiang Xueli felt that if Han Wenwen hadn’t come, she could have held onto Zhengran’s arm while he got his haircut.

They could have whispered secrets to each other, maybe even shared a hug, or if the mood was right, a few kisses. But with her here... none of that was possible.

Han Wenwen just gave an innocent-looking wave of her hand and smiled at Jiang Xueli. "What do you mean, ’keep an eye on him’? Nothing of the sort."

Jiang Xueli broke into a sweat. ’I can’t believe a single word this woman says,’ she thought. ’He Qing must have sent her to stop me from getting too close to Zhengran.’

’After all... with He Qing gone this week, it really is easy for me to sneak in some time...’

Lin Zhengran walked over to them. "Alright, you two. Since you’re here anyway, let’s all go to the barbershop together. We can go to Lili’s place afterward to study."

"Okay," the two girls said in unison.

The haircut and tutoring session were more boring than usual. A triangle is always the most stable relationship.

So when Lin Zhengran was with the two of them, it was almost impossible for any of them to do anything.

During the tutoring session, Jiang Xueli might wait for Han Wenwen to go to the bathroom, then give Lin Zhengran a couple of light kicks with her foot and say something defiant—her unique way of being affectionate.

Han Wenwen would also take the opportunity when Jiang Xueli was in the bathroom to quickly hug Zhengran and steal a moment.

In the afternoon, Lin Zhengran, Jiang Xueli, and Han Wenwen took a taxi back to school.

But when they got in the taxi, they discovered...

Fang Meng was also in the taxi.

At first, she was sitting in the front passenger seat wearing a mask and a hat, and the three of them thought she was just another passenger sharing the ride.

But halfway through the ride, Han Wenwen twitched her nose and realized the scent from the front was very familiar.

She asked hesitantly, "The person in the front... that isn’t classmate Fang Meng, is it? Classmate Jiang Qian’s best friend?"

Only then did Fang Meng take off her mask, surprised. She turned around and looked at Han Wenwen in shock. "How did you know it was me?"

The three of them saw that it really was her.

Han Wenwen smiled. "I recognized your scent. I didn’t expect it to actually be you."

Fang Meng: "Huh? My scent?"

The Little Fox: "Because every girl has her own unique fragrance."

Fang Meng didn’t understand.

Lin Zhengran asked curiously, "What are you doing here?"

Fang Meng glanced at Lin Zhengran, who was sitting between the two girls, then turned to face the front again. "It’s just a coincidence that we ended up sharing a ride."

Lin Zhengran: "..."

’For some reason, I don’t quite believe her,’ he thought. ’And this driver looks a little familiar... I think he’s one of the Jiang Family’s drivers...’

Out of the blue, Fang Meng said, "Also, I’m not Jiang Qian’s best friend. I’m just her assistant."

Jiang Xueli didn’t think too much about the deeper meaning of Fang Meng being there. She didn’t know Fang Meng well and genuinely believed it was just a rideshare. She chimed in curiously, "Assistant? But you two seem so close. It can’t just be an assistant-boss relationship, can it?"

Fang Meng replied flatly, "That’s really the only relationship we have."

"Erm... okay..."

Han Wenwen’s eyes glittered with a shrewd yet puzzled light.

Looking at the expressionless Fang Meng in the passenger seat, she felt a strange, inexplicable feeling. ’Does Fang Meng live in this small town?’

’That can’t be right. If she lived in town, how have I never run into her after all these years? But if she doesn’t, how did we end up sharing a ride?’

"Classmate Fang Meng, do you live in this town too?"

Fang Meng: "No, I just came here this morning to see a friend. That’s why we coincidentally ran into each other."

"A friend?"

"Mhm, a male friend."

Han Wenwen was surprised. "You have a boyfriend?"

Fang Meng clarified, "I said a *male* friend."

Han Wenwen’s foxy eyes blinked again. "That’s a pretty significant distinction."

She didn’t say anything more, but her vixen’s keen seventh sense kept her mind racing until... she slowly turned her head to look at Lin Zhengran.

’An unbelievable and completely illogical thought occurred to me: Fang Meng’s "male friend"... it couldn’t be... Zhengran, could it?’

Lin Zhengran saw Han Wenwen staring at him.

"Why are you looking at me?"

The corner of Han Wenwen’s mouth curled up, but her smile wasn’t friendly. "Nothing..."

’I’ll find a chance to ask Zhengran about it in private,’ she thought. ’It seems unlikely, but Zhengran might just have a thing for the nerdy, top-student type like Fang Meng... I still remember what he said about having up to seven girlfriends, after all.’

’So until he hits that number, I need to be on high alert around any pretty girl.’

While Han Wenwen was talking to Lin Zhengran, Fang Meng, in the passenger seat, half-turned to glance at her. A drop of cold sweat appeared on her forehead. ’This girl...’ she thought.

’Why does she give off such a strangely dangerous vibe...?’

Half an hour later, the taxi arrived at the school. Fang Meng followed the three of them toward the academic building, heading to the same class as Lin Zhengran.

The Second Miss, Jiang Qian, was already at school, sitting at her desk and elegantly flipping through a book.

When Lin Zhengran and Fang Meng walked into the classroom together, Lin Zhengran didn’t think much of it.

But as he walked over, Jiang Qian greeted him, "You’re here."

Lin Zhengran acknowledged her and only then realized that Jiang Qian and Fang Meng didn’t seem as inseparable as they used to be.

Fang Meng just gave Jiang Qian a simple greeting before sitting down at her own desk. Her eyes flickered to Jiang Qian for a moment before she went back to her book.

There was a subtle, hard-to-read emotion in her gaze.

On Tuesday morning, the homeroom teacher came to the classroom for a class meeting. The gist of it was that with the college entrance exams approaching, she hoped everyone would work hard during this time.

She also said they could start thinking about their goals and which universities they wanted to apply to.

After class, the homeroom teacher called Lin Zhengran and Jiang Qian to her office separately, one after the other.

In the office, the homeroom teacher asked Lin Zhengran with a broad smile:

"With your academic record and various outstanding achievements, classmate Lin Zhengran, I think basically any university is within your reach. Do you have any ideas of your own? Domestic or international, the school will support you as much as possible."

Lin Zhengran thought of the three girls. For the current Lin Zhengran, going to university was really just about the life experience.

For him, it wasn’t about the academics.

The teacher continued, "As your teacher, I’d like to personally recommend one: Stanford University. If you’re willing..."

But Lin Zhengran shook his head. After he stated his goal, the homeroom teacher was shocked. "Are you sure? While that’s also a top university in the country, I think you have a real shot at an even better one if you wanted."

"Yes, that’s the one."

The homeroom teacher sighed. ’Top students really are different from ordinary people. A school that others would kill to get into is probably no big deal to Lin Zhengran.’

"Alright. University is just one small platform, after all. Whether your life is exciting or not doesn’t really depend on these little things—even if this isn’t so little in other people’s eyes."

After Lin Zhengran left the office, Jiang Qian walked past him and went inside.

The homeroom teacher then asked Jiang Qian about her choice of university.

But Jiang Qian didn’t answer the question directly. "Teacher, I’d like to ask, which university did Lin Zhengran choose?"