I rejected your confession, but you took my best friend home?

Chapter 24 I'll go next week, next weekend.

After dinner, Zhou Heng and Yin Mengran studied at the table. Zhou Heng was now making the most of every second.

With Yin Mengran's help, he didn't get stuck anywhere and his learning efficiency was very high.

Yin Mengran glanced at the time, then looked at Zhou Heng's profile, appearing hesitant to speak.

After hesitating for a few seconds, she slowly opened her mouth and asked softly:

"Um...can I go take a shower?"

"Hmm? Of course, wash it off."

Zhou Heng was taken aback. Why did you have to ask me before taking a shower?

Of course, Yin Mengran had to ask. She couldn't really treat this place as her own home, could she? Should she go take a shower without asking the owner?

"Okay... I'll go then..."

Yin Mengran slowly got up and went to the bathroom.

It was her first time taking a shower at Zhou Heng's house, and she was a little nervous...

She had everything prepared, including a change of clothes, just in case she forgot something and couldn't ask Zhou Heng to bring it to her...

She locked the bathroom door and looked at Zhou Heng's bathing supplies...

Although she bought toiletries, it was only things like a toothbrush and towel; she didn't buy shampoo or shower gel.

Since we're going to take a bath, we'll definitely need to borrow Zhou Heng's things.

She opened the bathroom door, peeked out, looked at Zhou Heng on the other side of the table, and asked softly:

"Can I use your... shampoo and body wash?"

"can."

Zhou Heng responded to her without looking up; it was nothing to him.

After receiving permission, Yin Mengran closed the door.

Soon after, the sound of water came from the bathroom.

Although the door was locked, the thought of Zhou Heng sitting outside still made Yin Mengran's heart pound.

She used Zhou Heng's shower gel, and as it glided over her skin, the scent was the same one she smelled when she lay in bed...

After showering, she dried her hair in the bathroom, came out, and found Zhou Heng still sitting there studying, his posture unchanged.

She felt that Zhou Heng was working too hard, and that he would probably get tired if he continued like this. After all, studying is not something that can be accomplished overnight, and a balance between work and rest is very important.

"I see you have a computer in your room. Don't you use it usually?"

"Play? I have exams coming up, I don't have time to play."

Zhou Heng recalled how he used to spend all his time at home playing computer games with Tang Zhi.

As a result, it didn't interfere with their studies. After all, they have a smart brain; they can learn quickly in class and play with themselves at home.

He'd fallen to over 200th place, while she played with him every day, often going to internet cafes together, and was in the top 20 of the grade.

I've been playing games with her like this, and she still manages to rank so high. I really don't know what to do. I can't compete with her, and I can't drag her down either.

"Actually, you can play around a bit. There's no need to keep studying, it'll get tiring. Why don't you go take a break and play for a while?"

Yin Mengran knew she couldn't persuade Zhou Heng; his stubbornness was something she couldn't overcome.

But after she finished speaking, Zhou Heng hesitated and put down his pen...

He looked up at Yin Mengran and asked tentatively, "Really? Are you really okay?"

"Of course! You've been studying for so long, it's time to relax and have some fun so you can study even better."

"Well... I'll do as you say then, cough cough, I'll just play for a little while..."

Zhou Heng stood up and went to his room.

He hasn't played games since that day he went to the internet cafe with Tang Zhi.

He listened to Tang Zhi talk about the game every day, and he was so eager to play it that he couldn't wait.

Now that Yin Mengran says it's okay to play for a while, of course he'll listen to her advice!

How could someone who is first in the class and in the top five in the grade be wrong?

Can’t be wrong!

"Uh?"

Yin Mengran was stunned for a moment, not expecting that Zhou Heng would actually listen to her.

Or does he really want to play on the computer?

Since she had never seen Zhou Heng touch the computer before, she assumed that Zhou Heng didn't usually play games on it.

Yin Mengran followed him into the room and saw that Zhou Heng was already sitting in front of the computer and had turned it on.

She sat on the bed, wanting to see what game Zhou Heng was playing.

The game he opened turned out to be completely incomprehensible to him...

Zhou Heng seemed to have opened a chat window with someone and typed a few words.

Then I saw him put the headphones on the table and turn the volume up to the maximum.

"【Hello? Can you hear me?】"

"!"

Yin Mengran was somewhat surprised. She heard the voice coming from the earphone; it was Tang Zhi!

"Ah, I can hear you."

"Why are you online today? Weren't you in a hurry to study?"

"Balance work and rest."

"【Okay, then help me with a quest, I'll invite you to my group.】"

Yin Mengran watched quietly from the side. Seeing how engrossed Zhou Heng was in the game, she didn't dare to make a sound, afraid that Tang Zhi on the other end of the earpiece would hear her.

"【Oh my god, Mom! What are you doing...】"

At that moment, Yin Mengran suddenly heard Tang Zhi's voice coming from the other end of the earpiece, and she even called out "Mom"?

Then, the voice on the other end of the earpiece changed to a woman's voice:

"Is that Xiao Heng?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Heng's eyes widened, his brows furrowed, and he quickly replied:

"Ah...yes, Auntie, I'm Xiao Heng..."

Zhou Heng's voice was very soft and cautious; it was the first time Yin Mengran had ever heard Zhou Heng speak like this.

It felt like I had discovered another side of Zhou Heng, which was particularly interesting.

"【Look, that sounded just like your voice! When are you coming here? Your uncle and I miss you so much. Come over and Auntie will cook you something delicious!"

The woman's voice was very gentle, soft-spoken, and her tone was just like Zhou Heng's mother's.

"Ah, Auntie, I'll go next week, next weekend."

"【Okay, it's a deal! I'll be buying groceries next weekend, so don't skip it!】"

"Okay, I must go."

Listening from the side, Yin Mengran couldn't help but reveal a hint of envy in her eyes.

This is what it feels like to have family—to have someone considerate and caring. Even if you live alone here, someone will think of you.

Unlike herself... just thinking about what happened to her recently makes her feel heartbroken.

Yin Mengran lowered her head, her long hair falling over her chest, revealing a section of her slender and graceful neck.

A sharp pain shot through my heart, followed by a burning sensation; my eyes were immediately clouded by a misty haze.

Zhou Heng glanced over and saw Yin Mengran's current state.

After a while, he said into the headset, "Okay, I'm logging off."

"【Okay, bye-bye.】"

Then, Zhou Heng closed the game and shut down the computer.

Yin Mengran quickly turned her head away, not wanting Zhou Heng to see her current state.

Even though she has moved on, the thought of the past still makes her cry.

What could she do? She was just a girl who had only recently come of age.

After Zhou Heng turned off the computer, he looked at her and said softly:

"I think you need to talk to me."