TMLSG -Chapter 18 But He Cares

000 had expected to see a flood of envious and jealous comments, but the reactions in the group chat were completely different.

【Just a shoulder hug? They don’t even look that close.】

【Ren Yanjing doesn’t seem that into his girlfriend either. Not even holding her waist!】

【Babies, do you think this is our chance?】

While the group members were busy analyzing that photo from behind, Lu Yu started making her presence known again.

Lu Yu: 【I heard they’ve been dating less than half a month.】

Lu Yu: 【Shouldn’t they still be in the honeymoon phase? Why doesn’t it look like it?】

【Oh my god, that means they just got together?】

【I suddenly think I can do this too!】

【Ren Yanjing, wait for me!】

Before Tang Zhen could react, 000 suddenly erupted with rage.

“What’s wrong?”

000 refused to answer. After a while, it finally spoke through gritted teeth:

【You and the male lead…】

Tang Zhen tilted her head, puzzled. “What?”

【Please give us more sugar! (more couple moments!)】

Tang Zhen: …

After eating with the male lead, his teammates, and the supervising teacher, Ren Yanjing drove Tang Zhen back to school.

It was already late, and this time he drove straight to the girls’ dormitory.

Just as Tang Zhen was about to open the car door, Ren Yanjing grabbed her arm. “I’ll pick you up tomorrow.”

Tang Zhen looked back, confused. “To Go where?”

Inside the dimly lit car, only the warm glow of the ceiling light shone on her face, making her delicate features look even more pure and beautiful.

Her eyes were clear and innocent, carrying a hint of naivety. She looked like someone who wanted to be teased, wanting to be pampered, with those slightly red eyes and her little face showing a mix of shyness and coquettishness.

Ren Yanjing tilted his head, his Adam’s apple rolling slightly. “I’ll show you around my school.” He said casually, “You haven’t been to my lab yet, right? I’ll take you.”

Thinking of Robert, the robot that could street dance, Tang Zhen immediately agreed. “Will I see Robert tomorrow?”

“You will.” He added, “I’ll let him keep you company.”

“Yay!” Tang Zhen’s eyes sparkled as she began looking forward to their third date tomorrow. “But I have an 8 a.m. class. Come pick me up after 10.”

“Okay.”

After setting the time for tomorrow, Tang Zhen went back to the dorm. Ren Yanjing lingered for another hour, waiting until Tang Zhen had showered and hung her clothes on the balcony before finally driving off.

As soon as Tang Zhen lay down in bed, she heard 000 chuckling.

“What is it, 000?”

【Hehehe, the male lead was downstairs at the dorm until three minutes ago.】

Tang Zhen froze. “What was he doing downstairs?”

【Watching you.】

Ren Yanjing had been sitting in the driver’s seat, but the window was fully open, allowing him a clear view of her dorm balcony.

Tang Zhen pursed her lips. “I’m inside the dorm. How could he see me?”

【Obviously, even across the dorm, the male lead just wants to spend a little more time with you. Hehehe.】

Tang Zhen felt a small ripple in her heart, but it quickly faded.

If she already knew she would eventually break up with him, why invest too much emotion?

So she turned over and fell asleep peacefully.

The next day, when Tang Zhen went to the art studio with her roommate, she ran into the female lead’s best friend, Lu Yu.

Her hair color was far too striking—impossible not to notice.

Lu Yu probably didn’t just happen to pass by; she had clearly come here to confront her. She scanned Tang Zhen from head to toe with an extremely critical eye.

Though she didn’t want to admit it, even with such a scrutinizing gaze, Lu Yu couldn’t find a single flaw.

Tang Zhen’s face—beautiful even if hidden in a sack—today in a red short skirt, black knit top, and black ankle boots, made her pale skin, slender waist, and long legs stand out even more. Her flawless face, enhanced by her roommates around her, seemed to glow.

Failing to find a flaw in her appearance, Lu Yu bluntly stated her intent: “Don’t be so selfish.”

With that, she turned and left.

000 was fuming. 【She’s hopping around in the chat group, and now she dares to show up in front of you? What does she mean by this?】

Tang Zhen, however, wasn’t angry.

Lu Yu was the female lead’s best friend, naturally at odds with Tang Zhen, the secondary female lead. She guessed this was just Lu Yu standing up for her friend. “It’s fine. I won’t have much contact with them anyway.”

After warning Tang Zhen not to be selfish, Lu Yu went to talk to Li Ran.

Li Ran had no classes that morning and was in the library reading.

“A-Ran, I still think you and Ren Yanjing are better suited. Top student with top student is the perfect match.”

Li Ran bit her lip and replied, “Xiaoyu, don’t say that. He already has a girlfriend.”

“Just wait. I don’t think they’ll last long. Ren Yanjing isn’t the type to care only about looks. They’re clearly from different worlds.”

With someone like Tang Zhen—selfish enough to not let Ren Yanjing give other girls autographs—she’d be dumped sooner or later!

Li Ran, for some reason, felt better after reading that and took the initiative to invite her: “Xiaoyu, come to my school today. I’ll treat you to something delicious in the cafeteria.”

“Sure! I’ll be right there!”

After morning classes, Tang Zhen and her roommates left the studio and saw Ren Yanjing’s flashy orange-red sports car parked in front of the teaching building.

When they came out, he was leaning on the hood with one hand in his pocket, looking down at his phone.

Noticing them, he put his phone away and walked toward Tang Zhen.

As he approached, he overheard her roommate complaining, “What’s Lu Yu doing? Saying you’re selfish—she didn’t come here on purpose just to tell you that, did she?”

Ren Yanjing furrowed his brow. “What happened?”

Only then did Yezi realize Tang Zhen’s boyfriend had arrived.

Flustered, she quickly explained, “This morning, a sophomore girl came to bother Zhenzhen.”

Ren Yanjing’s expression darkened immediately. “Who?”

“A girl named Lu Yu.”

Lu Yu wasn’t exactly low-profile—she was well-known in their field, and Tang Zhen’s roommates happened to know her too.

Tang Zhen hurried to say, “It’s fine. It’s over now.”

With that, she waved goodbye to her roommates and took Ren Yanjing’s hand, leaving.

When she opened the car door, she noticed a beautifully wrapped bouquet on the passenger seat. She blinked, asking, “For me?”

Ren Yanjing slightly turned his head and nodded.

Tang Zhen held the flowers, inhaling their fragrance. “So fragrant. Thank you.”

“As long as you like them.”

Once inside the car, Ren Yanjing fastened her seatbelt and casually asked, “What did she say to you?”

Tang Zhen paused, realizing who he meant.

“Actually… not much.”

Ren Yanjing looked up at her intently. “But I want to know.”

Tang Zhen looked at the flowers in her lap and said softly, “She told me not to be too selfish.” Then she quickly added, “But really, it’s nothing. I don’t mind.”

Ren Yanjing immediately understood—probably someone who had wanted his autograph but failed, so instead of confronting him, they targeted his girlfriend.

Tang Zhen didn’t mind.

But he very much did.