TMLSG -Chapter 25 Acting Cute

Laughter came from the other end of the line. “Something’s up, A-Jing. Why are you suddenly curious about Zhou Xusi? What’s going on? You two fighting over a wife?”

The last sentence carried a blatant mix of teasing and testing.

Although Ren Yanjing was an only child, the Ren family was a large extended family. He had many cousins, and he was closest to his younger cousin.

The last time he borrowed a car to attend a robotics competition in another city, he borrowed it from this cousin—and back then, his cousin grilled him for ages. Now it was happening again.

Ren Yanjing didn’t answer, only said, “Just send me his information.”

Laughter rang out again from the other side. “Alright, A-Jing rarely asks me for help, so of course I’ll help. But if anything happens, don’t forget to tell me. My mom even asked last time if you had a girlfriend.”

Ren Yanjing replied calmly, “I’ll introduce her to you next time.”

Ren Yanjing’s cousin exclaimed, “??? Wait, you actually are secretly dating? Last time you borrowed the car, I knew something was up! You’re in a relationship and didn’t tell me? Are we still best brothers?”

“What’s my sister-in-law’s name? How old is she?”

After saying, “Send me the info as soon as possible,” Ren Yanjing decisively hung up.

He knew his cousin’s personality—big-mouthed. This news about him having a girlfriend would likely spread through the entire family quickly.

But so be it. They’d been dating for over half a month already; it wasn’t exactly new.

After hanging up, Ren Yanjing ignored any further calls from his cousin. Instead, he opened the private chat on the All-Purpose Wall of the Media Arts College and sent a direct message:

“I’m Tang Zhen’s boyfriend. Delete the post you just made immediately.”

At the moment Ren Yanjing requested the post be deleted, Tang Zhen happened to see it.

The photo was clearly taken from behind, which explained why she hadn’t noticed Lu Yu at the time.

The image showed her opening the passenger door, just about to get in.

Scrolling through the comments below, she recognized many people.

“That’s Tang Zhen from the freshman art department, right? She already has a boyfriend. Why is she fishing around?”

“Driving a Rolls-Royce? What kind of family is Tang Zhen from?”

“Who’s in the driver’s seat? No white gloves, doesn’t look like a driver.”

Some comments even clarified who was actually in the driver’s seat:

“I’m Tang Zhen’s roommate. The one in the driver’s seat is her brother. Don’t misunderstand.”

At the start of the semester, Tang Zhen had already introduced her family to her roommates. They all knew she had a stepbrother, and that he was successful in the gaming industry.

Recently, the group of them had occasionally played casual games developed by Zhou Xusi’s company. Tang Zhen sometimes used them to pass the time.

She didn’t see any unfriendly comments. Even if there were, the student moderators of the All-Purpose Wall had likely deleted them.

When she tried to continue browsing, she saw the post had already been deleted.

Well, fine—nothing had happened anyway.

Not long after she put her phone away, Tang Zhen’s mother came over to send her off. “It’s still early. Go downstairs and chat with your brother for a bit.”

Tang Zhen blinked. “Mom, you should lie down and rest more.”

Tang Zhen’s mother was actually fine, but there was no need to tell her. Her stepson had always been cold and distant. In the year since she married in, he never paid attention to her. Yet today, he had made the effort to bring Tang Zhen home.

She decided to let her daughter seize the opportunity to deepen her relationship with Zhou Xusi.

“Don’t go back to school today. Your brother probably won’t be leaving either. Go spend some time talking to him and strengthen your bond.”

Tang Zhen had no choice but to comply.

Zhou Xusi was seven years older, twenty-six this year. His handsome face rarely showed emotion, and Tang Zhen had always found him difficult to approach.

After a few tentative steps closer, she made an excuse. “Brother, I’ve been at school all day and I’m a little tired. I’ll go back to my room and rest. You should rest early too.”

Zhou Xusi’s dark eyes looked at her.

Even though he was sitting and she was standing, being under his gaze was still intimidating.

The seven-year age gap felt like two generations. Coupled with Zhou Xusi’s calm and steady personality, Tang Zhen always felt a little constrained around him.

Zhou Xusi slightly nodded. “Good night.”

“Good night.”

After exchanging good nights, Tang Zhen turned to go back to her room.

Quietly, she told 000 in her mind, “Sanquan, talking to Brother is so stressful.”

000 was unconcerned. “Xiao Zhen, it’s normal. Brother is a mature, steady, elite man. He manages a company with tens of thousands of employees—of course there’s a sense of distance.”

Just as Tang Zhen stepped onto the stairs, Zhou Xusi’s low voice came from behind.

“Tang Zhen.”

“Huh?”

She turned around in confusion, her clear eyes reflecting a hint of puzzlement.

Zhou Xusi rose from the sofa.

He was wearing a silver-gray business suit today. Even though he had been home for over ten minutes, the buttons were still fastened neatly to the top, giving him an austere yet refined look.

“You don’t have to be so tense when you talk to me.”

Tang Zhen was slightly taken aback. She hadn’t expected Zhou Xusi to say something like that. She bit her lip. “Ah… okay, Brother.”

Back in her room, after closing the door, Tang Zhen finally relaxed.

She wondered aloud, “Sanquan, why did Brother say that to me?”

000 answered confidently. 【Because you treat him as an elder and get nervous around him. Brother will feel he’s too old. You know, men and women both care about their age.】

Ah, that made sense.

“I understand. Next time I’ll try to treat him as an equal.”

【Mm-hmm.】

At ten o’clock, Tang Zhen’s mother went to bed as usual.

By then, Zhou Xusi had also returned to his room.

However, the light in his room remained on, so Tang Zhen didn’t make a move.

She had already turned off the light in her own room. It wasn’t until eleven o’clock that the light in Zhou Xusi’s room finally went out.

Tang Zhen left a note on her bed explaining that she would be returning to school, then quietly slipped downstairs like a cat, moving stealthily.

A small nightlight in the living room provided dim light, which allowed her to leave the villa and meet up with Ren Yanjing nearby. The entire process went unnoticed by Tang Zhen’s mother and Zhou Xusi.

Her first secret departure from home had been successful. She hadn’t run into either the male lead or the male supporting lead. Not bad.

Once in the car, Tang Zhen glanced at the time, worried. “At this hour, the dorm supervisor will definitely be asleep. It would be awkward to have her open the door.”

Ren Yanjing looked at her coat and turned up the car’s heater. “Then we won’t go back.”

Tang Zhen’s eyes widened slightly. “Huh?”

Ren Yanjing suggested, “Let’s go see the river view. How about that?”

She had been over for so long but had never seen the river. She agreed without hesitation.

Along the way, Ren Yanjing spoke very little, his profile slightly tense.

His cousin had said Zhou Xusi was low-key and reserved.

But… low-key and reserved?

Would a low-key, reserved person drive a Rolls-Royce to a university gate in the middle of the night?

Would they use it to pick up someone else’s girlfriend and drive her home? And get photographed and have it posted on the campus wall?

Ren Yanjing didn’t show much emotion but had formed his own opinion about Zhou Xusi.

For a while, no one in the car spoke. Only the soft music played quietly.

Tang Zhen, who would have been asleep by this hour, felt drowsy.

000, however, seemed agitated. 【Xiao Zhen, could it be that the male lead wants to break up with you?】

This startled Tang Zhen awake.

Logically, they were supposed to be together for a full three months before breaking up. Breaking up early would certainly be bad for the female supporting lead.

Tang Zhen hurriedly asked, “Sanquan, why do you say that?”

【The male lead looks off right now. It’s probably because of the little argument you had with him this afternoon.】

Tang Zhen was puzzled. “But when he sent me back to the dorm, he didn’t seem angry at all.”

【Some people are just slow to realize.】

“So what should I do?”

Even if she had to break up with the male lead, it definitely could not be now.

000 was silent for a moment.

A minute later, Tang Zhen received her latest mission.

【Mission Twelve: Act cute!】