TMLSG -Chapter 56 Checking In

Ren Yanjing’s father had once told him that most people in their country are reserved, but when it’s necessary to express themselves, they should do so bravely.

Sincerity is the ultimate weapon.

But until now, he had never encountered a situation where he needed to express himself. Aside from matters concerning robots, he had little desire to speak up.

It wasn’t until today that he truly understood what his father meant.

Tang Zhen felt that she was indeed drunk.

Otherwise, why would she feel this dizzy?

Fortunately, at that moment, Aunt Yu unlocked the door with her fingerprint, rescuing Tang Zhen from the dizzy spell.

As soon as Aunt Yu came in, she put down the basket of vegetables and, while taking off her shoes, asked, “Did you guys drink tonight? How much?”

Ren Yanjing got up from the floor and helped Tang Zhen up as well. “Not much.”

Aunt Yu took the basket and headed toward the kitchen. “Wait a moment, I’ll get it ready soon.”

Tang Zhen covered her slightly flushed face with the back of her hand and said, “I’m going to the bathroom.”

Once in the bathroom, Tang Zhen realized that 111 hadn’t spoken for a long time.

“What are you doing, 111?”

111 hummed, 【Arguing with them in the group chat.】

Tang Zhen was puzzled. “What happened?”

From 111’s explanation, Tang Zhen learned that after she and Ren Yanjing checked out of the room, the female lead and her close friend had taken the opportunity, while the aunt was tidying up, to inspect their room.

Then the female lead discovered that she and Ren Yanjing hadn’t slept together.

Lu Yu started mocking them again in the group chat. Of course, the target of the mockery was 111’s alternate account: “Has the Zhen-Yan couple shared any sweetness today?” claiming that the sweetness they were shipping was fake.

111 couldn’t stand it and started exchanging insults with Lu Yu in the group.

111 said, 【What’s even more infuriating is that people in the group praised them, saying even Sherlock Holmes would bow down in admiration.】

【But how would Sherlock Holmes be so bored? Go out of his way to observe something like this?】

111 arrogantly replied, 【I called those two perverts.】

Tang Zhen was silent for a moment, then asked, “So who won the argument?”

111 was brimming with confidence, 【Of course, me.】

It could type over a thousand characters per second; in a verbal battle, it could never lose.

Winning was good.

Between 111 and the female lead, Tang Zhen naturally sided with her own ally.

But the female lead… seemed different from how she appeared in the story.

Or maybe this is her truest self?

Christmas and New Year were approaching, and in addition, Tang Zhen was about to enter finals week and take the CET-4 exam.

Although she wasn’t a top student, Tang Zhen still wanted to score well.

Ren Yanjing was also entering finals week, and both were busy, so they only had time to be together at night.

One day, while Tang Zhen was doing practice questions in the dorm, the mission alert sounded again.

【Mission 23: Make the male lead report to you from time to time, so that he develops the habit of updating you.】

111 said gravely, 【This is still a mission that can lower his affection. Because the male lead values personal space, reporting can make him feel restricted.】

【But how can a proper boyfriend lack the habit of keeping you updated?!】

【Especially when the female lead is insecure and needs abundant reassurance.】

So this was still a mission unique to the “tree-planting person.”

In that popular story, the female lead’s insecurity almost entirely came from the female supporting character—her ex-girlfriend. Few women would be indifferent to the presence of an ex, and the female lead was no exception.

Only after learning of the supporting character’s death could the female lead finally relax.

Therefore, Tang Zhen now almost emptied her mind, focusing most of her attention on earning life points.

She didn’t dwell too much on the male lead’s attitude.

She didn’t overthink his words.

First, survive.

She kept practicing until her head felt dizzy, then simply leaned over the desk in her dorm and sent a message to Ren Yanjing.

“Checking in!”

Five minutes later, Ren Yanjing replied with a “?”

The next second, his video call came through immediately.

Judging from the background, he seemed to be in the lab.

“Baby, what’s up?”

Tang Zhen rested her chin on the desk, feeling a bit lazy from doing too many practice questions, like a lethargic little cat. Her voice carried an unintentionally charming drowsiness. “You haven’t updated me at all.”

As soon as she spoke, Shen Quanli leaned over and said loudly, “Sister-in-law, there are no girls in the lab.”

Then he had Ren Yanjing turn the camera toward the curtains and under the table—places where someone might hide.

Shen Quanli yanked open the curtain and said loudly, “No one’s hiding here.”

Then he crouched and looked under the table, moving around. “Still no one here.”

Zhang Mian joined in the teasing. “We don’t have any outsiders here either.”

Other teammates chimed in. “None here either.”

The team’s reactions made Tang Zhen’s face flush warmly.

She blushed and looked a little shy. “Alright, alright, I get it.”

Shen Quanli continued to show off. “Our future team is all male! No girls!”

Tang Zhen: “Understood, understood.”

Ren Yanjing laughed. “Baby, you don’t trust me that much?”

Tang Zhen, citing what 111 had said, said righteously, “Updating me is a necessary habit for a proper boyfriend.”

Ren Yanjing thought for a moment. “Okay. I got it.”

After hanging up, Tang Zhen was a little confused. “He seems pretty cooperative?”

111 explained with reasoning, 【Because all his teammates are there. That’s just how he is. Even if he’s slightly dissatisfied, he won’t show it in front of others.】

【No matter what, he won’t air your private matters in front of others.】

【In front of teammates, he still gives you that bit of face.】

In other words, the male lead is a very decent person.

That’s why in the original story, he broke up with the female supporting character gracefully.

Ugly scenes like couples fighting and refusing to speak ever again don’t happen with him.

He wouldn’t make the supporting character lose face in front of others.

Being with someone this good is actually a form of luck.

Not long after Tang Zhen hung up the video call with Ren Yanjing, she received a call from her mother.

Tang Zhen had ignored her mother’s previous messages.

Even a little cat has its temper.

Fortunately, this time her mother didn’t mention anything about breaking up.

“This weekend, come home for a bit. A daughter of a family friend of your stepfather is getting married, and our family is invited to attend.”

“Do I have to go too?”

“Aren’t you my daughter? Aren’t we a family?”

Her mother ended with, “That’s it, just remember to come back,” and hung up.

Tang Zhen planned to decide later whether she would go.

Unexpectedly, in the evening, she received another video call from Ren Yanjing.

This time he wasn’t in the lab but at a wedding setup site.

It seemed to be the early stages of decorating, so it looked relatively simple.

Ren Yanjing said through the video, “My cousin is getting married this weekend. I came to help with the preparations. Let’s attend her wedding together.”

As soon as he finished, Ren Yanli leaned over. “What are you doing? Updating sister-in-law?”

Ren Yanjing openly said, “Yes.”

Ren Yanli squished his freshly styled head into the screen, smiling. “Sister-in-law, there are quite a few girls at the wedding setup. My cousin’s beautiful bridesmaids are helping. But don’t worry, I’ll watch over my brother.”

Ren Yanjing laughed and teased, “Do you think I need you?”

He pushed Ren Yanli’s head aside and casually suggested, “There really are a lot of girls here. Maybe we shouldn’t keep the video on?”