TMLSG -Chapter 73 Eloping

The fireworks tonight were beautiful, but unfortunately, the weather didn’t cooperate, and before long, it started to rain.

Even a light rain in early winter is cold, let alone this sudden downpour.

Tang Zhen and Ren Yanjing hadn’t brought umbrellas. Their car was parked far away. Ren Yanjing quickly took off his coat, draped it over Tang Zhen’s head, and then grabbed her hand and ran.

The two of them sprinted through the rainy night.

Raindrops, passersby, umbrellas, intertwined hands—all came together to form a moving scene.

111 fangirled immediately.

【Zhen, the male lead is eloping with you!】

Tang Zhen: ???

111 was completely lost in the moment, utterly absorbed—there was no other way. This scene was too good to ignore.

A rainy night was already romantic, and with the two protagonists, it was as if a scene from a TV drama had come to life.

111 went on, 【It really looks like the male lead is eloping with you. Leaving behind the heroine. Leaving everything behind.】

Running together into the distance.

—

Tang Zhen and Ren Yanjing soon found a nearby convenience store.

Because there were so many people watching fireworks in the area, the store quickly filled up.

Ren Yanjing was soaked, so Tang Zhen bought a towel and asked the shopkeeper for two cups of hot water. They sipped the hot water while waiting for the rain to stop.

Ten minutes later, Shen Quanli and the others arrived.

They had also been at the riverside watching fireworks, and after the rain started, had randomly found a place to wait.

Once they found out Ren Yanjing was here, they came over.

The store’s heating was strong, so the group decided to order some food and drinks and spend Christmas there.

Shen Quanli chuckled, “Still spending Christmas with our captain this year.”

Since the New Year’s performance was just a few days away, Robert would perform that day. For everyone in the group, this was an unprecedented experience, so the teammates couldn’t stop talking excitedly.

Zhang Mian rubbed his hands together. “I’m so looking forward to it.”

Shen Quanli, seemingly possessed by a chatterbox spirit, wouldn’t stop talking, wanting to grab someone and tell them that Robert would perform in front of students from several schools.

“This is the first time our Robert is performing in front of so many people.”

After imagining the New Year’s Eve scene, the group discussed ways to further improve Robert’s performance, striving for the best possible effect that night.

Ren Yanjing occasionally joined the discussion, but most of the time, he observed Tang Zhen.

She looked like a little kitten, holding a paper cup, sipping carefully, very quiet.

Ren Yanjing leaned over. “Bored?”

Tang Zhen gently tapped her head with her right hand, her tone troubled. “I’m such an idiot.”

She wanted Robert to do well, to impress everyone at the performance.

But she couldn’t help.

Ren Yanjing quickly reached out to pat her head. “Not at all. Even if you are an idiot, you’re a beautiful one. And you’re not even an idiot!”

Shen Quanli and the others noticed them and stopped talking, concerned. “Sister-in-law, what’s wrong?”

Tang Zhen shook her head. “Nothing.”

Shen Quanli laughed. “Sorry, Sister-in-law, we got too excited.”

Tang Zhen whispered, “Actually, I’m really excited too.”

Robert was her first robot friend.

Then came Puppy.

And only after that, Zhenguai.

Robert was the first robot she had interacted with. Every time she visited Ren Yanjing’s lab, Robert would accompany her and even perform street dance for her.

She wanted Robert to have a smooth, perfect performance that day.

Tang Zhen said seriously, “I’ll come cheer for you all that day.”

Just like they had cheered for her before.

Hearing this, Shen Quanli and the others were thrilled. “Really? That’s such an honor.”

Zhang Mian added, “I’m starting to look forward to it.”

—

The rain continued lightly for a long time.

The group stayed in the convenience store talking until nearly midnight before leaving.

By the time they got home, it was almost one a.m.

Before Tang Zhen went to her room, she tilted her head toward Ren Yanjing. “Ren Yanjing, can I ignore you for three days?”

Ren Yanjing froze at her direct question. “Why? Because of tonight?”

He stopped to explain. “Quanli got carried away tonight, once he starts talking about professional terms he can’t stop. He’s usually not like that.”

“Tonight, I really didn’t do well enough.”

Tang Zhen hadn’t been involved in the earlier conversation.

But Shen Quanli was so excited that he never found the right moment to stop.

It really had nothing to do with tonight—it was purely about the mission.

Seeing the male lead explain and apologize so earnestly, Tang Zhen pressed her lips together and ultimately decided to give up the mission.

No more cold war.

She curved her eyes into a smile. “Then I’ll pay attention to you after all.”

Ren Yanjing smiled as well. “No longer angry?”

“Not angry.”

“If you’re angry, you can tell me.”

“Really not.”

When Tang Zhen went back to her room to shower, 111 finally spoke: 【Zhen, you’re not an idiot at all.】

Tang Zhen was about to say thanks when 111 continued: 【You’re an adorable idiot, cutely charming.】

Tang Zhen: ! She realized that 111 could joke around after upgrading.

111 added, 【Hehe, who doesn’t love an adorable idiot?! Anyway, I totally do.】

Tang Zhen cupped her face. “Thank you, thank you.”

It was too late, so she didn’t continue creating. After showering, she went straight to bed.

The next day, she slept until nine in the morning.

Ren Yanjing knocked once, got no response, and simply opened the door.

The door wasn’t locked.

The room was dimly lit.

As soon as he entered, he saw Tang Zhen with her chin buried in the blanket, only her pale little face visible, eyes tightly closed, a slight frown between her brows.

“Baby?”

No response.

Ren Yanjing quickly walked over to her bed and touched her forehead.

It was burning.

“You have a fever. Let’s go to the hospital.”

Tang Zhen, still half-asleep, started to stir.

111 had been alerting her in her mind for a while.

Yesterday, Tang Zhen had only gotten a little wet, while the male lead got soaked, yet he was fine and she wasn’t.

111: 【Zhen, you probably caught a cold from the chill last night. You should have had a cup of ginger soup when you got back in the early morning.】

Unfortunately, there was no “if only” now.

Tang Zhen didn’t want to go to the hospital. She clung to him, weakly pouting, saying that taking some fever medicine would be enough.

Ren Yanjing saw her like this for the first time—weak, like a sick little kitten, with a slightly red nose, watery eyes, and a fragile air about her.

Just then, Aunt Yu heard the commotion and came over.

After hearing from Ren Yanjing that they had been caught in the rain and only slept after midnight, she quickly guessed that Tang Zhen hadn’t rested well and had caught a cold.

“If she wants to try medicine first, then let’s see how she responds. We’ll check later.”

Ren Yanjing had some medicine at home.

Tang Zhen took the medicine he gave her, drank some porridge, and then dozed off again.

By the afternoon, her fever had mostly subsided, but she was still weak. She drank some water, went to the bathroom, and then went back to sleep.

She didn’t fully wake up until around seven or eight in the evening.

Ren Yanjing was sitting by her bed. Seeing her awake, he immediately leaned in. “Baby, are you still feeling unwell anywhere?”

Tang Zhen shook her head, then reached out to push his face away. “Don’t get too close.”

Colds can be contagious.

Ren Yanjing lightly kissed her palm. “It’s okay.”

Tang Zhen immediately pulled her hand back. “No.”

He just leaned in and kissed her anyway.

He really wasn’t afraid.

There was even a wild sense of wanting to drag her into this little madness with him.

Tang Zhen was confused. “111, is the male lead supposed to act like this?”

The male and female leads were soulmates, mutually respectful, understanding, chasing their dreams together. The male lead was always calm, composed, rational, and diligent on the path of scientific research.

But now… he seemed a bit out of control.

111 paused, probably running a frantic search of the original text.

After checking, it said: 【Zhen, the original text doesn’t describe this, and there’s no similar plot to reference. Plus, that popular little romance story isn’t finished yet, so it should be fine. Yes, totally fine!】

Tang Zhen wrapped herself up tightly in the blanket.

Ren Yanjing’s voice came through the covers: “Baby, tonight I’ll stay here and take care of you.”

Tang Zhen: Eh?

111: 【Aaaaaahhhhhh!】