TMLSG -Chapter 99 The Only Female Lead

111 commented with great seriousness: 【I believe what the male lead just said.】

【Too bad…】 This was a male lead from someone else’s story.

111 didn’t finish the thought, but Tang Zhen understood its unspoken meaning perfectly.

After Ren Yanjing spoke, Zhang Mian and the others cast teasing glances, and even Fang Feng couldn’t help but smile.

This was supposed to be his heartbroken consolation night, but how did it end up turning into the captain showing his true feelings?

Fang Feng muttered, “Alright, alright, alright.”

The captain could say such things, but he didn’t dare.

A lifetime is too long; he didn’t have the courage to declare it definitively. Who knew what the future would hold?

That’s why the captain truly stood out—different from ordinary people.

He admitted defeat.

After a little drinking and the topic shifting toward emotions, Shen Quanli, Zhang Mian, and the others started a small debate on the subject.

The affirmative side: “A person can love only one person in a lifetime.”

The opposing side: “A person cannot love only one person in a lifetime.”

All of them were academic elites, so the debate was exceptionally engaging.

Tang Zhen listened with rapt attention.

Who would have thought that she had never participated in school debate competitions, yet here she was, listening to a lively in-person debate?

The affirmative team consisted of Ren Yanjing, Zhang Mian, and Zhang Wei.

The opposing team was Fang Feng, Shen Quanli, and Du Qiyou.

Fang Feng spoke with conviction: “Attraction is the one thing you can’t control yourself. You may think you can manage your emotions, but you can’t control your heart.”

For example, the first time he met his ex-girlfriend, he couldn’t control his heartbeat at all.

“Maybe one day you meet your ideal type and fall in love. Three days later, you meet a second ideal type and fall in love again. Love isn’t something you can control.”

Zhang Wei countered: “An accelerated heartbeat isn’t necessarily love; it could be shyness, nervousness, or a mix of complex emotions. True love, I think, is that instant, lifelong heartbeat—something only the fortunate ever experience.”

Shen Quanli added, “A lifetime heartbeat, but in a lifetime, oceans turn to fields.”

Zhang Wei immediately scolded, “Shen Quanli, can you stop being such a buzzkill?”

Shen Quanli shrugged. “How am I being a buzzkill? Just speaking the truth.”

There aren’t that many instances of a lifelong heartbeat. Ten years per glance is closer to reality.

This informal debate didn’t need a winner—it was just everyone sharing their opinions.

Ren Yanjing lightly tapped his right hand on his knee and joined in: “Attraction isn’t something common, and love even less so.”

Once in a lifetime—that’s already rare enough.

Shen Quanli scratched his head. “But I fall for people pretty easily.”

He wasn’t obsessed with just one person.

If this one doesn’t work out, then next.

That’s why he argued for the opposing side.

Everyone burst into laughter.

Du Qiyou chuckled, “But the things you say when young are the easiest to not stick to. How can you guarantee how you’ll feel in the future?”

Human hearts are changeable.

Thoughts are too.

Ren Yanjing said calmly, “Because you haven’t experienced it.”

You don’t understand the feeling of true, unforgettable attraction. That single moment can define your whole life.

Life isn’t as long as it seems.

At least, he only felt that time was moving too fast and wished it would slow down.

Du Qiyou applauded. “I think I understand now.”

Zhang Wei said, “Me too.”

Zhang Mian joked, “I understand something as well.”

They all exchanged glances and laughed again.

By the end of the debate, everyone had a refreshed perspective on love.

In the end, whether one can truly love only one person in a lifetime depends on the individual.

After chatting a bit more, they realized it was late and returned to the hotel to rest.

On the way back to the hotel room, Tang Zhen and Ren Yanjing didn’t bring up the debate topic about loving only one person again.

111 commented: 【From that mini-debate, you can see a glimpse of the male lead’s view on love.】

As the male lead, Ren Yanjing was extremely hard to make feel attraction—completely different from Shen Quanli.

It made sense. A once-in-a-lifetime attraction should naturally be reserved for the female lead.

His persistence would be directed only toward the female lead.

Back in the room, Tang Zhen turned on the air conditioner.

But in just a short while, she realized the air conditioner in this room was broken.

The air conditioner was supposed to cool the room, but due to some wiring issue, it could only heat.

H City was already warm, so the moment it started heating, the entire room became hot.

Seeing that the air conditioner was broken, Ren Yanjing planned to move to another room.

But at that moment, Tang Zhen received yet another new mission.

【Mission 31: Do something that easily lowers the male lead’s affection.】

Just like Mission 29, this reward mission granted a good number of life points.

Tang Zhen noticed that ever since 111 had consulted the senior for advice, the missions now allowed for more freedom.

She had more room to improvise, but with that came greater difficulty.

She wasn’t sure if this was a good or bad thing.

Seeing Ren Yanjing about to leave to change rooms, Tang Zhen hurriedly called after him, “Ren Yanjing!”

Ren Yanjing stopped and turned back to her. “What’s wrong, baby?”

Tang Zhen quickly said, “I like this room. I don’t want to change.”

Since the mission required her to do something that would lower the male lead’s affection, stopping him from changing rooms definitely counted.

Ren Yanjing looked slightly surprised. “But baby, the air conditioner is broken. It’s very hot…”

Tang Zhen opened her eyes wide and lied, “I’m not hot at all.”

Seeing the tiny beads of sweat forming on her forehead, Ren Yanjing didn’t rush to the front desk to change rooms. He came up to her and asked, “Are you sure you’re not hot?”

Tang Zhen continued to insist, “Really not hot.”

She then took the initiative and said, “Ren Yanjing, let’s watch TV.”

Ren Yanjing didn’t understand why she liked this room so much, but since she had requested twice not to change, he could only agree.

Tang Zhen took a tablet out of her bag and randomly opened a drama.

She hadn’t seen it before, but it was just to pass the time, so she didn’t mind starting from any episode.

As soon as it started, a few lines of dialogue came through the screen:

Male lead: “XXX, I don’t love you.”

Female supporting character, angrily: “You didn’t used to say that.”

Male lead, turning away: “The past is the past. But now I’ve met Xiaoyue.”

Female supporting character: “You were always so good to me before…”

Male lead: “I was immature before and mistook my feelings for love. Only after meeting Xiaoyue did I understand what true love really is. I’m sorry. It’s my fault for holding you back. If I had known what true love was earlier, I wouldn’t have hurt you.”

Even 111 went into a frenzy listening to this.

【Zhen, I can’t help but imagine this as you and the male lead!】

The dialogue in this drama was strikingly similar to her situation with Ren Yanjing.

In the popular sweet novel she had transmigrated into, the male lead only realized what the best kind of love was after breaking up with the female supporting character. True love involved mutual understanding, mutual support, and growing together.

Resonance in career, interaction in academics.

Not a scenario where one party was completely unaware of the other’s endeavors or couldn’t contribute at all.

In short, the male lead’s relationship with the supporting character wasn’t true love. Only with the female lead could it be called love.

The dialogue on the tablet continued, but Tang Zhen had already lost interest in watching.

Sensing something was off, Ren Yanjing glanced at the tablet, wrapped an arm around her, and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Why the sudden drop in mood?

Tang Zhen propped her chin in her hands, not wanting him to see her expression.

She lowered her eyes and whispered, “Ren Yanjing, I feel like I’m a supporting character too.”

Not just that she felt that way—she really was.

Of course, she couldn’t say that outright in front of Ren Yanjing.

Ren Yanjing reached out, gently lifted her chin, and turned her face toward him. “Who says that?”

Tang Zhen puffed up her cheeks. Her small face under the lights was so vividly expressive it drew attention. She blinked rapidly and muttered softly, “I said it myself.”

She was originally a supporting character—what was there not to say?

She had known this from the very beginning.

And it wasn’t something she couldn’t accept.

Ren Yanjing caressed her fair chin and said lightly, “Maybe so.”

Tang Zhen lowered her gaze, unsure of her own feelings.

A little sadness.

And a little relief?

Ren Yanjing continued, “In the eyes of others, maybe you really are just a supporting character.”

“But—”

He paused for a moment, then continued:

“In my life, you are my one and only—female lead.”