"Yanyan, could you stop joking like that? How could you and Zhou Yuwen be a thing?"
"What's there to joke about? I even posted it on my Moments. I'm speechless."
Zheng Yanyan was getting a bit annoyed with Chang Hao's reaction. Why was he acting so strangely? It wasn't like their relationship was that close, so why was he so worked up about her dating someone?
Posted on Moments?
Now, Chang Hao was genuinely panicking. He immediately checked her Moments.
And when he saw what Zheng Yanyan had posted, his heart sank completely.
She had uploaded a video in which Zhou Yuwen wasn't directly shown. It only featured a guy lifting Zheng Yanyan by the waist and spinning her around. Their shadows were visible in the background, and at the end, there was a shot of a man's strong fist bumping with a woman's pale fist.
The caption read: "Taking this seriously. What if we actually end up getting married?"
The post was flooded with likes, but Chang Hao didn't care. He downloaded the video and started analyzing it frame by frame.
Was that Zheng Yanyan in the video?
The shadow doesn't quite match her, does it? And those fists... could that be a stock photo?
Was that guy Zhou Yuwen?
Chang Hao spent several minutes comparing the video, convincing himself that the people weren't necessarily Zhou Yuwen and Zheng Yanyan. Since their faces weren't visible, there was a chance it was all just a prank.
"Yanyan, stop messing around. The people in the video aren't even showing their faces. Where did you find this video? "
When Zheng Yanyan didn't respond, Chang Hao grew more frantic.
"Wait, the video is real?"
"You're really dating Zhou Yuwen?"
"Zheng Yanyan, I've always liked you. Didn't you know?"
"Yanyan?"
Unable to hold back, Chang Hao sent a voice message.
Rejected.
"?" [The recipient has refused to receive your message]
The bright red exclamation mark stood out starkly.
"Ah!"
Chang Hao couldn't hold it in any longer and let out a loud yell.
Lu Yuhang, who had been asleep, was startled awake.
Meanwhile, Li Qiang, who was snoring loudly, briefly paused in his sleep, turned over, and continued snoring.
Rubbing his eyes, Lu Yuhang asked, "Brother Hao, what's wrong?"
Chang Hao's expression turned cold. "Nothing, nothing."
He sent a couple more messages to Zheng Yanyan:
Yanyan, it's fine if you're dating Zhou Yuwen, but could you not block me?
But the messages didn't go through—Zheng Yanyan refused to accept them.
Chang Hao gradually calmed down, realizing that his only option was to wait for Zhou Yuwen to return and explain things. His mental state was on the verge of breaking down. He couldn't stay in bed any longer, so he got up, sat at his desk, and silently waited for Zhou Yuwen to return. He needed an explanation.
"When are you coming back?"
"Are you still with Yanyan?"
No response.
Chang Hao kept messaging Zhou Yuwen and calling, but Zhou Yuwen didn't answer.
From 1 AM to 3 AM, Chang Hao went from being angry to being on the verge of tears.
"Zhou Yuwen, why aren't you back yet?"
"I'm begging you, please come back?"
"You didn't go get a room with Zheng Yanyan, did you?"
"You two just started dating. How could things progress so quickly?"
The night always heightens emotions, especially in the darkness, when the mind is prone to overthinking. Now that Chang Hao couldn't bother Zheng Yanyan, he focused on pestering Zhou Yuwen.
"Zhou Yuwen, tell Yanyan that I won't oppose you two being together. But could you please ask her to unblock me? I just want to say a couple of things—just two."
"Is Yanyan still with you?"
"Zhou Yuwen…"
"Could you…"
"Could you please not touch Yanyan…"
At this point, Chang Hao's nerves were fraying. Fortunately, Zhou Yuwen had the foresight to log out of WeChat earlier. At around 1 AM, after dropping Zheng Yanyan off at her dorm, he left the school and checked into a nearby hotel.
After all, he had been classmates with Chang Hao for four years and didn't want to risk Chang Hao doing something drastic that would force him to start over. The main concern was that Chang Hao's constant badgering would drive him nuts if he returned to the dorm. That's how it was in their previous life—back then, Zheng Yanyan hadn't even dated him, yet every little thing would set Chang Hao off, causing him to create a scene in the dorm.
"Why isn't Yanyan talking to me anymore?"
"Who was that sketchy-looking guy with her today? Damn it, Zhou Yuwen, say something!"
In the previous life, Chang Hao would stay up all night, endlessly chatting about these things.
Zhou Yuwen had no psychological burden about dating Zheng Yanyan, but he did value this second chance at life. It was better not to provoke Chang Hao in a situation like this. With time, Chang Hao would eventually figure things out.
Bro, I'm doing you a favor, Zhou Yuwen thought. Just think about how many opportunities you missed because of this girl in your previous life. You'll suffer even more later if you don't cut ties now.
From Zheng Yanyan's perspective, Chang Hao's behavior was baffling. In Chang Hao's mind, after chatting with her all summer and getting along well in person, he believed they had a chance to develop something more.
But to Zheng Yanyan, they had only known each other for a month, and even calling them friends felt like a stretch. Their relationship was more of a casual acquaintance, connected by their hometown. So, Chang Hao's sudden outburst felt completely out of place.
In the end, Zheng Yanyan decided to block and delete him entirely.
However, seeing how mentally unstable Chang Hao seemed, Zheng Yanyan worried about Zhou Yuwen.
"Hey, babe, are you asleep?"
Sure enough, she was comfortable using pet names after confirming their relationship.
"No, I'm not asleep."
Seeing that Zhou Yuwen was still awake, Zheng Yanyan quickly called him, getting out of bed to stand on the balcony.
"What's up?" Zhou Yuwen asked curiously when he answered.
"Hehe, nothing, I just missed you."
"Oh."
"Did Chang Hao give you a hard time?"
"What?"
Zhou Yuwen had just finished showering and was preparing to go to bed when he received the call.
Zheng Yanyan realized that Zhou Yuwen wasn't aware of what had happened with Chang Hao, so she recounted the incident to him. She said, "I think there's something off with him mentally. We've only known each other for a month, but he's acting like I'm his girlfriend."
Zhou Yuwen listened while drying his hair, occasionally responding with a soft "Mm."
"Hey, babe, he didn't hurt you, did he?" Zheng Yanyan asked softly from the balcony, her serious tone contrasting with her naturally magnetic voice.
"I don't know."
"You don't know?"
"Mm. I didn't go back to the dorm."
"Then where are you? Did you get a room? I told you that earlier, didn't I?"
"You really went and got a room?"
Zheng Yanyan had assumed Zhou Yuwen was just joking. But did he go and get a room by himself?
"Zhou Yuwen, you didn't sneak off to find some shady women, did you?" Zheng Yanyan asked, her voice thick with suspicion. Even though she hadn't officially moved in with him, she was already taking on the role of a jealous girlfriend.
Zhou Yuwen was speechless. He hung up the phone and video-called Zheng Yanyan instead.
On her end, everything was pitch black, but Zhou Yuwen could make out her face thanks to the moonlight. On his side, the room was well-lit. He was staying in a five-star hotel near the school, which was nicely furnished. The same room would cost between 800 and 1,000 yuan in a few years, but at the moment, it was only about 400 yuan.
Zhou Yuwen, dressed in a bathrobe and still drying his hair, appeared on camera, looking slightly exasperated. "There, check it out for yourself."
"Pfft!"
Zheng Yanyan couldn't help but laugh. She suddenly felt very safe with Zhou Yuwen—knowing he would prove himself to her like this was comforting.
"Where are you? The place looks so nice," Zheng Yanyan asked, curious about the luxurious hotel setting. Although she had stayed in hotels with her parents before, none were as nice as the one Zhou Yuwen stayed in.
Zhou Yuwen told her it was the Xinghewan Hotel.
"The one across from the school?"
"Mm."
There was a small bench on the balcony of the girls' dorm, left there by Lu Lin for smoking. Zheng Yanyan sat on it, hugging her knees as she chatted with Zhou Yuwen.
Despite her tough-girl exterior, Zheng Yanyan was still a bit insecure. She pouted and said, "Why are you staying in such an expensive hotel by yourself? What a waste of money. How much does it cost per night?"
"Over 400 yuan."
"Oh." The conversation became a bit dry. Zhou Yuwen's wealth and background were on a different level, and to someone who had accumulated a small fortune in his previous life, staying in a five-star hotel was nothing special. However, to Zheng Yanyan, who was still a student, spending 400 yuan a night in a hotel seemed extravagant. With her monthly allowance being around 2,500 yuan, Zhou Yuwen's hotel stay cost her nearly a week's worth of living expenses.
Suddenly, Zheng Yanyan felt a bit self-conscious.
"Let me see the room. Show me around," Zheng Yanyan requested.
"What's there to see? Haven't you stayed in hotels before?" Zhou Yuwen replied without thinking.
"I have! Of course I have! I just want to see if you're hiding any women in there," Zheng Yanyan said playfully.
"…"
"It's really not that impressive," Zhou Yuwen said as he turned the camera back on himself.
Zheng Yanyan responded with a couple of "Mm-hmms," then asked, "Zhou Yuwen."
"What?"
"Am I causing you trouble?"
"How so?"
"I just feel like Chang Hao is a bit unstable. You even had to get a hotel room because of it."
"It's not because of you. I just don't like staying in the dorm. I'm planning to rent an apartment off-campus in a few days."
"Great! Then I can come over and hang out," Zheng Yanyan agreed with his plan.
"Why not just move in with me?" Zhou Yuwen teased.
"Ugh, no way," Zheng Yanyan blushed.
As they reached this point in the conversation, it was clear that Zhou Yuwen was becoming more interested in taking their relationship further. After all, the two main joys of a man's rebirth are making money and sleeping with women. Now that Zhou Yuwen had made a lot of money, the next logical step was to pursue the other joy.
No one would go a whole year after being reborn without getting intimate with a woman, right?
So Zhou Yuwen gently pressured Zheng Yanyan, saying, "I saw that post you made on Moments. Didn't you say you're in it for the long haul, aiming for marriage?"
"If we're aiming for marriage, there's no reason not to sleep together, right? It's better to sleep together sooner rather than later—you get to know my strengths, and I get to know your depth."
With just a few teasing comments, Zheng Yanyan was blushing furiously. "Zhou Yuwen, you pervert."
"Sure, we can date, but if you want to sleep with me, you'll have to wait at least a year."
When girls say things like this, it's often just hot air. Zhou Yuwen had seen this too many times before. Before inviting girls over, they'd insist, We're just going to chat or grab a meal.
Then, when they got to his place, they'd say, I'm just here to see what your place looks like.
And by the time he was undressing them, they'd still be wearing tidy pajamas underneath.
Afterward, they'd act regretful, saying, I'm not that kind of girl. It's all your fault!
If you asked a girl when she'd let you sleep with her, they'd usually shyly refuse to give a specific time.
But as long as you put in the effort, they'd always give in.
So Zhou Yuwen wasn't in a hurry. Once the apartment was rented, he'd invite Zheng Yanyan over, and then they'd see what happened.
"What are you thinking about, Zhou Yuwen?" Zheng Yanyan asked.
"Nothing."
"Liar. You're definitely thinking about how to get me into bed."
"Why ask if you already know?"
"Hmph!"
Zhou Yuwen continued to chat with Zheng Yanyan, but the conversation was getting a bit boring, and it was late, so Zhou Yuwen wanted to sleep.
However, Zheng Yanyan still wanted to talk, so she continued. Initially, she wanted to discuss the situation with Chang Hao, mentioning that she had blocked him because he seemed too emotionally unstable.
However, Zhou Yuwen was not interested in discussing Chang Hao.
Sensing that Zhou Yuwen was bored, Zheng Yanyan suggested, "Why don't you call a girl to keep you company?"
"Really?"
"Go ahead."
"Never mind, I don't like those kinds of girls. I'd rather call you over."
"Get lost!"
Zheng Yanyan blushed. As a young girl, she was no match for Zhou Yuwen in a battle of wits. Until now, Zhou Yuwen had avoided making crude jokes, but once he started, he could easily fluster a group of girls.
With her face flushed, Zheng Yanyan scolded Zhou Yuwen, calling him a "bad guy" for always trying to take advantage of her.
"I can still feel it. It's all red."
"It's always been red."
"Hmph."
The balcony where Zheng Yanyan was sitting was dimly lit, but her silhouette was faintly visible under the moonlight. She was wearing a gray camisole, and the moon's soft glow highlighted her shoulders.
When Zhou Yuwen had been touching her earlier, he could feel that she was wearing one of those special adhesive pads. However, he could see now that she wasn't wearing them under her camisole.
Zhou Yuwen asked her to slip the strap down so he could take a look.
"You want to see?" Zheng Yanyan asked.
"Mm."
Zheng Yanyan reached up and let one side of the strap slip off her shoulder. As it slid down, the curve of her chest was gradually revealed in the moonlight.
But just as it was about to be fully exposed, Zheng Yanyan quickly pulled the strap back up.
"Hehe, in your dreams! You think you'll get to see that on the first day of dating? Keep dreaming!" she said playfully.
Zhou Yuwen responded, "You're so bad. I was ready."
"Ready for what?"
"Look."
Zhou Yuwen pointed the camera downward.
"Ah! You pervert, I'm not looking!"
"Just kidding."
Zheng Yanyan pouted.
They continued chatting until after 3 AM. By then, Zheng Yanyan had been stifling her giggles for a while. Realizing how late it was, she finally said, "I'm going to sleep now."
"Okay, go to sleep."
"You should sleep early too," she said as she lay on her bed.
"Mm."
"Zhou Yuwen?"
"Mm?"
"I love you," Zheng Yanyan whispered, bringing her lips close to the camera for a quick kiss and even winking at him.
But Zhou Yuwen simply smiled and ended the call.
He just hung up?!
Zheng Yanyan was furious. Couldn't he at least say something in return?
Hmph!
But as she looked at all the likes and well-wishes on her Moments post, she couldn't help but feel a deep sense of joy. It had taken less than a month to win Zhou Yuwen over, and as a young girl, she was filled with excitement and anticipation for this relationship.
Little did she know, while she thought everyone else in the dorm was asleep, Shen Yu, who was in another bed, opened her eyes when the light from Zheng Yanyan's phone went out…