Tang Zhen arrived at the Zhou residence around nine in the evening.
Zhou Xusi’s father was still out attending a social engagement, and Zhou Wan, as usual, lived on campus. So, in the vast villa, apart from a few housekeepers, the only real occupants were Tang Zhen’s mother and Zhou Xusi.
Strictly speaking, it was just Tang Zhen’s mother. Zhou Xusi didn’t actually live here.
He owned multiple properties privately and rarely stayed here, even once a year.
Seeing Tang Zhen return home, her mother looked genuinely surprised. “Why are you home all of a sudden?”
Tang Zhen carefully scanned her mother from head to toe. “Big brother said you hurt your waist. How are you feeling now?”
Her mother gave Zhou Xusi a meaningful glance, then looked at Tang Zhen and smiled warmly. “I did slip in the bathroom today and strained my back, but it’s nothing serious. I’ve already seen a doctor and applied some medicine.”
Relieved to hear her mother was fine, Tang Zhen finally relaxed.
Her mother gestured for her to sit on the sofa. “Sit down, dear. And you, Xiaosi, sit too. I’m touched you remembered me and even brought Zhen Zhen home to check on me.”
Zhou Xusi’s tone was calm. “Just happened to be on the way.”
“On the way?”
Her mother snorted inwardly.
Whether it was Zhou Xusi’s usual residence or his company, neither was in the same direction as Tang Zhen’s school. “On the way”? That was a stretch.
Still, since her mother had long been trying to match her daughter with her stepson, she naturally wouldn’t expose this little white lie. She was even secretly delighted.
After chatting with Tang Zhen for a while, her mother excused herself, citing her back, and went to her room.
Tang Zhen immediately stood up. “Mom, I’ll help you back.”
Her mother had initially wanted to refuse, but then relented. “Alright.”
Once her mother was in her room, Zhou Xusi naturally stayed behind in the living room to have some tea.
Alone in her room, Tang Zhen’s mother couldn’t hide the joy in her expression. Your big brother treats you specially, she thought.
Tang Zhen raised an eyebrow. Does he?
In this novel, Zhou Xusi was the wealthy supporting male lead.
He invested in the female lead, provided resources, and helped her rise in her career. Even though his current focus was game development, he later developed an interest in robotics and gave the female lead a significant investment, greatly aiding her career.
So hearing her mother’s comment, Tang Zhen just shrugged. “Mom, you’re overthinking.”
After all, whether it was the main male lead or the supporting one, their true affections were for the female lead, not her, the second female lead.
Just as she was thinking this, her phone started buzzing.
It was a video call from Ren Yanjing.
At this hour? Why was he suddenly calling?
She asked 000, “Sanquan, does the male lead need something?”
000 didn’t know either. 【Maybe he just wanted to call you.】
As for the photo Lu Yu had taken secretly, neither Tang Zhen nor the system had paid much attention.
On one hand, the male lead wasn’t the jealous type. On the other, her relationship with Zhou Xusi was completely innocent. Even if a schoolmate misunderstood, her three close roommates could immediately explain things.
After letting her mother know, Tang Zhen went to her room to answer the call.
Even though she was just Zhou’s stepdaughter, she still had her own large, independent room, cleaned daily by a housekeeper.
Making sure no one was around, she accepted the call. After all, she and the male lead would break up sooner or later, so she didn’t want her mother to know about her relationship with Ren Yanjing.
Less trouble is better.
In the next second, Ren Yanjing’s face appeared on the screen. He didn’t seem to be in a dorm room but rather inside a car.
Was he going out?
“Are you driving somewhere?” she asked.
“Where’s my baby?”
Both questions came out almost simultaneously. After a brief silence, Ren Yanjing answered first. “I’m coming to get you.”
Tang Zhen blinked, confused. “We just parted a little while ago.”
Ren Yanjing nodded, fastened his seatbelt, secured the phone, and started the sports car.
“Where are you? I’ll come pick you up.”
Tang Zhen’s clear, delicate face glowed softly in her room. “I’m home.”
Ren Yanjing paused for a moment. “Why are you home all of a sudden?”
Tang Zhen pulled the phone back to show him her room. “Mom hurt her back today, and my stepbrother happened to be passing by my school, so he brought me home.”
Ren Yanjing slowed the car gradually, feigning nonchalance. “Hmm? You never told me you had a stepbrother.”
Well, there hadn’t really been an opportunity.
After all, their relationship was still new, and in the past few dates, they hadn’t really talked about family.
Tang Zhen nodded. “Mom remarried last year. I now have a stepbrother and a stepsister.”
Ren Yanjing casually pulled the car over to the side of the road. “Who’s your stepbrother? Let me see if I know him.”
Actually, in their circle, it was neither a large nor a small world.
Although Ren Yanjing didn’t personally know Zhou Xusi yet, he had heard of him. Familiar by name, but not by person.
Tang Zhen told him Zhou Xusi’s name.
Ren Yanjing mentally noted it. He had some vague impression of the name, but didn’t know details—age, occupation, or social circles.
After all, he was six years older than Zhou Xusi, and their circles didn’t overlap.
Ren Yanjing kept his hands on the wheel. “When will you go back to school? I’ll come get you.”
Tang Zhen wasn’t very comfortable staying under the same roof as her mother.
She wasn’t the original person, and their personalities differed greatly. She feared staying too long might expose something.
But she also didn’t want her mother to see Ren Yanjing.
While she hesitated, a notification chimed. She received a new mission.
Just like in the X platform when the X team received a new order, every new mission triggered a prompt she couldn’t ignore.
She tilted her head to look.
Mission Eleven read:
【Mission Eleven: Prevent the male lead and supporting male lead from direct contact.】
This time, there was no optional task—mandatory or not. Only one life point.
Perfect. This suited Tang Zhen exactly.
She didn’t want Zhou Xusi to know she was dating; if he knew, her mother would know too.
After thinking for a moment, she told Ren Yanjing, “It’s 9:15 now. My mom usually sleeps around ten, and I don’t know about my stepbrother. Why don’t you wait until he’s asleep to come get me?”
Both were momentarily surprised. It felt like a secret little romance under the parents’ noses. Even as adults, it carried the thrill of a high school crush.
Ren Yanjing cleared his throat. “Alright, give me your home address.”
He knew nothing about Zhou Xusi besides the name, so it was better not to meet him.
After hanging up, Ren Yanjing quickly called his cousin.
A lazy voice answered. “So late… why’s our A-Jing remembering to call me?”
Ren Yanjing didn’t waste time, fingers tapping the steering wheel, eyes deep. “Do you know Zhou Xusi?”
“Oh, him? We were classmates at MIT. Why?”
“I want his full profile. The more detailed, the better.”