Perhaps out of consideration for the two adults present — consideration that was clearly ingrained in him — Lu Rangchen kept that remark deliberately light, barely skimming the surface.
But his eyes were fixed on Zhu Yunque like a hawk’s.
It was as though he was teasing her in a way only the two of them would understand — veiled, oblique.
The result was that the two adults hadn’t quite parsed what he meant by it, but the girl’s thin skin had already turned red.
She would never have imagined that Lu Rangchen actually remembered that mortifying incident — her sneaking glances at him during morning exercises. And that he had the audacity to bring it up in front of both their parents.
To make things worse, Feng Yanlai pressed further: “What do you mean, watches you during morning exercises?”
Zhu Yunque’s brow twitched.
The panic in her eyes was plain for anyone to see.
She was fumbling for some explanation when Lu Rangchen interrupted smoothly.
With a calm, breezy air, he dissolved the ambiguous cloud he’d created. “Our classes line up next to each other during morning exercises, so we got to know each other early on.”
He finished speaking and, with perfect deliberateness, cast a glance at Zhu Yunque.
As if to say — I’ve covered for you. Don’t push it.
The exchange played out, and Feng Yanlai gave the sort of oh-I-see expression that suggested she’d accepted it at face value, saying how coincidental.
Cheng Liru, however, was not quite so easy to fool.
She silently shot Lu Rangchen a pointed look.
Lu Rangchen raised his eyebrows, and only then, with unhurried ease, dialed back that mischievous, roguish gleam in his eyes.
It was the first time Zhu Yunque had ever seen him like this.
Compared to the usually dazzling and untamed brilliance of him, the Lu Rangchen in this moment looked more like an approachable boy-next-door — slightly boyish, yet deeply compelling.
She swallowed the flutter in her chest, unseen.
Zhu Yunque felt hollowed out — as if she had just run eight hundred metres.
Fortunately, neither Feng Yanlai nor Cheng Liru lingered on the subject of how well the two of them knew each other. The conversation shifted quickly to practical matters.
Zhu Yunque sat down beside Feng Yanlai on the upholstered sofa, and it was only then that she pieced together the full picture — this apartment belonged to the Lu family, currently unoccupied; it was only because of their close friendship that Cheng Liru was willing to rent it out to Feng Yanlai at a reduced price.
Feng Yanlai smiled brightly. “I knew your home would be lovely, but I didn’t expect it to be this lovely. At this price, from anyone else’s hands, I could never dream of renting a place like this.”
Cheng Liru laughed. “I don’t mean to boast, but it really was comfortable when I lived here. I only moved out because it’s a bit far from Rangchen’s school.”
As she spoke, she picked two fresh, plump mangosteens from the fruit plate and placed them in Zhu Yunque’s hands with a silent gesture to eat.
Perhaps because Cheng Liru’s eyes had a quality similar to Lu Rangchen’s —
Zhu Yunque felt slightly self-conscious. She said “thank you” very quietly.
Feng Yanlai rescued her. “This child is just naturally shy — she’s always been quiet and introverted. She doesn’t mean any disrespect.”
Cheng Liru looked at her with gentle affection. “Anyone can see that. And there’s nothing wrong with it — a quiet girl is much less of a headache. Not like mine. He’s completely unmanageable.”
Without quite realizing it, the topic drifted away from the apartment and settled on Lu Rangchen.
Feng Yanlai had known of his excellence for some time, but seeing him in person made her all the more effusive — she praised his height, his looks, his manners, and declared that he must draw endless attention at school.
Cheng Liru had long since grown immune to this particular brand of compliment. She sighed with mild resignation. “I just hope he stops causing trouble for girls. Otherwise, interfering with other people’s studies — that’s hardly admirable.”
On hearing those words, Zhu Yunque’s fingertips trembled, though she didn’t quite register it herself.
Lu Rangchen came drifting out from the kitchen area, carrying two bottles of chilled fruit juice. He caught the tail end of the comment and gave a short, amused exhale. “You’re at it again.”
Cheng Liru gave him a reproving look. “You’re just like your father.”
Lu Rangchen said nothing to that — just smiled slightly and continued past the back of the sofa.
As he passed directly behind Zhu Yunque, he reached out and pressed one of the cold bottles against her flushed cheek.
The sudden chill made Zhu Yunque’s shoulder jerk inward.
Her heart rate spiked. She looked up quickly and met Lu Rangchen’s gaze, which angled down from above.
He was standing behind her, tall and unhurried, those narrow, dark eyes of his locking onto her. He spoke in a low murmur, his enunciation deliberate and quiet. “Can’t drink anything cold?”
Since their convenience store encounter, this was the first time Lu Rangchen had addressed her directly, one-on-one.
Zhu Yunque felt something tip inside her — unprepared, off-balance.
She shook her head gently and accepted the fruit juice, holding it in her warm, slightly damp palm.
Then Cheng Liru suddenly remembered something. “Oh, that’s right — Rangchen, why don’t you take your little sister upstairs and show her around? Let her get familiar with the study and the bedroom.”
The phrase “little sister” hit its mark with precision.
Zhu Yunque held one mangosteen in one hand and the glass bottle in the other, completely unable to form words.
Lu Rangchen agreed without any apparent resistance. “Sure.”
He finished speaking. Those refined, unhurried eyes of his turned toward Zhu Yunque. He tilted his head slightly in invitation. “Coming?”
Just that one look.
Zhu Yunque crumbled entirely.