Chapter 76: The Boyfriend's Mother
The atmosphere between them was just right when Ruan Yu's phone rang.
It was Jian Xiangxiang calling.
Ruan Yu glanced at the screen and said to Teng Yi, "They must be waiting for me. I should go."
Teng Yi reached out and ruffled her hair gently. "Go ahead. See you tonight."
She waved with a smile, skipping down the stairs as cheerfully as the little rabbit charm dangling from her backpack. The gloom of the past few days had finally cleared, replaced by a cloudless sky of joy that she couldn’t possibly hide.
Sure enough, Jian Xiangxiang and the others were waiting for her.
The three of them stood with arms crossed, blocking the hallway, their gazes fixed on her in unison.
"Ruan Ruan, is there something you need to tell us?" Jian Xiangxiang asked.
"Let’s talk back in the dorm," Ruan Yu replied, glancing around the empty hallway, afraid Teng Yi might come down and run into them.
"No, we’re talking now."
United in their stance, they were adamant.
"You’ve been acting so strange these past two days. Last night, you rushed out and didn’t come back. This morning, you sneaked in and have been distracted ever since. And of course, the weirdest part—why was Teng Yi in our class today, sitting right next to you? There’s definitely something going on..."
"There’s nothing going on. We’re together now." Teng Yi’s voice came from upstairs.
Ruan Yu and Jian Xiangxiang’s group froze.
A moment later, Teng Yi descended the stairs two steps at a time. He stopped behind Ruan Yu and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
Ruan Yu turned to look at him.
She hadn’t expected him to announce their relationship so soon.
Teng Yi gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze, as if to comfort her.
"Wh-when did this happen?" Jian Xiangxiang stammered.
"Just now. I confessed," Teng Yi said with a warm smile at the trio. "She just hasn’t had the chance to tell you yet, so don’t give her a hard time, alright?"
Jian Xiangxiang and the others were utterly disarmed by Teng Yi’s smile, waving their hands frantically.
"No hard feelings at all! We’re just happy for you!" Chen Manbai said.
"Yeah, yeah!" Xia Qiaofeng chimed in.
"Well then, as my girlfriend, I hope you’ll all take good care of her from now on."
"Of course, of course!"
Teng Yi quickly won them over with his thoughtful and considerate words, leaving Ruan Yu feeling a continuous loop of warmth and sweetness in her heart.
She had been worrying about how to explain things to her roommates—keeping it a secret felt wrong, but revealing it too soon also seemed awkward. Thankfully, he had stepped in just in time to solve the dilemma.
"I have something to take care of today, but I’ll treat you all to dinner another time," Teng Yi said.
"Yes, yes!" The three nodded eagerly.
"Then I’ll be off." Teng Yi gave Ruan Yu’s shoulder another gentle squeeze and shot her a meaningful look.
Ruan Yu nodded.
"Bye!" Jian Xiangxiang and the others waved in unison.
"Bye."
With that, he strode off toward the school gate.
The four of them stood there, watching his tall, straight figure cast a long shadow in the sunlight.
"How can someone be so handsome and gentle at the same time?" Xia Qiaofeng sighed. "He kept smiling at us just now. I finally believe it—that ‘smile that could topple cities’ from novels is real."
"Tsk tsk, even our Qiaofeng can’t hold back. Teng Yi’s charm really is something else," Jian Xiangxiang teased, winking at the other two.
Chen Manbai and Xia Qiaofeng instantly caught her drift, and the three of them pounced on Ruan Yu.Ruan Yu let out a soft cry and turned to flee, but they immediately surrounded her with hugs.
"Quick, tell us—what does it feel like to land the campus heartthrob?" Jian Xiangxiang asked.
"Here? Now?" The open space meant someone could come up or down the stairs at any moment.
"What's the big deal? The man himself already admitted it. Are you afraid people will hear?" Chen Manbai deliberately raised her voice, shouting, "Our Ruan Ruan is dating Teng Yi!"
"Manman!" Ruan Yu hastily covered Chen Manbai's mouth with her hand. "Shh! Can you guys keep it a secret for now?"
"Why? If it were me, I'd be dying to post it on the school gossip forum immediately—flaunt such an enviable boyfriend and make all the girls jealous!"
"Great idea!"
Jian Xiangxiang excitedly reached for her phone, but Ruan Yu stopped her.
"Stop teasing me," she said, lowering her gaze with a hint of unease beneath her sweetness. "I still can't believe it's real."
Precisely because Teng Yi was so perfect and outstanding, she was afraid—afraid she wasn't good enough for him.
The three girls, sensing her hesitation, instantly quieted down.
"Come on, Ruan Ruan, where's your usual confidence?" Chen Manbai wrapped an arm around Ruan Yu's shoulders and shook her lightly. "You're the top scorer, the number one talent in our school. No one outshines you."
"Exactly! And you're gorgeous too," Xia Qiaofeng pinched Ruan Yu's cheek. "I think you're the prettiest in our dorm."
"Tsk!"
"Tsk!"
Jian Xiangxiang and Chen Manbai both turned to glare at Xia Qiaofeng.
"Qiaofeng, watch your words! Is it appropriate to call someone 'the prettiest' right in front of everyone? Our dorm is full of beauties—no one outshines anyone else!"
"Right, right! We're all a perfect blend of beauty and brains, looks and talent, okay?"
"My bad, my bad." Xia Qiaofeng quickly surrendered.
Ruan Yu burst into laughter.
"But seriously, our Ruan Ruan has great natural features. With a little makeup, she could totally rival the campus belle," Jian Xiangxiang said, then suddenly realized something. "Wait—what's the deal between that campus belle Fang Wan and Teng Yi?"
"Shouldn't we be asking you?" Chen Manbai tugged at Jian Xiangxiang's ponytail. "Where did you hear that Fang Wan was Teng Yi's girlfriend?"
"That's the rumor going around."
"Rumors don't spread without reason, though."
"Here's what happened: During freshman orientation this year, a junior girl tried to give Teng Yi a love letter, but Fang Wan intercepted it. The girl asked if Fang Wan was Teng Yi's girlfriend, and Fang Wan didn't deny it. No denial means confirmation, right? Ever since then, the rumor spread that Fang Wan was his girlfriend."
"That's how she played it?"
"Mhm."
"Looks like Ruan Ruan needs to watch out for that woman. She's clearly into Teng Yi," Chen Manbai said, eyeing Ruan Yu up and down. "No way. When we get back, I'm teaching you styling and makeup. You can't keep living so plainly, or you'll have no one to cry to if someone steals your man."
Ruan Yu: "..."
Dragged back to the dorm by the trio, Ruan Yu watched as Chen Manbai pulled out her entire stash as a beauty blogger—bottles, jars, brushes, and tools piled high on the desk."My dear Manbai, how much does this table full of stuff cost?" Jian Xiangxiang picked up a small red SK-II bottle and shook it. "Must be at least twenty grand, I reckon."
"About that," Chen Manbai replied.
Twenty grand?
Ruan Yu was startled.
For an average college student, spending twenty thousand on cosmetics could be considered a huge splurge.
Women really are expensive creatures.
"Manbai, is livestreaming really that profitable?"
"It's alright."
"Envious. I think I want to try livestreaming too." Jian Xiangxiang reached for another Tom Ford lipstick to twist open.
"Can you handle it?" Chen Manbai pointed at her own lips. "In one livestream, I have to test over a hundred lipsticks—my lips are practically ruined. And there's no breaks the entire time. You have to keep smiling, swallow your temper, sneak sips of water when you can, and hold it in if you need the bathroom."
"That tough?"
"Of course. If you want money, you have to endure hardship. Do you think cash just flies to you for free?"
Jian Xiangxiang fell silent. She had thought livestreaming was just sitting in front of a camera, singing and chatting while waiting for fans to send gifts.
Truly, every profession produces its own experts.
"Alright, alright, let me do Ruan Yu's makeup first." Chen Manbai pressed Ruan Yu into a chair.
"Um, Manbai..." Ruan Yu grabbed her hand anxiously, getting cold feet at the last moment. "Maybe we should forget it. I won't be comfortable."
"Relax, relax. I'll give you very light makeup—won't turn you into some monster. You have to trust my skills."
With that, Chen Manbai got to work. After all, this was her bread and butter; her makeup techniques were practiced and professional.
Soon, the air was filled with the sweet fragrance of cosmetics, and Ruan Yu's heart began to flutter with anticipation.
She never understood before why people in love would want to doll themselves up, but now she suddenly got it—that determination to become better in every way for someone.
Whether it was Chen Manbai's magic hands or the magic of makeup, when Ruan Yu faced her reflection after the session, she felt completely transformed.
The beauty in the mirror was almost unfamiliar, but upon closer inspection, there was still a hint of familiarity that helped her find herself again.
"Stunning, isn't it?" Chen Manbai asked.
Jian Xiangxiang and Xia Qiaofeng crowded around to inspect the results.
"Wow, absolutely stunning."
Ruan Yu's delicate features naturally gave off a gentle beauty, and with Chen Manbai's subtle enhancements, that gentleness turned refined—yet the refinement was understated, not flashy at all. The entire look was clean and natural.
"There, there. Go on your date like this tonight, and I guarantee Teng Yi won't be able to take his eyes off you."
Ruan Yu blushed shyly, secretly looking forward to seeing him soon.
Finally, evening arrived. The moment she got to the West Tour base, she saw Teng Yi's car speeding off—no idea where he was headed, and he was driving pretty fast.
Cai Hong happened to come downstairs and greeted Ruan Yu warmly when she saw her.
"Top Scholar sis, you're early today."
"Yeah, came over early since I had nothing else to do." She pointed outside. "Where's he going?"
"Who?"
The question made Ruan Yu's heart skip.
"Uh... your boss." Her face inexplicably reddened again.
Now that they were suddenly a couple, even mentioning him felt awkward.
"Oh, Boss? He went to the airport to pick someone up."Ruan Yu nodded, muttering to herself that she might not even get to see him today—what a waste of makeup.
--?--
When Ruan Yu went upstairs, Teng Hao was already in the office. He was alone, head lowered and propped on his hand, clearly preoccupied. He didn’t even look up when he heard her push the door open.
"You're here," he said listlessly.
"What's wrong?"
He shook his head.
"Seriously, what’s going on?" Ruan Yu could tell at a glance that something was bothering him.
"My mom’s coming back."
"Huh? Your mom’s coming back?" She instinctively raised her voice.
So, Teng Yi had gone to the airport to pick up Shen Bing.
Teng Hao glanced up at her. "Why are you so excited? She’s not your mom."
Ruan Yu guiltily steadied herself.
Right, she wasn’t her mom—but she was her boyfriend’s mom.
She recalled their first meeting, when Shen Bing had said, "I’m very satisfied." Back then, Shen Bing had been satisfied with her as Teng Hao’s tutor. But now, as Teng Yi’s girlfriend, would she still be?
"Hey!" Teng Hao waved a hand in front of her face when he noticed her zoning out.
Ruan Yu snapped back to reality and looked at him. "What are you worried about? That she won’t let you dance hip-hop?"
"Pretty much. I doubt she’ll agree easily."
"Just write a pledge like your brother did."
"He already used that trick. She won’t fall for it again." Teng Hao let out a long groan. "Is my hip-hop dream about to be crushed again?"
"No one can stop you from chasing your dreams if you show real determination."
"But how do I prove it?"
Ruan Yu handed him the workbook. "Start by studying hard. Only when you have the grades can you negotiate with her."
Teng Hao scratched his head—it seemed like the only way.
He picked up his pen and obediently started working on the problems.
Ruan Yu checked his homework beside him.
Compared to when they first started, Teng Hao had improved a lot. If he could maintain these grades, Shen Bing probably wouldn’t interfere too much.
After half an hour of tutoring, Teng Hao complained that his eyes were tired and asked for a five-minute break. Ruan Yu agreed—she needed to use the restroom anyway.
As soon as she stepped out of the office and closed the door, she spotted a familiar figure coming down the hallway.
"Han Zuo?"
Han Zuo saw her too, equally surprised.
"Hey," he greeted. "What are you doing here?"
"I work here part-time," Ruan Yu said, pointing to the office. "Tutoring."
"There are kids here?"
"A high schooler."
"Oh."
"What about you?"
"Just found a crew here," he said with a smile.
"Hip-hop?"
"Yeah."
"That’s great."
"Yeah, it is."
"..."
Standing face-to-face in the hallway, they fell into an awkward silence.
"Well, I’ll let you get back to it."
Ruan Yu nodded and was about to walk past him when he suddenly reached out to stop her.
"Ruan Yu."
"Yeah?"
"I was impulsive before. I didn’t mean anything by it—just wanted to be friends."
"I get it."
"So from now on, let’s just act natural, like friends. Forget what happened earlier."
Ruan Yu knew Han Zuo was offering them both an out. After all, they’d be seeing each other here often from now on."Alright."
Han Zuo smiled with relief, and that smile transformed him back into the sunny young man he had been when they first met.
Ruan Yu also felt much more at ease.
Fondness, after all, was not the same as liking someone—and fortunately, it wasn’t.
As the two were talking, Fang Wan emerged from the restroom. Spotting them, she flashed a knowing smile before quickly walking past. Not wanting to invite misunderstandings, Ruan Yu hastily bid Han Zuo farewell.
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