Pretending to Cultivate in Kindergarten-Chapter 158: I Don’t Want to Go Back

After getting her hair cut, Jiang Xueli felt completely refreshed.

She turned her head left and right in front of the salon mirror, her newly trimmed twin ponytails swaying gently at her shoulders.

Even the hairstylist sighed in admiration. "Miss, you’re really gorgeous. Honestly, even without dyeing your hair, you already look great. But with some color? Even better."

Jiang Xueli’s cheeks flushed, and she stayed quiet.

She did feel like the new cut looked good, but someone had to say so for it to really count. After all, girls only dress up for the ones they like.

She turned to Lin Zhengran expectantly. "Zhengran, what do you think?"

Lin Zhengran glanced at her neatly trimmed twin ponytails, reaching out to gently run his fingers through them.

She looked even more lively than before.

"It looks good."

Of course, it looked good. It was just a trim—nothing major had changed.

Still, Jiang Xueli beamed at his praise.

After paying, the two of them left the salon and headed back to school.

On the taxi ride back, Jiang Xueli pulled out her phone and started searching for images of blonde twin ponytails.

To her surprise, there were quite a few results—but most of them were from anime. There weren’t many real-life examples, which was a little strange.

Still, she thought the hairstylist was onto something.

Black twin ponytails looked cute, but blonde ones felt more energetic—more her.

As she scrolled, she suddenly came across a picture of a guy holding onto a girl’s twin ponytails from behind.

Her face immediately turned red, and she quickly swiped past it before asking,

"Zhengran, do you think blonde hair would suit me? The hairstylist said it would, but I’ve never dyed my hair before, so I don’t really know."

Seeing her eager expression, Lin Zhengran instantly understood what she wanted to hear.

"It’ll look great," he said, humoring her.

"Really?!" She lit up.

"Of course. I also think you were practically born for it."

Jiang Xueli pursed her lips, looking at him with bright eyes as she absentmindedly combed her fingers through her ponytail.

"Then… should I dye it as soon as I graduate from high school?" she asked in a small voice.

Lin Zhengran smiled. "Sure. I’ll go with you when the time comes."

"It’s a promise, then!"

Jiang Xueli stared at her phone again, imagining how she’d look with blonde hair.

It would definitely be pretty.

But then she happened to glance at the time.

It was already past ten.

She quickly reminded the driver, "Mister, we’ll make it back before eleven, right?"

The driver, casually shifting gears with one hand while speeding through the city, reassured her, "No problem. It’s only a short distance. It’s just past ten now—I’ll get you there in fifteen minutes, easy."

Jiang Xueli relaxed. Eleven o’clock was plenty of time.

But then, the driver asked, "But why are you still going back to school at this hour?"

"Huh? To sleep, obviously."

The driver glanced at them through the rearview mirror.

He couldn't help but think, Young couples these days sure know how to act innocent. It really takes me back to my own high school days.

Chuckling, he said,

"Sleep? The dorms lock up at ten. It’s already past ten—how are you getting in?"

Jiang Xueli froze.

She waved her hand dismissively with a forced smile, but sweat was starting to form on her forehead.

"Mister, you must be mistaken. The girls’ dorm locks up at eleven, not ten. I double-checked a few days ago. Right, Zhengran?"

Lin Zhengran, still looking out the window, answered truthfully,

"The boys’ dorm locks at ten. It’s never been eleven. As for the girls’ dorm, I’m not sure."

The smile on Jiang Xueli’s face stiffened instantly.

She turned into stone.

"...Huh?"

Her lips parted in shock as she turned to Lin Zhengran in horror. "Are you serious?! The boys’ dorm locks at ten?!"

"Yeah, that’s the rule."

The driver laughed.

"Miss, you must’ve misremembered. Your school’s dorms all lock at ten. I’ve been driving taxis for years—I was just dropping students off around nine, and now at ten, you’ll notice there aren’t any students outside anymore."

Jiang Xueli glanced at the streets.

Sure enough—there weren’t any students around.

Her brain short-circuited.

Then, full panic mode set in.

She turned to Lin Zhengran and the driver, her voice growing loud and frantic.

"Then… then what do I do?! If the dorm is locked, I can’t get in! Where am I supposed to sleep tonight?!"

The driver barely held back a chuckle.

"There’s always a way."

Jiang Xueli turned to Lin Zhengran. "Zhengran! If the boys’ dorm is locked at ten, how are you getting in?! Are we seriously going to have to sleep on the streets?!"

"I wasn’t planning on going back to the dorm tonight," Lin Zhengran said casually. "I was going to find a place to shower and stay at a hotel nearby."

"...A hotel?"

Jiang Xueli’s panicked mind came to an abrupt halt.

Her pupils dilated slightly.

And then, after a brief pause—

A deep blush spread across her pale face.

Her gaze wavered.

She suddenly realized why the driver had sounded so knowing earlier.

She clamped her mouth shut, sitting up stiffly in her seat.

Her head lowered slightly, her legs pressed together, and her hands curled into fists on her lap, her entire face burning red.

A hotel…

Was Zhengran hinting at something?

Had he known all along that the dorms locked at ten?

Was this his plan from the start…?

Did he…

Want to do that kind of thing tonight?

Her heart pounded violently against her ribs.

Wasn’t it too soon?

Some of their classmates might have already done it, but she and Zhengran had only held hands so far.

They hadn’t even gotten to that stage yet.

But then again…

Jiang Xueli clenched her hands tighter.

She bit her lip.

She suddenly remembered something her friends often said—

Boys at this age crave certain things.

Zhengran was probably the same.

He never showed it, but deep down, he must have wanted to do…

That thing adults do…

Tonight…

"Alright, we’re here."

"Ah?!"

Jiang Xueli barely registered the words.

Had the driver just teleported them here?!

He had said fifteen minutes, but her brain had been running wild, and time had completely slipped away.

Lin Zhengran got out of the taxi.

Still dazed, Jiang Xueli followed him out.

The driver drove off, leaving her standing there, her small hands clenched tightly as her heart raced.

"Z-zhengran…"

But before she could spiral any further—

Lin Zhengran said, "Don’t worry. I’ll talk to the dorm supervisor and get them to let you in."

"Hmm… huh?"

Jiang Xueli looked up at him. "You’re planning to send me back to the dorm?"

Lin Zhengran raised an eyebrow. "What else would I do?"

Jiang Xueli felt both embarrassed and confused.

She couldn’t figure out what Lin Zhengran was thinking.

Was he playing hard to get?

…No way.

Would Zhengran even do something like that?

"But… didn’t you say you were getting a hotel room to shower or something?"

"Yeah, I am."

He actually had a vague idea of what she was thinking.

He leaned down slightly, closing the distance between them, looking straight into her blushing, flustered eyes.

Then, with a completely serious expression, he asked,

"What’s on your mind? Were you thinking of coming with me? Do you not want to go back to the girls’ dorm?"

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Jiang Xueli’s heart started pounding.

She panicked and shut her eyes, using her little fists to weakly punch at him.

"W-what are you even saying?! How could I think something like that?!"

After hitting him a few times, she suddenly crouched down, covering her face with her hands.

"I wasn’t thinking about that! Not at all!"

Lin Zhengran straightened up. "Then that’s settled. Let’s get you back."

But just as he was about to step forward—

Jiang Xueli gently tugged at the hem of his pants.

"Zhengran, wait…"

Her voice was soft.

She hesitated for a moment, her face still burning, before mumbling,

"If I go back this late, I’ll probably wake up my roommates… Maybe it’s better if I stay out with you. I don’t… want to go back."

Her gaze was locked on the ground, her entire face flushed red.

At this point, even she didn’t know what she was saying anymore.