165: Dealing with one night

"I'm sorry," Zhou Mengqi said with a hint of grievance. "But with you around, I can't focus on my studies. My mind is filled with you."

"Missing me that much?" Yu Heng chuckled twice. "Yet you left so resolutely in the end?"

"I'm sorry," Zhou Mengqi said. "I won't try to explain."

In truth, she had summoned a lot of resolve back then to decide to leave Yu Heng temporarily; she thought that as long as she could meet him again, she would rush toward him regardless of the cost.

Fortunately, they met again.

"A mistake is a mistake," Yu Heng looked at her. "I'm not looking for an explanation, nor am I trying to assign blame. If you admit your mistake, understand it, and don't do it again, then you're a good puppy."

What Yu Heng wanted was nothing more than an attitude. Dwelling too much on the past was meaningless; the fact that they had met again was a good thing.

It was like when Garfield's owner went to the pet shop and happened to run into his lost cat.

As long as the ending was good, that was enough.

"I understand," Zhou Mengqi buried her head in Yu Heng's chest. "Master, I'm back."

"You've come back indeed," Yu Heng laughed somewhat helplessly. "But there are already others by Master's side."

Zhou Mengqi was stunned. She had thought about this issue, but she didn't mind it much. She could accept it; she was just worried she wouldn't get along with the others.

"Who are they?" Zhou Mengqi asked. "Have I met them?"

Yu Heng's hand gently caressed her waist. Her skin still bore the sweat from moments ago, feeling slightly sticky to the touch.

"You have," he said.

Zhou Mengqi's mind quickly scanned through the girls she had met recently.

Shen Yueling? Bai Xinran? Or that Ning Yutong?

It seemed only these few were close to Yu Heng.

"Is it... Shen Yueling?" she asked tentatively.

"Mm," Yu Heng responded. "And another one, Bai Xinran. You've met her too."

"Do they know about each other?" Zhou Mengqi asked.

"They do," Yu Heng said. "We're living together now."

"Then I..." Zhou Mengqi pursed her lips. "How should I get along with them in the future?"

"Just act normally," Yu Heng said. "Of the two of them, only Bai Xinran is the same as you."

She curled further into Yu Heng's arms, her legs wrapping around him.

"Okay, I understand," Zhou Mengqi said. "However, we need to go down. Luyu is still down there."

Yu Heng grimaced slightly. Originally, he had planned to spend the night here today.

"Fine, let's go down then, and I'll be on my way," Yu Heng stood up. "I'll come find you in a couple of days."

Zhou Mengqi straightened her pajamas and followed Yu Heng downstairs.

Wang Luyu was still sitting by the kotatsu. A variety show was playing on the TV, but she wasn't really watching it.

Hearing footsteps, she looked up.

Yu Heng walked in front, with Zhou Mengqi following half a step behind him, her hair still a bit messy.

Wang Luyu's gaze swept over both their faces, but she didn't speak.

"The computer is fixed," Yu Heng said. "I'm leaving."

"The President is leaving already?" Wang Luyu stood up.

"Yeah, I have some things to do." Yu Heng put on his coat. "You two should get some rest early."

Zhou Mengqi saw him to the door and watched him push it open to leave, a bit of cold wind blowing in.

The door closed, and the house fell silent again.

Zhou Mengqi turned around to see Wang Luyu standing in the middle of the living room, looking at her.

"What's wrong?" Zhou Mengqi asked.

Wang Luyu pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes slightly. "You and the President... did it?"

Zhou Mengqi was momentarily stunned.

She thought that since Wang Luyu was downstairs watching TV, she shouldn't have been able to hear.

How much sound could travel through a floor?

"You heard?" Zhou Mengqi asked.

"The sound was actually quite loud." Wang Luyu had no expression on her face when she said this, but the tips of her ears were a bit red.

"Sorry," Zhou Mengqi was silent for two seconds. "We won't do it at home in the future."

Wang Luyu shook her head. "It's fine. I'll just go back to my room in the future."

She walked back to the sofa, sat down, and picked up the remote to change the channel.

Zhou Mengqi also walked over and sat down beside her.

The light from the TV screen reflected on both their faces.

"But," Wang Luyu suddenly spoke up, "are you two in a relationship?"

"Ah?" Zhou Mengqi turned to look at her. "No, we aren't."

"Oh," Wang Luyu responded.

She understood.

Not in a relationship, but doing that kind of thing.

That meant it was a more open relationship.

Actually, she also liked Yu Heng a little bit.

The President was capable, humorous, and treated them well.

But this liking was very shallow—just the budding crush of a young girl who felt this person was quite nice.

Now that she knew he and Zhou Mengqi were doing that kind of thing upstairs, that bit of liking vanished.

She was a conservative person; since she was a child, her mother had told her that a girl should value herself and that those things should only be done after marriage.

However, she also understood people who weren't conservative and even envied them.

She envied how they could face their desires so calmly and do what they wanted without caring about the gaze of others.

So she didn't reject Zhou Mengqi and Yu Heng being like this; besides, it was someone else's choice.

It was just that she couldn't do it herself; she had self-awareness.

If she really went to bed with someone without a confirmed relationship, she wouldn't be able to handle those emotions. She would be anxious and panicked.

"That's good," Wang Luyu suddenly said.

"What's good?" Zhou Mengqi asked.

"That you can do what you want to do," Wang Luyu said. "I can't do it."

Zhou Mengqi looked at her and didn't speak.

She knew what kind of person Wang Luyu was.

This girl was too pure and too traditional.

"Everyone has different ideas," Zhou Mengqi said. "There's no right or wrong."

"Mm," Wang Luyu nodded.

She picked up her water glass to drink, her eyes fixed on the TV screen.

She was wondering if interacting with the President would be awkward in the future.

Probably not.

The President was still the President, and Zhou Mengqi was still Zhou Mengqi.

It was just that she now knew some things she didn't know before.

"I'm going to wash up," Wang Luyu stood up.

"Okay," Zhou Mengqi said.

Wang Luyu walked toward the stairs, but stopped halfway.

"Mengqi," she turned her head.

"Hmm?"

"Stay safe," Wang Luyu said.

Zhou Mengqi was stunned for a moment, then smiled. "I know."

—

Yu Heng pushed open the Villa door, and the cold wind poured into his collar, making him shiver.

He stood at the door, pulled out his phone, and checked the time. It was almost eleven.

He had said he wouldn't go back; returning now would be a bit embarrassing.

Besides, those three girls were likely asleep, so there wasn't much point in going back.

He thought of Qin Lu.

Ever since Qin Ya stopped broadcasting, he hadn't seen her for many days.

Now, in the middle of the night with nowhere to go, it seemed like a good idea to go to her place and make do for a night.

He opened a ride-hailing app and entered the address of Qin Lu's residential complex.

Tsk, it would take half an hour to walk there.

Ask her to come pick him up?

Forget it. Yu Heng scanned a shared electric scooter by the roadside.

He'd just ride there!