Chapter 122: I Have Already Explained Everything to Her

What Zhang Shen did not expect was that Meng Ran would actually sense his return this time.

As soon as Zhang Shen pushed the door open, Meng Ran turned around and said, "Brother Zhang, you're back!" However, the playful expression on Meng Ran's face vanished in the next second, replaced by immediate rigidity.

"Brother Zhang, what you're holding... is that Wang Ying's bag?"

Zhang Shen could clearly sense Meng Ran's nervous tension. But since things had reached this point—and there was no turning back—Zhang Shen had to bite the bullet and reply, "Yes, it is the black bag you gave to Wang Ying."

At first, Meng Ran had hoped he was mistaken, but Zhang Shen's words struck him like a heavy hammer.

"Brother Zhang, you... you didn't tell her the truth, did you?"

Faced with the question, Zhang Shen could not deny it and simply stood there nodding.

Seeing Zhang Shen's reaction, Meng Ran shot up from his chair, dashed over, and roared, "Damn it, Brother Zhang, can't you use your head? If you spill everything like that, how am I supposed to face Xiao Ying from now on? Aren't you clearly trying to sabotage our relationship? If she stops talking to me, I won't have the face to go on living!"

With that, Meng Ran collapsed onto the floor with a thud and began to wail, covering his face with his hands.

Zhang Shen never expected this chubby man to resort to such melodramatic antics. Yet, faced with this pathetic display, Zhang Shen felt that Meng Ran himself was the root cause of the problem. However, at this moment, all the blame seemed to be shifting onto him.

Thinking back, if Meng Ran hadn't acted on his own without permission, none of this would have happened. Now, everyone was just finding it difficult to save face.

However, Zhang Shen reconsidered. Although the young girl had spoken "harsh words" to him before they parted, he suspected that was mostly just an act. After all, Wang Ying was the only "antidote" capable of curing Meng Ran's obsession.

"Hey! Fatty, stop crying. It's really not that big a deal."

"How could it not be?"

To Meng Ran, Zhang Shen's defense seemed futile. This guy had blurted out the truth and was now trying to tell him it was fine. Besides, what girl would accept a gift only to have it taken back?

Zhang Shen understood Meng Ran's petty anxieties, but weren't these the "sins" he had brought upon himself? Zhang Shen didn't want to get into a deeper discussion right now; he just wanted some peace so he could finish the exam papers. More importantly, there were so many sections left to fill that he was struggling on his own—he needed a helper.

"I told Wang Ying the truth because that black bag is linked to her father's poisoning. I wanted to use it as a lead to find the mastermind. That's all; I didn't say another word."

"Just that?"

Meng Ran listened, half-doubting, though he still found it hard to believe.

Watching Meng Ran's foolish expression, Zhang Shen said bluntly, "I'm not lying to you. Besides, what would I gain by lying?"

*Yeah, what would he gain?* Zhang Shen asked himself the same question. Just then, Meng Ran's phone rang.

For a perennial loner like him, who would be calling at this hour?

Though Meng Ran desperately hoped it was Wang Ying, he knew that was just wishful thinking. Yet, to his utter surprise, the caller ID displayed "Xiao Ying!"

Meng Ran was ecstatic. He quickly turned to Zhang Shen and said, "Brother Zhang, it's Xiao Ying!"

When Zhang Shen heard this, his heart trembled. In his view, Wang Ying was calling Meng Ran now—could she be planning to stab him in the back?

While Zhang Shen hesitated, Meng Ran had already answered.

"Hello, Xiao Ying? Is something wrong so late?"

Meng Ran’s voice was sickeningly sweet. If one didn't know he was a chubby guy covered in snack crumbs, one might have mistaken him for a heartthrob.

However, after only a few seconds, Meng Ran’s face soured. A few minutes later, he said a curt "Oh" and hung up. His expression was a far cry from the earlier excitement.

As Meng Ran hung up and walked toward him, Zhang Shen felt a chill in the air.

Before Zhang Shen could speak, Meng Ran shoved him and said, "Brother Zhang, how could you do this? Do you know how heartless it is to bully a young girl like that?"

"Bully a young girl?" Zhang Shen, having been shoved, was baffled. Was Wang Ying too embarrassed to break up with Meng Ran, and now she was using him to stir up trouble?

Countless thoughts flashed through Zhang Shen's mind, but what happened next caught him even more off guard.

"Brother Zhang, if you're in trouble, just say so. Why bother a young girl? And I thought we were brothers!"

Hearing this, Zhang Shen was even more confused. He didn't seem to be in any trouble, and even if he were, how could Meng Ran help?

Meng Ran's next words finally brought Zhang Shen to his senses.

"Brother Zhang, it's just a few exam papers, isn't it? I can take on part of the load. Why did you have to bother Xiao Ying for that?"

Zhang Shen finally understood: in Meng Ran's eyes, the "trouble" was that Wang Ying was helping him with the papers and losing sleep over it.

In truth, Zhang Shen hadn't wanted to trouble Wang Ying anyway, especially now that he had Hao Lei's answer key, which made him feel much more confident.

"Meng Ran, I didn't actually ask Wang Ying for help. I was surprised myself that the girl was so kind."

Zhang Shen realized that Wang Ying must have called Meng Ran because she wanted him to drop the papers off at the girls' dormitory, but because Zhang Shen's phone had died, she had reached out to Meng Ran instead.

At this, Meng Ran patted Zhang Shen on the shoulder and chuckled, "Brother Zhang, you've certainly got ways! But don't do this again, okay?"