The Stepmother's Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era-Chapter 840 - 839: Having the Mind of a Thief but Not the Courage

Chapter 840: Chapter 839: Having the Mind of a Thief but Not the Courage

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

To ease the awkward atmosphere, Zhao Yun took the initiative to break the silence, "Jingshu, you’re not mad at me anymore, are you?"

Ren Jingshu scoffed, "I was never mad."

"But you didn’t let me accompany you to school yesterday."

"You rarely come back to the country, you can’t always be with me. You should go out and have fun with your friends."

After saying this, she casually asked where Zhao Yun went for fun last night.

Zhao Yun honestly talked about how Wen Bingdong had taken him to DK Bar the night before, how he found it boring and left early with Pei Ziheng, and how Dong Jiao had come to find him at the hotel afterward, telling her everything in detail.

Having this conversation, the initial awkwardness just passed.

Today was Saturday, and there were no classes. Zhao Yun spent the afternoon with Ren Jingshu at the dance team rehearsal, they watched a movie together, and at night they went to a famous snack street in the hutongs.

The snack street not only sold various snacks but also various crafts like trinkets, pendants, dolls, and backpacks.

Zhao Yun bought everything Ren Jingshu laid her hands on; it was as if he wanted to move the entire street back for her.

A young man’s love is always so pure and fervent, always fearing that what he gives isn’t plentiful or good enough.

In the taxi back, Ren Jingshu played with a teddy bear the size of her palm, her face rarely showing such joy and satisfaction.

Mother Ren had strictly controlled her from a young age, not allowing her to play with any toys.

Tonight, she had fulfilled a childhood dream.

Ren Jingshu was immersed in the fluffy happiness, unaware that the person next to her had not taken his eyes off her.

The dim night outlined the girl’s features into a heart-stopping beauty.

A flame seemed to burn in Zhao Yun’s chest, a heat desperate for an outlet.

"Jingshu."

"Yes, what is it?"

Facing her smiling eyes, Zhao Yun ultimately couldn’t muster the courage to voice the thoughts in his heart, "Do you have any plans for tomorrow?"

"I’m going to the dance troupe rehearsal."

"Isn’t there no performance recently?"

Ren Jingshu paused momentarily then said, "A new Lotus Award dance competition was announced this year, I want to give it a try. I heard the top three winners might get a chance to join the Zhongyang Dance Team."

Zhao Yun encouraged, "You’ll definitely make it."

"I hope so." ƒreewebɳovel.com

Ren Jingshu looked at him, "When are you returning to your team?"

"In a few days."

As they talked, the taxi stopped at the entrance of the alley where Ren Jingshu’s rental was located.

Because there were too many items, Ren Jingshu couldn’t carry them all by herself, so she had to ask Zhao Yun to help carry them into the house.

Having dated for so many years, it was Zhao Yun’s first time seeing his girlfriend’s boudoir.

The tiny, twelve-square-meter room had a single bed, an old desk, a wardrobe, and a coat rack, squeezing the small space to its full.

It was crowded yet cozy, and the air was filled with a pleasant faint fragrance.

Zhao Yun felt both joy and heartache.

Joy for being allowed into her private territory, and heartache that his girlfriend had to live in such a humble place.

"How do you feel about living in such a tiny room?"

Ren Jingshu handed him a glass of water and replied, "It’s quite nice compared to the dormitory."

Zhao Yun watched her, at a loss for what to say.

Although he had never visited the Ren Family, he imagined that their living conditions couldn’t be that bad, especially since Ren Jingshu was pampered there.

Yet now, she was content with such living conditions.

"Why don’t you come stay with me at the hotel?"

The words that he had held back all evening slipped out.

Both were stunned.

For a moment, no one spoke.

Zhao Yun felt both tense and expectant inside.

"It’s getting late, you should head back and rest."

The words of Ren Jingshu undoubtedly smashed the expectations in Zhao Yun’s heart to the ground, breaking them into pieces.

"Oh, should I leave then?"

Seeing Ren Jingshu nod, he reluctantly stood up, placed the empty cup back on the desk, and walked out with reluctance.

After leaving Ren Jingshu’s place, Zhao Yun was filled with gloom and melancholy, unable to resist pulling out his phone to call Pei Ziheng.

"Ziheng, you always have ideas, help me think of something."

"Zhao Yun, has your brain been eaten by a dog? You want to sleep with your own girlfriend and you’re asking me for ideas?"

Zhao Yun guiltily covered the mouthpiece and, seeing no one around, finally spoke, "Don’t put it so crudely, I just, just..."

"You have the desire but not the courage."

Zhao Yun: "..."

That remark hit the nail on the head.

"So, will you help or not?"

"No."

Listening to the busy tone on the other end of the phone, Zhao Yun sullenly put away the phone and flagged down a taxi to return to the hotel.

Although he did not sleep well all night, the next day, early in the morning, Zhao Yun was already waiting at the entrance of the alley.

After Ren Jingshu left her house, the two went to another nearby breakfast spot to try a local delicacy—douzhi’er.

After breakfast, the two took a bus to the dance team.

After changing into practice clothes, Ren Jingshu turned on the music and started warming up while listening to find inspiration.

For the upcoming Lotus Awards competition, she planned to choreograph her own dance.

The two stayed in the rehearsal room until the evening.

After leaving the theater, they strolled to a nearby restaurant to eat Peking duck.

"Are you getting used to the hotel?"

"I’m used to it, the room environment is quite good."

Hearing him say that, Ren Jingshu nodded and fell silent.

Under the glow of the setting sun, her skin shined with a translucent luster.

Zhao Yun, realizing belatedly, stammered in corrections, "Actually, I’m not used to it, I don’t sleep comfortably at all."

Ren Jingshu glanced sideways at him and said, "My place is a bit small."

"You can live there, so can I!"

Ren Jingshu stopped walking, turned around, and looked at him seriously, "Zhao Yun, have you thought this through? You have a great future ahead of you, while I might spend my life in this small dance team, living unnoticed, unable to offer you any help."

Zhao Yun bent down to kiss her lips, using the gesture to demonstrate his resolve and choice.

After finishing the duck, Ren Jingshu accompanied Zhao Yun back to the hotel to check out, and together they returned to her place.

The single bed could only fit one person, so Ren Jingshu made a makeshift bed on the floor for Zhao Yun.

With a young man and woman alone in a room, at the peak of their youth, the inevitable, and the unexpected, eventually occurred.

Moonlight seeped through the thin window curtains.

Gazing silently at the sleeping face of the girl next to him, Zhao Yun couldn’t bear to blink, fearing that everything before him might vanish with a mere flutter of his lashes.

What does it feel like to deeply love someone?

Many years later, when someone asked Zhao Yun, he could vividly recall this moment.

It was a heart-pounding sensation, a strong possessive desire, and a fear of loss.

Finally, as the dawn’s early light began to show, Zhao Yun, who had not slept all night, gently kissed the forehead of the girl next to him, then carefully got up, dressed, and left.

As the door quietly closed behind him, Ren Jingshu on the makeshift bed opened her eyes.

She turned her head, watched through the curtain as Zhao Yun’s tall silhouette departed, then rolled over, closed her eyes, and continued to sleep.