Chapter 302 Because You Like It

Tan Zheng didn't seem like a meticulous person, but the diagrams he drew were exceptionally detailed. Even someone completely unfamiliar with racing, upon seeing his schematics, would be drawn in to examine them closely. Song Ni's professor was one such person. "Professor, how is it? Is his innate talent powerful?" "Why isn't the professor speaking? Does he not understand?" "Professor, show it to us quickly." "......" The professor, who usually appeared refined and cultured, showed a flicker of excitement in his eyes upon seeing Tan Zheng's drawings. Song Ni took in his reaction. It seemed every man harbored a passionate youth deep within. Few guys could truly resist the allure of racing. Song Ni smiled faintly. "Professor, do you think my friend is right?" The professor's gaze finally lifted from the drawings, reluctantly returning the paper to Tan Zheng. "Your friend..." the professor paused, noticing the diamond rings on their ring fingers, and corrected himself. "Your partner is right, innate abilities are indeed powerful. However, I believe that without hard work, we cannot effectively utilize the strength bestowed upon us by heaven. Therefore, your partner hasn't told the whole story." Song Ni turned her head to look at Tan Zheng. "It seems you've been practicing privately." Tan Zheng: ... Since they didn't believe him, he wouldn't explain. He hadn't practiced; it was just that the diagrams he drew evolved from being comprehensible only to himself to being understood by others. The others in the class finally understood Tan Zheng's identity after hearing the word "partner." They didn't know how to describe it, only that Tan Zheng's presence made it clear that Song Ni indeed had sufficient backing. Some people possessed an aura that immediately conveyed they were on a different level. Yet, sitting before such a Tan Zheng, Song Ni showed no sign of being at a disadvantage. Afterward, Tan Zheng diligently drew, and Song Ni diligently attended the class. The situation changed when Bartery arrived. Seemingly extremely dissatisfied with Tan Zheng, Bartery would first demand seating arrangements be shuffled, then initiate surprise quizzes, and even specifically call on Tan Zheng to answer tricky questions. Song Ni didn't understand why the old man was suddenly acting so erratically. There were usually quite a few people accompanying the class, and as long as they didn't disrupt the lesson, most wouldn't speak. She worried Tan Zheng might be upset. However, she noticed no hint of impatience on his face; instead, a smile lingered at the corner of his lips, as if he wasn't bothered by the sudden disruption. Sunlight streamed in from outside the window. The wind blew, carrying a faint floral scent. Song Ni found Tan Zheng rather gentle at that moment. What surprised her even more was that he could answer Bartery's questions with considerable accuracy. His answers weren't perfect, but no one could answer those questions perfectly, not even her. Therefore, she saw a flicker of surprise in Bartery's eyes, followed by a long period of contemplation. After that, he never bothered Tan Zheng again. After class, Song Ni pestered Tan Zheng with questions. "Why do you know so much about fashion design?" They were on the lawn in front of the building. Song Ni's hair had grown a bit longer, its ends slightly curled. As she leaned closer, her hair brushed against his hand, stirring ripples in his heart. Tan Zheng couldn't help himself, nor did he intend to resist. In their seated position on the grass, he leaned in and kissed her. It wasn't a long kiss, just a light touch. Tan Zheng raised his hand and gently squeezed Song Ni's earlobe. "Compared to you, I know very little." That wasn't what Song Ni cared about. She cared about how he could answer Bartery's questions almost as well as a professional student. When had he learned all this? Song Ni grabbed his wrist and playfully scratched the back of his hand, feigning mock anger. "Tell me quickly, or I'll scratch you." Tan Zheng: ... It was clearly she who was lingering over his hand, and his ticklish spot wasn't there. "It's just that I've learned about things you like too." He used the word "too." Song Ni blinked, understanding Tan Zheng's meaning. Just as she had gradually come to understand and like racing because of Tan Zheng, Tan Zheng had also delved into fashion design because of her interest. Spouses grow towards each other. Song Ni felt a warm current flow through her heart. Admittedly, Tan Zheng was a factor in her liking racing, but she herself was someone who loved speed, so her interest in racing wasn't entirely surprising. Moreover, her likes and dislikes were always driven by her true feelings, and she had never expected Tan Zheng to do anything because of it. Yet, receiving the same reciprocation from Tan Zheng made her feel warm. He, who lived such a wild and unrestrained life, only caring about his own feelings, had changed so much for her. Song Ni instinctively softened her voice. "Don't you find it boring and tedious?" Besides racing, Tan Zheng rarely cared about other things. He had no interest in fashion, and she found it hard to imagine such a man learning about fashion and design from scratch. Tan Zheng smiled and played with Song Ni's hair. "It's okay, I'm also trying to find the joy in it with you." It was with this mindset that he managed to persevere through those late nights when he truly didn't want to look at anything. Now, he couldn't say how much he liked it, but he had a basic understanding, and he could understand why Song Ni would endlessly revise a design until late at night. Song Ni leaned forward and kissed Tan Zheng on the lips. The man raised an eyebrow. "What's this for?" Song Ni pulled back slightly, looking at him with a smile. "A reward." Tan Zheng's eyes moved. Seeing his little girl looking so charming, his throat felt itchy, and he cupped her head. Before kissing her, Song Ni heard him say, "A reward should be like this." One of the more pleasant aspects of being abroad was that even a bold, passionate kiss on campus wouldn't attract too much attention or speculation. Onlookers would simply marvel at the beauty of love, believing they were witnessing a true romance. However, some were still jealous of their affectionate moment. Bartery, after finishing his conversation with the dean and preparing to head to their appointment, saw the other two passionately kissing on the grass. "......" Were they trying to bully him because of his age and lack of a partner? "Ahem—" Song Ni heard a familiar voice and looked up, seeing the old man with a displeased expression. His look was uncannily like that of a father whose daughter had just been snatched away. Song Ni thought it was rather novel; she had never seen such an expression on her own father, but she saw it on the old man. When the three of them sat down at the restaurant, Song Ni began to complain about Bartery's behavior in class. The old man snorted. "Are you planning to return to the country because of this man?" Song Ni: ... What was he even talking about? Did her return have anything to do with Tan Zheng? Even without Tan Zheng, she wouldn't have stayed abroad for too long. She could have achieved great things in her home country, so why not return?