Chapter 128: Three Emotionally Dense Idiots

After confirming that Zhang Xiaofeng would be staying with him for a while, Zhou Ran immediately booked a hotel room for her right next to Zhang Yuan’s. This way, if Zhang Xiaofeng needed anything, she could easily ask Zhang Yuan for help. After all, given the cultural boundaries between men and women, Zhou Ran couldn’t always be the first to offer assistance. So placing her near Zhang Yuan was the most practical solution.

Moreover, Zhou Ran’s schedule in the coming days was almost entirely tied to Zhang Yuan’s, as they were busy recording a program together. This arrangement maximized efficiency.

Once Zhou Ran had settled the hotel arrangements for Zhang Xiaofeng, the three of them returned to their respective places. Zhou Ran went back to his own room. Though he had booked within the same hotel as Zhang Xiaofeng and Zhang Yuan, their rooms were separated by several floors. This was a deliberate move to avoid any rumors or scandalous gossip. Even though such rumors would be baseless, they could still cause trouble, especially for female celebrities. Zhou Ran wanted to prevent any false stories that might suddenly flood his phone one morning.

Yet, that night was destined to be sleepless for both Zhang Yuan and Zhang Xiaofeng. They both found themselves unable to rest. As for Zhou Ran, after a quick shower, he fell into a deep, sound sleep, utterly unfamiliar with the concept of insomnia. For him, sleep came instantly.

Zhang Xiaofeng’s insomnia was straightforward: it stemmed purely from having seen Zhou Ran that day. Apart from that, nothing else could have kept her awake. Usually, she loved her sleep, cherishing it as a refuge from her busy work life.

But tonight, no matter how hard she tried, sleep eluded her. Her mind kept replaying the events of the day.

From the moment Zhang Xiaofeng first laid eyes on Zhang Yuan, a profound sense of rivalry stirred within her. Without any concrete reason—just a gut feeling—she immediately saw Zhang Yuan as a competitor. What she could be sure of was the way Zhang Yuan looked at Zhou Ran; it was unlike the gaze of a mere friend. As an actor, Zhang Xiaofeng understood the subtle differences in expressions, and Zhang Yuan’s look was unmistakably charged.

Meanwhile, Zhang Yuan, who was staying next door, also began to suffer from insomnia. She felt that her behavior today had been unusual, marked by an uncharacteristic nervousness. Especially after meeting Zhang Xiaofeng, an overwhelming sensation that something she cherished was being taken away surged within her.

This feeling was entirely new to Zhang Yuan. She couldn’t quite interpret it, but she knew it was connected to Zhang Xiaofeng. From their very first encounter, she felt an instinct to compete with her, even though logically, this made little sense—they had only just met.

Both Zhang Yuan and Zhang Xiaofeng became entangled in a whirlwind of thoughts, their minds so occupied that sleep became a distant concern. Consequently, they both succumbed to sleeplessness.

Thus, these two emotionally inexperienced young women, through Zhou Ran’s inadvertent influence, found themselves caught in a restless night. Zhang Xiaofeng’s inexperience was understandable—she was young, strictly supervised at home, and lacking romantic experience, so her mind naturally raced. Zhang Yuan’s case was more unique. Though she had been in the industry for ten years, she was only twenty-three. She had started her career at thirteen, releasing singles by chance, which left little time for romance.

Her days had been filled with work, performances, and appearances, leaving no room for emotional entanglements. Now, with some of her commitments eased, she found that she had few peers to relate to. Her social circle was mostly older, due to her early start and celebrity status, limiting her chances to encounter someone she might fancy.

Her experience with love was mostly gleaned from television dramas or friends’ stories, making the label of a romantic novice perfectly apt.

As for Zhou Ran, there was no need to elaborate—he was the quintessential straight man. He never entertained the idea of romance between himself and either Zhang Yuan or Zhang Xiaofeng. At present, he was focused solely on his career and still emotionally tethered to events from his past life.

With Zhang Xiaofeng’s arrival, the duo of Zhou Ran and Zhang Yuan, who had been recording songs together, naturally became a trio. Zhou Ran and Zhang Yuan handled the singing, while Zhang Xiaofeng lounged nearby, snacking and enjoying their performances. Her days were idyllic, soaking in live renditions of Zhou Ran and Zhang Yuan’s singing—a truly sumptuous experience.

This was Zhang Xiaofeng’s first time hearing Zhou Ran sing live. Previously, she had only heard his studio-recorded tracks. Now, she was astonished by his vocal prowess.

Though the electronic versions were already impressive, Zhou Ran’s live singing surpassed them by far. The emotion conveyed, the atmosphere created—none of it could be captured in a studio recording. This explained why so many people loved attending live music festivals.

At these events, audiences experienced the raw, authentic expression of the artists and the unique ambiance of the venue—sensations that recordings simply could not replicate. Zhang Xiaofeng was now living that very experience firsthand.