Chapter 47: Dorm 101

Under the orange-yellow sunset, the four walked toward the cafeteria.

Xu Zhengyang seemed to spot something, turned his head, and looked at the three brothers beside him; Zhai Ziqiang looked confused, Kong Xianbo wore an expression of moral rectitude, but only Xu Qingzhou met his gaze with a knowing smile.

“Fellow traveler,” Xu Zhengyang elbowed Xu Qingzhou, grinning. It was rare to find someone who understood him instantly.

Xu Qingzhou turned serious. “Food and sex are human nature—we’re simply appreciating beauty. Don’t look so lewd.”

College girls were entirely different from high school girls; beauty was everywhere, even Xu Qingzhou found it pleasing to the eye.

Zhai Ziqiang still looked dazed, scratching his head. “What are you two laughing at?”

Though Kong Xianbo said nothing, his sidelong glances kept sliding over those long white legs.

Xu Zhengyang sighed. “Damn, college really is different—legs everywhere. I love summer.”

“Six,” Kong Xianbo chimed in quietly.

Read! {

"Don't worry, I won't forget you guys. When the chance comes, we'll all go out for a meal together—both dorms." Xu Zhengyang patted his chest, still determined to secure happiness for his brothers.

Xu Qingzhou was 182 cm tall, upright, dressed simply and brightly, like he’d stepped straight out of a romance drama.

“Sis, put your phone down, count. When you finally mess up the count, you’ll fall asleep.”

Xu Qingzhou explained to him: “The word ‘hòurì’ here is a verb.”

“Really?”

“How’d you get in touch with girls from other majors?” Zhai Ziqiang asked curiously.

“You’re in college now, bro,” Xu Zhengyang thought Zhai Ziqiang was too rigid.

Xu Qingzhou chuckled. “I have no interest in romance—I’m destined for science.”

“Xu Qingzhou, are you asleep yet?”

Zhai Ziqiang quickly shook his head to deny it.

“Yeah, it never fails.”

Under the covers, Song Yao stared at the single character Xu Qingzhou had sent, annoyed: “Can you stop being so dismissive?”

The flashy Xu Zhengyang was up at eight, fussing with hair gel and styling products.

Zhai Ziqiang’s understanding of love was still simple: “It’s fine—just treat each other as friends.”

He had previously majored in physics; though not the strongest in math, he wasn’t weak either, and after this period of study, he’d nearly finished all undergraduate material—it was time to start publishing papers.

Kong Xianbo and Zhai Ziqiang were equally pumped—alarm clock rang, they jumped up to wash up; Kong Xianbo spent twenty minutes just choosing his outfit.

As the four sat down with their trays, a couple joined them, cooing and affectionate, making the group envious.

“Why?”

“Our class? Forget it. Too awkward if we break up later,” Xu Zhengyang disagreed.

“No thanks, I don’t want it.”

Zhai Ziqiang followed Xu Qingzhou and Xu Zhengyang’s gaze, then blushed. Xu Zhengyang remembered the real question: “Do any of you have girlfriends?”

!.

Xu Zhengyang gritted his teeth in envy. “Yeah.”

Ding~ His phone lit up with a message from Song Yao.

At 11 p.m., Dorm 101 was dark. Zhai Ziqiang and Kong Xianbo were asleep. Xu Zhengyang was deep in chat with a new girl he’d met, while Xu Qingzhou pondered his future plans.

“Our college? No chance—barely any girls. We’ve got to look next door,” Xu Zhengyang grinned. “But I’ve recently connected with a girl from the Economics Department.”

Zhai Ziqiang naturally said no.

Aside from Xu Qingzhou, the other three examined the cafeteria’s layout, finding it novel—especially the cafeteria ladies, who chatted, recommended dishes, unlike high school cafeterias that mechanically served food.

“I can’t sleep.”

In the end, Xu Qingzhou chatted with Song Yao until 1 a.m.

“Fine, don’t come begging me later,” Xu Zhengyang rolled his eyes.

Laughing and joking, they entered the cafeteria—it was dinner time, crowded. Xu Qingzhou ordered a standard two-meat, one-vegetable meal.

Xu Qingzhou said nothing; their family backgrounds differed. Xu Zhengyang could never understand the burden Zhai Ziqiang carried—how hard it was for his family to send one student to Jingda.

That night, the dorm supervisor came for inspection and asked them to elect a dorm leader. Xu Zhengyang, ever eager to secure benefits for everyone, stepped forward without hesitation; the others had no objections.

But after the three finished their meticulous preparations, they sadly realized their efforts seemed inferior to Xu Qingzhou’s casual wash-up.

Xu Qingzhou raised an eyebrow. Song Yao was in the Economics Department too. What a coincidence.

Xu Qingzhou and the others turned to him; he adjusted his glasses. “Accidentally saw it.”

“I’m out too. My parents don’t allow dating,” Zhai Ziqiang blushed.

Zhai Ziqiang smiled shyly again.

Xu Zhengyang smirked. “I met her on the bus coming here—we hit it off right away.”

Xu Qingzhou had no special preferences for clothing; most of his high school clothes were left at home, and he’d brought little, so he wore simple work pants and a white T-shirt.

After walking a while, Zhai Ziqiang asked: “How many girls are in our class?”

Xu Qingzhou and Zhai Ziqiang didn’t care; Kong Xianbo had loftier ambitions—running for class president. He had no interest in such a trivial role as dorm leader.

“Our dorm’s hopeless—all single,” Xu Zhengyang sighed, then added solemnly: “Fine, I’ll take charge—I’ll arrange a social event for our dorm every week.”

Xu Qingzhou and Kong Xianbo also shook their heads.

Xu Qingzhou typed: “Just about to sleep.”

“Besides, engineering girls don’t match my taste,” Xu Zhengyang said.

Zhai Ziqiang muttered softly: “Actually, I think Zhang Shuyi is pretty.” Xu Zhengyang draped an arm around him, teasing: “Second brother, you got a crush on her?”

Xu Zhengyang grimaced. “Xu Qingzhou, you’re making the rest of us feel terrible.”

“Can’t help it—I’m handsome. It’s not my fault,” Xu Qingzhou smiled “modestly,” drawing a chorus of disdain from the other three.

“Pfft~”

“Let’s go.”

(End of Chapter)