Chapter 62: Learn from Old Xu

The air was deathly silent; Dong Shan and the others stared wide-eyed, their minds still struggling to process it.

The person Xu Qingzhou was waiting for was Song Yao?!

Yuan Xiaoye’s mouth hung slightly open; she froze completely, feeling the scene before her was too bizarre.

“Tomorrow’s not fresh anymore,” Song Yao mumbled, her tone soft, almost playful, making Dong Shan and the others, still stunned beside her, wonder if this Song Yao was even real.

Xu Qingzhou was deeply moved; he held up the items and introduced, “My roommate, Xu Zhengyang.”

“Hello,” Song Yao waved.

Xu Zhengyang quickly smiled and greeted her, thinking to himself that the campus beauty didn’t seem as cold and aloof as online rumors claimed.

Xu Qingzhou turned to Dong Shan and the others beside him: “These four are from your major—you don’t need me to introduce them, right?”

“Song Yao.”

!{

Seeing the girl’s wide, innocent eyes, Xu Qingzhou smiled and shook his head. “Just kidding. Let’s go.” He thought Song Yao was childish—she clearly wanted him to walk her home but always acted all aloof. And she’d fall for the same trick twice, getting flustered at the slightest tease.

“It’s going well,” Xu Qingzhou said. “At the library, I ran into an old professor who seemed quite impressed—he said he’d help revise it once I finish.”

Just as she was moping, Song Yao heard someone call her name; she spun around quickly and saw the boy who had left earlier reappear.

Xu Qingzhou had already walked up beside her: “I took your fruit—I’d feel guilty if I didn’t at least see you off.”

When Xu Qingzhou returned, Xu Zhengyang was chatting with Dong Shan, Zhai Ziqiang was reading, and Kong Xianbo was typing furiously at his computer; Xu Qingzhou could just make out what looked like a thesis.

Kong Xianbo jotted it down, turned silently, and sat back at his computer: Fine, you two enjoy your love—wait till I make a stunning breakthrough and achieve fame and fortune, then you’ll all kneel and sing “Conquest!” Zhai Ziqiang simply admired them; though he claimed not to date, he was secretly envious.

“Yeah, I know her,” Song Yao nodded slightly and greeted them.

Song Yao was furious that Xu Qingzhou had reduced her entire recent life to “pig-level,” yet she couldn’t refute him—she could only silently vow to work twice as hard.

“Watch your safety on the way,” Xu Qingzhou nodded.

As Xu Zhengyang was leaving, Dong Shan and the other girls also said goodbye, departing first, still reeling from the shock.

“Yeah, delivered,” Song Yao nodded.

“Don’t hint at me—you should read some books too. After all, a life without reading is worse than a pig’s,” Xu Qingzhou had seen right through Song Yao.

Song Yao shook her head and said, “No, we’re just ordinary friends.”

Song Yao’s legendary boyfriend was actually the same guy they’d met at that social event—and one they’d barely even noticed? Watching Yuan Xiaoye’s expression as if she’d just eaten something disgusting, Xu Zhengyang felt immensely pleased and wisely said, “Shanshan, you two should head back early—it’s getting late.”

“Thanks to our dorm for taking care of his ordinary friend.”

Zhang Qiong sighed, indignant but powerless. What right did this old scoundrel Xu Qingzhou have to make such a great girl rush out at midnight to deliver fruit?

Xu Qingzhou seemed to seriously consider it, then made as if to leave. “Huh, maybe you’re right—I’ll head back then.”

Song Yao was delighted inside, but still said, “I know the way just fine.”

“Song Yao,” Dong Shan and the others finally snapped back to reality, greeting her dazedly—still overwhelmed by the information.

Only when the couple’s backs disappeared around the corner did Xu Zhengyang turn away, his face full of admiration: “Look at that—feigning disinterest. Old Xu pretended to leave first, leaving the girl disappointed, then reappeared.”

One day, she’d look down on Xu Qingzhou: Xu Qingzhou, is that all you’ve got? Can you even do anything?! With lofty dreams, Song Yao returned to her dorm. Her roommates hadn’t gone to bed yet; recently, their lights-out time had been extended from 11 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.

“Why?”

Though they walked slowly, Song Yao’s dorm building now appeared in view. She widened her eyes, growing impatient.

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“You really aren’t dating Xu Qingzhou?” Teng Xiaojuan leaned over the edge of her bed, buzzing with gossip.

Soon, only Xu Qingzhou and Song Yao remained under the locust tree.

“Old Kong, writing your thesis?” Xu Qingzhou set down the items.

“You’re such a freak.”

“Finally said something human,” Song Yao pouted, then feigned relief as she exhaled: “Delivered. I’m heading back.”

At this moment, three people in Dorm 101 were pressed against the balcony window.

“You’ve gotten a bit darker,” Xu Qingzhou clucked.

After setting the time, Song Yao asked, “How’s your thesis progress going?”

“That social event I told you about.”

“Oh, okay,” Song Yao nodded, a faint disappointment lingering—she felt something was missing. “Then I’m off.”

“Xiao Yao, did you deliver the fruit?” Zhang Qiong asked.

Song Yao walked a few steps, then secretly glanced back—Xu Qingzhou was striding toward the dorm building without even turning his head. She muttered softly: “Men really are heartless.”

Song Yao wanted to stuff a cloth in Xu Qingzhou’s mouth—why bring up the one thing that was bound to hurt? She’d been exposed for days—of course she’d gotten darker! “Now you look healthier.”

“So when’s your ordinary friend going to treat us to a meal?” Teng Xiaojuan smiled.

“How did you two meet?” Song Yao asked Dong Shan and the others curiously.

!.

“Alright, let’s plan another time.”

So everyone agreed to meet after military training ended.

“Walk slowly.”

At parting, Song Yao said casually: “Looks like it’s going to rain tomorrow too.”

“Them?” Song Yao thought the world was truly small—she hadn’t expected the guy Xu Qingzhou met at the social event to be from the next dorm.

Xu Qingzhou and Song Yao strolled slowly, first discussing Guo Ziyang and Ding Jiahui—those two were arriving in Beijing on the 10th, but by then, everyone would still be in military training; when Xu Qingzhou and his group were free, Guo Ziyang and the other would still be in training.

She turned and saw Xu Qingzhou staring at her with a strange expression; she felt a twinge of guilt, then remembered she’d only thought it internally—he couldn’t have heard. So she raised an eyebrow and struck first: “Caught off guard by this beauty?”

Kong Xianbo cleared his throat, afraid Xu Qingzhou might notice and ruin his grand plan—he tilted his screen slightly toward himself before humbly saying, “Just scribbling a bit—I’ll have to write a thesis someday too.”

In truth, he was learning from Old Xu: stay quiet, grow rich quietly, then strike with a fatal blow when everyone let their guard down.

Still, he decided to probe the enemy’s position: “What about you? How was the library?”

“I’m working on my thesis too—just scribbling,” Xu Qingzhou smiled modestly. Who’s better at playing it safe? Sorry, he’d never lost.

(End of Chapter)