Chapter 709: Why is Yan Zhusheng here too?

At three-thirty in the afternoon, Li Luo cuddled Yan Zhusheng in the car for over half an hour before finally leaving the music college campus.

Taking her for a drive along the riverbank, listening to her hum songs inside the vehicle, Li Luo parked at a nearby small park.

Walking hand in hand through the park, chatting as they strolled, it was quite pleasant.

Yan Zhusheng had no place she wanted to go, nothing she wanted to do—so long as she was with Li Luo, anything was fine.

Compared to when they first met at the start of her first year of high school, Yan Zhusheng now had more humanity about her, no longer appearing so cold and aloof.

Her personality occasionally became a bit more lively.

At this moment, hand in hand with Li Luo, she stepped one by one on the stone slabs laid across the grass, as if treading each note of a piano scale, perfectly matching the tune she hummed—delightful to hear.

"I still have to go back to school tonight for a department meeting," Li Luo rubbed her delicate handback after she finished a melody, "I'll take you to dinner first, then I have to leave."

"I'm coming with you," Yan Zhusheng turned her head and said.

"Huh?"

"I have no class tomorrow morning," Yan Zhusheng blinked her eyes, hopeful, "only one class in the afternoon, so I can go home and sleep today."

"Oh, that works," Li Luo nodded, "then after dinner, you come with me."

"Mm," Yan Zhusheng nodded obediently; when they reached the park's covered walkway, she pulled Li Luo down to sit, then straddled his lap, wrapped her arms around his neck, and demanded a kiss.

At the end of the walkway stood a pavilion, where several elderly men sat in a circle playing xiangqi.

Occasionally one old man would turn his head, catch sight of this scene, then cluck his tongue twice and turn back to watch the game.

"They all saw that," Li Luo whispered during a pause.

But the next second, Yan Zhusheng pressed right back against him, silencing him—clearly she didn't care at all.

If it were Ying Chanxi, she'd never be this forward in public unless Li Luo pinned her against a wall.

Yan Zhusheng was far more forward than her sister; she never cared about others' glances—kiss when she wanted, utterly unbothered.

The two lingered affectionately in the park until it was nearly half past four, when Li Luo finally stood up, lifting her from the bench, and headed toward the parking lot.

"Have dinner, then go back."

"Okay."

…

After dinner, Li Luo drove Yan Zhusheng across the river bridge.

On the way, Yan Zhusheng tapped her phone screen, then suddenly turned to Li Luo: "Tomorrow's club recruitment starts—any clubs you want to join?"

"I don't care," Li Luo said while driving, "it depends on what you want to join. Any clubs interest you?"

Yan Zhusheng blinked, then said, "I checked the club recruitment handbook released today—there's a badminton club listed."

"I remember you like playing badminton," Li Luo smiled, "you could join, but since you're at the music college, won't it be inconvenient to attend activities?"

"It's fine," Yan Zhusheng shook her head, "I'll get my driver's license soon."

"True."

"There's also a Qingyun Piano Club—Zhao Yin wants to join and asked if I'd go with her."

"Then join," Li Luo said, "there's no limit to how many clubs you join. Whether you attend activities is entirely voluntary—but if someone's accompanying you to the piano club, I won't join."

"Why?" Yan Zhusheng said. "Didn't you just say you can join as many clubs as you want?"

"It's just that my piano skills…" Li Luo grimaced, "even if I wanted to join, they wouldn't accept me."

"Didn't I teach you piano for a long time?" Yan Zhusheng said. "You're not unskilled."

"I can play… but I've never taken any piano exams," Li Luo said. "They might have entry requirements for the piano club."

"Then just play a piece for them on the spot."

"But there'd need to be a piano there…"

"You just don't want to accompany me."

"Alright, alright, we'll see later," Li Luo nodded rapidly, "if I can join, I'll go with you."

"There's also rap, classical, Free Seven Notes…" Yan Zhusheng listed one club after another she found somewhat interesting, though she didn't intend to join them all—she just wanted Li Luo to accompany her to check them out.

"Club recruitment lasts three days," Li Luo said. "You have class tomorrow afternoon—I'll go on Saturday."

"Okay," Yan Zhusheng nodded obediently, "I know—you have to accompany Xi Xi and Senior Xu."

Li Luo: "... You're surprisingly self-aware."

"I'm very well-behaved," Yan Zhusheng sat demurely in the passenger seat, blinking innocently.

"Shall I drop you off at home first?" Li Luo said. "I still have to go to the meeting."

"It's fine," Yan Zhusheng shook her head, "just go directly—I'll wait for you in the car."

"Won't you get bored?"

"I wait for you at home too," Yan Zhusheng said. "Waiting in the car means I get to see you sooner."

…

The car entered the Ningshan campus and parked in the underground lot beneath the College of Literature's administrative building.

After getting out, Li Luo gave Yan Zhusheng two reminders, left a crack in the window, then closed the door and left.

He walked to Classroom 203 on the second floor; when he entered from the front door, many people were already there.

Seeing Xu Youyu hadn't arrived yet, Li Luo sat beside Xu Yinghuan and greeted her.

Watching her chat animatedly with Ren Zheng and Shen Shuhua, Li Luo casually asked, "What are you talking about?"

Xu Yinghuan, seeing it was him, chattered happily: "I'm discussing dinner plans with Ren Zheng and the others."

"Is it just dinner?" Ren Zheng rolled her eyes, "Huanhuan wants to invite Zhao Rongjun and his dorm mates to dinner and asked if we should join."

"Exactly," Xu Yinghuan nodded, "it's just dinner."

"That's a dorm mixer."

"If you put it that way, why not?"

"Forget it." Ren Zheng waved her hand dismissively. "His dorm has Liu Shaowen too."

"What's wrong with Liu Shaowen?" Xu Yinghuan looked at her in confusion. "He's your high school classmate, after all."

"I'm not going anyway—it's boring." Ren Zheng waved her hand. "If you want to treat his dorm mates to a meal, go ahead. Just have Zhao Rongjun treat our dorm next time."

"That won't work," Xu Yinghuan shook her head.

"What do you mean?" Ren Zheng blinked. "You're already treating his whole dorm—why can't Zhao Rongjun just treat us back?"

"He doesn't have that kind of pocket money," Xu Yinghuan hurried to say. "He needs it for his living expenses. I don't want him under too much pressure. If it's that big a deal, I'll treat you all separately next time."

Ren Zheng: "... You're way too nice to him. I really don't get what you see in him."

Li Luo, listening to Xu Yinghuan and Ren Zheng's conversation, couldn't help tugging at the corner of his mouth. He suddenly remembered how Zhao Rongjun had seemed on the verge of speaking but held back last time—and now he thought he understood what was troubling the kid lately. Indeed... dating someone as considerate and wealthy as Xu Yinghuan was hard to bear for a guy like Zhao Rongjun, with his strong moral compass.

"Where are you planning to take his dorm mates for dinner?" Li Luo asked from beside her.

"Tianjie," Xu Yinghuan said as if it were obvious. "It's not far, and we can eat there quickly."

"Tianjie?" Li Luo said. "Even if you don't bring Ren Zheng and the others, just Zhao Rongjun's four roommates—that's five people. A meal there must cost at least three or four hundred?"

"Probably around that?"

"How much is Zhao Rongjun's monthly living allowance?"

"One thousand two hundred."

"Then I suggest you treat them to a meal in the campus cafeteria," Li Luo said.

"Huh? Why?" Xu Yinghuan frowned. "Treating them in the cafeteria feels a bit informal, doesn't it?"

Li Luo heard this and rubbed his forehead in exasperation, then smiled helplessly.

In high school, the differences weren't obvious.

Everyone wore uniforms, ate in the cafeteria, and couldn't leave campus.

But in college, many disparities slowly emerged.

To Xu Yinghuan, treating someone to dinner at Tianjie was as ordinary as breathing.

But for ordinary students like Zhao Rongjun, going to Tianjie for a meal once a month was already a luxury.

If Zhao Rongjun were selfish or shameless, he could accept Xu Yinghuan's kindness without guilt.

Unfortunately, Li Luo knew his good friend too well.

Last time he'd been so torn up over it—he'd clearly been wrestling with this for a long time.

"Who understands guys better—you or me?" Li Luo asked.

"Hmm..." Xu Yinghuan, hearing him say that, could only reply, "Of course you do."

"Three or four hundred for one meal is too expensive—for Zhao Rongjun and his roommates alike," Li Luo said. "Even if they're not paying, guys care deeply about this."

"When a girl spends money on a guy, many guys feel compelled to spend even more on her in return."

"But if they can't afford it due to financial constraints, they feel indebted—and that deepens their sense of inferiority."

"If you want to be with Zhao Rongjun long-term, try to control your spending habits."

"That actually makes sense," Ren Zheng nodded beside her. "Huanhuan, you always bring us snacks—I feel bad about it."

"Is that true?" Xu Yinghuan blinked, slowly beginning to understand.

Mostly because her brother Xu Rongbin gave her a generous allowance, she'd unconsciously grown used to this level of spending.

Without anyone pointing it out, she'd thought spending like this was perfectly fine.

In truth, she'd already been very considerate of Zhao Rongjun's feelings—she just took her own habits for granted and never realized the problem they caused.

"Look, I'm not saying you shouldn't spend money," Li Luo cleared his throat and continued. "But you need to learn how to spend it."

"Guys are easy to please—whether it's your boyfriend or his roommates. Once you know the right approach, it's simple to handle them."

"Instead of spending three or four hundred all at once on a meal, save that money."

"In the cafeteria, all four of them might not even spend a hundred yuan total."

"But for guys, if their roommate's girlfriend treats them to a cafeteria meal, it's like an angel has descended."

"Just buy some candy or cookies occasionally, give them to Zhao Rongjun, and let him share them with his roommates."

"His roommates will be insanely jealous of him."

"Expenses like three or four hundred should only happen on major occasions like birthdays. Otherwise, keep single purchases under fifty yuan."

"You think you're being considerate because you're paying, and he has little allowance—but for Zhao Rongjun, this is overwhelming pressure."

Xu Yinghuan fell silent after hearing Li Luo's words, as if grasping his meaning and now reflecting deeply.

Li Luo said no more. He knew Xu Yinghuan was smart enough—if someone pointed this out, she'd figure it out herself.

Not long after.

Xu Youyu entered the classroom.

Seeing Li Luo, he strolled over and sat beside him.

At seven p. m., Minister He Hailu arrived on time—but she walked in limping.

"What happened to the minister?" Li Luo asked in confusion.

"I slipped on the stairs this morning," He Hailu said a little shyly. "So I'm late. Sorry to keep you all waiting."

"No problem, no problem."

"Sister, if your foot's hurt, just say so—we could've held the meeting online."

"Is it serious?"

"Nothing major—just a sprain." He Hailu waved her hand, then walked to the front row and called to Xu Youyu behind her. "I'll have to sit today. You'll host the meeting, Youyu."

"OK." Xu Youyu, as vice-minister, immediately stood and walked to the podium.

With experience as a high school student council president, Xu Youyu conducted the meeting smoothly, taking the meeting agenda from He Hailu and leading it calmly.

The meeting content was simple.

It was just about reviewing the past week's work, praising the high-performing members, arranging the tasks for the coming week, and casually discussing post-Bai Tuan Da Zhan team-building plans.

Although the Bai Tuan Da Zhan was primarily organized by the Student Union, certain tasks still required assistance from each college's student council.

Thus, recently, the External Relations Department of their College of Literature was assigned some minor tasks, perfect for training new members.

But Li Luo, leaning on Xu Youyu as a big tree for shade, was utterly relaxed and received no tasks at all.

Or rather, his task was to accompany Vice Minister my lord on dining, drinking, and entertainment along Tianjie.

"That concludes the meeting," Xu Youyu announced after finalizing the agenda. "He Xuejie, come with us—Li Luo drove here, so we'll give you a ride back to your dorm."

Upon hearing there was a car, He Hailu readily nodded—after all, they were all heading back to Qingxi Dormitory, perfectly along the way, and it wasn't any trouble.

Li Luo had no objection and led Xu Youyu and He Hailu toward the underground parking lot.

But as they reached B1, Li Luo pulled out his car key and pressed the unlock button; only when he saw the wooden harmonica charm tied to the key did he suddenly remember—Yan Zhusheng was still sitting in the car.

And at that moment, Xu Youyu had already arrived beside the car and opened the front passenger door.

"Huh? Why is Zhusheng here too?"

(End of Chapter)