Chapter 5: The First Day of the Semester
Fourth Brother Liu Chunyang’s plump, round body rocked back and forth like a waddling penguin as he vividly recounted the hilarious story of his arrival at the school. Gesticulating wildly and beaming with excitement, he couldn't help but wiggle his body whenever he reached the most animated parts of his tale.
Especially when the topic turned to his experience at the volunteer service station, his chubby face quivered with the fluctuation of his emotions, as if every ounce of fat had been injected with boundless vitality and passion.
With a slightly exaggerated tone, he declared, "You guys have no idea—those seniors back then were practically a bunch of beasts! Every single one of them lost their minds the moment they laid eyes on a girl, completely devoid of human nature. I could clearly see they were all sitting around doing nothing, yet when I asked them to help me carry my luggage to the dorm, they all passed the buck and came up with all sorts of excuses to refuse. Hmph, those guys only had that pretty girl on their minds, buzzing around her and trying to curry favor!" At this, Liu Chunyang looked rather indignant, but a smug grin quickly replaced his expression as he continued, "However, hehe, fortunately your truly is handsome, dashing, and debonair. That gorgeous senior sister took one look at my exceptionally handsome face and volunteered to escort me back to the dorm herself!" As he spoke, he didn't forget to narcissistically stroke his cheek.
However, right at that moment, eldest roomate Li Jianfeng could no longer hold it in. Clutching his stomach, he burst out laughing, mercilessly mocking him between laughs, "Hahaha, I'm dying! You actually have the nerve to call yourself handsome? If you ask me, you're just a fat guy with a face full of fierce flesh. Ah... I can't take it, I'm about to puke!" With that, another round of wild laughter erupted.
"I saw with my own eyes just now that a guy brought you here!" Second Brother said with a straight face, his expression extremely serious and earnest, as if the fact he was stating allowed no doubt.
"Oh, this is so infuriating! The beautiful senior student and I were just enjoying some nice, quiet alone time together when a bunch of uninvited meddlers crashed the party and ruined everything! Those blind idiots actually went out of their way to send a senior over to pull me away, deliberately sabotaging my good fortune! Hmph, I'm so pissed off... But then again, hehehe, now that I think about it, that senior is so gorgeous! Tsk tsk tsk, that face and that figure are simply flawless! I refuse to believe that with my charm, I won't be able to win her over? She'll be mine sooner rather than later! Hahaha..." Fourth Brother said, a thoroughly wretched smile spreading across his face—a sight that made everyone shake their heads.
"Alright, alright, stop, stop! Stop daydreaming and living in a fantasy world!" Li Jianfeng waved his hands in exasperation, a wry smile plastered across his face. Watching the guy who was still endlessly rattling on about his unrealistic notions, he couldn't help speaking up to stop him once more. "Hurry up and pack your things; we're all going out to grab a bite to eat this evening."
Hearing this, Liu Chunyang grinned and nodded in agreement. "I definitely have to listen to you, seeing as you're our boss!" With that, he playfully winked at Li Jianfeng.
At this point, Li Jianfeng turned to Second Brother Guan Qiang and Third Brother Qin Yongping, smiling as he suggested, "I know there's a pedestrian street right next to the campus with tons of different restaurants. How about we head over there to eat later? It'll be a great way to celebrate!" As he spoke, he gestured with his hands, as if he could already envision the joyous scene of everyone gathered around to enjoy some good food.
Qin Yongping and Guan Qiang exchanged glances and nodded, indicating they had no objections to the proposed itinerary. Seeing this, Liu Chunyang briskly set about packing his luggage. He folded his clothes neatly, placed them into his suitcase, and arranged his books and stationery in good order.
Time flew by, and evening arrived in the blink of an eye. As the sun set, the horizon was dyed an orange-red, casting a warm and gentle glow over the entire campus. By now, the four roommates were ready to go, and they stepped out of the school gates together with brisk strides.
Following the street for a short while, they soon arrived at the bustling pedestrian street. It was shoulder-to-shoulder with crowds, the vast majority of whom were youthful, energetic students. Spotting a business opportunity, shop owners had put up signs like "Start-of-Semester Super Sale" and "Discount Carnival" to attract customers. Some stood at their doorways loudly shouting out the discounts on their goods, while others used megaphones to loop promotional messages—it was a lively scene indeed.
As they walked, Li Jianfeng's eyes suddenly lit up when he spotted a hot pot restaurant that looked pretty decent. He suggested they go in and try something new. The other three readily agreed and followed him inside. A waiter enthusiastically greeted them, led them to a small private room, and handed over the menu for them to order. After a brief discussion, the four of them finally picked out a few specialty dishes and ordered a full dozen iced beers.
Once the food and drinks were served, the four young men dug in heartily while chatting and laughing away. During the conversation, they learned that all four of them were bona fide bachelors. Regarding this topic, Guan Qiang seemed somewhat indifferent, feeling that matters of the heart should be left to nature and didn't need to be forced. Qin Yongping, on the other hand, always maintained that academics were the primary task at hand and that energy should be focused on studies, while romance could wait until later. By contrast, Li Jianfeng and Liu Chunyang hit it off immediately, ambitiously vowing to successfully shake off their single status within their four years of college. Amidst laughter and cheer, they spent a pleasant and unforgettable evening.
By the time they finished dinner, the clock had quietly ticked past half-past eight. The four of them slowly emerged from the private room, chatting and laughing in a relaxed and cheerful atmosphere. However, right at that moment, Fourth Brother, who was walking in the lead, suddenly stopped in his tracks, his eyes locked straight ahead on the right with a comical, lovesick expression on his face.
"Hey brothers, look over there! That girl in the white dress is the senior I told you guys about earlier! Oh man, I feel like my heart's about to be captured by her—I've totally fallen head over heels and there's no turning back!" Fourth Brother said, his voice trembling slightly with excitement.
Hearing Fourth Brother's words, the other three roommates followed Li Jianfeng's pointing finger. Sure enough, sitting near a table not far away was a young woman wearing a pristine white dress. Her smooth, long hair cascaded over her shoulders like a waterfall, and her slightly smiling face appeared exceptionally gentle and poised, as charming and vibrant as a flower blooming in spring. Surrounding that table were four men and four women, who seemed to be happily enjoying their meal.
Seeing this, Li Jianfeng couldn't help reaching out to gently pat Fourth Brother on the shoulder, teasing with a smile, "Hey, wake up! She is definitely gorgeous, but with the lovelorn look on your face right now, you'll be lucky if you don't scare her away!" With that, the few of them shared a laugh and continued walking forward.
"I'm going to go say hi and I'll be right back." With that, Fourth Brother dashed off like an arrow released from a bow.
"Hello, Senior! What a coincidence seeing you dining here—it really seems like we're meant to be. Thanks again for your help with the freshman enrollment today; I'm deeply grateful!"
"Oh, I remember now. It's nothing, we're all schoolmates so we should help each other out, though I didn't really do much," the beautiful senior said softly, her lips parting slightly.
"Even a drop of water in need should be repaid with a gushing spring! May I ask your name, Senior?" Fourth Brother asked, unable to contain his delight.
"Yo, who the hell is this? Trying to hit on the Chinese Department's campus belle on your very first day without even looking in a mirror to see what you look like," one of the seniors said with a sarcastic sneer.
"Hello, Senior! I'm Liu Chunyang from Class 2, Freshman Year at the Medical School," Fourth Brother said, completely ignoring the guy and continuing, "May I please have your name?"
"It's not like it's a state secret. Her name is You Wenxin—you'll find out if you ask around a bit," a girl sitting nearby answered before You Wenxin could speak.
"Alright then, I won't disturb you all any further. I hope we have the chance to meet again," Fourth Brother said with a smile as he bid them farewell and rejoined his three roommates.