Chapter 6: Men's Dormitory Conversations
Along the way, Fourth Brother's mouth went like a machine gun, endlessly praising You Wenxin for how stunning and captivating she was. Gesturing wildly and beaming with delight, he described her charming smile, graceful figure, and gentle, lovely temperament. The other three chimed in from time to time, nodding in agreement with his assessment of her beauty.
When they finally reached the dorm room door, before they even stepped inside, Li Jianfeng couldn't help speaking up: "I'm telling you, Fourth Brother, she's the officially recognized department belle of our major. The number of people who like her and are pursuing her could line up all the way from here to the school gates! You'd better give up on that idea early on. Besides, take a look in the mirror—have you got any self-awareness at all?"
Qin Yongping, standing nearby, chimed in as well: "Exactly. The boss makes a very fair point. A person's gotta have some self-awareness, right?"
That remark really riled Fourth Brother up. His face turned beet red, and he bounced up in agitation, shouting loudly: "Oh, come on! Why are you two so terrible at conversation? As the saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Who knows, maybe You Wenxin just happens to like my type and thinks everything about me is great! You guys totally don't get how I feel." As his emotions grew more agitated, the rolls of fat on his body shook with every tremor, as if protesting the others' disdain for his romantic prospects.
"If you ask me, that's pretty far-fetched—unless the sun starts rising from the west!" Second Brother said, rubbing his chin with a sincere expression. His eyes revealed a look of earnest conviction, as if he had already seen right through the nature of things.
"I swear, you guys... ugh, whatever! How could guys like you understand my true prowess? That's not something ordinary mortals could ever comprehend! The feeling of being invincible is truly lonely!" Fourth Brother tilted his head back, crossed his arms over his chest, and wore a smug, shameless expression as he brashly blew his own horn.
At that moment, the boss spoke up: "Tomorrow's our very first day of school. We'll get a good look around the class to see if there are any suitable girls. After all, those with the water pavilion get the moonlight first—it's a rare opportunity!" The boss's tone sounded quite steady, as if he had given the suggestion some careful thought.
"Right, right, right! Hey, I didn't think you'd finally say something human tonight! Haha!" Fourth Brother burst into loud laughter, giving the boss a thumbs-up as he chuckled.
"Should our dorm team up and play some games together?" Fourth Brother fiddled with his phone, looking up at the others with a hint of anticipation in his eyes.
Hearing this, the boss nodded without hesitation: "Sure, let's play a match!" He put down the book he had been flipping through, an excited look on his face.
Seeing this, Second Brother smiled slightly and echoed: "Count me in! It'll be a good way to relax."
Meanwhile, Qin Yongping, who had been sitting quietly in the corner reading, scratched his head somewhat sheepishly and said softly: "Um... I'm not very good at games, and I rarely play them normally. I'm afraid I'll just hold you guys back."
Fourth Brother rolled his eyes and sighed helplessly: "Oh, Third Brother, you're so out of touch with the times! Who doesn't play games to unwind every once in a while these days?"
Though a bit embarrassed, Qin Yongping stuck to his guns and smiled in explanation: "It's really not that I'm trying not to fit in, I just genuinely have no interest in games. But don't worry, you guys go ahead and play. I'm gonna go take a shower, and I'll watch you guys show off your skills when I get back." With that, he stood up, took some clean clothes out of his wardrobe, and headed toward the bathroom.
"Come on, brothers! I'm starting to build our base right now, so get yourselves ready to jump in anytime. Today's the first day of the new semester, so let's hope we don't run into any noob teammates like elementary school kids this time." The boss said full of anticipation, a desire for victory flashing in his eyes.
"Ah, Big Brother, you never know about that. After all, elementary school kids don't have to go to school at night," Fourth Brother shook his head and replied helplessly. "Still, it doesn't matter. As long as we stick together and cooperate, we don't have to fear whoever our opponents are! Room number's up, hurry up and get in everyone. As for game characters, play whatever you want and pick according to your heart's desire. Me, I'll take charge of the output role. I'll farm low-key in the early game, but you guys need to keep an eye on my surroundings. Once my power spikes in the late game, it'll be time for big brother here to cover you!"
Hearing this, Second Brother immediately chimed in: "Alright then, in that case, I'll pick a tank who can absorb damage and has a bit of crowd control. That way, I can block enemy attacks on the front lines and create more space for everyone to deal damage and shine."
At that moment, the boss quickly stated his choice: "Then I'll play the mage, focusing on crowd control to keep the enemy firmly in our grip! Heh heh, with me here, let's see how arrogant they can still be. I'll take mid lane alone."
Right then, the three of them were completely immersed in the gaming world, playing up a storm! Their eyes were glued to their phone screens, their fingers tapping rapidly, and every now and then they shouted out a few thrilling remarks.
Meanwhile, Qin Yongping had just finished his shower. Sopping wet, he grabbed a pile of dirty clothes and headed to the balcony.
However, right in the middle of doing his laundry, Li Jianfeng's deafening roar suddenly echoed from the room: "Fourth Brother, you said the late-game big brother would cover us—is this how you cover?! I gave you the signal ages ago, and you're still leisurely jungling over there? I got killed by the enemy and sent back to the fountain, and you still haven't rushed over to help!"
Faced with Li Jianfeng's fury, Fourth Brother hastily flashed an apologetic smile and said: "Oh, Big Brother, don't be mad. It was all my fault, totally a mistake this time! I promise I won't make such a rookie mistake again next time." With that, he didn't forget to gesture for mercy toward Li Jianfeng in hopes of calming his anger.
"Let it slide this time. Move faster next time!" the boss said impatiently while operating his character.
"Alright, alright, I got it! Once you crawl out of the fountain, let's launch a strong push right down the middle and catch them off guard!" Fourth Brother suggested excitedly, a hopeful gleam in his eyes.
The boss nodded slightly in agreement: "Fine, let's do it."
Just then, Qin Yongping walked over leisurely after finishing a large basin of laundry. He looked curiously at the three guys glued to their screens, the corners of his mouth turning up involuntarily. On the game screen, as the boss's character revived from the fountain, the four of them quickly regrouped and launched a fierce attack toward the enemy's mid lane.
Yet the unexpected happened. During this seemingly foolproof mid-lane push, the enemy had already prepared for it and instantly launched a counterattack. For a moment, skills flew everywhere, special effects flashed, and the scene descended into utter chaos. Before long, their team suffered a complete wipeout.
Li Jianfeng complained with a depressed expression: "Second Brother and I both played pretty well. We had damage when we needed it and crowd control when we needed it. It's just Fourth Brother here—his farming was way too slow, which left our overall combat power lacking and let them easily turn the tables on us!" With that, he shot Fourth Brother a fierce glare.
"This round, I'm like a frost-bitten eggplant—my form's completely off, but I definitely won't be like this next time..." Fourth Brother explained with a look of vexation. And just like that, the first night of the semester passed in the blink of an eye.