Chapter 252: Campus Nights and Connections

Around ten at night, Xu Chen arrived at the Ganxun Building.

Fang Jun was already sitting in the lobby, waiting with half a bottle of Guojiao cradled in his arms.

His face was expressionless, like an emotionless drunk.

Seeing Xu Chen approach, Fang Jun stood up and asked:

“What’s for dinner?”

Xu Chen: “I asked around, and they say the ‘Xiao Ji Pao Mo’ across from the international student dorms is delicious!”

Fang Jun thought about it—it sounded like it would go well with drinks—so he agreed happily.

……

Twenty minutes later, a large steaming bowl of ‘Xiao Ji Pao Mo’ was set before them.

Xu Chen looked it over; it was similar to a big plate of chicken, but with a layer of steamed bread slices at the bottom.

The broth soaked everything through.

It looked appetizing, making his mouth water.

Fang Jun grabbed two small glasses and carefully poured the drinks, not wanting to spill a drop.

Xu Chen couldn’t help but smile inwardly.

Fang Jun treated liquor like a miser with treasure.

She placed a glass in front of Xu Chen, then raised her own:

“Congratulations on becoming a university student!”

Xu Chen laughed and clinked glasses with Fang Jun.

Liquor is a strange thing—at first, it just burns your throat.

But once you get used to it, the burn fades, leaving sweet, rich flavors on your tongue.

Xu Chen hadn’t drunk much liquor in his past life, but now, after a few sessions with his father and Guojiao, he was starting to appreciate it.

No wonder his father, Xu Zhiquan, loved strong-aroma liquors—they were richer and more robust than the sauce or light varieties.

His father Xu Zhiquan had once said Moutai’s benefit was that it didn’t give you a hangover—no matter how drunk you got one night, you’d be fine the next day.

But not everyone liked the unique fermented taste of sauce liquors.

Clearly, Fang Jun shared his father Xu Zhiquan’s tastes—they could drink together easily.

Xu Chen raised his glass to Fang Jun, thanking her for handling things in the office these past few days.

Fang Jun finally smiled and tossed back half her glass.

Thinking about it, Fang Jun was the most important connection.

Earlier, she’d suggested Xu Chen pay more attention to Wu Feifei.

But really, he should focus on Fang Jun more…

After all, even Wu Feifei’s father, Wu Yongming, gave Fang Jun some respect.

Sticking to the principle of keeping Fang Jun happy, Xu Chen waved over a server and ordered two more dishes to go with the drinks.

A plate of braised beef and some peanuts—perfect pairings.

Fang Jun’s eyes grew a bit hazy; she rested her chin on one hand, looking tired but happy.

……

They’d both had a bit too much.

Luckily, Fang Jun didn’t turn chatty; she just sat there grinning with her glass.

It seemed her chattiness and grinning had different triggers, but Xu Chen hadn’t figured them out yet.

Hmm…

Maybe leave that to his dad—they drank together more often.

They were both a little unsteady on their feet.

Xu Chen downed half a pot of tea to clear his head, then helped Fang Jun back toward the campus.

They stumbled along the way until he got her to the Ganxun Building.

She was still somewhat aware, pulling out her key and checking the room number.

As they went up the stairs, Xu Chen started yawning nonstop.

Once inside, he got her settled on the bed.

Everything in order, he turned to leave.

But Fang Jun mumbled groggily:

“You could sleep here too; I’m not interested in you.”

Xu Chen smiled but said nothing.

He boiled some hot water, poured half a cup, and set it by the bed.

“I’m heading back. Call if you need anything.”

Fang Jun lay on the bed without opening her eyes, just waving an arm.

……

Leaving the Ganxun Building, Xu Chen didn’t rush back to his dorm; instead, he wandered the campus to shake off the alcohol.

He also wanted to get familiar with the layout.

The Southwest Building had a shower room, but it was only for cold showers.

For hot water, he’d have to go to the school’s public bathhouse.

Xu Chen frowned—it would take some getting used to, maybe some mental prep.

It had been years since he’d been in a public bath with a bunch of guys.

……

Back in the dorm, the ‘artistic youth’ Chen Wenyi was already asleep.

Xu Chen didn’t turn on the lights; he quietly took a cold shower and climbed into bed.

……

……

The next morning, as Xu Chen chatted with Chen Wenyi, their second roommate arrived.

Hong Xiaoqiang was a dark-skinned guy with glasses and a slim build.

He seemed a bit shy and gave a simple introduction.

Chen Wenyi had a somewhat reserved personality—maybe from being an artistic type—and didn’t act too friendly.

Xu Chen, however, showed the right amount of warmth and politeness, quickly getting to know Hong Xiaoqiang.

Hong Xiaoqiang was from Zhejiang Province and getting into Tonghai University made him quite the scholar.

He had the bed next to Xu Chen’s.

While unpacking, Hong Xiaoqiang spotted Xu Chen’s laptop and said in surprise:

“Is that the latest SZ series?”

Xu Chen smiled: “My dad bought it for me; I don’t know the exact model…”

Hong Xiaoqiang reached out to touch it and said:

“This is VAIO’s newest model with high specs—it costs over twenty thousand yuan!”

This Sony laptop was a gift from his father Xu Zhiquan during a business trip to Shanghai in May.

Old Xu had insisted on getting the most expensive and best one.

Chen Wenyi, overhearing the price, looked shocked and leaned in for a closer look.

“Over twenty thousand yuan… that’s insane…”

Hong Xiaoqiang seemed to know his stuff and started explaining.

He covered the laptop’s specs, the latest Sony tech, and even went into VAIO’s history.

Xu Chen was surprised: “You’re really knowledgeable!”

Hong Xiaoqiang smiled awkwardly: “Computers are my hobby—I study hardware and teach myself programming too.”

This caught Xu Chen off guard—his dorm had a tech expert.

He thought for a moment and asked:

“Can you build websites?”

Hong Xiaoqiang seemed dismissive: “Websites are simple, no real tech challenge.”

“Though I don’t do web design, so it might look a bit plain…”

Xu Chen felt excited.

For Chenfeng Technology and Chenfeng Ice Power, he’d been thinking about a simple official site and considering hiring a company.

Now, with a tech expert in his dorm, and Sun Aimi for design, he could save on costs.

East Morning Star Advertising could use one too—to attract business and test Hong Xiaoqiang’s skills.

With that in mind, Xu Chen said:

“I have a website project; we can team up later!”

Hong Xiaoqiang: “Sure, I love that stuff—all functions are doable.”

“But as I said, design isn’t my thing, so it might be basic.”

Xu Chen: “No problem; I have a designer friend to help.”

He decided not to mention payment yet.

It was better as a ‘roommate favor’ for now; he could handle it later without awkwardness.

Hong Xiaoqiang: “What kind of site? Any specific features?”

He looked a bit hesitant: “If it’s too complex, especially with user interactions, I’ll need time to learn.”

Xu Chen knew that meant he was reliable.

“Nothing fancy—mostly for display.”

“I run a small company, and an official site would make introductions easier.”

Chen Wenyi, behind them, said in surprise:

“You actually own a company?”

Hong Xiaoqiang: “No wonder you can afford a top-spec SZ series—you’re the boss, Xu Chen…”

Xu Chen felt a bit boastful but didn’t downplay it: “It’s just a side thing…”

“Like you, I have hobbies, so I started a little company to tinker with.”

That eased the tension for his roommates a bit.

Hong Xiaoqiang: “Alright, send me detailed requirements later, and I’ll build it.”

“Get the design ready first, and I’ll set it up quickly.”

Xu Chen: “Sounds good…”

Chen Wenyi seemed uneasy: “You two are impressive—one builds websites, one runs a company…”

Xu Chen laughed: “You’re impressive too; I’ve always wanted to learn guitar, but I’m tone-deaf. Could you teach me sometime?”

Chen Wenyi perked up a little: “I’ve only been playing for half a year, but I can show you the basics—we can learn together.”

Xu Chen was just being polite; after hearing him play yesterday, he knew Chen Wenyi was still a beginner…

Xu Chen grabbed two cans of cola from his cabinet and handed them out, and they chatted more.

He was good at conversation, and soon he and Hong Xiaoqiang were on easy terms.

The three agreed to grab lunch at the West Gate’s tea restaurant.

Xu Chen had overheard students at yesterday’s meal raving about the new spot—it had good reviews.

Hong Xiaoqiang had more unpacking, so Xu Chen helped with the heavy stuff.

Compared to Chen Wenyi’s awkwardness, Hong Xiaoqiang found Xu Chen much more approachable.

……

Around noon, the last roommate for 3103 arrived.

A tall, skinny guy with sharply angled eyebrows that made him look arrogant, even a bit unfriendly…

He walked in without a greeting and went straight to his desk to unpack.

Xu Chen thought it was odd; from the dorm list, he recalled the guy’s name was Jiao Tianbo.

Chen Wenyi, though, stood up: “Hi, Jiao Tianbo…”

“I’m from Songjiang Second High School too—we went to the same high school, but you probably don’t know me.”