Chapter 250: Dorm Life Beginnings

August 31st, registration day.

The day before, Xu Chen had drunk a lot too, and when he opened his eyes, it was already noon at 12.

The hangover felt awful, but his young body held up well. He got up, took a hot shower, and felt completely awake again.

After freshening up, he headed downstairs to check out of the room.

Following the instructions, registration started at the dorms. Today, he’d handle check-in and pick up various daily necessities.

Tomorrow was college reporting day, and the day after that, classes would officially begin.

Some majors in the college already had their course schedules out, but first- and second-year students had plenty of general university courses they could choose freely.

Xu Chen had skimmed through them in the office yesterday. Basically, any college’s general courses were open, even things like medicine, architecture, sculpture, calligraphy, golf, and all sorts of odds and ends.

Xu Chen found it refreshing. His previous life’s third-tier university didn’t have such a free academic atmosphere.

No rush on selecting courses; he could sort it out within the next week.

Tonghai University had a special feature: whether undergraduate or graduate, everyone had fixed physical education classes every week.

On top of that, there were mandatory morning runs every week.

Each semester, you had to ‘check in’ and hit the required number of morning runs, or it could affect your credits and graduation.

Alright then…

He’d just think of it as improving his physical fitness.

It was perfect to do with Bing Ge, since being around him was intense pressure— at least he needed to keep up with Bing’s physical pace.

…

Leaving the Ganxun Building, it was past noon, but he didn’t feel like eating.

Downstairs, there was a campus mobile food stall with things like Guangdong-style stew, buns, and soy milk.

Xu Chen grabbed some Guangdong-style stew and ate it on the way to the dorm.

Today and tomorrow were registration days, but the campus was already buzzing with plenty of new students coming and going.

They lugged big and small bags of luggage, faces full of excitement, and many had parents tagging along.

Xu Chen felt fresh and excited too, but with his mental age and experiences, he stayed pretty calm and casual.

He lined up at the registration desk.

Luckily, it moved fast, and Xu Chen finished his paperwork quickly.

He picked up some materials and keys, then headed to the dorm.

He could get bedding and sheets directly from the school, but he’d wait for Zhao Feng and Fang Tao to arrive and grab them together.

Now that he was like ‘Young Master Xu,’ he’d let his two little brothers handle some of the heavy lifting.

…

Soon, he arrived at the base of Southwest Building.

On the vast lawn stood a lush pine tree.

Xu Chen stood under the pine tree and looked up. Southwest Building was only three stories tall, with a retro style that made it look like an old building.

It was surrounded by a row of tall cedar trees.

As students passed by, he overheard some chatter:

“I just heard from a senior that Southwest Building is the best dorm on campus…”

“It’s one of the original ones, full of history, and all the facilities are well-maintained!”

Xu Chen smiled, realizing he’d gotten lucky with a great dorm building.

With that, he headed upstairs, wondering if he was the first to arrive in the room.

…

Stepping through the dorm entrance, he felt a cool rush of air.

September in Shanghai was still hot, so the coolness inside the dorm felt comfortable and pleasant.

He wandered up the wide hallway to the third floor.

He learned that the first and second floors housed second-year students, while the third was for first-years.

Many new students were already setting up in their rooms.

Room 3103.

The door was open— had a roommate beaten him there?

Xu Chen reached the doorway and saw two young men inside the room.

He knocked and walked in.

“Hi, I’m your roommate,” Xu Chen greeted politely.

The two young men in the room: one had long bangs, a slim build, wore a loose white T-shirt, and gave off a ‘artsy’ vibe.

The other wore a floral shirt, had dark skin, wasn’t tall but was stocky, and his style reminded Xu Chen a bit of Zhao Feng.

Xu Chen was surprised to find such ‘characters’ as classmates in a university dorm.

The artsy one smiled and stood up, saying:

“Hi, I’m your roommate. I’m Chen Wenyi.”

True to his name.

Glancing back, Xu Chen saw a wooden guitar by Chen Wenyi’s desk.

Yeah… definitely artsy.

Xu Chen had seen Chen Wenyi’s name on the roommate list before.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Xu Chen.”

Chen Wenyi: “Where are you from?”

Xu Chen: “Shandong Province…”

Chen Wenyi: “Oh, I’m from Hubei Province, but I went to high school in Shanghai.”

They chatted for a bit to get acquainted, but Xu Chen found it odd that the guy in the floral shirt inside didn’t introduce himself.

Chen Wenyi glanced over and said:

“That’s my buddy, Chen Long… Long Ge.”

Xu Chen nodded politely and smiled at ‘Long Ge’.

Chen Long didn’t respond; he just lit a cigarette and smoked quietly.

Xu Chen was a bit puzzled but didn’t dwell on it.

He figured Chen Long probably wasn’t a student here and had just come to help Chen Wenyi move in.

But the two looked quite different, at least they didn’t seem like the type to hang out together…

Xu Chen checked the beds; his was number three, inside.

It was a bunk bed setup.

The top was for sleeping, the bottom had a study desk, chair, and a small cabinet.

As Fang Jun had said, the mattress was 1.5 meters wide— a clear step up from the 1.2-meter ones in high school dorms.

Xu Chen went to his bed but saw that his desk and chair were piled with miscellaneous items and books.

He looked around and realized they were Chen Wenyi’s.

Chen Wenyi was tidying his own spot and seemed not to notice.

Xu Chen said gently:

“Chen Wenyi, are these your things?”

Chen Wenyi turned and glanced:

“Oh… sorry about that. I’ll get them in a bit. Long Ge just piled them there since there was no space.”

Xu Chen frowned slightly…

The kid’s social skills were a bit lacking; normally, he’d clear them right away.

But Xu Chen didn’t mind and said:

“That’s fine. I’ll head to the information hall to get my campus card and come back later.”

He implied that Chen Wenyi should clear them before he returned…

Chen Wenyi smiled and agreed, not saying more.

Xu Chen grabbed his bag and went downstairs.

…

…

Chen Wenyi put down what he was holding and went to tidy up.

But Chen Long, smoking nearby, said:

“Why bother tidying? Leave it there!”

Chen Wenyi: “Long Ge… we’re in the same room. I don’t want to start off on bad terms.”

Chen Long: “What do you know? Freshman year is all about establishing dominance!

With your meek personality, if you don’t set the tone now, people will walk all over you for four years!”

Chen Wenyi looked embarrassed:

“Ge… this is a top university. Students here are well-behaved; it’s not like what you think.”

Chen Long narrowed his eyes with a mocking smile:

“Oh yeah? Got into a good school and now you’re too big for your boots, huh?”

Chen Wenyi:

“Long Ge… that’s not what I meant.”

Chen Long stubbed out his cigarette on the floor:

“Listen to me— it’s for your own good! You wanted to make a statement, that’s why you called me.

Leave the stuff there. When he comes back, make him tidy it for you.

Having a little follower in your room will help you make your mark here.”

Chen Wenyi frowned, looking troubled, but he seemed wary of Chen Long.

…

…

Xu Chen strolled downstairs and made his way to the information services hall.

After crossing half the campus, he felt a bit tired on his feet.

Maybe he should consider getting a second-hand bike to ride around.

Too bad in 2006, there weren’t things like electric scooters…

He quickly got a campus card and loaded 3,000 yuan on it.

Eating, showering, and buying stuff on campus wouldn’t cost much; 3,000 should last a while.

He wandered back to the southwest area; the round trip took about half an hour.

Across from Southwest Building was an ‘educational store’.

He bought some toiletries like toothbrushes, toothpaste, towels, and tissues, then carried the big bag out.

Reaching the dorm downstairs, he saw Zhao Feng and Fang Tao had arrived.

They’d hauled the mattress over and were sweating buckets in the heat.

“Xu Chen!” they called out.

“You guys worked hard! Hang on a second…”

He went to the vending machine and bought two bottles of cold water, handing them over.

The brothers grinned, twisted off the caps, and chugged them down.

Xu Chen picked up the bedding from the school.

He gave it a squeeze; the quality was pretty basic…

The school had to consider different economic backgrounds, so they bought in bulk with cost in mind.

Xu Chen tried to carry the bedding, but Zhao Feng snatched it up.

“I’ll handle it, Xu Chen!”

Zhao Feng was burly and strong; he lifted the mattress with Fang Tao in one hand and the bedding in the other without breaking a sweat.

Xu Chen smiled and led them upstairs.

Luckily, the floors weren’t high, and they reached quickly.

…

Pushing the door open, Chen Wenyi and Chen Long were still in the room.

Xu Chen pointed to the bed inside, number three, and said to Zhao Feng and Fang Tao:

“Put it over there!”

“Got it, Xu Chen! We’ll set up your bed!” Zhao Feng said with a grin.

Xu Chen smiled and greeted Chen Wenyi.

Chen Wenyi gave an awkward smile.

Especially when he saw Zhao Feng and Fang Tao come in, his face turned a bit odd.

Chen Long, in his floral shirt, also changed expression when he saw the beefy Zhao Feng.

Zhao Feng carried the mattress to bed three and noticed Chen Long.

He paused, realizing this floral-shirt guy with a cigarette was from the same world as him.

Zhao Feng played it cool and just smiled briefly.

He set the bedding on the table first, then hoisted the heavy mattress up and placed it on the bed.

He tore off the plastic wrap in one go.

“Xu Chen, are these things on the table yours?”

Zhao Feng glanced down and asked.

Xu Chen walked over and frowned.

Chen Wenyi’s stuff was still on his table; it had been half an hour, and he hadn’t touched it.

But Xu Chen didn’t overthink it and turned with a smile:

“Chen Wenyi, mind clearing your things? I need to put stuff here…”

Chen Wenyi gave an embarrassed laugh and glanced at Chen Long sitting there.

Chen Long, cigarette in mouth, finally stood up.

Without a word, Zhao Feng looked at Xu Chen.

Xu Chen glanced at Chen Wenyi; though he didn’t fully get it, he sensed the weird vibe.

Zhao Feng seemed more perceptive; he licked his dry lips.

He figured out that this ‘floral shirt’ guy was like him and guessed the situation.

“Xu Chen, why don’t you step out for a bit? I’ll handle this.”

Xu Chen thought for a moment and said:

“Alright, I’ll go to the bathroom. Chen Wenyi, get your stuff sorted quick.

Don’t make my brothers wait around…”

With that, Xu Chen left without another word.

Just as he reached the door, he heard a loud ‘bang’ inside, like something hitting the floor.

He ignored it and headed downstairs.

He felt utterly speechless.

His idealized view of a top university and its students had cracked a little right in the dorm.

…

He wandered around downstairs and bought a cold soda to quench his thirst.

Figuring enough time had passed, he went back up.

Entering room 3103, he saw Zhao Feng lounging with his legs crossed, cigarette in mouth.

Fang Tao stood behind him…

Chen Wenyi and Chen Long were frantically tidying up.

As soon as Xu Chen walked in, Zhao Feng jumped up:

“Hang on a sec, Xu Chen.”

Xu Chen smiled: “No rush.”

Chen Long, holding items, muttered lowly:

“Just a moment, Xu Chen… we’ll have it cleared soon.”

Chen Wenyi said nothing, his fair face flushed with embarrassment.

Xu Chen felt another wave of speechlessness.

He didn’t bother with them and sat by Zhao Feng, chatting casually.

Talking about last night’s drinking, Zhao Feng laughed:

“I never saw Teacher Fang drink that much; he turned into a different person.”

Xu Chen looked at Zhao Feng and Fang Tao:

“You two can really hold your liquor. Next time there’s a party, you can cover for me.”

Zhao Feng grinned:

“Rui Ge’s the real pro, but he quit drinking since he drives for President Xu.”

Xu Chen thought: “What about Bing Ge? Can she handle it?”

He remembered seeing Xie Bingran drink beer back when she wasn’t officially on the sports team yet.

Zhao Feng pondered:

“Never seen Bing Ge drunk.

But she’s controlled; she stops when she’s had enough.

The guys are all a bit scared of her, so they don’t push drinks on her.”

Fang Tao: “Too bad Bing Ge won’t get to Shanghai until mid-September. Missed the chance to meet her.”

Xu Chen smiled: “When we get back, I’ll set up another gathering for you.”

…

The three chatted idly while Chen Long and Chen Wenyi’s faces grew darker.

Especially ‘Long Ge,’ who probably came to throw his weight around and help his buddy establish dominance, but ended up clashing with Zhao Feng.

From their talk of ‘Bing Ge’ and ‘Rui Ge’…

They were way out of their league.