Who Would Fall in Love After Being Reborn Chapter 21 to 30

Who Would Fall in Love After Being Reborn? by EtudeTranslations

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Chapter 21: Time to Delete Friends

TL: Etude

“Brother Jiang, let’s go get the admission notice together!”

The day after returning from the bar, Jiang Qin had just crawled out of bed when he suddenly received a QQ message from Guo Zihang.

He couldn’t help but look up at the calendar on the wall and realized that today was indeed the day to collect the admission notice. However, considering Guo Zihang’s grades, he could barely qualify for a second-tier university. Wouldn’t his notice take longer to arrive?

“Did you receive your notice too?”

“No, I’m just accompanying you, aren’t I?”

“Why are you so eager if it’s not yours?”

“You said you would take me to the foot massage place once the notices were sent out!”

Jiang Qin couldn’t help but spit at his phone in disgust, thinking to himself that this is what modern college students aspire to? Obsessing over foot massages day in and day out!

He put down his phone, got up to wash and dress, and left his house. By the time he reached the post office, Guo Zihang was already waiting at the entrance.

“Godfather, your admission notice is on the top shelf, number three, fifth from the left!”

“How do you know?”

“I already looked for it. If the staff hadn’t stopped me, I would have taken it out for you.”

“You’re really desperate to go to the foot massage city!”

Jiang Qin was impressed by Guo Zihang’s determination. If he had been this enthusiastic about his studies, or even half as much, wouldn’t Tsinghua or Peking University have been at his feet? Guo Zihang just chuckled sheepishly, not explaining himself, and followed Jiang Qin into the post office like a loyal sidekick.

The admission notice was an important document. Although there was no strict rule that it had to be collected in person, even for proxy collection, the collector had to present the identity card of the intended recipient.

Jiang Qin found his admission notice on the top shelf of rack three and then rummaged through a few more times before taking another package.

“Jiang Bro, why do you have two admission notices?”

“The other is for Feng Nanshu.”

“That’s not allowed. If it’s not for you, you need Feng Nanshu’s ID to take it.”

Jiang Qin didn’t say anything, pulling out two identity cards from his pocket and handing them to the postal worker. One was his own, and the other was Feng Nanshu’s.

Seeing this, Guo Zihang’s eyes widened like saucers, unable to believe it. Holding someone else’s ID card, how could they still be just friends?

“Jiang Bro, which university did Goddess Feng apply to?”

“The same as me, Linchuan.”

“Did she tell you?”

“No, I guessed.”

Guo Zihang wanted to ask more, but his attention was suddenly caught by a familiar figure.

She wore a denim skirt, her hair tied in a neat ponytail. It was Chu Siqi, the class beauty of Senior Year, Class 2.

“Jiang Qin, long time no see.”

Jiang Qin nodded slightly: “Long time no see.”

Chu Siqi bit her lip: “Did you also apply to Linchuan University? I’m in the Law Department. And you?”

“Who told you I applied to Linchuan University?”

“It was Wang Huiru, but don’t get me wrong. I didn’t deliberately inquire. It just came up in conversation yesterday, and I overheard it.”

Jiang Qin smiled faintly and walked out of the post office.

He actually didn’t care at all about what Chu Siqi said. He had only engaged in that brief conversation out of politeness. Being at the same university didn’t matter to him; after all, the Finance Department was in the main campus and the Law Department in the east campus. Unless they deliberately arranged to meet, there was hardly any chance of running into each other.

Seeing Jiang Qin stride away, Chu Siqi suddenly felt anxious.

She had actually arrived early, sitting in a milk tea shop across the post office. As soon as she saw Jiang Qin arrive, she immediately rushed over. All this effort was just to talk to him for a moment.

Aren’t you angry with me?

So, what if I take the initiative to talk to you?

Unexpectedly, Jiang Qin decisively turned and walked away.

So what if you have 300,000 yuan? You’re the one who likes me, not the other way around. I’ve given you a way out, yet you refuse to take it!

“Jiang Qin, do you really intend to become a stranger to me?”

“Yes, I’ve already told you the answer before.”

After hearing this, Chu Siqi clenched her teeth in anger: “Fine, then tell me, why did you choose the same university as me!”

Jiang Qin was slightly startled, suddenly remembering something he had forgotten.

Indeed, on the eve of the college entrance exam, before he had traveled back in time, his younger self had asked Chu Siqi which university she wanted to attend. She had answered Linchuan University because her father graduated from there.

After living his life again, he had forgotten many details. He only remembered Linchuan as a familiar city, completely forgetting that it was for Chu Siqi that he had chosen Linchuan University.

Damn, isn’t this just a bizarre coincidence? Crying in the middle of the night over this?

“My choice to attend Linchuan University has nothing to do with you.”

“Hmph, with your grades, you could have gone to the capital, right? You chose Linchuan University because you knew I would go there!”

Jiang Qin sighed and turned back to Chu Siqi: “The capital is too far. I didn’t want to be too far from home. Linchuan was a good choice.”

Chu Siqi’s eyes brimmed with tears, her lips bitten red: “Then let’s never contact each other again. Delete me from your QQ, right here, right now!”

“…”

“What’s wrong? Why are you silent? Don’t have the guts?” Chu Siqi said angrily, her chest heaving with emotion.

Jiang Qin took out his phone, looking somewhat guilty at Guo Zihang: “Old Guo, how do you delete a friend on the 2008 version of QQ?”

Guo Zihang was shocked, staring at him as if he were an idiot: “Godfather, you don’t know how?”

“I really don’t. Help me with it.”

“Leave it to me!”

So, Guo Zihang operated Jiang Qin’s phone and directly deleted Chu Siqi in front of her.

Seeing this, Chu Siqi burst into tears, cursing Guo Zihang as a bastard while sobbing and running away, even forgetting to pick up her admission notice.

Guo Zihang, who got scolded, was dumbfounded, thinking, how is this my fault? I just provided technical support!

Then he suddenly looked up at Jiang Qin, thinking, Godfather, you really have a ruthless heart. Did you intentionally shift the hatred onto me, playing the good guy yourself? Actually, Jiang Qin was innocent; he genuinely didn’t know how to use this old version of QQ!

“Old Jiang, you owe me a trip to the foot massage city after today!”

“Wash, I’ll wash your bare skin off!”

Jiang Qin got on his bike, taking Guo Zihang to Xinghai Road, then climbed the grand steps in front of Shuiyunjian.

However, before entering, Jiang Qin stopped, first explaining the rules and various industry jargons to Guo Zihang, so he wouldn’t embarrass himself inside.

Guo Zihang blushed and kept looking away, finally refusing to go in, raising his collar like a thief covering his face.

“Didn’t you want to go so badly?”

“Bro, I thought it was just a place for foot washing!”

“So what now?”

“Let’s not go, let’s go back!”

“Waste of space, you won’t amount to much.”

Guo Zihang looked down at his feet, full of grievance.

He really thought it was just a place for foot washing, the only difference being the service of young ladies. Before leaving, he had even scrubbed his feet three times with soap, fearing the girls would find his feet smelly. Who knew that the foot washing city was not actually about washing feet at all!Chapter 22: He Shone All Summer

TL: Etude

On August 20th, Class 2 of the senior year organized another class reunion, held at the Jinding Xuan restaurant.

Almost everyone attended, except for those who had failed their exams and were repeating the year.

Of course, there were exceptions, like Jiang Qin, who neither failed nor bothered to show up.

This time, however, whether it was Qin Zi’ang, Yu Shasha, or anyone else, no one brought up Jiang Qin in their conversations, deliberately avoiding any mention of him.

After all, why would they? He was no longer the rejected loser he once was.

Now, with tens of thousands in his hands, running a bar, and dabbling in various investments, mentioning him would only invite Guo Zihang to show off on behalf of his godfather, wouldn’t it?

“Huiru, did I hear right that Jiang Qin deleted Siqi’s QQ?” someone asked.

Wang Huiru sighed, “I asked Siqi about it, and yes, it’s true.”

Yu Shasha couldn’t help but steal a glance at Chu Siqi, “Does Siqi still not know about Feng Nanshu?”

“She doesn’t know. But don’t you dare spill it. If Siqi finds out, with her temperament, she might just confront Jiang Qin. She’s always believed Jiang Qin still likes her; she wouldn’t tolerate him liking someone else!”

“But we can’t go on like this forever. She’s bound to find out someday.”

Wang Huiru lowered her voice, “I talked to Siqi. She just has a slight crush on Jiang Qin, nothing serious. So, I think Jiang Qin was right. This crush won’t last long and will fade away soon. Maybe then, they can forget each other and turn hostility into friendship.”

Yu Shasha looked at Wang Huiru in amazement, “Huiru, you’ve never been in love, have you? You sound like a love guru.”

“Even if I haven’t eaten pork, haven’t I seen pigs run?”

“Then I’ll come to you for love advice in the future.”

Wang Huiru blushed, then sighed again, “Do you think Siqi and Jiang Qin still have a chance? I think Jiang Qin is pretty decent.”

Yu Shasha regretted even bringing it up, “I used to think Jiang Qin was just a bookworm, but who knew he was so high-profile. Remember that night at the bar? The bartenders were all calling him ‘Brother Jiang’ and bowing and scraping. He almost dazzled me. I couldn’t help but feel drawn to him.”

“So, should we try to matchmake them again?”

“It’s no use.”

“Why not?”

“You need to understand, your competition isn’t just anyone, it’s Feng Nanshu!”

Wang Huiru was somewhat defiant, “Jiang Qin said he and Feng Nanshu are just friends.”

Yu Shasha pursed her lips after hearing this, “During our three years in high school, did Feng Nanshu ever have friends? It’s not about the title. It’s about Jiang Qin being Feng Nanshu’s only one. Do you understand the value of ‘the only one’?”

“I guess you’re right…”

“But we shouldn’t worry too much. We’re about to start college. Maybe Siqi will find someone even better than Jiang Qin in no time!”

After saying this, Yu Shasha paused and exchanged a look with Wang Huiru, then they both fell silent.

Could there really be someone better than Jiang Qin in college?

Right after high school, those boys were all holed up in internet cafes all night, talking about game cards, ghost jumping, and exploiting game bugs.

And Jiang Qin?

From day one, he was into business, quietly making tens of thousands, and even capturing the aloof and sought-after Moonlight. (successfully wooing the beauty)

Suddenly, Yu Shasha and Wang Huiru felt that it wasn’t just about Chu Siqi’s future they were contemplating. Jiang Qin’s presence had not only influenced Chu Siqi but also their own views on choosing a partner.

In the future, as they stepped into university life, they couldn’t help but compare every guy they met with Jiang Qin.

When a guy talked to them about his summer, they would remember a boy who silently shone throughout the entire summer.

When they were taken to a movie, memories of watching the Olympics together in the bar, where every bartender called that boy ‘Brother Jiang’, lingered in their minds.

Even strolling through pedestrian streets reminded them of a boy who made two hundred yuan just by buying and selling an address.

Girls are sensitive and accustomed to comparisons, but such comparisons often only brought heartache.

“I’m doomed. I don’t think I’ll find a boyfriend in college.”

“Yeah, they all seem so childish.”

Yu Shasha suddenly remembered something, “Huiru, didn’t you also apply to Linchuan University?”

Wang Huiru nodded, “Siqi and I had similar grades, so we decided to keep each other company.”

“Jiang Qin is at Linchuan too. You’re doomed for your entire college life. You won’t find a boyfriend because there’ll be no harm without comparison!”

“Please, I’m in the East Campus, and Jiang Qin’s Finance Department is in the main campus. It’s a long walk even past the overbridge, so there’s no chance of running into him.”

As they chatted about various topics, the reunion gradually drew to a close.

Someone brought up past memories, and the mood in the private room suddenly turned melancholic.

Deep down, they all knew that after this summer, opportunities to gather like this would be scarce.

Everyone would have new friends, new classmates, new everything.

Even the closest of friends would inevitably drift apart after going their separate ways. It was a necessary part of growing up, saddening, yet unavoidable.

“Chen Xiuxiu!”

“I…”

“I like you, have liked you for a very long time!”

“I know it’s not the right time to confess, but I still hope you’ll be my girlfriend!”

Yang Taisong, the sports committee member, downed his drink and finally blurted out the words he’d been holding back. His loud voice startled everyone present.

Across from Yang Taisong, the girl named Chen Xiuxiu turned beet red, flustered, but eventually mustered the courage to apologetically decline.

Hearing this exchange, everyone sighed.

They had thought there might be a new couple in their class, but it ended up being unrequited. Yet, this is what made youth so precious – its fearlessness.

After the party, the classmates split into small groups. Some planned to go online together, others to wander around.

Chu Siqi, who had been quiet all night, only spoke when she was alone with Wang Huiru and Yu Shasha.

“Why didn’t Chen Xiuxiu accept Yang Taisong? There were always rumors about them in class.”

“It’s simple, she just doesn’t like him.”

“Yeah, if you don’t like someone, it’s okay to refuse. They can still be friends.”

“What about Jiang Qin? What’s wrong with him, ignoring me all summer?”

“Siqi, listen to me, forget about Jiang Qin. You don’t like him anyway.”Chapter 23: Journey to Linchuan

TL: Etude

At the end of August, early in the morning, Jiang Qin arrived at the train station with his luggage.

Under the scorching weather, the train station was bustling with people, so crowded that one could easily lose a shoe just by trying to find a spot to stand.

This kind of scene was actually quite normal, considering it was the back-to-school season.

Standing at the entrance to the station, Jiang Qin unscrewed a bottle of mineral water and took a sip, thinking to himself how lucky it was that Mrs. Yuan Youqin and Mr. Jiang Zhenghong hadn’t come to see him off. Otherwise, they surely would have been lost in the crowd, and he would have had to spend time searching for them.

Ten minutes later, Guo Zihang also arrived.

He had enrolled in Linchuan University of Science and Technology, a decent second-tier college not too far yet not too close to Linchuan University. Therefore, the two decided to travel together.

After passing through security and ticket checks, they boarded the train and found their seats.

This was Guo Zihang’s first long journey; he had never even been on a train before, so he was extremely excited, looking around restlessly.

Fortunately, the train soon started moving, and as the scenery outside the window changed, Guo Zihang gradually calmed down.

“Jiang, what do you think university life will be like?” he asked.

“University life? It’s pretty good,” replied Jiang Qin.

“?????”

Jiang Qin took off his jacket, cushioned it behind him, and leaned back, looking out the window.

The economic strength of Jizhou was not bad, but the city’s investment in infrastructure was so low that every street looked run-down, worse than some of the counties under its jurisdiction.

As the train left the station, the first sights to greet them were rural towns and villages, followed by vast, golden wheat fields and the Ji River, which encircled the entire region of Jizhou.

Strangely, Jiang Qin felt an unfamiliarity with these scenes.

Could it be that I never took a train in my previous life?

Impossible, did I walk all the way here?

But soon, he remembered. Back then, he was too busy waiting for messages from Chu Siqi on his phone to pay attention to the outside world.

Love, he thought, was something not even a dog would bother with because you never know how many beautiful sights you miss for the sake of one person.

Jiang Qin lifted his clothes to block out the sunlight from the window, planning to sleep through the rest of the journey.

At eleven in the morning, the train arrived at the station. A massive crowd of passengers disembarked and swarmed towards the exit.

Jiang Qin and Guo Zihang, side by side, pulled their suitcases into the exit hall. From there, they could see the Xinmao Building across the street, topped with a huge sign for Jin Qian Gui Business KTV.

“Jiang, where do we go now?” asked Guo Zihang.

Jiang Qin rested his hand on the handle of his suitcase. “We go our separate ways, back to our respective schools.”

Guo Zihang hesitated before speaking, “How about you come with me to a social gathering?”

“A social gathering? What’s the occasion?”

“I joined a group chat for new students at our school a few days ago. They’re organizing a social event to get to know each other. I signed up, but I’m a bit scared to go alone.”

Jiang Qin’s lips twitched, “You’re the type who’s timid in person but bold online.”

Guo Zihang coughed to hide his embarrassment, “You wouldn’t be doing anything anyway. Come with me for some moral support?”

“Well, I’ve got nothing better to do, let’s go. But you’re paying for the cab.”

“I’ll pay, no problem!”

So, they hailed a taxi at the train station and headed towards Linchuan University of Science and Technology.

Guo Zihang was extremely nervous the whole way, taking deep breaths and almost tearing his jeans with his fidgeting fingers.

Jiang Qin found it amusing, thinking there was no need to be so nervous about a social gathering; it wasn’t like he was meeting an online love interest and worried about being unattractive.

But Guo Zihang was different; he was the kind of person who couldn’t even speak up if someone stepped on his foot. In school, he needed several tries just to talk to the cafeteria lady.

Soon, the taxi arrived at the entrance of Linchuan University of Science and Technology, and Guo Zihang led Jiang Qin to a milk tea shop diagonally opposite the school.

The event they attended was described as a social gathering, but it was more like a small group meet-up. There were four girls and two boys in total, probably all ‘social terrorists’1 from the group chat.

Students in 2008 didn’t have much of a fashion sense compared to those a decade and a half later, so they appeared quite simple. The girls mostly wore pink or yellow T-shirts with complex patterns and small hair clips in their hair.

As for the two boys there, honestly, they weren’t even as pleasing to the eye as Guo Zihang.

“I’m Liang Xiao.”

“I’m Xu Qingqing.”

“…”

“I’m… Guo Zihang.”

“Jiang Qin.”

After everyone introduced themselves, a girl named Hong Yan, who came from Hang City and was best friends with Xu Qingqing, caught Jiang Qin’s attention. She didn’t mention her department or major. She was tall and fair-skinned, wearing a grey T-shirt and black denim shorts. Her well-nourished figure made her T-shirt look exceptionally snug and shapely.

Her appearance clearly stood out from the other three girls; even without makeup, she was strikingly beautiful.

Jiang Qin was aware that it was somewhat superficial to mentally rate girls based on their appearance, but first impressions often do that, especially when the differences are stark.

Of course, while the boys were admiring Hong Yan, the girls had their eyes on Jiang Qin.

“Jiang Qin, which department are you in?”

“I’m in the Computer Science department, majoring in Software Engineering. My friend here is too.”

Jiang Qin playfully slapped Guo Zihang, signaling him to speak up. You signed up for the fucking gathering. Why am I your mouthpiece the whole time?

Guo Zihang, looking as if he had just been jolted back to reality, could only stutter in agreement.

Xu Qingqing’s eyes lit up, “I’m also studying Software Engineering. Which class were you assigned to?”

“Class 2.”

“Class 2, huh. Do you have a girlfriend?”

Jiang Qin teasingly grabbed Guo Zihang: “The lady is asking you, do you have a girlfriend?”

Guo Zihang’s face turned red, “Not… not at the moment.”

“What about you, Jiang Qin?”

“Me? I love studying. I can’t go a day without it, so I don’t plan on dating in university.”

Xu Qingqing frowned slightly in dissatisfaction, “You love studying yet you’re at Linchuan University of Science and Technology? Shouldn’t you be at Linchuan University?”

Hong Yan nudged her, “Qingqing, don’t be sarcastic. Maybe he just didn’t perform well on the exams.”

“It’s fine. Everyone says that. I’m the kind who buries himself in books.”

“See, I was right,” Xu Qingqing said smugly.

Hong Yan frowned slightly, “It also means he tried his best, so he won’t have any regrets.”

Hearing this, Jiang Qin was somewhat surprised. It was rare these days to find a girl who was considerate of others’ feelings.Chapter 24: Lightly Dressed

TL: Etude

During their casual conversation, time quickly reached twelve o’clock noon.

After everyone had their fill, they called the owner over to settle the bill.

Jiang Qin was surprised to find that the other two boys weren’t the type to generously pay for others like Qin Zi’ang, only paying for their own milk tea.

Guo Zihang, however, the simpleton, was about to pay for everyone using his living expenses, but Jiang Qin stopped him.

Starting university and already playing the nice guy, especially to a few unfamiliar girls and a couple of guys, wasn’t that just foolish?

In the end, everyone obediently paid their own bill, with Jiang Qin asking the owner to round down his amount.

“Kid, the milk tea is already ten yuan, there’s no change to round off.”

“Can I pay eight yuan then?”

“Ah… okay, I guess.”

Hearing this conversation, everyone else couldn’t help but give Jiang Qin disdainful looks.

Although university students don’t have much for living expenses, they should be able to afford a cup of milk tea costing ten or twenty yuan, right?

With a snap, Jiang Qin crisply placed a brand new ten-yuan note on the table.

“No need for change, consider the remaining two yuan a tip.”

The owner was stunned, so were the students from Linchuan University of Science and Technology, but Jiang Qin just smiled.

What’s the meaning of life?

Of course, it’s to lightly dress up at any given moment, to comfort these long and boring days.

Seeing this, Hong Yan, who was sitting opposite, couldn’t help but take a serious look at Jiang Qin. She found him quite interesting. He spoke with ease and didn’t follow the usual patterns, different from other boys she had met.

The three boys next to her pondered, wondering if they could also try this clever, cost-free tactic in the future.

At around one in the afternoon, with the weather hot, the group began discussing where to go for lunch.

Jiang Qin patted Guo Zihang’s shoulder, indicating he wouldn’t be joining. He wasn’t a student of the University of Science and Technology and didn’t need to stay longer.

“You guys enjoy your meal, I need to head back to school.”

Guo Zihang panicked immediately: “Godfather, I can’t do this without you. I can’t talk to people I’ve just met.”

Jiang Qin spat in disgust: “You coward, you’re a disgrace to your godfather. I’ve helped you socialize, but do I have to help you date in the future too?”

“But… we officially start school tomorrow, what do you have this afternoon?”

“Feng Nanshu is arriving this afternoon, I need to show her around first. She’s really bad at familiarizing herself with new places,” Jiang Qin said, checking the time on his phone.

“Jiang, why do I feel like you’ve adopted a daughter?”

After hearing this, Jiang Qin paused, then agreed. Feng Nanshu was socially awkward and naturally clueless, really like a little girl who never grew up. As a man nearing his forties, it wasn’t wrong to say he was raising a girl.

So, Jiang Qin bid farewell to everyone and took a bus towards Linchuan University.

Upon arrival, he saw the familiar school gate. Calling it a gate was a bit of a stretch; it was an irregular quadrilateral structure, entirely white, with “Linchuan University” inscribed on it. It was both imposing and artistic.

Due to the start of the new term, the entrance was crowded with people. There were new students with their families, returning students, and even local merchants seizing the opportunity to sell various household items.

In short, it was chaotic.

Jiang Qin didn’t want to squeeze through the crowd, so he squatted at the bus stop, watching the female students coming and going, admiring their fair, tender legs and shapely figures.

But the next moment, he caught sight of a familiar girl, who looked at him in surprise.

“Jiang… Jiang Qin?”

“Hong Yan, you’re at Linchuan too?”

Both asked a question, looked at each other, and then everything became clear.

What a performance!

They, actually students from Linchuan University, had coincidentally met at the University of Science and Technology’s social gathering, pretending to be classmates, only to find out they truly were.

“Let’s reintroduce ourselves. Linchuan University, Law Faculty, Hong Yan.”

“Linchuan University, Finance Department, Jiang Qin.”

Hong Yan was surprised to have guessed correctly, then couldn’t help but smile: “Why didn’t you say so at the beginning? You even claimed to be from the Computer Science Department of the University of Science and Technology. Such a convincing act!”

Jiang Qin smiled slightly: “I’m too handsome, not the typical studious look. I was afraid people wouldn’t believe me.”

“Really?”

“Of course, but mainly I was there to accompany a friend. He was the main character, so I didn’t need to stand out.”

“I was thinking the same.”

Hong Yan’s eyes twinkled with a newfound curiosity and fondness for Jiang Qin. She had always had higher emotional intelligence than her peers and was good at caring for others’ feelings. This earned her many friendships but also caused her distress.

Why?

Because of her higher EQ, the actions of those around her seemed childish, especially since she was attractive and had a good figure. Many boys in high school would shout and make a scene to get her attention.

Once, while she passed the basketball court, a boy even dunked in front of her and then ‘accidentally’ threw the ball at himself.

She found these actions foolish but couldn’t outright say so. Hence, she spoke less and smiled more.

This left her feeling lonely.

But this time, she met someone whose words and actions felt comfortable to her, a rare occurrence.

Imagine if someone else had been in the tea shop?

They would likely have boasted about being from Linchuan University, seeking praise from others.

Hong Yan didn’t dislike such people but preferred to befriend those who were more stable. Jiang Qin concealing his identity hit right at her preference.

However, she was in a hurry to get back to her dormitory to settle in and didn’t have much time for chit-chat, so she took the initiative to add Jiang Qin on QQ.

“This is the first time I’ve added a boy on QQ on my own initiative. I’ve never done this before.”

“Coincidentally, this is the first time a girl has added me on QQ.”

Hong Yan smiled gently and relaxed: “I should go now. There’s a lot to do in the dormitory. Shall we chat some other time?”

Jiang Qin nodded slightly: “Sure, we’ll meet when we’re free.”

“Goodbye.”

Hong Yan waved at him and then turned to enter the East Campus gate.

Meanwhile, Jiang Qin crossed the overpass and headed towards his own campus. After much effort, he squeezed into the crowded campus, only to find it even more packed inside.

A young man seemed to have lost his girlfriend in the crowd, frantically calling out “Qi Jiayi, Qi Jiayi!”

Jiang Qin, annoyed, squeezed through to tell him: “Brother, Qi Jiayi (sounds like 7(qi) +(jia) 1(yi)) equals eight. You’re a university student, can’t you do simple math?”

Following the map included in the admission notice, Jiang Qin finally found his equally crowded dormitory building.

Upon entering, three people were already chatting. Jiang Qin, squeezed and irritable, sat down and listened, gradually getting to know them.

Zhou Chao, from Longcheng in the south, dark-skinned, and short.

Ren Ziqiang, from Dongshan, tall and skinny with some acne, but polite.

Cao Guangyu, from Hang City, dressed in branded clothes, carrying himself with an air of arrogance, even mentioning his father was a businessman during his introduction.

“And you?”

“Jiang Qin, from Jizhou. I like to do business.”

Cao Guangyu almost lost his composure. Wasn’t that basically saying he was his father?

Ren Ziqiang and Zhou Chao laughed heartily, thinking he deserved it for showing off.

Jiang Qin thought to himself, “I didn’t say anything wrong. I like doing business, what’s the issue?”Chapter 25: The Boys’ Dormitory

TL: Etude

After tidying up their dorm and cleaning up, the four boys gathered together to start a casual chat.

Since they had just met, they weren’t very familiar with each other yet, and their conversations had a somewhat serious yet nonsensical feel to them.

Zhou Chao talked about his plans to study hard, pass the civil service exam, and secure a stable government job. He dreamt of bringing his parents from the countryside to the city in their old age and hiring a nanny for them.

Ren Ziqiang expressed his ambition to join the student union to hone his skills and eventually start his own business to become a big boss.

Cao Guangyu was a bit pretentious. He claimed to be a rich second generation, attending the Finance Department to learn advanced management concepts. After graduation, he planned to take over the family business, expand it, and reach new heights of success. He even suggested that Jiang Qin and the others should join him after they graduated.

In short, each had grand ambitions, to the point where describing them as “ambitious” seemed an understatement.

“Guys, can we talk about something men are interested in?” Jiang Qin couldn’t stand the pretense any longer and bluntly shattered their facades.

There was a moment of silence before Zhou Chao suddenly grinned: “The senior sister who was registering new students at the school gate today was really pretty!”

“Right, right, that senior sister was indeed something,” Ren Ziqiang agreed enthusiastically.

“And the ones selling water cards and activating campus cards, those two senior sisters were also quite attractive!”

“Absolutely, especially the one selling water cards. Those legs, so long and fair!”

Jiang Qin laughed. This was more like it. This was a genuine boys’ dormitory conversation, where dreams and aspirations were less likely topics than girls.

Cao Guangyu looked out the window, his eyebrows slightly raised, “Women. Boring.”

“?????”

“I dated five girls in high school and got a bit tired of it. I’m more fascinated by the single life now. What about you guys? Don’t tell me you’ve never dated?”

Ren Ziqiang quickly waved his hand in denial: “I had a girlfriend in high school, but I broke up with her for the sake of studies.”

After hearing this, Zhou Chao crossed his legs: “I’ve never dated, but I had two girls chasing me. I rejected them both to focus on my studies.”

“What about you, Old Jiang?”

“I’m a lifelong solo.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means I’ve been single since birth.”

Hearing this, the other three couldn’t help but smirk, feeling secure in their position in the dorm.

Honestly, Jiang Qin was the most handsome in the dorm. Not only was he tall, but he also had fair skin and well-defined features, the type most girls adore. Yet, he had never dated.

Cao Guangyu clicked his tongue, feeling a surge of confidence. He stood taller and puffed out his chest, feeling superior.

“Old Jiang, although dating isn’t that exciting, not having a girlfriend during your student days is a regret. How about I teach you some tricks?”

“Chasing girls is actually simple. As long as you have patience and perseverance, you can generally succeed.”

“Be nice to her, buy her gifts, chat with her often, send morning and night messages, and let her get used to your presence.”

“Of course, girls won’t pay attention to you at first. You have to learn to persist. Simply put, girls are soft-hearted creatures, and once their heart melts, you’re halfway there.”

“With my wealth, it takes me about three or four months to win a girl over. It might take you longer.”

“Don’t be afraid of losing face or rejection. Seize every opportunity to invite her out for meals. Once she agrees, you’re pretty much set.”

After hearing Cao Guangyu’s ‘expertise’, Jiang Qin’s lips twitched in disdain, thinking to himself what a bunch of pathetic ideas.

Why do capricious and whimsical girls have a market? It’s because of these sycophantic guys who lack spine.

In ten years, the pattern of strong women and weak men in relationships will become almost standard. And where does this stem from? This is the root of the problem!

However, turning around, he noticed Ren Ziqiang and Zhou Chao were listening intently, even taking notes.

“???????”

Finally, Cao Guangyu ended with a mysterious smile: “The most important thing, never overestimate yourself and think a girl will take the initiative to ask you out. Girls are very reserved these days; you must make the first move to have a story.”

Just as he finished speaking, Jiang Qin’s phone began to vibrate, and it wasn’t just once.

He unlocked his screen and found messages from Wang Huiru, Hong Yan, and Feng Nanshu in his QQ list.

“Jiang Qin, we’ve arrived at the school. Are you free tonight? Want to have dinner together?”

“No, I’m busy tonight.”

“Actually, it was Siqi’s idea. She said she has something she wants to talk to you about. If you’re not busy, why not come out?”

“I really can’t tonight, I have things to do. Let’s find another time.”

Jiang Qin instinctively resisted the mention of Chu Siqi’s name. Even if he bumped into her accidentally on the road, he would pretend not to know her, let alone go out for dinner with her.

After replying to Wang Huiru’s message, Jiang Qin returned to the main interface and opened Hong Yan’s message.

“Jiang Qin, have you returned to the dorm?”

“Yes, I’m back.”

“I forgot to tell you something, it was nice meeting you.”

“Me too.”

Jiang Qin replied with just three words to Hong Yan, not placing too much importance on this fleeting encounter.

There were many girls in college, and even more boys, especially since they were on different campuses. It was likely that a chance meeting would be their last.

Jiang Qin then opened Feng Nanshu’s message.

“Jiang Qin, I’m in room 503, bed 3, building 7.”

“You’re being so specific, but it’s no use, I can’t get in there.”

“Why? I wanted to show you the mosquito net I set up.”

“Some idiot made the rule. For now, just set up your bed and rest.”

“When will you come to see me?”

“4:30, wait for me downstairs on time, and I’ll come to pick you up.”

“The people in the dorm are chatting, and I don’t know what to say.”

“Just keep smiling.”

After sending the last message, Jiang Qin noticed the other three in the dorm were looking at him seriously: “What’s up?”

Cao Guangyu looked disappointed: “I’m here sharing my dating experience with you, and you’re zoning out?”

“I’m listening. No girl will take the initiative to ask a guy out for dinner. You have to make the first move.”

“Right, understanding this means you’re halfway to success.”

Jiang Qin nodded subtly, glanced at the time, and saw it was only fifteen minutes to 4:30. He got out of bed, changed into a jacket, put on his shoes, and headed out of the dorm.

Seeing this, Cao Guangyu, Zhou Chao, and Ren Ziqiang were puzzled. They were enjoying the conversation, so why did Jiang suddenly leave without a word?

“Old Jiang, where are you going? I haven’t finished teaching you!”

“I’ll learn more when I come back. A girl asked me out for dinner.”

Cao Guangyu’s smile froze, followed by a pang in his heart. It felt like all his efforts were overshadowed by someone else.

Being asked out by a girl just after the semester started?

No, Jiang Qin must be bluffing. He was just unhappy because he couldn’t join in the conversation, so he made an excuse to leave.

Yes, that must be it. The title of the dorm’s Casanova could only belong to him!Chapter 26: Mistaken for Being Aloof Again

TL: Etude

“Military training seems to last for half a month. Have you all stocked up enough sunscreen?”

“Sunscreen is a minor issue, but we only get one set of military uniforms, without any replacements.”

“The real problem is having to wear two layers in this 36-degree weather.”

“I suggest not wearing an undershirt.”

“The material of the clothes is too rough; it hurts without an undershirt.”

“Then use adhesive bandages. I just bought a box today. Who needs some?”

“I do, I do. Just give me two.”

“I’ll take four, to make a cross.”

In dormitory building 7, room 503, five girls from different corners of the country gathered together, sharing their experiences on how to survive military training.

However, every few sentences, they would sneak a peek at the girl on bed number 3.

She was a girl who didn’t quite fit in with the group. Her features were delicate and gentle, her eyelashes long and thick, her skin was so tender it seemed it could be broken with a blow. The stuffiness of the room brought a rosy hue to her cheeks, which only added to her charming demeanor.

Moreover, she was wearing a black dress that was clearly Chanel’s new summer collection.

Among the girls, comparing with each other was a favorite pastime, even among close friends. No one wanted to be outdone, which explained the existence of the ninth wonder of the world where six girls could form 42 sister chat groups.

But in front of this girl, the other five in the room felt an overwhelming pressure.

How could someone have such a beautiful face?

And she seemed to be a young lady of high status too, why else would she have bodyguards?

With this thought, they couldn’t help but recall the scene from earlier.

At that time, two bodyguards in black suits entered the room, one carrying a suitcase and the other carrying a hot water bottle and a basin, cautioning the young lady to be careful and praising her for her hard work. They then promptly cleaned the entire dorm room.

Fan Shuling was the first to arrive and found the bathroom clogged. But before they could notify the dormitory supervisor, the bodyguards had already unclogged it.

They even tied a bow with toilet paper around the heating pipe, an absurdly ceremonial gesture.

Because of this extraordinary entrance, Feng Nanshu, the young lady with an aura, immediately added a sense of oppression to the small room 503.

It wasn’t until 4:30 in the afternoon when this young lady suddenly stood up and left the dormitory, that the five girls finally breathed a sigh of relief, feeling the pressure in their hearts lessen.

“Her name is Feng Nanshu, right? She seems so aloof.”

“Yeah, she looks hard to approach…”

“Actually, I really don’t want to share a room with such a young lady. Otherwise, wouldn’t we have to cater to her mood for four years of college?”

“Shuling, keep your voice down. She might not have gone far.”

At this moment, Feng Nanshu stood at the door, listening for a moment, then pursed her lips, her eyelashes trembling slightly. After a moment of silence, she turned and went downstairs.

By then, a dozen boys had already gathered in front of the girls’ dormitory. Some were fiddling with their phones, others idly drawing circles on the ground. Seeing Feng Nanshu coming down, they immediately swarmed over in a show of enthusiasm.

Some of the older students behaved like this, unable to find partners themselves, they got overly excited at the arrival of new students, as if aging a few years added to their allure.

Especially since Feng Nanshu was the type that left a lasting impression with just one glance, she naturally attracted a lot of attention.

“Junior sister, I’m the one who gave you directions earlier, do you remember me? Can we exchange QQ contacts?”

“Junior sister, I’m the head of the dormitory management. Let’s exchange contact information, you can come to me if you need anything!”

“I’m from the student union, do you want to join the student union, junior sister?”

“Junior sister, have you not toured the campus yet? Our university has a long history, let me show you around.”

Feng Nanshu took a step back, her brows tightly furrowed, her hands gripping the strap of her shoulder bag tightly, her eyes extremely wary.

Just then, a shadow suddenly squeezed through the crowd and quickly, yet naturally, pulled Feng Nanshu behind him.

The little rich lady, still confused, was about to break free, but relaxed immediately upon seeing the face of the person who came to her rescue.

The surrounding boys all frowned in displeasure.

“Who is this guy? Doesn’t he know the rules of first come, first served? I haven’t even gotten her QQ yet, and he’s already stepped in.”

“Want to add QQ? Come on, add mine!”

Jiang Qin pulled out his Nokia and grabbed the arm of the boy in front: “Everyone give me your contacts. Damn it, harassing a junior as soon as you enter the school, no one’s getting away with this!”

Hearing this, the boys surrounding them instantly changed their expressions and dispersed in a hurry.

“What kind of crappy seniors are you? You can’t even find partners in your first year, and you think you’re something in your second or third year? Do you think the juniors are blind and can’t see how ugly you are?”

The older students, who had just walked away, felt their dignity crushed by these words. They turned back and glared fiercely at him, but to Jiang Qin, this was nothing but a facade of strength.

“What are you looking at? I’m not changing my name or my seat. I’m Li Dazhuang, a freshman from the Foreign Trade Department. Got the guts to come to my dorm and fight me?”

Jiang Qin cursed them as cowards and then turned to look at Feng Nanshu, only to find her with downcast eyes, clearly not in high spirits.

“Why aren’t you happy?”

Feng Nanshu lifted her head with a serious expression: “It’s about the people in the dormitory. They said I’m aloof.”

Jiang Qin understood but found it strange: “Didn’t you smile?”

Feng Nanshu frowned slightly, pondering: “I did smile, a sweet one, but it’s strange. I don’t know what I did wrong.”

“Smile for me, let me see.”

“Hehe.”

Feng Nanshu blinked lightly, her delicate eyelashes lifting, her beautiful eyes reflecting the fiery red sky of dusk. Her exquisite face was gentle yet cold, making Jiang Qin slightly stunned, unable to take his eyes off her.

When he came back to his senses, he realized it was a perfect, classic example of a smile that didn’t reach the eyes, which made him a bit exasperated.

You call that sweet?

However, even though the smile wasn’t sweet, it shouldn’t have made Feng Nanshu feel isolated. She always had a slow response to the atmosphere around her. Unless her roommates were very explicit, she would not feel left out.

“Let’s do this, start from the beginning and tell me everything since you arrived at school.”

So, Feng Nanshu described her entrance to the school in her cold tone.

After hearing Feng Nanshu’s description, Jiang Qin couldn’t help but twitch his mouth, thinking that such an entrance was way too ostentatious. Bodyguards clearing the way, cleaning, and unclogging toilets – if this happened in our dormitory, Cao Guangyu would be scared to death. No wonder others think you’re aloof.

The relationships between girls are more complex than those among boys. Even the smallest grievance can fester and grow larger. Without fully understanding the situation, Jiang Qin hesitated to comment further, so he decided to find a place to talk in detail.

“Let’s go, I’ll take you out to eat.”

“What are we eating?”

Jiang Qin took a few steps out: “Why do you suddenly get energetic when it’s about food?”

Feng Nanshu didn’t respond to the question, but hurriedly followed Jiang Qin: “Can I be friends with those boys from earlier?”

“No!”

“Why?”

“Because no man is good!”

“But you’re a man too.”

“Except me.”Chapter 27: Getting Along with Roommates

TL: Etude

The pedestrian street in the university town was bustling with people, ninety percent of whom were freshmen. Their novelty and excitement were what drew them across the street to eat.

Older students, however, were different. They had grown rougher in the daily grind of university life, finding even the trip downstairs to buy a meal too troublesome, let alone venturing to the off-campus snack street.

Of course, this didn’t apply to those who were in relationships.

Those with partners would go out even if it meant breaking their legs.

Jiang Qin took Feng Nanshu to a roadside stall and ordered tomato and egg stir-fry, twice-cooked pork, sour and spicy fish, and hot and sour shredded potatoes.

Choosing dishes when eating out was always a dilemma: fear of trying new dishes and the concern over whether fancy dishes were worth it. Thus, Jiang Qin always stuck to these four dishes, a habit developed from his past life of ordering takeout as a corporate drone.

While waiting for their meal, passersby couldn’t help but stop and stare at Feng Nanshu, sitting quietly beside him, their eyes sparkling with amazement.

Some were so mesmerized they accidentally bumped into the food stalls.

Jiang Qin clicked his tongue disapprovingly.

“Serves you right for eyeing my rich friend. Why don’t you walk into the chef’s frying pan instead?”

He turned his attention back to Feng Nanshu, stacking two sets of utensils and scalding them with boiling water.

“You said you overheard your roommates talking outside the dorm. What were they saying?”

“They think I’m aloof and hard to approach. They don’t want to share a room with a ‘princess’.”

Feng Nanshu wiped her mouth, her gaze occasionally drifting towards the chef’s frying pan.

After hearing this, Jiang Qin nodded, understanding the mindset of those five girls.

Feng Nanshu, a little rich lady, was too beautiful and naturally stood out, especially with her impressive entrance flanked by bodyguards. Although her cleaning efforts seemed kind, they inadvertently created a sense of oppression in the dorm.

And this ‘princess,’ seen by her roommates as a female version of a high-and-mighty character…

She was eagerly eyeing the large black frying pan, completely unaware of her dramatic actions.

Resolving this issue perfectly was actually simple, as the girls were intimidated, not hateful. A small gesture of goodwill should suffice.

However, Feng Nanshu’s natural cluelessness made it unreliable for her to express goodwill through words. Another approach was needed.

“Jiang Qin, I want that!” she exclaimed, pointing towards a colorful cotton candy cart nearby.

“No, you don’t,” he replied, following her gaze.

Feng Nanshu swallowed hard. “Can I buy it myself?”

“That stuff is all artificial colors. Your tongue will turn colors after eating it. Be obedient, don’t eat it.”

“I’ll buy you one too. What color do you like? I like pink. How about blue for you?”

Jiang Qin struggled to maintain his composure. “Can you not try to bribe me with such childish things? I’m not going to allow it.”

Feng Nanshu quickly resumed her aloof demeanor. “Childish? You’ve ridden in a rocking car.”

“????” Jiang Qin’s eyes widened in disbelief. “You’re quick to accuse others, aren’t you? As if I, a tough guy, would ride in a rocking car if not to accompany you.”

“Jiang Qin, is there a rocking car around here?”

“Don’t even think about it.”

He shuddered at the thought of them playing on a rocking car at a crowded intersection.

While they were talking, the chef finished cooking and deftly served the dishes at their table.

Seeing the food, Feng Nanshu brightened up, no longer making unreasonable demands.

After dinner, Jiang Qin took Feng Nanshu to a supermarket. They picked up various snacks, which he divided into five bags.

“No more, no more, I can’t eat all this.”

“It’s not for you.”

Feng Nanshu was startled by Jiang Qin’s words, her face instantly falling.

Jiang Qin, oblivious to her change in expression, continued to fill the bags with sweets.

“If you’re not good at speaking, just smile more when you’re in the dorm,” he advised. “Your roommates don’t dislike you; they just find you a bit unapproachable. So, it’s up to you to show some friendliness.”

“They say the way to someone’s heart is through their stomach. Giving them these snacks will help them see you’re easy to get along with.”

Jiang Qin led her to the checkout. As they left the supermarket, he suddenly remembered Guo Zihang’s words: “Damn, I really am acting like your dad now.”

Feng Nanshu panicked slightly. “No, I already have a dad. I just want to be friends with you.”

“It’s just a metaphor!”

“Oh… You scared me.”

By the time they walked back to the university, it was night. The campus was filled with the scent of hormones, and every dark corner had couples lurking.

Jiang Qin, carrying the snack bags, walked ahead while Feng Nanshu followed in her little leather shoes, strolling under the moonlight, with the gentle breeze rustling through the willows on the left and the shimmering light on the water to the right.

Suddenly, Jiang Qin stopped walking. Feng Nanshu, unable to brake in time, bumped into his back, feeling his warmth and resilience.

Jiang Qin smirked, knowing that Feng Nanshu, with her natural airheadedness, wouldn’t realize his true intention.

Thus, he repeated this little trick several times on their way to the girls’ dormitory.

“Here, take these and make sure to share them when you get back,” he said, handing her the bags with a gentlemanly air.

“Okay,” Feng Nanshu accepted them. “Can I sneak a little for myself?”

“No.”

“Oh.”

Jiang Qin turned serious. “I’m serious. If you eat something and someone ends up without any, it could cause trouble.”

After a moment of silence, Feng Nanshu had an idea: “Can I pick one and eat five of the same kind?”

“You’re really clever,” he said, torn between praise and exasperation. He waved goodbye and walked away, leaving the dorm area under the moonlight.

After watching him leave, Feng Nanshu looked down at her chest, her eyelashes fluttering, lost in thought.

What’s so great about these? Not satisfied with just looking, now finding ways to touch.

Holding the five big bags of snacks, she went upstairs to Room 503. The girls were chatting animatedly, but the room fell silent as she entered, all eyes on her, filled with nervousness and curiosity.

Taking a deep breath, Feng Nanshu walked in, placed the bags of snacks on their desks, and bit her lip without a word.

After a pause, Fan Shuling coughed and signaled the other four girls.

“Hey, Feng Nanshu, we’re going to register at eight tomorrow. Want to join us?”

“Yeah, let’s go together. How about lunch afterward?”

Feng Nanshu smiled happily and nodded. The five roommates relaxed and quickly pulled her to sit in the middle.

The dorm room’s atmosphere warmed up, filled with the pleasant sound of laughter, though Feng Nanshu remained mostly a quiet listener.

Jiang Qin, probably concerned about her, soon sent her a QQ message asking if she had shared the snacks.

Feng Nanshu replied with a simple ‘Hmm,’ and then turned her gaze to the dark window.

She felt an indescribable flutter in her heart, similar to her previous loneliness but somehow different.Chapter 28: The Big Loser Who Bought a Symbian Phone

TL: Etude

On the first night of the school year, the campus was alive with students reveling in the novelty of their new environment.

Jiang Qin walked back to the male dormitory, pondering a question: What’s the most profitable venture to start in a university setting?

Internet cafes, supermarkets, bubble tea shops.

These seemed to be the top choices for student entrepreneurs due to low initial investment, stable profits, and ease of management.

However, the downside was clear: limited growth potential and a low ceiling for development.

As Jiang Qin strolled, he stopped in front of the campus supermarket, attracted by a poster on the door.

“University Student Forum, the professional forum used by all university students.”

He walked over, peeled the entire poster off the wall, and examined it thoughtfully.

Ding, ding, ding—

At that moment, his phone chimed. Pulling it out, he saw a pixelated penguin icon flashing in the signal bar.

“Godfather, I need your advice on how to get someone’s contact details.”

“Already targeting someone just after entering school? Not bad. Just ask boldly, it’s not like you’ll be fined for being rejected.”

“Is there a way to get contact details without asking?”

Reading Guo Zihang’s message, Jiang Qin’s lips twitched. He thought, ‘This guy is hopeless, was his mouth financed on a loan? He’s so reluctant to use it.’

But, considering Guo Zihang’s earlier address of ‘godfather’, Jiang Qin decided to patiently inquire further.

“Upperclassman or freshman? If it’s an upperclassman, don’t bother. They’ve seen it all and can see through your little tricks. If it’s a freshman, you could pretend to borrow their phone and then secretly call yourself.”

“What if it’s a fruit seller auntie at the school gate?”

“??????”

“That auntie has a baby voice. When I heard her speak, my heart wouldn’t stop racing.”

Jiang Qin was momentarily dumbfounded, then had an epiphany.

Guo Zihang had never shown interest in any girl during high school, not even giving Chu Siqi a second glance. Jiang Qin had assumed he was a late bloomer, but now, in university, this guy was finally letting loose.

However, the allure of a young auntie with a baby voice did seem intriguing.

Jiang Qin casually sent a dismissive message and headed back to his dorm.

As he entered the dorm building, a flurry of footsteps thundered from above. Six or seven students rushed down from the second floor, creating a chaotic scene.

Jiang Qin watched as he ascended, reaching the entrance to find Cao Guangyu, Zhou Chao, and Ren Ziqiang also gathered, drawn by the commotion.

“What’s going on?”

Zhou Chao spoke in a hushed tone, “New students from the Foreign Trade Department are clashing with seniors. It started because a guy named Li Dazhuang was disrespectful, provoking the upperclassmen by calling them ugly.”

Jiang Qin raised an eyebrow, “There’s actually someone named Li Dazhuang in the Foreign Trade Department?”

“Is he your friend?”

“No, not important. How’s the situation now?”

Ren Ziqiang’s eyes lit up with excitement, “Do you know why this guy is called Dazhuang? He’s literally as strong as his name suggests, his arms thicker than my thighs. Those seniors are in for a rough time. They strutted in confidently but left in a sorry state.” (Dazhuang = big muscular)

“Still fighting in university? So immature, no substance,” commented Cao Guangyu disdainfully, pulling out a full-screen phone and tapping it.

Zhou Chao and Ren Ziqiang were immediately captivated, “Holy shit! Cao, what phone is that? The screen is huge!”

Cao Guangyu proudly showed off his Nokia 5230, a new model not yet available in China, boasting about it as though he had tried all the top brand phones. “Got it for over three thousand yuan through my dad’s contacts. It’s decent, but the feel isn’t as good as my BlackBerry, and it’s a bit slow to respond. Makes a good backup phone, though.”

“Over three thousand yuan? That’s almost as much as our tuition fees! Can we take a look?”

Cao Guangyu handed the phone to Ren Ziqiang nonchalantly but couldn’t help adding, “Be careful, don’t drop it.”

Ren Ziqiang and Zhou Chao treated the phone like a treasure, almost breaking the phone in their excitement, causing Cao Guangyu visible distress. He quickly shifted his attention to Jiang Qin, who seemed uninterested in the new phone and was more focused on the ongoing situation at the Foreign Trade Department.

Feeling a bit uncomfortable with Jiang Qin’s lack of interest, Cao Guangyu tried to engage him. “Hey Jiang, don’t you want to check it out? It only has eight physical buttons and runs on Symbian. Heard of it? It’s a smartphone. I remember you have a Nokia too, the 7610 from 2005, right? That old thing’s nothing compared to the 5230.”

Jiang Qin glanced at him and dismissed the idea, “Not interested. I’ve used one with just three physical buttons, and that’s what I call a smartphone.”

“Only three buttons? Yeah, right!”

Ignoring him, Jiang Qin entered the dorm and took out the poster he had ripped off earlier, spreading it on the table. He then pulled out a Lenovo workstation – the ThinkPad W500, from his luggage. It was a 2008 model, dual-core CPU, 4GB RAM, priced at 12,600 yuan. He had bought it with the compensation money from his property demolition, knowing that internet access would be essential for starting his business.

Ren Ziqiang and Zhou Chao immediately lost interest in Cao Guangyu’s phone and crowded around Jiang Qin.

“A laptop?”

“Jiang, can it run CrossFire?”

Jiang Qin plugged in a mouse and pressed the power button, “CrossFire? I don’t know, never tried.”

Zhou Chao enviously rubbed his hands, “A laptop not used for gaming is a waste.”

“It’s a workstation, not a gaming laptop. It probably can’t handle games.”

Ren Ziqiang couldn’t resist joining in, “What about movies? Have you seen ‘The Legend of Sword and Fairy’ with Hu Ge? I missed the finale!”

Jiang Qin inserted a mobile card into a network card device, “Heard of the mobile data package? 5 yuan for 30MB. Guess how much data a TV episode uses?”

“I really haven’t looked into that.”

“At least 500MB, I’d guess. Watching an episode would cost over 100 yuan in data.”

Jiang Qin was also frustrated by this.

Although not many students had laptops in 2008, most dorms had at least one or two. However, to prevent freshmen from becoming distracted, all first-year students, except those in the Computer Science department, were not allowed internet access in their dorms.

Now he could only access the internet using a mobile card, and he had to install an app to monitor his data usage, giving him a strong sense of nostalgia.

“If you can’t game or watch movies, what’s it for?”

Cao Guangyu, feeling a bit sour, decided to call his dad and get a high-spec desktop computer, determined not to be outdone by Jiang Qin.Chapter 29: Does Your Family Own a Mine?

TL: Etude

Linchuan University’s forum was almost exactly as Jiang Qin remembered it.

The homepage was divided into four sections: Daily Chat, Campus Life, Internal Announcements, and Study Materials.

Study Materials?

Jiang Qin felt a stir in his DNA and clicked on it.

“Past Years’ Postgraduate Entrance Exam Questions and Answers”

“Complete Guide to the TOEFL Exam”

“Full Text Version of Professor Wen’s Lectures from the School of Finance and Economics”

Jiang Qin glanced over and found that it really was study material, which he found quite dull. (lol)

However, this was to be expected. The forum was jointly established by four nearby universities and was an official website. It was impossible to find content that college students would typically enjoy.

Due to the official oversight on content, the posts in the forum were dry and dull, always carrying a stodgy and serious tone.

But college students, being a youthful and vibrant group, were unlikely to use such a stodgy forum.

On his way here, Jiang Qin had already decided: he would create a website.

Targeting college students as the base users and expanding from there.

During their hormonal years, boys and girls have a strong desire for romance, so the main feature of the early stage of the website would be a confession wall.

Additionally, considering the sensitivity of college students at this age, many of whom have thoughts they don’t wish to share with acquaintances, the second feature would be an anonymous venting space.

Furthermore, to cater to interests and trends, Jiang Qin planned to create two more sections: one for Games and Anime, and the other for Fashion and Lifestyle.

For college students, life beyond classes and romance mostly revolves around animation and looking good.

As for study materials…

This section would be omitted, as he didn’t want to divert all the traffic from the official forum.

In the early days of the internet’s booming development, browsing forums was still a major online activity. Sites like Zhihu, Douban, and Weibo were almost all founded around this time.

The website Jiang Qin intended to create would focus on sharing life experiences, different from the then-popular QQ Space.

QQ Space was only visible to friends, a closed social circle, but his website would be completely open.

The method to attract traffic was also simple.

Pretend to be a female college student and post a few messages.

“Any guys here? I want to fall in love recently, who will take me home? Naturally no gag reflex (lol wtf), trained in dance, can do splits, with attached photos of female internet celebrities.”

Guaranteed, those rough men would howl and spend nights in the forum without sleep.

Attracting female college users was also simple, just by creating a few points of contention.

“Family, who understands? My boyfriend wants to go Dutch when he takes me out to eat, so disappointing.”

“Family, who understands? Falling for the same guy as my friend, should I let go?”

The forum’s initial profits would surely come from advertising. Later, it would need to catch the internet wave and find opportunities to move towards short video content.

“First, I need to buy a domain name.”

“Right, and rent a virtual space.”

Jiang Qin found a domain name marketplace and briefly browsed the prices.

Domain names were graded. The hotter the domain name, the more expensive it was. Those related to college students were too expensive, as were those linked with Tencent. Popular keywords had long been registered.

After some thought, Jiang Qin suddenly considered a question.

When exactly was the real Zhihu (a ompany) founded?

Wasn’t it about ten years later?

So, that means Zhihu doesn’t exist yet?

Heh, what a coincidence. Well, sorry, but I’ll be taking this domain name for now.

Jiang Qin took out a small box from his bag, inserted the U-key into the computer, and bought the domain name ‘zhihu’ without hesitation.

This name had a certain prestige; ‘zhihu’ (‘知乎’) in Chinese, though a homophonic pun, carried a cultural flavor, fitting well with the college student demographic.

“Old Jiang, what did you just spend three thousand yuan on?”

“I bought a domain name, planning to have some fun with a website.”

Jiang Qin then realized that the three guys behind him had been listening all along and didn’t hide anything from them.

Upon hearing his reply, Zhou Chao and Ren Ziqiang’s mouths fell open in shock. They didn’t have much concept of websites, but they knew the value of money. Their own living expenses were barely over six hundred yuan, and yet Jiang Qin had just spent three thousand yuan on something intangible. This seemed absurd to them.

Cao Guangyu’s lips twitched slightly, and after pondering for a while, he remained silent.

Even as a rich second-generation, spending three thousand yuan wasn’t something he would do lightly, as the money at home still belonged to his father, and his own living allowance was only a thousand yuan.

Comparing the two, Cao Guangyu felt that Jiang Qin seemed more like a rich econd-generation. Could it be that he was pretending to be a pig to eat a tiger?

“Old Jiang, what does your family do? How can you spend money so freely?”

“Ordinary and low-income working class.”

Ren Ziqiang was dumbfounded: “Then how much do you get for your monthly living expenses?”

Jiang Qin pulled out his wallet: “Five hundred, and after buying a train ticket, I’m left with three hundred and sixty. Hey, who wants this one-yuan coin?”

“I do, give it to me!”

Zhou Chao grabbed the coin: “Jiang, you’re really a spendthrift, but I like it.”

Jiang Qin closed his wallet: “Not a spendthrift, but coins are easy to lose in the pocket, better to give it away as a favor.”

Cao Guangyu scoffed after hearing this: “Old Zhou, you’re really shameless, excited over one yuan? Haven’t you seen money before?”

“You think I’m greedy for the one yuan, but actually, I love the national emblem on the back!”

“You son of a… you’re really good at making excuses.”

Zhou Chao proudly tucked the coin into his pocket and lay back on his bed.

Ren Ziqiang stretched lazily and yawned as he entered the bathroom.

Cao Guangyu glanced at his phone, then at Jiang Qin’s computer, his expression turning somewhat gloomy.

He had tried to show off three times today, hoping to establish his status and dignity as the leader in the dormitory, but each time, Jiang Qin had outshone him, leaving him feeling less than thrilled.

“Old Jiang, next time I try to show off, can you leave me some face?”

“Didn’t I?”

“Did you?”

“Okay, I get it. Next time, I’ll let you show off thoroughly.”

Cao Guangyu pursed his lips, uncertain whether Jiang Qin was serious or not, but at least he felt somewhat relieved and began to surf the internet on his new phone.

Meanwhile, Jiang Qin noticed a QQ message notification popping up at the bottom right of his computer. He clicked on it and found it was from Hong Yan, whom he had met the day before.

“Jiang Qin, do you have time to come out for a meal?”

“Now?”

“How about tomorrow, after registration?”

Jiang Qin leaned back in his chair, hands behind his head, pondering.

He had only met Hong Yan once and couldn’t say they were familiar, just acquaintances. Though they had said they would meet again when they had time, Jiang Qin thought it was just a polite remark. He didn’t expect that she would take it so seriously.

“Sure, let’s get in touch tomorrow?”

“Ok~”Chapter 30: Freshmen’s First Day

TL: Etude

Early the next morning, the warm morning light quietly bathed the campus.

As the alarm clock rang, Cao Guangyu, Zhou Chao, and Ren Ziqiang abruptly sat up in their beds. They were energized as if injected with adrenaline, hopping out of bed to wash their hair, shave, style their hair, change into new clothes, and groom themselves as if they were going on a blind date.

Today was the official freshmen enrollment day. Everyone in the class would gather in the classroom, and these three couldn’t wait to show off. They planned to make such an impression that all the girls in the class would be dazzled and dream only of marrying them.

At that moment, Jiang Qin also leapt out of bed.

Probably because his soul was more mature, he didn’t care much about his appearance. He simply put on a pair of brown shorts and a white shirt.

“Shall we go, guys?”

“Let’s go!”

Cao Guangyu responded and turned to leave, but his gaze froze the moment it fell on Jiang Qin.

Jiang Qin was already tall, standing at 1.8 meters, and his casual outfit made him look clean and sunny. He wasn’t necessarily handsome, but he definitely had a comfortable and appealing look.

Cao Guangyu felt a bit dejected. He had woken up half an hour early to groom himself, but he didn’t look as good as someone who had dressed casually?

“I’m a rich second generation, head to toe in branded goods. How come I’m just a backdrop in every aspect compared to him?”

“I really don’t like you, Old Jiang.”

“?????”

After a while, the four of them left together, heading to the front square of the teaching building.

Under the brilliant sunlight, the school was filled with beautiful long legs and shapely figures, exciting Cao Guangyu and the other two tremendously.

However, these three were all talk and no action. They had the courage only to admire from afar but not to approach.

Jiang Qin watched them with a sidelong glance, thinking to himself, is this it?

Talks of having had five girlfriends, dumping a first love for studies, and not accepting two pursuers until graduation were unbelievable.

After registering at the Finance Department, the four successfully found the gathering classroom of Finance Class 3.

Despite Cao Guangyu’s claims of disinterest in women, his legs turned to jelly at the sound of girls’ voices in the classroom, hesitating to enter.

“Old Jiang, you go in first.”

“Why?”

“No reason, just go in first.”

Jiang Qin saw his feigned bravery and entered the classroom without another word, immediately attracting the attention of many girls.

In the midst of their whispering, Cao Guangyu keenly caught the words “handsome guy” and instantly straightened up. He even took out his new phone, pretending to check a message.

Zhou Chao and Ren Ziqiang were no different.

Although they dared not turn their heads to look at the girls, they felt extremely handsome walking straight ahead, especially when they mistakenly thought a girl was looking at them, feeling their spines tingle with excitement.

Jiang Qin, having entered before them, took a seat in the back row by the window. He watched his three roommates, who were acting like overexcited monkeys, and couldn’t help but find it amusing.

It seemed that no matter the era, the inner dramas of college students were always incredibly rich.

“Hey, Old Cao, that’s a nice phone. How much did it cost? The latest model, right?”

“Ah…?”

Caught off guard by Jiang Qin’s question, Cao Guangyu quickly found his footing and boasted, “Yes, it’s new, cost over three thousand. My dad got it for me through an internal channel. It’s not even on the market in China yet.”

Jiang Qin’s eyes widened in surprise. “Three thousand yuan? That’s almost as much as our tuition fees!”

“It’s just a small amount. My dad runs a company, he pays salaries of several hundred thousand every month.”

Hearing their conversation, the girls in the class turned to look, then lowered their heads again, giggling among themselves.

Jiang Qin patted Cao Guangyu on the shoulder, raising an eyebrow, “How about that? Gave you a chance to show off, right?”

Cao Guangyu was over the moon, reliving the highlight of the previous moment, “Old Jiang, you’re really something. I’ll help you show off later too!”

“No, thanks. I don’t need it.”

“Why not?”

Jiang Qin chuckled, “I’m not interested in romance, but I do have a suggestion for you guys.”

Ren Ziqiang and Zhou Chao, who had also taken their seats, immediately leaned in, “What suggestion?”

“It’s better not to date someone from our class to avoid awkwardness in the future.”

“The future? Eh, we’ll deal with that when it comes,” Cao Guangyu said nonchalantly.

“I’m not talking about the future. I mean the verb ‘to date.'”

“??????”

“Forget it, if you can’t even understand that, you probably won’t find a partner anyway.”

After saying this, Jiang Qin paused, suddenly remembering something. He then stood up and quickly walked to the adjacent Finance Class 4.

Peering in through the back door, his gaze immediately locked onto Feng Nanshu, sitting on the right side towards the back. She was not alone; four or five girls surrounded her, each with a milk tea from the same shop in front of them.

Seeing this, Jiang Qin felt relieved and was about to leave when Feng Nanshu, as if sensing his presence, turned her head.

She was still her usual calm and straightforward self, then expressionlessly raised her right hand to her left cheek and made a scissors gesture.

Jiang Qin smiled and returned the gesture.

Feng Nanshu slightly frowned her delicate nose, seemingly unimpressed, and raised her other hand, making two scissors gestures.

“Nanshu, what are you doing?”

Gao Wenhui, sitting beside Feng Nanshu, quickly noticed her actions. She looked at Feng Nanshu and then followed her gaze to Jiang Qin.

After hesitating for exactly three and one-third seconds, Gao Wenhui’s eyes widened in surprise, as if she had stumbled upon a juicy piece of gossip, and excitedly tapped her friends.

“Look, Feng Nanshu’s boyfriend!”

“Where? Where’s the boyfriend?!”

“Back there, by the classroom’s rear door!”

Hearing this, all the girls in Room 503 turned their heads, but Jiang Qin had already returned to his classroom, giving them no chance to see more.

As Jiang Qin re-entered the classroom, the advisor for Finance Class 4 arrived.

He was in his forties, wearing black-framed glasses, with a square face. He first wrote his name on the blackboard – Lu Guangrong.

“My name is Lu Guangrong, you can call me Teacher Lu. If all goes well, I’ll be with you for the next four years.”

Teacher Lu began with some warm welcoming words, followed by mentioning the university regulations and the key points of military training.

These were all standard speeches for new students, so he spoke quickly without any unnecessary filler.

After finishing his speech, Lu Guangrong gave the students time to introduce themselves.

During this time, Jiang Qin was deep in thought about creating a website. He wasn’t a computer major, so while he had ideas, he lacked technical skills, and planned to outsource the website creation.

Fortunately, being in a university, there were plenty of people skilled in website development, and since most students work part-time at low costs, he could keep expenses minimal.

“That Jiang Tian girl is not bad, long and white legs.”

“I think Song Qingqing is the prettiest.”

“You don’t know anything. Song Qingqing obviously wears makeup. Without it, she can’t compare to Jiang Tian. What do you think, Old Ren?”

“I also think Song Qingqing looks good.”

“Damn, so you all like that kind of glamorous woman. No taste!”