Chapter 31: A New Chapter Begins: Dorm Life and First Impressions

Upon returning to the fruit store, Lin Duo immediately began concocting the so-called “miracle medicine” according to the secret recipe she had acquired. With a fruit store right at home, sourcing the ingredients was effortless.

Every morning, Lin Duo would eagerly drink a large glass of the concoction. Yet, as time flowed by, her chest remained as unyielding as ever.

Feeling profoundly swindled, Lin Duo inwardly swore never to trust another folk remedy again.

As for the remainder of the summer, Lin Duo’s days were unremarkable. She either helped out with the store’s business or spent time browsing the internet.

Yue Renhui had apparently planned a family trip, but business matters ultimately caused it to fall through.

****

The calendar finally turned to August, ushering in Nan’an City’s once-in-a-decade heatwave. The asphalt roads outside the shop were scorching enough to fry an egg, naturally deterring pedestrians.

Consequently, business at the fruit store was particularly sluggish during lunch and afternoon hours. With nothing much to do, Lin Duo simply brought down her brand-new, ultra-powerful laptop and set it up at the cashier’s counter, indulging in novels and videos.

During this period, Wang Linshu attempted to ask Lin Duo out again, but she rebuffed him with various excuses. Unwilling to give up, Wang Linshu would occasionally drop by under the pretense of buying fruit, simply to sit for a while.

Lin Duo, of course, couldn’t very well turn a customer away. Moreover, deep down, she harbored a degree of guilt towards Wang Linshu, which led her to maintain a relatively friendly demeanor.

Finally, August 13th arrived, signaling the start of a brand-new school life. Early that morning, Wu Bijuan meticulously packed Lin Duo’s bedding, toiletries, and changes of clothes into the store’s large delivery truck.

More valuable items, such as her phone and laptop, were kept close by in the cab of the truck. Naturally, Lin Duo’s backpack also contained a few inconspicuous gum boxes – a little secret known only to her.

Standing outside the truck, Wu Bijuan chattered endlessly to Lin Duo, who sat in the passenger seat. Her advice covered everything from handling roommates to dietary do’s and don’ts.

Even Lin Duo, usually so patient, began to feel her endurance wane. She gently reassured her mother, “Mom, I’ll be home after military training. It’s only two weeks, there’s no need to worry so much.”

Yue Renhui chuckled. “Old wife, you’re a bit too verbose today. It’s almost time; I should take our daughter to school early.”

Though the large truck appeared old, its performance was anything but. It overtook various vehicles along the way and arrived at the school well ahead of schedule.

Large, gilded characters adorned the school gate, proclaiming: “Nan’an Institute of Technology Affiliated High School.” As it was the freshman registration period, numerous vehicles were already parked outside, including several luxury cars costing over a million yuan, which secretly surprised Lin Duo.

Finding the registration point was easy enough; she simply followed the large crowd. After verifying her information, the academic affairs office issued a dormitory registration form and a student ID badge.

Next, she proceeded to the dormitory, filled out the registration form, and handed it to the dorm supervisor, who then directly provided the dorm key, school uniform, and military training attire.

While girls’ dormitories theoretically prohibited outsiders, the freshman registration period was an exception. Most girls had many belongings and little strength, making porters genuinely necessary.

Yue Renhui carried Lin Duo’s suitcases into her third-floor dorm room in two trips.

‘Is this what a high school dorm room looks like?’ Lin Duo’s large eyes scanned the room with curious scrutiny. The dorm was not spacious, perhaps only fifteen square meters.

Two single beds were placed side-by-side by the window, about a meter apart. The room’s layout was simple, with the main furniture consisting of two bedside tables, a two-compartment wardrobe, a large bookshelf, a round desk, and two chairs.

Oh, and a small shoe rack by the door, along with a foldable indoor drying rack. These weren’t mentioned in the dorm manual, suggesting they might have been left behind by previous senior students.

Presumably, because they had arrived quite early today, the other roommate for the double room had not yet appeared. Lin Duo took charge of making her bed, not forgetting to place the large teddy bear Gu Xuexuan had given her at the head of the bed.

Yue Renhui, meanwhile, unpacked and sorted items, connecting the power strip and laptop, arranging the various books on the bookshelf, and then hanging clothes neatly in the wardrobe.

Of course, Lin Duo had brought not only outerwear but also essential undergarments. Just as Yue Renhui reached to open the bag filled with underwear, Lin Duo rushed over, grabbed his hand, and shook her head, her face flushed with embarrassment.

“Alright, then you can put the rest in the closet yourself.” Yue Renhui stood up, smiling, and surveyed the surroundings. Finding nothing else to do, he patted Lin Duo’s shoulder.

“Well, I’ll head back to the store to handle business. You be careful here. And remember, make sure to get along well with your new roommates and classmates!”

After a reluctant farewell to her adoptive father, Lin Duo leaned against the window, gazing out at the quiet campus with a sense of bewilderment. A hint of unreality still lingered within her.

It felt like only a little over a year ago she had been a timid second-year middle school boy, constantly bullied by classmates and filled with dread for the future. Yet now, she stood in this clean, tidy girls’ dormitory, about to embark on a completely new high school life as a girl.

All of this felt like a dream to Lin Duo. She feared waking up one day and finding herself back in her old, spacious yet cold home, facing her brother’s mockery and her father’s indifferent gaze.

After standing dazed for a while, Lin Duo sat back down on the soft bed and examined the school uniform she had received today. As Nanli Affiliated High School was a key municipal school with a long history, its uniforms boasted a unique design philosophy.

For instance, different styles of clothing corresponded to varying seasonal temperatures. The summer girls’ uniform featured a preppy short-sleeved polo shirt paired with a blue and red gabardine pleated skirt.

For spring and autumn, it was a ladylike long-sleeved shirt with women’s trousers, along with a blazer option for colder weather. The winter style was similar to the spring/autumn one, simply adding a warm outer jacket.

It was said that Nanli Affiliated High School was originally founded by the British as an aristocratic school, which explained why its clothing design had always maintained an English style.

Lin Duo cradled the summer uniform, growing more fond of it with each glance. After locking the door and drawing the curtains, she eagerly changed.

The short-sleeved polo shirt was quite fitted, being a small size, which made Lin Duo’s modest chest somewhat noticeable even through her camisole. The pleated skirt, made of slightly thicker wool, had a hemline that fell just above her knees.

Lin Duo tried taking a few steps; the skirt swayed gently, and the airy feeling was quite pleasant. Soon, she put on the matching ankle socks and round-toed leather shoes, happily admiring herself in the large mirror on the wardrobe door.

With her naturally slender frame and fair skin, coupled with this beautiful and form-fitting school uniform, she truly looked like a beautiful girl who had stepped right out of an anime.

Just as Lin Duo was basking in her reflection, the sound of a key turning in the dorm room door echoed. When the door wouldn’t open, a girl’s voice called out, “Is anyone inside? Is it my new roommate?”

Lin Duo quickly went to unlock the door. Standing at the entrance was a girl accompanied by her parents. Upon seeing Lin Duo, her eyes immediately lit up. “Wow, your new school uniform is so pretty!”

The girl stood about 160 cm tall, with a single ponytail and a charming touch of baby fat on her face. Once the door was open, her parents instinctively began arranging various items, while the girl herself remained quite idle, pulling Lin Duo into conversation.

“Hi, I’m Shen Jing’an—Jing’an spelled backward. I’m from Seventeenth Junior High. So, we’re roommates now, please take care of me!”

Lin Duo promptly extended her small hand. “Hello, I’m Lin Duo. Lin from ‘woods,’ Duo from ‘many.’ It’s nice to meet you!”

After a brief chat, Lin Duo noticed that Shen Jing’an’s parents were still busy and couldn’t help but suggest, “Why don’t you go help your parents? There’s quite a lot to do.”

Shen Jing’an, however, was unconcerned. “It’s fine, they’re used to these things. This is my first time staying in a dorm, you know.”

Shen Jing’an’s father, who was currently filling the wardrobe, chuckled and interjected, “It’s no trouble, no trouble. As long as our daughter studies well, she doesn’t need to worry about these small things.”

As he spoke, Shen Jing’an’s father lifted an empty box to place it on top of the wardrobe to save space. In the process, the sleeve of his long-sleeved shirt slid down, revealing a long, ugly, centipede-like scar on his forearm.

Shen Jing’an’s father noticed Lin Duo’s gaze and smiled kindly. “I accidentally cut myself with rebar while working on a construction site when I was young. By the way, Little Jing is staying in a dorm for the first time, so she might be a bit delicate. Please bear with her.”

Lin Duo quickly waved her hand. “Uncle, you’re too kind. This is my first time in a dorm too; I hope I won’t cause your daughter any trouble.”

“Heh heh, what a polite young lady.” Shen Jing’an’s father’s smile was very gentle.

Finally, Shen Jing’an’s parents finished their tasks, offered a few more lingering instructions to their daughter, and then departed.

Once her parents left, Shen Jing’an seemed to feel a sudden surge of freedom. She moved around the small dorm room, quickly locating the air conditioning remote control and turning on the unit.

Lin Duo couldn’t help but interject, “It’s still morning; it’s not that hot. Do we really need the air conditioning?”

“The electricity bill isn’t expensive anyway, so why not use it if it’s free!” Shen Jing’an placed the remote control on her bedside table, then scrutinized Lin Duo from head to toe, praising her sincerely, “You’re really so beautiful, just like those schoolgirls in manga. Hmm, I should put on my new school uniform too; just a moment.”

She relocked the door and confirmed the curtains were drawn, then began to undress right in front of Lin Duo. Lin Duo, still possessing a sense of modesty, immediately didn’t know where to look. She spoke with a hint of unease, “Wait a moment, maybe I should step out first?”

“Why?” Shen Jing’an blinked, puzzled. “We’re all girls; changing in front of each other is fine, isn’t it? Besides, I’m not stripping completely; I still have my underwear on!”

Lin Duo couldn’t find a counter-argument for a moment, so she simply lowered her head and fiddled with her phone, trying her best not to let her gaze stray beyond the screen.

About five minutes later, Lin Duo’s peripheral vision caught sight of her roommate having changed into her uniform and starting to admire herself in the mirror. She secretly breathed a sigh of relief and looked up. Shen Jing’an’s face was quite cute, though it didn’t quite suit this style of school uniform.

Moreover, due to her slightly thicker thighs, she didn’t look as captivating in the short skirt as Lin Duo did. Shen Jing’an meticulously examined herself in the mirror and quickly realized the same issue, staring enviously at Lin Duo’s exposed legs.

“Your legs are so slender, and so fair! They’re absolutely perfect for wearing short skirts! Mine, on the other hand… the fat just loves to accumulate on my thighs.”

“Actually, you’re very cute just the way you are!” Lin Duo tried to comfort her. “Many boys actually prefer girls who are a little ‘chubby’ like you.”

“Really?” Shen Jing’an seemed particularly naive, taking such polite remarks seriously. Her attitude towards Lin Duo became even friendlier as she pulled her into a conversation about trivial matters from her junior high days. Only when she grew tired of chatting did she flop onto her bed and open her laptop.