Chapter 21: Starting School

When Gu Chuanzhou arrived at the Zhang residence, Sheng Yunjuan was the first to show off the grass-woven grasshopper Yu Xi had given her.

“I’m the very first one to receive it! You don’t have one, do you?”

“Congratulations.” Gu Chuanzhou’s expression remained indifferent as he locked eyes with Yu Xi.

Yu Xi’s heart fluttered with a sudden, inexplicable panic. He quickly lowered his head and began fidgeting with his fingers. He couldn’t tell if this feeling stemmed from guilt toward Sheng Yunjuan or a strange tension regarding Gu Chuanzhou.

Gu Chuanzhou, being quite wicked, intentionally approached him and asked, “Xi Xi, they all have one. When is it my turn?”

Yu Xi gave him a small glare. “You don’t get one.” He already got his benefits and yet he’s acting like the aggrieved party, Yu Xi thought.

A hint of a smile flashed in Gu Chuanzhou’s eyes, but he kept a straight face. “It’s okay. I don’t need one.”

Yu Xi didn’t want to play along with his act. “How did you know I was here?”

“I just had to ask around,” Gu Chuanzhou said vaguely, without specifying whom he had asked.

Yu Xi wanted to press further, but he was interrupted by August’s barking. The dog was sprinting through the yard with a whole bag of jerky in its mouth, with Zhang Xingkuo chasing hot on its heels.

“August! Put it down! You’re not allowed to eat that much!”

August ignored him, weaving through the yard and leading Zhang Xingkuo on a wild goose chase. However, as it rounded a corner, it slammed right into Gu Chuanzhou’s legs. Realizing there was an “extra” person in the house, the dog froze instantly, tucked its tail, and tried to bolt.

But with one casual glance from Gu Chuanzhou, August turned submissive. It let out a soft whine and obediently dropped the bag.

Zhang Xingkuo caught up and saw the dog’s spineless behavior. Gritting his teeth in annoyance, he gave the dog’s head a light swat. “Where’s that bravado from a moment ago? Can’t you show some backbone?”

August let out a pitiful whimper, not even daring to bark loudly, while peeking at Gu Chuanzhou’s expression like a human would. Gu Chuanzhou, however, didn’t care for the dog at all. He didn’t spare it another glance and turned back to Yu Xi.

“Xi Xi, is school starting soon?”

Yu Xi nodded. “Mhm.”

“I’ll take you there when the time comes.”

“Aren’t you busy?” Yu Xi didn’t want to trouble anyone; it was just a simple enrollment process, and he was perfectly capable of handling it alone.

Little did he know that on September 1st, everyone showed up—including Pei Wang, whose school started on the same day. Even Pei Lexin, who had planned to take a day off work, saw the bustling crowd and felt relieved enough to leave Yu Xi in their hands and head to the office.

Yu Xi gripped his backpack straps, feeling a bit overwhelmed. “Really, there didn’t need to be so many people…”

“It’s such an important day; of course we all have to see you off,” Sheng Yunjuan said, taking his backpack and handing it to Pei Wang.

A second later, Yu Xi’s suitcase and bedding were snatched by Gu Chuanzhou and Zhang Xingkuo and loaded into the trunk. Before Yu Xi could react, he was pulled into the passenger seat by Gu Chuanzhou and handed a pile of snacks for the ride.

The drive from the villa district to Peking University took less than half an hour, but because of the back-to-school rush, there was a slight traffic jam, and the school gates were swarming with people.

Three luxury cars lined up in a row were particularly eye-catching. Many student volunteers at the gate turned their heads, wondering which “young master” or “young lady” was arriving with such a grand entourage. As the group stepped out—a collection of handsome men and beautiful women with extraordinary temperaments—it looked more like a red-carpet fashion gala than a school orientation.

“Whoa, look at those rich kids…” “Are they all looking after that one guy in the middle?” “Those cars must cost tens of millions. I hate rich people!”

Walking in the middle of the group, Yu Xi felt gazes and whispers coming from every direction. He was so flustered he nearly forgot how to walk. With his ears burning red, he kept his head down and focused on the path.

However, his over-enthusiastic friends didn’t care about the high profile. They split up to take action. Gu Chuanzhou, the one most familiar with PKU, took Yu Xi to the registration point to submit documents; the Sheng sisters went to handle the campus and water cards; Zhang Xingkuo went to pick up the military training uniform; and Meng Shen found the dormitory building ahead of time.

A process that would normally take a freshman all morning was finished in less than twenty minutes.

Yu Xi was still in a daze when he was led into his dorm room. Since it was registration day, the building wasn’t strictly controlled, so his five friends took over everything inside the room as well. Yu Xi couldn’t find a single task to help with.

Watching his friends work while he sat idle made him restless. Every time he tried to help, he was shooed away. Finally, Zhang Xingkuo picked him up and firmly sat him in a chair. “Don’t cause trouble. Just sit and rest, or you’ll be tired later.”

Yu Xi, who had done absolutely nothing since entering the gates: “?”

He blinked for a long time before turning to face his two stunned roommates. He bit his lip shyly and greeted them in a small voice, “Hello.”

The two roommates snapped back to reality. “Hello, hello.” “Your family is… quite a lot. Very lively…”

The roommates were locals who had arrived a day early. The three exchanged names. Yu Xi’s hometown was quite far away, but the roommates knew of it because of its famous mangoes.

“Come, these are meeting gifts. Please take good care of our younger brother in the future,” Sheng Yunjuan said, returning from the campus store with bags of daily necessities and snacks she had bought specifically for Yu Xi’s roommates.

The two were overwhelmed by the gesture. “Thank you! This is too much, really.”

Sheng Yunjuan then suggested taking everyone out for lunch. The roommates didn’t decline and followed the group to a high-end restaurant.

After the five friends settled everything for Yu Xi, they hovered around him before leaving, bombarding him with instructions: call them whenever something happens, they’d always find time to visit or pick him up, and a long list of tips for the upcoming military training.

Sheng Yunjuan looked at Meng Shen with envy. “You’re lucky. Your school is only a few hundred meters from Xiao Xi’s. You can see him anytime.”

Having someone close by made everyone feel more at ease. Gu Chuanzhou gave the final word: “I have to go on a business trip tomorrow for an inspection. I’m not sure how long I’ll be gone. Xi Xi, take care of yourself.”

Yu Xi was taken aback. “Okay… you too.”

He stood at the entrance of the dorm building, waving goodbye. When the lively crowd left and silence returned, he felt a sudden chill. He was someone used to being alone, but the past month in the capital had been so full of warmth and happiness that it was hard to adjust to being by himself again.

This low mood peaked when he discovered a stack of cash in his drawer. Tucked inside was a note in Sheng Yunjuan’s handwriting:

We all chipped in a little bit. It’s not much per person, so don’t be afraid to spend it! Our Xiao Xi needs to buy lots of good food. Don’t lose the weight we finally managed to put on you! Take care of yourself for us!

It was a collection of everyone’s care for him. Yu Xi held the money, his nose crinkling as he felt a surge of emotion.

The two roommates walked by and saw the note. “Wow, your family really treats you well.” “My mom snuck some money into my suitcase too, just in case I refused it.” “Parents are all like that. My grandma packed a whole bag of pancakes for the road.”

One of them looked at Yu Xi. “It must be nice being a local. You can go home whenever you want. By the way, are they all your older brothers and sisters? Are they all biological?”

Yu Xi tucked the money away carefully. “No, they aren’t biological siblings. They are friends who look after me.”

This answer surprised them. They had assumed people who did this much had to be family. “Your relationship must be amazing then. They did everything for you.”

Yu Xi couldn’t help but smile, his peach-blossom eyes curving and dimples appearing. His voice carried a hint of happiness and pride: “Yes. Our relationship is very good.”

His smile left the two roommates momentarily dazed. “Yu Xi, you’re really handsome. I’ve never seen anyone as good-looking as you.” “Exactly! When you and your friends walked in, I was shocked! I thought your whole family had god-tier genes.”

Embarrassed by the praise, Yu Xi changed the subject and suggested they go explore the campus together. They agreed, and the three of them set out.

The PKU campus was massive with decades of history. The library alone could take hours to explore. As they walked down the tree-lined avenues, students often stopped them to ask for directions.

“Sorry, we’re new here too. We’re not quite sure,” Yu Xi would say apologetically. “Oh… I see. No problem, sorry to bother you,” the girls would say, walking away with blushing faces.

“Let’s go,” Yu Xi said to his roommates, only to find them looking at him with meaningful expressions. “Wh-what is it?”

“They were definitely doing that on purpose. Why did they only ask you and not us?” “I’ve gotta ask—are you in a relationship?”

Yu Xi shook his head. The two roommates sighed in unison. “It’s over. With you around, we have no chance of getting girlfriends.” “Anyone walking with us will only look at you. If I were a girl, I’d pick you too… wait, someone like Yu Xi probably appeals to both men and women, right?”

The other nodded in agreement. They asked simultaneously: “Do you like men or women?”

Yu Xi was stunned. “I… I don’t know.”

“How can you not know?”

Yu Xi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Most people don’t ask that, and I’ve never really thought about it.”

Before this, survival was his main concern. His mind had been split between working to earn money and studying hard to get into a top university to provide a better life for his mother. Romance was a luxury he couldn’t afford to contemplate.

“Think about it now.”

Yu Xi actually gave it some serious thought. “Hmm…”

Seeing that he couldn’t come up with an answer, one roommate suggested: “Your friends are all so attractive. Have you ever felt your heart race for any of them?”

Heart racing…

Inexplicably, the first image that flashed in Yu Xi’s mind was from that day in the dressing room—Gu Chuanzhou standing so close to him, and the burning heat of the man’s palm squeezing his thigh.

His heart had certainly beaten fast then, but he thought it was just nervousness and embarrassment, not romance.

So, Yu Xi gave a firm denial: “No, never.”

The two roommates looked at each other and reached a silent conclusion.

This kid hasn’t “awakened” at all.