Chapter 4: An Unexpected Surprise

Swish, swish, swish.

Inside the bathroom, the sound of flowing water was constant.

Outside the bathroom, phone screens lit up on three separate beds.

Sea of Stars: [By the way, why do I get the feeling that our fourth roommate is way too quiet? He hasn’t said more than ten sentences since he walked in. It’s like… he’s a puppet.]

The message had just been sent when Li Wei’s “I Am a Great Poet” avatar popped up.

[Exactly. He’s too quiet. He just sits on his bed playing on his phone. Maybe I should ask him if he wants to play Minecraft later. If he does, we can use the game to communicate more. After all, we have four years of college together, and life will definitely be easier with like-minded roommates.]

Mole’s Manor Lele Knight: [I say, you guys should stop overthinking it. Maybe he’s just shy and hasn’t adapted to the new environment yet.]

Mole’s Manor Lele Knight: [Besides, it’s pretty normal for people to have their heads buried in their phones these days. Didn’t the three of us all play on our phones during lunch?]

Sea of Stars: [True.]

I Am a Great Poet: [True.]

Suddenly, the bathroom door creaked open.

The three of them quickly disbanded the group chat. Tang Yunle swiftly flipped his phone face down on his pillow, Lin Haiyu pretended to be engrossed in watching a dancing girl on his computer, and Li Wei grabbed his bag of potato chips and stuffed a handful into his mouth, making an exaggerated “crunch” sound.

Steam, carrying the fresh scent of cedar-scented body wash, wafted out. Qin Liang stood at the doorway wearing pajamas with a polar bear print. He raised a hand to rub his eyes, his wet hair dripping down his temples.

After the pajama-clad young man had finished blow-drying his hair, Lin Haiyu extended an invitation to play games.

“Maybe next time,” Qin Liang said, turning off the hairdryer. “I need to let my parents know I’ve arrived safely first.”

He sat down at his desk, turned on his computer, and clicked on the chat window:

LifeLikeAMayflyDeathLikeFireworks: –Mom, I’ve arrived in Nanchang City. I’ve already enrolled in school and am doing well so far.

Just a few minutes after the message was sent, the profile picture on the other end blinked, and the account labeled “Mom” replied.

Mom: –Sweetheart, are you getting used to being in another province all by yourself? Do you need me to come and stay with you? How are your roommates? Are they bullying you? And what about the environment? If you’re not comfortable living there, rent a place off-campus. Our family isn’t short on money.

LifeLikeAMayflyDeathLikeFireworks: –No need, Mom. You should spend more time with Dad. I’m doing fine on my own in college. My roommates are very enthusiastic and are all good people. They even helped me with my luggage today.

Mom: –That’s good, that you’re not being bullied, sweetheart.

Mom: –By the way, sweetheart, my best friend’s cousin is a temporary teaching assistant at this school. If you run into any trouble, go find him. Here’s his phone number and name…

The young man’s ice-blue eyes silently reflected the string of messages. Qin Liang committed them to memory.

He didn’t know why, but even though he was just a patient and not a disabled person unable to care for himself, in his mother’s eyes, it was as if she was certain he couldn’t adapt to college life. Before he even boarded the plane, she had reminded him a thousand times, and after he landed, she had to arrange all sorts of connections for him.

‘Perhaps this is a mother’s love.’

The young man’s ice-blue eyes darkened slightly.

‘It’s just a pity I don’t have time to be a filial son. But thankfully, there’s still big brother.’

After saying goodbye to his mother, Qin Liang leaned back in his chair and clicked on another specially marked contact.

GentleAsAGem: –You there?

Meanwhile, Tang Yunle, who was lounging on his bed leisurely scrolling through short videos, suddenly felt his phone vibrate. A message had popped up, also from a specially marked contact, except this one had the added note “rich and foolish sugar daddy.”

GentleAsAGem: –You there?

Tang Yunle’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

‘This old perv is messaging me again. What is it this time?’

‘Wants some lewd pictures? Wants me to play games with him? Or wants to chat about something improper?’

It’s Kele, Not Leke: –Big brother, I’m here, meow~ obedient.jpg

GentleAsAGem: –Guess where I am now?

It’s Kele, Not Leke: –Doesn’t your family live in Wanqing City, big brother, meow?

GentleAsAGem: –I’m at the university campus now. mysterioussmile.jpg

‘University campus?’

‘This old perv isn’t a thirty-year-old uncle, but a college student?’

‘Is he trying to fool me?’

Tang Yunle complained inwardly, but on the surface, he silently typed. He had poured twelve-tenths of his effort into this sugar daddy. Unlike his colleagues who flirted with several at once, he focused on just one.

During the vacation after the college entrance exams, he was available for high-intensity, twenty-four-seven chats, used a voice changer to play games, practiced his fake voice, and told jokes and funny stories. He had gradually changed the other person from an initially emo teenager. And the other person did not disappoint, showering him with a lot of gold coins.

Currently, Tang Yunle was counting on this person’s gold coins to pay for his four years of college tuition and living expenses.

It’s Kele, Not Leke: –Wow~ I didn’t expect you to be a college student too, big brother. I always thought you were the tall, mature, handsome, and charismatic type of old man who could bring a sense of security just by standing in front of someone.

‘Mature? Old man? Bring a sense of security?’

Qin Liang glanced at his own sickly pale arms and the bluish veins, shaking his head slightly.

GentleAsAGem: –I’m just an ordinary person.

GentleAsAGem: –You’re a college student too, right?

It’s Kele, Not Leke: –That’s right, yo. I’m a college student too, but just a freshman. I’m not as old as you, big brother, and probably a lot shorter than you.

It’s Kele, Not Leke: –Short but big-chested, righteously.jpg

Faced with such a cute emoji, Qin Liang couldn’t help but smile.

He really wanted to tell her right away that he had also come to this school, just to see her surprised and flustered expression.

As for how he was able to so accurately find her school, it wasn’t through doxxing, but by paying attention to the address on the packages he sent.

Although she always used a Cainiao station for the address, based on big data geographical analysis and combined with her frequent boasting about her excellent college entrance exam scores during their gaming sessions, Qin Liang had locked onto this top-tier university.

GentleAsAGem: –Have you enrolled yet?

It’s Kele, Not Leke: –I have. How about you, big brother?

GentleAsAGem: –I just arrived at school today. I even met some good people. College is better than I imagined.

GentleAsAGem: –In a few days, after I’ve familiarized myself with the campus, I’ll give you a surprise.

‘A surprise?!’

Ignoring the first half of the message, Tang Yunle’s gaze fell on the second half, his eyes glowing. He nearly did a carp leap out of bed!

The last surprise was when he sang “Happy Birthday” to the other person in a female voice, and the other person had given him a big red envelope with five thousand yuan.

This time’s surprise…

‘I’m so looking forward to it!!’