CH 4

Chapter 4: Do you like him?

At eleven o’clock during the night, Xu Sui was lying on the bed. While she was looking at the course syllabus for the next day, a senior sister came to check the dorms. There were only two people in the dorm, her and Liang Shuang. Xu Sui’s other roommate, Bai Yuyue, has not yet returned.

From the first day she moved in, Bai Yuyue proclaimed her space in the room while emphasizing the fact that she likes things to be neat and clean. She told both Xu Sui and Liang Shuang to not put their things in her space or even touch her things.

Liang Shuang criticized Bai Yuyue about that, but other than that, they didn’t have any problems with each other. After all, she was still their classmate, so it was better to stay on good terms.

When the senior sister came to check their dorm, Liang Shuang pretended to be surprised: “Ah! I almost forgot, our professor had to talk to her, so she got called over. She’ll probably be back in a while, is that alright? I’ll ask her to go see you when she comes back.”

“That’s fine. You guys should go to sleep early then,” the senior sister said.

After sending off the senior sister, Liang Shuang sighed: “Bai Yuyue is so bold. It’s so late, and she still hasn’t come back from her date.”

Xu Sui put down the phone, and the scene of her roommate and Zhou Jingze being intimate in the evening appeared in her mind. She lowered her eyelashes: “She should be back soon.”

Xu Sui, who looked at the empty bed across from her, didn’t want to continue discussing this topic and said: “I heard our new roommate is coming tomorrow.”

Xu Sui signed up late for the dormitory, so she was assigned to the same dorm as them. One of the beds was also currently vacant. It was said that the student took a month of sick leave and will arrive tomorrow.

“I heard that she’s from the Department of Animal Medicine. How great is it to save small animals? If I had known about that major, I would’ve chosen it. Majoring in clinical medicine is so hard and stressful!” Liang Shuang complained. “It’s been only about a month, and I’m already starting to bald! I’m afraid that by the time I graduate, I’ll become a bald guy.”

“Then… I’ll give you a hair tonic?” Xu Sui asked tentatively.

“En en, kamsahamnida (감사합니다-thank you)!” Liang Shuang gestured to Xu Sui with a heart pose.

Xu Sui laughed out loud, her upsetting mood diminishing a little. At the time the two were chatting, Bai Yuyue pushed open the door. Liang Shuang told her about the dorm check, and Bai Yuyue thanked Liang Shuang.

The next day, their new roommate arrived, with two boys with large and small luggage following behind. The girl was wearing sunglasses and a designer dress.

When the two boys behind her were about to follow in, the new roommate shook her index finger and said in a serious tone: “Do you think the girl’s dorm is where you guys can come in?”

The two boys became stiff when they heard the words, and they didn’t enter or leave. The girl took out a few bills from her purse and handed them to them, casually instructing: “Just leave it at the door.”

“Okay, Miss Hu, we’ll go in first.”

There was only Xu Sui in the dorm room, who was reading a book. After hearing the sound, she closed the book and walked over: “I’ll help you.”

After moving in the luggage, the new roommate took off her sunglasses and introduced herself: “Hello, I am Hu Xixi from the Animal Medicine Class 3. You can call me Xixi.”

Xu Sui was then able to see her appearance. The girl had bangs, big eyes, and baby fat on her cheeks. Although she was somewhat chubby, she looked lively and cute.

“Clinical Medicine Class 1, Xu Sui. You can call me anything you want,” Xu Sui said.

It was the first time Hu Xixi had left home and lived on campus, so she had trouble organizing things and making a bed. When the sheet was finally tucked in, she somehow got under the bedsheets. Hu Xixi was cursing while tucking in the sheets, but she still did not succeed.

Xu Sui was a little bit dumbfounded and patted her forehead: “I’ll help you.”

After tucking in the sheets and helping her make the bed, it became neat. When they finally finished unpacking, Xu Sui accompanied her new roommate to register for the campus card and buy daily necessities.

She didn’t complain a word during the whole process, and Hu Xixi instantly wanted to become friends with her. She was someone who looked well-behaved but also very orderly.

Eventually, Hu Xixi became a close friend to Xu Sui. She was even willing to share rare photos of her idols with Xu Sui.

Xu Sui also liked Hu Xixi, who was cheerful and cute. The two of them became best friends.

On Friday, Xu Sui and Liang Shuang were eating their meal in the second canteen. She was worried about Hu Xixi, who had not eaten yet, so she sent a message asking her what she wanted to eat, planning to help her pack something back.

After sending the message, Xu Sui put down her phone and turned her attention back to eating. After a while, Liang Shuang was a little excited and nudged her elbow, lowering her voice: “Look, it’s Bai Yuyue’s boyfriend, Zhou Jingze.”

Xu Sui froze for a moment and looked up. There were a lot of people in the cafeteria, but Xu Sui recognized him with just a glance. Bai Yuyue’s boyfriend was accompanying her in line. After Bai Yuyue got her meal, she turned around with the silver plate.

The boy was on her left, with his hands in his pockets, in a casual posture. Bai Yuyue raised her head to speak to him from time to time. Her eyes were as bright as stars when she looked at him. The boy lowered her head, and the corner of her mouth turned up in a small smile.

Suddenly, someone bumped into Bai Yuyue’s shoulders and almost hit her. Zhou Jingze quickly lifted his hand and gently grabbed her shoulders. He frowned and told her to be careful next time.

Xu Sui’s stomach began to feel unwell, and she didn’t feel like eating anything. She then lowered her eyes and poked on the tasteless rice.

Bai Yuyue and Zhou Jingze sat down in a few seats in front of them, so Xu Sui could only see his profile.

Zhou Jingze was very attractive that after only sitting for a while, he attracted the attention of passers-by. Liang Shuang looked and sighed: “Look, a trace of a smile appeared on Bai Yuyue’s face, but it makes sense. If I found a boyfriend who looks that attractive and outstanding, I would be over the moon.“

“It’s the first time I saw Zhou Jingze today. I heard that he also changes his girlfriend very quickly. The shortest he stayed with someone was less than one month, and the longest was no more than three months. Do you want to guess how long he will stay with Bai Yuyue?” Liang Shuang asked with a look of gossip while placing some beans on her plate.

“How do you know his name is Zhou Jingze?” Xu Sui didn’t want to guess, so she casually asked a question.

“Of course! Didn’t I say I want to find a pilot to be my boyfriend? I’ve been looking at the Jingbei University forum for a long time, so I’ve acquired some information about the good-looking students there. In addition, with Bai Yuyue’s high-profile personality, who doesn’t know that she’s dating an attractive and impressive guy,” Liang Shuang tapped on her plate with a pair of chopsticks like a storyteller, “Would you like to listen to more gossip?”

Xu Sui smiled and didn’t reply.

“Zhou Jingze, a handsome man, height 185cm, a freshman majoring in aviation at Jingbei University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Do you know what makes this guy impressive?” Liang Shuang asked.

Xu Sui shook her head cooperatively, and Liang Shuang continued: “It’s said that his mother is a well-known cellist, and his father seems to be in business. I heard that when he was in high school, he was originally a student of performance arts and studied cello. After preparing for the college entrance examination, he would then go to Austria to study and specialize in music, but guess what?”

“He suddenly changed his intentions and chose to stay in the country to study aviation, so he enrolled himself in Jingbei University,” Liang Shuang said.

“His grandfather was an engineer in the manufacture of national aircraft, but he’s retired for several years now. On the other hand, his grandmother is a college music professor. With this background, I feel that he’ll be good at whatever he does,” Liang Shuang said, sighing, “I really envy these types of people. They’re talented at everything and always look like they can do anything.”

“You’re also very talented, except you’re missing a little hair,” Xu Sui comforted.

Liang Shuang laughed. She didn’t expect Xu Sui, who looks quiet, to be that humorous. Liang Shuang remembered another gossip and whispered: “I read a post that said Zhou Jingze had to remove his tattoos to pass the physical examination before the college entrance examination, but I think it’s fake information.”

“No, it’s true,” Xu Sui suddenly said in a firm tone.

Liang Shuang was stunned for two seconds, then winked at her: “How do you know it’s true? Could it be that you also secretly followed him? Do you like him?”

Xu Sui, who was drinking water, choked upon hearing those words. She coughed violently, and her face flushed. Liang Shuang immediately tried helping her by gently patting her back.

Xu Sui and Zhou Jingze were both in the same high school and were classmates. She didn’t want to conceal it, but it was troublesome to explain. Besides, there was no point in saying it.

Zhou Jingze probably didn’t even remember her anymore.

Xu Sui glanced at the two people not far away. Bai Yuyue was eating, while Zhou Jingze was lazily leaning on the back of the seat playing a game on his mobile phone. It was obvious that he came to accompany her.

His other hand was resting on the table, and the light blue blood vessels on the back of his hand were obvious, slender, and clear.

“I guessed. Look, there’s a white print on the back of his hand, which looks like it was left after removing the tattoo,” Xu Sui answered.

Liang Shuang looked back and saw that there was indeed a white mark on the back of Zhou Jingze’s hand, which looked like the tattoo had just been removed.

“A master of details,” Liang Shuang praised while giving Xu Sui a thumbs up.

After eating, Xu Sui went back to the dorm and packed Hu Xixi a shrimp and egg rice. Hu Xixi immediately hugged her and cried: “Thank you, Sui Sui!”

Xu Sui patted her on the shoulder and looked a little hesitant while walking to her desk to pick up a book. Because she met Zhou Jingze acting intimate on the rooftop a week ago, she hadn’t been there for several days.

She was afraid of seeing that scene again and decided to go to the library instead.

In the evening, Xu Sui did a few sets of exercises, memorized some medical knowledge, and returned to the dorm from the library. Hu Xixi was sitting on the bed and painting her toes with a purple glittering powder nail polish.

“Sui Sui, do you want it?” Hu Xixi shook her nail polish.

“Forget it,” Xu Sui sat down and poured herself a glass of water, “I’m afraid I can’t help but peel the nail polish off my toenails.”

“Hahaha,” Hu Xixi couldn’t help laughing; what a strange problem.

Xu Sui looked innocently. She has obsessive-compulsive disorder, so if she paints it, she really can’t help but pick it off. During Chinese New Year last year, her little cousin forcibly pulled her aside to do her nails, but within a day, the nail polish was peeled off.

“Almost forgot, will you be free tomorrow Saturday?” Hu Xixi tightened the lid of the nail polish and asked her, “Can you accompany me to Jingbei University? I have to go pick up something that I left at my uncle’s.”

“Yea, I’ll go with you.”

On the weekends, Hu Xixi slept until noon. Eventually, the two of them got ready and went out together. When they passed the cafeteria, Xu Sui was about to go in, but Hu Xixi pulled her back and said: “Don’t go; someone will invite us to lunch.”

Jingbei University was near their university, and it took about ten minutes to reach the school’s gate, but the school was so big that they didn’t find the flight academy after half an hour.

Hu Xixi sent a WeChat message: 【Is there a treasure buried in your school? It’s enormous like a cavern. I feel sick and dizzy from just walking around!】

After looking at the reply, Hu Xixi turned off the screen of the phone, raised her head: “My uncle said he’ll come to pick us up and told us to wait here.”

In less than ten minutes, Hu Xixi excitedly waved at the opposite side: “Uncle, we’re here!”

Xu Sui was standing at the side, looking at some posters. She turned her head and looked in the direction Xixi was waving at and saw Zhou Jingze. He stood in the middle, with several boys following behind him. Zhou Jingze held a cigarette between his fingers, and his pace was relaxed. Several people gathered around him to chat and laugh. He had a relaxed expression, with a scoffing smile on his face.

She never expected it to be him.

Xu Sui caught a glimpse of his fingertips, and as Zhou Jingze got closer, his brows and straight nose became more and more clear. Her heartbeat fastened, faint but uncontrollable.

Zhou Jingze saw them too. He raised his hand with the cigarette to his companions and then walked towards them. A boy was standing next to Zhou Jingze. When the two were relatively close, he raised his eyebrows and deliberately said: “Oh, isn’t this Miss Xixi? Xixi Xixi, it sounds like you owe death.” Hu Xixi walked over in two steps, and gave the boy a light punch, and said: “Sheng Nanzhou, don’t call me like that. If you don’t want to call me by my full name, you can call me by my English name Tracy.”

“I think you do owe it,” Sheng Nanzhou commented in a serious tone.

Seeing the two girls, Zhou Jingze pinched the cigarette and threw it into the trash can. Zhou Jingze walked up to them, his voice a little hoarse after smoking, and asked: “Have you eaten?”

“Nope, I’ve been waiting for you to ask that,” Hu Xixi suddenly remembered something and dragged Xu Sui over, “By the way, this is my roommate, Xu Sui.”

According to how these conversations usually work, it should be Xu Sui who took the initiative to say something at this time, but her mind went blank.

Zhou Jingze looked at the girl in front of him, a sense of familiarity flashed across his mind, but he couldn’t quite grasp onto it. He frowned, raised his eyelids, and glanced at her. Then in a deep and pleasant voice, he introduced himself:

“Hello, I’m Zhou Jingze.”