The day after military training ended, Meng Qianqian's leg cramped up early in the morning. Not daring to wake her roommates, she hopped on one foot to the small balcony. Just then, her phone rang. She picked it up, glanced at the screen – it was a call from home. She pressed her lips together and answered. Her mother's familiar voice came through: "Where did you put your brother's old uniform? I can't find it. And your sister's socks, the ones she bought during summer vacation, where did you put those too?"
"They're all in Meng Xiao's closet, on the top shelf."
"Yuan Yuan's socks are there too? How can a girl's socks be kept in the same place as her brother's..."
"Meng Xiao said he wanted them there!"
That one sentence immediately silenced her mother. After a pause, she said, "Alright, if Meng Xiao wants it, then that's how it'll be. Oh, and by the way, we paid so much for you to study at Hai Cheng University, so you better study hard for me. Don't go looking for that Ying Hao. Don't think I don't know, he's also studying in Hai Cheng..."
Hearing that name, Meng Qianqian's heart sank. She pulled out her phone and hung up. Without the incessant nagging, her leg seemed to feel better.
Meng Qianqian bent down to rub her ankle. Her roommates were still asleep. She yawned, planning to go back to bed and catch up on sleep. A strong gust of wind swept through the dorm hallway, and with a 'clatter,' a pair of pajama bottoms fell onto the railing. They were her roommate Chang Huihui's favorite. Meng Qianqian's foot, which had been about to step onto the stairs, retracted. She scratched her head, then pulled the door open, ready to retrieve the pajama bottoms, when footsteps echoed from the other end of the hallway. As she looked up, she saw a tall, slender figure with a shoulder bag, wearing long pants and a short top, her hair tied in a ponytail, her face strikingly beautiful. A smile played on her lips. Seeing Meng Qianqian, she said, "Good morning, junior." Meng Qianqian glanced at the other girl and mumbled a hesitant 'Mm,' then added, "Good morning, senior." The girl chuckled softly, her eyes sparkling with amusement and a hint of flirtation as she headed towards the stairs, the clatter of her high heels growing fainter with each step. Meng Qianqian stood rooted to the spot for a few seconds before stepping forward, reaching out for the pajama bottoms. Her gaze dropped. The early morning sunlight, filtering through the treetops, indirectly fell upon a boy standing beneath the tree.
Ying Hao stood with his hands in his pockets, head bowed, tapping on his phone. The senior who had just greeted Meng Qianqian rushed out from the stairwell door and grabbed his arm. He looked up, exchanged a few quiet words with his girlfriend, then turned and left with her. Meng Qianqian withdrew her gaze, her expression unreadable, and walked over. She picked up the pajama bottoms, pushed open the dorm room door. Her roommates were still fast asleep, a faint snore audible. She casually placed the pajama bottoms on Chang Huihui's desk, then turned and returned to her own bed, pulling the blanket over herself and curling up inside. She then reached up to touch her ankle again. A memory from that high school year flashed through her mind: when her leg was injured, Ying Hao had firmly grabbed her arm, then, in front of everyone, swept her up into his arms and and carried her directly to the infirmary. After the doctor finished examining her, he had squatted down to give her a piggyback ride out of the infirmary. He'd impatiently called her stupid, yet his actions were incredibly gentle. Carrying her on his back, he'd said, "You're so stupid, who else but me would ever want you?" She had blushed, covering his mouth. She felt no pain, only a deep flush spreading across her face as she leaned against his back.
"Nghh." A stretching sound broke the quiet of the dorm room.
Meng Qian Qian returned from her memories, then heard her roommate Chang Tui Tui call out, “Qian Qian, did you bring in my pajama bottoms?”
Meng Qian Qian: “Mm-hmm.”
“Thanks so much! These are my favorite, it’s just the drawstring is a bit loose.” Chang Tui Tui was still lazily lying in bed. Sounds came from the other two beds as well, indicating that all the roommates were awake.
A few seconds later.
Roommate Ye Lan, still half-asleep, said, “Chang Tui Tui, can you make a little less noise when you get out of bed?”
Roommate Zhou Fang yawned, leaning into her pillow, and said, “It’s not like you just met her today. If she gets up, all of us have to get up. Qian Qian is so much better, gentle and thoughtful. I wouldn’t even notice when she gets up.”
Ye Lan: “Qian Qian thinks of us, unlike some people.”
Chang Tui Tui, the target of the remark, didn’t retort. Pulling her blanket, she said, “It’s so early, how about we talk about something to help us wake up?”
“Talk about what?” Zhou Fang asked.
Chang Tui Tui rubbed her nose and said, “I dreamed about someone I used to like, and suddenly felt how fast time flies.” She turned over and asked, “Have you guys ever dated?”
The dorm fell silent once more. Only the faint sound of wind from the balcony could be heard.
Chang Tui Tui immediately looked at the bed opposite her and said, “Qian Qian, you go first.”
Bundled up in her blanket, Meng Qian Qian breathed softly. Her voice was very low as she asked, “Talk about what?”
“Have you ever dated?!” Chang Tui Tui asked loudly.
Meng Qian Qian’s fingertips clutched the edge of her blanket, like a cicada nymph. After a long pause, she quietly said, “I have.”
The others in the dorm stirred loudly. Chang Tui Tui leaned over her bed rail and gasped, “When? What was it like to be in love?”
Meng Qian Qian gave a bitter laugh.
“High school. It felt really good, truly wonderful, even with the regrets.”
Even with the regrets.
Immediately, everyone else fell silent. Chang Tui Tui also quieted down. After a long moment, she asked, “Who was he? Where is he now?”
“He has a girl he likes now.”
The dorm grew even quieter. Chang Tui Tui couldn’t see Meng Qian Qian’s face, only her blanket. After a long pause, Ye Lan said, “It’s okay. There are so many handsome guys in college, we’ll look around again.”
Chang Tui Tui immediately chimed in, “That’s right, Qian Qian, we’ll look around.”
“Like Senior Lin Piao next door, find someone like Senior Ying Hao – smart and handsome!”
Meng Qian Qian remained silent in her blanket, not answering.
* “Pfft.” Passing by, Lin Piao suddenly burst out laughing.
Ung Hao tapped his phone, asking indifferently, "What are you laughing at?"
Lin Piao hugged his arm tightly, chuckling, "On our floor, there's a junior. I don't remember her name, but she's a bit cute. Today is the third time I've seen her helping her roommate collect clothes early in the morning, and she even picked up the same pair of pants."
Ung Hao snorted a laugh, a lazy arch to his brow, not caring in the slightest.
Lin Piao tilted her head to look at him, loving him just like that.
The two quickly arrived at the cafeteria. After breakfast, Ung Hao took Lin Piao to her classroom, then turned and went to the student council office. His roommates, Tang Xuan and Zhou Yan, were both there. Tang Xuan slapped the table. "Where's my breakfast?"
Ung Hao threw the fried dough sticks and soy milk onto the table, then hooked a chair with his foot and sat down. He picked up a tangerine from the table and started peeling it, popping a segment into his mouth. "Zhou Yan," he said, "find an empty classroom for those stray kittens to be adopted. I've already written the report; a vet will be here within two days to give them health check-ups and vaccinations."
Zhou Yan nodded. "Okay."
Hai Cheng University is near Hai Cheng's old town district, an area with nursing homes and old apartment complexes where some elderly people live alone. The elderly love to raise cats and dogs for companionship, but they can only manage to care for one animal and cannot look after breeding cats. As a result, some kittens automatically make their way to Hai Cheng University. There are quite a few of them, and coincidentally, the students all have a soft spot for animals, often playing with them and feeding them.
Therefore, health check-ups and vaccinations are essential.
Tang Xuan ate the fried dough sticks and drank the soy milk, his eyes narrowing as he ate. He said with a laugh, "This time, there's a freshman girl who dresses very simply, but she's very pretty, with a ponytail, almond eyes, and fair skin, like a little rabbit..."
Like a little rabbit.
Hearing this description, Ung Hao's fingers separated the tangerine segments. After a moment, he finally put a segment into his mouth, chewing as his long legs crossed. He asked, "You like this type?"
Tang Xuan wiped his thin lips and said, "I didn't like it before, and I don't know about the future. She came back from training yesterday, and I noticed she didn't get dark at all; in fact, she got even fairer."
Zhou Yan kept laughing on the side.
"You pay so much attention to her, she's probably scared to death by you."
Tang Xuan: "Nonsense! You guys haven't seen her. If you had, you'd definitely think the same way I do."
Ung Hao ate the tangerine, a faint smile playing on his lips, his Adam's apple bobbing. He asked Zhou Yan, "Have you seen her?"
Zhou Yan shook his head. "Haven't seen her."
Ung Hao looked at Tang Xuan. "Good luck chasing her. Next time, bring her for us to see."
Tang Xuan raised his hand. "Okay."
After saying that, as if greatly motivated, he quickly finished his breakfast.