CFL 2

Wen Ci felt that it was nothing short of a miracle that his eyes had remained unscathed and free from any eye infections, given the circumstances. The movements on the other side of the bed had quieted down significantly, almost to the point of silence, with even the voices reduced to mere whispers. Considering the lewd, greasy, and despicable gazes he had encountered recently, not to mention the various intimate scenes he had stumbled upon, including those involving his own parents, he couldn’t help but compare. Just moments ago, while standing in line, he had been subjected to countless attempts at striking up conversations. After all, this was an abnormal world. In contrast, how should he put it? Jiang Yufeng was such a normal-looking handsome guy, without any suspicious stares or strange actions.

Wen Ci suddenly felt a sense of warmth in his cold surroundings. Jiang Yufeng was truly a great person. With him in the dormitory, the world seemed to become a better place—hallelujah.

The next day, when Wen Ci got up, Jiang Yufeng was already gone. The other two roommates, who had been through the “battle” the previous night, were still in a drowsy state. Wen Ci carefully got out of bed, tiptoed to the balcony, closed the door, and took the washbasin to freshen up. The dormitories at University A had been in use for over a decade, with peeling walls and worn-out facilities. The school claimed that students could experience the immersion of historical and cultural heritage, so everything had been left as it was.

Fortunately, the space was large enough, with separate compartments for the toilet and bathroom. After washing his face, Wen Ci planned to use the restroom. He pushed open the door, only to be met with a chaotic scene that left him stunned once again. Clothes and shorts hung on the walls, underwear soaked in the basin, possibly still retaining some strange liquids, and condoms torn open at the entrance—perhaps they had been too vigorous to clean up properly.

What was he supposed to do? This bathroom… it was filthy!

Wen Ci hesitated for two seconds, but the urge from his bladder forced him to step in with a sense of resignation. He took off his pants, closed his eyes, and just got it over with. He flushed the toilet, washed his hands, and stepped out, closing the door behind him as if he had just stepped away from a minefield.

He would have to remind them when they woke up; otherwise, was he supposed to bring his own chamber pot from now on?

After putting his things away, Wen Ci went back inside. Lu Xuesong ran his hand through his hair and got off Tao Peng’s bed, not wearing a shirt and only in his shorts. Wen Ci kept his head down, avoiding any unnecessary eye contact as he walked back to his seat. Lu Xuesong noticed and let out a soft chuckle: “We’re all guys here. What are you so shy about?”

Wen Ci’s fair skin flushed with embarrassment, turning pink against his pale complexion. Lu Xuesong was captivated by Wen Ci’s bright and clear eyes and then muttered to himself, “But to you guys, I might not be considered a real man.”

What did that mean?

Wen Ci didn’t have the habit of prying into others’ privacy but asked, “Why are you up so early? Did I disturb you?”

“No, didn’t you see the group chat? We’re supposed to pick up our meal cards at eleven in the morning and attend the mobilization meeting at two in the afternoon.”

Wen Ci paused. That reminded him to talk to the counselor about switching dorms. He hoped it would work out.

“Did you see something in the bathroom? Sorry about that. We didn’t have time to clean up last night,” Lu Xuesong said with a playful tone.

Wen Ci was taken aback inside. He had planned to pretend as if he hadn’t seen anything.

No wonder this was Hua Shi…

Wen Ci wasn’t used to such blunt questions and situations. He vaguely hummed in response, “It’s okay. Just remember to clean up next time.”

Lu Xuesong narrowed his eyes and leaned in closer. “Your face looks so soft. Can I give you a kiss?”

Wen Ci was taken aback by his boldness and took a step back. Just then, Tao Peng got out of bed, and Lu Xuesong had to let it go.

Their actions in the morning undoubtedly intensified Wen Ci’s desire to switch dorms.

In the afternoon, while applying for a meal card, he also took care of the school’s medical insurance and received an unactivated bank card. On the way, he ran into a telecom booth and was persuaded by senior students to get a phone card. Considering the school’s package was cheap and offered plenty of data, he happily became a “victim” of the deal.

It was now three in the afternoon. Following the instructions from the telecom senior, he walked forward for a while and should have reached the administrative building, where the counselor’s office was on the third floor.

However, all Wen Ci saw was the experimental building, with no sign of the word “administration.” Where was it? He walked under the scorching sun, with no shade in sight and the concrete ground radiating heat. He felt like an ice cream about to melt into a puddle of sweet liquid.

After circling around for a while, he finally found the administrative building. Wen Ci thought miserably that he had been misled by the senior student.

Before entering, he smoothed out his clothes, wiped off his sweat, patted away any invisible dust, and tidied up his appearance before knocking on the door.

The counselor was a woman, with the surname Li, commonly referred to as Teacher Li.

Wen Ci saw a group of people surrounding the counselor’s desk, none of whom he recognized. They might have been classmates assigned to the same class. After waiting for a long time, it was finally his turn. He got straight to the point without any small talk.

The counselor gave this response: “With the increased number of new students this year, there aren’t enough dormitory spots to begin with. You’ll have to wait until next semester to apply for a dormitory switch.”

This was expected, and Wen Ci wasn’t particularly upset, just a bit disappointed.

After asking his question, Wen Ci squeezed out of the crowd and turned around to see Jiang Yufeng holding an application form and walking out the door.

Wen Ci thought about how he wasn’t familiar with the way back to the dormitory yet, so he mustered up the courage to quicken his pace and follow.

“Excuse me, Jiang, are you heading back to the dormitory?” Wen Ci’s voice was soft, articulate, and deliberate, making people want to listen attentively.

Jiang Yufeng glanced at the leaf on top of Wen Ci’s head and gave a nonchalant “Mm.”

“I’m not very good with directions. Could I go back with you?”

“Suit yourself.” His voice conveyed a neutral emotion.

Wen Ci felt a small flutter of excitement inside, thinking that although Jiang Yufeng seemed aloof, he was actually a very kind person.

He didn’t realize that Jiang Yufeng had such long legs. Wen Ci walked at a normal pace, but the distance between him and Jiang Yufeng kept growing. He had to quicken his pace again to keep up, repeating this process.

He didn’t know the administrative building was so far from the dormitory. The road was quiet, with the scorching sun beating down. Jiang Yufeng’s indifferent expression was like frost that not even the sun could melt.

Wen Ci stealthily moved closer and felt much cooler.

As they walked, Jiang Yufeng suddenly stopped. Wen Ci managed to stop just in time, almost colliding with him. He tilted his head in confusion and looked at his face. “What’s wrong?”

“We’re here.”

With that, Jiang Yufeng didn’t even spare a glance and turned to go to the dormitory supervisor’s office. Wen Ci watched as he walked away.

What was he doing at the dormitory supervisor’s office? What was he doing at the counselor’s office in the morning? Could it be that he also wanted to switch dorms?

But the counselor had said there were no spots available. Jiang Yufeng probably couldn’t switch either.

Wen Ci climbed the stairs with this thought in mind, and a leaf fell from his body as he moved.

When he reached the floor and opened the door, he saw Lu Xuesong in the dormitory but not Tao Peng.

As soon as Wen Ci sat down, he noticed Jiang Yufeng’s suitcase casually placed to the side, and his bed was neatly made.

Wen Ci was stunned for a moment and looked at Lu Xuesong. “Is he moving out?”

“Yep~” Lu Xuesong didn’t seem to care much. “I guess so. He’s probably going to rent a place outside.”

It felt like a bolt from the blue.

Wen Ci froze, sitting limply in his seat with a slack spine, leaning against the back of the chair in a curved posture.

Although Jiang Yufeng seemed unfriendly, he seemed out of place with the personalities of the people in this world. Despite his cold attitude, he followed the principle of “if you don’t bother me, I won’t bother you,” which actually made him quite easy to get along with.

What was he supposed to do now that Jiang Yufeng was leaving?

Lu Xuesong munched on some biscuits and said with a crunch, “Maybe he just doesn’t like us. He’s been here for only one day, and he’s as cold as ice. Although he’s handsome, he’s better admired from a distance to avoid getting frozen.”

Wen Ci lowered his eyelids and said, “I think he’s a very nice person.”

Lu Xuesong opened his eyes in surprise. “What’s so nice about him? He didn’t even exchange contact information with us. He’s too arrogant.”

“……”

Wen Ci frowned thoughtfully. “That’s not necessarily true. He’s a good person.”

At least he was better than those who messed around in the dormitory.

Lu Xuesong let out a scornful laugh. “You mean he’s nice to you but not to Tao Peng and me? Do you know him that well?”

Wen Ci didn’t understand why his tone had suddenly become so sharp. “It’s not that. We’ve just met everyone. It’s not a big deal to be tolerant of each other.”

“Soft-hearted,” Lu Xuesong loved to bully such people. He put down the biscuits, clapped his hands, and walked over, poking Wen Ci’s fair cheek with his finger. “You’re like this, and I like you even more.”

“?”

Wen Ci didn’t quite understand. He sat back in his seat and looked wistfully out at the sunlight.

The harsh rays of the sun fell on the dormitory supervisor’s office door.

Jiang Yufeng came out after finishing his business and answered a phone call. His fingers were long and distinct, effortlessly holding several sheets of paper.

“Next Wednesday, they’ll be delivering the goods early. Mom can’t move all of this by herself. Can you come back for a while?”

“Mm, I don’t have class that afternoon. I’ll be back,” he said as he walked down the corridor, reminding her, “Don’t try to do it all by yourself. Wait for me to get back.”

“Got it, got it,” Zhao Shuran asked again, “You mentioned in your message that you wanted to rent a place. Are you not getting along with your dorm mates?”

“I prefer living alone.”

Zhao Shuran chuckled, “You’re just too solitary.”

“It’s inherited from you. We’ll both be alone together.”

Zhao Shuran stopped laughing, “Your way of speaking… How are you supposed to find a girlfriend in college with that attitude?”

“I’m not looking for one,” Jiang Yufeng’s tone was cold, his voice mature and slightly gloomy.

However, to Zhao Shuran, he still hadn’t lost the youthful spirit he once had.

“This time, we’re really like orphans and widows. You go to school, and if I die at home, no one would know,” Zhao Shuran’s voice took on a tone of melancholy, making it hard to tell if she was being genuine or not.

Her dramatic flair had improved significantly after her husband’s death, but of course, Jiang Yufeng could usually see through the surface to the truth.

“Don’t misuse idioms,” Jiang Yufeng paused for two seconds, thinking of something, and frowned slightly, expressing his dissatisfaction with the new dormitory turning into an adult film scene: “If I don’t have class, I can go home easily.”

“Although it’s not far from home, it takes an hour to get there by subway from school.”

Jiang Yufeng nonchalantly said, “Then we should buy a car.”

When Jiang Yufeng was very young, his father died in a car accident, and a large sum of money was paid out as compensation. Zhao Shuran used part of the money to open a small grocery store near their community. The store mostly broke even, and the rest of the money was deposited in the bank to earn interest, barely enough to cover their daily living expenses.

After reaching adulthood, Jiang Yufeng started working outside early and got involved in various activities, except for gambling or drugs.

Zhao Shuran didn’t know exactly what he did, but he seemed to be able to handle everything himself. He was mature and steady beyond his years, like an adult.

So he always had his own opinions, and once he made a decision, Zhao Shuran couldn’t persuade him otherwise: “Alright then, don’t work too hard and make sure to rest.”

Jiang Yufeng hung up the phone outside the corridor and returned to the dormitory. As soon as he opened the door, he saw Wen Ci standing next to the ladder, changed into a dark cotton pajama set that made his skin look like snow. His hands hung in front of him, with his slender fingers nervously entwined.

Jiang Yufeng discreetly lowered his gaze and began to pack his things. Wen Ci watched, feeling more and more distressed with each passing moment.

He hadn’t been this upset when he was told he couldn’t switch dorms.

The normal person who had finally appeared in the dormitory was leaving!

Jiang Yufeng pushed the suitcase out the door, and his phone rang just then. He didn’t even lift an eyelid. When he answered the call, he only slightly turned his body, catching a glimpse of the dormitory door out of the corner of his eye.

The open corridor design allowed sunlight to stretch across the floor, forming a long strip of light.

Wen Ci stood there, hesitating to speak, his eyes extremely bright and clear. His hair, against the light, looked fluffy, like a little kitten about to be abandoned.