I was narrowly admitted to the affiliated college of University A. I made a bet with myself and applied to three schools to see which one I would go to, but I happened to be admitted to the school where Chen Jinmo was.
Perhaps, it is a destined fate.
During the summer vacation, Chen Jinmo's family moved out of Tonghua Community because of his father's job change. I worked in a fried chicken shop for two months and earned living expenses for the start of school.
A University and its affiliated colleges belong to different campuses , but they are separated only by Haiyue Park. Generally speaking, it is a university covering a large area.
The broken cell phone that Lin Jingxiang gave me accidentally dropped into the sewer, so I had to take out some money from my living expenses to buy myself a new cell phone and change the card.
I sent a text message to Shen Xingmo asking if she was used to living abroad, but Shen Xingmo didn't reply. After all, I didn't have the courage to call her, so I didn't think much about it.
On the first day of school, I carried my heavy luggage to the station by myself and followed the address on the notice. After arriving at the station, seniors held signs and took us to report.
After paying some miscellaneous fees, I went to the dormitory to make my bed. As soon as I walked in, I almost stepped on a fat girl. She was squatting on the ground, making a broom. When she saw me come in, she stood up and greeted me: "The things in school are too broken. This broom fell off after I waved it twice. "
I put the things away and helped her tie the broom, but the rope was loose. Qin Fangrui also broke the broom at home, and in order not to waste money, I repaired it every time.
"Wow! You are so great! My name is Xu Xiaoran, what's your name?" The girl shouted excitedly as she looked at the broom that was intact.
"Lin Jingyuan, Shuangmu Lin, Jing means tranquility, Yuan means abyss." I washed the mat I got from the dormitory manager in the bathroom and hung it on the balcony to dry.
I took out the sheets and quilt covers I brought from home from the suitcase, made the bed, and sat on it to rest.
Not long after, two more girls came in. One was called Tian Ye. She had neat short hair and asked us to call her "Ye Zi" in a casual manner. The other girl was escorted by her parents.
The girl had very fair skin and was wearing a black chiffon long skirt. Her hair was long and straight, draped behind her head like a waterfall. She stood on the balcony with an expressionless face, looking into the distance, waiting for someone to help her make the bed.
"Miss, you may come in now."
As soon as the middle-aged man who made the bed opened his mouth, the three of us almost dropped our jaws to the ground.
The middle-aged man saw our reaction, turned around and bowed to us, and explained apologetically: "Hello, I am the butler of the Guan family. This is our master's granddaughter, Guan Qianqian. The young lady has a withdrawn personality, so I hope you can take care of her more."
Xu Xiaoran thought she had traveled through time, and she was not used to the flowery words. However, Tian Ye reacted quickly. He patted his chest and said, "No problem."
It seems that Guan Qianqian is either rich or noble. It's strange that a young lady like her would come here and live in a dormitory like ours.
I smiled at the man and indicated that I would do the same.
The middle-aged man packed up the luggage they brought, took out a small basket of cherries, washed them and asked us to eat them, then said something politely and left.
"Wow, this is expensive." Xu Xiaoran looked at the basket of bright and juicy fruits, picked one and put it in his mouth, and gave us a thumbs up, "It's delicious, you guys try it."
Tian Ye and I each took one and thanked Guan Qianqian.
Guan Qianqian looked like a noble princess. She didn't seem to want to associate with us commoners. She sat obediently at the table and placed some of her daily necessities on the desk.
"Quietly, abyss--"
Suddenly someone called me from outside the door. I turned around and met Chen Jinmo's eyes filled with a smirk. He walked to the door, leaned against the door frame, posed in a pose that he thought was very handsome, and whistled briskly: "Hi, beauties."
"This is the girls' dormitory. How did you get in?" I stood up hastily and said this. I felt my tone was too harsh, so I immediately softened my tone and said, "Boys are not allowed to enter the girls' dormitory. It has a bad influence."
"Use this." Chen Jinmo took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, tossed it into the air, took out a cigarette, and with a "click" sound of the lighter, he took a puff and exhaled a circle of smoke.
I pursed my lips and said nothing.
Chen Jinmo held a cigarette between his fingers and raised his chin towards me. His eyes fell on Guan Qianqian. He felt inexplicably excited, like a hunter who had found a delicious prey. He leaned close to my ear and asked ambiguously, "Hey, what's the name of the girl behind you who looks like a poppy?"
"Call me Black Poppy." I pushed him toward the door. I was extremely embarrassed by his unruly behavior here, but Chen Jinmo was like a stoic pine tree and I couldn't push him away.
"Jing Yuanyuan, she is as pretty as you." As he said that, he blew a kiss to Guan Qianqian. A girl like Guan Qianqian who had never experienced the dangers of society could never stand up to a little hooligan like Chen Jinmo. Her face turned red immediately, and she held up the book in her hand, silently covering half of her face.
"Chen Jinmo, don't scare them." I glared at him unhappily and almost kicked him. Chen Jinmo subconsciously grabbed my arm and I almost screamed.
"Name? Remember to tell me." He was persistent in asking this question. He glanced at my dormitory and nodded seriously. "The environment is not bad. It's much better than our boys' dormitory. Well, I just came to see you. I'll go play with you next time."
I was eager for him to leave, so I coaxed and persuaded him to leave.
As soon as Chen Jinmo left, Xu Xiaoran took my arm and asked curiously, "That guy just now, was that your boyfriend?"
"No." I was most afraid that they would misunderstand Chen Jinmo and me. In fact, I couldn't explain why I had this feeling. Maybe it was because I had come to a new place and didn't want the secrets in my heart to be known to others right away.
"There can't be pure friendship between men and women. In my opinion, it's either secret love or a backup." Tian Ye was playing games on the computer. When he heard Xu Xiaoran's words, he glanced at me.
My heart beat faster and I felt panicky for no reason.
"Spare tire? Ye Zi, you mean who has a crush on whom and who is the spare tire?" Xu Xiaoran became interested and asked her. I sat on my bed somewhat embarrassedly and straightened the messy sheets.
"Stupid, what do you think?" Tian Ye looked me up and down. Xu Xiaoran stroked her chin and looked at me like her, analyzing carefully and clapping her hands. "Ah, yes, it's Lin Jingyuan at first glance."
I was choked by them, but no matter how I refuted, I didn't have a suitable reason. Chen Jinmo's handsomeness and unrulyness are obvious to everyone. Are others blind and think that he is my secret admirer and backup?
The air began to condense. I picked up a towel and a washbasin and went to the bathroom to get some water and wash my face. Guan Qianqian followed me in and said as she arranged the skin care products: "They are not wrong. This is just the fact."
The voice is cold.
Her words stuck in my throat, making it impossible for me to utter a single word. Guan Qianqian glanced at me coldly, then lowered her eyes to look at the faucet I had turned on. Water was already overflowing from the basin.
I quickly turned off the faucet, and then I saw Guan Qianqian walked out, leaving me with a lightly swung skirt.
During the military training, Chen Jinmo came to our dormitory building and waited there many times. He finally learned Guan Qianqian's name and chatted with her for a few words. I asked him why he wanted to provoke Guan Qianqian when he came for Lin Jingxiang.
He said that men are naturally romantic and love beautiful women.
In addition, Chen Jinmo made a group of friends with his looks and ability to brag, and soon became the vice-captain of the school basketball team. He was flattered by a group of little girls, which greatly satisfied his vanity.
I became friends with Xu Xiaoran, who was cheerful all day long. As for Tian Ye, Xu Xiaoran told me with her arms folded across her chest that she felt Tian Ye didn't like the opposite sex, and for the sake of her own innocence, she didn't dare to get too close to Tian Ye.
Xu Xiaoran reads BL and doujin comics all day long. She often has wild thoughts about androgynous girls, and I can't do anything about her. Tian Ye joined the hip-hop dance club, practicing dancing early in the morning and playing games late at night, so we rarely meet.
Guan Qianqian is a proud and aloof princess who doesn't associate with ordinary people like us. She is a germaphobe, so we will consciously stay a few meters away from her bed and table, and dare not touch her expensive skin care products and clothes.
Although Guan Qianqian was as cold as ice, many boys flocked to her and chased her to the dormitory. The worst time was when a boy placed heart-shaped candles and rose petals downstairs, played guitar and sang love songs. Guan Qianqian was irritated and stood upstairs, picked up a basin of cold water and poured it all over him.
Tian Ye, Xu Xiaoran and I witnessed this scene with our own eyes, and our impression of Guan Qianqian as a delicate person completely changed. We began to call her the "Ice Queen" behind her back.
My score was low, so I accepted the adjustment when filling in the application form and was transferred to the management major that Xu Xiaoran and her classmates studied. After the military training, one month after the start of school, Xu Xiaoran introduced her boyfriend from the University of Science and Technology, Yao Ruohua, her good friend since childhood, to us.
Xu Xiaoran said that Yao Ruhua was a "nerd" who didn't know how to do anything except study and fall in love. When she invited us to the dormitory for dinner, I was actually envious of their plain relationship as they openly "showed affection" at the table.
Look, I seem to always envy others.
On Friday night, I was helping Chen Jinmo mend a button. He didn't wear a jersey when playing basketball. He liked to wear his ripped jeans and jump up and down, which broke the button.
I teased him to just throw it away, but Chen Jinmo said he had already thrown away three pairs, and this one was his "favorite". It looked the most stylish when he wore it and it could attract the most girls' attention. He couldn't bear to throw it away, so he came to me to make amends.
Incandescent lights shone above our heads. Guan Qianqian was taken home by the housekeeper. Tian Ye and her club members went out for a party. Only Xu Xiaoran and I were in the dormitory. She sat on the lower bunk opposite me with one leg hugged, cutting her nails. She stood up for me and said, "Yuan, you are not Chen Jinmo's maid. He would ask you to sew buttons for him? I am going to laugh my teeth off."
"It's just a piece of cake." I put on my glasses and leaned over to see the stitching on my pants. I have more than 100 degrees of myopia and I can't see clearly when I sit at the back in class, so I went to get a pair of glasses. The frame rubbed my nose so hard that I basically don't wear them in my daily life.
"Yuan, listen to my advice. A playboy like Chen Jinmo is not suitable for you. You will suffer sooner or later if you try to please him." After trimming one foot, Xu Xiaoran switched to the other side and said to me mysteriously, "I heard from Yao Ruohua that boys of this age are like wolves and tigers. If Chen Jinmo asks you out one day and he can't help himself, he will...eat you until there is nothing left of you."
The needle deviated and poked my finger, and a bean-sized drop of blood came out. I put my index finger in my mouth and sucked it, looked at her, and continued to sew the rest.
"If my Huahua behaves like these beasts, I... I will break both of his legs." Xu Xiaoran said gritting her teeth, and the nail clippers almost poked her eyes.
I have good concentration and was mentally prepared, so when I heard such violent words, my hands just shook. I sewed the last few stitches, tied a knot, cut it, and finished.
I folded the jeans and put them in the bag. I watched Xu Xiaoran cut her nails and go to wash her hands. I picked up the broom and dustpan and swept away the garbage on the floor. Guan Qianqian was sitting on the bunk next to Xu Xiaoran. If she saw the nail clippings on the floor, she would be furious.
"You are so diligent, but how can you be so honest?" After washing her hands, Xu Xiaoran saw me sweeping the floor, leaned against the wall, and looked at me. Lin Jingxiang also said that I was too honest.
"watch out!"
I went outside to throw away the garbage, and when I came back, Xu Xiaoran's eyes lit up and she reached out to grab my chest. I quickly dodged her and looked at her reproachfully.
"Oh my, I'm just kidding." Xu Xiaoran grabbed the air, smiled awkwardly, and brought up something I've heard countless times, "Yuan, can I introduce you to someone? Look at you, you're so quiet and gentle, and you can inspire a man's desire to protect you. It's really unjust if you don't fall in love in college!"
Xu Xiaoran was talking about Yao Ruhua’s roommate. A week ago, she enthusiastically helped me arrange things and tried to persuade me to go on a blind date. I refused many times and almost threatened her with a white silk scarf.
"I don't have a relationship in college." I shook my head and didn't want to talk about it.
"Don't be like this. If you don't go, you're not my good friend." Xu Xiaoran blinked.
"I'm still your good friend even if I don't go," I said.
"Yuanyuan, please, he is really handsome and has a good temper. It's good to keep him in the family. If I didn't have Yao Ruhua, I would never give him to you." Xu Xiaoran grabbed me and shook me, looking at me pitifully. I sighed in my heart and nodded helplessly.
"You agreed?" Xu Xiaoran jumped up happily. She waved her hands in front of me with a playful smile and gave me a big smile, "You are so nice."
Maybe the blind date Xu Xiaoran mentioned is also a channel to expand interpersonal relationships. This is how I comfort myself.
Unexpectedly, Xu Xiaoran struck while the iron was hot. Fearing that I would go back on my word, she made an appointment to meet tomorrow. She called Yao Ruhua and told her about this, and after hanging up the phone, she dragged me out shopping.
Xu Xiaoran first took me to the barber shop. I looked at the price list on the wall and was so scared that I wanted to leave. Xu Xiaoran pressed me down on the chair and called two hairdressers.
"Her hair is straightened and not dyed. I'll make it into big waves and dye it chestnut." Xu Xiaoran looked at me and said quickly to a young hairstylist.
"Don't worry, I have their membership card, I'll treat you." Xu Xiaoran gestured to me not to worry, but it would still cost so much money even after the discount. Even though it was Xu Xiaoran who paid, I still felt bad.
"At worst, you can treat me and Yao Ruhua to a meal after this is done." She saw my embarrassment and patted my shoulder nonchalantly. The hairdresser took me to wash my hair.
I hardly ever go to a barber shop, especially such a high-end place. I have had long hair for many years, and my bangs have grown long and my hair has split ends, so I cut them myself with scissors.
When washing my hair, the hairdresser saw my left ear, frowned, and then looked at me with a smile, without any discrimination or ridicule. I looked at him gratefully, closed my eyes, and let him wash my hair and style my hair.
Xu Xiaoran also knew that there was something wrong with my left ear, but she didn't show any disgust.
I have long been accustomed to the strange looks from others, and my inner fortress is strong.
But once I meet a kind person like Xu Xiaoran , my defenses are broken and my heart is so warm that I want to cry.
I am really touched.