Contained in the conspicuous, luxurious Bentley, nobody spoke.

The automobile drove as much as the lodge and stopped. Simply because the younger man within the swimsuit was about to exit the automobile and open the door for Shen Shao, Shen Shao opened the door himself and bought out. The younger man within the swimsuit may solely drag Shen Shao’s suitcase and lead him into the lodge.

“Younger Grasp Shen, this fashion please.” The younger man within the swimsuit pressed the button for the elevator and handed Shen Shao a room card. “We’ve already paid for the lodge. Please don’t fear about the price. Right here’s my enterprise card. When you want something, please name me.” As he stated this, he additionally slipped his enterprise card into Shen Shao’s hand.

Shen Shao regarded on the card and noticed two huge gilded characters on it with the title ‘Chen Zhang’. There was a landline and mobile phone quantity on the underside, however no job title.

By this time, cellphones have been turning into widespread in enterprise circles. The screens have been nonetheless black and white, the sign wasn’t significantly secure, and there was no selection of shade or fashion, however that didn’t cease individuals from falling in love with their telephones. Anyway, regardless of how ugly they have been, they have been higher than these old style brick telephones individuals used to hold round.

“Please thank the second younger grasp for his hospitality, however you don’t get one thing for nothing. I’ll pay for my room myself.” Shen Shao glanced on the room card. “You’ll be able to take this and return it.”

There was just one attainable manner Shen Shao would settle for such a mysterious present with a straightforward thoughts, and that was if his mind turned to mush. After returning the room card to Chen Zhang, Shen Shao rotated and strode to the entrance desk. He took out his ID. “Hi there, are there any rooms out there?”

“Please wait a second.” The entrance desk clerk had watched the interplay by the door, however she was too well-trained to stare. She shortly accomplished the formalities for Shen Shao and provided the room card with two arms. “Sir, your room is on the left-hand facet. Please take the elevator on the left to your ground.”

“Thanks.” Shen Shao took the room card and slid it into his backpack. Then he went again and retrieved his suitcase from Chen Zhang. Smiling, he stated, “Thanks very a lot for the nice and cozy reception. Please convey my gratitude to the second younger grasp.”

Chen Zhang heard the shortage of heat in Shen Shao’s voice and knew that if he tried to do something extra it will solely backfire. If that occurred, the second younger grasp would possibly get indignant at him too.

“Younger Grasp Shen is simply too well mannered. In that case, I received’t stroll you upstairs.” Chen Zhang pressed the button to open the elevator door and made a gesture of invitation. “Please.”

Seeing that Chen Zhang didn’t intend to comply with him, Shen Shao’s annoyance started to fade. Nodding barely, he reached out and hit the button for his ground.

After the elevator door closed in entrance of him, Chen Zhang’s smile collapsed. He’d anticipated Shen Shao to be not more than an inexperienced scholar or a lordling from an ivory tower. However because it turned out, he wasn’t something like that.

When Chen Zhang gave his report, Gu NingZhao listened with a stiff face. “You made him pay for the lodge himself? He didn’t settle for the room card?”

Chen Zhang stared at Gu NingZhao in shock. When had the second younger grasp ever stated greater than twenty phrases in a dialog?

“I may inform he was about to get indignant and I used to be anxious he’d resent you, so I used to be compelled to return the room I booked.” Chen Zhang had no concept why the second younger grasp cared a lot a few scholar from a poor space, however he knew the way to cater to individuals and develop issues in path.

Gu NingZhao frowned. The books he learn stated that if you happen to needed to be good to somebody, you need to give them what they want. What Shen Shao wanted proper now was a spot to dwell. How may that make Shen Shao really feel resentful?

He scrutinized Chen Zhang, confirmed the opposite social gathering was talking in earnest, and slowly lowered his head. What went unsuitable?

Chen Zhang was puzzled about why the second younger grasp cared a lot a few stranger. It didn’t match his typical fashion in any respect.

Shen Shao’s lodge was subsequent door to Hua U. When registration opened, he gathered the paperwork he wanted, fought again his interior pleasure, and walked by means of the gates of the college.

Huaguo College had a protracted historical past. Apparently, throughout feudal occasions it was the location of the Imperial School. Later it remodeled into the present Huaguo College. Most of the majors provided by the college weren’t solely the perfect within the nation, they have been among the many finest on this planet. It was a palace of studying the place numerous college students yearned to check.

It was solely a dream in his final life, however on this life it lastly got here true. Shen Shao was stuffed with pleasure and extra sophisticated feelings. As he walked alongside the broad important path by means of campus, he was surrounded by the energetic ambiance of the beginning of the college yr. He heard the brilliant chatter of scholars coming and going round him and couldn’t assist however smile.

His dream in his final life, stepping into Hua U, had lastly come true.

On the principle path there have been plenty of upperclassmen standing by to welcome freshmen. Once they met a brand new scholar, they’d examine the coed’s admission info and escort them to the registration space for his or her main.

The upperclassman who met Shen Shao was a mild-mannered woman who informed him the title and background of the buildings they handed alongside the best way. Once they arrived on the space for info science majors, she handed Shen Shao over to the individuals in control of orientation. Then she stated goodbye and left in a rush.

Shen Shao smiled as he watched the woman go away. The senior college students of the college had plenty of enthusiasm.

“You’re a freshman in our division?” a boy sporting glasses requested Shen Shao in a pleasant manner. “Your main is the perfect and most tough topic in our department. I’ve heard that a few of our seniors are engaged on an aviation base proper now, and others are doing software program improvement. Their merchandise are already well-known internationally.”

The younger man proudly launched among the influential figures of their faculty and took Shen Shao to pay the registration price. Lastly, he led Shen Shao to the dormitory constructing. “6012, that is your room. The college requires freshmen to dwell on campus. After sophomore yr, if you happen to don’t wish to dwell within the dorms anymore, it’s a must to submit an software to the residential life workplace. Then you possibly can transfer out. After all, some individuals proceed to pay their room price yearly and simply go away it empty, then hire an condominium off-campus. The college permits all college students to decide on their very own way of life, but when anybody breaks the regulation off-campus, the college received’t cowl it up. The college will expel them instantly.”

The entire dormitory rooms in Huaguo College have been for 4 individuals, with no exceptions. If a scholar was too pampered to simply accept that form of communal residing association, they’d should take care of it themselves. The college’s angle was to deal with everybody equally. If somebody didn’t like dorm life, too dangerous.

Hua U had no scarcity of fantastic college students.

Shen Shao thanked the upperclassman who escorted him. Then he turned and pushed open the door to the dorm room.

To his shock, there was already somebody inside, and the room had been cleaned and tidied up. It didn’t match his picture of a rough-and-ready boys’ dorm room in any respect.

The thin boy who was scrubbing the sink with a brush noticed him stroll in and shortly stopped what he was doing. He dried his arms and strode over to Shen Shao. “Hello, I’m Xiong Gang, biology main.”

“Hi there,” Shen Shao regarded on the younger man, who was extraordinarily skinny, and located it tough to match a burly title like ‘Xiong Gang’ with the individual he was . “I’m Shen Shao, majoring in info science. I assumed room assignments have been primarily based on majors, however I suppose not.”

Xiong Gang noticed that regardless of Shen Shao’s excellent seems to be, he was nonetheless straightforward to get together with, and felt relieved. “I don’t know the way it was determined, however we come from throughout. It should be future at work.”

“That’s true.” Shen Shao regarded over the room and commenced unpacking his issues. He made his mattress and observed that Xiong Gang had began to wipe down the door to the toilet. Shen Shao had glorious eyesight, however regardless of how exhausting he regarded, he couldn’t see a hint of filth on the door. But the younger man was scrubbing so intently that Shen Shao couldn’t carry himself to discourage him.

Regardless of Xiong Gang’s magnificent and mighty title, his character and determine have been open and simple.

When Xiong Gang was lastly glad with the cleanliness of their room, the door swung open with a bang. Within the heart of the doorway stood an enormous, sturdy boy along with his arms in his trouser pockets. He nodded on the two of them, then pointed to one of many beds. “That’s it.”

From behind him, a number of women and men instantly filed into the room. They made his mattress and put away his garments, and after they have been carried out they vanished as if by magic, leaving not the slightest hint behind.

“Hello guys. My title’s Wang Hao. I’m initially from Mei Metropolis, however we moved to the capital three years in the past.” Wang Hao fished out a big bag of snacks from his suitcase and put them on the desk. With a hint of embarrassment he added, “Sorry about slamming the door simply now. Hope you don’t thoughts. Listed below are some native specialties my kinfolk introduced from my hometown. Please attempt some.”

“Thanks,” Shen Shao stated. He thought to himself that this native tyrant roommate actually did appear to have a powerful background. The boy’s shirt price no less than 4 figures, however though he was sporting costly model title clothes, his angle was down-to-earth.

Shen Shao thought that this individual had character. He reached over and took a packet of snacks, opened it, and took a chew. “Scrumptious!” he praised.

“They’re good, proper? That’s an genuine native specialty from Mei Metropolis.” Wang Hao ignored the messy suitcase he’d simply opened and sat down beside Shen Shao. He opened one other small bag and ate from it, and tossed two baggage to Xiong Gang. “I’m majoring in artwork and design. What about you guys?”

When Shen Shao heard this huge, burly scholar wearing nouveau riche well-known manufacturers name himself an artwork scholar, Shen Shao felt a sliver of his world view start to tremble. He coughed dryly and stated, “That’s main. My title’s Shen Shao. I’m majoring in info science, and Xiong Gang is a biology main.”

Wang Hao gave Xiong Gang a sidelong look and fought to maintain a straight face. “Your title… has plenty of character.”

Xiong Gang: ……

Like your title is so nice. Haha.

“Is there anybody else in our dorm who hasn’t come but?” Wang Hao regarded on the empty mattress subsequent to Shen Shao’s. It had a label with a scholar’s title and main.

“Gu NingZhao, finance…” Wang Hao frowned and scratched his head. “Why do I believe that title sounds acquainted?” It felt like he’d heard it a number of occasions.

Shen Shao additionally had the sensation he’d heard the title someplace, however not within the final yr or so. After occupied with it, he shook his head. China had over a billion individuals, and duplicate names have been widespread.

“No, I bear in mind. Isn’t he that well-known genius…” Earlier than Wang Hao may end talking, the door creaked open. When he glanced again and noticed the brand new arrival, he swallowed the remainder of his phrases.

Shen Shao additionally regarded over. With some shock he noticed a younger man exterior the door surrounded by a number of bodyguards. Wasn’t he that mystifying second younger grasp?

They have been truly assigned to the identical dorm room? May such a coincidence actually be a coincidence? 

Kinda sus.

TL Notes:

Imperial School – 国子监 – Directorate of Imperial Academy; the Imperial School, the very best academic administration in feudal China

native tyrant – 土豪 – native tyrant / native robust man / (slang) nouveau riche

huge, burly – 五大三粗 – “5 huge three thick” – huge and tall; strapping, burly. The “5 huge” are arms, toes, ears, shoulders, and hips, and the “three thick” are waist, legs, and neck (Baidu)

May such a coincidence actually be a coincidence – 界上竟然有如此巧合的事，他们竟然真的像张莉说的那样 – “May there actually be such a coincidence on this planet, of the sort Zhang Li stated” – Appears to be a quote or reference however I didn’t protect the precise wording

Kinda sus(picious) – 这不科学 – “That is unscientific/illogical/uncanny”

Transliterated names, locations, and titles—new on this chapter:

Bentley – 宾利 – Bīnlì

Chen Zhang – 陈章 – Chén Zhāng

Xiong Gang – 熊刚 – Xióng Gāng – Surname 熊, “a bear, good, vibrant”. given title 刚, “exhausting, powerful, inflexible, robust”. So his title is principally “Sturdy Bear”

Wang Hao – 王壕 – Surname 王, “king, royal”, however it’s a typical and generic surname that doesn’t sound very regal. For English audio system I suppose the equal could be one thing like “Brown” or “Bush”

Mei Metropolis – 煤市 – AKA Coal Metropolis – A wealthy child surnamed Wang from Coal City would in all probability make native readers guess that is the kid of an upstart who owns a coal mine, somebody with cash however not a lot class

[ Project Page | Ko-Fi ✿ | Other translations by Confectioner ]