Chapter 16: Youth |
Chapter 16: Youth
As a fresh university student without many acquaintances, it was only natural for the young girl to want to chat more with a handsome and "kind" senior like Zhou Yuwen. During their conversation, she playfully pouted and mentioned how she tried to contact Zhou Yuwen online, but he barely responded.
Zhou Yuwen laughed and said, "Senior's busy, you know. I have to help other juniors with their campus cards."
"Do those other juniors look as pretty as me?" The girl crossed her arms, her face full of pride.
Seeing Zhou Yuwen laughing and chatting with the pretty girl, Chang Hao and Li Qiang were stunned. Li Qiang couldn't help but ask, "Wait, Old Zhou, what’s up with this girl calling you senior?"
Noticing the others, the girl asked if they were all seniors too.
"They're not," Zhou Yuwen replied.
"Alright, I should go dry my hair before I catch a cold," Zhou Yuwen said.
"Hehe, is senior worried about me?" the girl teased.
The girl pouted, "Gosh, senior, you're so annoying!"
They laughed and chatted for a while longer before she said, "Okay, I won't bother you anymore, senior. I'm heading back to my dorm."
"Go ahead."
As she left, she politely smiled at Chang Hao and Li Qiang, leaving them both mesmerized.
Once she was gone, Li Qiang, still curious, asked again why she called Zhou Yuwen "senior." Chang Hao was also very curious.
Zhou Yuwen shrugged, "Maybe I look older."
"Come on, Old Zhou, that girl obviously likes you. If you chase her, you'll definitely get her," Chang Hao said, a bit jealous.
"If she likes me, why should I chase her?" Zhou Yuwen found the logic amusing.
"You're so clueless! Girls are shy. Even if they like you, they won't say it. You need to be proactive," Chang Hao, a self-proclaimed romance expert, advised.
"Really? Didn't know you were so knowledgeable," Zhou Yuwen said.
"Of course! I've watched plenty of soap operas with my mom. If you have any relationship issues, you can ask me," Chang Hao boasted.
"Okay, love guru. So, do you think Zheng Yanyan likes you?" Zhou Yuwen teased.
"Obviously! During the card game, I bought her milk tea, and she accepted it without hesitation. That means she doesn't see me as an outsider," Chang Hao explained.
Zhou Yuwen, genuinely curious, asked him to elaborate.
Chang Hao enjoyed showing off his knowledge, explaining that a girl uninterested in you wouldn't accept your gifts so casually. Yanyan's casual acceptance meant she subconsciously considered him a friend, maybe even a potential boyfriend.
Zhou Yuwen found Chang Hao's theories amusing but knew from his past life that Zheng Yanyan never had romantic feelings for Chang Hao. She only stayed close to him because they were both from Beijing, which made him a convenient helper for tasks like fetching packages or running errands.
Whenever Chang Hao considered giving up on Yanyan, her requests for help would reignite his hopes. He believed that by consistently being good to her, she would eventually realize his worth and fall for him.
Chang Hao's optimism was admirable, but he never considered what Zheng Yanyan truly wanted. Zhou Yuwen, knowing her nature, just smiled and didn't comment further. After dinner, they returned their trays and headed back to their dorm.
Perhaps feeling Zhou Yuwen doubted Yanyan's feelings for him, Chang Hao kept talking about their online conversations and shared interests.
"What interests?" Zhou Yuwen asked.
"We both love playing QQ Speed, and she often asks me to play games with her!"
"Oh."
Li Qiang, finding Chang Hao's eagerness to prove himself amusing, teased, "Maybe she’s just bored, Hao."
"Shut up! You don't get it!" Chang Hao snapped.
Li Qiang laughed, trying to lighten the mood, but Chang Hao was too caught up in his own beliefs to be swayed.
As they walked back to the dorm, they occasionally encountered other students who greeted Zhou Yuwen with, "Hello, senior."
Zhou Yuwen politely nodded in response.
Chang Hao and Li Qiang were even more curious, feeling like Zhou Yuwen was some hidden upperclassman boss.
Back in the dorm, they grabbed their toiletries for a trip to the showers. Zhou Yuwen joked, "Actually, I have a twin brother in his second year here."
"Really?" they asked, intrigued.
They packed up and headed to the showers. The September evening breeze carried a faint scent of ligustrum flowers. Li Qiang, carrying his basin, sniffed the air and wrinkled his nose. "Why does it smell like this everywhere?"
"I don't know, isn't the boys' dorm behind us? Honestly, Li Qiang, did you do something behind our backs last night?" Chang Hao teased, making a suggestive gesture.
Zhou Yuwen chuckled, and Li Qiang blushed, "Nonsense! If it were me, the smell would've dissipated long ago!"
"Hey, we were all out this afternoon! Only Yuhang was in the dorm. Yuhang, did you do something while we were gone?" Li Qiang said, playfully grabbing Lu Yuhang's shoulder.