Pushing open the door to the boys' dormitory, a mix of braised beef noodles and the fermenting smell of sneakers hit him.
Su Mu stood at the entrance, taking a deep breath. Leaning against the doorframe, he looked at the messy room, finding the sour stench of youth oddly comforting.
As he entered, Wang Hao was sprawled on his bed, holding his phone up to his face, his thumb tapping furiously on the screen. Su Mu walked over and glanced at the phone screen.
It was a Moments post just uploaded by Zhang Wanqing—a photo of a Starbucks latte, accompanied by a hand with only four manicured nails.
Wang Hao had already drafted three versions of a comment for this photo and was currently working on the fourth. Su Mu climbed onto his own bed without a word, thinking to himself that simps never end well.
Seeing Su Mu return, Wang Hao excitedly shoved his phone in Su Mu's face. "Suzi, help me out here. Do you think this comment sounds okay?" Su Mu didn't even bother to lift an eyelid, responding curtly with two words: "Delete it."
Wang Hao looked aggrieved and confused. "Why?" Su Mu pulled a pillow behind his back. "No girl, no matter how bad, will ever like her simp."
From below, Liu Qiang, with his legs crossed, was browsing the Campus Forum. Hearing their conversation, he snorted. Clearing his throat, he began to brief the whole dorm on tomorrow's big event. "Haozi, save your energy. The line of simps for the campus belle stretches from the East Gate to the West Gate."
"Tomorrow is the school's Hundred Clubs Fair. Your chances of finding true love there are better than chasing the campus belle." "Every first Sunday of September, over sixty clubs set up booths on the sports field and at the student activity center to recruit new members."
Liu Qiang spoke with the authority of a sports commentator at the World Cup, providing a detailed analysis of each club. "The scene is practically the annual talent show of our Shanghai University."
"I'll highlight a few must-visit clubs for you. First up is the Anime Club. The club president is Ye Zhiqiu, a senior and one of the Four Campus Belles, with millions of followers on Douyin. Her cosplay photos from last year's anime exhibition were shared over three thousand times on the Campus Forum."
"Next is the Modeling Club, filled with long-legged beauties all over 1.7 meters tall." Liu Qiang grew more excited, even smacking his lips. "The Modeling Club is all about legs. On recruitment day, the crowd of guys stretches from the sports field to the Second Cafeteria."
"Then there's the Street Dance Club, and the fourth is..." Finally, Liu Qiang wrapped up his long speech. "Just remember one thing: tomorrow, the beauty quotient on the sports field will be at its peak for the entire year." You are reading on novelping dot com, the official source.
In the corner, Chen Mo, quiet as a mouse, adjusted his black-framed glasses. Peeking from behind his screen filled with code, he said, "I'm not going." Then he returned to his keyboard.
Wang Hao's attention was drawn to Liu Qiang. He forgot about Zhang Wanqing's Moments post and leaned over the bed, trying to cozy up to Su Mu. "Suzi, let's go check out the sports field tomorrow."
Su Mu, having nothing better to do, agreed. "Sure, let's go see."
Meanwhile, in the women's dormitory, Su Banxia returned by bus. She hobbled in, pushing the door open with her injured leg. Her ankle was wrapped in a thick elastic bandage, and her wrist bore scrapes from a fall earlier that afternoon. Her fair forearm showed a few conspicuous bruises.
Fang Jinse, applying a cucumber mask on the top bunk, looked down and was shocked by the sight. She leaned halfway out of her bunk, exclaiming loudly, "Oh my God, Banxia, what happened to you?"
Zhong Ling, hearing the commotion, dropped her novel and rushed over to check. She gasped at the sight of the injuries, her heart aching.
Su Banxia had already prepared an explanation. "I accidentally fell during my part-time job this afternoon. I've been to the hospital, and the doctor said it's nothing serious, no bone damage."
Fang Jinse, half-believing, muttered a complaint. "Your part-time job is too dangerous. You shouldn't go anymore."
"Why is everyone getting hurt today?" Hearing this, Mu Changge, who had been quietly sitting at her desk, stiffened. But upon hearing about Su Banxia's injuries, she couldn't continue pretending to be an ostrich. "Do you have any ointment for bruises? I can help you apply some before bed," Mu Changge offered softly.
Neither of them knew that their physical pains were intricately linked to the same man. Zhong Ling poured a glass of warm water and handed it over. "Susu, sit down. Elevate your injured foot; it'll help reduce the swelling faster."
As Su Banxia reached for the glass, her hand trembled involuntarily. The nickname "Susu," which she'd been called for nearly twenty years, had never bothered her. But now, as the words entered her ears, another deep, teasing voice flashed through her mind. The image of that man in the car, asking her to call him uncle, was hard to shake off.
Su Banxia's ears turned visibly red. Suppressing the turmoil inside, she replied calmly, "Thanks, Lingling."
Zhong Ling, oblivious to the strange undercurrents in the room, clapped her hands and announced tomorrow's big task. "Ladies, listen up. Tomorrow is the school's annual Hundred Clubs Fair. Our Anime Club is in dire need of help."
Zhong Ling locked her gaze on Mu Changge and Su Banxia. "Changge, you're not working at the cafeteria anymore, right? Banxia, you're not teaching yoga tomorrow, are you?"
Zhong Ling leaned in, offering the most tempting incentive. "Helping out on club recruitment day means you get a work-study subsidy from the college. You can earn two hundred yuan in a day, plus a free lunch." This chapter is updated first at g.com.
Mu Changge, instinctively wanting to refuse, didn't want to show her face in the crowd. She dreaded anyone noticing the marks on her neck, as it would be hard to explain.
Seeing her hesitation, Zhong Ling played her trump card. "Changge, you don't have to do anything at the booth tomorrow. Just stand there with your beautiful face, and you'll be the best draw for our club. Freshmen will flock to sign up just for your looks."
The Anime Club usually relied on Ye Zhiqiu's looks to attract members, but Zhong Ling knew Ye Zhiqiu was busy with an event and couldn't attend. If they could get Changge to stand in, it would hold the fort against the Modeling Club's allure.
After a long silence, Mu Changge had a thought that seemed absurd even to herself. With so many people at the sports field tomorrow, would that man be there too? If he were, what should she wear?
The Iceberg Campus Belle finally gave a faint nod, agreeing to the task. With Mu Changge on board, Zhong Ling turned to Su Banxia.
Su Banxia, initially planning to use her severe foot injury as an excuse, was quickly interrupted by Zhong Ling. "Banxia, don't worry about your foot. There are folding chairs behind the booth. You can sit and help with the sign-up list. No need to stand or walk. Just think of it as getting some sun and fresh air."
Two hundred yuan a day was no small amount for Su Banxia. Although the man had secretly paid off her mother's hefty hospital bills, her own living expenses remained tight. After a moment's hesitation, she blushed and nodded.
Mu Changge and Su Banxia exchanged a glance across the narrow dorm aisle. Mu Changge couldn't help but recall Su Mu's casual purchase of clothes worth over three hundred thousand. Meanwhile, Su Banxia's mind was filled with the image of that man buying the entire yoga studio without batting an eye.
Both women smiled wryly, yet they nodded in unison, finalizing their plans for tomorrow's work. Two hundred yuan a day was still money for ordinary students. After all, the "debt" they carried was already enough to frighten anyone.
Back in the boys' dormitory, Su Mu returned from the washroom with a basin after his shower. He found Wang Hao still on his bed, painstakingly editing the fifth version of his comment. Liu Qiang was already sprawled out, snoring like a tractor climbing a hill.
Su Mu hung his wet towel on the bed's iron railing. He wasn't particularly interested in Liu Qiang's Four Campus Belles.
After all, he had already met Mu Changge up close. However, he did have some impression of the Anime Club president, Ye Zhiqiu. He might have seen her on TikTok during the summer break.
Hmm, maybe he should check out the Anime Club tomorrow.