After Lu Huan finished her shower, her roommates were all playing mobile games, especially Dong Sisi, who was speaking in a deliberately high-pitched, cutesy voice that sent shivers down Lu Huan’s spine.
The expressions on the other two roommates weren’t much better. Wei Jia, in particular, had held back several times but finally couldn’t take it anymore. “Sisi, could you keep your voice down?”
Dong Sisi turned off her microphone and her voice returned to normal. “My voice isn’t even loud.”
Wei Jia wanted to say that while her voice wasn’t loud, it was unnervingly shrill and oddly affected, making it genuinely unpleasant to listen to. But considering Dong Sisi’s personality, she hesitated and ultimately held her tongue.
Just then, Lu Huan emerged from the inner room. Seeing her, Dong Sisi couldn’t resist her usual sarcastic remarks. “Oh, you’re finally out of the shower. I thought you were going to stay in there forever.”
Lu Huan didn’t even spare her a glance.
At that moment, someone in the game called out to Dong Sisi. She immediately refocused her attention, switching back to her high-pitched, coquettish tone. “Sister, wait for me! I can’t keep up!”
Hearing the woman on the other end laugh, Dong Sisi continued delightedly in her sugary voice, “Sister, I… What the hell?! Who the f*ck is that?!” The last sentence was shouted in her normal voice, clearly startling the woman she was paired with in the game.
But Dong Sisi, in her rage, forgot all about that, she even forgot to turn off her microphone. Fuming, she turned to glare at the person behind her. “Lu Huan, are you fucking stupid?! You splashed water all over me! Are you blind?!”
Lu Huan, holding a basin, flushed bright red from the verbal assault. Having been raised with proper manners and coming from a well-off family, she had never encountered anyone like this before aside from Jiang Wenshu, this was the second person of this kind she’d met. Stuttering, she managed to say, “I’m sorry.”
“Sorry doesn’t cut it! I’m soaked! You!”
Wei Jia interrupted, “Dong Sisi, your game is still on.”
Dong Sisi’s expression froze, and she suddenly remembered. Frantically grabbing her phone, she saw that the match had just ended, the “sister” she had been trying to charm for a month had left the room. When she tried to send a message, the other person’s profile picture had already gone offline.
“Aaaah!!!” Dong Sisi threw her phone down in a fit of rage and charged at Lu Huan, grabbing her collar and screaming, “It’s all your fault! If it weren’t for you, she wouldn’t have left!”
Seeing Dong Sisi’s hysterical outburst, Wei Jia and Wu Xinyu hurried over to intervene.
By the time they finally managed to pull Dong Sisi away, Lu Huan’s collar had been torn open, revealing a large portion of her collarbone and skin. Her hair, still damp from the shower, clung to her collarbone in a half-dry, half-wet mess. Wei Jia glanced at her, blushed, and quickly averted her gaze.
The sight was simply too alluring even she, a straight girl, found it hard to resist staring.
Seeing Lu Huan like this, a flicker of jealousy crossed Dong Sisi’s eyes, though her expression remained venomous. Pointing a finger at Lu Huan, she spat out a threat, “Lu Huan, just you wait.”
With that, she stormed out, likely not planning to return to the dorm that night.
But Lu Huan couldn’t be bothered with that. She picked up her basin and went to the sink to wash her clothes.
Wei Jia turned to Wu Xinyu, her tone complicated. “I’ve always known Lu Huan was beautiful, but seeing her like this disheveled, somehow makes her even more stunning.”
Wu Xinyu lowered her gaze and murmured, “Mm.”
Wei Jia, still in shock, didn’t notice her unusual demeanor and continued speaking to herself, “How could we have joined Dong Sisi in bullying her?”
Wu Xinyu lowered her eyelids, concealing the emotions in her eyes. Her hands, resting on her knees, clenched tightly, and her voice turned slightly hoarse as she replied, “Jealousy, I suppose.”
Lu Huan was beautiful, excelled in her studies, and possessed a gentle and refined demeanor that made her seem unattainably superior. Her excellence was so overwhelming that it made others hesitant to approach her.
Yet, this person was a lesbian, and her girlfriend turned out to be Jiang Wenshu.
Thinking of Jiang Wenshu, Wu Xinyu felt a sense of irony. While others might not know, as someone who also liked girls, she was aware that Jiang Wenshu was straight. There was no affection in the way she looked at Lu Huan, only a sense of showing off.
Jiang Wenshu loved to show off and had a strong sense of vanity. Perhaps she thought having a girlfriend was something to boast about, unaware that it would hurt Lu Huan.
Hearing that Lu Huan had broken up with her, Wu Xinyu was happier than anyone.
Wei Jia thought for a moment and agreed with her assessment.
After finishing her laundry, Lu Huan didn’t notice her roommates’ gazes. She picked up her phone and climbed into bed. Just as she lay down, her WeChat chimed with a system notification: a new friend request.
The note read: Lou Qing.
Seeing this, she paused for a moment before tapping to accept.
She opened the chat window and was about to type something when a message came through from the other side.
Lou Qing: Are you asleep?
Lu Huan replied: Not yet.
Lou Qing: Want to play a game?
Lu Huan: I don’t know how.
Lou Qing: It’s fine, I’ll carry you.
It was already 11 p.m., and since there was no class the next day, many students were having trouble falling asleep. Her two roommates were also playing games at the moment.
Lu Huan thought for a moment, then sat up in bed and climbed down to grab her earphones.
They played Honor of Kings. Downloading and updating the game took over ten minutes.
Wei Jia asked curiously, “Lu Huan, are you playing a game?” Her tone was full of surprise.
During military training, even when exhausted after a long day, Lu Huan would still find time to study. Playing games was unheard of for her.
And now, this model student was actually going to play a game? How could that not be surprising?
“Yeah,” Lu Huan replied briefly.
Although these two had never directly insulted her, they had still joined Dong Sisi in speaking ill of her. She wasn’t a saint she couldn’t easily forgive others for talking behind her back.
Since it was already very late, Lou Qing only played two rounds with her before logging off. “Get some rest early. I’ll finish Yu Lan’s tattoo tomorrow, and the day after, we’ll go to Huangshan. I’ll pick you up then.”
“Okay,” Lu Huan nodded.
“Alright, go to sleep now. Good night.”
“Good night, sis,” Lu Huan said before turning off her phone.
Wu Xinyu held out her phone. “Lu Huan, can we add each other as friends?”
Lu Huan gripped her phone, hesitating for a moment.
“I’m sorry for the things I said about you the other day.”
“Me too,” Wei Jia chimed in, toothbrush still in her mouth, rushing over. “I was stupid the other day mindlessly following Dong Sisi and saying bad things about you. I’m sorry, Lu Huan. Can you forgive me?”
Faced with their sincere expressions, Lu Huan, who had just moments ago resolved not to forgive them, found herself wavering. She pulled out her phone and opened her QR code. “If you say bad things about me again, I’ll block you.”
“Hahaha!” Wei Jia couldn’t help but burst into laughter at this remark, which sounded like a child’s angry declaration of “I’m not playing with you anymore!”
Wu Xinyu’s lips also curved into a smile.
Lu Huan blushed, looking somewhat bewildered.
Her adorable demeanor made Wei Jia and Wu Xinyu resent their past selves even more. This was nothing like the scheming girl Dong Sisi had described, the kind with ill intentions who tried to seduce Jiang Wenshu. Instead, she was clearly an innocent and unaffected little sweetheart.
If Lu Huan could hear their thoughts, she would surely be caught between laughter and tears.
It was already midnight, and Lu Huan went straight to bed.
Wei Jia was still washing up, while Wu Xinyu browsed through Lu Huan’s social media feed. The girl had very few posts mostly photos of scenery or book recommendations, accompanied by beautifully worded captions that clearly reflected her refinement.
Lost in thought, Wu Xinyu sat motionless for a long time until Wei Jia called out to her. Only then did she snap back to reality, smiling as she said, “It’s fine. Let’s keep our voices down, she’s asleep.”
Wei Jia nodded softly. “No problem.”
The next day, just as Lu Huan woke up, the dormitory door was knocked on. Wei Jia, who had risen early, rushed over, calling out, “Coming, coming!” Only as she opened the door did she ask, “Who is it?”
Standing outside was Jiang Wenshu. At the sight of her, Wei Jia froze for a moment before frowning. “What do you want?”
Although they had never interacted with Jiang Wenshu before, they had seen her before Dong Sisi had pointed her out to them in the past.
Jiang Wenshu glanced inside. “I’m here to see Lu Huan.”
It was the first day of the National Day holiday, and more than half the dormitory was empty. Some students had already made plans to travel, so the hallway was filled with the sounds of chatter and luggage being dragged around.
Rubbing her sleepy eyes, Lu Huan focused her gaze and immediately spotted Jiang Wenshu entering from the doorway. Her first reaction was to furrow her brows and press her lips together.
As soon as Wu Xinyu realized it was Jiang Wenshu outside, she immediately turned to look at Lu Huan. Seeing the girl’s troubled expression, she turned back to Jiang Wenshu and asked knowingly, “Who are you looking for, classmate? We don’t allow salespeople here.”
Wei Jia couldn’t hold back a snort of laughter.
On the bed, Lu Huan struggled to suppress her own laughter, inwardly marveling at how sharp-tongued Wu Xinyu was. Everyone on campus knew Jiang Wenshu, the social butterfly, how could Wu Xinyu not recognize her? She was clearly trying to provoke her.
And indeed, Jiang Wenshu was provoked. As someone with an exceptionally strong sense of pride, she didn’t even bother hiding her displeasure. Her expression instantly turned cold as she looked up at Lu Huan on the upper bunk. “Come down. I need to talk to you.”
Her commanding tone was deeply unpleasant.
Lu Huan frowned but didn’t respond immediately.
Wei Jia couldn’t hold back. “Didn’t you two break up? What are you doing here? Lu Huan has nothing to do with you now. Who are you putting on this superior act for?”
Well said!
Lu Huan decided then and there to fully forgive these two. When she was being bullied, they truly had her back.
Wu Xinyu added, “Don’t tell me you were like this when you were with Lu Huan. If so, then you’re just.”
“Too much of a jerk,” Wei Jia cut in.
Wu Xinyu: “…”
Lu Huan used the motion of climbing down the ladder to hide her rising smile. By the time her feet touched the ground and she slipped on her slippers, her expression had returned to neutral. She said to Jiang Wenshu, “Let’s talk outside. Give me a moment.”
Jiang Wenshu was so angry she almost turned and left on the spot. But hearing Lu Huan’s words, she forced herself to hold back.
Just then, the door was pushed open from outside, and in walked Dong Sisi, who had left the night before. Her expression had been sour at first, but upon seeing Jiang Wenshu standing in the middle of the dorm, her face did a complete turnaround. “Jiang Wenshu, what brings you to our dorm?”
Seeing her reaction, Wei Jia and Wu Xinyu exchanged glances. The former pursed her lips and headed to the balcony, while the latter put on her headphones to listen to music.