No one knows that the dorm leader is my ex-boyfriend.

We pretend to be strangers, barely speaking to each other.

Until the person I’m interested in celebrated my birthday, and I partied late into the night before returning to the dorm.

In the middle of the night, he suddenly climbed onto my bed, his voice cold.

“How long has it been since we broke up, and you’re already seeing someone else?”

“Did you never really like me at all?”

---

1

My college roommates were great, except for one person.

Ji Huai’an shares the same side of the room as me, but he never even glances at me.

That’s because he’s my ex, and he was the one who got dumped.

---

2

On the day I moved into college, I lugged my heavy luggage to Lantong University.

Two suitcases, stuffed full of all my mom’s “worries,” as if she was afraid I wouldn’t survive and wanted to move our entire house here.

The dorm was on the fourth floor, and it was a real struggle to carry everything up by myself.

Just as I was about to look for an upperclassman for help, I turned and saw a familiar figure walking toward me.

That white shirt was so eye-catching, it almost made me think I was back in high school.

Ji Huai’an still had that same cold demeanor, his delicate face standing out in the crowd.

I opened my mouth, but before I could find the words to say, he had already walked past me.

He didn’t even glance my way, as if he didn’t know me at all.

Heh, fine by me.

---

3

When I got to the dorm, I realized Ji Huai’an was in the same room as me.

What bad luck.

The atmosphere was tense for a while.

Thankfully, the other two roommates arrived quickly.

They were easygoing, and after we got acquainted, we created a dorm group chat and exchanged contact details.

Zhou Ke suddenly exclaimed, “Wow, Ji Huai’an, is that your cat in your social media? It’s so huge!”

“Yeah, it’s my mom’s Maine Coon,” Ji Huai’an responded while wiping down the table with wet wipes, over and over—he had a bit of OCD.

I checked my phone, but I didn’t get a friend request from Ji Huai’an.

When we broke up, I deleted all his contact info.

Now, sending him a request first felt a bit humiliating.

I hesitated for a moment, then irritably put my phone away.

That night, I had trouble sleeping.

Knowing that Ji Huai’an was lying on the bed next to mine kept my mind racing.

I checked my phone again, but still, no friend request from him.

Fine, I guess he’s planning to act like we’re strangers.

---

4

Zhou Ke and Lu Yan, the other two roommates, weren’t in the same major as me.

Even though Ji Huai’an and I were in the same class, we never went to classes together.

I was used to doing things alone anyway, spending my free time working part-time on campus.

I met a fellow student named Chen Yu while working at a bubble tea shop. He was in the architecture department.

Chen Yu had a soft, slow way of speaking, which made him seem gentle.

After work today, we went to the cafeteria together.

He was a local and knew more about part-time job opportunities than I did, so we exchanged some tips.

He said, “Liang Yi, when I first saw you, I thought you looked pretty tough, but you’re actually easy to talk to.”

I hear that a lot—people often say I look like I’m picking a fight when I’m not smiling.

I tugged at the corner of my mouth. “Well, I used to get into fights a lot in middle and high school. I was trying to act cool back then.”

“Wow, really? And is that scar from one of those fights?” he asked, pointing at a small scar near my brow.

I froze for a moment, then nodded. “Yeah, I haven’t been a tough guy for a long time now.”

He laughed.

That scar, actually, was from helping Ji Huai’an.

Back then, he almost fell while moving a desk, and when I rushed to catch him, I hit my face on the desk corner.

Later, he always seemed guilty about it and would touch my brow whenever he kissed me.

…

I was lost in thought when I looked up and saw a familiar white shirt sitting in the corner.

Next to him was our class president, a top student who was rumored to have been admitted through early decision.

Every time girls passed by, they’d sneak glances at Ji Huai’an.

Sensing something, he suddenly looked up and met my gaze for a few seconds before casually looking away.

Ignoring the heavy feeling in my chest, I suddenly lost my appetite.

---

5

That wasn’t the first time I saw Ji Huai’an eating with the class president.

They often sat together in class too, both joining the student council. They seemed to have a lot in common.

Watching him laugh and chat with others stirred a feeling of envy in me.

I used to be the one sitting next to Ji Huai’an, the one he stuck with all the time.

That afternoon, after work, I passed by a fruit shop and saw a sale on oranges, so I bought a big bag.

Ji Huai’an loves oranges but hates peeling them. He used to trick me into peeling them for him.

Out of habit, I placed two on his desk.

Then I felt it was too obvious, so I gave the other two roommates some as well.

That night, when they returned from playing basketball, Ji Huai’an saw the oranges on his desk, his eyes lighting up briefly.

Zhou Ke wiped the sweat from his face and playfully threw his arm around me.

“Wow, Liang Yi, how’d you know I love oranges? You’re my little sweetheart.”

“…Get lost.”

“Yi-ge, don’t be so cold~”

He faked a whiny voice, and I clenched my fist.

When I glanced back at Ji Huai’an, he was sitting there expressionless, opening his laptop.

Zhou Ke asked if Ji Huai’an liked the big oranges on his desk.

Ji Huai’an’s voice was deep. “I used to like them. Not anymore.”

“…”

I clenched my fist, feeling like he was hinting at something.

Whatever, I brought it on myself.

I lowered my head, peeled one of the oranges, and ate a slice.

Damn it, it’s sour.

No wonder they were on sale!

---

6

Chen Yu got sick, so I woke up early to bring him some porridge.

Zhou Ke, yawning, asked, “Yi-ge, where are you going? Never seen you this eager before.”

“Bringing someone breakfast.”

“Huh? Is it a girl? Are you chasing someone?”

He leaned over with a curious look, but I glared at him.

“Get lost!”

I quickly gathered my things and left.

At Chen Yu’s dorm, he was alone—his roommates had gone out all night and hadn’t returned yet.

His face was flushed, and he coughed a few times.

After glancing at me a few times, he shyly said, “Sorry for troubling you today. Don’t you have class soon? You should go.”

“Yeah, I’ll leave once I see you’ve taken your medicine.”

I poured him some hot water and noticed that the dorm’s arrangement seemed a bit off.