Chapter 9: The Senior Moves into the Dorm

“What condition?” Ling Geng, eager to know, stared intently at Shao Huaizhi.

For teachers like Yu Zhan, it’s usually impossible to plead. Once he decided to clear the participation points, he rarely changed his mind, so even though Ling Geng was furious that day, there was nothing he could do.

Now, an excellent opportunity was presented before him, and the one offering it was none other than Shao Huaizhi. In this situation, Ling Geng had no intention of refusing. Moreover, under the halo of greatness, Ling Geng let his guard down completely around Shao Huaizhi, not even caring what conditions might be attached, presenting himself as if ready to accept anything.

After all, a true master wouldn’t make things difficult for him, right?

This was Ling Geng’s one-sided thought. As for Shao Huaizhi… his gaze lingered on Ling Geng’s face for several minutes before he reluctantly looked away.

Seeing the eager and earnest look in the young man’s eyes, Shao Huaizhi sighed, “Never mind, it’s getting late. Let’s go have dinner first.”

“Hmm? Why?” Ling Geng persisted, unwilling to give up, “Why did you sigh suddenly? What is the condition? Senior…”

Even his questions sounded like he was being coquettish. Shao Huaizhi shook his head helplessly, “I’ll tell you later.”

Later? You bait me like this and now you say later? Ling Geng hurriedly tried to get an answer, “No, senior, how can you do this? Is the condition difficult to meet? It’s okay, whatever it is, if it’s from you, I can…”

“Anything?” Shao Huaizhi asked.

But the problem wasn’t his question. The problem was that as he asked, he leaned in closer again, just like before.

The gentle fragrance in his breath enveloped Ling Geng, making his face flush instantly.

Being treated like this twice in one day, both parties found it hard not to let their desires take root in their hearts.

As Shao Huaizhi’s face got closer, his gentle eyes darkened, becoming deep like an abyss. Ling Geng’s heart was in turmoil.

If, if the master really…

Suddenly, the phone rang, its jarring sound particularly piercing in the quiet hallway.

It rang for about half a minute, shattering the ambiguous atmosphere between them.

Shao Huaizhi glanced down coldly at the source of the sound.

“Ahem.” The source of the call was Ling Geng’s phone. Embarrassed, he coughed a few times, “Uh, let me take this.”

Who could be calling at such a time? Ling Geng turned away, biting his teeth in frustration as he pulled out his phone. Even though Shao Huaizhi hadn’t done anything yet, the call had interrupted what could have been… Ling Geng felt an odd sense of regret, though he wasn’t sure why.

Without even looking at the caller ID, he swiped to answer, speaking angrily, “Hello?”

On the other end, Yu Xun stood at the entrance of the cafeteria, bewildered by the sudden outburst through his earphones, “Ling Geng, did you eat a bomb?”

Ling Geng’s tone worsened, “Oh, Xiao Xunzi, what do you want?”

His voice was still loud, forcing Yu Xun to remove an earphone, “I’m at the cafeteria entrance. Have you finished your experiment? It’s getting late, and there won’t be much food left soon. Do you need me to pack something for you?”

Ling Geng and Shao Huaizhi’s group had finished their experiment just as the class ended. Returning the materials and other post-experiment tasks had taken another thirty minutes. The cafeteria was quite far from the lab, and by the time they got there, there probably wouldn’t be much left to eat. Ling Geng thought for a moment and said, “Wait a minute.”

He turned back, “Senior, there’s not much food left at the cafeteria at this hour. Should we ask Xiao Xunzi to pack something, or do you want to eat out?”

Ling Geng’s voice unconsciously softened when talking to Shao Huaizhi, with a hint of deference. Fortunately, the phone’s microphone was covered, otherwise Yu Xun would have been furious.

How could two people be treated so differently?

Just as Shao Huaizhi was about to suggest eating out, he noticed Ling Geng seemed to remember something, frowning slightly, “I forgot, senior, you haven’t moved your luggage into the dorm yet. If we eat out, we might not have enough time. How about we let Xiao Xunzi pack the food, and we will move your luggage?”

Though phrased as a question, Ling Geng’s expression left little room for refusal. Shao Huaizhi smiled, “Okay.”

Shao Huaizhi didn’t have much luggage, especially clothes—just two or three items. He was meticulous about his attire and disliked the hassle of moving things around, so he planned to have new clothes sent over.

Despite the minimal luggage, Shao Huaizhi could have managed it himself, but since the young man insisted on helping, he didn’t refuse.

Shao Huaizhi had driven to school in the morning, with his luggage in the car. They started from the underground parking garage, luckily not far from the dorm, saving some time.

The moving process went smoothly, though Shao Huaizhi’s car…

Ling Geng looked at the black Audi A7, shaking his head. Indeed, a master was a master—luxurious in every way, albeit discreetly so.

Half an hour later, after moving the luggage, Yu Xun arrived with the packed meals.

He set the meal boxes down, looking at the sparse items in Shao Huaizhi’s spot, and patted his shoulder sympathetically, “Senior, is this all your stuff? That’s so pitiful. Since we’re roommates, let me help you out?”

Yu Xun’s teasing hand on Shao Huaizhi’s shoulder and his tone were all too familiar to Ling Geng, but seeing them together now made him inexplicably annoyed. He brushed off Yu Xun’s hand, pretending to be casual, “Xiao Xunzi, what did you pack?”

His acting was flawless, the question perfectly timed, leaving Yu Xun unaware of any change. “Oh, the cafeteria didn’t have much left, so I just packed a bit. I know you don’t like bland food, so I did my best to pick for you. As for the senior, I wasn’t sure what he liked, so I chose randomly. Will that be okay, senior?”

“Sure, that’s fine,” Shao Huaizhi didn’t refuse. Honestly, he found it hard to refuse Ling Geng.

Their dormitory was a four-person room, but Ling Geng and Yu Xun were the last two to move in, and no other boys had joined after them. They comfortably enjoyed the extra space. The dorm was spacious, equipped with single beds, wardrobes, desks, and chairs, and in the center, a long table. It was fine when it was just Ling Geng and Yu Xun, but adding Shao Huaizhi into the mix changed the atmosphere, especially when Ling Geng and Shao Huaizhi faced each other.

At the long table, Ling Geng silently and carefully took small bites of his meal, eating with remarkable elegance and restraint. Previously, unaware of Shao Huaizhi’s true status, he had felt no fear and ate without worrying about his image. But now, in the presence of someone of Shao Huaizhi’s caliber, he felt he had to be more composed.

After ten minutes, his food remained largely untouched, as if he were counting the grains of rice he ate. Yu Xun, unable to watch any longer, said, “Ling Geng, is it that bad? Even if the food isn’t to your taste, you don’t need to struggle so much. Should I order some takeout for you?”

Normally, Ling Geng would finish a meal in ten minutes. Seeing him barely eat anything in the same amount of time now was indeed a struggle.

Ling Geng wanted to glare at Yu Xun, but Shao Huaizhi’s attention was drawn by Yu Xun’s words. He looked at Ling Geng, who averted his gaze and remained silent.

“Don’t you like the food?” Shao Huaizhi asked.

“No…” Ling Geng felt embarrassed.

“Is it because of me?” Shao Huaizhi hit the mark.

Ling Geng felt even more embarrassed, “Not really…”

“If it’s neither, then just eat,” Shao Huaizhi said gently, patting Ling Geng’s head in a teasing manner. “I remember you weren’t this slow when we ate together before.”

So, all the pretenses of restraint were pointless from the beginning. Trying to regain composure now was too late, wasn’t it?

“Okay, got it…” Ling Geng lowered his head in shame. If he had known, he wouldn’t have restrained himself. It was truly embarrassing…

The two of them continued their conversation, leaving Yu Xun no chance to interject. He looked at Ling Geng, then at Shao Huaizhi, a string of question marks floating above his head. He felt that Ling Geng seemed different from the person he knew. His usual tone, which was generally high-pitched, had softened significantly. Moreover, not just his voice, but his entire demeanor had changed. Eating, and yet blushing—what was that about?

Feeling the need to break the awkward atmosphere, Yu Xun offered to help, “Senior, I noticed your things aren’t fully unpacked yet. How about I make your bed while you eat?”

“Well…” Shao Huaizhi, who believed in doing things himself, was about to refuse when he saw the empty bed frame. The bed hadn’t been used for a long time and was covered in dust and water stains, making it look rather unappealing.

The dormitory was renovated, but unlike the other buildings, they reused old beds. The wooden boards were of poor quality and could easily break with some force…

Shao Huaizhi smiled and walked over. He stood by the bed for a moment and said, “I think there’s no need to rush. This bed…”

He pressed down on the dried water stain, and with a slight push, the board snapped in front of Ling Geng and Yu Xun’s astonished eyes.

The author notes: “Seriously, Yu Xun, don’t you think you stand out and that your future looks bleak?”

Moreover, let’s play a no-prize guessing game. What do you think Shao Huaizhi’s purpose was in breaking the bed board? Haha!