Chapter 122

This person might actually have a mental illness.

Mo Yin’s nerves immediately tensed up. He turned his face towards the window, clutching his backpack, deciding not to say another word to Li Xiu.

After the bus had traveled a distance, Mo Yin realized he could change seats. He immediately stood up, holding his backpack.

Li Xiu’s long legs completely blocked his way. Mo Yin didn’t want to talk to him. His knee bumped against Li Xiu’s thigh.

Li Xiu pulled out his earphones to look at him.

Mo Yin remained silent, simply raising his chin towards the window.

Li Xiu stood up and moved aside. Mo Yin got out of the inner seat and sat down in the single seat by the window in the front row. If he had sat in the double seat, he feared Li Xiu might follow him.

Mo Yin didn’t know what Li Xiu’s sudden approach was about, but he didn’t like it. He disliked physical contact with people, especially with someone potentially mentally ill.

In his pocket, besides the two coins, was his phone.

No more calls came from behind, and he didn’t check the texts he received.

He knew this was somewhat evasive, but so what? He had always been thick-skinned.

Soon, Mo Yin pushed the incident with Li Xiu on the bus out of his mind and picked up a book to read. However, as he flipped through the book, he remembered Li Xiu offering him earphones earlier, asking if he wanted to listen to music. That guy was really out there—listening to music instead of English listening exercises? Or maybe it was English songs? Would practicing listening with English songs be better? No, his English exam results this time were better than Li Xiu’s.

Mo Yin nodded in satisfaction and continued with his question bank.

When they reached the subway station, Li Xiu got off the bus. As he passed by Mo Yin, Mo Yin tried to ignore him, but he still sensed Li Xiu’s scent.

His clothes were clean, and he had a clean fragrance, something rare on a boy in the summer.

Mo Yin quietly lifted his hand to smell his own arm. He didn’t smell anything, neither a fragrance nor anything strange.

At 7 PM, the phone rang again, but Mo Yin didn’t answer. He left his phone on the TV cabinet, vibrating and squirming, the screen dimming briefly before lighting up again.

Mo Yin held a pen in hand, reviewing question banks. He lowered his head to finish the question explanations before going to get his phone.

—[Please call back as soon as possible—Lingshi Mental Hospital.]

He wouldn’t call back. Unless they brought him back, but even then, he had moved out. He didn’t live here anymore; they couldn’t find him.

But soon, Mo Yin realized how childish this thought was.

They could find him at school or call the police.

Avoidance was useless.

So far, none of the problems he encountered could be solved by avoiding them.

“Hello, I am Mo Xuemin’s relative.”

“Oh, okay, I agree. It’s okay. Sign… I’m in school. I agree with it all. No need to sign. Sure, okay, thank you.”

Mo Yin let out a long sigh of relief after hanging up the phone, realizing he was sweating a lot on his back.

The room was hot, even with the door open.

His family had bought a small electric fan before, but it had been smashed. They hadn’t bought another one afterward—it would be a waste.

But now it didn’t matter.

Mo Yin sat back down to study.

Studying was useful. He worked hard to get into such a good school, to enjoy top-notch educational resources. The classrooms had air conditioning, and the cafeteria was affordable. Because of his poverty, he could still enjoy 200 free meals per semester. He could also stay in Ke Fu’s dormitories. The dormitory promotional pictures of Ke Fu were beautiful, with late-night snacks available, almost like heaven.

Today, Mo Yin slept soundly again.

After the flag-raising ceremony on Monday, Mo Yin found his homeroom teacher, hoping to apply to live on campus.

“You want to live on campus?”

The homeroom teacher was a bit surprised. In fact, she had asked Mo Yin at the beginning of the school year if he needed to live on campus. If Mo Yin needed it, he could have submitted the application materials at the beginning of the school year. At that time, Mo Yin had said he couldn’t, not that he didn’t want to.

The homeroom teacher realized and said, “Okay, I’ll give you a checklist. Bring the materials listed on it to the school, and the teacher will apply for your free campus accommodation, alright?”

“Thank you, teacher.”

The homeroom teacher printed out a checklist for Mo Yin, listing documents like the household register to prove Mo Yin’s family’s financial difficulties.

These documents had been submitted once when applying for financial aid, but now they had to be submitted again. Mo Yin couldn’t complain, so he left the office with the list in hand.

The office was next to the Experimental Class 1, and he habitually glanced inside, not seeing Li Xiu. His footsteps hesitated briefly.

“I changed seats.”

Suddenly, a voice came from behind. Mo Yin turned around, holding the thin checklist paper in front of him defensively.

Li Xiu tapped the wall with his finger. “Moved to the front row.”

Mo Yin stared at Li Xiu.

Li Xiu said, “Are you applying for accommodation too?”

Mo Yin fled.

Back in the classroom, Mo Yin’s heart pounded. He recalled Li Xiu saying “too” and remembered seeing him in the office just now.

So… Li Xiu was also applying for accommodation?

Could they possibly be assigned to the same dormitory?

Mo Yin instantly felt anxious.

He didn’t want to live with someone who had potential mental health issues.

The matter of applying for accommodation met strong opposition from Li Xiu’s father and mother.

“I don’t agree,” Mr. Li said firmly.

Mrs. Li also said, “Li Xiu, why do you want to live on campus? Isn’t our home close to the school? If you find commuting tiring, we can rent an apartment near your school.”

“Enough,” Mr. Li said forcefully. “Just stay at home.” He looked at Li Xiu, his expression full of dissatisfaction. “Didn’t we say we would arrange for Professor Cheng from Shengda to tutor you at home?”

Li Xiu said calmly, “There are frequent physics competitions, and living on campus would be more convenient.”

“I don’t want you to participate in that competition,” Mr. Li frowned. “It’s just showing off.”

Mrs. Li also advised, “Li Xiu, can’t you skip the competition? Wasn’t your performance exceptional last year?”

“I will achieve good results this year.”

Mr. Li said, “At your young age, don’t be so full of yourself.”

Li Xiu remained calm. “I have always been first in my grade. I want to give it a try.”

“What does being first in your grade mean? Do you think that makes you invincible? There are others out there who are better than you. I’ve shown your test papers to some teachers; you have many flaws, big and small, but we didn’t want to stress you out, so we didn’t mention them.”

Li Xiu smiled, the kind of smile Mo Yin disliked, as if nothing mattered, casual and relaxed. “So, I want to live on campus and study hard.”

“Weekend tutoring sessions shouldn’t be too troublesome for the professor,” Li Xiu continued. “I’ll come home on weekends.”

Li Xiu maintained a good attitude and didn’t show any signs of defiance towards his parents. Mr. and Mrs. Li’s emotions gradually stabilized.

Mrs. Li sighed. “I’m worried that you’ll be distracted at school. This is the most crucial year of high school.”

Mr. Li folded his hands. “When the time comes, I’ll contact your homeroom teacher to confirm where your dormitory is and who you’ll be living with. It’s best to live alone. Alright, you don’t need to worry about this matter anymore. I’ll go contact your homeroom teacher.”

Li Xiu didn’t say anything more but informed his homeroom teacher about it the next day after school.

The homeroom teacher said, “Your dad has already contacted me. I’ll do my best to arrange it for you.”

“Teacher, can I apply for accommodation?”

A familiar voice came from behind. Li Xiu tilted his back slightly. He heard Mo Yin talking to the homeroom teacher about accommodation. Mo Yin’s tone was completely different from usual, soft-spoken and obedient.

Mo Yin left the office first, followed by Li Xiu. It seemed Mo Yin hadn’t noticed him in the office, but paused at the entrance to their class and looked inside.

His eyes were filled with hostility.

Li Xiu stopped and smiled again.

After a brief conversation, the other person ran off, not looking back as he rushed into the classroom.

Li Xiu stood still, still smiling.

Feeling very anxious, he waited for two days. His accommodation application was approved. The homeroom teacher said he would be staying with students from the regular classes. Mo Yin agreed readily, appearing very happy, which softened the homeroom teacher’s heart. She reminded him, “If you encounter any difficulties in life, remember to report to the dormitory supervisor or tell me, alright?”

Mo Yin nodded. “Okay.” He was relieved that he wouldn’t be in the same dormitory as Li Xiu. He was quite satisfied.

Early the next morning, Mo Yin was excused from morning reading and went straight to the dormitory to report. He dragged his suitcase towards the dormitory building. The sky was blue, and the campus was lush with flowers and grass. He felt like he hadn’t been this happy in a long time, no, he had never been this happy before. The road ahead suddenly widened, and each step he took became more certain and solid.

The dormitory aunt received the notice yesterday. Mo Yin went in to submit his student ID for signature and received a brand-new access card.

The card is silver-gray and feels cool to the touch.

The corridor is paved with milky-white tiles, very clean. There’s an elevator in the middle. Mo Yin lives on the fifth floor. The elevator is also very clean, with a lemon-scented detergent smell.

Fifth floor.

The elevator door opens, and Mo Yin walks in with his suitcase, quickly arriving at room 508, and swiping his card to enter.

The scene inside the dormitory surprises him.

It’s exceptionally bright.

There’s a large window, the curtains not fully drawn, allowing sunlight to stream in nicely. Despite being a boys’ dormitory, there’s a clean detergent scent. Mo Yin looks up and sees an air conditioner mounted above.

It’s a four-person room, bunk beds against the walls, desks neatly arranged. On the desk are books, pens, and daily necessities. The desk near the window is empty, presumably his.

Mo Yin pushes his suitcase next to the desk, opens it, and quickly starts organizing.

He really likes this dormitory, very much.

After about ten minutes, Mo Yin has everything arranged. He walks out of the dorm, and closes the door. Not far away, he hears another door closing.

Mo Yin turns back, and the person closing the door also turns back.

Li Xiu looks at his dorm and says, “You live in 508?”

Mo Yin doesn’t answer, carrying his backpack as he walks out.

Li Xiu’s gaze follows him.

Because he’s satisfied with the dormitory, Mo Yin’s mood is good all day long. When he’s in a good mood, he doesn’t engage in conversations with others, nor do they with him. Anyone who tries to be friendly with him ends up being avoided by him, like Zhong Jiaming, who is now the most avoided person in the experimental class. That’s good. He hopes everyone will ignore him, and he doesn’t want to bother with them either.

“Don’t be so down.”

Liang Jianhao stands with his hands hanging on the balcony of the corridor, smiling: “Didn’t I tell you earlier? Don’t have a savior mentality, you’ll get hurt.”

Zhong Jiaming smiles bitterly, “I didn’t want to be a savior either. I just think he’s kind of pitiful and wanted to be friends with him.”

“His poor interpersonal skills must stem from his own issues. People like him are inherently problematic, haven’t you heard? Pitiful individuals often provoke disdain.”

Liang Jianhao remarked, spotting Mo Yufan from the adjacent Class Three and promptly calling out to him, “Mo Yufan, come here. Looks like someone sympathizes with you.”

“In our freshman year, didn’t he have a deskmate? That’s me. I know he’s from a poor family, struggling financially. I’ve always looked out for him, buying water and bread. But he… when it comes to solving problems, he’s as defensive as a fortress, like he’s guarding against thieves. I’m talking about problem-solving, not cheating in exams. He’s just so selfish. Ask him a question, and either he doesn’t know, or he says he hasn’t done it. Never helps you.”

Mo Yufan vented, and Zhong Jiaming could empathize deeply.

“He even dodges bus fares.”

“He skips paying for a two-yuan bus ticket. His character’s really flawed. How’s that different from a thief?”

Liang Jianhao listened with keen interest. “Huh, but how does he manage to get such good grades then?”

“Character and grades aren’t related. I’m telling you all to be careful. Haven’t you heard about the university student who killed his classmates? They often excel academically. These types are dangerous—clever and malicious.”

“But isn’t that exaggerating a bit?” Zhong Jiaming defended Mo Yin, feeling he had said enough.

“How is it an exaggeration? Better safe than sorry.”

“I’m not saying he’s the type to poison someone at the dorm water cooler,” Mo Yufan continued, “but he’s petty and arrogant. Extreme arrogance is just a cover for insecurity. You really need to be cautious around such people. Don’t get too close; it’s risky.”

Mo Yufan didn’t expect his impassioned speech to ring true when he returned to the dorm later that evening.

“What are you doing in our dorm?”

Mo Yin came back quickly, hoping to finish a couple more math problems before lights out, but someone slammed the table. He turned to see a flushed and angry face, glanced indifferently, then lowered his head to resume his work.

“I’m talking to you.”

It was too noisy.

Mo Yin had to lift his head again, speaking in an unremarkable tone. “I applied for accommodation. The teachers assigned me here.”

“Why should they put you here?” Mo Yufan demanded. “I know why. Nobody in your class wanted to live with you, so they dumped you here, treating us like a trash can?!”

“Two other roommates came back, chatting and carrying bread. Upon seeing an extra person in the dorm, Mo Yufan seemed to still be in confrontation with that person and immediately stepped forward, asking, ‘What’s going on?’

What was originally a one-on-one situation quickly turned into a one-against-three.

The three from Room 508 already had a good relationship. Mo Yufan pulled the other two aside near the door, muttering something while glancing back at Mo Yin. Mo Yin glanced at them disinterestedly and refocused on his math problems. Soon, Mo Yufan and the other two left the dorm.

Some people in the dorm building heard the commotion and came out to see what was happening, starting to gossip with each other.

Before long, Mo Yufan and the others returned and declared matter-of-factly, ‘You’re moving out tomorrow.’

Mo Yin looked up at the three.

The other two had neutral expressions, but Mo Yufan looked resolute.

“Why?” Mo Yin asked.

Mo Yufan sneered, ‘Because you’re not welcome here. You’re affecting dorm unity.’

“I’m not interested in unity with you,” Mo Yin replied, his eyes wide under the harsh lights, his skin looking a bit pale. “If you don’t want to live with me, then the three of you can leave.”

This statement completely enraged Mo Yufan and offended the two who hadn’t really cared much before. Mo Yufan pointed at Mo Yin and said, ‘You’re leaving tonight!’

“Fine,” Mo Yin said calmly, “If you want to leave, go ahead. Just don’t disturb me while I’m studying.”

“You—” Mo Yufan looked like he wanted to start something but was held back by the other two. “Forget it, let’s talk about this tomorrow.”

The two patted Mo Yufan’s arm, urging him to talk to the teacher tomorrow. They had just gone downstairs to talk to the dorm supervisor, who said she couldn’t intervene.

Mo Yufan, filled with resentment, grabbed a basin noisily, and the three went to wash up together, casting glances back at Mo Yin as they walked out.

Mo Yin ignored them and focused on his studies.

When the three returned after washing up, Mo Yufan looked grim, but the other two seemed fine. They ignored Mo Yin and went to bed, soon laughing and chatting. However, the atmosphere effectively isolated Mo Yin.

“The funniest thing is, some people are already adults and still dodge bus fares,” Mo Yufan laughed heartily.

Mo Yin lowered his head, stuffing his ears with paper napkins.

A few minutes before lights out, Mo Yin took a basin to the bathroom to shower. After showering, he went to the sink to wash his clothes, his expression gradually darkening.

He hated this. His mood had been good, and now it was affecting his efficiency in studying late at night.

How could such a good dorm have so many people like this?

If only he could have a room to himself.

He needed to find a way to get these three out.

But would it be too much effort? He was busy enough as it was and didn’t want to waste time on unnecessary things. Unconsciously, his brow furrowed.

At that moment, someone else came out of the bathroom. Placing their basin next to Mo Yin’s, he glanced up and saw Li Xiu.

Probably getting ready for bed, Li Xiu was in a tank top, his arms long and muscular. Mo Yin felt a pang of jealousy for a moment. If only he were as strong, he could quietly teach those people a lesson—then again, fighting would only cause trouble. Mo Yin lowered his head and moved his basin aside, continuing to wash his clothes at the adjacent sink.

“Is there a fight in your dorm?” Li Xiu asked.

Mo Yin scrubbed his clothes.

Li Xiu smiled and didn’t say anything more.

As Mo Yin rinsed soap suds off his clothes, the bathroom lights went out. He hurriedly finished rinsing in the rushing water, when suddenly warm skin brushed against his shoulder in the darkness. The unexpected closeness made him tense. In a hushed voice, with a hint of a smile, came the whispered question, ‘Want me to teach them a lesson?’