Summer military training

I stayed in the hospital for about a week. When I came out, I felt like I'd escaped death, and it further solidified my belief that it's best to avoid women in the nursing department. I shared this painful lesson with a few students in room 420, but they were blinded by greed and wouldn't listen to my tearful tale. While I was in the hospital, the nurses would intentionally or unintentionally insert the needle into the wrong spot when they were giving me IV drips, leaving both my hands with marks that looked like those of a drug addict. I openly used these hands to write my exam papers, strutting away under the suspicious gazes of the proctors. From the time I was discharged until the end of the exams, I never saw Xiang Lei again. I heard he visited me once or twice during my hospitalization, but Qin Qin saw him and chased him away, so he didn't bother to show any mercy. A University finished their exams before us; by the time we started, they had already packed their bags and gone home. I did well on the exams, thanks to Ke An's notes and exam focus, and also thanks to the intense studying I did earlier this semester. The teachers had a good impression of me, and those who couldn't get away with it were willing to give me extra points. All the results were available a few days after the exams. I treated Ke An and the others to a meal to express my gratitude, and despite objections from the other students in room 417, we didn't drink any more alcohol.
It's a long-standing rule at the university that freshmen undergo military training during the summer vacation, lasting four weeks. I called home to ask my mom for leave. When she heard it was military training, she said, "Great! Xiao Yuan, you must train hard, improve your physical fitness, and become a healthy college student." I laughed so hard, thinking my mom was making a mountain out of a molehill. Besides, what does military training have to do with improving physical fitness? My mom always thinks I'm too thin and weak, always worried I'll be bullied outside, and constantly reminds me that health is the foundation of everything. July is probably the hottest time of summer. We spent all day standing at attention and marching in formation on the university's playground. Several of us collapsed quickly. The instructors were exasperated, constantly muttering, "You hothouse flowers," in a dejected tone. Anyone who didn't know better would think they were talking about their own children. But in reality, our instructors were mostly under 20 years old, the age when they should be lively and energetic. Qin Qin said it was fortunate that they were giving military training to our university; if they were giving military training to groups of beautiful girls at other schools
, it would be a real shame if they couldn't control themselves and caused some problems with their personal conduct or discipline. To save resources and for easier management, the school concentrated the freshmen participating in the military training in on-campus accommodation. After experiencing the school dormitory for four weeks, Chi Hang and I lamented countless times about those strange relics with historical or cultural significance. The dormitory we slept in belonged to the recent graduates, and when we first moved in, many things were scattered around. At first, we were glad that we didn't have to bring blankets, hot water bottles, etc., as everything was provided here. After tidying up a bit, I discovered that under my bed were stale socks and dirty underwear that hadn't been washed for months, along with a half-eaten, moldy instant noodle container. I immediately took all the remaining items outside to throw in the trash. Back home, I washed my hands countless times with soap before carrying my own blanket, mosquito net, and personal belongings all the way from room 417. Four weeks of military training had tanned me quite a bit, and when I got home, my mom praised me for looking much more energetic. Only Qi Huan secretly said I looked like an African refugee, so dark and thin.
Qi Huan is my uncle's son, and my uncle is a supporter and practitioner of late marriage and late childbirth. He didn't get married until his thirties and had Qi Huan when he was almost forty. This meant Qi Huan was actually two months younger than my uncle's youngest brother's child, and had to call me "cousin." Of course, Qi Huan never called me "cousin." Qi Huan and I are the closest in age and personality among my cousins; we've been playing together since childhood and are inseparable.
Every summer, Qi Huan usually stays at my house. My mom was more affectionate towards Qi Huan than towards me. It had been almost a year since we'd last seen each other, and naturally, she wouldn't let go of him, showering him with concern. It was only after a long while that she remembered me, her real son, and ordered me, "Xiao Yuan, go get Qi Huan some ice cream."
Qi Huan loved ice cream when he was little, and every summer when he came over, my mom would take him to the market to buy some. Back then, we didn't have a refrigerator, but after we got one, my mom would buy a whole case of ice cream every summer to keep it cold for Qi Huan. But my mom didn't know that Qi Huan stopped eating sweets after starting middle school, yet she still treated him to ice cream every summer. Every time I saw my mom's eager smile and Qi Huan's pained expression, I had to hold back my laughter. I picked out a creamy chocolate one and brought it over, and Qi Huan looked at me with a mournful expression. I pretended not to notice and praised my mom for her good memory, still remembering Qi Huan's taste, which made her eyes squint into slits. Then I complained that my mom was biased, remembering only Qi Huan's favorite ice cream and forgetting about my favorite cola. My mom, overwhelmed by my combination of sweet talk and harsh words, immediately promised to buy me several dozen Cokes the next day. I breathed a sigh of relief; my drinks for the summer were sorted. So, in the spirit of brotherly love, I rescued Qi Huan, using the pretext of wanting to practice English with him to get him out of my mom's sight and into my room. As soon as
Qi Huan entered my room, he was like a bird released from its cage, angrily throwing down the almost untouched ice cream box and yelling at me, "Xiao Yuan, you're so ruthless! It took you so long to come and rescue me!"
I leaned against the bed, arms crossed. "Am I ruthless? I just wanted you to experience the awkwardness I felt when I received a call from Fang Fang. Why did you give my number to Fang Fang?"
"Why can't I give it to Fang Fang?" Qi Huan looked at me inquisitively. "I thought it was as normal for Fang Fang to want to know about you as it is for you to want to know about Fang Fang. We've been friends for so many years." Besides Qi Huan, Fang Fang is the friend I've known the longest.
"I don't want to be friends with Fang Fang anymore. Maybe it's better for both of us if we stop contacting each other," I said, sounding pretentious and utterly unconvincing.
"You don't want to contact Fang Fang? Then who's the one who calls me every time to ask how Fang Fang is doing?" Qi Huan asked, clearly not believing me. I looked at the posters on the wall, all of them of Tony Leung, in various poses and expressions—all the kinds of pictures Fang Fang liked. They hadn't been taken down since they were put up. I should do a thorough cleaning soon; the pictures were covered in dust. I wondered if my mom had cleaned my room while I was away; it was so dirty.
"Last time Fang Fang called me, she asked about Xiang Lei. Xiang Lei… he lives in the same district as me."
"Isn't Xiang Lei at A University?" Qi Huan blurted out. "So you all knew Xiang Lei was at A University, except me. Why didn't you tell me?" If you had told me, I would never have moved into this chaotic student apartment. Even if I had chosen to live in a student apartment without knowing, my first impression of Xiang Lei wouldn't have been so shocking.
"You'll get angry if anyone mentions Xiang Lei... Who said that before? Besides, you're in the university, and Xiang Lei is in university A. Who would have thought that students from two different schools would live in the same apartment complex? You'd already graduated high school by then, and you probably wouldn't have another chance to see each other again, so who would have bothered to tell you this?" Qi Huan knew I lived in the university dorms and that students from several other schools lived there; I had told him when I first started university. But neither of us expected to run into Xiang Lei. Xiang Lei appeared in my life like an unexpected landmine, from then until now.
"Let's not talk about this. Xiao Yuan, how's this year been?"
"So-so." Not good, not bad. Of course, if I could get rid of Xiang Lei, I'd be doing quite well.
"No girlfriend?"
I shook my head: "If you don't like someone, why bother hurting them and wasting each other's time?"
Qi Huan was surprised: "Xiao Yuan, that's not like you at all."
What should I say? "Pluck the flower while it blooms, chase the girl while she's around?" In the past, when I was most fond of Fang Fang, I never missed an opportunity to flirt with other girls, and secretly holding hands was a common occurrence. But now… Qi Huan is no longer Qi Huan; he's been infected with a strange virus and possessed by a demon. His heart is no longer his own. Fortunately, he has a strong will and can control his behavior to avoid embarrassing himself in public, in front of people he shouldn't embarrass, saying things he shouldn't say, or doing things he shouldn't do.
By mid-August, the weather was getting hotter and hotter. Qi Huan has always been afraid of the heat, and because my house was cooler than his, he could spend an entire summer vacation at my house when he was little. Although he's older now, and it's inconvenient for two big boys to squeeze into a small room, he still comes over every now and then to cool off and act like a young master. One day, Qi Huan was in the mood and called me early in the morning to invite me to go swimming at the city gymnasium, ignoring the overcast sky and the 80% chance of rain. I readily agreed, much to Qi Huan's surprise. When I arrived at the agreed location, he still looked like he didn't believe I would actually come.
"You really came?" Qi Huan looked at me like I'd seen a ghost. I rolled my eyes at him, annoyed. "Of course."
I've always believed that those who drown are the ones who can swim, so even though I've lived by the river for so many years, I still can't swim. In previous summers, Qi Huan had tried to invite me swimming, but I always refused with righteous indignation. That's why I agreed so readily this year, which startled him. Qi Huan asked me why, and I told him I wanted to experience the feeling of suffocating in water. Someone once told me that in hopeless love, the feeling of unrequited love is like suffocating in water. I've never really known what suffocating in water feels like, but I think I know what hopeless love is like—much more painful, lonely, and unbearable than my feelings for Fang Fang, and it can't be spoken aloud.
"Luckily, I brought extra swimming trunks. Otherwise, Xiao Yuan, if you suddenly agreed to go swimming with me, I'd have to go shopping for clothes."
"No need for that trouble, just wear shorts. I don't mind." While changing in the gym's locker room, Qi Huan showed me the swimming trunks he'd brought. "Actually, Xiao Yuan, if you took off all your clothes and went swimming, even more people would come."
I ignored him and took off my t-shirt and trousers to change. Qi Huan stood there chatting idly, not in a hurry to change either.
I suddenly had a whimsical idea: "Xiao Huan, how about we go swimming in the Yangtze River sometime?"
Qi Huan's eyes widened: "Are you crazy? We don't even know where the whirlpools are on the riverbank, and you're a terrible swimmer. You'd be gone the moment you went in! You think it's like offering sacrifices to the Dragon King, just throwing him in and forgetting about retrieving him? What am I supposed to tell Uncle and the others if you drown in the Yangtze?"
I shrugged: "Maybe I'm not that unlucky."
"Are you crazy? Hurry up and get dressed and get out of here." Qi Huan turned his back to me and started taking off his clothes. I leaned against the door watching him. Qi Huan was the only boy I knew who could rival Chi Hang in looks. Because of his good looks, he was pampered by his elders from a young age, and his good grades only made him more spoiled. What's rare is that he also has a good personality. Outgoing but not reckless, meticulous but not fussy.如果注定要爱男人也该爱他才是。我想起一件事，问他。
“小欢，还记得那年的事吗？”
“哪件事？”祈欢和我一起犯过的事多到难以记忆，听我没头没尾的问一句，有点莫名其妙。
“你找人蒙了向雷口袋揍他的那件事。你确认他不知道是你做的？”
“应该不会知道，我找的都是我转到六中前的同学。”祈欢是高二时才转到六中和我们同学的。
“会不会有人认识他或者无意间说漏了嘴？”
祈欢搂住我肩膀出去：“以前的事还问那么多做什么。你都不想再和方芳联系了，还在意向雷吗？趁着现在没什么人，我来教你基本功。”
我望水生畏，不肯越泳池一步。“我还是先坐会，小欢你自己玩吧。”
我坐在泳池边发呆，脚伸到水里冰凉冰凉的。祈欢在水里游来游去，叫了我几次我以各种理由拒绝下水他就放弃了。 Qi Huan said there are usually not many people at the swimming pool in the morning, and today, being a cloudy day, there are even fewer. Besides Qi Huan and me, there was only a father and son playing in the water.
Qi Huan swam around in the water like a lively fish, without any sign of suffocation. I looked at him, annoyed, my eyes glazed over.
"Xiao Yuan, why are you looking at me like that? Have you fallen in love with me?"
"I must have been struck by lightning to fall in love with you, man." I replied irritably.
Qi Huan swam to the edge of the pool and leaned against it, talking to me.
"If you don't love me, which man would you love? Xiang Lei?"
My face darkened, and I stood up and walked away.
"Xiao Yuan, what are you doing? I was just joking." Qi Huan climbed out of the water, angrily following me into the changing room. I changed my clothes silently. I hadn't even gone into the water once, and I'd even pretended to change my swim trunks, and now I had to change back.
"Since when can't you even take a joke?" Qi Huan asked me, a little angry.
I lowered my head and remained silent. Qi Huan, your joke unintentionally touched a nerve. I'm not so magnanimous as to pretend I didn't hear it. I know it has nothing to do with you, but I can't control my emotions.
We chased each other out of the gymnasium. I was in front, Qi Huan was behind. The sky was still overcast; Qi Huan shouldn't have chosen today in the first place. This kind of weather only ruins one's mood.
I turned right as usual as I could when I got out the door. Qi Huan called after me, "Xiao Yuan, let's go back, it looks like it's going to rain."
"You can go back. We'll go our separate ways." I lowered my head and rushed forward.
"Xiao Yuan, that's not the way home."
I know, can't I even be alone?
The summer downpour came suddenly. Large raindrops hit my face, stinging. I stood in the rain, lost in thought. Qi Huan ran up and pulled me onto a side path. When I came to my senses, I saw the familiar buildings in front of me. My alma mater, No. 6 Middle School, where I had spent six years. Qi Huan pulled me into the corridor of Building 3, and I gripped his hand. Teaching Building 3 is where my senior year classroom was located. Class 3 of Senior Year 3 was on the third floor of Teaching Building 3.
Qi Huan pointed out the school I hadn't been to for over a year; he was very excited. Qi Huan had many fond memories of this place; he loved and missed No. 6 Middle School. But I was different. I was a failure at No. 6 Middle School; after the college entrance exam, I never entered its gates again, and I would even take a detour when passing by.
"Xiao Yuan, that's our classroom. I wonder which class of kids has taken it now."
Qi Huan was a humanities student, and his classroom was right above mine. I followed his gaze, but my angle was slightly off. I was looking at the spot on the third floor where Class 3 of Senior Year 3 had once been.
We had a three-day break before the college entrance exam, a time for the school to rest and recuperate, allowing our brains to recover from their overload.
That day was the last day of classes, and it suddenly started raining shortly after school ended in the afternoon. I had gone to the homeroom teacher's office and returned a little late, just as the downpour was in full swing. I had no choice but to go to the classroom to take shelter. I had a key to the classroom, so I could easily open it myself if I arrived too early. Unexpectedly, it was Xiang Lei's turn to clean that day. He had gone out to take out the trash when I went in. I saw the door was open and didn't think much of it, so I went straight in and sat down at my seat.
I was reciting vocabulary words when Xiang Lei came in. I only realized someone had come in when a shadow fell over me. This person walked like a cat, without making a sound. When I looked up and saw Xiang Lei's face, my expression must have been one of surprise, mixed with disgust, fear, annoyance, and many other things. His face immediately changed. He coldly asked me what my problem was with him, why I was always picking on him. I don't remember how I answered; I was so shocked by the sudden appearance of his face that I couldn't recover for a long time. Then we started arguing and fighting, wrestling on the classroom floor.
I've said before that I'm no match for him physically, but even though I fought him desperately, he couldn't gain any advantage. In the end, we were both covered in bruises, and I was almost exhausted from fighting him, but he still kept asking me why I was always picking on him, why I was always going against him. I got angry and yelled at him, "I just don't like you, so what? Go ahead and kill me if you dare!" My temper, which had just cooled down a little, flared up again, and we started a full-blown fight. The only thing in the classroom that could be used for a fight was the chairs, so we grabbed chairs and started smashing them at each other. It was the last day anyway, so it didn't matter if they were all destroyed; neither he nor I would need those chairs anymore. We had absolutely no sense of responsibility for damaging public property. After wreaking havoc on the entire classroom, we separated and leaned against the doors, panting heavily—he was at the front door, and I was at the back.
The matter could have ended there; we could have vented our anger and gone home. But then he said, "Don't think I don't know why you're picking on me. It's because of Fang Fang, isn't it?" I couldn't stand the thought of him calling Fang Fang's name, nor could I bear his smug tone. My eyes immediately turned red, and we started fighting. The final result was that he pinned me to the table and forced me to apologize. Apologize? How could I apologize? How could I apologize to him or Lei? I spat at him, and he slapped me. I kicked him in the groin, and while he was curled up on the floor, I kicked him several more times. Unfortunately, I forgot to know when to stop and leave. When I thought I had kicked him enough and tried to turn away, he tripped me from behind, and before I could get up, he straddled me, punched me a few times, and started unbuckling my belt. I was terrified and struggled desperately.
I thought he knew what was happening in my dreams every day. In my dreams, I had hugged him, kissed him, and done things I shouldn't have done more than once. I turned pale with fright, thinking he was trying to get revenge. Instinctively, I fought back, hitting, kicking, and biting. But lying on the ground, none of my moves worked. He easily evaded my attacks, easily pulled down my pants. I screamed in terror. I had never felt so humiliated, never so afraid. I don't know what I screamed, or what happened next. I only know that when I woke up, I was dressed and being helped onto the table by Xiang Lei. I moved, wanting to hit him, but a sharp pain shot through my lower body. My face paled, and I immediately understood what had happened. I looked at Xiang Lei. If looks could kill, Xiang Lei would have died a thousand times over.
Xiang Lei was calm; you couldn't tell he had just raped his classmate, that he was still a high school senior, or that the person he raped was his own male nemesis. He simply waited for me to wake up, got my address, and took me home. I had a thousand, ten thousand reasons not to accept his offer to take me home, but none of those reasons could compare to one fact: I couldn't walk home by myself. He took me home, saying I wasn't feeling well, and my mom even invited me to stay for dinner. I lay alone in my room, wanting only to cry, listening to him politely say goodbye to my mom outside, hearing her thank him for bringing me home, hearing him open the door and leave, hearing my mom tell him to come over sometime. I always thought I was strong, but that day I realized I wasn't. I became hysterical, chasing away the doctor my mom had found, refusing my mom's kindness.
I locked myself in my room, silently weeping. I locked myself in my room for three days, half-asleep, half-awake, my whole body aching when I was awake, every movement sending a tearing sensation through my lower body. I cursed Xiang Lei, I cursed myself. I had a high fever, but I didn't take any medicine, letting myself drift into a coma. On the fourth day, the first day of the college entrance exam, my mom told my dad outside that if I got too sick, I should just give up and take the exam next year. I struggled to open the door, staggered out, and asked my mom for my exam admission ticket. I was ten minutes late and almost couldn't get in. The proctor, seeing my pale face and trembling fingers, kept coming over to ask if I felt unwell and needed a doctor. I didn't hear a thing; my usually best subject, Chinese, was less than a tenth of my usual responsiveness. I scribbled haphazardly on the paper, barely managing to get through it with sheer resentment.
On the day I could check my scores by phone, I didn't stay up until then; I went to bed early. Even my mom had said it was okay if I didn't pass; with Xiaoyuan's spirit of taking the exam even with a 40-degree fever, we could just retake it for a year and try again next year—I refused to believe we couldn't get into USTC. No one in my family remembered checking the scores that day. Qi Huan checked my score for me; he later said he thought he'd misheard and checked it several times before he believed it, and he even asked me to reimburse his phone bill. I offered him ice cream, but he refused, so the deal fell through. Honestly, I thought Qi Huan wasn't the only one who misheard; my whole family of three did too. As soon as my mom heard my score, she grabbed the phone and dialed, taking a full ten minutes to get through. When she hung up, she was so excited she kept dropping the phone, and I had to help her until it finally stopped ringing. Qi Huan filled out my college application for me; I didn't even know he'd chosen the University of Technology until the acceptance letter came. But I didn't care; I was planning to retake the exam for another year. I never expected to end up here, and I never expected to meet Xiang Lei again. I thought I'd never see him again. During summer vacation, a group of classmates came to visit. They'd all heard about my feat of taking the exam despite a 40-degree fever, and of course, my score. They showered me with flattery and insisted I treat them to dinner. I ate and drank with them, and the summer passed by just like that. No one told me that Xiang Lei and I would be studying in the same city. Fang Fang also said she wanted to visit, but I didn't know how to face her, so I made an excuse to decline.
Because of military training, I spent less than a month at home during my freshman summer vacation, but I was glad that summer was so short, and I was also glad that I didn't go home until August. Fang Fang had already returned to Nanjing by then. Fang Fang has always been a very hardworking and excellent student, and I believe she will be a good teacher in the future; her students will definitely be very happy.
Qi Huan said that Fang Fang majored in English, and that Fang Fang had contacted him during the summer to say she wanted to visit me. Qi Huan said he told Fang Fang that I wouldn't be back until August. Of course, it was Qi Huan who told me that Fang Fang had returned to school. Qi Huan refused to return to school before the end of summer vacation; Nanjing is such a hot place! He dragged his feet until the last day of registration before leaving, and I returned to school to register the day before he left.
Qin Qin was sullen for the first week of school. Because I didn't get a scholarship, Qin Qin's plan to get free meals failed, and he was depressed for a long time. Even I was depressed along with him. Chi Hang teased us, saying we looked like heartbroken men, always wandering around, absent-minded, and pale-faced; if you saw us at night, you'd think you'd seen a ghost.
Qin Qin's low mood lasted until just before the National Day holiday. The Automation Department held a welcome party on the eve of National Day, and I said the freshmen were probably all ugly and not worth seeing, so I didn't go. I read some books in the library that night and then went home. The welcome party was supposedly very lively; the third-year students in charge had somehow managed to borrow a group of beautiful girls to perform, so even though the freshmen in our department weren't very good, it still attracted a lot of attention. As soon as I came out of the bathroom, I heard Qin Qin singing on the balcony: "I've waited so long, and today has finally come..."
As I got into bed, I asked Chi Hang, who was texting across the room, "What's wrong with Qin Qin? Did she meet someone or something? Was it love at first sight or love at second sight?"
"I don't know, Qin Qin's taste is beyond the comprehension of ordinary people. Maybe she's fallen for some dinosaur."
Ke An laughed, "You're overthinking it. Today, Qin Qin just stole all the snacks and fruits prepared for the actors backstage, and she's excited about it."
"Oh." Chi Hang and I realized we shouldn't have had any hope for this kid.
"That's right, I told you long ago that our Qin Qin is the kind of person who doesn't care about spring, only calls for spring. How could she possibly fall for a dinosaur?"
"Qi Yuan, you're being too mean! What do you take Qin Qin for? A cat? 'Not caring about spring, only calls for spring'?" Ke An said with a laugh.
"No, it's clearly a mosquito. I think the mosquitoes in our dorm are all talk and no action, only calling for spring."
"Qiyuan, what do you think is the best way to deal with these mosquitoes?"
I thought for a moment: "How about the invincible mosquito repellent?"
"Gunner is better."
Ke An sighed: "I'm allergic to the smell of that stuff."
Chi Hang laughed: "Then let's switch to mosquito coils, Li brand is also good, we often use it at home."
"Does that stuff work on mosquitoes?"
"Yes." Chi Hang answered decisively. "But I don't know if it will work on Qin Qin."
"Let's try it." I echoed the suggestion.
Qin Qin kicked open the door and jumped in from the balcony: "What are you two talking about? If I don't say anything, just pretend I'm not here."
"Qin Qin." I took out two yuan and gave it to him, "Can you go buy me some mosquito coils? There are quite a lot of mosquitoes in the dorm."
"Get lost." Qin Qin ignored me, "You're the mosquito, stop whining."
I laughed, looking for someone to judge: "Chi Hang, between me and Qin Qin, who looks more like a mosquito?"
"Of course it's Qin Qin, you're not as long-winded as him." Chi Hang, undeterred by Qin Qin's glare, dared to speak the truth.
Qin Qin angrily kicked Chi Hang's table.
"Qin Qin doesn't bite, how could she be a mosquito?" Ke An stepped in to smooth things over. Qin Qin nodded hurriedly, indicating her support for Ke An's words, proving that since he didn't bite, he wasn't a mosquito. "But male mosquitoes don't bite. Qin Qin might be a male mosquito." Ke An delivered his final conclusion, and Chi Hang and I laughed so hard we rolled around on the bed. "Ke An, I didn't know you were such a ruthless person!"
Qin Qin jumped up and down. Ke An added, "It's late enough, let's all go to sleep."
I put on my earphones and listened to music before Qin Qin officially went ballistic, eliminating any chance of being bombarded. Qin Qin slammed the door as she went to the bathroom to shower.
I put on my earphones and listened to Faye Wong's somewhat melancholic singing, "I haven't even properly felt the weather of the snowflakes blooming," slowly drifting into a semi-sleep state.
"I'm praying." Qin Qin, having finished showering sometime earlier, climbed into bed and called to me head-to-head. She sounded like a secretive elementary school student whispering.
"What?" I was startled awake and took off my earplugs.
"Did you notice Wu Ying staring at you during class today?" Qin Qin was being gossipy, practically ready to pull back the curtains and stick her head in to tell me.
Wu Ying was in Class 1 of the 2002 Automation program; our two classes often overlapped. Of course, I knew Wu Ying; she was a very pretty girl. She was a bit chubby, though, and I often heard her talking about losing weight. Actually, I thought that for someone her height of 166cm, her figure was at most "full-figured," or to put it more bluntly, "swollen," definitely not fat.
"So? Do you have a crush on her? Answer me!" Qin Qin nudged me through the curtains.
Before I could speak, Chi Hang said from across the table, "Qin Qin, why are you so enthusiastic today? I remember you didn't have a good impression of Wu Ying before. You even said she dressed like a Japanese geisha all the time, with layers of white powder on her face, which was kind of scary."
Qin Qin chuckled, "Qi Yuan, answer me."
I didn't speak, and Chi Hang answered for me again. "Qin Qin, a rabbit doesn't eat the grass near its burrow."
"Why doesn't a rabbit eat the grass near its burrow?" Qin Qin asked.
I said, "To avoid the awkwardness of breaking up later."
"You're already thinking about breaking up before it even starts?" Ke An's voice was a little surprised. So he wasn't asleep yet either.
"We're having a late-night chat today. It's been a long time since it's been this lively." I simply turned off the CD, since I wouldn't need it for a while anyway. "I think it's unlikely I'll start a new relationship for a long time to come."
"Still remember Fang Fang?" Ke An asked. They both knew about Fang Fang.
"Maybe. Anyway, I'm not really interested." I answered vaguely, deliberately sounding sleepy.
“True,” Qin Qin yawned. “The girls at our school are really hard to get interested in. Forget that famous saying on our university’s BBS?”
We all laughed, knowing which one he was referring to.
Qin Qin said, “A monk plucks a flower and gazes at the moon, a dinosaur sits down and becomes an immortal. Look at our university, it produces nothing but these kinds of people.”
The girls at our university are notoriously unattractive, earning it the nickname of having the most “dinosaurs” (referring to female students) along with the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), a veritable ancient rare animal conservation base. There was once a saying on our university’s BBS that described the situation of male and female students, the very one Qin Qin just mentioned: “A monk plucks a flower and gazes at the moon, a dinosaur sits down and becomes an immortal.” That saying was hailed as a classic and became incredibly popular. Later, even USTC borrowed our university’s famous saying to describe their situation, leading to a period of debate on our university’s BBS about whether to demand royalties from USTC. Eventually, a very fair-minded senior from the Automation department said that out of sympathy for each other, we were all victims of the same “dinosaur” phenomenon, and that settled the argument.
I wasn't in the mood for a girlfriend. A few times during large lectures, I did unintentionally see Wu Ying looking at me, but I didn't presume to think she was interested in me. We, the students in room 417, always sat together in class; she might just be looking at Chi Hang. Besides, even if she was looking at me, and if, as Qin Qin said, she was interested, I had no enthusiasm or inclination to reciprocate. Love was too much of a luxury for me. I didn't want either one-sided or mutual love right now.
That evening, I went out to dinner with Chi Hang and Qin Qin. Halfway through the meal, it suddenly started raining. None of the three of us had umbrellas, so we could only sigh at the rain. The rain outside grew heavier and showed no signs of stopping anytime soon. The three of us ordered more food and chatted to pass the time.
"Where did Ke An go? I was hoping he could bring us umbrellas," Chi Hang said, putting down his phone in disappointment. He had called the dorm several times, but no one answered.
"He might have gone to the USTC. Didn't Ke An have a classmate call him yesterday saying they had something to ask him? He might be going there this afternoon." Qin Qin fiddled with the disposable chopsticks in her hand and asked me, "Qi Yuan, are you going to eat or not? If you're not going to eat, fine, but stop poking around with those chopsticks."
I poked at the food in my lunchbox: "It's so boring."
"Boring? Just yell a few times for thunder and rain and bring in the laundry." Chi Hang raised an eyebrow. "Don't waste food, or you'll be struck by lightning."
"People who waste food should be burned on a hot plate." Qin Qin stared at my lunchbox. I pushed the rice towards him: "If you want to eat it, just say so. How am I supposed to know if you don't tell me? Do you want it? Don't you want it?" Chi Hang laughed: " Does
Qin Qin need to say anything if she wants something?" "Don't want to say anything?" "Do you want to say something?" "Don't want to say anything?" "Damn it! Are you two acting like you're in a fantasy movie? What do you need? Didn't you see how longingly I looked at your teppanyaki rice?" Qin Qin was furious, shoveling rice into her mouth, dissolving all her frustration and anger into the food. I looked around and couldn't help but curse: "Damn it, I don't know a single person in the whole cafeteria." "Chi Hang, handsome Chi." Qin Qin called out to Chi Hang with rice in her mouth, her words unclear. Just from the way she addressed him, I knew she needed something from Chi Hang. "What?" Chi Hang put on airs. I found it amusing: "I just want you to use your charm to borrow a couple of umbrellas from that girl over there." "Exactly, exactly." Qin Qin nodded like a chicken pecking at rice. A few girls around the corner of the cafeteria whispered among themselves, their eyes occasionally glancing our way. “I remember these people arrived quite late, so they might have brought umbrellas. Chi Hang, go borrow one.” In 417, Chi Hang is usually the one sent in these kinds of situations, and he almost always succeeds. Chi Hang laughed, “Borrowing and returning is just too much trouble. It’s better to just run back; it’s not far anyway.” “No way,” Qin Qin firmly objected, stating her reason, “Qi Yuan is prone to fevers. If she goes back in the rain, she’ll definitely get a fever.” I shuddered. I should have known better than to use the “prone to fevers” excuse when I had a fever before; now it’s being taken seriously. “Seriously, how come we haven’t seen anyone from Building 08 in such a big cafeteria?” “That’s because we came out too late. Most people have already finished eating and gone home by then.” There are lab classes in the afternoon, so school ends late. After class, Chi Hang was kept nagging by one of his basketball buddies for ages. Qin Qin and I waited for him at the school gate until we got impatient and went for a walk outside. When it was Chi Hang's turn to come out and find us, half a day was wasted. When we came back, we were not only later than everyone else, but we also didn't see Ke An, who had said he was coming back earlier. "Actually, the demand for prayer umbrellas has been rising lately. Qin Qin, if you're really worried about Qi Yuan catching a cold from the rain, you might as well just ask Qi Yuan to borrow an umbrella," Chi Hang teased me with a laugh.

I wasn't in the mood to deal with his question, so I took out my phone: "I'll call back again." Unfortunately, Ke An still hadn't returned, and the dorm phone went unanswered as usual. I was getting impatient, so I simply dragged Chi Hang and Qin Qin out. "Let's go, getting wet is fine, who's afraid of getting gonorrhea?"
Qin Qin cried out, "No! Getting wet is a small matter, but gonorrhea is a real problem..."
"Get lost." I kicked him, "Where do you get so many dirty jokes?"
Chi Hang and I went out first, and Qin Qin followed after reciting a few words. Standing at the door, looking at the hazy sky outside, we looked at each other in bewilderment.
"Hey, how are we going to get around in this heavy rain? Our clothes will be soaked by the time we get back."
Chi Hang suddenly said, "I remember, Ke An's classmate left his phone number when he called yesterday."
Qin Qin and I punched him together. "Hurry up and call him to ask."
The call connected, and Ke An was indeed at his classmate's place at USTC. Hearing our miserable state, he immediately said he would come to pick us up right away. After a sigh of relief, even the rainy scenery outside seemed beautiful in a hazy way. Qin Qin, caught up in a poetic mood, kept going "Ah! Ah! Ah!" for ages. Chi Hang and I were almost driven to our deaths by him, praying that Ke An would come to our rescue.
We spotted an umbrella approaching in the distance. Qin Qin, with her sharp eyes, exclaimed, "Damn! Where did Ke An find that little blue floral umbrella? Wait… isn't there someone standing next to it? Is Ke An's classmate a girl?" "
A boy."
Qin Qin sighed in disappointment, "Then this probably isn't Ke An."
The rain was too heavy, obscuring our vision. We squinted for a while, only seeing the little blue floral umbrella getting closer, with two people under it. A boy and a girl; the boy's arm was around the girl's shoulder. Although their faces were hidden by the umbrella, it was obvious it wasn't Ke An.
"I knew our Boss Ke wouldn't be so stoic as to go and fawn over a girl while sharing a floral umbrella."
"Qin Qin, look closely, those little blue floral umbrellas are clearly only used by girls."
"Then he's being fawned over by a girl." Qin Qin clicked her tongue, whether out of envy or jealousy, it was hard to tell.
The two approached, close enough to see each other's faces. Chi Hang gestured for me to look: "An old acquaintance."
My stomach was still full of the half-eaten iron rice, cold and hard, and I suddenly felt a little uncomfortable. I heard Qin Qin say, "It's him. I wondered who was so flashy running around with that little floral umbrella for girls." Her voice was loud, loud enough to be interpreted as a provocation.
Perhaps because the rain was too loud, Xiang Lei, who passed by us, only glanced at us without saying a word. Qin Qin was about to speak when Chi Hang stopped her.
"Isn't this the one we met at the basketball court last time? It's changed again." Chi Hang observed carefully, and I forced a smile.
"Is this guy always so flamboyant?" Qin Qin had a long-standing dislike for Xiang Lei.
I nodded. "He's always been like this." He has a sharply defined face, and his demeanor is the cool type that young girls adored back then. In high school, many girls were always chasing after him, and in college, without the supervision of teachers and parents, it only got worse. I've only caught him with different girls a few times, and holding hands was commonplace—something he probably wouldn't have bothered doing in high school.
By the time Ke An finally arrived, the half-eaten teppanyaki rice in my stomach had turned into a solid teppanyaki plate, lodged there, making my chest feel tight and bloated.
Ke An handed us an umbrella. "Qi Yuan, what's wrong? You look terrible."
"The teppanyaki rice at the fourth cafeteria… I suggest everyone avoid it from now on. Otherwise, you'll need to prepare aqua regia to aid digestion. This is a lesson learned the hard way," I declared. "The first thing I'll do when I get back is take some stomach medicine."
"I'll never eat teppanyaki rice again," I said bitterly. The three of them stared at me, bewildered. It took Qin Qin a while to react: "Qi Yuan, are you still reeling from your breakup? You can't take your anger out on someone like that. Teppanyaki Rice is completely innocent!!!" Teppanyaki Rice innocent? Then I'll make Qin Qin even more innocent. I found some excuse and gave him a good beating, leaving him completely bewildered, forced to swallow his pride and suffer in silence.

"Hey! Qin Qin, Qi Yuan." After finishing two classes in the afternoon, as soon as we left the teaching building, we heard someone calling us before we even reached the gate. Qin
Qin saw us immediately, and with a quick twist of her arm, she bumped into my waist. "Go say hello."
I shoved her. Sun Lian stood under the shade of a tree, waving. His squinting posture was somewhat like Qin Qin's—like attracts like.
I met Sun Lian at the school sports meet last semester. Her class, 02 Secretarial Studies, had signed up for the mixed doubles badminton competition, but they were short of boys and needed to find outside help. Coincidentally, Sun Lian and Ke An were high school classmates, so Chi Hang became Sun Lian's obvious choice as her helper and partner.
"Sun Lian, long time no see. What are you doing at the South Campus? Seeing Chi Hang?" I joked.
Sun Lian smiled slightly: "Seeing you." Qin Qin whistled exaggeratedly.
I laughed and playfully punched him. Sun Lian was a very lively and outgoing girl. Chi Hang had once intentionally or unintentionally tried to set us up. At the time, Chi Hang said something like, "The spring breeze of China is greening the land, and fragrant grasses are everywhere." I knew he was subtly advising me to forget Fang Fang, but I replied that I only wanted one rose that belonged to me. Later, I found out that it was actually Ke An who intentionally tried to match me up with Sun Lian. According to Ke An, I like someone like Sun Lian, and Ke An's judgment is indeed accurate. Sun Lian, lively, cheerful, generous, and with a slightly androgynous air, is indeed my type. However, she's not my rose after all.
"There's a football match between our university and A University today, I came to watch it." Sun Lian, wearing a black vest and white capri pants, looked dashing.
"How come we didn't hear about it?" There were only a few people on the football field, so that's how it is.
"It was originally scheduled for the North Campus, but it accidentally clashed with another match, so we had to change it to the South Campus."
"Hey, seriously, Sun Lian, have you ever considered being Qi Yuan's girlfriend?"
"I have priority consideration." I went along with Qin Qin's words. We've known each other for over half a year, and although we haven't met often, there's no sense of distance when talking to Sun Lian. Perhaps it's because she's exactly my type, or perhaps it's because she resembles Fang Fang.
"Ah? I always thought we were just good buddies. Turns out I was just being presumptuous." Sun Lian exclaimed in surprise.
Before I could even put on a heartbroken expression, Sun Lian waved goodbye. "The second half has started. I'm heading over to the playground. Come visit the North Campus sometime." "
Sun Lian, which department at A University are we playing against?" I suddenly remembered this question. Sun Lian turned back from afar: "Physics."
"A football match?"
"Yes."
I breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness it was football; he never plays football. He thinks football is a barbarian sport, but among the people I know, he's the most barbaric. It's an absurd fact that he's a barbarian yet refuses to participate in his own people's sport.
"I'm going back now. Qin Qin, are you going to the library to look up information today?"
"Yeah. Aren't you going to study today?"
"No, see you later."
I took a few steps, and Qin Qin called out, "Qi Yuan, the bike shed is over there." I then remembered that I had ridden my bike here today.
The bikes in the shed were all over the place. I struggled to drag my beloved bike out from the middle, and when I turned around, I found the exit shrouded in shadow.
"Excuse me. Thank you."
"Was that your girlfriend? She's pretty."
What's it to you? I didn't say anything, and tried to push the bike through the gap beside me. But I overestimated how wide the exit was. The handlebars were grabbed.
"What, you think you can just leave as soon as you see me?" He leaned against my bike, flicking off his cigarette ash. I snatched it away and threw it away, refusing to inhale secondhand smoke.
"What are you doing at our school?" I didn't think he was here for a football match, much less as a cheerleader.
"I came with someone. Qi Yuan, it feels like it's been almost a semester since I last saw him."
I glanced at him, then lowered my head. The last time we met was during winter break, at the train station, on the same train with student tickets. I gave up my seat, switched carriages, and stood all the way back.
"Let's go together, you can give me a ride on your bike."
"I don't think we're that close." I refused his offer; I didn't want to walk into a trap.
"Is there anyone closer to me than you and me?" His tone carried a hint of teasing, but I didn't have time to analyze it; escaping was the priority.
He lifted his leg and sat on my bike, repeating, "Give me a ride home. Or I'll give you a ride." He automatically shifted his position, mounted the bike, and with a flourish, gestured to me, "Get on."
I held the bike with one hand, my face stern, "Get off. You're not welcome on my bike."
"You and I have both ridden, so why can't I ride yours?"
"If you want to fight... just say so." I threw the bike down, took a few steps back, and vented all my anger on it. Xiang Lei straightened up, looked at his beloved bike that I had kicked to the ground, smiled bitterly, and scratched his head, "Qiyuan, I really didn't come here to fight you today."
"To insult me."
"Neither."
I waved away his hand that was blocking my way, "If neither of those are the case, then move aside."
"Qiyuan... I've noticed you're afraid of me."
I turned around abruptly.
"If you're not afraid of me, why do you never dare to be alone with me?"
"I don't want to see you."
"Such a stubborn mule. The way you're acting... I'm starting to doubt if you even like me. Some young boys will deliberately provoke and cause trouble to attract the attention of someone they like, but your sulking act really makes you look like a naive young man experiencing his first love." He chuckled. I had to work very hard to control myself and avoid punching him in the face.
"You're spewing filth."
"Qiyuan, the most annoying thing about you is that you never say anything, always assuming others will know. But if you don't speak up, who will care about you, who will care what you want? You just keep quiet because you're content to avoid trouble. Do you even know you've liked Fang Fang for so many years? She'll probably think you only see her as a good sister or friend until the day she dies. Your little schemes... Hey, I haven't told Fang Fang anything all these years, serves you right for keeping it bottled up. Just keep it to yourself, Fang Fang is probably the only one in the entire Sixth Middle School who doesn't know your feelings for her aren't what she thinks."
"Shut up!"
he sneered. "I'm only giving you this advice because we've slept together so many times. If you like that girl, just say so. Don't end up like Fang Fang, treating you like a brother or sister and never being able to get back together."
He was clearly making fun of me.
"Get the hell away from me. You're not worthy to mention Fang Fang in front of me."
"All bark and no bite."
"You've got the idioms pretty well..."
"Thanks for the compliment."
"...You're a rotten person. Xiang Lei, I've never seen anyone worse than you." And yet, I've fallen for this rotten person, so I'm a slut, deserving to be cornered in the bike shed and humiliated by him.
He grabbed my neck, and I coughed, leaning against the metal frame. A row of bikes around us collapsed—the result of our little exchange. He glared, deep in thought, like a snake about to strike.
"Qi Yuan, you've never been a match for me, yet you always resort to violence whenever we meet. In high school, you'd run away from me; in college, you'd fight me. But what do you do when you can't run away and can't beat me?"
"I'll get my revenge."
"How? By sleeping with me? Like I slept with you? Can you do that?" He touched my face, tightening his grip.
"What the hell are you doing here at our school? Let go of me if you don't want to fight."
"Huh, can't you break free? I didn't even use any force. Or do you like being held by me... You just said you didn't like me."
I was furious. Had I even discussed whether I liked him or not with him?
"Seriously, you're only obedient when I'm on top of you, you don't say a word."
Top my ass! In a fit of rage, I threw a punch.
"Getting angry."
"I don't care what's wrong with you today, but you better behave yourself here at the university. If I hear you spouting nonsense again, believe me, I'll cripple you." "
Come on, let's go back." He let go, picked up his beloved bike that I had kicked to the ground, easily climbed in, patted the back seat, and said, "I'll give you a ride."
I walked out. I'd rather be killed than go back in the same bike with him. I only wanted to go back just in case, to avoid him, but I didn't expect to run into him anyway. People who call football, a sport that's popular worldwide, a barbaric sport, would come to watch a football match, especially an inter-school match. I don't know what they're thinking; maybe they've lost their minds, I guess.
Someone stopped me outside the door.
"I just saw him following you and came over." Qin Qin stood in the shadows, expressionless. My heart skipped a beat.
"Then... you heard everything?" I tried to recall Xiang Lei's crazy words, my face gradually turning pale. Qin Qin's reasoning ability was always excellent; if he wanted to, he could deduce the whole story from just a word or two. Xiang Lei had mentioned sleeping together so many times...
"You two really have that kind of relationship?"
I was speechless.
"He forced you?" He looked at Xiang Lei, who came out behind me. Xiang Lei put one leg on the ground, squeezing my bicycle bell so hard it rang loudly: "Excuse me."
"You like him?"
"Qin Qin..."
"Of course you like me, otherwise why would you sleep with a grown man like me? Don't you have common sense?"
"Damn it..." There was a sound behind me.
"Qin Qin..." I wanted to catch up.
"Get lost!" Qin Qin roared, turning around. I was startled, thinking I'd finally get to experience firsthand the legendary explosive power of Qin Qin's fists. But he just yelled "Get lost!" and ran away. I watched helplessly, unable to stop him.
"Hey," Xiang Lei said, clutching his left cheek and frowning, "You're not having an affair with him, are you? Look at him, so heartbroken from being deceived."
Blood flashed before my eyes as I punched Xiang Lei squarely in the right cheek. He doubled over in pain.
"I held back with you before." Otherwise, even if I couldn't beat you, I wouldn't have been completely at a disadvantage. This time, I hated him for making me expose what I'd been hiding in front of Qin Qin. I hated him for letting Qin Qin see a side of me I couldn't show to anyone. Qin Qin's words, "You like him," almost broke me, almost made me think Qin Qin had seen through my hidden heart.
For over a month afterward, Qin Qin and I remained in a state of complete silence and estrangement. I tried to talk to him a few times, but he ignored me. I'm extremely proud, and for me, taking the initiative to show goodwill is the biggest concession I can make; if he doesn't respond, I won't continue. I will remember everything and everyone who leaves me, but I won't actively try to win them back. A cold war or a complete breakdown in our relationship is possible, and seeing his cold face every day is painful; I wonder if there's any chance to explain. Since that unpleasant parting, Qin Qin has basically avoided me. Perhaps he hates me, hates me for being a perverted homosexual, hates that I've been lurking around him for so long; perhaps he regrets, is afraid, and remorseful for having been intimate with me, for being my best friend. I'm surrounded by these negative emotions, like a fire-breathing little tyrannosaurus rex every day. Not to mention my sensitive and attentive roommates Chi Hang and Ke An, even my roommates in the same dorm building would occasionally politely ask, "Are you feeling down lately?" Ke An, unable to bear the cold war between Qin Qin and me, ordered us to sit down and talk one day. I was very willing to listen to Ke An, but Qin Qin didn't give him the time of day. The tense atmosphere in Room 417 lasted until summer vacation.
What happened during this time was that Wu Ying publicly stated she liked Ke An, not me or Chi Hang. If it were before, I could joke with Qin Qin about this, mocking his judgment and ability to judge people, but now…
Wu Ying liking Ke An was unexpected, but I have to say this girl has good taste and bad luck. Ke An is definitely a good man worthy of a life commitment, but at this moment, he's not interested in romance and isn't a good candidate for a romantic relationship. If they wait a few years, until graduation and a stable life, they might be able to date. If Wu Ying can wait until then, I have to admire her wisdom and Ke An's luck.
I heard that in the end, Ke An tactfully rejected Wu Ying, but they remained friends. Ke An is one of the few people with enough charm that makes you feel you can be a close friend even if you can't be lovers with him.

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