The first thing Xie Huai did upon returning was count the money.

Xia Xia hadn’t had time to pocket the extra hundred and twenty yuan she was still clutching before he took it along with everything else into the change purse.

Xia Xia asked: “All sorted out?”

Xie Huai grunted in affirmation, his expression sour—clearly, he’d just been severely scolded by Yi Meixian in the office.

Yi Meixian was notorious for her temper, and on the first day of school, offending your counselor would make the next four years of university difficult. Moreover, that surprise school rules test was indeed troublesome—failing meant repeated retakes, and he didn’t have that much time. Although he’d endured two hours of scolding, at least resolving the matter was one less thing to worry about.

“Extra hundred and ninety,” Xie Huai said after counting the money twice, his brow slightly relaxing.

He had prepared himself for selling nothing while he was away, but Xia Xia had been diligent, bringing in no less than when he was there.

“Senior Jingzhou came by and bought a desk lamp,” Xia Xia quickly gave up Jiang Jingzhou when she saw Xie Huai checking the accounts. “He left before I could give him change, and the extra hundred and twenty is from marking up prices—the customers didn’t haggle.”

The ends of her fine, soft eyebrows tilted slightly upward as she lowered her eyes to stare at the blue bricks of the path below, hiding her cunning gaze where Xie Huai couldn’t see it.

Her mind was racing. Now that the money was in Xie Huai’s hands, there was no guarantee of getting it back, so she might as well come clean and leave him with an impression of honesty and obedience—it would make future conversations easier.

From their brief interactions, she could tell Xie Huai was no ordinary freshman. He was good at making money and clever. Given her current impoverished situation, staying on good terms with him couldn’t hurt.

Xie Huai stood with his back to the streetlight, his facial features shadowed in the night.

He handed Xia Xia seventy yuan: “Next time you see Jiang Jingzhou, return this to him.”

Xia Xia: “But I barely know him. Why don’t you return it yourself?”

Xie Huai frowned: “When I tell you to take it, just take it. Why so many questions?”

Xia Xia took the money but showed no sign of leaving.

Xie Huai looked at her: “Hanging around here—are you expecting me to treat you to a late-night snack?”

Xia Xia shook her head: “Brother Huai, I want to buy bedding from you.”

Xie Huai didn’t look up: “You know the price. Take what you want.”

Xia Xia remained standing there.

After a moment of silence, she struggled to find the right words: “Your problem is solved, and I worked hard selling things for you tonight. Could we maybe discuss…”

Xie Huai looked up at her.

The girl’s delicate features were illuminated by the streetlight, her fair skin taking on a warm yellow glow. She kept her eyes lowered, and though she was speaking to him, her gaze fell vaguely on the plants in a nearby flower bed, mere shadows in the darkness.

“What do you want to say?” he asked.

Xia Xia said: “I want a set of bedding. Could I pay in installments?”

Xie Huai fell silent for a moment, putting down what he was holding: “Why?”

Xia Xia looked pitiful: “I don’t have much money right now. If I pay you in full, I’ll be surviving on air tomorrow morning. If you let me pay in installments, I promise I’ll clear the debt before the end of the semester. I can even pay thirty percent interest.”

Xie Huai said nothing, picking up a calculator and pressing buttons rapidly.

At first, Xia Xia thought he was calculating the cost of a bedding set or the thirty percent interest, but after watching for a while, she realized that wasn’t it.

Xie Huai’s expression remained cool as his fingers moved quickly, the numbers on the display already reaching five digits.

What he was calculating had nothing to do with her.

A faint sense of disappointment rose in her heart. She should have known—to Xie Huai, she was just a stranger, and worse, a stranger he had issues with. Her signing in and taking the test for him tonight was already compensation, not to mention the major mistakes she’d made. Why should she expect Xie Huai to show her kindness?

Xia Xia let out a breath, no longer insisting: “Then I’ll go.”

She had just taken a step when Xie Huai’s cool voice sounded behind her: “Take what you need yourself. Don’t expect me to help deliver it to your dorm.”

Xia Xia froze.

Xie Huai reset the calculator and tossed it aside: “Forget the interest—that’s disgusting. There are four full months until the end of the semester. Calculate how much you need, pick a day each month to transfer the money. If you dare delay or default on payment, don’t blame Brother Huai for coming after you.”

He pulled out a WeChat QR code from the change purse and tossed it to her: “Add me.”

Xia Xia scanned for friendship. After Xie Huai accepted, he looked at her: “What’s your name?”

“Xia Xia.”

“Surname?”

Xia Xia: “…Xia.”

“Clever name.” Xie Huai repeated her name. “Xia Xia, two characters repeated—people might think we’re close.”

Xia Xia: “Thank you.”

Xie Huai ignored her, playing with his phoenix eye bodhi beads in one hand while playing Eliminate on his phone with the other, not even looking up.

Xia Xia took a quilt, a mattress, a pillow, and a set of sheets.

When she looked back before leaving, Xie Huai had failed his Eliminate level. His face darkened with annoyance as he threw his bodhi bracelet on the ground and started playing with both hands on his phone.

At ten-thirty at night, there were few pedestrians scattered on the road.

Xie Huai passed his game level and casually glanced in the direction the girl had left.

Her not-so-tall figure was carrying the bedding, the quilt above her head blocking her view. She took very slow steps, each one careful. The pillow on top wobbled and fell several times, and passing students helped her pick it up and stack it back.

She smiled sweetly, thanking the students who came to help.

Xie Huai looked away and put on his headphones to listen to music.

Xia Xia finally managed to carry the bedding up to the fourth floor. When she pushed open the door, the last roommate to arrive was distributing snacks.

The girl came over to help, taking one of the quilts: “You must be Xia Xia. I’m Zhao Shanqi. Let me help you make the bed.”

Zhao Shanqi was frank and friendly.

But Xia Xia didn’t want to trouble her, saying thanks but climbing up to make the bed herself.

When she came down, she saw a box of Shiroi Koibito chocolate on the desk.

She had eaten this chocolate before at Ping Jiapeng’s place. Back then, Xia Xia didn’t know the brand, only that it was delicious but the portion was too small to satisfy. The next day, Ping Jiapeng brought her another box. Later, when she heard the price from others, she never dared let him bring more.

“These are snacks I brought back from Japan, try some,” Zhao Shanqi smiled.

Zhu Ziyu and Cai Yun each had a box on their desks.

But Xia Xia didn’t take hers, returning the chocolate to Zhao Shanqi’s desk: “Thank you, Shanqi, but I can’t eat these. I have cavities—sweet things make my teeth hurt.”

Xia Xia didn’t like taking advantage of others. She had accepted Cai Yun’s apple because she was genuinely hungry then, and it was just an apple—she could repay it later when buying fruit.

But Zhao Shanqi’s expensive chocolate would barely fill a gap between teeth. Rather than having to return a gift of equal value later, she’d rather not accept it and save the money to buy steamed buns.

Zhao Shanqi was a bit disappointed: “Really? That’s too bad.”

She rummaged through her bag again: “Do you eat savory snacks? I have seaweed and chips. Do you eat spicy things?”

“No need.” Xia Xia couldn’t handle her enthusiasm and said casually, “I’m going out for a late-night snack.”

Suddenly, the bed curtain above opened, and Zhu Ziyu poked out her fluffy head: “You’re going for a late-night snack? I’ll come too, let’s go together.”

Xia Xia: “…”

Late at night with no money—who would want to eat out?

Zhao Shanqi kept trying to give her food, and constantly refusing seemed unfriendly, so she wanted to find an excuse to slip out and return when it was almost lights out. But Zhu Ziyu had taken her seriously.

Before Xia Xia could think of a reason to decline, Zhu Ziyu had already come down and put on her shoes. She had removed her makeup and wasn’t as strikingly beautiful as during the day, but her features were still exquisite and her skin delicate—she was still captivating.

Without even putting on makeup, she just put on a hat and linked arms with Xia Xia as they went out.

Xia Xia had barely left the dorm, the door almost closed save for a small gap, when Cai Yun’s low voice drifted out from inside:

“Oh Shanqi, never mind if Xia Xia doesn’t want it. Let me tell you, she’s quite weird. This morning, the first thing she did in the dorm…”

…

Nan University’s dormitory is locked at midnight. It wasn’t even eleven yet, and the snack street outside the east gate was bustling with noise.

Xia Xia glanced at Zhu Ziyu, who seemed perfectly comfortable linking arms with her, thinking she was quite friendly.

But she only linked arms, not saying a word the entire way.

Zhu Ziyu stopped at a barbecue stall: “Want to eat here?”

The stall offered a wide variety of food—beef, lamb, seafood balls, fresh vegetables—a colorful array, with the grilling station sending out spicy, savory aromas.

Xia Xia secretly swallowed but kept her face calm. She pointed to a two-yuan-fifty flatbread nearby: “Eating greasy food late at night isn’t good for health. I’ll just have a flatbread.”

Zhu Ziyu: “It’s boring eating barbecue alone. Join me, my treat.”

Xia Xia said seriously: “No need, really no need.”

Zhu Ziyu gave her a look but didn’t press further.

She ordered enough for three people, making the stall owner click his tongue: “How many people are you?”

Zhu Ziyu raised an eyebrow: “Just me. Is that not allowed?”

Her beautiful features and cool tone, combined with that raised eyebrow, carried an inexplicable coldness.

They found a table, and Xia Xia nibbled her flatbread while watching Zhu Ziyu eat barbecue.

Neither spoke, creating an awkward atmosphere until Xia Xia searched for conversation: “Why didn’t you invite Cai Yun for late-night snacks?”

This morning, Cai Yun had been so clingy with Zhu Ziyu that she might as well have been glued to her, but when Xia Xia returned to the dorm earlier, Cai Yun had been hovering around Zhao Shanqi while Zhu Ziyu stayed alone on her bed. Cai Yun hadn’t spoken to her even as they left.

Zhu Ziyu: “I don’t like her.”

Though Xia Xia could tell she didn’t like Cai Yun, hearing her state it so bluntly without any attempt to hide it was still surprising.

She continued languidly: “Honestly, when I first saw you in the dorm, I wanted to hang out with you, but Cai Yun kept hovering around. When I tried to invite you to dinner, she dragged me away. With my usual temper, I would’ve cursed her out already, but since it’s the first day of school, I didn’t want to start any friction.”

Zhu Ziyu bit into a meatball, chili powder sticking to her lips, speaking indistinctly: “She’s probably thinking, ‘That bitch Zhu Ziyu, wearing H&M and Adidas, only has KIKO and MAC lipsticks, skincare products averaging less than a thousand—how can someone so poor be worthy of being my friend?'”

Xia Xia: “She said that herself?”

Zhu Ziyu expressionless: “I’m guessing.”

Xia Xia: “…Can you even guess things like that? Let’s not assume such malicious intent about others, okay?”

Zhu Ziyu swallowed her food and imitated Cai Yun’s speech perfectly: “When she arrived this morning, I couldn’t believe she was Xia Xia. Xia Xia got the highest score in our department—how could she dress like that… You might not believe this, but good educational resources are selective. I’ve been in provincial key schools with private tutors my whole life, yet I still couldn’t score higher than her?”

“Did you see Xia Xia’s shoes? They’re falling apart but she won’t throw them away. Her clothes are at most twenty-nine yuan from Taobao, with the print washing off the front.”

“And that phone of hers looks like one of those free ones you get with phone plans, obviously low quality.”

Xia Xia: “……”

Xia Xia thought Zhu Ziyu should have studied dramatic arts—such talent was wasted at Nan University.

“The weirdest thing is that Yumejin cream on her desk. God, I haven’t seen anyone use Yumejin since elementary school. She dares to put such cheap stuff on her face.”

“Ziyu, let me tell you, my sister’s undergraduate roommate was poor and would steal her skincare products when she wasn’t around. We must keep our cabinets locked and watch out for Xia Xia.”

Xia Xia lost her appetite and put down her bread.

After a long silence, she spoke with a neutral expression, showing neither anger nor happiness: “So why did you two suddenly stop talking? Don’t tell me you got caught secretly using Yumejin too?”

Zhu Ziyu casually picked up a toothpick: “Did you notice Zhao Shanqi?”

“Her Burberry T-shirt and hat are genuine—fakes don’t have that quality. I glimpsed inside when she was unpacking. She’s quite low-key—what she’s wearing is the cheapest of her outfits.”

Xia Xia didn’t understand the brands but gathered that their dorm housed a young lady from a wealthy family.

“Zhao Shanqi is local, just got back from Japan on a delayed flight,” Zhu Ziyu said with a mocking look. “After the test, when Cai Yun dragged me back to the dorm, we happened to see Zhao Shanqi talking to the Vice Dean downstairs.”

“…She called him uncle.”

Xia Xia looked at Zhu Ziyu sympathetically: “Just because Zhao Shanqi is richer than you?”

“Not entirely.” Zhu Ziyu eyed her flatbread, took a bite, and then offered her some pork belly.

Xia Xia hesitated before accepting.

“Cai Yun asked what my family does. I said my mom sells breakfast.” Zhu Ziyu’s expression turned strange. “Then she stopped talking to me.”

Given Zhu Ziyu’s standard of living, her mother selling breakfast was probably a joke.

There shouldn’t be any hierarchy in occupations, but Cai Yun’s immediate change in attitude at Zhu Ziyu’s comment about her family selling breakfast was too sudden. Xia Xia wanted to laugh but couldn’t.

Zhu Ziyu had been talking for a while, and Xia Xia had been quietly listening without taking sides.

Zhu Ziyu asked curiously: “She talks about you behind your back like that—don’t you want to fight her? I’m furious. Let’s plan how to deal with her. I can’t stand people who talk trash behind others’ backs. I’ll go crazy living with her.”

Xia Xia wore an expression of passive acceptance, looking exactly like a submissive minion next to a gang leader.

She gently consoled Zhu Ziyu: “Let it go. She’s just talking—it won’t kill us. What could you do anyway? If things escalate and the counselor gets involved, you’ll suffer. You have no proof she’s talking behind your back.”

“Let’s pretend we don’t know. Better to avoid trouble. If you anger her, what if she secretly sabotages you?”

The girl lowered her eyelashes, looking pitiful.

Her voice drifted into the cool night breeze, like dates soaked in honey, impossibly gentle.

—She appeared docile and submissive.

Zhu Ziyu frowned: “Why are you such a coward?”

Xia Xia said softly: “Being a coward is fine if it keeps the peace for everyone.”

Zhu Ziyu stared at her strangely.

After a long while, she spoke: “Keeping the peace? But this morning on the bus, that’s not what you did.”

Xia Xia: “…”

“?”