Inside Dorm 208, Qin Tian emerged from the bathroom, bare-chested, after his shower.
Two male roommates from the adjacent dorm were in his room, playing an online game with Chen Zhuang. One was actively playing, the other acting as a strategist, directing their every move.
Beside Chen Zhuang, Zhuang Zhe was also spectating.
"Damn it, Zhand, why don't you ever come to mid-lane!"
"If you can't push that lane, you'll be wiped out if the enemy jungler is counter-ganking."
"Counter-ganking my ass, I'm being pressured so hard, I can't even play!"
"Holy hell, no way, it's been six minutes, and you only have ten creep scores? Your mid tower is practically swimming in gold."
"Scram, I'm a top-laner, nobody helped me when I had to fill."
"Does that have anything to do with your terrible laning phase?"
"Shut up, trash jungler!"
"Useless mid-laner!"
...
As they played, the two threw accusations at each other without restraint.
"Tian Ge, hurry up and carry me in the next game. Don't let them play on the computer, it's a waste to let those two noobs play on a thirty-thousand-dollar machine."
Chen Zhuang glanced at Qin Tian, who had just come out, and yelled loudly.
"Get lost."
"How dare you?"
Zhang Lang and his companion immediately retorted, then turned to Qin Tian with sycophantic smiles.
"Tian Ge, your shredded physique is incredible. You really can't tell when you're wearing clothes."
"Exactly, combined with your looks, you're a walking hormone. I finally understand why your girlfriend likes you so much."
Their flattery grew more effusive by the word.
It was no wonder, as they had only been in school for a short time, and not many students had brought their computers yet.
Moreover, playing games on a thirty-thousand-dollar Alienware was an even better experience than in an internet cafe.
"Play if you want, but don't grin so disgustingly."
Qin Tian gave them a look of disdain.
"Got it!"
The two immediately suppressed their smiles and turned back to focus on their gameplay.
"Damn, two butt-kissers!"
Chen Zhuang complained in annoyance.
"Is Tian Ge's physique not good? Open your eyes and look. How are we butt-kissers?"
"Exactly, you think your physique is good? That's a 'big, dumb oaf,' you know? Tian Ge's is what girls like: thin in clothes, muscular out of them."
"Well said, Chen Da Zhuang. You really only grew in height, not in brain."
"Heh, neither of you have any talent for gaming. You should go perform crosstalk, you'll definitely be famous!"
Chen Zhuang said with disdain.
"You have even less talent. Stop playing games, Dad advises you to study hard and improve every day starting tomorrow, otherwise, you won't find a job in the future and will have to perform on the streets, doing your crosstalk and smashing bricks with your chest."
Zhang Lang replied without looking back.
"Damn, you walking cockroach, are you asking for a beating?"
"What else can you do besides that? A gentleman uses his words, not his fists, understand?"
"Don't understand. All I know is, if you talk one more word, you wait until this game is over."
"Crude warrior, you're nothing."
Zhang Lang muttered softly.
"Your Dragon looks like it's going to be taken."
Zhuang Zhe suddenly interjected.
Hearing this, the two were stunned. As expected, the computer screen displayed a notification that the opposing team had secured the Dragon.
"Shit, trash jungler, not even controlling the Dragon."
"Useless mid-laner, not even keeping an eye out."
"Can you two just be quiet for a moment? Do you know why you're both Silver? Because you play games with your hands and your brains, not your mouths!"
Qin Tian, who had already climbed into his bed, said with utter speechlessness.
Chen Zhuang and the other two fell silent.
"Tian Ge's words are very insightful."
Zhuang Zhe nodded in agreement, deeply impressed.
The other two glared at him.
Zhuang Zhe immediately shut his mouth, trying his best to minimize his presence.
Qin Tian smiled, propped himself up with a pillow, and picked up his phone.
Upon opening it, he discovered he had missed messages.
He tapped to open them and was immediately taken aback.
WarmLittleSun: "Brother?"
"What?"
Qin Tian quickly typed and sent a reply.
There was no immediate response from the other side; perhaps she had also gone to take a shower.
"Could it be that this girl plans to address me like this from now on?"
Qin Tian quickly guessed, a scene flashing in his mind.
On a secluded lawn on campus, Xia Nuannuan leaned against him, basking in the sun together. With no one else around, their gazes accidentally met, and the atmosphere gradually heated up.
"Brother..."
Xia Nuannuan's face flushed red as she softly called out, then slightly lifted her chin and slowly closed her eyes.
"Gulp!"
Qin Tian's Adam's apple involuntarily bobbed. He then quickly shook his head vigorously, dispelling these romantic thoughts.
His mind was in a turmoil. He couldn't keep thinking like this.
Who could resist this!
He hurriedly opened his browser...
Of course, it wasn't to reward himself. He wasn't like Chen Zhuang and Cao Mingliang, he didn't have that habit.
Instead, he started reading financial news to distract himself.
...
...
About ten minutes later, Xia Nuannuan's reply finally came.
WarmLittleSun: "I just went to take a shower, it's about the address!"
SunnyDay: "Oh oh, I think it's great!"
WarmLittleSun: "Then it's decided. I'll call you that from now on [blush]!"
Qin Tian reciprocated with a "like" emoji.
Xia Nuannuan then sent back a picture of a little girl holding her face shyly.
SunnyDay: "Who suggested this?"
WarmLittleSun: "Lei Jie and Si Qi!"
"It seems I'll have to thank them properly tomorrow."
"Heh heh..."
As they chatted via text, time seemed to fly by.
It wasn't until past ten o'clock that Cao Mingliang returned to the dorm, humming a tune.
In the dorm, Chen Zhuang and the others, who had been playfully bickering, stopped their arguments and turned their gaze towards him.
"Brother Liang, you're positively beaming. Where did you go?"
Zhang Lang asked with a sly, lewd smile.
"What would a single person like you understand?"
Cao Mingliang smiled triumphantly.
"Brother Liang, you can't bully me like this. What's wrong with being single? Am I eating your rice?"
Zhang Lang said with a wistful look.
"Haha..."
Cao Mingliang laughed heartily and asked, "It's almost lights out, aren't you two going back to your dorms?"
"Tsk, truly. It's great to have a girlfriend, kicking us out as soon as you return. Alright, alright, I'm leaving, not playing anymore."
Zhang Lang pouted, and along with his roommate, got up and left the dorm.
Cao Mingliang pulled a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from his pocket, walked over, and offered two cigarettes to Chen Zhuang and Zhuang Zhe.
Zhuang Zhe quickly shook his head.
"Oh, you're even smoking Huazi now. Being rich is something else. I don't smoke, you can keep them!"
Chen Zhuang refused with a somewhat teasing tone.
Cao Mingliang frowned slightly and questioned, "What do you mean?"
"Just what it means. I don't smoke."
Chen Zhuang grinned.
"Brother Zhuang, I haven't provoked you, have I? Why are you speaking so sarcastically, trying to disgust me?"
Cao Mingliang's expression darkened.
"Who I disgust is none of my business, Brother Liang."
Chen Zhuang turned his head away, continuing to play on his computer.
Cao Mingliang was instantly angered.
"No, are you looking for trouble for no reason? Don't think that just because everyone calls you Brother Zhuang, they're genuinely afraid of you. Chen Da Zhuang, what exactly do you mean?"
"Your Brother Liang is so rich, of course, he's not afraid of me. I'm the one who should be afraid of you."
"Damn it!"
"What are you two doing? Don't fight!"
Zhuang Zhe stood up in a panic, stepping between them.
Qin Tian, leaning against his headboard, rubbed his temples and said, "Alright, you two, stop arguing. Cao Thief, Brother Zhuang is just worried that you'll be blinded by lust, spend all your money, and end up with nothing."
Cao Mingliang was taken aback for a moment, and his expression gradually softened.