[Chapter 59]

***

On the hottest day of that summer, Xiang Nuan received her acceptance letter to A Normal University’s English department. At the same time, Shen Lin had successfully been admitted to the capital’s top university, majoring in medicine.

The two universities were located in the same district so they weren’t close, but they weren’t too far away either.

The first thing every freshman does was naturally, military training. Xiang Nuan wore her training uniform and along with the other students in the English department, got up very early, and returned to their dorm quite late. In the breaks between her military training, some student clubs and associations came by to publicize their groups to the freshmen. It was only then that Xiang Nuan finally felt like a university student.

Military training ended before the National Day holidays. Xiang Nuan took this chance to return home, and when she did, she was entirely tanned.

Xu Lian still remembered that during his food delivery days, Zhang GuoEr had asked Xiang ChangKong what sunscreen he used. Back then, Xiang ChangKong answered that his family simply had good genes and had naturally pale skin.

Now that she was met with a sun-kissed Xiang Nuan, Xu Lian felt that Xiang ChangKong’s genes might be a little more biased towards male family members.

Xiang Nuan herself didn’t care much. After all, everyone else in her department was similarly tanned and there were way tanner people. Compared to them, she could consider herself relatively fine- though she still asked for a few whitening masks from Xu Lian and began using them that very night.

It was unknown if it was a psychological reaction or not, but after using the mask, Xiang Nuan felt like her skin really did lighten a bit.

After a month of grueling military training, Xiang Nuan took advantage of the holiday and had a good rest at home. She embodied a very salty fish and laid motionless as much as possible. She didn’t have to do laps early in the morning, and she could eat her mother’s cooking at noon. It was practically heaven.

(T/N: salted fish is someone very lazy.)

It was a pity that the holidays were too short. Before she knew it, Xiang Nuan had to return to her dorm.

Xiang Nuan lived with six other people. She had the chance to become familiar with her dormmates during the month-long military training. Two of her dormmates were local residents of City A, while the other four were from other places. So when they all returned from the holidays, people brought back some local products from home and shared them with each other.

Since Xiang Nuan lived in a dorm during high school, she quickly adapted to university life. However, there was a girl in her dorm room who usually stayed in her bed. She also liked to put down the mosquito net and didn’t talk much with the others.

Xiang Nuan originally thought that maybe the girl’s personality was just naturally cold. But unexpectedly, when the university asked for volunteers to promote blood donations, she and the other girl were the only ones who signed up in her dorm.

The event was organized by several universities and blood donation stations and mainly tasked the university students to distribute leaflets in different locations. Of course, they would also be appreciative if any of the students also donated blood.

Because it was such a big activity, things were tightly scheduled and people were expected to arrive punctually. Xiang Nuan arrived at the assembly site early and started walking towards the area where her university was supposed to gather.

With her was the ever-silent roommate of hers. As Xiang Nuan walked next to her, she suddenly felt that the girl’s temperament was somewhat similar to Sister Xu Lian.

“Lou SiQi, have you ever donated blood before?” Xiang Nuan took the initiative to approach her roommate and start a conversation. Lou SiQi looked at her, then after a while, said: “No.”

Xiang Nuan told her: “I also haven’t. I don’t know if drawing blood hurts or not.”

“It should be fine.” After Lou SiQi said this, she became silent once more.

Xiang Nuan knew that Lou SiQi was also an A City native, so she asked: “Where do you live?”

Lou SiQi looked at her strangely. “Why?”

Xiang Nuan smiled. “If you live close to my house, we can visit each other in the future. I’m living in Starlight Park right now.”

“Oh.” Lou SiQi didn’t say anything for a long time, but she eventually said: “Why do you keep approaching me?”

Xiang Nuan replied: “We’re roommates, ah. If we ignore each other, people will think we have bad blood between us.”

Lou SiQi thought about it and seemed to have found Xiang Nuan’s words reasonable, so she didn’t say anything else.

The assembly point was in a famous park in A City and was also a popular spot for blood donation drives. When the two girls arrived, they found that other students were already waiting there.

Xiang Nuan didn’t know who they were but heard a female student nearby excitedly say to her friend: “It turns out the people in charge of our group are male students from the top university. We shouldn’t miss this opportunity!”

Xiang Nuan: “…”

No wonder. She did wonder why Song ZhiXuan from next door dressed so beautiful for something as mundane as distributing leaflets. Xiang Nuan had wondered if Song ZhiXuan was a little crazy.

But the top university…Xiang Nuan looked around in the crowd and sure enough, she saw Shen Lin.

Shen Lin was also a little more tanned than when she last saw him. It seems that military training was the same no matter where. But he should be very busy studying medicine, ah. Where did he get the time to volunteer?

Shen Lin was currently chatting with his classmates. Although he was just a freshman, he really was incredibly busy with his studies. But he heard that today’s volunteer activities were with A Normal University students, so he signed up.

He thought that he might meet Xiang Nuan, who had always been a warm-hearted person.

He didn’t ask Xiang Nuan if she was attending. If he asked, it would seem like his motivation to volunteer wasn’t anything pure. Well, although his intentions really weren’t all that pure, he could at least tell himself he had done something meaningful, regardless of whether Xiang Nuan was here.

But it seems that doing good deeds really do pay off.

Xiang Nuan really did come.

He saw Xiang Nuan amongst the crowd. He said a few words to his friends, then ran towards Xiang Nuan. “Xiang Nuan, you’ve also volunteered?”

“Nn.” Xiang Nuan nodded. She looked at him and asked: “By why are you here? I thought you would be quite busy with your studies.”

“One has to balance work and rest.”

While the two were chatting, Song ZhiXuan from next door approached them. She curiously looked at Xiang Nuan and Shen Lin, then asked: “Xiang Nuan, who’s this? You’re friend?”

Although Xiang Nuan already knew that Song ZhiXuan’s purpose today wasn’t entirely innocent, she didn’t expect her to target Shen Lin as soon as she arrived. Xiang Nuan let out an ‘oh’, and said in a sickly cute tone: “My high school classmate.”

She deliberately left Shen Lin’s name out, but Song ZhiXuan disregarded this and began to act overly familiar. “Oh, hello, I’m Xiang Nuan’s classmate, Song ZhiXuan. What’s your name?”

“My name is Shen Lin.” Shen Lin replied.

“Lin? what character?”

“The ‘Lin’ in ‘Qilin’.”

(T/N: There are many different ways you can write lin, all with different meanings. The ‘lin’ used in Shen Lin’s name is the same as the ‘lin’ used in QiLin. QiLin is basically a mythical creature. The Chinese equivalent of a unicorn.)

“Wow, that’s so cool! Are you a student of the top university? Which department are you from?”

Xiang Nuan pulled Song ZhiXuan’s hand and turned towards their group. “The teacher is starting the roll call, we should go.”

Shen Lin watched the two girls leave first, before eventually walking back to his group. As soon as he came back, his classmates yelled: “Who was that girl just now? You’re not introducing her?”

Shen Lin replied: “She’s a high school classmate.”

“Oooh. Are you interested in her?”

“How can that be? I always thought that Shen Lin and He Yue were a couple.”

Shen Lin almost automatically explained: “Sister He Yue and I just study together.”

After he said this, all his classmates laughed.

Shen Lin: “…”

Soon it was time to get started. The team leader distributed specially-printed flyers to the group and showed them the specific location of the blood donation vehicle. Although the weather wasn’t as hot as it was during July and August, it would still be exhausting to stand by the sidewalk and talk to passersby as they distribute out leaflets.

Song ZhiXuan came today with a full look. To match her dress, she had also worn a pair of high-heeled shoes. So after half an hour of standing around at an intersection, she could no longer continue.

She looked around, spotted Shen Lin not too far away, and walked towards him.

“Hello, Shen Lin.”

Shen Lin turned to her and politely nodded. “Hello.”

Song ZhiXuan was just about to say something, but then the male student beside Shen Lin asked: “Shen Lin, who is this pretty woman? You’re not introducing us?”

Shen Lin thought for a moment, then said: “She’s my friend’s university classmate.”

Song ZhiXuan looked at the man beside Shen Lin and asked: “Is he your classmate?”

“Yes.”

Song ZhiXuan smiled at the man and said: “Hello, my name is Song ZhiXuan.”

Shen Lin took advantage of the fact that they were busy chatting with each other to go towards the blood donation car. He saw Xiang Nuan head there with another girl just now.

As he walked by, Xiang Naun had just finished donated blood, her sleeve still rolled up. Shen Lin looked at the cotton swab on her arm and asked: “Have you just donated?”

“Nn. I figured that since I’m already here, I might as well.” Xiang Nuan replied.

“I’ll donate some too.”

He rolled up his sleeves and got on the blood donation truck. Xiang Nuan waited outside and after a while, Shen Lin came out with a cotton swab on his arm. She looked at him and somewhat anxiously asked: “Are you alright?”

Shen Lin is already quite thin, ah. He wouldn’t faint after donating blood, right?”

“I’m fine. They didn’t draw out too much.”

“Oh…ah, would your mother be upset if she found out you donated blood?”

Shen Lin tilted his head. “Why would she? Donating blood is beneficial for the body.”

Xiang Nuan shrugged. “But your mother can be unreasonable at times, ah.”

“….” Shen Lin was silent for a moment but then said: “I think you have a few misunderstandings regarding my mother. When you have some free time, I’d like to invite you to my home for dinner so you can see that she isn’t how you think she is.”

“Forget it. I want to live a few more years, ah.” The last time Xiang Nuan saw Shen Lin’s mother, she looked like she wanted to strangle her, ah.

Shen Lin also knew that Xiang Nuan’s first impression of his mother was quite bad. First impressions were usually the most difficult to reverse. Well, it wasn’t too urgent. They could take their time.

As the two began to walk, Shen Lin asked: “By the way, our university is organizing a visit to a nursing home next month. Will your university also be participating?”

Xiang Nuan shook her head. “I’m not sure. But well, if my university is participating, I’m sure I’ll hear about it sooner or later.”

“Well, if your university isn’t participating, you can still attend. I’ll contact you when I get the details.”

Xiang Nuan looked at him for a while, then pointedly asked: “Don’t you have to study with the sister from before?”

“Now that the semester has started, she’s going to be swamped with her courses. Disturbing her studies wouldn’t be good.”

Xiang Nuan raised a brow.”What the…are you saying that I bothered you when I studied with you back in high school?”

“…” Why is it that whenever he tries sidestepping a pitfall, he immediately falls into another? Shen Lin pursed his lips and said: “No, you weren’t interrupting me. I studied with you willingly.”