When Chen Wan started her sophomore year, she still carried a hint of naivety. With a fresh face, she wore a plain white T-shirt paired with jeans, topped off with a red volunteer vest. By her junior year, she succeeded in becoming the student council president.
In his previous life, it was Chen Wan who enthusiastically helped Zhou Yuwen settle into his dorm.
Back then, Zhou Yuwen was visiting a big city for the first time, and he developed a favorable impression of this kind and approachable senior.
Then, the senior asked him, "Have you gotten a phone card yet?"
Zhou Yuwen replied, "I already have a phone card."
"That's not the same," Chen Wan persuaded patiently. "The one you have is for your hometown. Since you're going to live in Jinling now, you'll need to get a local phone card. Also, does your phone have enough data?"
At the time, Zhou Yuwen did need one. In fact, it wasn't just Zhou Yuwen—several of his dormmates thought the offer of free broadband seemed essential. Three of them ended up getting the cards when, in reality, just one would have sufficed for their dorm.
Later, after Zhou Yuwen joined the student council and became more familiar with Chen Wan, she found an opportunity to apologize for that incident. She admitted she felt bad about tricking Zhou Yuwen into getting one.
By then, they were already sophomores, so Zhou Yuwen couldn't care less.
However, it was only later that Zhou Yuwen learned the campus phone card cost 150 yuan, and as a secondary agent, Chen Wan could earn a 20-yuan commission, while top-tier distributors could pocket 50 yuan per card.
He remembered, in his previous life, a senior made a fortune over a few years selling campus cards and even bought a Volkswagen Passat straight out of college.
As a senior, Chen Wan was still dutiful, reaching out instinctively to carry luggage and escort Zhou Yuwen to his dorm.
This time, Zhou Yuwen didn't stand on ceremony; he handed over his suitcase directly to Chen Wan.
Chen Wan froze for a moment.
Normally, guys would shyly say, "No need, senior. I can manage on my own."
Yet Zhou Yuwen passed the suitcase to her without hesitation and strode ahead as if he wasn't worried about her stealing it.
"???"
Zhou Yuwen turned back and saw Chen Wan standing there in a daze. Curious, he asked, "What's wrong, senior? Weren't you escorting me to the dorm?"
"Oh, oh. Junior, this isn't your first time here, is it?"
"Of course, it's not," Zhou Yuwen replied.
"Are you a local from Jinling?" Chen Wan asked again.
"Well, sort of," Zhou Yuwen said, having recently obtained a Jinling residency since he owned a spacious 220-square-meter apartment.
"Then your phone card is from Jinling?" Chen Wan's disappointment was evident.
As expected of a college student—her disappointed expression was written all over her face. Noticing the flyers for phone cards in Chen Wan's hand, Zhou Yuwen finally caught on and said, "Oh, you're handing out phone card deals, aren't you, senior?"
"Uh, not really. Just a random part-time gig. It's honestly fine whether people get one or not," Chen Wan quickly adjusted her demeanor after realizing her lapse.
Chen Wan explained to Zhou Yuwen that campus cards were quite cost-effective—they offered 30GB of data each month, free unlimited broadband, and even came with a new smartphone.
Zhou Yuwen nodded. That did sound rather appealing.
"So, Junior, would you like to get one from me?" Chen Wan asked playfully, winking mischievously.
"I don't actually need a card," Zhou Yuwen responded.
Chen Wan's face showed a hint of awkwardness.
"Well, senior, perhaps I should carry my luggage myself. It feels bad not signing up for a card and still having you lug my stuff," Zhou Yuwen said, reaching out as if to take back the suitcase.
"No worries, no worries! It's just a part-time thing—helping with luggage during orientation is part of the job." Chen Wan quickly waved her hand dismissively.
"That'd be so troublesome for you, senior."
"It's no trouble at all!"
"How about this—give me some extra flyers, and I'll help you promote them at the dorm," Zhou Yuwen suggested.
Chen Wan had indeed been a bit upset initially, but hearing Zhou Yuwen's offer instantly brightened her mood. She promptly gave him half of her stack of flyers and asked him to help spread the word.
Chen Wan pointed out that the building ahead was the men's dormitory.
"I won't escort you inside. I still need to help the other new students!"
Zhou Yuwen smirked, thinking to himself how, in his past life, she had personally walked him all the way to his dorm.
But it didn't matter; Zhou Yuwen casually dragged his suitcase into the dorm building where he'd spent four years.
First, he went to the dorm manager's office to check in.
Got his key.
Paid a 20-yuan deposit.
Received a receipt.
The dorm manager warned, "Make sure you keep this receipt safe. You can use it to refund your 20 yuan when you graduate."
Someone in the queue nearby sneered, "Only 20 yuan? Who's going to bother keeping track?"
Someone else chimed in, "You could trade the key for 20 yuan if you're broke and need to get online."
The remark sparked laughter among everyone present.
It was the chaotic two days surrounding the start of the school term, and the dorm manager's office was crammed with students waiting to exchange their receipts for keys. Most of them were leaving their parents for the first time. They hadn't yet realized they were growing up—what filled them was the excitement of their newfound freedom. They stood in small groups with their roommates, chatting animatedly with newly acquainted friends in Mandarin laced with hometown accents.
"You're wrong! From the battle with Cell onward, Gohan's power surpassed Sun Wukong's!"
"No way! Sun Wukong is always the ultimate powerhouse!"
Zhou Yuwen handed over his 20 yuan, took the dorm key, and followed the route he remembered, dragging his suitcase to his dorm room. Strangely enough, since stepping off the train, he'd maintained a relatively calm and unruffled demeanor.
But as he approached the dorm room, a rush of emotions flooded over him—an odd mix of tender nostalgia and subdued anxiety. It was a complicated feeling. He hadn't imagined how, as a middle-aged man in his thirties, he'd have the chance to return here.
Nor had he expected to reconnect and relive his time with his dormmates.
The memories of his old roommates came flooding back.
Zhou Yuwen pushed open the dorm room door.
Sunlight poured in from the balcony, filling the room with a bright glow.
The dorm consisted of four occupants, with bunk beds on top and desks below.
Zhou Yuwen was the last to arrive. When the door opened, the other three roommates simultaneously turned their attention toward him.
On the balcony, a young man with a cigarette dangling from his lips lounged carelessly and chatted on the phone. He complained loudly, "You bastard, go to hell! If it wasn't for screwing up my exams, I wouldn't have ended up at this garbage school!"
Near the door, a tall figure sat on his bed, flanked by a battered black tank top and a bulging snakeskin bag on the floor. His hair was freshly trimmed into a buzz cut, and his clothes were plain.
Lastly, on a bed next to the balcony, there was a pale, thin young man quietly lying there, engrossed in his phone.
Taking in the scene before him, Zhou Yuwen paused.
"Zhou Yuwen?" The guy on the phone was the first to recognize him. Their dorm housed four, and since the other three were already present, the last person had to be Zhou Yuwen.