Unexpected Coincidences

Xi Yao was, in fact, quite pleased.

Had it been in the past, her sarcastic remarks towards random teammates would have instantly sparked a lively exchange. Yet now, the moment her soft, adorable voice emerged, her teammates found themselves stammering, utterly speechless.

With their focus shifted from interaction to strategy, the teammates suddenly became formidable, swiftly turning the tide of battle to secure a victory.

As the match concluded, the young woman mused, ‘My efforts in overseeing my teammates’ performance in this game must have contributed significantly, surely.’

‘At least a third, wouldn’t you say!’

Xi Yao powered down her computer, stretched languidly, and only then, as she turned, did she notice Jiang Li had already returned.

“Oh, Jiang Li, did you… hear all that just now?” The young woman felt a pang of embarrassment.

Jiang Li merely cast a sidelong glance her way, offering a faint nod, but remained silent.

“Well,” Xi Yao rubbed her hands together self-consciously, “I tend to get rather… passionate when I’m gaming.”

Jiang Li’s lips twitched almost imperceptibly as she inquired, “Aren’t you going to purchase the necessities you’ll require?”

“Huh?”

Taken aback by Jiang Li’s unprompted conversational opening, Xi Yao scratched her head, explaining, “I brought ample supplies from home, so there’s no need for me to buy anything further.”

“Oh.”

Following this brief exchange, the dorm room once again descended into a quiet hush.

Xi Yao sensed a subtle improvement in Jiang Li’s demeanor towards her, yet, unsure of the reason, she remained silent for a while.

Meanwhile, a faint pang of guilt stirred within Jiang Li.

Her initial brusqueness towards Xi Yao stemmed primarily from the striking resemblance to the girl her sister had spoken of. However, having since calmed down, and especially after hearing her roommate’s cheerful laughter, she had come to believe that Xi Yao was not, in fact, that person.

Just then, the dorm’s public address system crackled to life—

“Attention, newly admitted students: Please log in to the school’s official website to complete your course selections for the new semester. Submissions are due by 4 PM this afternoon at the absolute latest. This is a repeat announcement; please…”

Course selection?

Xi Yao returned to her computer, logged onto the school’s official website, and upon entering her student ID, she did indeed discover a course selection system awaiting her.

Beyond the standard Chinese, Mathematics, English, and Liberal Arts courses, an additional “Foreign Language” category was listed.

Clicking into it, she saw the available options: Japanese, German, French, and Italian.

Quite impressive.

After a moment’s consideration, Xi Yao selected Japanese. Partially, this was due to her prior casual exposure, making it seem less daunting than the other choices; partially, it was because she believed it might prove somewhat useful…

“What did you choose?” Jiang Li proactively inquired.

With the misunderstanding now dispelled, Jiang Li, recognizing that they would be roommates and classmates for the next two years, still harbored a desire to foster a good relationship with her.

“Japanese,” Xi Yao confirmed.

“Japanese, you say,” Jiang Li mused for a moment, then stated, “That’s rather uncommon.”

“…Huh?”

‘Wait, why are you calling me names?’

“Among the elective foreign languages, the vast majority opt for French and Italian,” Jiang Li elaborated. “It makes ordering in Western restaurants much simpler. Very few students select any of the other options.”

Xi Yao’s lips twitched slightly. “I see,” she murmured.

‘So that’s the reason it’s uncommon; in that case, there’s no issue.’

“So, you have a fondness for Japanese cuisine?” Jiang Li pressed on.

Xi Yao shook her head. “No,” she clarified, “I enjoy playing games on Japanese servers.”

“Pokémon?”

“Princess Connect.”

“…”

The dorm room instantly fell silent once more.

“Ahem, what about you, Jiang Li?” Xi Yao interjected, shattering the quietude. “What did you select?”

“German.”

Two words, terse and to the point.

The young woman tilted her head, a hint of curiosity in her gaze. “Do you enjoy German cuisine?”

With her limited culinary knowledge, she truly had no idea what made German food appealing, knowing only of German sausages.

“No,” Jiang Li replied after a moment of hesitation, “because it’s the only language I haven’t yet mastered.”

“…”

Dorm 502 once again lapsed into silence.

A minute later, it was Xi Yao who finally stepped forward to shatter the quiet. “Well,” she began, “it’s getting late, and lunchtime is fast approaching. Shall we go together?”

“No, I have an engagement this afternoon,” Jiang Li stated, pausing briefly before adding, “Let’s go together tomorrow instead.”

“Oh, okay.”

Xi Yao did not dwell on it. Forging a good relationship with a roommate was hardly a task to be accomplished in a single day; a gradual approach would suffice.

In any case, with only the two of them occupying the dorm room, the formation of any cliques or exclusive groups was inherently impossible.

For a two-person dorm to harbor a clique, at least one of its occupants would, by necessity, have to possess multiple personalities.

After a swift tidying of her belongings, Xi Yao happily departed to grab a meal.

****

Jiang Li did indeed have an engagement that afternoon, which also involved dining, as she was meeting her older sister, who served as the high school’s resident doctor.

While such an outing might typically be forgone, today marked the first day of school, necessitating at least a brief conversation.

In addition to the infirmary, a dedicated school doctor’s office existed, which Jiang Li located by following the directions on the campus map.

“Xiao Li, you’ve arrived.”

A gentle beauty with flowing, light-colored hair rose gracefully from the sofa. She was clad in a simple yet elegant white lab coat, beneath which sheer black stockings encased her slender legs, and even the coat failed to conceal her alluring, well-defined curves.

She was none other than Jiang Wan, the school doctor and the dream goddess of countless boys in the high school division.

“Mhm,” Jiang Li replied noncommittally, leaning against the doorframe.

Since their last conversation regarding the retention issue, a noticeable coolness had settled between the two sisters.

Jiang Li struggled to comprehend her sister’s actions, while Jiang Wan had never anticipated such a reaction from her younger sister upon revealing her little secret. Consequently, an awkward tension had lingered between them ever since.

Having set the dining table, Jiang Wan gently beckoned, “Come, sit down quickly, let’s eat first.”

She had ordered small pot dishes from the faculty and staff cafeteria; regardless of how their taste compared to the main dining hall’s fare, they were at least more refined.

During their meal, Jiang Wan seized the opportunity to inquire, “Did you check into your dorm today? How are you getting along with your new roommate?”

“Alright,” Jiang Li replied casually. “Xi Yao is quite amiable; it’s just that her ‘otaku’ (TL Note: A Japanese term referring to people with obsessive interests, often related to anime, manga, and video games) concentration is rather high.”

“Xi Yao?”

Jiang Wan was faintly startled, her heart beginning to pound furiously.

‘Could it be? Such an incredible coincidence…’

Jiang Li looked up at her, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing at all,” Jiang Wan replied, maintaining her gentle smile. “It’s merely that I find that particular surname quite uncommon.”

Her heart was already racing, a frantic drumming against her ribs. Fortunately, her ample bosom (TL Note: A humorous euphemism for breasts, implying they are large enough to muffle the sound of her rapidly beating heart) was sufficient to muffle the sound, preventing her sister from overhearing the tell-tale thumps.

The name Xi Yao held an immense power over her.

For Xi Yao was, in fact, the very girl she secretly harbored feelings for!

“Indeed, it’s quite uncommon,” Jiang Li agreed, not giving it much thought, even adding, “There are only two individuals with the surname Xi in the entire school, and the other one is in the university division.”

‘Truly a rare occurrence.’

Jiang Wan cautiously picked up a morsel of food, yet instead of bringing it to her lips, she first inquired, “Which class have you been assigned to for this semester?”

“Liberal Arts Class 2,” Jiang Li answered.

‘Ah, so that’s it. She’s in Liberal Arts Class 2.’

After they had eaten quietly for a while, and once she felt roughly half full, Jiang Wan remarked, feigning nonchalance, “What’s your dorm room number? If I find myself with some free time, I’ll bring you some snacks; studying can be quite arduous, after all.”

“502.”

Jiang Li did not refuse, merely adding, “I might not always be in the dorm during my leisure time. Should you plan to visit, please inform me in advance.”

“No problem at all,” Jiang Wan readily assured her. “I’ll make sure to check if you’re available first.”

Her true intention, of course, was to visit precisely when Jiang Li was absent.

Having not seen the girl she secretly adored for half a year, Jiang Wan wondered how she fared now, and if she had perhaps grown a little more cheerful.