Ever since that day they shared drinks, Bai Sha noticed a subtle enlightenment in Sun Weijie.
He now clung to his laptop daily, frequently venturing out, and whenever asked, he would simply state he was at the company.
Bai Sha surmised that Sun Weijie’s sudden shift stemmed from a burgeoning sense of crisis, coupled with a touch of masculine pride.
One afternoon, after finishing his meal, Zhou Haochen hastily departed for the company.
Bai Sha, stroking the little one’s head, remarked with a contented smile: “Your dad has truly grown up!”
The little one responded with a questioning meow, ‘Nya?’
Yet, despite his increased focus on work, Zhou Haochen still dedicated most of his time to staying home with his wife and daughter.
Time flowed onward, unhurried yet relentless, until soon enough, the day arrived for A University’s new semester to commence.
Thus, Zhou Haochen’s joyful cohabitation came to an end, as he was destined to return to his dorm, sharing quarters with three other grown men.
Unlike previous years, this time Bai Sha and the little one accompanied Zhou Haochen back to school.
Even with the campus still sparse, the family of three garnered a significant number of curious glances as they strolled along.
“Every time I come here, I can’t help but marvel at how vast your school is!” Bai Sha exclaimed. “I remember my middle school only had four buildings; it was tiny!”
“That was middle school, after all, and many years ago,” Zhou Haochen replied. “Things should be much better now.”
Bai Sha nodded, recalling her sister mentioning some expansion, though not a substantial one.
The trio meandered along until they reached the entrance of the male dormitory.
Spotting a gatekeeper, an elderly man, Bai Sha asked out of curiosity, “Can we go inside?”
The old man was known for his strictness and exceptional professional ethics; on a previous occasion, he had scolded a girl so harshly for attempting to enter that she burst into tears.
“Probably not,” Zhou Haochen mused.
Nevertheless, Bai Sha decided to try, tapping on the window and asking, “Elder, may I enter?”
The elderly man paused his Douyin (TL Note: A Chinese short-video platform, similar to TikTok) video, peering out. “What would a young lady like you want to go in for?”
Bai Sha gestured towards Zhou Haochen, who stood nearby. “I’m going in to help him make his bed.”
The gatekeeper glanced at Zhou Haochen.
He held a deep disdain for young men of such an age who still required family assistance for simple tasks like making a bed, regardless of their academic prowess.
“Are you a family member?” the elder inquired.
“That’s right,” Bai Sha confirmed, adding in her thoughts, ‘Fiancée… that should count as family, shouldn’t it?’
The elder nodded. “You may enter, but let me warn you, this young man shouldn’t be coddled! How old is he to still need family to make his bed for him!”
Bai Sha nodded, acknowledging the elder’s stern counsel.
“Let’s go!” she announced. “I’ve sorted it out.”
Zhou Haochen, who hadn’t overheard their conversation, asked curiously, “What did you say to the elder? He actually let you in.”
Bai Sha stood on tiptoes, playfully patting his head. “I told him I was your mother, bringing my little daughter along to make the bed for my troublesome eldest son,” she said with a laugh.
Zhou Haochen could only shake his head, wondering if she thought he was foolish, or the elder.
The three then entered the dormitory.
As they passed the gatekeeper, the old man even let out a cold snort in Zhou Haochen’s direction.
‘Zhou Haochen: ‘She definitely said something bad about me.”
****
Inside Dormitory 503.
Zhou Haochen opened the door.
With several days still remaining before the official start of the semester, the dormitory was empty save for Sun Weijie’s bed.
The little one, Xiao Yu, sat on a stool, happily eating candy.
True to her word, Bai Sha was indeed helping Zhou Haochen make his bed.
Bai Sha flopped onto the bed, rolling around playfully. “Isn’t this bed a bit too small?” she asked. “Wouldn’t someone as tall as you feel cramped?”
Compared to the beds in their base dormitory, this one was not merely different; it was worlds apart.
Zhou Haochen playfully patted her backside. “This isn’t home, you know,” he said. “This bed is actually quite large; the beds in my old school were even smaller.”
In middle school, some even enjoyed sleeping together to chat, and even the narrow, tiny beds couldn’t contain the fervent hearts eager for connection.
“In the future, when Xiao Yu gets into a university there, I’ll buy a house nearby so she can come home every day!” Bai Sha declared.
Zhou Haochen was utterly speechless, beyond the point of even mocking her. “My wealthy young lady,” he sighed, “you could simply rent a place. There’s no need to buy a whole house!”
“Oh, right!” Bai Sha exclaimed, feeling as though her brain had grown rusty from disuse, struggling to comprehend such a simple point.
Just then, the dormitory door swung open once more.
Li Qingyu appeared at the doorway, a suitcase in his left hand and a large woven bag slung over his right shoulder. “Huh?” he blurted out. “Someone’s even earlier than me!”
Upon entering, he immediately spotted a man and a woman on the bed.
Li Qingyu tossed his bag inside, then clapped his hands over his eyes, backing away. “I didn’t see anything, I didn’t see anything! My apologies, my apologies!”
“If you’re sick, go get treatment,” Zhou Haochen retorted dryly.
Li Qingyu lowered his hands, placing his precious suitcase, which contained his laptop, under the desk.
He chuckled mischievously. “It’s broad daylight, and you and Sister-in-law are lying on the bed,” he teased. “It’s just too easy for people to misunderstand!”
“Oh, little beauty Xiao Yu,” Li Qingyu cooed, crouching down to gently pinch her cheek. “You’ve become even cuter since I last saw you!”
“Uncle Li has also become very handsome!” Xiao Yu replied. Though young, she had already mastered the art of reciprocal flattery.
“So, compared to your dad, who’s more handsome, Uncle or him?”
“Dad,” Zhou Yuying answered without a trace of hesitation, her response purely instinctive.
Both parents on the bed laughed heartily.
Bai Sha found Xiao Yu adorable, while Zhou Haochen found Li Qingyu utterly ridiculous.
“Uncle will buy you a lollipop, want to reconsider?” Li Qingyu, still undeterred, persisted in his attempt to usurp the ‘most handsome’ throne in Xiao Yu’s heart.
“No,” Xiao Yu replied. Her mother had told her that anyone who bought her lollipops was a bad person, but surely Uncle was a good person, wasn’t he?
“What are you thinking, Fourth Brother?” Zhou Haochen gasped, barely able to breathe from laughter. “This is my daughter; don’t you have any idea what you look like?”
Li Qingyu, however, completely ignored him, turning instead to Bai Sha. “Sister-in-law, long time no see!” he exclaimed. “I’ve been watching your live streams all holiday! I truly believe with your skill, you could make a comeback and win another championship!”
“Flattering me to this extent is practically sabotaging me,” Bai Sha teased.
Ever since meeting him, she seemed to have gained an incredibly devoted fan. “What’s your ID? I’ll give you a moderator role.”
“擎天柱本柱 (TL Note: Optimus Prime himself).”
Bai Sha paused, rummaging through the rusty archives of her memory.
“[Streamer, my roommate saw your photo and seems to have ‘turned gay.’ What should I do?]”
“[Thank you, 擎天柱本柱 (Optimus Prime himself), for activating the guardian role.]”
“So it was you all along!” Bai Sha exclaimed in surprise. “Then your roommate must be…”
Li Qingyu quickly interrupted. “Hey! I didn’t know your true identity back then, Sister-in-law!”
Meanwhile, Zhou Haochen, who rarely watched live streams, sported a bewildered expression. ‘?’ he thought. ‘How does this seem to involve me?’
“Isn’t the eldest brother back too?” Li Qingyu asked. “Should we all go out and get together?”
Zhou Haochen declined. “He has something going on. Let’s get together after school starts; I’ll treat everyone to hotpot.”
“Let’s go eat at the cafeteria instead!” Bai Sha exclaimed excitedly. “I’ve never seen a university cafeteria before! I heard your A University cafeteria is amazing!” Her impression of cafeterias was still stuck on those depicted in ‘Love O2O’ (TL Note: A popular Chinese novel and drama, ‘Wei Wei Yi Xiao Hen Qing Cheng,’ known for its romantic portrayal of campus life and a beautiful university cafeteria).
A University’s cafeteria was indeed excellent, boasting two separate buildings, each with three floors.
The variety was extensive, and the food was both delicious and affordable.
Li Qingyu pulled out his meal card. “My treat! Spend whatever you like!”
Zhou Haochen frowned, pushing the meal card back. “My family members are my responsibility,” he stated firmly.
It seemed Zhou Haochen also considered his fiancée a family member.