While fiddling with his cigarette, Su Huai discreetly took control of the conversation's tempo.
"Mr. Yu, for someone studying music performance, how come you're so addicted to smoking?"
"My major is musical instruments, piano, guitar, violin—it's all about handwork, doesn't interfere with holding a smoke in my mouth."
Xi Ziliu immediately asked, "Then do you have calluses on your hands?"
"Yeah, I do!"
"Let me see!" Xi Ziliu examined Xia Yu's palms with great interest and suddenly said with deep meaning, "Mr. Yu, the placement of these old calluses seems off, you haven't been practicing wind instruments by any chance?"
"Cut the crap! Get outta here!"
"Hahaha, Sao Ji, you really are something!"
"I can predict with a pinch of my fingers, Mr. Yu definitely doesn't have a girlfriend, that's the only explanation~~~"
Picking up on the conversational cue, Su Huai subtly nudged Chu Changkuo, "Mr. Chu, it's normal for a few of us to not have girlfriends, but you must have no shortage, right?"
"Mr. Chu really sounds bloody awful..."
After Chu Changkuo complained, he cheerfully bragged, "But you did ask the right person! The high school I attended was mediocre, but it was full of beauties; I never had a dull moment for three years. Otherwise, how could I have ended up in this dump?"
"Our university isn't good enough for you?"
Sao Ji clicked his tongue, unsure whether he was envious or frustrated—probably a bit of both.
"In our Zhebei, you have to score 630+ to meet the damn admission threshold. For some top majors, it's even higher, which is a real pain... Mr. Yu, what about you guys?"
Xia Yu shook his head with a wry smile, "This year in our province, it seems like we also need 585 points. If I didn't take the arts exam, I wouldn't stand a chance."
The topic brought out Chu Changkuo's strong sense of superiority, and he couldn't help but chime in with a boastful tone.
"Well, you guys do have it tough. For us capital natives applying to our university's public management program, a ranking of just over 10,000 is enough. A few more points and I would have gone to Beijing University of Science and Technology or Beijing Jiaotong University. My girlfriend played around for three years and still got into the foreign studies university with ease!"
Su Huai had forgotten what kind of person Chu Changkuo was like and observed him silently, quietly picking up on details.
Xi Ziliu seemed to be pricked by these comments and didn't respond for a moment.
Xia Yu, with his good nature, added, "There are indeed too many good universities in the Imperial Capital; locals really don't have to work too hard."
"Exactly!"
Chu Changkuo, all fired up, couldn't help but raise his voice, slapping another layer of gold leaf onto his face with delight.
"It's not that we don't grasp the stuff taught in high school; it's mainly the lack of habit to bury ourselves in rote practice.
There's no need to push ourselves that hard, you know?
These days, even graduates from Tsinghua and Peking University start with just over 10,000 in salary. Personally, I think it's not worth it. How many years would you have to slave away just to afford a pigeonhole outside the Fifth Ring?
With that effort, you might as well think more about arts, fashion trends, develop some talents and hobbies—it makes dating easier.
Don't be that guy who has nothing to talk about when chasing girls; when you mention Monet, you have no clue, and when asked about Karl Lagerfeld, who's that? Isn't it embarrassing?"
Unaware of who Karl Lagerfeld really was, the trio exchanged glances, feeling like they'd been shot, filled with unpleasant emotions.
Damn, this brat really deserves a scolding...
Su Huai didn't envy Chu Changkuo's hukou advantage, but his condescending attitude was truly nauseating.
Being born into privilege is indeed a skill of sorts, but to flaunt what comes naturally to you before those who must struggle and strive, pointing and commenting—See? I was born superior to you!
This sort of behavior lacks class and doesn't win people's respect, only serving to fuel resentment among peers.
Truly classy locals, like the two Dasa Mis from Chen Nuanhan's dormitory, would downplay their origins during introductions: "My family is originally from Hebei, my parents were part of the last generation of drifters to the capital."
Whether true or false, at the very least it sounded more pleasant to the ear.
But not Chu Changkuo; he seemed fearful that others wouldn't recognize his "status," oblivious to the perceived value of his hukou.
One could only say that his family background was indeed awesome, but his mentality was quite average and somewhat incapable of keeping up.
Su Huai didn't indulge him and simply suspended him on the wall with a single sentence.
"Well, it looks like the hierarchy of our dorm is firmly established now—Mr. Chu, you're the chosen one, and us three brothers are the hardworking masses. From now on, when we go out, you lead the way, and we three will be responsible for sweeping the streets and sprinkling water, all the stars orbiting the moon. How does that sound?"
Even if Chu Changkuo was slow, he could tell something was off and quickly waved his hands, "Hey, hey, my brothers, I didn't mean that at all!"
Sao Ji had scored over 630, so he wasn't a pushover without any temper, and he immediately followed up with a sentence.
"Most Public Management majors eventually go into politics, right? Didn't expect to meet a future big shot on the first day of college, no wonder you're so aggressive. From now on, this loser will have to rely on you, Mr. Chu!"
Xia Yu was kindhearted; he pursed his lips and didn't make a sound.
But choosing to stay silent at the peak of the conversation and turning to organize his wardrobe was clearly making a statement.
The atmosphere suddenly grew chilly.
Chu Changkuo frowned, his face full of irritation, and he took a deep drag on his cigarette, but he didn't know how to make amends.
He didn't think he had done anything wrong.
On the contrary, you all, one by one, are being all weird, are you sick or what?!
Chu Changkuo glared at Su Huai, but Su Huai had a smile on his face that seemed like he was just joking, which made it hard to get angry, and Chu didn't want to explain anymore, so he simply threw the cigarette butt away and left with his phone.
"Well, if we can't have a conversation, then let's not bother. I'm going to see my high school friends, you guys take it easy."
Chu Changkuo dragged out the word "take it easy" in a long tone, reading it out with a bit of sarcasm, nonchalantly pushed the door open and didn't look back.
And as soon as he left, the atmosphere in the dorm immediately livened up again.
"What a piece of work!"
Sao Ji was straightforward and didn't hide his disdain, beginning to complain: "He really thinks he's imperial royalty, needing others to light his cigarettes for him. I politely lit his cigarette for him, and he actually had the audacity to pat my shoulder?!"
Su Huai couldn't help but raise his thumb with a grin: "You've got the gist."
Sao Ji, feeling a bit embarrassed, scratched his head and chuckled.
Seeing that Su Huai didn't want to talk behind people's backs, Sao Ji stopped his complaints, sat down at his desk, opened his laptop, and, like an internet-addicted teen, excitedly rubbed his hands together.
"Huai, do you play games? I've got the newly released End 4 here!"
Su Huai was sweating profusely and quickly waved his hands off.
"I'm not that kind of person... during the daytime... later I'll borrow your hard drive to copy some stuff..."
"You go ahead and play, I need to make a trip to the student affairs office."
Upon hearing this, Xia Yu immediately put down his guitar: "Huai, do you need me to accompany you? I'd also like to stroll around the campus."
Although they had only interacted for a short 10 minutes, Su Huai had already started to seem like the backbone of the dorm.
Freshmen who had just entered university didn't overthink things, their thoughts were not as complex as adults', but they weren't stupid either; they instinctively gravitated toward more mature and leader-like classmates.
Su Huai didn't talk much, nor was he showy, but he made people feel more reliable.
This was an aura built from age, one of the least impressive little cheats of a reborn person; it was of no great use, except perhaps in making it easier to get a girl to call you "daddy," with the difficulty level dropping by -1, then another -1...
Huai, of course, wouldn't do such a thing; he wasn't that kind of person.
It was enough to gather a couple of obedient 'sons' in the dorm.
"Sure, shall we go then?"
Su Huai pocketed a pack of cigarettes, slung his shoulder bag, and set out with Xia Yu, heading back to the main campus.
Along the way, they were almost blinded by the sights.