It seemed the heavens were determined to make things difficult for Zhuifeng. He was at a loss for words.
"Then let's go out to eat!" Ma Ji suggested.
"Are you treating?" Zhuifeng asked.
"No problem! Now will you get up?"
Of course he could get up now. It looked like this guy had money. Zhuifeng jumped down from the top bunk and rushed to the bathroom to freshen up.
After the two of them got ready, they left the dorm room. Zhuifeng, standing 1.75m tall and weighing 64kg, was quite the looker with his sharp eyebrows and bright eyes. He walked with confidence, giving off the impression that the world was his to conquer.
As for Ma Ji, while he lacked Zhuifeng's aura, he wasn't bad-looking either. His handsome features combined with his slim build gave him a scholarly air.
As soon as the two stepped out of the dorm, they became the center of attention—catching the eyes of both men and women.
"Is there something wrong with us?" Zhuifeng felt uncomfortable with all the stares, especially from the girls once they left the boys' dorm area.
They checked themselves over—clothes were fine, zippers were up, nothing on their faces.
"Damn it, who cares? Let's go!" Ma Ji waved his hand dismissively, annoyed at not understanding the reason for all the attention.
"Yeah, you're right!"
The two headed straight for the breakfast vendors outside, clutching their growling stomachs.
After finally filling their bellies, even though Ma Ji had offered to treat, Zhuifeng felt awkward about it. However, after arguing for a while, Ma Ji ended up paying for breakfast.
"Ma Ji, will you stop staring at me? It's annoying!" On the way back, Ma Ji was eyeing Zhuifeng just like those girls had been.
"Hehe, I know why they were looking our way!" Ma Ji grinned.
"Why?" Zhuifeng was curious to know the answer.
"It's because of you! Since I met you last night, I don't think I've seen you smile once. Look at you—handsome features without a trace of expression. Even when you talk, your face is tight, cold, and melancholic. Put all that together on you, and well... if I were a girl, it'd be hard not to notice you!" Ma Ji nodded exaggeratedly.
Zhuifeng was speechless.
"Hey, looks like someone else arrived," Ma Ji quickened his pace as he noticed their previously closed dorm room door was now open.
By the time Zhuifeng slowly walked in, Ma Ji was already chatting away with the two newcomers.
"Hello, I'm Qiu Nuo, from Heilongjiang!" Another handsome guy! But he was so good-looking that the author was tempted to use 'she' to describe him. In one word—gorgeous. In two words—delicate and refined.
Is he a girl in disguise? Zhuifeng thought, trembling slightly as he shook hands with 'her'. Then the other newcomer approached.
"Hi, I'm Zheng He!"
"Zheng He? Like the explorer who sailed to the West?" Zhuifeng looked at his build. "That's impossible, right?" He was extremely chubby, probably around 80kg.
"Hehe, everyone says that. Looks like this name is well-loved!" Zheng He chuckled.
"Hello, I'm Zhuifeng, a local from Chongqing," Zhuifeng introduced himself.
"Great, now our dorm is complete! I think since we've all come so far to meet here, it's a kind of destiny. So I've decided to treat everyone to lunch later, okay?" Ma Ji proposed.
Zhuifeng hesitated, not saying anything. Who could blame him? The current Zhuifeng was too poor.
Strange, I'm the one offering to treat and pay, why the silence? Ma Ji looked at the three, puzzled. Wait, Qiu Nuo and Zheng He seem to be waiting for Zhuifeng to decide, but didn't they just meet? How odd! What's going on?
"Zhuifeng, you're free for lunch, right? Let's go, it's to celebrate our first meeting!" Ma Ji urged.
Seeing Ma Ji's expectant look, Zhuifeng could only nod. "But, hehe, Ma Ji, you're paying, right?"
Ma Ji thumped his chest. "Of course! You guys chat first. I'm going to invite a friend I met on the train!"
"He's at Chongqing University too?" Damn, what kind of person makes friends so quickly on a train ride? Zhuifeng was baffled. Is it really that easy to make friends?
"Yeah, he's quite famous actually. I'll go find him now. See you in a bit." With that, Ma Ji ran out.
Zhuifeng, wary even of his own family, was even more cautious around strangers he'd just met. "You guys chat. I'm not feeling well, I want to sleep for a while." He climbed back up to his bunk.
"Where are you feeling unwell? Should we take you to the hospital?" Qiu Nuo asked, concerned.
"Yeah, let's take you there!" Zheng He chimed in.
Isn't this a bit too enthusiastic? "It's fine, I just need to lie down for a bit. You guys do your own thing, just don't disturb me." Zhuifeng replied.
The two on the ground exchanged a glance, then lay down on their own bunks. Whether they actually slept or not, only they knew...
"Bang!" The door suddenly burst open.
"Who is it?" Zhuifeng propped himself up to look at the door. "Oh, it's you. What's wrong..."
Following Ma Ji's strange gaze, he saw Qiu Nuo and Zheng He standing rigidly in front of their beds, hands at their waists.
When Zhuifeng's gaze met theirs, he shuddered. Damn, what kind of look is that? Like dead people, without a trace of emotion, ice-cold. He quickly looked away towards Ma Ji, forcing a laugh. "What's wrong with you guys?"
"I don't know!" Ma Ji was equally confused.
Qiu Nuo took a breath, removing his hand from his waist, and also forced a laugh. "Fatty and I were just playing a game when Ma Ji's sudden entrance startled us. Ma Ji, could you knock next time before coming in?"
"Yeah, exactly!" Zheng He also started grinning, walking over to embrace the still dazed Ma Ji. "You nearly scared me to death just now. If something had happened, that wouldn't have been good!"
"Oh!" Ma Ji was still in a daze, responding vaguely.
"Fatty?" Zhuifeng found it strange.
"Yeah, I... I just gave him that nickname! Look at all his fat, what else would you call him but Fatty?" Qiu Nuo turned to shake Ma Ji. "Hey, we're the ones who got scared, why are you in a daze? Didn't you say you invited your friend? Where is he? It's almost noon! You said you'd treat us to lunch! So, can we go now?"
"Oh... my friend is waiting outside. I just came to get you guys!" Ma Ji snapped back to reality, subtly freeing himself from Qiu Nuo's grasp and taking a few steps towards Zhuifeng.
Qiu Nuo, with his back to Zhuifeng and Ma Ji, glanced at his hand that Ma Ji had just shaken off, then exchanged a look with Zheng He. "Then we'll go down first and wait for you. Hurry up!"
"Alright, you guys go ahead. Zhuifeng and I will be right down!" After watching the two go downstairs, Ma Ji rushed back to Zhuifeng and said, "Zhuifeng, don't you think they're acting strange?"
"Strange? I don't think so. What's wrong with you?" Zhuifeng was confused by Ma Ji's behavior. "What's the matter with them?"
"I... I," Remembering their earlier expressions, Ma Ji shuddered again. "...Never mind. Do you really think they were just playing a game earlier? You really don't think there's something off about them?"
"Come on! You've been watching too many TV dramas. They already said they were playing, and why would they lie to us? Don't forget we're all just students, with no money or power. What would they gain by deceiving us?" Zhuifeng said as he climbed down from his bed.
"I guess you're right." Ma Ji became uncertain after Zhuifeng's explanation.
"Alright, they're waiting for us downstairs. Let's go!" Zhuifeng pulled him along as they left the room.
Meanwhile, outside the dorm building, Qiu Nuo and Zheng He simultaneously exhaled, removing their 'MP3' earpieces. "That was close. We almost got expelled just like that, haha..."