Chapter 109 Part 3

The boys were all undergraduate freshmen. They started chatting after just a few steps - where they were from, test scores, that kind of intro talk. Jiang Cheng didn't say much but the other boys chatted enthusiastically.

"Hey," one boy looked at Gu Fei, "Let me introduce myself, I'm Zhang Ping. What about you? Where you from?"

"I'm...not a new student," Gu Fei said, suddenly feeling awkward.

"Upperclassman?" Zhang Ping asked again.

"My friend," Jiang Cheng said, "He came with me."

"Oh, your friend!" Zhang Ping laughed and nodded, then asked again, "Which school?"

Gu Fei didn't know how to respond to this question. He didn't mind telling anyone his school, but their normal college, compared to all the prestigious R University students here - even if he said it, only Jiang Cheng would know what it was.

He suddenly didn't know how to handle this kind of situation.

"Our hometown normal college," Jiang Cheng said. "He came specially to accompany me."

"Ah, a true brother then!" Zhang Ping said.

Jiang Cheng nodded with a smile. He slowed his steps to fall back with Gu Fei at the end of the group.

The upperclassman brought them to the dorm building. After finding their assigned rooms according to room number, he left.

The two of them entered Jiang Cheng's dorm. The building was said to have relatively good conditions, and it did look pretty nice - loft bed and desk combo, four people per room.

There was already someone inside, a boy and his parents, wiping down the desks.

"Hi there," Jiang Cheng greeted them, "I'm Jiang Cheng."

"Zhao Ke," the boy turned around, pointing to the bed by the window, "That one's yours, I've wiped it clean already."

"Thanks," Jiang Cheng said.

"You're welcome," Zhao Ke replied, then looked back over at Gu Fei.

"I'm his friend," Gu Fei said.

"Oh," Zhao Ke nodded, then said to his parents, "See, I said I could come by myself, his folks didn't come either."

"We're just sightseeing," his mom said. "You're all dorm mates from now on, look out for each other, don't fight if you have disagreements, just argue it out."

"....oh," Jiang Cheng responded.

"Where's your luggage?" Zhao Ke asked.

"I'm not moving in until tomorrow, will bring my stuff then," Jiang Cheng said.

"Oh," Zhao Ke went back to wiping the desks.

After looking around the dorm room, Gu Fei accompanied Jiang Cheng walking around the building and surrounding area to get familiar with everything.

"There's a supermarket here," Jiang Cheng said, "Pretty convenient for buying food."

"Mm," Gu Fei smiled, "First thing you think of is food, huh. They don't sell chicken here either."

"Don't mention chicken, I'm hungry..." Jiang Cheng rubbed his stomach, "Let's go eat something."

"Don't want to walk around campus more?" Gu Fei asked.

"We can wander around later, plenty of time, years ahead," Jiang Cheng said.

"Mm," Gu Fei nodded.

As they walked back towards the school gates, Jiang Cheng kept looking all around. Gu Fei could tell that even though Jiang Cheng wasn't in high spirits, he was still excited and curious about this campus he had long aspired to.

Gu Fei kept looking around as well. This was the place Jiang Cheng would spend several years. The more he looked, the more he could imprint it in his mind, to better imagine Jiang Cheng's life here.

But the more he felt this way, the more the subtle unease in his heart grew as well.

The gap.

This real, tangible gap laid out before him was clearer than any imagination he'd had before.

The weighty feeling exuding from those buildings that didn't look too pretty or new, the upperclassmen walking around them, the self-confidence clearly evident in their very bones.

Gu Fei had started feeling down since the registration process. Jiang Cheng could clearly sense his decreasing laughter and words.

Perhaps it was because of their imminent parting, or perhaps...Jiang Cheng suddenly regretted a bit having Gu Fei come with him to school. Any reaction from Gu Fei would pain his heart.

He glanced at Gu Fei beside him, who had turned his head to look at something.

"Boyfriend," Jiang Cheng lightly bumped his shoulder, "what do you want to eat?"

"Whatever my boyfriend wants," Gu Fei turned back with a smile.

"I don't know either," Jiang Cheng took out his phone, "let's just search around for what's nearby?"

"Okay," Gu Fei nodded.

"Gu Fei," Jiang Cheng asked while scrolling on his phone, "Can you tell me what you're thinking?"

"Hm?" Gu Fei paused.

"You're unhappy. Aside from leaving tomorrow," Jiang Cheng stared at his phone, "is there anything else?"

"...There is," Gu Fei said.

"What is it?" Jiang Cheng looked over at him.

Gu Fei was silent for a few seconds before turning to meet his gaze. "That Zhao Ke."

"Huh?" Jiang Cheng was confused.

"He's really good looking," Gu Fei said.

"Who?" Jiang Cheng still didn't get it.

"Zhao Ke," Gu Fei said.

"Zhao Ke?" Jiang Cheng gaped at him, "Fuck, how'd you get to know someone already? And he's good looking?"

"...I give up on you," Gu Fei couldn't help laughing, "Brother Cheng, can you allocate some of your top student brainpower to 'useless stuff'? Your dorm mate, Zhao Ke!"

"Fuck," Jiang Cheng was still staring at him, "That's his name? I don't even remember if I forgot or never knew in the first place!"

"You better remember it now, or you won't even know his name tomorrow, how awkward." Gu Fei said.

"Oh right, Zhao Ke, Zhao Ke," Jiang Cheng thought for a moment, "Very good looking...honestly I didn't look closely..."

Gu Fei sighed with a smile.

"Are you jealous already?" Jiang Cheng asked again.

"Mm," Gu Fei nodded.

"Stow your bullshit away," Jiang Cheng frowned.

"Mind your language, you're a student at a famous university now," Gu Fei put an arm around his shoulder.

"I know what you're thinking, keep it to yourself if you won't say it. But listen to what I have to say," Jiang Cheng said. "I don't like that tiny shithole town, or the people from that crappy steel factory. But I still can't bear to leave it, that town, that steel factory, because that's where I found you."

Gu Fei didn't respond.

"No matter where I am, I can still pick you out at a glance," Jiang Cheng said. "You're different from everyone else. I've said it before - you're unlike anyone else. Even if you say I'll meet a lot of people, if I meet however many, there's still only one Gu Fei."