one

As I boarded the bus, holding an ice cream, I momentarily did not know where to place my hands. He naturally took hold of my free hand. I noticed a ring on his ring finger, and for some reason, I felt a twinge of sadness in my heart

I said nothing, but turned my head to look out the window. Towering ancient trees were planted on both sides of the auditorium, their leaves shimmering with a glossy sheen under the sunlight

He reverted to the fierce and intimidating demeanor of his high school days and shouted at me: "Fool, this was bought for me by my mother!"

So what if there is NANO? I also cast her a glance and surveyed my classmates around: Ah, some are secretly playing poker underneath, some are reading magazines, and others are using their smartphones to check the stock market. It seems there are even some who are composing poetry? ... Ah, my apologies, isn't that the exceptionally talented Tang Yuanyuan and the erudite class monitor...

After a moment of hesitation, he finally said: "In high school, my classmates all said I was your mother's son-in-law, so how well do you think we know each other?"

The large scoop of ice cream that had just been placed in my mouth was barely savored before I was compelled to swallow it whole due to his words, and in that instant, I felt a refreshing chill, my heart soaring.

Junliang gave me a push and said, "Stop daydreaming, my major is over there for registration, I will go ahead first, and we will talk on the phone later"

I asked him what he wanted me to come out for, and he replied, "Accompany me to buy a camera"

She smiles, and in this world, besides those who are broad-minded and embrace all, there exists another type of person who can also achieve "unperturbed by praise or blame". That is the kind of person who lives entirely in their own world, where in their imagination, they are perfect, and all unfriendly words from others stem from jealousy towards them

The bus swayed back and forth, and he never took off his sunglasses, so I had no idea that all along he was openly observing me, who was at a loss, behind the brown lenses.

In a flurry, we managed to settle our luggage, and just as we filled a basin with water to clean up, the curly-haired girl who wanted orange juice appeared before us. She found an empty bed to sit down, sipping her orange juice while introducing herself: "My name is Tang Yuanyuan, not the Yuanyuan of Chen Yuanyuan who was infuriated for the sake of beauty, but the Yuanyuan of Yuan Zhen, who wrote 'Once I have seen the vast sea, no other water can compare; except for the clouds of Wushan, there are no other clouds.'"

After clarifying the situation, Liang Zheng's eyes reflected an extremely disdainful gaze: "You are really over the top, what does this have to do with anything? Don't be so vain, okay?"

Junliang, with NANO earbuds in his ears, did not hear such a long string of nonsensical tongue twisters at all, but as a student majoring in Chinese Language and Literature, I felt so ashamed that I almost spat out a mouthful of blood

I finally erupted

Finally, she compromised: when she picked up the chicken leg from her lunchbox and handed it to me, I returned it, and she handed it to me again. After I returned it once more... she spoke up and said, "Chuwi, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to play tricks on you. It was Gu Ciyuan who asked me to keep it a secret from you."

After everything was ready, my mother didn't even glance at me; instead, she earnestly reminded Junliang about this and that, as if Junliang were her daughter and I was merely a bystander.

Watching Liang Zheng's figure happily disappear into the distance, I sadly thought, Class Monitor, you are truly over.

Nonsense, of course I am hot, who wouldn't be hot under a 10-pound cotton quilt, but I really feel embarrassed to take that soap box out in public, and then perform like a close-up magician pulling out thousands of dollars from the box.

I was taken aback by his cutting remark, and for a long time, I couldn't respond. Instinctively, I examined my attire; there seemed to be no issue. I truly do not believe that my outfit has any inappropriate elements.

After a long time, he finally couldn't help but ask me: "Aren't you hot?"

After he finished speaking, he walked around the auditorium wall, then directly approached us from the side door, and finally sat down in the empty seat next to Junliang, saying to me, who had just regained my senses: "What's wrong, don't you recognize me?"

It seems that the university is indeed a place teeming with all kinds of creatures, both real and mythical.

I was feeling melancholic when my phone rang, a local number I did not recognize. Just before I answered, I wondered, "Could it be that I have a fan so soon?" As soon as the call connected, a voice that was all too familiar, accompanied by a crackling sound, reached my eardrum: "Song Chuwei, I am waiting for you at the girls' dormitory entrance, hurry out."

On the day I left City Z to report to the university, I had another argument with my mother

Jun Liang sighed and was about to say something when Tang Yuanyuan, who was beside her, interjected: "Do you all know? That new student representative, from the photography major, comes from a super wealthy family!"

Next, the senior students delivered their speeches of welcome. Observing their excited demeanor, I felt that they were not merely energized by ordinary enthusiasm, but rather by an excessive intake of hormones, akin to the blood of a chicken that had been overly stimulated.

After driving a certain distance, my mother's figure in the rearview mirror became smaller and smaller. For some reason, a wave of inexplicable sourness surged in my nasal cavity. This feeling was truly terrible. I instinctively bit my lip, trying hard to dispel that pretentious sadness.

While waiting for the red light, Junliang turned her face to look at me, then tilted her head and gave me a light tap, saying: "What's wrong? Your eyes are all red. Do you miss your mother?"

I cannot understand what her mother consumed during pregnancy that resulted in her having such an extraordinary constitution. While everyone else is sweating profusely, she still appears refreshingly composed.

During the registration, I met a girl who made me feel that God favored her greatly. She stood in front of me, her legs as thin as matchsticks. When she turned her face, I was startled. I really wanted to ask her, in such hot weather, how could she bear to wear such thick foundation on her skin?

When we arrived at the Communication University, it was already noon. The teachers at the registration desk had all gone for their lunch break. Under the huge sunshade at the school gate, there were either people inviting you to get a mobile phone card or selling cold drinks and ice pops. Junliang handed me a rose-scented wet tissue and softly said, "Let's go eat first"

In fact, I was just joking when I said that, but who would have thought that he would actually take the plate of fried chicken from our table without any hesitation, and in the end, he even said to us, "Then I will help you solve this."

After letting out this roar, I felt the camphor trees by the roadside tremble

Next, this wretched person could not be bothered to waste words with me; he did something that made me wish we could perish together.

In my entire life, it is the first time I have seen someone wearing a ring given by their mother on their ring finger, and he actually has the audacity to call me a fool

I lay on the table and lamented, "How is there still more! The obituary should have been finished by now!"

She shot me a glance, probably thinking that I was too unreasonable, and unexpectedly put on her headphones to listen to music, ignoring me.

That was the only time in my memory when Junliang displayed her loneliness in such a poignant manner. It would take me a long time to truly understand what Junliang meant, to genuinely comprehend how much unspoken pain she endured behind her proud smile, and how many hidden wounds she bore along her seemingly glamorous path of growth

On the day of filling out the application, you said you would go wherever I go, were you not joking with me

Gu Ciyuan, that man, finally came to a stop. Immediately after, he angrily rushed in front of me, took off his sunglasses, and glared at me, saying: "Can't you just not dress so scantily to play sexy? There's no need to flaunt that runway with your broad chest!"

I suspect that if I continue to listen intently, I will hear that advertisement which almost drove me to the brink of collapse: "Li Ziming from Class 6, Grade 3, your mother is waiting for you at the door with two cans of Wangzai milk..."

My mind truly feels as if it is filled with glue, completely unable to function

Tang Yuanyuan dismissively said to us: "Now that we can be so developed, a cup A can be augmented to a cup G, and men can even transition into women. What do my few spots matter? When I have money, I will get laser spot removal and also have my inner eye corners done. By then, I don't know how many boys will be chasing after me"

It was in that fleeting moment of my carelessness that my mother successfully executed her scheme. As I watched her deftly stuff luggage into the trunk of Junliang's car, I felt as if my heart had died.

Upon hearing this statement, I felt utterly nauseated. Who could possibly be reluctant? Since childhood, my greatest dreams, aside from world peace, have been to grow up quickly, earn money sooner, and escape her control

To be precise, it was Gu Ciyuan who struck the man standing next to me

We were playing chess when a boy walked over to the empty seat next to Junliang, wanting to sit down. Junliang quickly called out, "Hey, someone, sorry!" The boy raised his eyebrows slightly in disappointment and had no choice but to get up and leave

However, when that person stepped onto the stage, when I heard the surrounding girls begin to whisper, and when I saw Junliang take off the headphones with a smile that was both mischievous and joyful, I realized that something was amiss

As the bus jolted along, the scenery outside the window and the passersby rushed backward, presenting to me a completely new city, a brand new living atmosphere. Free from the constraints of my nagging and rigid mother, from this moment on, even if I were to poke a hole in the sky, no one would be able to control me!

I asked him: "How did you become the class monitor?"

We squeezed into the cafeteria for quite a while before we managed to buy breakfast. The attitude of the woman at the dumpling counter was not very friendly. When I received those tiny shumai, I couldn't help but exclaim: "How small, how can one be full with this!"

It was on the evening of her sixteenth birthday that I accompanied her as we walked for a long time through the thick, deep snow, surrounded by an expanse of white, with only the footprints of the two of us in the snow.

The topic of our argument this time was "Where exactly should we hide several thousand yuan in tuition fees to keep it safe?" My mother insisted that with my usual flamboyant and high-profile style, I would attract too much attention, and the tuition fees would surely be stolen by thieves

He is quite honest: "I was the first to sign up"

I gazed at him in confusion, then turned my attention to Junliang. For some reason, I suddenly felt that my eyes could not focus; everything appeared hazy, blurred, and unreal.

This point, even without Junliang mentioning it, I am aware that issues that can be resolved with money and power are not issues at all

Gu Ci Yuan shook off my hand, silently picked up the counterfeit phone that had fallen to the ground, removed the battery, and then, in front of everyone on the bus, forcefully broke the phone into two pieces

If I remain silent, he will only take advantage of it: "Just look at you, with such a large collar, is your head the size of the Earth..."

She shot me a glance, while deftly helping others pack buns, and replied, "You only bought one yuan's worth, so you definitely won't be full. Why don't you try buying ten yuan's worth and see if you can get full."

As I angrily chewed on the miniature dumplings, while playing Go and not forgetting to attack Junliang, I said: "On the first day of school, you come to our class for the assembly. With such a high profile, you will eventually be ostracized by the girls in your class!"

After calming down, I sincerely feel that this woman is truly a perfect match for that over class leader, a blend of Eastern and Western cultures, unparalleled in the world

After more than ten minutes, a seat finally became available. Gu Ciyuan, maintaining his gentlemanly demeanor, invited me to sit while he stood. I decided not to be polite with him.

Chuwi, you are my only friend

While we were waiting for the bus at the bus stop in front of the school, girls passing by would occasionally glance at him, and he, wearing brown sunglasses, appeared to be accustomed to it.

The weather is too hot, and we can hardly eat anything. We barely took a bite or two of the dishes we ordered. When we got up to pay the bill, a very serious, thin young man at the next table, wearing glasses, said to us: "Eating just two or three bites to lose weight is really overdoing it; it's such a waste."

Junliang took off her sunglasses from her head and placed them on her nose. I couldn't quite figure out where her gaze was focused. I only heard her say: "Chuwi, you are truly a female version of Nezha."

I anxiously grabbed Gu Ciyuan, speaking incoherently: "What are you doing? It's a society governed by law, a harmonious China, why resort to violence!"

Jun Liang shot me a glance, and I knew she thought I was being harsh, but I was unwilling to back down and shot one back at her: Do you think you are being magnanimous!

After exchanging a glance with Junliang and confirming that he was indeed speaking to us, we looked at each other again, ensuring that none of us recognized this person who misused words. I said: "The weather is too hot, and I have no appetite. If you don't mind, could you please help us? We don't have any contagious diseases."

After Junliang walked away, I suddenly felt as if I had been struck by lightning

As I was on the brink of collapse, I caught a glimpse of the bespectacled man from the small restaurant at noon, who had looked down on me and Junliang for wasting food. Under the scorching sun, he was savoring the sight of me, who was struggling to dig into the bucket beneath the basin with a thick comforter draped over my head, yet I was unable to retrieve anything.

Actually, I have another question that I really want to ask but feel embarrassed to do so: Is the "over" you always mention the same as the "over" I know

She proudly said, "It has always been lonely at the top; I have long since become accustomed to it." After saying this, she did not forget to roll her eyes at the greasy shao mai in my hand

When none of us were willing to compromise, someone downstairs called my name. In a fit of anger, I stuck my head out and saw Junliang, wearing gradient purple sunglasses, lowering the car window and smiling triumphantly at me, saying, "Chuwei, my dad sent someone to take us."

I raised my head and looked at her with a blank expression. I knew that at this moment my face looked very ugly, but I just couldn't bring myself to smile

I was rendered speechless by her; ten yuan's worth of dumplings does not fill you up, it just makes you feel stuffed

He kissed me

You have to admit that fate can be quite mischievous at times. Seeing Gu Ciyuan at the apartment door holding a box of matcha-flavored ice cream, I truly felt that everything happening before my eyes was simply unbelievable

That night, I had the privilege of witnessing Tang Yuanyuan after she had removed her makeup. I finally understood why she applied such thick foundation. How should I put it? Her features are not unattractive, but her skin is in poor condition, and the numerous blemishes on her face make her appear particularly haggard

I heard a hearty laugh erupting from my throat: "Hahaha, are we that familiar? Why should I accompany you?"

Under his cover, I finally managed to retrieve the money from the soap box with great difficulty. It was only later, upon seeing the roster of Class Five of Chinese Language and Literature, that I realized this boy with the eyes who constantly had "over" and "ok" on his lips was actually the monitor of our class

I threw down the chopsticks and said, Junliang, I don't want to eat anymore, let's go

Although Junliang's statement may seem a bit harsh, it is indeed a reflection of the truth

I quickly changed the subject: "So... who are you saving a spot for?"

I do not know from which website he copied that speech, which is worded formally and has an affected style; listening to it makes me feel embarrassed for him. However, what I find even more incredible is how he ended up here

Because I just remembered that my "huge" tuition fees are hidden in such a secret place, if no one helps me, I simply cannot take them out

While I was still immersed in my yearning for a beautiful future, Gu Ciyuan suddenly engaged in a fight with a man standing next to me with a speed that was as swift as a flash, catching me completely off guard

Jun Liang and I exchanged a glance, then lowered our heads to eat. I could only hear Tang Yuanyuan speaking alone: "His family should have quite a background, right? I just saw him having dinner with the dean and the secretary; they were smiling at him, just like relatives..."

Before pulling me out of the car, Gu Ciyuan took out several hundred yuan from his wallet and threw it in that person's face, then left behind two words: "Despicable"

Tang Yuanyuan, carrying that green LV bag, turned back to us with a smile and said, "I will take my leave first, you all should hurry up too"

Before we became good friends, Su Junliang was a well-known figure on campus, often described by others as arrogant, indifferent, eccentric, and keeping people at a distance. She always carried an air of disdain towards the world, ignoring any rumors circulating in the school. Whether the girls were jealous or envious, or whether the boys admired or looked down upon her, it was all a world that had nothing to do with her.

Her exquisite concealing technique left Jun Liang in awe: "You really should star in 'Painted Skin'"

During the lunch break, I lay in bed unable to fall asleep, as scenes from high school replayed in my mind like a movie. At that time, whenever Gu Ciyuan saw me at the school gate, he would always take a detour and enter through the back gate. I would text him, but he never replied, and he rarely answered my calls. When other classmates mentioned me in front of him, he always wore an expression as if he had stepped in something unpleasant

And I will certainly never submit to her proposal of "hiding the money in this soap box, then placing the box inside the bucket, covering the bucket with a basin, and finally covering the basin with a quilt"

She shook the keys in her hand at me, her expression slightly proud: "The secretary of this school has known my dad for many years, so this little favor is nothing. Don't worry, just follow me, and I guarantee you'll have meat to eat"

I stared blankly at the person on stage wearing a white tee, looking as clean as someone who had just emerged from the water, momentarily oblivious to the traitor Jun Liang beside me, who was observing my reaction with great interest

I pointed at him: "What I wear is none of your business. I didn't ask you to buy me Chanel. Even if I go out naked, it is not up to you to lecture me..."

As the stirring music began to play, the previously boisterous voices in the auditorium gradually subsided

Junliang told me that she thought of a way to arrange us in the same dormitory, and my eyes widened like copper bells. I said, "No way, different majors and different classes, and we can still be arranged together?"

After she left, Junliang asked me: "Is that bag real or fake?"

In the end, she said to me: "Do not be too extravagant with your spending; for items that are optional, it is better not to purchase them."

I had no way to argue, so I could only steal a glance at his rugged profile, and the question I most wanted to ask him remained unspoken.

In the sweltering summer, I was panting as I jogged behind him. No matter how much I called out to him, he did not respond. Eventually, I became angry and shouted at his back: "Gu Ci Yuan, who the hell are you showing off for? I won't accompany you any longer!"

Jun Liang, with a bewildered expression, asked me, who was staring in shock: "Is this satisfying his cravings, or is it relieving his worries?"

I took a step forward while Junliang was not paying attention, but unexpectedly, she noticed it immediately: "Song Chuwei, you are truly shameless!"

Once the lunch break is over, the entire campus resembles a pot of boiling water, filled with buzzing sounds everywhere. The hoarse voice of a senior can be heard over the broadcast: "Student XXX, someone has found your group membership file, please come and claim it quickly" or "Student XX, the luggage you lost has been found by student XXX at XX..."

During lunch, Junliang felt as if she had become invisible, because no matter how enthusiastically she asked me, "What do you want to eat? I will treat you," or how she pretended to be angry and said, "Is it really necessary to be like this? I didn't steal your boyfriend," she could not elicit a single word from me.

She softly said, "Chuwi, you are my only friend"

Recalling my regrettable youth truly evokes a deep sense of nostalgia

The freshman orientation on the second day cannot be delayed. Tang Yuanyuan got up at dawn to start her makeup, while Junliang and I were still in a state of drowsiness. By the time we finished washing up, the Tang Yuanyuan from last night, who had a face full of spots, had already transformed into a different person.

Jun Liang nodded at her: "Well done, I truly admire your blind confidence."

When I came to my senses, the bus had already stopped, and everyone was gathered around to watch the commotion. Gu Ciyuan had the man, who was a head shorter than him, firmly pinned to the ground, delivering a punch straight to his nose. Soon, we saw blood streaming from the man's large nostrils.

She didn't even glance at me, who was clearly hesitant to speak, but instead playfully complained directly to Liang Zheng, who was standing beside the line maintaining order: "Class monitor, I'm so hot, could you please go buy me a bottle of orange juice? It needs to be cold!"

How could I possibly bring myself to ask? I fear that if I do, he will regard me even more as a self-deluded fool.

I shrugged my shoulders, truly unaware. However, when I registered yesterday, I heard her telling someone that this bag is a limited edition, with only 200 pieces worldwide, and just 10 in China, one of which is with Zhao Wei. I guess the remaining 9 are probably all with her.

I asked him: "Are you married?"

I do not know how many school leaders on stage have changed, as what they say is all quite similar. No, it is not just the words of those few individuals that are similar; I believe that the speeches of all school leaders I have encountered throughout my life are quite alike.

After the disorganized warm-up speakers finally finished their lengthy introductions, it was time for the representative of this year's new students to take the stage and deliver a speech

I rolled my eyes, impatiently closed the car door, and couldn't be bothered to respond to her