Yan exchanged a few words with Yi Zhi before grabbing her facial cleanser and heading into the bathroom.
She turned on the faucet, cupped her hands under the cold water, and splashed it onto her face. Her heart was pounding.
"That was close," Yan muttered to herself.
When it came to quick thinking, Yan believed she could hold her own against athletes. This was all thanks to the "forced training" she had endured since childhood. From elementary to middle school, she had lived next to a pair of genius siblings, and her mind had to be sharp and agile to keep up with their ever-shifting topics. She had to grasp the meaning behind their cryptic remarks and help articulate their thoughts.
After all—Yan and Zhu Jue were the older neighbors of these prodigies.
The genius siblings couldn't communicate well with their peers, and their classmates treated them with a mix of awe and condescension. Only Yan and Zhu Jue could engage with them on a nearly equal footing.
Of course, one could also argue that it was a one-sided intellectual domination. Most people wouldn't be able to swallow their pride, but Yan and her childhood friend Zhu Jue were used to it. They had been humbled so often since childhood that it had become second nature.
By the time Yan reached high school, her thinking and reflexes had become even sharper. She attended a private elite school, where she faced a new round of challenges.
Thanks to her reincarnated desk mate, Xu Jiaojiao, Yan became a target for some of the wealthy girls in her class. She had to dodge sudden trips on the stairs, avoid buckets of water falling from doors, and pretend not to notice dramatic confessions or tearful confrontations. She even had to step in when Xu Jiaojiao was at a loss for words.
To be honest, Yan felt her intuition had become almost terrifyingly accurate. Sometimes, she could predict exactly what drama was about to unfold.
This was the result of years of being surrounded by people who seemed to be the protagonists of their own worlds. They treated everything around them as insignificant, doing things that left Yan speechless and saying things she never expected. There was always some bizarre drama unfolding around them.
After washing her face with the cleanser, Yan felt fully awake. She took a deep breath to calm herself and decided not to close the bathroom door, not wanting to give Yi Zhi the impression that she was nervous.
The conversation with Yi Zhi had sent her brain into overdrive, and she was now wide awake.
Thinking back to the vibrant flowers and the post-apocalyptic superpowers, was Yi Zhi's ability related to "vitality"? A healing power?
Yan had read some comics and watched movies about superpowers, but there were so many types that she could only guess.
Although she didn't know what surprises Yi Zhi might bring to her life in the future, if Yi Zhi had healing abilities, it wouldn't hurt to build a good relationship with her. Who knows, maybe Yi Zhi could help if Yan ever got sick or injured.
After all, Yi Zhi had even tried to revive a dead plant. As long as they didn't fall out, Yi Zhi probably wouldn't leave her college roommate in the lurch, right?
At that thought, Yan mentally scolded herself. Why was she thinking about getting sick?
She stood at the bathroom door, frowning at the layout.
There were two sinks, and beyond the glass door were the shower and toilet.
Yi Zhi noticed her standing there and walked over. "What's wrong?"
Both of them had returned to their usual selves, the tension from a few minutes ago completely gone.
"If we all need to use the bathroom in the morning, it might get awkward, right? And cleaning the bathroom could be a problem too. If not done properly, it might start to smell," Yan said.
Even though her roommates all seemed to have some kind of "protagonist aura," they were still human beings who needed to eat and, well, use the bathroom.
Her high school dorm had been a two-person suite, and the environment was much better than this. With five people in the dorm—even if she excluded Ding Ling, the "ghost king"—four people sharing one bathroom would be a hassle. Taking out the trash, cleaning up, making sure hair didn't clog the drain after showers... All of this needed to be discussed.
Yi Zhi was momentarily taken aback by Yan's concerns. She patted her head, realizing that after surviving in a post-apocalyptic world for so long, things like odors and hygiene didn't seem like big issues. When your life was constantly at risk, who cared about such trivial matters?
During missions outside the safe zones, it was common to smear yourself with the feces of mutated beasts to mask your human scent.
But now, back in a civilized society, Yi Zhi understood that she needed to adjust to the habits of ordinary people again.
She scratched her head, then had an idea. "I know a type of plant that can purify the air. I used to... have one at home. It can eliminate odors. I'll bring one over in a few days."
In her previous life, Yi Zhi had cultivated and sold many types of functional mutated plants. One of them, called the Purification Grass, was particularly popular among those who valued cleanliness. It absorbed all kinds of odors and used them as nutrients. Coincidentally, she still had some seeds in her plant storage space.
Yan's eyes lit up, and she nodded. "Alright. When everyone gets back, we can discuss how to handle the bathroom and dorm cleaning, as well as everyone's living habits."
So far, the roommates had only exchanged names and contact information, with a brief self-introduction. They hadn't talked about how they would manage their shared living space.
"Right, we need to figure all that out," Yi Zhi said, running her fingers through her hair and nodding absently.
College life felt like a distant memory to her. If Yan hadn't brought it up, Yi Zhi wouldn't have even thought about these details. Clearly, Yan was a typical freshman, while Yi Zhi, the "old cucumber trying to pass as fresh," felt a generation gap with the younger students.
As they talked, Yan sent a message to the group chat.
【Room 320 Buddies (5)】
【Yan】: Hey lovelies~ What time will you all be back tonight? Let's discuss the bathroom and dorm cleaning arrangements, as well as everyone's living habits. Mwah! @everyone
Someone had to bring this up, and Yan figured if she didn't, the others might not think of it. It was better to settle these things early to avoid conflicts later.
Yan's WeChat profile picture was a cute little dog winking, which made everything she said seem endearing.
Chu Bingbing replied the fastest. "I'll probably be back after 6."
Ding Ling only sent four words: "After dark."
Gu Jiasui hadn't responded yet. Yan guessed this was typical of celebrities—they couldn't always check their phones. Maybe she was busy with something. No rush, though.
Ding Ling's "After dark" reply made Yan recall the large black umbrella Ding Ling had carried when she left earlier.
Was the daytime sunlight too strong for her? Did she go somewhere with more yin energy? Yan's mind wandered.
In the afternoon, Yan had plans to meet up with her childhood friend Zhu Jue to explore the campus. She said goodbye to Yi Zhi, grabbed her backpack, and headed out.
At the dorm entrance, a tall boy with a buzz cut was waiting with a cup of milk tea, drawing the attention of parents and new students passing by.
He wore a loose black T-shirt and cargo pants, but his broad shoulders and muscular frame made him look anything but thin. He was at least 185 cm tall, with tanned skin, thick eyebrows, and big eyes, yet there was still a hint of youthful innocence in his demeanor.
"Look, a boy is already waiting for someone on the first day of school."
"Probably a sophomore or junior."
"He's quite handsome, with those strong features."
"Jue Jue—" Yan called out when she saw the young man in the black T-shirt. She rushed over to him.
Zhu Jue reached out, effortlessly slowing her momentum as he took her arm. He handed her the slightly chilled lemon tea, already with a straw inserted.
Yan took a sip and gave a thumbs-up. "Perfect temperature."
From the third-floor dorm balcony, Yi Zhi watched the young couple walking away and couldn't help but smile. After living in a world of raw desire during the apocalypse, it was refreshing to see such pure affection.
"Ah, young love," she murmured.
...
By the lake, Yan sipped her lemon tea and swung her legs as she and Zhu Jue took a few selfies from different angles. After selecting the best ones, she sent them to the family group chat.
"Jue Jue, how was lunch with your roommates?" she asked, blinking.
"I thought some of them would have parents helping them move in, but it turns out both our dorms are all on our own."
Zhu Jue's voice was deep. "They're not hard to get along with."
"But..." He paused, thinking.
"You should meet them in a few days. They seem... unusual."
Hearing this, Yan's hand holding the lemon tea trembled slightly.
No way...
Could it be that even Zhu Jue's roommates had some kind of protagonist aura?
Was there some kind of "aura-attracting formation" at this university?
After walking around the lake, checking out the courier point, several canteens, and the teaching buildings, Yan and her childhood friend Zhu Jue arrived near the Bin University Library. There, they noticed a crowd gathered ahead.
“Seems like a celebrity is here.”
“A celebrity? Is it someone dropping off their family for the start of the semester? Or maybe they’re filming a scene?”
“Who is it? Who is it?”
Curiosity is a universal trait, especially among the freshmen and their families on campus. The crowd had formed a circle, with some even pulling out their phones to record.
“It’s Gu Jiasui.”
“Who? Never heard of her.”
“She’s the older sister of Lu Jianian, the nation’s sweetheart! You know, that actress everyone finds annoying. She even dropped out of a talent show. Apparently, she’s also a freshman at Bin University!”
“What? Seriously? She got into Bin University?”
“Isn’t her family super wealthy?”
“That video of her playing the pipa backwards is pretty impressive, though.”
Hearing the chatter, Yan felt her eyelids twitch and quickly pulled Zhu Jue forward, squeezing through the crowd.
“My roommate,” she mouthed to Zhu Jue, who immediately understood.
As they got closer, Yan could see Gu Jiasui standing alone in the middle of the crowd, clutching her small bag tightly, her lips pressed together as if holding back her emotions.
Wasn’t her agent supposed to be with her? Where had they gone? And hadn’t she been wearing a mask when she left? Yan frowned.
Yan struggled to push her way to the front. The surrounding chatter was hard to ignore, and it seemed like Gu Jiasui was in a bad state.
Just then, a boy with a wide grin on his face turned to his friend, said something, and then whistled loudly, shouting, “Gu Jiasui!”
When someone calls your name, it’s natural to react instinctively—
Gu Jiasui instinctively turned toward the source of the voice, and Yan’s heart sank.
The boy who had called her name suddenly flung an open water bottle in her direction.
Yan was standing right behind Gu Jiasui. Her body reacted faster than her mind, and she yanked Gu Jiasui backward with all her strength.
This kind of sudden water-splashing, wine-throwing chaos was all too familiar to her! Back in high school, she had often had to dodge similar situations for her desk mate.
Here we go again! That familiar feeling!
Gu Jiasui was wearing a silk dress. If she got splashed in front of all these people, it would undoubtedly lead to a “wet dress scandal.”
Even though Yan usually preferred to stay out of trouble, she couldn’t let her roommate get caught up in something like this.
At that moment, a sharply dressed, mature man appeared in the crowd. He had sharp eyebrows, deep eyes, and a dignified presence, accompanied by a research assistant.
The handsome man frowned as he surveyed the scene. “What’s going on here?”
“It’s Professor Su Jing, the genius mathematician Bin University just recruited from abroad. He’s not even 30 yet.”
“Su Jing is also our senior alumnus! A legend in the math department. I heard he’s really sharp-tongued and comes from a prominent family.”
Yan supported Gu Jiasui as the crowd buzzed with gossip.
The boy who had splashed the water was the first to panic. “Professor Su, it was nothing, just an accident. The water slipped out of my hand.”
Professor Su Jing stepped forward, his face stern. “The cameras around here aren’t blind. Which department are you from? Attacking a fellow student on the first day of school? Such disgraceful behavior, and now you’re trying to downplay it?”
The boy stammered, unable to respond. Professor Su Jing then turned to Gu Jiasui. “Are you alright, miss?”
Their eyes met, and both of them seemed momentarily stunned. Gu Jiasui shook her head. “Thank you, Professor. My friend pulled me back in time. I’m fine.”
Su Jing’s gaze shifted to Yan, and his stern expression softened slightly. “Good job looking out for your friend. Take her back to rest.”
His eyes returned to Gu Jiasui, his tone gentle. “This student…”
“Gu Jiasui,” Yan whispered as a reminder.
A flicker of surprise crossed Su Jing’s eyes. “Gu Jiasui, you’ve had quite a shock. Go back and rest. I’ll make sure the university handles this properly. Bin University has no place for high-achieving students with no morals.” His tone was firm and resolute.
Yan exchanged a glance with Zhu Jue. It was clear he couldn’t accompany her back now. With Gu Jiasui by her side, they were essentially walking under a spotlight, and there was a good chance they’d be photographed.
Yan led Gu Jiasui back to the dormitory, but Gu Jiasui seemed lost in a daze.
Yan stayed silent, replaying the scene in her mind. She quietly pulled out her phone and sent a message to Zhu Jue:
“Did I just steal the spotlight back there?”
