When Li Si and Kong Dan returned to the dormitory, Yao Meiling was already there, just coming out of the bathroom after washing her hands, dressed in a camisole and shorts.
"You two went out for dinner? Zhou Na switched dorms, and we have a new roommate now. Have you met her? She's my high school classmate."
They nodded indifferently, clearly not too excited.
Yao Meiling glanced at Li Si. Over the summer break, the once plain-looking girl seemed to have transformed—her skin was inexplicably radiant. How strange.
Unable to resist, she asked, "Hey Li Si, what did you get up to during the summer? Did you secretly go for plastic surgery?"
Li Si thought of her past life's memories of this girl and didn't bother responding, "Do I look like I have time for that? I just stayed home all summer, barely setting foot outside."
Kong Dan scrutinized Yao Meiling, "You've gotten a lot darker, haven't you? Did you go on vacation during the break?"
Yao Meiling raised her chin smugly, her lips curving into a self-satisfied smile. "Heh, I joined a group tour abroad. Got this sun-kissed look. Let me show you the pictures I took, so you landlocked youths can get a glimpse of the amazing scenery overseas!"
As she spoke, she pulled out a stack of freshly printed photos and handed them over. Li Si muttered a few polite words before retreating to the bathroom under the pretense of washing up, slipping into her hidden space instead.
The space felt infinitely more comfortable—a sensation akin to stepping out of a sauna and into an air-conditioned room. The air was thick with the fragrant scent of fruit and soil, intoxicating her senses. Relaxing, Li Si stripped off her clothes and sank into the small river. Dorm life made sneaking into her space tricky; she'd need to tread carefully to avoid unnecessary mishaps among all these prying eyes and loose tongues.
Kong Dan gazed at the photos with envious eyes, while Yao Meiling reveled in a sense of superiority. Just then, Wang Shishi returned, lugging a bag full of snacks from the supermarket. Her face bore a dismissive expression, and Kong Dan, upon seeing her, left with her wallet without a word.
Yao Meiling eagerly linked arms with Wang Shishi, "Shishi, come check out the photos I took during my trip abroad!"
Wang Shishi showed keen interest and sat on Yao Meiling's bed, flipping through the pictures with a hint of jealousy in her gaze. Glancing around and noticing Li Si wasn't in sight, her eyes gleamed with calculation. "Hey Meiling, is Li Si back?"
"She's back, in the bathroom," Yao Meiling replied absentmindedly while excitedly narrating the details of her photos.
"You know, I've heard some things about Li Si. Turns out she's not from some fancy rich family!"
Yao Meiling chuckled softly and replied quizzically, "Who told you that? I think her family's pretty normal—her dad's in design, I believe. What made you bring this up?"
Wang Shishi glanced toward the bathroom door, leaned in close, and whispered conspiratorially, "I heard her dad passed away over the summer."
Yao Meiling was taken aback, "Seriously? No way! She doesn't look like someone who's grieving a loss. She's way too composed for that!"
"Ah, don't be naive. When someone's family member dies, they don't exactly go broadcasting it. My mom even told me to get closer to her; you never know, maybe she is from a wealthy family—connections, you know? But come on, that's nonsense. Even my mom misjudged people sometimes. Look at her—what a pitiful soul, no parents to rely on, still pretending to be something she's not! You didn't see how she was acting earlier today!"
Yao Meiling leaned in with gossip-fueled curiosity, "Quick, tell me more. What happened? I don't think she's that kind of person. How is she pretending?"
At just that moment, Li Si emerged from the bathroom, cutting their conversation short. Wang Shishi snorted and returned to her bed, while Yao Meiling nervously stole glances at Li Si.
Li Si took out her toner and lotion, gently patting them onto her face while looking into the small mirror on the windowsill. Ignoring their probing gazes, she grabbed a book and lay down on her bed.
The dorm's atmosphere grew heavy and oppressive. "Knock, knock," came a sound at the door.
Yao Meiling stood to ask, "Who's there?"
"Is Li Si here?"
A clear and crisp female voice answered.
Opening the door, Yao Meiling let in Li Fei. "Sis, I came to check on you!"
Li Si's lips curled into a sneer—sure enough, stepping up her game. With cold indifference, she looked at Li Fei. "What are you doing here?"
Li Fei's face was full of grievance as she approached. "Sis, I… I came to apologize on behalf of Dad and Mom. They were just worried sick and acted impulsively. Please don't blame them, okay?"
"Hmph. What's there to apologize for?"
Did they think she was still the same pushover? A few sweet words, a convenient excuse, and she'd obediently fall in line, leaving everything in their control.
Just then, Kong Dan returned with a bag full of toiletries. She saw the tense scene in the dorm, silently unpacking the things she had bought.
Li Fei hadn't expected Li Si to give no quarter in front of everyone.
After steadying her breath, she continued, "Sis, don't be like this, okay? Ever since Uncle passed away, you've changed so much. You've distanced yourself from us so much you're like a stranger. We keep trying to care for you, but you won't accept it. We used to be so close—how did things turn out like this?" Tears brimmed in her eyes as she finished.
Li Si had no patience for people playing the victim in front of her anymore—she had suffered too much from this in her previous life.
"Caring for me? Is it me you want to care for, or the money my dad left behind? Don't act like everyone else is clueless. Do you have any actual business here? If not, just leave. Stop making it look like I'm bullying you. I need to rest—get out!"
Li Fei flinched at her tone. No wonder Mom said the current Li Si was a whole different beast to deal with. "There's always tomorrow," Li Fei thought to herself, "I'll wear her down eventually." She softened her voice and said, "Then, Sis, I'll visit again another time. I'll head out now!"
After Li Fei left, Kong Dan hesitated several times before finally speaking awkwardly, "Li Si… are they really your biological uncle, aunt, and sister?"
Li Si laughed coldly, shrugging helplessly. "Of course, those are what we call family!" Letting her thoughts spill out, the dorm went silent. All three roommates stared at her with mixed expressions.
The first semester of sophomore year began quietly. Familiar faces mixed with new ones, and Li Si treated everything with a live-and-let-live attitude.
Getting a second chance at the college experience, she felt genuinely content. She often dreamed of her university days after she graduated and entered the workforce, maybe because her subconscious missed those times dearly.
University, after all, was like a microcosm of society—less simple than high school, with an array of hidden motives. But compared to coworkers after graduation, the friendships in college were still worth cherishing.
On a sweltering weekend, Li Si left the campus library with her bag and walked past the basketball court. A game was in full swing there, and from a distance, she could see crowds of students cheering and shouting.
As she thought about the recent time she'd spent with Bai Shasha, a smile tugged at her lips. Bai was just the same—lively, straightforward, an optimistic ray of sunshine.
"Speak of the devil and she appears. Just as Li Si was thinking of Bai Shasha," she emerged from the crowd, skipping over and slinging her arm around Li Si's shoulder. "Hey, Si Si, where's the wind taking you all by yourself?"
Li Si made an exaggerated bow. "I'm off to worship my 'temple of five organs.' Would Queen Shasha care to join me?"
Bai Shasha giggled, "I'd love to!"
The two walked arm-in-arm, chatting along the way.
"You're skipping the basketball game? And… him?"
Curious, Li Si turned to glance back at the basketball court. It was blisteringly hot, with several tall guys running back and forth chasing a ball. She knew Bai Shasha wasn't here for the game but rather for the team's captain Cao Yufan.
Bai Shasha's expression dampened. "Don't talk about him. He's all thrilled right now, what with campus beauty Meng Xi passing him water and wiping his sweat. What am I doing there? Putting myself in a bad mood?"
"You're still the same, huh? Why not try a softer approach—sweet, feminine? I refuse to believe Cao Yufan won't be moved by it!"
Li Si knew Bai Shasha and Cao Yufan were childhood friends, with their parents working at the same company. He truly liked Bai Shasha, but their dynamic always resembled that of enemies—endlessly bickering as if it were second nature.
She remembered how, after many years and countless ups and downs post-graduation, they finally ended up together. It was a tumultuous journey, filled with mutual stubbornness and even dalliances with other partners en route.
Now, knowing they'd eventually be together, Li Si wondered why their story couldn't just be straightforward and unblemished—why drag other past relationships into the mix and create unnecessary drama? So lately, she had been trying to help push them closer together.
Bai Shasha sighed dejectedly and couldn't help but vent to her best friend.
"Si Si, I get what you're saying, and I've been trying. But every time I face him, I lose control of my temper. It's like an instant trigger—totally unmanageable. It must be because we've known each other for so long! If I act feminine and gentle, he'll come back with something like, 'Did you take the wrong meds or forget to take them altogether?' It drives me insane; I could almost bite him!"
Li Si found the pair's dynamic both maddening and endearing.
"You two, honestly! I'm so invested it's giving me anxiety. With Meng Xi eagerly fawning all over him, you could try doing the same. Then again, maybe that's just not your style—it's innate. Oh well, let's channel this frustration into some good food."
As they spoke, they reached the small food street across from the campus gates, lined with an array of mouthwatering snack stalls. Bai Shasha immediately lit up, grabbing Li Si's hand tightly as they surveyed the options.
"What should we eat? How about QQ chicken wing tips, stir-fried noodles, a serving of fried rice, and maybe some pan-roasted glutinous cakes?"
Li Si's mouth watered as the scent of food filled the air. "That sounds perfect! Let's order extra chicken wing tips—but make mine with less spice."
The nostalgia hit hard; these were the flavors she had loved most over the years, especially the legendary QQ chicken wing tips of this food street—a taste she hadn't experienced again for a long time.
Bai Shasha couldn't help but laugh at Li Si's foodie enthusiasm—her friend was even more of a glutton than she was.