Chapter 7: Dorm Room Buzz
On the other hand, Liu Shang drew a lot of attention on his way back to the dormitory after saying goodbye to Jiang Ruolin.
Since they didn't know him, not many people approached him directly, but the looks they gave him said it all.
Most were a mixture of shock and deep envy.
Just a few months after school started, this little-known student from the chemical engineering department had managed to win over one of the most popular girls in the entire freshman class.
He was a total legend!
Quite a few looks, however, revealed disbelief and jealousy. Why would Jiang Ruolin from the Student Union choose him? They couldn't see anything special about the guy at all.
Under the intense scrutiny of his peers, Liu Shang shook his head inwardly, climbed the stairs to the fourth floor, and returned to his dorm.
The moment he opened the door, the room erupted in a chaotic but hushed cheer. A large group of guys from his major, including his roommates, swarmed him with boisterous energy.
"Holy crap! Liu Shang!"
"Haha, he's finally back!"
"Whoa, Liu Shang, you're an absolute beast. You've brought glory to our Chemical Engineering department, actually winning over Jiang Ruolin, one of the belles of the School of Economics and Management!"
"Yeah, man! We didn't believe it at first when someone came back and told us. How could Jiang Ruolin, who got super popular in the student union in just a few months, be so easy to get?"
"But I never imagined we'd be proven wrong so fast. So many people saw you two downstairs at the girls' dorm just now!"
"Move, move, get out of the way! Let me get a whiff of the goddess's lingering perfume on Liu Shang!"
"Damn it, someone drag this pervert out and beat him up!"
...
Finally, after the initial burst of excitement, everyone laughed and dispersed, leaving just the four roommates.
In the dorm, Liu Shang was the second oldest.
The oldest was Zheng Shiwei, from an ordinary family, simple, honest, and not very talkative.
The third oldest was Fu Liang, a tall, thin guy over 180 cm. He had a bit of a temper but was loyal, very cheerful, and had probably gotten into his fair share of fights back in school.
Cheng Meng, the youngest, was the only local from Fengcheng in the dorm. His family was well-off—both his parents were executives in the banking system. He was a good kid, reserved but with a great personality.
"Liu Shang, nice one!"
"Getting a girlfriend so quickly without saying a word!"
"Hey! If I'd known it was this easy to find a partner by joining the student union, I would've joined too!"
"By the way, is it too late to join now?" the grinning Fu Liang asked, his smile bright.
Zheng Shiwei also came over. "This is great. Our dorm has finally scored. Someone found their other half first."
"From what everyone was saying, your girlfriend is really good-looking, right, Liu Shang?"
"By the way, Cheng Meng, you were just sitting on your bed in a daze while they were all messing around. What were you thinking about?"
"You must be dreaming of finding a beautiful girlfriend like Jiang Ruolin, too, huh?"
Before Zheng Shiwei could finish, Cheng Meng nearly spit out his drink, choking until tears streamed down his face.
"No, no, no! Big brother, please, count me out!"
"Jiang Ruolin is considered royalty in the entire Fengcheng circle."
"It goes without saying that she's incredibly exceptional herself, and the legends about her family background are on another level."
"Back in the day—hell, it's probably the same now—the guys pursuing her were all children of high-level city officials."
"To be honest, my family's situation isn't bad. If I really pushed, I could probably squeeze into the fringes of the top social circle."
"But when it comes to Jiang Ruolin's core circle, we're not even in the same universe. The gap is just too huge."
"From the moment I met you at the start of school, Liu Shang, I could tell you were talented, by no means an ordinary guy."
"But I never expected this! You're too much of a beast, going straight for Jiang Ruolin!"
"I'm afraid you guys don't realize this, but after today, the entire Fengcheng circle is definitely going to explode!"
"My God, it's terrifying! I can't even imagine it!"
As he spoke, Cheng Meng's usual dramatic flair returned, and he promptly hugged Liu Shang's thigh. "You're my absolute idol! My future success is in your hands now!"
Just as Liu Shang laughingly tried to pry Cheng Meng off him, Fu Liang and Zheng Shiwei were also left stunned.
Fu Liang tilted his head and blinked. "Damn, I say, Houai (Cheng Meng's nickname, meaning 'Monkey'), is what you're saying for real? Is Liu Shang really that incredible?"
Zheng Shiwei also took a deep breath. "I was originally going to suggest we all go out for a celebratory meal for our dorm."
"Uh, looking at it now, maybe we should wait a bit."
His words drew strong support from Cheng Meng. "Brother is right, let's take it slow, take it slow."
"Honestly, I get really nervous in those kinds of situations."
"I have a hunch that if I actually met Jiang Ruolin, I wouldn't dare say a word, let alone eat at the same table..."
Liu Shang was getting exasperated with his friends. "Oh, give me a break, you guys."
"Anyone who didn't know better would think you were talking about a man-eating monster!"
"The meal is settled. We'll find a good time to get together. My treat."
...
That night, there was no doubt that the main topic of conversation in their dorm was Liu Shang and Jiang Ruolin.
Especially after hearing Cheng Meng's various tales about Jiang Ruolin's legendary status, Fu Liang and Zheng Shiwei were completely flabbergasted.
It was safe to assume that most dorms across campus were buzzing with this explosive news at that very moment.
Lying in bed, Liu Shang patiently answered his roommates' curious questions while simultaneously exchanging text messages with Jiang Ruolin.
Back in 2006, mobile communication was costly. A single text message cost a few cents, and for a new couple like them, the monthly bill was a huge expense. It was a detail etched into the memories of countless people from that era.
Perhaps because Liu Shang was too focused on texting to fully satisfy their curiosity, Fu Liang and the others eventually sighed and went to sleep under their covers.
But even after the other three were sound asleep, Liu Shang didn't feel the least bit tired.
Jiang Ruolin's text message: "It's getting late, are you sleepy?"
Liu Shang shook his head with a wry smile, typing out his truest feelings at that moment: "On the contrary, I'm not sleepy at all..."
"Oh? That's not like you. Let me guess, is it what I think it is?"
"I'm thinking of you. I am now, and I will be for the rest of my limited life."
"...You. When did you get so good at saying things to make a girl happy?"
"A little while ago, one of my uncles gave me two mobile recharge cards. As a reward for being so sweet, how about I give one to you as a gift? I'll be angry if you refuse."
"One more thing. The girls in my dorm really want to meet you. Tomorrow's Friday. After class, can we treat them to hot pot? Let's try that little hot pot place off-campus. I like it a lot."
Looking at the phone screen, Liu Shang was deeply moved. Jiang Ruolin was always protecting and taking care of him, but it was a pity his past self had been too oblivious to all these quiet gestures.
The mobile recharge card was likely her way of worrying that their constant texting was getting too expensive for him.
And that little hot pot place was notoriously affordable.
With Jiang Ruolin's luxurious lifestyle, how could she possibly genuinely like eating there?