The door was gently pushed open.
There was no clamor as imagined, nor were there any enthusiastic greetings. The moment the door opened, the entire dorm room 312 fell into a strange, almost solidified silence.
The afternoon sunlight streamed in diagonally from the floor-to-ceiling balcony window, cutting a bright and warm rectangular band of light across the floor tiles, where tiny dust motes lazily tumbled in the beam. The dorm was a standard four-person layout with beds above desks; the space was not spacious, but because it had just been cleaned, it appeared neat and tidy.
Three pairs of eyes, carrying three completely different emotions, were focused squarely on the doorway.
Lu Zhe stood right there, pulling his suitcase with one hand and resting the other on the doorknob. He was backlit, his tall figure outlined by a hazy golden edge of sunlight; the expression on his face was indistinct, but his innate calm demeanor quietly spread throughout the room the moment he stepped inside.
His calm gaze swept over the three people in the room sequentially.
The first person to catch his eye was the round-bodied fatty sitting in front of the computer. His face still held residual excitement and shock; his round eyes were wide, his mouth slightly agape, looking exactly like a hamster that had just spotted a cat.
By the window desk sat a thin, pale boy wearing thick glasses. He seemed slightly flustered, holding a book he was about to put on the shelf; the instant his eyes met Lu Zhe's, he quickly looked down like a startled rabbit, conveying shyness and restraint.
The one lounging on the top bunk, dressed in trendy clothes, appeared the most composed. He lazily propped himself up halfway, examining Lu Zhe with interest, his gaze containing scrutiny and a hint of subtle curiosity.
Lu Zhe took in the expressions of the three men and already had a general assessment.
He paid no mind to the solidified atmosphere, stepped inside, and casually closed the door behind him. The sound of the suitcase wheels rolling across the floor broke the indoor silence.
"Hello, my name is Lu Zhe," he said. His voice was not loud, but it was clear, like a clean spring flowing over stones—pure and pleasant.
This name, like a stone dropped into a calm lake, instantly stirred up huge waves in the hearts of the other three.
"Holy crap!" The first to react was the fatty, Wang Hao. He sprang up from his chair, and because the movement was so sudden, the chair slid back half a meter, emitting a grating screech. He rushed over to Lu Zhe in a couple of steps, his small eyes blazing with the fire of gossip. "Bro! You are Lu Zhe? The Lu Zhe who drives... who drives that Aston Martin?"
His voice was slightly distorted by excitement, full of dramatic flair.
Lu Zhe looked at him, neither confirming nor denying, but simply nodding lightly: "I am Lu Zhe."
To Wang Hao, this noncommittal attitude was an admission.
"My god! It really is you!" Wang Hao slapped his thigh, his expression a mixture of excitement and disbelief. "A super rich tycoon! A live one! Bro, are you really here to live in the dorm? I thought everything on the forums was just rumors!"
Zhao Mingxuan, who had been lying on the top bunk, now sat up straight.
He hopped down from the bed with agile movements, walked up to Lu Zhe, and sized him up. His gaze lingered for a moment on Lu Zhe's plain white T-shirt and slightly worn suitcase, and a knowing smile played on his lips. "Interesting. Driving a DB11, yet living in a student dorm. Bro, what kind of game are you playing? Slumming it?"
His tone held no malice; it was more a peer-to-peer inquiry, like one finding a kindred spirit.
Lu Zhe turned his gaze to him and replied calmly: "Just here for school."
Four words—simple and direct—yet carrying an undeniable force.
It was as if he was saying that driving a nice car or living in a dorm were merely choices in his life, irrelevant to others, and requiring no explanation to anyone.
Zhao Mingxuan paused slightly, then smiled and proactively extended his hand. "Alright, you've got character. My name is Zhao Mingxuan, I'm local to the Magic City."
"Lu Zhe." Lu Zhe extended his hand and gave a brief, quick handshake.
At this moment, Liu Yufei, who had been silent, also walked over. He seemed a bit nervous, adjusted his glasses, and said quietly: "Hello, my name is Liu Yufei."
"Hello." Lu Zhe nodded to him, his attitude softening slightly. He could sense that this boy was not from the same world as the other two.
After the brief introductions, Lu Zhe began to examine the remaining empty spot in the dorm. The spot near the door—the desk and the bed—was still covered with a thin layer of plastic film.
He placed his suitcase under the desk and began unhurriedly organizing his belongings. His movements were methodical. First, he took out a wet wipe and meticulously cleaned the desk, the chair, and the bed frame railings. Only then did he open his suitcase.
The clothes inside were neatly folded, and besides a few changes of clothes and toiletries, there was nothing else—it was so simple it seemed unlike someone about to start four years of college life.
Wang Hao, Zhao Mingxuan, and Liu Yufei stood watching him from the side.
Wang Hao was purely curious; his mind had already conjured a hundred versions of wealthy family dramas or a super rich tycoon's incognito visit.
Zhao Mingxuan, on the other hand, was genuinely intrigued. He could tell that the composure and calmness Lu Zhe possessed were not feigned. That indifference to material things was precisely the kind of temperament that only settled after one had owned too much. This man was more complex than he had imagined.
As for Liu Yufei, he simply felt that although the new roommate seemed a bit cold, he didn't seem... difficult to get along with.
"Ahem, so... Lu Zhe," Wang Hao finally couldn't suppress his gossipy nature, leaning closer and asking in a low voice, "That car of yours... is it really yours? That's too awesome!"
Lu Zhe was spreading the bedsheet; his movement paused upon hearing the question, then he continued smoothing out the corner of the quilt as if nothing had happened. He didn't turn back, just gave a faint "Mhm."
One word, yet more convincing than a long speech.
Wang Hao was momentarily choked up, but he didn't feel awkward; instead, he grew more excited. He leaned into Zhao Mingxuan's ear and whispered: "Did you hear that! Did you hear that! He admitted it! That's so badass! I love it!"
Zhao Mingxuan rolled his eyes at him, then said to Lu Zhe: "Don't mind this fatty, he's just a busybody. By the way, where did you park your car? I drove a ferrari here and parked it in the temporary spot too. Want to move them together later?"
Lu Zhe finished making his bed, turned around, and looked at him: "Mhm, in Zone C."
"What a coincidence, I'm in Zone C too." Zhao Mingxuan smiled even more happily. "Looks like we'll have company in the future."
Just then, Lu Zhe's phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID, walked onto the balcony, and answered.
"Hello, Aunt, I've arrived at the dorm... Mhm, everything's fine... My roommates are also very nice, very enthusiastic... I have enough money, really... Okay, I know, I'll eat on time... You too, take care of your health..."
His voice wasn't loud, but the balcony door was open, and the three people in the dorm heard everything clearly.
The tone he used on the phone was gentle and patient, completely different from the aloof coolness he had shown just moments before. The tenderness that inadvertently leaked out surprised both Wang Hao and Zhao Mingxuan.
So, he wasn't really cold and distant after all.
Lu Zhe hung up the phone and walked back. The atmosphere in the dorm seemed much more harmonious than before.
He looked at the three future roommates before him, who had vastly different personalities but whose eyes were all relatively clear. The slight resistance he felt towards communal living unconsciously faded a bit.
Perhaps these four years wouldn't be as lonely as he had imagined.
He picked up his water bottle and said to the three of them: "I'm going to get some water."
"Hey, I'll go with you!" Wang Hao immediately followed, his face full of enthusiasm. "I can show you the way!"
Watching the two men leave, arms slung around each other's shoulders, Zhao Mingxuan stroked his chin and smiled thoughtfully.
Meanwhile, Liu Yufei quietly picked up the plastic film Lu Zhe had removed from his desk, crumpled it up, and threw it into the trash can.