BSS - Chapter 55
Chapter 55
The four of them chatted for a while. Seeing the long line at the food window visibly shortening, they stood up to discuss what to eat.
The weather was hot, and no one had much of an appetite. Deng Chuan got a bowl of pickled cabbage and shredded pork noodles. When she returned to the table, she saw Zhou Zhi mixing her cold skin noodles, which were topped with a thick layer of sesame paste.
Seeing Deng Chuan approach, she looked up and pushed the small dish of chili oil toward her.
"It's too hot, I'm not eating anything spicy," Deng Chuan said.
"Is Beijing hotter than your hometown?" Zhou Zhi asked her.
"Yeah, it's not this hot back home. After a day outside in Beijing, you feel like you've been drenched in water."
"That's how it is. It's the autumn tiger. It'll cool down after September."
Deng Chuan looked down at her phone and hummed in agreement. After their brief exchange, the silence that fell wasn't awkward; they each went about their own business.
Pei Qingyu was in their three-person group chat, showing off her vacation life. Her Gaokao cultural subject scores had comfortably passed the threshold for Y University's art academy. Her school was also in Beijing, but it started later than Deng Chuan's. She wasn't in good health and had applied for an exemption from military training, so she was still at home, asking Deng Chuan to scout things out for her. She would arrive in half a month.
Su Mian was swamped with the start of the school season in the UK, living in a daze. Plus, with the time difference, she couldn't keep up with their chats. Only Deng Chuan was left to face Pei Qingyu's mental torment directly.
Pei Qingyu: [Photo]
Pei Qingyu: So cute!
She had discovered some new shop and was petting a large group of huskies. Deng Chuan glanced at the photo, and before she could comment, she saw Pei Qingyu send several more messages in quick succession.
Pei Qingyu: But 30 huskies
Pei Qingyu: Do you guys know how bad it smelled?
Pei Qingyu: A Family of Hundreds
Deng Chuan replied with a "True."
Pei Qingyu: T-T But so cute. Let's come together during the break.
Deng Chuan: Don't even talk about breaks. When are you getting to Beijing?
For first-year university students, military training was the best way to get closer and build friendships. Pei Qingyu was already socially anxious; growing up, she had only been close to the two of them and had very few other friends she knew well. Deng Chuan was worried that missing military training would negatively affect her social life. Not to mention, she had spent most of her time in art studios before, and suddenly living a communal life at school would surely be a difficult adjustment. Even without the channel of military training, it was still necessary for her to get familiar with her roommates.
Pei Qingyu dragged it out: In another week or so.. I don't wanna start school..
Deng Chuan wouldn't let her fudge the details and was about to ask for a specific time when Li Mingtang and Xie Yao arrived with their Lanzhou beef noodles. The halal food stall at P University was amazing, and the line was always long.
As soon as Li Mingtang sat down, she pushed her bowl toward Zhou Zhi, who naturally scooped some chili oil from the small dish into her bowl. Without asking how much she wanted, Zhou Zhi added some and then pushed the remaining chili oil to Xie Yao.
Li Mingtang pulled her bowl back, picked up her chopsticks, and prepared to eat, an irrepressible smile on her face. Even her surroundings seemed to brighten a little.
Deng Chuan missed this turbulent undercurrent. In the group chat, she told Pei Qingyu to send her itinerary, saying she would pick her up from the airport and treat her to a meal. It was rare for her to be so proactive, which made Pei Qingyu very happy, lessening her fear of the unfamiliar city. A moment later, a screenshot of a flight booking confirmation appeared.
Deng Chuan: Okay. I'll come get you then.
In the evening, when it was almost noon on Su Mian's side, she had just gotten out of class and chimed in enthusiastically in the group chat: So cute! The one in your arms looks so delicate!
Pei Qingyu: Yes! It's a girl!
She was probably catching up on the chat history, as she sent another message a moment later.
Su Mian: There's a grilled cold noodle place next to the China World Trade Center that's especially delicious, absolutely the best! I used to eat there all the time when I was taking my TOEFL prep course.
Pei Qingyu: Okay!
The atmosphere inexplicably lifted. Deng Chuan sent an "Okay," then, after a thought, added an exclamation mark. She put down her phone and started eating her pickled cabbage and shredded pork noodles, which had cooled down a bit.
After eating, the four of them walked out of the cafeteria. A heatwave immediately hit them as they left the air-conditioned area, but the sunset today was exceptionally beautiful, a brilliant red burning across the entire sky. Many people on the campus paths had stopped to take pictures. Deng Chuan also carefully took one and sent it to Xu Wei.
The next day's weather was exceptionally fine. The sun shone brightly in a cloudless sky, so blue it felt like it could pull you in.
The opening ceremony for the training was held on the sports field. The new students stood under the scorching sun. Besides the class assistants and teachers, most of the audience sitting on the stage were second and third-year students there for the spectacle. Every year, this was a time for these upperclassmen to gloat.
After the school leaders spoke, the military instructor in charge of the training also said a few simple words, and the military training officially began.
Today, they wouldn't be training in the shade. The instructor led their group to a corner of the sports field. The sun beat down brightly, and even with sunscreen, their exposed necks and shoulders were turning red.
The group stood at attention for twenty minutes. Everyone was drenched in sweat, which streamed down their faces. The squinting instructor perhaps realized it was too hot and that something bad might happen if they continued to bake in the sun. He adjusted his cap, shouted, "At ease!" and let them rest in place for five minutes while he went to discuss something with the head instructor.
After a while, he had the group assemble and move to train in the shade of the campus paths.
It was much easier in the shade. Partway through, a batch of Huoxiang Zhengqi Shui was delivered. The group finally caught their breath and started using some of their energy during breaks to chat.
The intensity of the military training wasn't difficult for Deng Chuan, and now that they had moved to the shade, she wiped away her sweat, her expression still calm. Zhou Zhi next to her was barely even sweating. During a break, she even asked Deng Chuan if she wanted to get a membership at the school gym together.
The gym was in the student life area, not far from their dorm, about a five-minute walk. Next to it were a yoga studio, an indoor swimming pool, a table tennis room, a taekwondo room, and so on. However, most of them weren't free to use.
Deng Chuan thought for a moment and agreed. She didn't have any particular fitness goals; she mainly just wanted to maintain a healthy physique.
Zhou Zhi seemed happy too, though she wasn't very expressive. The cool aura about her just softened slightly.
When they were dismissed for lunch, Li Mingtang heard that the two of them were going to get annual gym memberships and said she wanted to join. Xie Yao had no need for the gym but asked if they were getting swimming passes.
The four of them each had their own needs. After training ended that evening, they ran over to the area near their dorm and all got their respective memberships.
Military training during the day, and working out with Zhou Zhi at the gym for half an hour to an hour in the evening. In between, Deng Chuan also found time to get a haircut. She had completely grown out her bangs, and the long hair in the back was cut to around her shoulders, so it wasn't as hot when tied up.
The evening after her haircut, she had a video call with Xu Wei. It was before bed. Deng Chuan figured that with the bed curtain, headphones, and Xu Wei not wanting her to go outside and suffer in the heat, it was fine to call from the dorm.
They didn't say much; just seeing each other made them happy. Xu Wei studied Deng Chuan's new haircut for a moment and said with satisfaction that it looked very nice.
Xu Wei's school had also started. Deng Chuan asked her about this year's students, and she just said they were alright. Okay, Deng Chuan thought with a touch of immoral glee, to Xu Wei, any student other than me is just a student.
Xu Wei saw through her and said, "The students are very important to me. As important as you."
"I know," Deng Chuan said seriously. "I know you love being a teacher."
"Mhm, and I love you, too."
Not only was the follow-up smooth, but Xu Wei rarely said such things. Deng Chuan was genuinely stunned for a moment. Before she could react, she saw a flash of a smile in Xu Wei's sly eyes. "Zoned out again?"
"Yeah," Deng Chuan said. "I'm so silly."
The two chatted over video for a while. Xu Wei had probably just showered; her long hair was loose on her shoulders, making her face look especially small. She was in her pajamas, leaning against the headboard, and had casually picked up a book to read. Zhou Liu was pacing around beside her and, after a moment, even came right up to the phone screen.
A pink nose pressed against the screen, whiskers twitching, his round eyes staring at Deng Chuan. Xu Wei held up his paw and waved it at Deng Chuan. "Hello, hello. I'm Zhou Liu. I haven't played with Sister in days. Where did Sister go?"
Deng Chuan said softly, "Sister went out to fight monsters. I'll bring you back some treats when I come home."
The paw waved again, then was pinched into a small 'X'. "No way, I can't eat anymore. I'm on a diet."
Deng Chuan suppressed a laugh. "Really? Then I'll give them all to Mom."
"Mo- who's Mom?" Xu Wei shot Deng Chuan a light glare, released Zhou Liu's paw, and soothingly stroked his head. "I'm a sister, too."
"Okay- Sister," Deng Chuan called out to her.
The base of Xu Wei's ears turned a little red. She didn't respond, pretending to be engrossed in fiddling with Zhou Liu's perked-up ears.
They talked for a bit more, then each went about their own business.
The dorm room wasn't actually quiet. Li Mingtang was gaming, her keyboard clattering away. She was on her mic, chatting intermittently with her teammates and occasionally singing a few lines. Xie Yao was engrossed in a video, pausing every few minutes to shout kswl.
But Deng Chuan was wearing headphones and was behind her bed curtain, so Xu Wei couldn't hear the commotion on her end. She only saw Deng Chuan's focused gaze on a P University first-year finance textbook on her tablet, her profile exceptionally quiet.
So she didn't speak again either, lowering her head to focus on the book in her hands.
The night deepened. The trees in the residential complex rustled in the wind. Xu Wei stood up, checked the window behind the curtains, and turned on the air conditioner.
Deng Chuan heard the sound of the AC turning on and looked up. "Why didn't you turn it on earlier? Weren't you hot?"
"The temperature dropped," Xu Wei said nonchalantly.
Deng Chuan frowned. According to the weather app, the temperature back home hadn't dropped much at all.
When she was closer before, the desk lamp's glow was a bit hazy. Only when Xu Wei stood up did Deng Chuan notice her somewhat pale lips. "Are you not feeling well?"
Xu Wei sighed internally and admitted, "Yeah, I have a bit of a cold."
"Did you take any medicine?"
"I did."
Deng Chuan kept staring at her, her lips pressed together, not saying a word. Xu Wei sat back down, pulled a blanket over her legs, and asked, "What are you thinking about?"
"I'm thinking about you. I want to kiss you," she said softly.
Her tone was tender, like a small sigh. Xu Wei's heart trembled. Not daring to keep looking into her eyes, she picked up the water glass from her nightstand and took a sip to hide her reaction.
Deng Chuan urged her to rest early. The medicine was also starting to take effect, making Xu Wei's head feel a bit groggy. She didn't turn off the bedside lamp, but lay down on the bed and said softly, "Let's hang up then. I'm going to sleep."
"Don't. I'll hang up after you fall asleep."
"Alright."
Both of them lay down and closed their eyes to sleep. At first, Deng Chuan was still worriedly reminding Xu Wei to take her medicine, get more rest, and cover herself with the blanket. Her voice was low. As drowsiness washed over Xu Wei, the voice on the other end of the call grew fainter and eventually disappeared.
"Deng Chuan?"
The video was silent. All that could be seen was a sliver of the sleeping girl's fair profile. Xu Wei listened closely and thought she could hear her faint breathing.
"Good night."
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