Chapter 5: A Dormitory Heart-to-Heart and an Early Confession

After finishing a game, Shi Xiao stretched and noticed Li Hang had already gone to bed. It was nearly ten. He glanced at Li Hang’s considerable bulk, reflected for a moment, then turned to Xu Haodong and Qiao Chuan.

“Still playing? I’m getting bored.”

He tossed his headset onto the desk, stood, and stretched his neck. At Li Hang’s bedside, he called softly, “Hang, are you asleep?”

Li Hang had only just dozed off. He opened his eyes blearily. “Hmm? No. What’s up?”

“Did you go to the field to exercise today?” Shi Xiao leaned against the bed frame, sounding casual.

Li Hang nodded and rolled onto his side to face him. “Yeah. I’m going to lose weight. At this size, everyday life is difficult. When I got food at the cafeteria today, the lady looked at me like I was a pig being fattened for New Year.”

Shi Xiao laughed and patted the bed. “Good for you, man. Wanting to change is what matters. But take it easy. Don’t push too hard; you have to be careful exercising at your weight.”

Qiao Chuan and Xu Haodong glanced back.

[Shock Points +2]
[Shock Points +2]

That made 500. Finally, Li Hang thought.

Xu Haodong took off his headset and turned around. “If you’re going to lose weight, want some help? I know a few good people in fitness. I could arrange a trainer for you.”

They’d be roommates for a year, and Xu didn’t mind helping when he saw Li Hang trying to improve. To him, tens of thousands of yuan in training fees were about the price of a pair of shoes.

Li Hang had been worried about finding a reliable trainer. He nodded at once, then said, “Thanks, Haodong, but I’ll pay for it myself. I have money.”

Xu raised an eyebrow but didn’t ask. “All right. I’ll send you their contact details. You’re right; paying yourself gives you more motivation.”

Shi Xiao was pleased to see the mood warming. He clapped his hands and sat down. “We’ve lived together two days and still haven’t properly introduced ourselves. Let’s do that tonight. I’ll go first.”

He pushed up his glasses and cleared his throat. “Shi Xiao, from Jiangsu Province. My family’s ordinary. I’m pretty easygoing, I think, and I like games and novels. My goal for the next four years is not to fail any classes. Finding a girlfriend would be even better.”

Qiao Chuan glanced at him, the corner of his mouth lifting almost imperceptibly. “Qiao Chuan. I’m from Magic City. The rest… we can talk about later.” His voice was as cool as ever.

Shi Xiao didn’t mind and turned to Xu Haodong.

Xu leaned back with his hands behind his head. “Xu Haodong, from the capital. My family runs a small business. I won’t get into the details, but we have enough. If you have small problems, come to me. I might be able to help. Just don’t bring me the big ones! I chose computer science myself. I’m interested in programming.”

“A small business?” Shi Xiao looked unconvinced. “With those designer clothes and that watch?”

Xu smiled without answering.

It was Li Hang’s turn. He sat up against the head of his bed. “Li Hang. My family’s reasonably well-off, but my parents divorced. They send me living expenses each month. I… started binge-eating back then. I kept gaining until I reached over 300 jin. This time I really want to change. I’m not just saying it.”

He kept it brief, but all three heard his sincerity.

The original owner had been a fairly normal weight in primary school and the early years of middle school. His parents divorced in his second year of middle school, and with nobody keeping an eye on him, he began binge-eating. Each parent sent him 1,500 yuan a month, giving him plenty to spend on snacks.

Li Hang sighed. Now that he was responsible for this body, he would make it healthy.

The room was quiet for a moment. Shi Xiao broke the silence with a slap on his thigh. “All right, Room 304 has officially met! From today on, we share our good times and bad, eat together, and lose weight together!”

Qiao Chuan offered a rare full sentence. “You’re not fat. What weight are you losing?”

“Then I’ll run with him!”

Everyone laughed. Once the laughter died down, Shi Xiao looked at Xu Haodong. “Dong, with your looks, I bet a girl will be chasing you within a week. Believe it?”

Xu waved the idea away. “What’s the point of a girlfriend? I dated enough in high school. University is for studying. I’m going to work hard and earn a recommendation for graduate school.”

Li Hang glanced at him. Was this some rich young master who’d left home and decided to settle down to prove himself?

“Yeah, right,” Shi Xiao drawled.

All four were computer science students, and the talk eventually turned to their courses. Qiao Chuan suddenly looked at Li Hang, his voice still mild but appraising.

“Li Hang, on registration day, didn’t you confess to a pretty girl in our class almost as soon as you met her? What were you thinking?”

Xu and Shi both turned to stare. Shi Xiao made an exaggerated noise. “Hang, I’m ashamed of you! A confession on registration day? You didn’t waste any time!”

Li Hang flushed and cursed the original owner inwardly. It had been a creepy move, confessing as soon as they’d met. At 300 jin, the fact that the girl hadn’t turned angry on the spot showed considerable restraint. Confessing to someone on first meeting her—wasn’t that outright harassment?

No wonder Qiao Chuan had been cool toward him. He must have seen it happen. Anyone would have been put off. If Qiao hadn’t mentioned it, Li Hang might have forgotten the incident entirely.

He sighed. “I guess I wasn’t thinking straight. I’m sorry. I really hadn’t thought it through.”

Qiao studied him for two seconds, nodded, and let it drop.

“It’s good to change and be confident, Hang. Just don’t be so impulsive again!” Shi Xiao laughed and steered the conversation toward games and high school.

That was how friendship between guys could be: a few words to break the ice, a single shared experience to make brothers of them. They talked about everything until midnight, when Shi Xiao yawned and they finally climbed into bed.

Li Hang felt more at ease as he lay down. From tonight, Room 304 finally felt like a real dormitory.

The bed boards at Magic City University answered with that familiar dull groan.