Chapter Sixty-three: Freshman Year

The September sun was scorching, stifling, and not a breath of wind stirred the air. Today was the second day of the new semester, also the day for class committee elections. I lounged lazily in the classroom, watching one candidate after another step up and down the podium like figures in a carousel. The lively clamor and noise filled my ears, and before long I found myself drifting drowsily toward sleep. It felt like I had only just returned home for summer vacation, yet here we were, back at school already. My body had returned, but my mind still lingered in the summer, with Lele.

“Pig Bei, I love you!” Suddenly, the memory of Lele shouting to me at Jiangbin Park two nights ago surfaced before my eyes. My face flushed crimson, and I couldn't help but let a small smile curve my lips.

“How many boys here like basketball? Could you raise your hands so I can see?” Just as I was lost in my reverie, a girl’s voice suddenly sounded in my ear.

Her voice was like a melody from heaven, instantly pulling me from the depths of my memory. I looked up instinctively toward the podium. A girl stood there, her long black hair cascading over her shoulders, her eyes large and bright, her adorable smile tinged with a sweet, naive charm—a rare freshness in the heat of summer.

I nudged Peanuts, my roommate sitting to my right, who was staring absentmindedly at the podium. I asked casually, “Uh, who’s that girl?”

“If you don’t know, how would I?” Peanuts shook his head distractedly, then turned to chat with Zhang Zhiguo, who had been in my prep class.

“...From now on, just call me Little Z,” the girl continued from the podium after the boys put their hands down.

My lips twitched, but I said nothing, merely rubbing my still-drowsy eyes and slipping back into my daydreams. Yet, somewhere in my dreams, a new and unfamiliar name seemed to drift in.

Autumn had arrived...

I spent the entire afternoon with Zhang Tao, searching for an apartment in the student district of the new campus. The dormitory conditions were appalling—there wasn’t even a place to shower—so we had no choice but to rent. By dusk, our mission was accomplished. I set off slowly for the dormitory, ambling along on my recently purchased folding bike.

Autumn is the season of romance.

Passing by the library, I unexpectedly ran into Little Z. Since we barely knew each other, we only exchanged a few polite words before parting ways. After riding on for a while, I couldn’t resist looking back, but her small figure had already vanished into the evening glow.

“Xiao Bei, it was a coincidence bumping into you just now—you’re so cute!” A text message arrived quietly, like a gentle autumn breeze slipping into my heart.

Just as I was about to reply to Little Z, my phone rang—it was Lele. “Pig, what are you up to?”

“Me? I just finished apartment hunting. Riding back to the dorm now,” I answered, steering the bike with one hand and holding the phone with the other, wobbling down the road.

“Wow, you must be loaded, renting a place off campus! Tell me honestly, are you hiding some girl behind my back?” Lele teased in mock annoyance.

The security booth was just ahead. I quickly hopped off the bike, wheeling it along as I called softly into the phone, “Wife…”

“Hm?” Lele yawned lazily.

“I’ll tell you a secret—these days I’ve actually taken a liking to a freshman girl. How about I take her in as my mistress?” I had no idea why I said that; perhaps I just found it funny.

To my surprise, Lele replied quite seriously, “Sure, if you like her, bring her in. I don’t mind.”

I took her words as a joke and kept teasing, “Wow, you’re so generous, aren’t you afraid someone will steal your husband away?”

“We’re so far apart—even if I wanted to keep you in line, I couldn’t,” Lele replied, her tone oddly calm. “Pig Bei, I’m serious. If you really like someone, don’t let it slip by because of me. Don’t worry about how I feel...” Her earnestness left me at a loss for words.

“What’s wrong, Lele? I... I was just joking, don’t take it seriously, okay?” I guessed she must be angry; at least, that’s what I thought.

“Heh.” After a long silence, she let out a dry laugh, then said wearily, “Alright, Pig Bei, I’m tired. I’ll go nap for a while—let’s talk tomorrow.”

With that, she yawned again into the phone, making sure I knew how exhausted she really was.

“Seriously? Going to bed this early?” I found her excuse hard to believe.

“Tch, what do you know! I’m dead tired! My classmate’s birthday party went until almost two last night—I didn’t get home, showered, and everything, until three. And I got up after nine this morning...” Her voice trailed off, getting weaker and weaker.

“Lele... you’re not mad at me, are you?” I still wasn’t reassured.

“Haha, of course not! You big dummy, nagging like an old lady! Alright, enough chatter, I’m hanging up!” Before I could reply, she hung up swiftly.

The dial tone in my ear left me with a sudden emptiness—why is it always the one who hangs up last who must bear this abrupt silence? I searched in vain for an answer...

Our dormitory was on the third floor. With effort, I lugged my bike up the stairs and parked it outside the door.

“…I wish to become the angel
You love from fairy tales,
Spreading my arms,
Turning them into wings to protect you.
You must believe,
Believe that we’ll end up
With happiness and joy,
Just like in fairy tales…”

From afar, I could hear music playing in the dorm. I pushed the door open and saw that the only one inside was Wang Xiaopang, who slept on the bunk below mine. He was lying on his bed, humming softly along with the tune.

Seeing me enter, Wang Xiaopang sat up reflexively, stopping his singing at once.

“Fatty, I didn’t expect you to sing so well,” I joked, patting his shoulder and tossing my clothes onto my bed.

Wang Xiaopang’s face turned red as he scratched his head, changing the subject awkwardly. “Xiao Bei, you’re back already?”

“Yeah.” I nodded, then sat at my desk and started playing games.

Classes would officially begin tomorrow, which meant I had to move my computer to the rented room tonight. Ah, if only I’d known, I would have bought a laptop back then—it would have saved me so much trouble!

(Chapter revision completed on 2010.9.13)