Chapter 14
Accompanied by Mr. Chen, Chu Xiao, and Qin Yinian, Luo Shizhen finished touring the entire Awakener School.
The last place he arrived at was the dormitory.
Chu Xiao and Qin Yinian didn’t come along because Awakeners never welcomed others into their territory; thus, each dorm occupied an entire floor, and no one ever visited between dorms.
Although Chu Xiao was very worried, and Qin Yinian was eager to follow, Luo Shizhen, the person involved, was cheerful and even looked quite expectant.
The two could only watch as Chen He’an took Luo Shizhen to the “Alioth” (Yuheng) floor.
Seeing the dormitory, which was spacious, bright, covered a vast area, had perfect lighting, and was fully equipped, Luo Shizhen could hardly believe this was where he would live from now on.
Luo Shizhen had never had his own room. The house he lived in with his grandmother was a small, dilapidated shack with only one room. The windows were old-fashioned wooden ones, and the interior was in a state of perpetual dimness.
It seemed that before Luo Shizhen was born, his grandfather fell seriously ill and needed money for treatment. The family had to sell their house to pay the debts. Unfortunately, his grandfather wasn’t cured, and the Luo family was left with only a woodshed.
This small, dark woodshed was where Luo Shizhen grew up.
In that tiny room, besides some furniture, they had to store the bottles and cardboard Grandma Luo picked up to sell. The space left for the grandmother and grandson to sleep was even smaller.
Luo Shizhen had a 1.2-meter bed. Next to it was his grandmother’s bed, separated by a floral sheet in the middle, which counted as partitioning off a “room.”
Later, as Luo Shizhen grew up, he shot up in height quickly. That 1.2-meter bed became too short for him; every time he slept, his feet would dangle off the edge.
Grandma Luo’s health hadn’t been good since he started high school, and her eyesight was failing. She never realized the bed was no longer suitable for her grandson, and Luo Shizhen, being single-minded, slept happily even on a bed that was a section too short.
In short, he was a person who hadn’t seen much of the world.
The most beautiful dormitory Luo Shizhen had ever seen was the one No. 3 High School provided for Chu Xiao, which had a desk, a private bathroom, and allowed appliances without confiscation.
But the dormitory he was going to live in now was even more beautiful than the one at No. 3 High School!
Chen He’an showed him around the dorm:
“This is your entertainment room. You can arrange it according to your own wishes. If you need any equipment, furniture, or appliances, you can apply for reimbursement directly. There is no cap.”
Luo Shizhen: ! There’s even an entertainment room!
“This is your study. The computer has a list of various books. Just check whatever you want to read, and someone will deliver them.”
“The bookshelves and other study layouts are the same; you can choose various styles or design them yourself. Just click apply on the computer, and the school logistics department will handle it as fast as possible.”
As Chen He’an spoke, he taught Luo Shizhen how to apply.
Knowing this child might not know how to choose, he pulled up the room layouts of Chu Xiao and Qin Yinian to give Luo Shizhen an example.
Luo Shizhen was still dazzled.
The TV his family used was an old-fashioned one his grandmother picked up that someone else had discarded. Asking him to choose from a pile of expensive appliances costing tens or even hundreds of thousands… he really couldn’t choose.
In fact, because he was too excited, his face turned bright red, and he was rendered somewhat speechless.
Chen He’an looked at his expression and guessed most of Luo Shizhen’s thoughts. He said thoughtfully:
“If you can’t decide for a while, you can choose the default configuration. You can change it later; it’s the same.”
Luo Shizhen nodded obediently. Just as he reached out to select the default configuration, he suddenly stopped, lowered his head with a mix of shame and embarrassment.
“I feel like I don’t know anything. Using so many good things from the school, I feel uneasy in my heart.”
His hands nervously pinched the hem of his clothes as he whispered, “How about this? Teacher, let me go fight an Anomaly first.”
Although he hadn’t learned how to use that ‘Energy User’ ability yet, facing something like the Flying Jiangshi at school—if Luo Shizhen fought it now with preparation, he felt he should be able to win.
Even knowing Luo Shizhen had an obedient personality completely opposite to other students, hearing him say this, Chen He’an couldn’t help but soften inside.
He smiled very patiently and gently, rubbing Luo Shizhen’s head again:
“No need to feel pressured. All Awakeners who are willing to come to school receive the same treatment. No need to rush to fight Anomalies either. When a suitable situation arises later, the school will arrange it.”
“At that time, it might be very tiring. Can you persist?”
If Chen He’an had only said the first sentence, Luo Shizhen might have remained uneasy about taking such huge benefits.
But he added the second sentence, and sure enough, Luo Shizhen’s thoughts about being unworthy of these good things were immediately led astray.
“I can!”
With a serious expression, the honest student, whose dark, bright eyes widened slightly to appear rounder, patted his chest and guaranteed, “I’m not afraid of being tired. The school can use me however it wants!”
Chen He’an looked at him and suddenly realized that Luo Shizhen had a very likeable appearance.
He had slightly round eyes that always looked at people with a bright, dark gaze. His skin was fair with a healthy rosiness. His lips were soft and full, and his smile always carried a hint of shyness and embarrassment. He always had an air of unpolished innocence about him.
But people would subconsciously ignore the impression of his appearance because of the temperament he exuded.
Objectively speaking, Luo Shizhen wasn’t short. Although he was dressed tightly, one could tell he had a good figure. Yet, he possessed a soft, yielding temperament, like someone who could be kneaded into any shape.
He gave off a feeling that even if you encroached further into his territory, he would remain oblivious, smile cheerfully, say “Welcome,” and treat you with enthusiasm.
Chen He’an vaguely understood why both Chu Xiao and Qin Yinian treated Luo Shizhen so differently.
Luo Shizhen, who opened himself up without reservation like this, was simply a perfect match for Awakeners whose nature contained dominance and a desire for control.
Even he, who always maintained a steady and gentle demeanor in front of students, couldn’t quite suppress the malicious roots stirring in his bones when facing Luo Shizhen.
No matter how gentle and harmless Chen He’an appeared, he was still an Awakener. Facing such compliance, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of pleasure deep in his heart.
He pinched Luo Shizhen’s cheek. Behind the lenses, his eyes, always carrying a gentle smile, narrowed slightly:
“Really? Used however we want?”
Reaching his comfort zone, Luo Shizhen puffed out his chest with some pride. What he was best at was being ordered around.
“Teacher, tell me. Whatever you want me to do, I will accomplish it!”
Chen He’an stared at him for a few seconds, his gaze darkening slightly, wondering what he was thinking.
Luo Shizhen met his gaze confidently.
He thought, Mr. Chen looks like a city person; his family probably doesn’t have fields for me to help plow. But it doesn’t matter, I can help Mr. Chen with housework. Or, I can also clean the school.
Waiting and waiting, Luo Shizhen found that Mr. Chen suddenly smiled at him.
Then, another familiar head rub.
Mr. Chen really likes rubbing my head.
“Eat well, sleep well, study well, and get along well with your classmates. If someone bullies you, come complain to Teacher.”
Chen He’an returned to that gentle elder image: “Shizhen, this is Teacher’s request for you. Can you do it?”
Listening to Mr. Chen’s gentle voice, Luo Shizhen looked at him with even more trust and agreed obediently.
“Teacher, I can!”
“Good boy.”
Chen He’an withdrew his hand and adjusted his glasses:
“Alright, Teacher will see you off here. All daily necessities are prepared for you. Come, let me introduce you to your three roommates.”
Luo Shizhen just realized, Right, this is a four-person dorm.
But this place was too big. He had been here for a while, visited several rooms, and even checked the gym and training room on the same floor, but hadn’t seen a shadow of the other three roommates.
He thought they weren’t in.
Chen He’an tapped his watch. Under Luo Shizhen’s amazed gaze, he waved his hand, and a holographic screen magnified in front of them.
While operating it, he said to Luo Shizhen, “They are all in the dorm. I’ll call them out to meet you.”
They’re actually all in the dorm.
Luo Shizhen didn’t think much about why the roommates were all there but no one took the initiative to come out and see him, the new roommate.
Although being slow-witted was confusing in studies, it was quite good at times like this. Because he was slow and his reactions were delayed, Luo Shizhen never overthought things.
He waited cheerfully. Sure enough, after a while, several doors that had been tightly closed opened.
The first one to come out was Rong Nian, whom he had met. He had a sour face and looked very unhappy.
Luo Shizhen, who felt they had met before, was raising a smile and waving at him when he saw Rong Nian turn his face away, clearly not planning to pay attention to him.
Luo Shizhen withdrew his hand with a bit of disappointment, and his smile fell.
Although Rong Nian turned his face away, he was watching him from the corner of his eye.
Seeing Luo Shizhen look so disappointed just because he ignored him, Rong Nian felt it was novel, a bit triumphant, and had some indescribable feelings.
He moved his leg, planning to slowly shuffle his body over and grudgingly give Luo Shizhen a look.
As a result, the second door opened, and Lu Qiujin walked out.
Rong Nian watched helplessly as Luo Shizhen, who had just been full of disappointment, raised a smile again and waved enthusiastically to greet Lu Qiujin.
Rong Nian: “…”
Why is this person like this?
He angrily turned his leg back.
As soon as Lu Qiujin came out, he was greeted by Luo Shizhen’s face full of enthusiastic smiles. He paused, hid all his thoughts, and slowly revealed a smile on his noble face, though the smile didn’t reach his eyes.
“Hello, I am Lu Qiujin.”
Luo Shizhen only saw him smiling at him and was quite pleasantly surprised:
“Hello, I am Luo Shizhen.”
The third door opened. A tall young man walked out, wearing a bathrobe around his lower body, naked from the waist up. Large blocks of honey-colored muscles were displayed openly. While drying his semi-wet hair, he scanned Luo Shizhen up and down openly.
“Yo! New classmate is here. I’m Xiao Shan. You’re called Luo Shizhen, right?”
“Heard you have the Purification ability. But don’t expect Laozi to treat you like a treasure just because you can purify. That’s what those old fogeys do. I, Xiao Shan, only look at strength.”
Compared to the awkward Rong Nian and the hypocritically polite Lu Qiujin, Xiao Shan’s fault-finding attitude was displayed directly on his face.
He lifted his chin and gave Luo Shizhen a provocative smile: “Look at your weak chicken appearance. If you want to live in the same dorm as me, you at least have to be able to beat me, right?”
“Or how about this? You directly call me Big Brother, I’ll accept you as a lackey (little brother), and I’ll cover you from now on.”
The last sentence was pure provocation.
No Awakener could tolerate such provocation, especially a newly awakened one who hadn’t learned control yet.
Lu Qiujin directly judged that the two would fight immediately.
Teacher Chen… probably wouldn’t stop it.
Roommates meeting for the first time always had to fight.
However, he scanned Chen He’an’s composed expression and Rong Nian, who looked a bit anxious on the side.
He felt that these two people were a bit off today, but he couldn’t tell exactly where for the moment.
Lu Qiujin thought calmly, It doesn’t matter. There’s plenty of time to observe slowly. The most important thing now is to see the strength of this new roommate.
Energy Users were mostly unskilled in combat, but they possessed combat abilities. Xiao Shan always beat people to death when fighting. He would wait until the new roommate was defeated by Xiao Shan, then go up to deliver medicine and comfort.
Just as Lu Qiujin was planning, he heard Luo Shizhen call out crisply:
“Big Brother.”
Lu Qiujin almost thought he heard wrong. He frowned and looked over, seeing the boy in the ordinary school uniform with a look of excitement and happiness… What is he happy about?
“Big Brother, thank you for being willing to cover me!”
Luo Shizhen actually hadn’t heard clearly what that long speech Xiao Shan said earlier was. He didn’t know much about the Awakener system yet, so his brain automatically skipped over nouns related to Awakeners.
However, he understood that this tall, burly roommate who looked very impressive said he was willing to cover him.
When Luo Shizhen was in the first year of junior high, he had seen a classmate bow to a “Big Brother.” He heard that Big Brother hung out outside the school and was very loyal. After bowing to the Big Brother, that classmate had “face” in the third year.
At that time, that classmate often bragged to a group of people during recess about how amazing his Big Brother was. He said that after school, those punks who used to ask him to buy cigarettes didn’t dare to provoke him anymore, and that the Big Brother took him to play billiards and go to internet cafes.
Luo Shizhen was particularly envious at the time, thinking it was great to have a Big Brother.
To be honest, although Chu Xiao said he would protect him, because he had been taking care of and protecting the sickly Chu Xiao since childhood, Luo Shizhen wasn’t very confident in Chu Xiao’s protection.
But this roommate named Xiao Shan was different!
He was so tall, his body was so strong, and that face, so cool and fierce. He looked very formidable and capable of fighting.
He also perfectly matched the appearance Luo Shizhen had once fantasized about growing into.
Moreover, he was a nice person. Meeting for the first time, he was willing to be his Big Brother.
“Big Brother, have some candy.”
Luo Shizhen clumsily imitated the scene he had seen of his junior high classmate giving cigarettes to the “Big Brother.” He walked up to Xiao Shan, peeled a candy, and offered it to his mouth.
Facing Luo Shizhen’s sincere fawning, Xiao Shan felt his hair stand on end.
He was good at beating people into submission.
But he had never seen someone submit directly without even a fight.
Meeting Luo Shizhen’s enthusiastic smile, Xiao Shan couldn’t maintain his fierce aura. He took a step back to dodge the candy:
“Are you sick?! If you’re sick, take medicine!”
Luo Shizhen replied honestly, “I do have a bit of a cold.”
“I’ll take medicine tonight. Big Brother, thank you for caring about me.”
Xiao Shan: “…”
He looked at Luo Shizhen in disbelief. Finding that he was actually serious, he looked at Chen He’an in disbelief:
“Old Chen, what is this situation?”
Chen He’an held a half-clenched fist to his lips, suppressing the corners of his mouth that couldn’t help but turn up:
“Cough, Xiao Shan, since you are willing to mentor the new classmate and let him accept you as a brother, then Shizhen is left to you.”
“Shizhen, if there’s anything you don’t understand, ask Xiao Shan. If there’s anything urgent, call my phone directly.”
Luo Shizhen nodded obediently: “Okay Teacher, I remember.”
Xiao Shan: “? No? What do you mean I’m willing to mentor? Old Chen! Hey! Old Chen!”
Chen He’an had already slipped away quickly.
“Teacher is leaving first. You guys get along well.”
—Click.
He closed the door.
Xiao Shan: “…”
He looked down and saw Luo Shizhen, still looking at him with fawning enthusiasm and expectation. Seeing him look over, Luo Shizhen happily called out again:
“Big Brother, I’ll do whatever you ask me to do. I’ll listen to you.”
Xiao Shan: “…”
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