Entering dorm room 507, the bed on the left, farthest from the bathroom, was already occupied. Not only was the bed neatly made, but the entire dorm room was spotless. However, the occupant was not in the room.
Gu Wanrong chose the bed on the left, closest to the door, put her luggage under the bed, turned on the air conditioning, and started making her bed.
Gu Wanrong only brought a few changes of clothes. She figured that since military training was starting soon, she couldn’t wear her own clothes. She would buy clothes after the training was over on the weekend; bringing them now was both tiring and troublesome.
At noon, Zhou Siyin and Wu Ai’ai said they were going to eat with their new roommates, so Gu Wanrong went to the cafeteria, got her meal card, and had lunch alone.
After lunch, she bought a box of fruit salad and took it back to the dorm to continue cleaning and organizing. After hanging up her clothes and bags, she arranged her skincare and makeup products on the desk. Since there was no shelf for toiletries in the bathroom, she temporarily put them in the cabinet above the desk.
Just as she was putting away her clothes, another roommate arrived. The girl, with a high ponytail and black-framed glasses, entered the dorm, followed by a middle-aged woman who was probably her mother.
The girl introduced herself as Jiang Yan Yao, a local from City J. Gu Wanrong also told her her name.
Jiang Yan Yao’s mother scanned the dorm room. Seeing that it was already clean, she enthusiastically grabbed Gu Wanrong’s hand and said, “Little Gu, you look so clean and tidy. You must be efficient to have cleaned the entire dorm by yourself.”
Gu Wanrong realized that Jiang Yan Yao’s mother had misunderstood. She put down her makeup and quickly explained, “Auntie, I didn’t clean it. The dorm was already clean when I arrived; it must have been the girl who owns this bed.”
Feeling embarrassed, Gu Wanrong waved her hand at Jiang Yan Yao’s enthusiastic mother.
“Oh dear, I was wrong.”
“Mom~,” Jiang Yan Yao said to her mother, “Don’t say that. Gu Wanrong is still tidying up, don’t bother her.”
“Okay.” Jiang Yan Yao’s mother stopped talking to Gu Wanrong and helped Jiang Yan Yao make her bed.
Both Jiang Yan Yao and her mother were dressed neatly and cleanly, but their clothes looked a little old. Jiang Yan Yao didn’t talk much, but her mother kept chattering.
Jiang Yan Yao watched Gu Wanrong organize her makeup products. She recognized the brands. Her high school classmates liked luxury goods and always saved up to buy them or asked their mothers to buy them, so she knew that Gu Wanrong’s family was much better off than hers.
After tidying up, Jiang Yan Yao went to see her mother off.
She had a younger brother and sister at home who needed to be taken care of. Her mother sending her to university had already upset her grandmother, so it was best to send her mother home early.
“Yaoyao, I saw your roommate’s comforter was a silk comforter; that’s expensive! And the pearl necklace with diamonds around her neck… I’ve never used those things in my entire life,” Jiang Yan Yao’s mother said as they walked away from the dorm.
Jiang Yan Yao remained silent; she didn’t know what to say.
“Yaoyao, we’re working hard to pay for your education. Your brother is still young; when he grows up, it will be up to you. Get along well with your roommate; what she lets slip through her fingers is enough for us to use,” Jiang Yan Yao’s mother said, becoming increasingly excited, and started giving advice on how to please others.
Jiang Yan Yao was used to this; her mother had taught her to please her classmates in high school; these words were exactly the same as before.
Gu Wanrong played on her phone in the dorm, resting for a while. Then, the last roommate arrived.
The girl had wavy chestnut-brown hair, wore delicate but mature makeup, high heels, a Chanel-style outfit, and carried only one bag.
After looking around, she saw that only the bed near the bathroom was left and immediately became unhappy.
“Dad, I told you to hurry up. Look, only this bed is left; I’ll have to smell the bathroom all day.”
The girl’s father entered with two suitcases; her mother followed with two more.
“I’m sorry, my name is Xu Haichao, and I’m Xu Rong’s father. Xiao Rong has been spoiled since she was little, and she won’t be able to get used to this bed. I apologize if my words come off strong.” Xu Haichao apologized to Gu Wanrong, who was playing on her phone.
Then he looked at the other three beds, pointing to Jiang Yan Yao’s bed and asking, “Where’s the girl who owns this bed?” Xu Haichao observed that the other two beds had valuable items, while only Jiang Yan Yao’s bed was simple. He wanted to ask the girl on this bed to switch rooms.
At this moment, Jiang Yan Yao returned. “Jiang Yan Yao, it’s you! I want to switch beds with you.” Xu Rong naturally understood her father’s intention.
Jiang Yan Yao was her high school classmate. From the beginning of high school, she had followed Xu Rong and flattered her. Seeing her, Xu Rong didn’t hold back and demanded a bed switch in an imperious manner.
“Xiao Rong, be nicer to your classmate.” Xu Haichao deliberately scolded Xu Rong, then said to Jiang Yan Yao, “You’re high school friends, and you understand Xiao Rong’s spoiled nature. This 500 yuan is compensation from her uncle.” He took out 500 yuan from his wallet and handed it to Jiang Yan Yao.
Before he could finish speaking, before Jiang Yan Yao had agreed, Xu Rong’s mother was already moving Jiang Yan Yao’s belongings, placing Xu Rong’s things there.
Jiang Yan Yao was silent for a moment, put away the money, and helped Xu Rong’s mother pack her things. “I know Rongrong doesn’t like this bed, Uncle. Even if you didn’t say anything, I would have offered to switch with Rongrong.” As she packed, she chatted and laughed, and Xu Rong didn’t say much to her.
So Xu Rong and Xu Haichao waited while Xu Rong’s mother and Jiang Yan Yao switched beds.
Gu Wanrong wanted to say something for Jiang Yan Yao but, seeing their harmonious actions and tone, she changed her mind.
It seemed that her three new roommates were… one was mysterious and hadn’t shown up yet, and she definitely wouldn’t be able to be friends with the other two. It would be best if they could just get along peacefully during their freshman year; she wouldn’t return to the dorm after the mandatory dormitory stay ended in their sophomore year.
Gu Wanrong couldn’t stay in the dorm any longer, so she took a taxi to Jinmao Mall to shop and then made an appointment with Zhou Siyin and Wu Ai’ai for dinner that evening.
