Chapter 20: College Life Is All About Legs

"Seriously? Zhang Yi, my happiness for the rest of college depends on you now!" Zhang Ben's eyes lit up with excitement as he slapped Zhang Yi on the back.

Zhang Yi shrugged with a grin, "No problem, leave it to me!"

The group laughed and joked as they made their way to the campus supermarket. Since it was the first day of school, the store was packed with new students stocking up on supplies. Zhang Ben glanced around, his eyes widening as he noticed the girls walking by, dressed in fashionable short skirts and stockings. He couldn't help but whisper in awe, "Wow, the girls in college are so open! They're practically wearing nothing!"

Zhang Yi, hearing this, rolled his eyes and lowered his voice. "Keep it down, man. They can hear you."

Realizing he'd been too loud, Zhang Ben scratched his head, embarrassed, and quickly quieted down.

Chen Yuchen walked a few steps behind, listening to the conversation with a small smile on his face. Next to him, Wang Yishu remained silent, clearly feeling a bit out of place in this environment.

"Hey, Chen, don't tell me you've got no reaction to those long legs?" Zhang Ben suddenly turned around, teasing Chen Yuchen.

Chen Yuchen chuckled softly and responded casually, "Everyone's got their own tastes, right?"

Zhang Ben laughed heartily and then turned to Wang Yishu. "And you, Wang? What do you think about all these beauties?"

Wang Yishu, uncomfortable with the question, mumbled, "I… don't really feel anything special."

"Ah, come on, that won't do! You're too innocent—finding a girlfriend is going to be tough for you," Zhang Ben joked, pretending to lecture him.

When they arrived at the supermarket, Chen Yuchen began looking for a bedding set, and Zhang Yi helped him pick one out. Chen Yuchen settled on a moderately priced set for about five hundred yuan.

"You're smart, Chen. My luggage is stuffed with things my mom insisted I bring," Zhang Yi said, shaking his head. "If it weren't for her nagging, I wouldn't have brought half of it."

Chen Yuchen chuckled, "Keep it simple. Too much stuff just complicates things."

Zhang Ben nodded in agreement. "Yeah, same here. My suitcase was packed to the brim—it was exhausting."

After selecting his bedding, Zhang Yi picked up a few other essentials. When it was time to check out, the cashier asked who would pay. Neither Zhang Yi nor Zhang Ben said anything, so Chen Yuchen took out his wallet. "I'll cover it. It's not much."

"Next time, dinner's on me," Zhang Yi said with a smile.

"I owe you one, too," Zhang Ben added, laughing.

Chen Yuchen waved them off casually. "Don't worry about it. It's on me today."

The group thanked him with smiles and carried their purchases back to the dorm.

Once they returned, Chen Yuchen began making his bed and organizing his belongings. As he worked, his phone buzzed a few times. When he checked it, he saw a series of messages from Chen Siqi.

"Uncle, are you at school yet? (cute emoji)"

"Moving into the dorm is exhausting. I had to carry everything up to the sixth floor by myself. What floor are you on?"

"Hey! Uncle, don't ignore me! (sad emoji)"

Chen Yuchen smiled and quickly replied: "Just got here. I'm unpacking. How's everything on your end?"

Chen Siqi responded almost immediately: "It's great! My roommates are super nice, and one of them even treated me to hotpot! It was delicious! [picture]"

The photo showed Chen Siqi holding a cup of milk tea, smiling sweetly. She looked happy.

After exchanging a few more messages, Chen Yuchen noticed an unexpected notification—it was from Lin Siyuan.

"Have you arrived at school?"

Chen Yuchen was a bit surprised to hear from her. He replied briefly, "Just got here."

After sending the message, Lin Siyuan didn't respond further, and Chen Yuchen didn't give it much thought, returning to interact with his roommates.

Zhang Yi, lounging on his bed, suggested, "Do you guys play cards? How about some 'Landlord'?"

Zhang Ben jumped at the idea. "I'm in! Let's play!"

They both turned to Chen Yuchen. Not having much else to do, he nodded. "Sure."

Wang Yishu, however, hesitated and quietly admitted, "I don't know how to play cards."

"What? You don't know how to play cards? Wang, you're too well-behaved! How are you going to survive in college?" Zhang Ben teased.

Wang Yishu scratched his head, unsure of how to respond.

Chen Yuchen smiled and said, "No problem. The three of us can play."

Zhang Yi suddenly had an idea and looked up with a grin. "Hey, how about this? My girlfriend said she and her roommates are bored. Why don't we go to the cafeteria, and I'll invite them to join us for some cards?"

Zhang Ben's eyes lit up with excitement. "Yes! Yes! Zhang Yi, make sure to bring your girlfriend's roommates too!"