Chapter 41: A Visit

Seeing Shen Youchu react so strongly, especially as she wanted to cry but didn't dare to, wiping away her tears quickly with the back of her hand, she glanced at Chen Han Sheng, afraid that he might get angry again. She looked like a wronged person.

"Alright, alright, we won't talk about being friends then. I like to reason things out, I never force anyone," Chen Han Sheng said. He had no choice but to drop the subject for now. After all, Shen Youchu couldn't escape him. He thought to himself as he casually peeled two shrimp and placed them in her bowl.

Shen Youchu glanced at the class leader, who claimed to never force anyone, afraid that he might, like before, push food toward her. She silently "enjoyed" Chen Han Sheng's service.

After eating a few, Shen Youchu gently said, "I'm full."

Only then did Chen Han Sheng pick up his bowl and finish the remaining hotpot ingredients.

The rain was still falling outside. Chen Han Sheng lit a cigarette and looked out the window, seemingly lost in thought.

Noticing that Chen Han Sheng's attention was focused outside, Shen Youchu lifted her head and secretly studied this "bully" who was supposed to be her boyfriend. Her roommate Hu Linyu's advice flashed through her mind.

"Generally, no one can outplay Chen Han Sheng. Look, it's only been a month since school started, and Chen Han Sheng is both class leader and vice president of the external relations department. I've somehow ended up helping him with things."

"Chen Han Sheng seems interested in you. If you don't want to date, you should avoid him."

Shen Youchu thought about it blankly. She just wanted to know why Chen Han Sheng was always so harsh with her.

After a while, Shen Youchu felt something was off. Upon closer inspection, she realized that the reflection from the window was showing Chen Han Sheng staring at her through the glass.

"I... I'll head back now." Shen Youchu hurriedly stood up to leave.

Chen Han Sheng didn't stop her. He grabbed his bag and said, "The second canteen is closer to the boys' dorm. You keep the umbrella, and make sure to clean up the table."

Then he took a drag on his cigarette, grabbed his bag, and walked out, lifting the rubber door curtain of the canteen to head back to the dorm.

Shen Youchu didn't have time to decline, but while cleaning the table, she found an envelope left behind, obviously dropped by Chen Han Sheng. By then, he was already out of sight.

...

The big guys in Room 602 were either going home or heading to an internet cafe. Chen Han Sheng first checked in with his mom, read a book after a shower, and when sleepiness hit, he slept straight through to the next day.

It seemed that long hours of sleep were a passive skill for university students. Even Chen Han Sheng wasn't exempt. When he opened his eyes in the morning, he saw that Guo Shaoqiang and Jin Yangming had just returned from an all-nighter.

"Chen Ge, I brought you some buns. Let's have breakfast together after I shower."

Jin Yangming pointed to two bags of steaming hot breakfast on the table.

Chen Han Sheng rolled his eyes. "You son of a bitch, don't talk like I don't know you. You're only up because there's something in it for you."

"Chen Ge, you're being unfair. We're good brothers in the same dorm," Jin Yangming said, looking aggrieved.

Chen Han Sheng didn't give him a chance to act. "I'm leaving soon. If you don't speak up now, you'll have to wait until I get back."

Jin Yangming immediately gave up and awkwardly said, "Actually, it's nothing serious. I'm planning to pursue Shang Yanyan, but the competition's fierce, so I was hoping you could help me out."

It wasn't a big deal, so Chen Han Sheng asked, "How do you want me to help?"

"I haven't figured it out yet, but you're the class leader, so there must be opportunities for you to create," Jin Yangming said, flattering him a bit.

Chen Han Sheng thought for a moment. "Alright, I'll help, but you're a real cheapskate. You're only using a bag of buns to bribe me."

Just then, Guo Shaoqiang, who had just finished his shower, walked into the dorm. Jin Yangming immediately shut up.

Guo Shaoqiang saw food on the table and, without hesitation, grabbed a bun and stuffed it into his mouth. "Why are you buttering up Lao Si today? Bought him breakfast?"

Jin Yangming quickly shielded the food. "Didn't you eat in the canteen already?"

"Doesn't mean I can't be hungry again," Guo Shaoqiang replied confidently, reaching for another bun.

Jin Yangming, ready to take a shower, was worried Guo Shaoqiang would steal all the breakfast, so he spat a few mouthfuls of saliva onto the buns before proudly carrying his bowl to the bathroom.

"Filthy bastard!"

Chen Han Sheng and Guo Shaoqiang cursed in unison.

"Lao Si, give me a few," Guo Shaoqiang, seeing that there was still a bag of buns on Chen Han Sheng's side, started eyeing them.

Chen Han Sheng refused. "I haven't eaten yet. Besides, there's buns at Lao Liu's place."

"You want me to eat after you spit on it?" Guo Shaoqiang retorted angrily.

Chen Han Sheng coughed. "It's only the outside with saliva, the inside is clean."

Guo Shaoqiang paused, then gave Chen Han Sheng a thumbs up in appreciation.

The "military strategist" Chen Han Sheng finished eating and headed downstairs. By the time he reached the first floor, he could already hear Jin Yangming's heart-wrenching scream from Room 602.

"Guo Shaoqiang, damn it, where's the filling in my bun?!"

...

After arriving on the first floor, Chen Han Sheng found a public phone booth and called Guo Zhongyun.

"Mr. Guo, I brought some local specialties—Phoenix geese—from my hometown. I'd like to give them to Jia Hui and your wife to try."

This kind of thing wasn't convenient to discuss in the dorm. Chen Han Sheng wanted to maintain his image, and so did Mr. Guo.

As Phoenix geese from Hong Kong were best kept in the fridge, which the dorm didn't have, Chen Han Sheng didn't explicitly mention it was for Guo Zhongyun. Instead, he mentioned his wife and daughter, hoping to reduce the chance of rejection.

Despite this, Mr. Guo still politely said, "No need, you have relatives in Jianye, just give them to them."

"I've already given two to my relatives," Chen Han Sheng replied on the phone. Of course, the relatives were fictional.

Guo Zhongyun thought for a moment. "Alright then, thank you. By the way, come over for lunch."

After hanging up, Mrs. Guo asked, "Who was that?"

"Chen Han Sheng. He brought some local specialties for me."

"Your student seems a bit too eager. Does he want something?" Mrs. Guo wondered, which was a natural concern.

Guo Zhongyun smiled warmly. "I'm just a university counselor, I don't have much to offer. Chen Han Sheng is already class leader and now vice president of the external relations department. What more can I give him?"

Although Mr. Guo's social resources were indeed limited, he still had some standing in the finance academy. If Chen Han Sheng wanted to spend his four years there comfortably, he did need Mr. Guo's slight influence.

Mrs. Guo was surprised. "He's already vice president of a club? Could it be that the Youth League Committee is backing him?"

Guo Zhongyun shook his head. "From what I know, it's not the Youth League Committee's influence. He became vice president by accident. But that doesn't matter. You go buy some vegetables, I'll drink with him at lunch."

Based on the address Mr. Guo gave over the phone, Chen Han Sheng arrived at his house. In terms of interpersonal relationships, being invited to someone's home for a meal signified a relatively close connection. Especially since Guo Jia Hui remembered Chen Han Sheng very well.

As soon as they met, Guo Jia Hui said loudly, "Brother, I know Xiao Yu's QQ number now!"

"What QQ?" Mr. and Mrs. Guo didn't understand what she meant.

Chen Han Sheng felt a little embarrassed. He thought to himself, the little fatty girl can't even speak clearly, but she actually remembered this.

"Next time I come, I'll buy you a box of addition and subtraction practice books and New Concept English listening questions from Xinhua Bookstore. I'll make sure you win at the starting line."