Chapter 27 – The Cousin’s Call
1497 Words
When night fell, Li Hao‑Yang returned to the dormitory. His face was lit with a carefree grin, and Hammer could not hide his irritation.
“Coach! You’re grinning that widely—did you steal my cabbage again?”
“Exactly,” Li Hao‑Yang replied, his smile unfading.
Li Hao‑Yang’s laughter seemed endless. He turned to his three roommates, raised his hand, and announced solemnly:
“I, Li Hao‑Yang, am officially off the market!”
“Kick them out of 515!” Hammer shouted, already chanting a rallying cry.
At the same time he edited the dorm’s group‑chat title. What had once been simply “515” was now transformed into
[Dog][Dog][Person][Person]
Two dog emojis followed by two stick‑figure emojis, a boy and a girl holding hands. The four symbols now defined the new identity of the 515 room.
Hammer clapped a hand on Luo Ye’s shoulder, his voice a mixture of mock‑sympathy and genuine frustration.
“Wild‑kid, what’s the point of finally getting a girlfriend if it only makes the rest of us single‑dog losers feel even worse?”
He then froze, his brow furrowing. Something about Luo Ye caught his eye—long hair. It hung down past his shoulders, an unusual length for a freshman who’d only been at the university for a month.
A rapid cascade of images of girls flashed through Hammer’s mind, finally settling on a single face.
“No way—did you spend the whole day with Tang En‑Qi? That explains why you’ve been missing from the room all day!”
Luo Ye blinked, baffled.
“What?!”
Hammer stared at him, his suspicion deepening.
Given that Tang En‑Qi had just turned down his own invitation, claiming she already had plans, Hammer was convinced that Luo Ye must have been out with her.
“Come on, Wild‑kid, you’re dating my woman—spill it! How far have you gotten?”
Hammer’s feigned anger gave way to his true, gossipy nature.
“I didn’t go out with Tang En‑Qi. I… went out with… a senior.”
“A senior?” Hammer glanced at Luo Ye, half‑believing, half‑skeptical.
“Yes, a senior.”
“What year?”
“Third year.”
“Whoa.”
Hammer’s eyes widened.
“A third‑year senior, huh? Wild‑kid, a senior dating a fresh‑man? Usually that means you can’t find someone your own year. Be careful—you might get eaten by a ‘hungry tiger.’”
Luo Ye’s mind instantly pictured Su Bai‑Zhou’s flawless beauty.
“The senior’s suitors could line up to the moon!”
“I don’t believe you.”
Hammer smirked, then, with a mischievous glint, said:
“Show me a photo.”
“I can’t. We’re not together yet—sending a picture would tarnish her reputation.”
“It’s just a photo. Wild‑kid, do you have any secrets of your own? As a father‑figure, it hurts me.”
Seeing Luo Ye’s reluctance, Hammer dropped the subject.
“By the way, the holidays are coming up. What are you planning to do?”
He turned the question to Luo Ye because the other three were all locals who would be heading home. Luo Ye, however, was from Beijing, over a thousand kilometers away, making a trip back to his family impractical.
“I don’t know yet. If I don’t go home, I’ll probably stay in the dorm and keep writing.”
Luo Ye hesitated. He couldn’t imagine spending the whole break typing away. Perhaps he’d explore Jiang City, its waterways, its scenery—he could not stay cooped up at the university forever.
“If you’re staying alone, let us know if you need anything.”
Hammer added, half‑joking, half‑serious:
“Don’t get sentimental. As your ‘dad,’ caring about you is the natural thing to do.”
Li Hao‑Yang and Shen Qiao nodded in agreement.
Luo Ye stared at the ceiling, his mind a tangle of thoughts. It was still Saturday; the extended break wouldn’t start until next Wednesday, so there was no rush.
Four Days Later
All of Luo Ye’s roommates had left the dorm. The silence was almost deafening; the emptiness made him feel oddly lonely. Even his favorite video games seemed dull without someone to share them with.
That morning there was only a single class, and after it ended the university was essentially on holiday. Shen Qiao escorted Luo Ye to a quick lunch before heading out of campus himself. The whole male dormitory building felt cavernous, footsteps echoing down the corridors. Luo Ye’s imagination ran wild—what if monsters roamed the hallways at night? As a web‑novel writer he was no stranger to vivid fantasies. If a real monster appeared, he’d definitely need a hug from his “fairy senior.”
He opened WeChat, typing a quick message to Su Bai‑Zhou:
Luo Ye: “Senior, are you heading home for the break?”
She didn’t reply immediately—she was probably busy.
Just then his phone rang. It was his cousin Gu Ming‑Xuan, whom he called “cousin” out of habit.
Gu Ming‑Xuan: “Hey, little brother, my aunt (your aunt) is wondering if you’re coming home for the holidays. She wants to make a few dishes for you.”
The mention of cooking triggered a flash of an uneasy memory. Luo Ye’s tone instantly brightened.
“No need—my aunt’s always busy. I’m fine staying in Jiang City.”
“Are you sure? She’ll be disappointed if you don’t come.”
Gu Ming‑Xuan’s voice carried a teasing edge, as if mocking Luo Ye.
“Too bad… I’m calling you not because of the food. Your ‘fairy senior’ is my student. I’m not around, but is there a problem with her renting my apartment?”
Luo Ye was stunned.
“What’s the problem?”
“Nothing. Just thought you should know.”
“But my dorm has no air‑conditioner. If I’m not in my dorm, where will I stay? And the break is only seven days—where will I be?”
Gu Ming‑Xuan laughed.
“You didn’t know? Little brother, go try to win over Senior Su. Whether you can move in depends on whether you can turn her into your girlfriend.”
Luo Ye’s heart pounded.
“What do you mean ‘win over’? She’s not a game character.”
“Just a figure of speech. I know your temperament inside out.”
Silence fell. Gu Ming‑Xuan chuckled again.
“Hang in there. I won’t be back for at least half a year. By then I hope I’ll have a nephew.”
Luo Ye blinked, bewildered.
“A nephew? After half a year?”
He thought back: his parents—both police officers—had him at a relatively late age (32). When they died, Gu Ming‑Xuan had been ten years old and essentially raised him. So Gu Ming‑Xuan could read Luo Ye’s thoughts almost instantly.
The call ended; Luo Ye let out a long sigh.
Back in the Dorm
It was already four in the afternoon when he staggered back to the 515 room. Hammer was sprawled on his mattress, fast asleep after an intense gaming session. Shen Qiao sat on his own bed, staring vacantly into space.
Luo Ye: “What’s up, ‘star’? Anything going on?”
Shen Qiao turned, a faint, bitter smile curling his lips.
Shen Qiao: “Family stuff.”
Luo Ye: “Everyone’s got their own burdens, huh?”
He sensed Shen Qiao’s family situation was serious; otherwise he wouldn’t be so distracted at school. The “star” that Hammer often bragged about—his supposed girlfriend—had also been a running joke among the roommates. They’d all teased him for always saying he had a girlfriend to deflect any advances.
Luo Ye: “Honestly, I’m curious—do you really have a girlfriend?”
Shen Qiao: “I do.” He pulled out his phone to show Luo Ye his wallpaper.
Shen Qiao: “My girlfriend, Xiao Lei—look how pretty she is!” He laughed, pointing at a picture of a girl with long hair.
Luo Ye: “She’s gorgeous.”
Shen Qiao: “We met in first year and have been together for three years now.”
Luo Ye: “Where is she now? Is she at Jiang City University too?”
Shen Qiao: “She’s at Jiang City Medical University.”
The conversation drifted, but beneath the surface each of them carried hidden stories, while Luo Ye was still learning to navigate such tangled relationships.
End of Chapter 27.
- Writer
