[Editor's note: This chapter has been edited to remove content that breaks our content rules.]
It was already nine in the evening when Su Chen returned to the dormitory.
The soul-tool lamps cast a warm yellow glow over the corridor. Su Chen reached his room and took out his key, about to unlock the door, when he heard a commotion next door.
He paused to listen. Xu Xiaoyan’s voice and the others’ drifted through the wall, mingled with the muffled slap of cards against the carpet and occasional bursts of laughter.
Su Chen raised an eyebrow.
Knock, knock.
He walked over to Xu Xiaoyan’s door and tapped lightly twice.
“Who is it?”
The laughter inside stopped abruptly.
Su Chen smiled. “Xiaoyan, it’s me. I’m back.”
Then he took out a key, unlocked the door, and stepped inside.
Bright lights illuminated the room.
A small folding table stood on the carpet by the window, with a pile of cards and several dice scattered across its surface.
Three girls sat around the table. At the sound of the door opening, they all looked up.
“Su Chen, you’re back! Come play with us!”
Xu Xiaoyan smiled and waved the cards in her hand at him.
“Sure.”
Su Chen smiled and walked over to the table, glancing at Gu Yue and Yuanen Yehui.
Gu Yue sat to Xu Xiaoyan’s left. Her cheeks were a little redder than usual, though he couldn’t tell whether it was from losing at cards or the warmth of the room.
She rested one hand on her knee and held her cards in the other, looking relaxed but faintly disgruntled.
Yuanen Yehui sat opposite Gu Yue, on the side nearest the window.
Su Chen sat down beside Xu Xiaoyan.
“Come on, let’s see who has the worst luck!”
Xu Xiaoyan