Chapter 25

Not long after the semester began, the common activity room was already more than half full. They were all juniors and seniors preparing for postgraduate entrance exams or studying abroad. There were very few freshmen.

Gu Chen casually found an empty seat and sat down, reading while skillfully drawing mind maps.

Having lived a second life, he had forgotten more than half of what he had learned ten years ago. But his foundation was still there. Gu Chen only needed to skim through the books to sort out their logic and key points. He could also compare them against his memories, contrasting the laws and regulations currently in effect with legal provisions amended in later years. Of course, that comparison could only be done in his head for now; he could not put it down on paper.

After studying for over an hour, Gu Chen got up and went to the restroom. When he returned, he saw the senior sitting opposite him seriously flipping through the mind map Gu Chen had just drawn. Caught sneaking a look, the senior seemed a little embarrassed and said awkwardly, "Well, I just... I thought your notes were really clearly organized. They seem like they'd be especially easy to memorize."

Gu Chen nodded without saying anything.

A while later, as Gu Chen was seriously reading and taking notes, a little paper ball suddenly appeared in front of him. Gu Chen looked up at the senior, who was wiggling his eyebrows and pressing his palms together in a pleading gesture, then unfolded the paper ball—

[Could you lend me your notes so I can make a copy? I'm taking the CPA too. Tax Law and Economic Law are seriously making me want to puke from memorizing them. Great scholar, give me a chance—shine your light on this poor student!] There was even a doodle afterward of a little person vomiting while crying noodle-like tears.

There was nothing shameful about the mind maps he had drawn anyway. After thinking it over, Gu Chen handed the freshly completed mind map to the senior across from him.

The senior clasped his hands together and gave Gu Chen a deep bow, then hurried off to photocopy the mind map.

At eleven thirty that night, Gu Chen packed up and returned to his dorm to sleep.

The senior opposite him apparently had not expected Gu Chen to leave so early. He paused slightly, then quietly asked, "You're leaving already?"

Gu Chen gave an "Mm" and got up to leave.

At two in the morning, too sleepy to keep studying, the senior also staggered back to his dorm. He casually piled his books on the desk and plunged headfirst into bed.

When he woke up the next morning, he was shocked to discover that the mind maps he had practically begged heaven and earth to photocopy were gone. He could not help howling, "Who stole my Tax Law and Economic Law mind maps? Those are my lifeline!"

His roommate laughed and chimed in, "Where'd you get those notes? They're really clearly organized! Zhao Shu took them to make copies. Gao Haiyang, we agreed to take the CPA together. How could you keep something this good to yourself?"

"I only found them yesterday too." Gao Haiyang immediately surrendered and explained, "A real genius showed up in the common activity room. He reads insanely fast. Before I can finish memorizing one page, he's already read ten. He made those mind maps. I practically begged him before he let me copy a set. Didn't I rush back with them, planning to contribute them to everyone?"

"A newly arrived genius?" His roommate raised a brow. "A University is full of talented people. Who else deserves to be called a genius?"

Gao Haiyang pointed at the mind maps that had already vanished from his desk.

His roommate readily conceded, "That really is a genius."

After a pause, he asked curiously, "Who is it?"

"No idea!" Gao Haiyang shook his head. "I don't know him, never seen him before. He's probably a freshman."

His roommate was slightly surprised. "Are freshmen this badass now?"

Chapter 25

At four in the morning, Gu Chen was woken by his alarm. After washing up, he hugged his Tax Law and Economic Law books and returned to the common activity room. He studied until six thirty, then went to the cafeteria for breakfast.

Because Gu Xiu could not stop thinking about how so many basketball team members had escorted Gu Chen back the night before, he barely slept all night. He had even gone to other dorm rooms to find out what had happened. Learning that Gu Chen had gotten into a conflict with Huo Mingzhang while playing basketball left him with complicated feelings. He wanted to talk to Gu Chen, but Gu Chen had stayed in the common lounge studying until lights-out before returning to the dorm.

Gu Xiu did not want to disturb the other two roommates, so he planned to speak with him the next morning. But when he got up the next morning, Gu Chen was gone again. Gu Xiu had no choice but to look for him in the common activity room. He sat there distractedly killing time for over an hour, until Gu Chen left. Gu Xiu immediately packed his bag and caught up with him. "Brother, are you okay?"

Gu Chen said, "I'm fine."

After thinking for a moment, Gu Xiu asked, "What's been going on with you lately? Didn't you say yourself that you didn't want to provoke Huo Mingzhang? Why did you play basketball with him?"

Gu Chen abruptly stopped walking, turned to look at Gu Xiu, and asked in return, "What right do you have to question me?"

People were constantly passing through the hallway, and Gu Xiu did not want to draw attention like yesterday. He hurriedly explained, "I'm not questioning you. I'm worried about you."

"I don't need you to worry about me," Gu Chen said. "Just take care of yourself."

"I'm worried Huo Mingzhang will bully you. Did you have to make it sound so harsh?" Gu Xiu frowned. "What exactly have I done to offend you?"

"You haven't offended me. Can you just stay away from me?" After saying that, Gu Chen turned and left.

Gu Xiu's face turned livid with anger. Refusing to let it go, he chased after Gu Chen and grabbed his arm. "No! We have to make this clear today. Why are you taking your anger out on me just because someone said bad things about you?"

"We're brothers. Even if we're not blood-related, we've lived together for eighteen years. There should be some affection between us, right? Just because someone said a few bad things about you, you want to cut ties with me? What do you mean, Gu Chen? What do you take me for?"

Gu Chen shook off Gu Xiu's hand, said nothing, and turned to leave.

The moment he stepped outside the dorm building, he saw Huo Mingzhang standing at the entrance with his two childhood friends. Huo Mingzhang's eyes lit up when he saw Gu Chen, and he held out the breakfast in his hand. "I bought this for you."

Gu Chen raised a brow and took a step back, avoiding Huo Mingzhang's outstretched arm. "What for?"

"Yesterday, I..." Huo Mingzhang stammered, unable to force out an apology. He could only change the subject and ask Gu Chen, "How are you? Feeling any better?"

"I'm fine!" Gu Chen was somewhat impatient. He went around Huo Mingzhang and headed toward the cafeteria.