Qingqing Wasn't Playing Hard to Get

"Hey!"

On their way out to eat, someone ran past them, probably a Martial Artist or a Martial Cultivation practitioner. Zhang Suannai offered heartfelt praise: "So fast! Almost as fast as my dog!"

Then she turned to Ning Qing.

"Right?"

Ning Qing offered no opinion.

That did nothing to dampen Zhang Suannai's enthusiasm for conversation. "Which school are you in?"

"Astronomy and Cosmos."

"Oh, wow! Sounds fancy!"

"..."

"Why'd you choose that school?"

"Interest."

"What's your major?"

"Spatial and Planar Studies."

"Sounds pretty obscure, doesn't it?" Zhang Suannai paused and looked at Ning Qing with sincere eyes. "Did the other majors require higher scores? You couldn't get in?"

"I was specially admitted."

"Specially admitted? Impressive! I admire people who get in that way most!"

"Sounds like you were, too."

"Huh?" Zhang Suannai froze. She turned sideways to look at Ning Qing and kept walking like a crab. "How could you tell?"

"Guessed."

"Fine, fine. Then why'd you pick such a lousy major? There's no future in it."

"..."

Ning Qing no longer wanted to speak to her, or even look at her.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

Zhang Suannai apologized repeatedly. This was her roommate, after all. They still had four years together. It wouldn't do to drive her into changing dorms on the very first day.

Zhang Suannai took Ning Qing to the cafeteria closest to the dorms. Ning Qing's campus card hadn't been activated yet, but Zhang Suannai only told her when she was about to swipe it. Then she rushed ahead and paid with her own card before finding seats and calling Ning Qing over.

They sat facing each other.

The place was packed with new students and their parents. Fortunately, the cafeteria was large enough to seat several thousand people.

The cafeteria offered a huge variety of dishes. Supposedly, Ling'an Cafeteria served food from every corner of the country and all its major cuisines, leaving the food courts outside in the dust. Those food courts didn't necessarily taste any better, either. There was enough here to satisfy almost anyone's appetite.

But a cafeteria was still a cafeteria, with its limitations. If you loved food and were always hunting down good places to eat, you would find it just average.

Ning Qing had taken very little. For a first taste, she thought it was decent.

By the time she finished, Zhang Suannai was still working through the mountain of food she had taken. Ning Qing waited for her and took out her phone.

Chen Shu: [Image]

Ning Qing: Finished unpacking?

Chen Shu: Not yet

Ning Qing: Have you eaten?

Chen Shu: Just did. Had dry pot on the shopping street. It was so-so, not even as good as mine

Chen Shu: Had to stand in line, too

Chen Shu: Have you eaten?

Ning Qing: Just finished

Chen Shu: Was it good?

Ning Qing: Decent

Chen Shu: Eating alone?

Ning Qing: With a roommate

Chen Shu: Hm? How are you getting along with her?

Ning Qing: Not very well

Chen Shu: What happened?

Ning Qing: She's a little annoying, just like you, but I'd feel bad hitting her

Chen Shu: You actually think I'm annoying

Chen Shu: /waves hands, plants hands on hips, hmph

Ning Qing: But I can hit you

Chen Shu: Give it a little time. You'll get along better once you know each other. If you really can't, don't force yourself. Just switch dorms. You can switch dorms, right?

Ning Qing: We'll see

Chen Shu: Okay, I've got to get busy too

Ning Qing: Doing what?

Chen Shu: Remember all the stuff I bought online? It all arrived today and it's piled up at the parcel station. I can't carry it alone. Two of my roommates heard and offered to help. We've just finished eating, and they're about to come with me to pick it up

Ning Qing: Okay

Ning Qing put down her phone. Across from her, Zhang Suannai was nearly done eating and kept sneaking glances at her.

Zhang Suannai grinned. "Checking in with your parents?"

"Eat faster."

"Oh."

For once, Zhang Suannai obeyed, lowering her head and shoveling in food.

After eating, they returned to the dorm.

The dorm was still empty. Zhang Suannai sneakily opened Room One and peeked inside. It was empty too, much to her disappointment.

"No one's here yet."

Then she looked at Ning Qing. "When do you think our last roommate will arrive?"

"I don't know."

"Take a guess!"

"No."

"Come on, guess! If you're right, I'll stop bothering you."

"Do you mind cats?"

"Huh?"

"Do you mind keeping a cat in the dorm?"

"How did you jump topics so fast?" Zhang Suannai's eyes darted. "Guess when our new roommate will arrive, today or tomorrow. You pick one, and I'll pick the other. If you're right, I'll agree to the cat and help you convince our other roommate."

"And you can't bother me."

"But sometimes I can't control myseeeelf!"

"Try."

"Hmm..."

Zhang Suannai thought it over. That left plenty of room for interpretation, didn't it? She readily agreed. "It's a deal!"

"You guess first."

"Then I say today!"

"If you're wrong, I'm right."

"Straight to the point! I'm starting to like you!"

"..."

Ning Qing ignored her and quietly returned to her room. She looked around, then stepped onto the balcony.

It faced west.

West-facing balconies were unusual. Most faced north or south, though some faced east. A west-facing balcony got direct sunlight, and afternoon sunlight at that. Many people couldn't stand it. But for someone who wanted to grow roses on a balcony, nothing could be better.

Ning Qing examined it carefully. She already had a plan.

Outside her room,

Zhang Suannai fetched a small stool, sat by the door, and waited eagerly for their new roommate.

There was a noise on the stairs.

She leaned out to watch.

The person went upstairs.

She drew back, disappointed.

Another sound came from the stairs, and she leaned out again.

This time, someone came onto their floor and began checking the door numbers one by one. Zhang Suannai beamed and waved, greeting them warmly and asking for their room number.

Unfortunately, it was the room next door.

Zhang Suannai watched wistfully as the whole family went into the neighboring dorm.

Ah...

How dull.

Only when Ning Qing opened her door and came out, apparently on her way somewhere, did Zhang Suannai turn back. "Where are you going?"

"To pick up a package."

"Do you know where it is? I can take you."

"I know."

"What did you buy?"

"Daily necessities."

"You're not using the stuff the school gave us?" Ning Qing had already walked past her. Zhang Suannai had to tip her head far back to watch Ning Qing's profile turn into a view of her back. "Hey, hey, don't go yet! Did you buy a lot? I can help carry it."

"I have a spatial item."

"Oh, wow! Aren't those impossible to find even if you've got the money? You have something that expensive?"

"Sounds like you have one too."

Ning Qing never broke stride. She spoke as she walked toward the stairs, her voice so quiet that anyone with poorer hearing might have missed it.

Zhang Suannai's brows knitted together.

Had she given away how much she liked showing off?

"..."

She couldn't be bothered to think about it. She went back to waiting.

Ah...

Why weren't they here yet?

Jiang Lai carried a huge compressed latex mattress on his shoulder and a bag containing a quilt in his other hand. His expression was somewhat vacant.

Meng Chunqiu held a large parcel with many smaller ones stacked on top. He turned to Chen Shu with a numb look and swallowed. "Brother Chen, I never knew you had such a talent for construction."

"You flatter me."

Chen Shu was carrying so many things himself that his head was barely visible.

Fortunately, this was the parcel station closest to the dorms, only a ten-minute walk away.

They stopped and rested along the way, then made it back to the dorm.

"Thanks, both of you."

Chen Shu returned to his room and began unpacking and tidying up.

The room had a queen-sized bed with a nightstand on either side, a wardrobe, a small computer desk and chair, and a tiny spiritual-energy air conditioner.

At the far right end of the balcony stood a desk unit, beside a window that couldn't be opened. The desk was clearly custom-made. It was much bigger than the computer desk in the room, and its width matched the balcony exactly. It fit so neatly it wouldn't set off anyone's need for symmetry. It even came with a reading lamp and shelves.

There was nothing else.

The student who had lived there before him hadn't left him anything, not even a meditation cushion. The wardrobe and drawers were spotless. Or perhaps he had left things behind and the dorm manager had sold them all.

Spotless was fine too.

Chen Shu unpacked the compressed mattress first and left it to expand for half a day.

He put the quilt into its cover and the pillow into its case.

He took out the other daily necessities, electronics, clothes, shoes, hats, and odds and ends, putting each where it belonged.

The books he had brought went onto the shelves.

Little by little, the place began to look like a room.

"Buy an ergonomic chair.

"Buy a desk lamp.

"Buy a meditation cushion, the super-soft kind.

"Buy some snacks.

"And a whole case of happy soda.

"Perfect!"

Chen Shu opened a shopping app and started browsing.

Before long, it was dusk. He read for a while, studied some spells, and ate dinner. Night soon fell.

Before his daily cultivation, Chen Shu shut the balcony door, sat down at his desk, turned on his new laptop, logged into Feixin, and video-called Qingqing.

She answered quickly.

Ning Qing's face appeared on the screen, lovely and untouched by worldly dust.

Chen Shu grinned. "We haven't seen each other all day. Did you miss me, Qingqing?"

Ning Qing pursed her lips and answered honestly.

"Not yet."

"Not yet? When will you?"

"In a couple of days."

"Qingqing, you're not tsundere at all."

"What's tsundere?" Ning Qing tilted her head slightly toward him, her eyes fixed on the screen.

"It's when you want something but insist you don't. When you want it in your heart but say you don't. When you like someone..."

"I'm not sick."

"I wasn't finished."

"Then go on."

"When you like someone but insist you don't."

"Are you finished?"

"Yeah."

"I'm not sick."

"Qingqing, you're so cute."

"A little bit."

"Have all your roommates arrived?" Chen Shu asked again.

"I'm the only one here." Ning Qing's tone remained mild, just as it had been a moment ago. "The other one's a second-year."

"You have a second-year roommate? Is your school's dorm management that chaotic?"

"I don't know."

"So what's she doing now?"

"Waiting outside."

"Waiting for whom?"

"Her new roommate."

"Is her new roommate arriving today?"

"No."

"Oh..."