Jin Xia had thought someone had come looking for trouble. Only after taking a closer look did she realize it was Song Li, Zhang Niannian, and the others.
Zhang Niannian rushed forward and stood in front of Jin Xia. "You don't know this, but on registration day, loads of upperclassmen hang around the university gates asking for our QQ numbers under the pretense of helping us freshman girls with our luggage!"
Zhang Ru nodded furiously. "Don't give it to him! It's all a ploy!"
After a brief hesitation, Jin Xia parted her lips and slowly said, "Jin Xia."
Zhou You stepped forward excitedly, scratching his head with a grin. "Then, then what's your QQ number?"
With everyone watching, Jin Xia gave Zhou You her contact information.
At the end, she added, "I don't use QQ much. I usually use WeChat."
"WeChat? That's so grown-up. I always thought none of us university students used WeChat except the older girls doing internships."
Muttering, Zhang Niannian opened her friends list again. She only had twenty-odd contacts in total.
Eight of them were social media sellers!
Zhou You waved at Jin Xia. "I'll head off, then!"
"Okay."
Jin Xia nodded.
On their way back to the dorm, the girls crowded around Jin Xia, chattering nonstop.
Zhang Niannian, in particular, would be wasting her talents if she didn't end up working for a newsweekly or running a clickbait account.
"Xiaxia, tell me. Have you got your eye on that upperclassman? Why else would you exchange contact details with him?"
Zhang Niannian tugged gently at Jin Xia's backpack and continued, "But I saw advice people shared on Weibo saying that for freshmen like us, our top priority is studying, not dating!"
"..."
Jin Xia was speechless.
We only exchanged contact details. Isn't this a bit much?
She sighed and said mildly, "I've only just arrived, and I don't know the university very well. There's nothing wrong with having an upperclassman to ask for guidance."
Under everyone's stares, Jin Xia added helplessly, "I have no plans to date during university."
So what if this was university?
As far as Jin Xia was concerned, every student in the entire university was just a kid who hadn't even finished growing!
Considering how old she had been when she died in an accident in her previous life...
If she dated one of these "upperclassmen," could it even count as dating a younger man?
They were practically a generation apart!
Jin Xia and the others arrived at the dorm. The first thing they saw when they walked through the door was a luxurious large bed.
The silk bedding featured exquisite embroidery, and the shelf beside the bed was packed with skincare products. At a glance, not a single item looked cheap.
"Wh-whose bed is this? This is way too extravagant!"
Zhang Niannian turned around and instinctively looked at Jin Xia.
But Jin Xia simply walked straight toward a small bed by the window. She had chosen a simple, understated four-piece ramie bedding set with a distressed finish.
Most people would never have guessed that her natural ramie bedding set alone cost over ten thousand.
Carrying her newly purchased Prada handbag, Song Li hurried through the door, beaming. "It's my bed, of course! My brother transferred me a hundred thousand for living expenses yesterday out of nowhere! Help yourselves to all these skincare products and cosmetics!"
Hearing Song Li's words, Jin Xia couldn't help her lips curling upward.
So that was it...
She would never have guessed that someone as taciturn as Song Ming doted on his little sister so much!
"Hey, let's check out the cafeteria in a bit. I heard the food here is good and cheap! If it's really that tasty, I can save on food and spend the money on overnight sessions at an internet cafe!"
Looking excited, Zhang Ru linked arms with Meng Ya.
But Meng Ya shook her head. "I'm really tired today. I'm going to rest for a while, and I still have some forms to fill out."
"I'm not going. I'm putting on a face mask."
Song Li quickly declined as well.
Only Zhang Niannian was willing to accompany Zhang Ru to the cafeteria. Even as she was leaving, she remembered to turn back toward the others.
"Since none of you want to go to the dorm, never mind! If I see anything tasty, I'll get some to go and bring it back for you!"
Zhang Niannian waved at Jin Xia and the others, remembering to close the door behind her.
Jin Xia sat down at the computer desk, about to turn on her computer and check the market while it had just opened.
To her surprise, however, she couldn't find any Wi-Fi.
As she remembered it, 2015 was only ten years ago, and the iPhone 6S was about to come out. Yet the university dorm didn't even have internet?
Meng Ya looked at Jin Xia. "If we want an internet cable installed in the dorm, we need to notify our counselor. I need to use my computer too. Shall we split the cost of a connection?"
Notify the counselor? Have an internet cable installed?
What obscure terminology!
Ten years later, Wi-Fi coverage was incredibly extensive, and advertisements for 19.9 unlimited-data SIM cards were everywhere, on every street and alley.
Only then did she realize that she had already racked up five hundred in mobile data overage charges this month!
"Okay."
The corner of Jin Xia's mouth twitched as she shut down her computer.
"There's an upperclassman in room 301 who can arrange wired internet and data cards. I've already asked around for you."
Wearing a face mask, Song Li glanced at the messages on her phone screen as she spoke to Jin Xia without looking up.
Jin Xia nodded. "Thanks."
She got up to leave, but Song Li's voice sounded behind her again. "Oh, right. Her name is Liu Rui. Just tell her I sent you to get a data card. I'll transfer her the money in a bit!"
Song Li's words sounded a little odd to Jin Xia.
It was as though she were running errands for her.
Jin Xia said nothing. She opened the door and headed straight for room 301.
The moment she pushed the door open, the girl sitting inside instinctively turned around.
That familiar face left Jin Xia frozen in astonishment.
Liu Rui?
Wasn't she Fang Ruxin's lackey?
In her previous life, Jin Xia hadn't known Liu Rui's name, but she had often seen Fang Ruxin bringing Liu Rui to major business cocktail parties.
The reason Jin Xia knew Liu Rui was her lackey was simple.
Liu Rui hardly ever wore new evening gowns. Most were old styles Fang Ruxin had already worn.
Once, she had even seen with her own eyes that Liu Rui's high heels bore a custom logo with Fang Ruxin's name.
No wonder her facade had been torn apart in high society.
Fang Ruxin had probably known her identity all along and deliberately waited until the day she got engaged to Lu Mingchuan to expose her!
Jin Xia and Liu Rui stared at each other. After a brief hesitation, Jin Xia pushed the door farther open and continued inside. "Liu Rui, Song Li sent me to you to arrange an internet connection."
"Have a seat."
Liu Rui cast a sidelong glance at Jin Xia, sizing up her clothes, before saying languidly and arrogantly, "These are the data card and wired internet packages."
"No need to look."
The words slipped out of Jin Xia's mouth.
Liu Rui nodded. "Then take the cheapest option. This monthly package costs thirty-nine. Split it among the five people in your dorm, and it'll only be a few each per month. Sound good?"
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