Dorm Seven

Work-study students and self-funded students registered in different places.

Tang San followed the teacher to the left side of the main building.

The paperwork for work-study students was simple: submit proof, register a name, and collect a wooden plaque engraved with "Dorm Seven." The teacher pointed west of the playground and said it was the most run-down row of buildings. Tang San could find it himself.

Dorm Seven was easy to find. Its wooden door had lost most of its paint, and a plaque nailed to the doorframe bore a crookedly carved "Seven."

Tang San pushed the door open. The room was bigger than he had imagined, with a dozen or so plank beds lined up along the walls, each with a small cabinet at its head. It was dusty, but reasonably clean.

A few work-study students were sitting on their beds. When they saw the door open, they all turned to look.

A round-faced boy jumped down from the bed nearest the door. "New work-study student? I'm Wang Sheng. Pick any empty bed."

Tang San nodded and walked over to a bed by the window. The bare planks had nothing on them. He reached out and touched them; they were covered in a layer of dust. There was no quilt.

The door was pushed open again. A girl with a scorpion braid stood in the doorway, a small bundle on her back and her eyes big and bright. She swept her gaze around the room, pausing for a moment on Tang San, then walked in without hesitation.

"Is this Dorm Seven?"

Wang Sheng nodded. "Are you a new work-study student?"

"Mm." The girl held up her plaque, walked in, and stopped in front of an empty bed not far from Tang San's.

She reached out and felt the bed. It was empty. Then she opened the small cabinet at the head of the bed and looked inside. It was empty too. She turned and saw that the bed Tang San was sitting on was also bare.

"You don't have a quilt either?" she asked.

Tang San nodded.

"Then why don't we go buy some together?"

"All right." Tang San thought it was a good suggestion; he would have someone to go with.

The door was pushed open.

Wang Xingyu stood in the doorway with two quilts slung over his shoulder. He saw Tang San and Xiao Wu, then looked at the two bare beds behind them. The corners of his mouth lifted.

Tang San stood up. "You've registered?"

"I have." Wang Xingyu walked in, put the two quilts on Tang San's bed, and clapped the dust from his hands. "I told the teacher I wanted to transfer to Dorm Seven."

Tang San was taken aback. "You're a self-funded student."

"Can't self-funded students live in Dorm Seven?" Wang Xingyu sat down on the bed next to Tang San's. "I told the teacher I came with the work-study student from Holy Soul Village, and he let me come here."

Tang San said nothing, but moved over.

Xiao Wu turned back from the door, a somewhat aggrieved look in her eyes. They had just agreed to buy quilts together, but the two were talking and hadn't noticed.

Her gaze swept over the two of them and landed on the quilts. Her eyes lit up. She looked at Wang Xingyu, then at the quilts. "You brought quilts."

"Mm."

"Two of them."

"Mm."

Xiao Wu walked over to the quilts and reached out to feel the thicker one. "Your quilt is pretty nice."

"It's all right."

"It should be enough for two people."

Wang Xingyu's smile froze for a moment. He turned to look at Tang San. Tang San sat on the edge of the bed, his face largely expressionless, but the curve of his lips made Wang Xingyu want to hit him.

That's your wife! I deliberately didn't bring three quilts, so what are you laughing at?!

"No." Wang Xingyu looked at Xiao Wu. "Shouldn't you be sharing his quilt?"

Xiao Wu looked at Tang San, then at Wang Xingyu. "Why his?"

"Because he-" Wang Xingyu opened his mouth. He couldn't very well say it was because they were a couple in the original story. "Because his quilt is new too."

"Oh."

It seemed Xiao Wu wanted his quilt more. Was there a difference between the quilts?

Wang Xingyu fell silent for a moment.

Xiao Wu looked at Tang San, then at Wang Xingyu, her gaze circling between the two quilts. "So, will you lend it to me or not?"

Wang Xingyu was stumped.

Tang San finally spoke. "I'll share one quilt with Wang Xingyu tonight. Xiao Wu, you can use the other one."

Xiao Wu thought about it, then nodded. "All right." She picked up the thick quilt, carried it to the empty bed against the wall, and spread it out. She put her little bundle at the head of the bed as a pillow, took off her shoes, and lay down to try it. "Not bad."

Wang Xingyu watched Xiao Wu spread his quilt out neatly, then looked at Tang San. Tang San had already begun making the bed with the remaining thin quilt, shaking it open, folding it in half, and laying it on the planks with unhurried movements.

"If I'd known, I would've brought three quilts," Wang Xingyu said.

The corners of Tang San's mouth curved up.

Wang Xingyu was truly at a loss for words. That's your wife, your wife! Even if you're an adult, she's a rabbit hundreds of thousands of years old.

The quilt was laid out. It wasn't big; just enough to cover two people, and they would have to fight over it if either rolled over.

Wang Xingyu sat on the edge of the bed and looked to his left. Xiao Wu was wrapped in the thick quilt, facing the wall. Her scorpion braid had been undone, her hair spread across the pillow, and her eyes were already closed. He looked to his right. Tang San lay on his back, leaving half the bed for him.

The door was pushed open again. Wang Sheng poked his head in and looked at Tang San, then at Wang Xingyu.

"Oh, right, Dorm Seven has a rule. The strongest is the boss. Newcomers have to fight the current boss. Win, and you take over; lose, and you behave yourself." He patted his chest. "I'm the current boss. Which of you wants to go first?"

Wang Xingyu flopped onto the bed. "I'm not fighting. With level-four Soul Power, I'd just be handing you a win. Little San, you go."

Wang Sheng was taken aback. "Level four? Then there really is no need to fight." He looked back at Tang San. "What about you?"

Tang San stood up. "I'll do it."

The match didn't last long. Wang Sheng used Martial Soul Possession: War Tiger, Power Attack System.

Tang San barely moved. With a few shifting steps, he made every one of Wang Sheng's punches miss. Then Tang San struck his shoulder with a palm, sending Wang Sheng stumbling back five or six steps until he hit the edge of a bed.

"I lost. You're the boss from now on." Wang Sheng rubbed his shoulder.

Tang San was about to speak when Xiao Wu sat up in her quilt. "Wait. All newcomers have to fight, right? Then I'll fight him." She pointed at Tang San.

Wang Sheng stepped aside. Xiao Wu jumped off the bed, flung her scorpion braid back, and was already moving. She kicked off the floor, sprang into the air, twisted at the waist, and chopped one leg down from above. Tang San dodged to the side and reached for her ankle, but Xiao Wu flipped in midair, hooked her other leg around his arm, and twisted with the strength of her waist. Tang San was spun halfway around and staggered two steps.

Xiao Wu landed and clapped her hands. "You lost."

Tang San looked at her, fell silent for a second, then nodded. "You win."

Xiao Wu turned to Wang Sheng. "Who's the boss now?"

"You. You're the boss," Wang Sheng said at once.

Xiao Wu nodded in satisfaction, climbed back onto her bed, and wrapped herself in the quilt. "Call me Sister Xiao Wu from now on."

Wang Xingyu leaned against the head of the bed, watching the scene. In the original story, Tang San had defeated Wang Sheng and become the boss, then Xiao Wu had defeated Tang San and become the boss. This time the quilts had taken a detour, but the boss's position hadn't changed at all.

Xiao Wu suddenly pointed at Wang Xingyu. "You."

"I don't need to fight. Level-four Soul Power," Wang Xingyu said at once.

Xiao Wu nodded. "All right. I'll protect you from now on."

"Many thanks, Sister Xiao Wu."

Xiao Wu was very pleased with the way he addressed her. She lay back down, wrapped in the thick quilt, and before long her breathing grew even.

Wang Xingyu lay down. The quilt wasn't big, and he and Tang San each pulled at one half, barely managing to cover themselves. Wang Xingyu stared at the ceiling, thinking he definitely had to buy another quilt tomorrow.

"You said just now that if you'd known, you would've brought three quilts." Tang San's voice came softly from beside him.

"Mm."

"Why?"

Wang Xingyu rolled over to face the wall. "Go to sleep."

Wang Xingyu was speechless.