Sweet Oxygen - Chapter 36

Chapter 36 – Roommate

Go ahead and flirt

——

On August 31st, Qin Han reported to Normal University alone.

She had already scoured the internet for tips, prepared all necessary items, and even baked small cookies for her new roommate.

Qin Han’s home wasn’t far from Normal University. A subway transfer to a bus took about an hour. Since she could retrieve any forgotten items during weekend visits, she only brought one suitcase.

Just before leaving, Li Nan called to remind her to bring mosquito repellent liquid.

In Li Nan’s words, “Those mosquitoes starved for an entire summer are ravenous and waiting to feast on fresh blood from new students.”

The Normal University campus buzzed with activity. Colorful flags dotted the lawns, red welcome banners hung everywhere, and upperclassmen enthusiastically guided newcomers under school organization.

As Qin Han stepped through the university gates, she couldn’t deny feeling excitement and anticipation for college life. Yet these feelings were always tinged with suspicion.

She kept wondering, What must Zhang Yuqing have felt when he first entered this university?

The enrollment process went smoothly. Qin Han received her green student card but didn’t rush to the dormitory.

She dragged her suitcase, slowly wandering through the campus.

The Normal University exuded an antique yet warm charm. Ivy clung to the layers of the teaching building, while the library stood shockingly vast.

This was the university Zhang Yuqing had once attended.

Qin Han sent Zhang Yuqing several photos, hoping to reassure him.

In truth, Zhang Yuqing had never explicitly mentioned his past at Normal University. When Luo Shijin occasionally brought it up, Zhang Yuqing’s glance would silence him, forcing the man to close his mouth in defeat.

Last night’s sudden “little junior” address and “enjoy it for me” remark likely stemmed from sensing her lingering attachment to Yaonan Alley.

Zhang Yuqing always maintained his gentle demeanor, carefully managing others’ emotions.

Not long after Qin Han sent the photos, Zhang Yuqing called for a video chat.

This marked the first time Zhang Yuqing had initiated a video call with Qin Han. She hastily smoothed her hair while standing by the roadside before answering.

Zhang Yuqing’s face appeared on the screen, his eyes still carrying that familiar smile.

He asked, “Did this little girl handle registration alone?”

A sudden pride swelled in Qin Han as she lifted her chin slightly. “Yes!”

“Like the school?”

“I do.”

When Qin Han spoke to Zhang Yuqing, she didn’t realize how happy she felt.

Truthfully, when she saw parents sending off freshmen at the university entrance, she’d felt a twinge of envy.

Now that someone was sharing her excitement about starting school, Qin Han couldn’t stop talking. She recounted every step of the enrollment process before suddenly asking, “What should we eat for lunch?”

“I’m going to the cafeteria to check out their food,” Qin Han said, pulling her suitcase through the campus. “I read online that many universities have… let’s call it ‘creative’ cafeteria dishes. Like green onion fried with mooncakes, tomatoes sautéed with bananas, or oranges stir-fried with pork ribs! I wonder if they have anything like that here.”

Zhang Yuqing was probably sitting by the window of his tattoo studio, smiling as he listened. A gentle, reminiscing look in his eyes, he suddenly said, “Beijing Normal University has so many cafeterias. Have you heard the rumor that their cafeterias outnumber the male students?”

Qin Han paused. “Du Zhi said there used to be an incredible number of girls chasing after you.”

“Did you meet her?”

“No, she mentioned it during our last meeting.”

Zhang Yuqing laughed. “How does a vice dean end up telling children all these stories?”

He didn’t deny it, leaving Qin Han slightly distracted.

The campus was indeed full of girls. She could imagine how someone like Zhang Yuqing would be so popular among his female classmates.

Qin Han remained silent, but Zhang Yuqing suddenly reminded her with a smile, “Be careful when walking this path.”

*Careful?* She thought. I’m just walking on campus, not crossing a busy street.

“This is ‘Angel Path,'” Zhang Yuqing explained. “If you don’t walk quickly, you might get caught.”

Only then did Qin Han notice the white patterns on the ground—suddenly realizing they were bird droppings.

Zhang Yuqing mentioned that crows often perched on the wires and trees along this path at night, sometimes even during the day. Many girls carried umbrellas when walking this route.

He told her that Beijing Normal University’s library was the second largest in the capital.

He described the climbing ivy outside Jiao Ba teaching building as particularly beautiful.

He noted that the basketball court was somewhat small.

When Qin Han explored the campus alone, she simply found it an intriguing new environment.

But as Zhang Yuqing shared these details, she suddenly felt the university’s campus become more familiar and welcoming.

This was Zhang Yuqing’s home.

Their conversation continued from the east gate all the way to the cafeteria before Qin Han finally ended the video call. However, after trying the braised eggplant Zhang Yuqing had recommended at the cafeteria, she suddenly realized she might have made a mistake.

If someone speaks with familiarity about a place they’ve experienced, does it mean they truly enjoy that place?

Is it because of this fondness that memories become vivid? That they can speak about it so animatedly?

He did like Beijing Normal University.

Qin Han felt a pang of regret. She had only imagined Zhang Yuqing’s arrival at school would be like hers—full of curiosity about everything. She never considered he might have left campus with deep regrets.

This guilt lingered. As she dragged her suitcase to the dormitory building, Qin Han felt like she’d salted Zhang Yuqing’s wounds.

Dragging her suitcase upstairs, she found her dorm room number.

Registration had started two days ago, and today was the last day. The six-person dormitory only needed one more resident—her.

Just as Qin Han reached the dormitory door, it opened. A girl wearing a face mask and a nightgown stepped out.

The girl’s eyes widened in delight upon seeing Qin Han. She grabbed Qin Han’s hand and shouted, “Sisters, come quick! Our dorm’s last member has arrived!”

Her voice carried a distinct resemblance to Luo Shijin’s. The face mask wrinkled and nearly fell off. With a bold motion, the girl peeled it off and stuck it on her neck. “Qin Han, right? I’m Xie Ying. We’ve waited two days for you! We were just waiting for you to come so we could go out for a group dinner!”

Xie Ying eagerly took Qin Han’s suitcase and pulled her into the dormitory.

The other roommates gathered around, introducing themselves one by one.

The chubby one was Li Yuexiao, the tall and thin one was Sun Ziyi, the short-haired girl with glasses was Zhao Meng, and the long-haired girl with glasses was Fu Yu.

Qin Han opened her suitcase and took out cookies she had baked for her roommates.

Building friendships among girls was easy. They chatted about high school, discussed their college entrance exam scores, planned to buy some living supplies together, and even found a restaurant outside campus for a meal. Before long, they became close friends who could share anything.

The roommates were all nice, but Qin Han kept feeling distracted.

She worried that Zhang Yuqing might be upset because they had talked too much about Normal University today.

That night, Qin Han sat on her bed, still debating whether to send Zhang Yuqing a message.

But what should she say in the message?

She kept opening the chat window, then closing it. When Xie Ying returned from the bathroom, she suddenly patted Qin Han’s shoulder. “Did you argue with your boyfriend?”

Qin Han jumped in surprise. “I-I don’t have a boyfriend.”

“Then it’s someone you like,” Xie Ying said.

Qin Han hesitated, nodding while her face turned bright red.

“Qin Han, I think you’re really fun. Why are you blushing?”

“No, probably just the heat.”

“I have someone I like too, but he didn’t do well on his exams this year and had to repeat.”

Xie Ying’s bed was above Qin Han’s, but she didn’t climb up. Instead, she pulled a chair over and sat beside Qin Han, sighing contentedly. “I want to text him, but I’m worried it might affect his studies. I hope he can get into the capital next year—ideally at the university next door.”

Xie Ying’s personality was strikingly similar to Luo Shijin’s—outgoing and talkative, with no stranger shyness. When discussing her crush, she spoke with open warmth, reminiscent of long-married couples.

Qin Han found her personality quite appealing.

“Tell me about your guy then? Why isn’t he your boyfriend? Are you secretly in love?” Xie Ying perched herself on the edge of Qin Han’s bed, handing over a freshly washed peach.

Qin Han cradled the peach and her phone, shaking her head. “I already confessed.”

“Was he rejected?”

Xie Ying looked Qin Han up and down in surprise. “You’re a beautiful girl with a sweet personality—what’s lacking? What’s so special about him that he’d turn you down?”

“He thinks I’m too young.”

“Oh.”

Xie Ying’s gaze dropped to Qin Han’s chest, lingering briefly. “You’re not exactly small there. With those B-cup curves on such a slim frame, you’ve got plenty to offer.”

Qin Han’s face burned instantly. “I’m talking about age!”

Though none of the other dorm mates came over, they were all listening intently. Several girls lay sprawled on their beds, chuckling.

Li Yuexiao grabbed an unopened face mask from the table and tossed it over. “Xie Ying, you little rascal! Look at how you’ve scared poor Qin Han. Ha ha ha!”

Xie Ying caught the mask, tore it open, and slapped it on her face. “Thanks, my dear Yuexiao! Love you!”

After some more banter, Sun Ziyi steered the conversation back to Qin Han. “So, Qin Han, how old is this man you like? How can he think you’re too young? Sounds like a forbidden romance!”

“No, no,” Qin Han shook her head frantically. She had no experience with these kinds of conversations, her voice barely above a whisper. “He’s 23.”

Xie Ying pressed her hands against the face mask. “Twenty-three! That’s not so old! Go ahead and flirt—show him you’re not just some kid!”

“Flirt?”

Qin Han didn’t know what “flirt” meant. She looked at her roommates in confusion.

As she spoke, her unlocked phone accidentally opened Zhang Yuqing’s chat window. She hadn’t noticed—it seemed she’d accidentally sent him a long string of emojis.

Still oblivious, Qin Han continued listening to her friends’ advice.

“When a woman pursues a man, it’s like trying to catch a fish through a veil—easy enough, but you need to show off your feminine charm. Showing up bare-faced won’t do it, you know.”

Sun Ziyi also sat on Qin Han’s bed. “Little Qin Han looks so small and innocent. Look at Xie Ying, she’s much more mature.”

“You think I’m old?” Xie Ying teased, playfully pulling Qin Han into her arms. “Little Qin Han has this naive fairy vibe, not quite womanly enough.”

Qin Han’s face flushed crimson under their teasing. Just then, Zhang Yuqing called through video.

Glancing at her phone, Qin Han dropped the peach she was holding. It rolled onto the bed, leaving her face and neck equally flushed.

The roommates exchanged glances—the main subject of their private chatter had called.

“Should I take this video call?” Qin Han asked, hurriedly putting on her headphones and pointing at her phone with visible panic.

As Qin Han answered the call, Xie Ying suddenly rose from the lower bunk. Pretending to lose her balance, she steadied herself by grabbing Qin Han’s shoulder.

Sun Ziyi chuckled silently, then embraced Xie Ying in a conspiratorial hug. Their whispered exchange continued as Zhang Yuqing finished his call.

When Zhang Yuqing checked his phone, he found over twenty unread messages from Qin Han.

When he opened the messages, they were all emojis.

He knew the girl had a thin face, but this was the first time she’d sent him a flurry of messages like this.

Zhang Yuqing frowned slightly, feeling concerned.

Is she missing home because she’s not used to school?

Are her roommates giving her a hard time?

Or did she lose something in the crowded campus?

Zhang Yuqing called Qin Han, but the line went straight to voicemail.

He’d heard that some dorm buildings at Beijing Normal University had poor cell reception. He switched to video calling instead.

The girl answered quickly, cheeks and ears flushed pink from whatever she’d been doing.

Her collar was slightly askew, exposing pale skin and delicate collarbones.

Zhang Yuqing paused, but before he could speak, another girl’s voice boomed through the call:

“Hey Qin Han, some senior wants your number. You gonna give it to him? You know, that super-hot senior we met today!”

Zhang Yuqing, “…”