Chapter 109: New Students Enrollment

The northbound train carried Li Mu and Zhao Kang away from Haizhou, the city where they had lived for nearly twenty years. Their parents disappeared from view on the platform, and while Zhao Kang remained lost in the melancholy of leaving home, Li Mu had long since adjusted his mindset. Sitting on the bench in the sleeper corridor, he gazed out the window at the swiftly passing scenery, his thoughts a torrent of reflection.

At over thirty years old, he had endured countless farewells before, and those partings had been truly sorrowful. It was the pain of watching aging parents from afar, unable to stay by their side, forced to embark alone on the journey of survival.

Yet, what comforted Li Mu now was how different everything was this time.

In his previous life, he had only headed north after graduating from university. This life, however, he had moved that moment four whole years earlier. Though he did not know exactly what Yanjing would look like in 2001, he was certain of one thing: Yanjing now brimmed with far more opportunities than it did in 2005, or than the Yanjing he once knew.

So there was no time to dwell on sadness. His mind was filled only with anticipation for Yanjing and his own future.

The train roared northward through the night. At eight o’clock the next morning, it arrived punctually at Yanjing station. Li Mu and Zhao Kang had already freshened up; from half an hour before entering Yanjing’s borders, the two stood pressed against the window admiring the passing scenes.

The train entered from Yanjing’s far southeast corner, the cityscape growing progressively more bustling until finally arriving at Yanjing station, situated on the city’s central Second Ring Road.

Amidst the surging crowds exiting the station, countless banners stretched across the expansive square, all welcoming new students. Zhao Kang wanted to find the banner for his own university, but Li Mu quickly dragged him to the roadside to hail a taxi.

Senior students waiting to greet newcomers at the station would only tell you how to take the bus to campus, sometimes even accompanying you if you were a pretty girl. But relying on them was no match for the convenience of a taxi.

Their schools were not far apart—less than two kilometers in a straight line. The taxi first dropped Zhao Kang at his university. They agreed to register separately, get familiar with their new environments, and meet up later.

Minutes later, Li Mu arrived at Renmin University. Many students registering that day stood in front of the grand gate, gazing at it with excitement. Li Mu, however, simply looked up at the four characters “Renmin University,” confirmed he was in the right place, then immediately slung his bag over his shoulder and stepped inside.

Compared to those accompanied by parents and carrying heavy luggage, he was carefree to the point of recklessness.

Inside campus, volunteers wearing red armbands with bright yellow characters “Welcome Volunteers” were everywhere.

Many freshmen sought out these volunteers for help with various questions, but Li Mu did not ask anyone. Instead, he glanced at a banner that, besides welcoming new students, indicated the registration hall was in the Qiuzhen Building. Using nearby signposts, he made his way there by himself.

Arriving effortlessly at the Qiuzhen Building, a curly-haired, pretty girl greeted him with a smile. “Are you here to register?”

“Yes.” Li Mu nodded. The girl was about 1.63 meters tall, delicate in appearance with fair skin, and most strikingly, two faint dimples appeared when she smiled.

She exclaimed in surprise, “I was wondering—did you really come alone? And only with a single backpack?”

Li Mu smiled, “Yes, I came alone, so I travel light.”

Curious, the girl found it strange that such a handsome, unfamiliar face would show up with only a backpack, looking unlike a typical freshman. Yet, it turned out he really was a new student.

“I’m Tian Tian, a sophomore from the School of Finance. I’m your senior. Which department are you in?”

Li Mu winked playfully. “Guess.”

Tian Tian’s heart fluttered at his mischievous smile, her cheeks flushing as she quickly looked away and stammered, “How could I guess? Could it be... the School of Finance?”

Li Mu nodded. “Finance.”

“Really?” Tian Tian exclaimed with joy. “Then we’re truly fellow students—I’m in Finance too!”

With her earlier nervousness forgotten, she excitedly said, “Come on, I’ll take you to register.”

Li Mu was pleasantly surprised, extending his hand. “Thank you, senior. I’m Li Mu. Please take care of me.”

Though he hadn’t attended a prestigious university in his past life, Li Mu knew well the importance of good relations with senior students of the same major. Their help would be invaluable for studies, exams, and even thesis work.

Tian Tian hesitated briefly but then shyly shook his hand, saying hurriedly, “Let’s go inside quickly.”

Following Tian Tian’s lead, Li Mu registered and paid his tuition with his card, then received his class and dormitory numbers.

“Courtyard One, Building Five, Room 606.”

Looking at the dorm number in Li Mu’s hand, Tian Tian offered, “The dorm buildings here are hard to find. Want me to show you the way?”

With a beautiful senior willing to guide him, Li Mu was more than happy. “That’d be great, Senior Tian Tian.”

She smiled again, revealing those two charming dimples. “Of course. Let’s go.”

Renmin University’s campus was vast, blending historic and modern buildings. Deeper inside, the paths grew confusing, but thanks to Tian Tian’s guidance, they finally arrived beneath Building Five in Courtyard One.

“You just need to pick up your bedding from the dorm office downstairs. I won’t go up with you—I have to return to Qiuzhen Building to help other freshmen.”

Li Mu quickly pulled out his phone. “Senior, could I have your number? It’d be easier to contact you later.”

Tian Tian hesitated but then shyly agreed. Though many male students often asked for her number, she rarely gave it out. Today, however, something about this new freshman made her immediately save her number into his phone.

Unexpectedly, she said, “Give me a buzz so I can save your number too.”

Li Mu laughed, “I haven’t gotten a local Yanjing SIM card yet. Once I do, I’ll message you.”

Tian Tian suddenly realized that most new students came from out of town and were roaming on their phones, which was expensive. She kindly advised, “There are China Mobile and China Unicom service centers near the West District cafeteria. You can get a card there when you have time.”

“Got it!” Li Mu nodded, waving goodbye as Tian Tian left.

After saving her number, Li Mu collected his brand-new bedding from the dorm office and headed straight for his room.

Pushing open the door to Room 606, a modest space was already crowded with seven or eight people.

Looking closely, three students and their parents occupied the room. Li Mu was the fourth to arrive. Everyone turned to look at him, parents especially surprised. A stylishly dressed aunt asked, “Young man, are you in this dorm?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Li Mu replied politely. “Hello, everyone, I’m Li Mu.”

Both students and parents returned the greeting. The aunt curiously asked, “Did you come alone? No family with you?”

“No, they’re busy.”

The aunt nodded. Li Mu then found his bed—number four, the middle lower bunk.

Room 606 was a six-person layout with three bunk beds arranged in a U-shape. Between them were three desks placed face to face in pairs. Near the door stood a double-layered locker.

As Li Mu put his bedding on the bed frame, the aunt who had just been helping her son organize luggage smiled and said, “Hey, young man, my son sleeps on the upper bunk above you.”

Upstairs, a boy bent over making his bed turned and smiled at Li Mu, speaking in authentic Beijing dialect. “Hello, Li Mu, I’m Li Yawei. We were family five hundred years ago!”

Li Mu smiled back. “Hello to the family.”

In northern Suzhou culture, people with the same surname call each other family. Li Yawei understood, grinning and gesturing toward his bed before returning to his task.

At that moment, a tall young man about 1.88 meters tall reached out from the lower bunk beside Li Mu. “Hi, I’m Hu Zhengdao.”

His upper bunk companion jumped down, his skin dark and sturdy-looking. “Hello, Sun Jian!”

Li Mu shook hands with both.

While they were finishing their beds, a slender young man wearing thick glasses and looking about fifteen entered alone—his name was Liu Nian.

After introductions and settling in, the parents left temporarily, leaving the five students alone, lightening the mood considerably.

The outgoing Li Yawei laughed, “They say the first thing to do at university is to line up dorm numbers. Let’s do that. I’m August 12, 1983. What about you guys?”

The tall Hu Zhengdao smirked, “Great, I’m not the youngest. May 5, 1983.”

Sun Jian raised his hand. “February 22, 1982!”

“Damn!” everyone exclaimed. “Sun Jian, you’re ancient!”

Sun Jian chuckled, “No choice. I didn’t do well last year, so I repeated a year.”

He then asked Li Mu, “What about you?”

“May 3, 1983.”

Hu Zhengdao grimaced. “Damn, Li Mu, you’re just two days older than me!”

Li Mu spread his hands. “Still older than you!”

The newcomer Liu Nian pushed up his glasses. “Hello, elder brothers. I’m the youngest—October 1983.”

Sun Jian nodded, smiling. “So, I’m the oldest, Li Mu second, Hu Zhengdao third, Li Yawei fourth, and Liu Nian fifth.”

Just then, the door was pushed open. A muscular young man about 1.7 meters tall grinned. “Already lining up numbers before everyone’s here?”

Everyone was startled by the sudden arrival but quickly recovered. Sun Jian laughed, “We’re just missing you. Introduce yourself!”

Muscle-bound fellow laughed. “Xue Jianfeng, from Qilu, March 1983. Where do I rank?”

Li Mu relaxed. “Great, I don’t have to be second anymore.”