Chapter 41: Lessons Learned

The greatest perk of college life is freedom; no one forces you to do anything, and no one strictly forbids it either. Over the course of four years, some people transform into computer prodigies, some max out every class in video games, some unexpectedly become fathers, and some notch up a legendary list of conquests...

Take Dormitory 303, for example. Despite everyone worrying about failing their exams, most of their time over the past two days had been spent playing Fight the Landlord.

Playing Fight the Landlord had recently become all the rage in Jianwu City. Four people, two decks of cards, three against one.

In his past life, Zhao Zejun had played alongside clients. While he wouldn't dare claim his gambling skills were supernatural, they were at least seasoned and refined. Fight the Landlord, Mahjong, Pai Gow, and later even Guandan—he excelled at them all. When it came to card games in particular, he could practically calculate every card remaining in his opponents' hands.

Freed from the pressures of business in this life, and with no need to intentionally lose money, playing cards was purely a relaxation method for him. He utterly crushed the group of rookies in his dorm, quickly drinking the huge bucket of cold water set aside as the wager down to the last drop.

"Old Zhao, you haven't taken a single sip of water all morning. Aren't you thirsty at all?" Guo Xiaochao asked with a depressed expression, clutching his bloated stomach.

Sun Yahui, known as the God of Stations, let out a watery burp. "Did you cheat? It's like you know every card we're holding! Three Kings with a pair!"

Casually tossing down three twos with a pair of threes, Zhao Zejun blocked Sun Yahui's winning play. "What's so hard about that? There are over a hundred cards across two decks, you can just calculate it."

"I think you're an old-school professional gambler," Wang Fengcheng said, tossing his cards onto the table. He honestly poured himself a large enamel mug of cold water, chugged it down, and declared, "I'm done playing. I'm going to the library to review."

"The professors give out key review points a few days before the exams, what the hell are you studying now for?" Sun Yahui protested. "Another round, another round!"

Back in the dorm, Zhao Zejun was frequently out staying elsewhere. Bai Jun, the guy who initially fought Zhao Zejun for a bed space, was often out doing his own thing, while Ou Chen had been deeply wrapped up with his girlfriend lately and was rarely seen.

"We're all human, so why is the gap so huge? Ou Chen is living the dream, while you guys are still stuck talking philosophy with Miss Five every single day. Keep going like this, and there's not a shred of hope left in life!"

Mentioning Ou Chen left Guo Xiaochao feeling somewhat glum, and he asked Zhao Zejun, "Old Zhao, isn't your sister at Sunan University? Sunan University is packed with beauties, why don't you have your sister set us up with a few?"

"A few? You can't even handle girls in your own school, and you're trying to hit on girls from theirs?" Wang Fengcheng rolled his eyes.

"You don't understand this. Rabbits don't eat grass near their burrow; I'm just letting quality resources go to the comrades who need them most!" Guo Xiaochao retorted.

"What's so great about women anyway?!" muttered the God of Stations, Sun Yahui. "With that kind of time and money, you're much better off playing video games."

A brief silence fell over the dormitory. Several people, including Zhao Zejun, looked at Sun Yahui with profound pity.

"Haven't you heard what people say? Romance gives the other person the ability to hurt you—it's way too dangerous." Sun Yahui waved his hand deeply, a profound light shining behind his thick spectacle lenses, and turned to look at the others with even deeper sympathy. "You guys just don't understand."

As Guo Xiaochao shuffled the cards, he offhandedly remarked, "The God of Stations actually makes a point. Besides, how many campus relationships actually survive out in the real world?"

"You think everyone is like Ou Chen, playing for true love," Zhao Zejun said with a smile.

"Then tell us, what's the point of dating in college?" the remaining three players at the table asked Zhao Zejun in unison.

Zhao Zejun thought for a moment, then answered with a completely straight face, "Two words: release."

A brief silence descended upon the room. Guo Xiaochao burst out laughing, spitting a mouthful of water all over the God of Stations, Sun Yahui. Wang Fengcheng nodded as if pondering something profound and gave Zhao Zejun a thumbs-up. "Brilliant!"

"Mhm, makes sense, makes sense." Sun Yahui shook his head, opened his palm, waved it at everyone, and said, "Since it's all about release anyway, see this? I've had a 'girlfriend' ever since I was thirteen years old."

The dorm erupted in laughter. Even Zhao Zejun couldn't help laughing, saying, "You deserve to stay single for the rest of your life, kid."

"I'm done talking with you guys, I'm going to play video games."

"Hey, are you seriously planning on failing your classes? Final exams are right around the corner, you aren't going to review?" Guo Xiaochao put the playing cards away and asked from behind.

"If I don't game till I'm satisfied, how could I possibly have the heart to study?" Sun Yahui waved his hand, leaving the others with his retreating back.

Not long after Sun Yahui left, Ou Chen returned, his face glowing with health.

Guo Xiaochao looked up with a teasing grin. "Oho, you've got great color today. Did you finally score?"

"Hell no, I'm just freezing my ass off." Shivering, Ou Chen walked over to the dorm's radiator, stretched his hands out near the pipes to warm up for a moment, and then changed into a very old down jacket, preparing to head out again in a hurry.

Wang Fengcheng watched him change clothes out of the corner of his eye. "Tell me, you get six or seven hundred yuan a month in living expenses, and it's still not enough? You're even out working part-time—your girlfriend must be a massive spender."

"Yingying's family doesn't have much money, and she's turning twenty years old this year. I want to save up some cash to buy her a cellphone."

Mentioning his girlfriend Shen Yingying, Ou Chen couldn't hide a trace of pride. "Don't get me wrong, she's never asked me for a single thing. Whenever we go out, she always picks the cheapest diners. The more she's like that, the more I want to give her."

"Young girls love flash, madams love cash; the girls these days want both the flash and the cash..."

Guo Xiaochao rambled off casually, but halfway through his sentence, Zhao Zejun shot him a glare. The comparison was far too crude; bringing up madams and courtesans—how could he say something like that about a roommate's girlfriend?

Guo Xiaochao caught himself, cut his sentence short, gave an awkward laugh, and said to Ou Chen, "Slip of the tongue, total slip of the tongue. Don't misunderstand, I didn't mean anything by it, I just didn't want to see you get taken advantage of."

"I know you mean well. Old Zhao, don't give him a hard time, isn't Guo Xiaochao always talking like this?" Ou Chen smiled. "Besides, Shen Yingying is different from other girls; she's definitely not a gold-digger. My current part-time job at the library was actually introduced to me through a connection she pulled."

Checking the time, he added, "I have to run, I'm heading out. Next time I get the chance, I'll bring her along to treat you all to a meal. Once you get to know her, you'll understand."

After Ou Chen left, Guo Xiaochao let out a soft sigh. Zhao Zejun glanced at the doorway, making sure Ou Chen was truly out of earshot, before asking, "Were you about to say something to Ou Chen just now?"

"You picked up on that?" Guo Xiaochao muttered.

"You guy, you might talk nonsense all the time, but you usually have some boundaries. When you started bringing up courtesans and madams just now, I knew something was off," Zhao Zejun said.

"It's really nothing much," Guo Xiaochao shook his head and said. "When I was playing Legend with Sun Yahui, I got to know a senior from Shen Yingying's class. When her name came up, I heard she's extremely calculating. I was just worried Ou Chen would get hurt."

"The lessons people are meant to learn can't be avoided. His head is full of hormones right now, he won't listen to a word you say. If you say too much, he might even think you're trying to drive a wedge between them," Zhao Zejun said.

"True." Guo Xiaochao cast a sidelong glance at Zhao Zejun and gave a weird smile. "Old Zhao, you sound awfully experienced."

"My past isn't experience; it's all lessons learned the hard way," Zhao Zejun laughed.