Chapter 95 - Extra 2: The Start of University
“Ah Qian——here!”
As soon as Lin Qian and Zheng PingQing walked out into the airport hall, they saw Lin YaZhi standing amongst the crowd, waving at them. Chen ShiYi was next to Lin YaZhi, nervously looking towards them.
Lin YaZhi and Chen ShiYi worked in the capital. After confirming with Lin Qian and Zheng PingQing that they both had been admitted to Universities in the capital, Lin YaZhi and Chen ShiYi applied for leave. They managed to win a precious day off, so they came to pick up their two sons and bring them to their universities.
“Dad, Auntie.” Lin Qian stepped forward and hugged Lin YaZhi.
Zheng PingQing also came forward to greet their parents. “Mom.”
Chen ShiYi and Zheng PingQing hadn’t seen each other for a long time, so Chen ShiYi excitedly hugged her son. “PingQing, I’m so proud that you’re attending a University in the capital!”
“This is the perfect example to showcase just how amazing the power of love can truly be.” Zheng PingQing solemnly replied. Then, he turned to Lin YaZhi and asked: “Isn’t that right, father-in-law?”
Lin YaZhi: “…” This son-of-a-b.i.t.c.h really believes that I won’t beat him up in front of Chen ShiYi, ah.
Chen ShiYi: “…” If Lin YaZhi beat up Zheng PingQing right now, I wonder if I’ll end up helping him beat this stinky son of mine.
The husband and wife both fell into thought.
“Let’s go. We’ll bring you to your university first.” Chen ShiYi’s excitement instantly cooled down, and she quietly turned around to lead everyone out of the airport.
Lin YaZhi took advantage of Chen ShiYi’s averted gaze to punch Zheng PingQing. He harshly whispered: “You’re not allowed to call me father-in-law, you little b.a.s.t.a.r.d!”
“Then what am I supposed to call you?” Zheng PingQing asked, puzzled. “Father?”
Lin YaZhi: “…”
Lin Qian quietly stepped between the two and said with a smile: “I’m so happy to see you two get along.”
Lin YaZhi, who was forced to swallow down his curses: “…”
Lin YaZhi reluctantly stretched out a hand to pinch Zheng PingQing’s cheek and smiled at Lin Qian. “I’m also pleased. So, so very pleased…”
Zheng PingQing’s face was pinched and squeezed, but maybe it was because his face was simply too incredibly thick, but Zheng PingQing’s expression remained unchanged. He calmly said: “As long as Father is happy, then I rest a.s.sured.”
Lin YaZhi: …this father is very, very unhappy, ah.
When the family left the airport, a luxury car and driver were waiting for them by the roadside. Naturally, this was arranged by Zheng BuLu.
Zheng BuLu had initially wanted to come over too, but he was stopped by the mountains of work that was suddenly thrust upon him. In the end, he could only provide a means of transportation to express his feelings.
In the car, Lin YaZhi received a call from Zheng BuLu.
Lin YaZhi answered the call in a brisk tone. “Old Zheng, you called at just the right moment. We just got in the car.”
Since Lin YaZhi was now absolutely sure that Chen ShiYi and Zheng BuLu had no sparks between them whatsoever, he found Zheng BuLu a lot more pleasing to the eye.
Unfortunately, for Zheng BuLu, it was the opposite.
“That’s good.” Zheng BuLu’s voice was very polite. It lacked the closeness and warmth it used to have when they first met. “The kids have troubled you.”
“What trouble?” Lin YaZhi said in a bright and clear tone. “They’re both mine and Chen ShiYi’s children, ah. This is something I was originally supposed to do.”
Zheng BuLu: “k2026;” He had the faint feeling that his little child is being taken advantage of, but in the end, he didn’t dare question Lin YaZhi’s words.
Zheng BuLu and Lin YaZhi chatted for a while, and after a brief conversation with Zheng PingQing and Lin Qian, they ended the call.
Before Lin YaZhi hung up the phone, he thanked Zheng BuLu for helping to arrange this trip.
The main reason for his kind words was because Lin YaZhi thought that Zheng BuLu was feeling betrayed about the way their friendship started. Lin YaZhi also thought that Zheng BuLu was feeling sad that he had been the last parent to find out about Lin Qian and Zheng PingQing’s relationship. Somewhat sympathetic, Lin YaZhi’s att.i.tude towards Zheng BuLu had become much more sincere compared to when they first met.
Before, Zheng BuLu definitely saw Lin YaZhi as a literati- someone whose words and deeds were full of politeness and manners.
But now…well, they definitely couldn’t go back to their past camaraderie.
……
Lin Qian’s university and Zheng PingQing’s university was only two blocks apart. Therefore, they all decided to send Lin Qian to University A together.
University A was worthy of being called a prestigious and elite school. The campus buildings were old, but they were well-maintained. So instead of looking shabby, the place looked timeless and loftily antique.
There were still two days before the official start of the semester, but many old students have returned to school, and a lot of new students have already reported in advance. The school gate was full of people.
Both Lin Qian and Zheng PingQing were second-time university students and were quite experienced in the whole process, so they didn’t hesitate to approach a welcome booth and ask where his dormitory was. The student sister operating the booth was enthusiastic and immediately offered to lead the way for them.
With the older sister leading the way, the two parents and two freshmen followed behind her, curiously looking around at this school environment.
Lin YaZhi had to go to universities sometimes for his job, but this was the first time he could actually look around instead of rush about in a hurry. What’s more, at the thought of Lin Qian spending the next four years here, his perspective undoubtedly changed.
Chen ShiYi turned to him with a smile and commented: “University A is truly worth its reputation. This school’s environment is really good.”
At her words, the stone crushing Lin YaZhi’s heart finally fell off.
Although the buildings were filled with decades’ worth of traces, the campus greenery was good, and hundred-year-old trees lined the straight and clean school road.
The most important thing was that the students they met along the way were either in high spirits, or quiet and tranquil. Some of them talked about the new semester’s curriculum, while some cheerfully chatted about recent events. Anyone seeing these students would feel energetic and full of hope.
The people were the most crucial aspect of a good environment.
“Here it is.” The sister pointed to a dormitory. “Your dormitory is on the third floor. I’ll go up with you.”
Students weren’t usually allowed to visit the dormitories of the opposite gender, but open days were the exception.
“We’ll be troubling you.” Lin Qian nodded in thanks, then went to pick up his luggage. But he couldn’t even touch his suitcase before Lin YaZhi took it away from him. Lin YaZhi said: “Let’s go.”
Lin Qian smiled and accepted his help. Lin YaZhi hadn’t been able to see his son and daughter much after he went back to his old job, so Lin YaZhi liked to take care of his children as much as he could whenever he had the chance.
As for Lin Qian, this was a new experience.
In his past life, when he started university for the first time, he went to a new city alone and completed all of the admission procedures on his own.
Now, there was someone to help him.
This help didn’t bother him. Instead, it warmed his heart.
The freshmen dormitory was a standard six-person room. When Lin Qian arrived in his room, there were only two people inside, and three beds were empty.
“h.e.l.lo.” Lin Qian greeted his two dorm-mates who were making their beds.
The two boys, one fat and one thin, raised their heads to greet him.
However, when the thin boy raised his head, Lin Qian and Zheng PingQing looked at him, then at each other in surprise.
This thin dorm-mate was named Gao TianShui. He had been Lin Qian’s cla.s.smate in his last life when he was studying for his master’s degree. Gao TianShui came from a mountain village, and his home-life hadn’t been good, but he was a hard worker and would later be recommended for postgraduate studies.
Gao TianShui had a high IQ and made several achievements in their last life. He had been regarded as a golden phoenix who flew away from poverty and into success. However, to Lin Qian, Gao TianShui didn’t achieve all of his potential in their last life. His background, lack of resources, and vision eventually limited his success.
Lin Qian actually had a good impression of Gao TianShui, despite the fact that they didn’t have much contact with each other.
Lin Qian didn’t know that Gao TianShui studied at University A. What’s more, they actually became cla.s.smates in this life.
The Gao TianShui in Lin Qian’s memory didn’t deviate from the boy in front of him. He was still just as quiet as Lin Qian remembered. After greeting Lin Qian, Gao TianShui silently went back to doing his own thing.
Compared to this, Lin Qian’s fat dorm-mate named Ai Wei was a very lively boy. After introducing himself, he started to ridicule his name: “People just don’t worry enough when thinking of a name for their children, ah. In fact, you don’t even need to try so hard if you don’t want to. You can just search online for celebrity names and copy their names or h.o.m.onyms. Honestly, it’s not that I want to complain, but ever since Avril Lavigne debuted and became popular in this country, I haven’t had a good life…”
Zheng PingQing calmly interrupted his ramblings to answer: “Oh, it doesn’t matter since we’re not going to have children.”
Ai Wei told him: “In the future, I mean! You might not have children right now, but in the future, you have to name your children very carefully…”
As he spoke, Ai Wei’s body tilted in a 45-degree angle, and his demeanor became gloomy. “I used to tell my cla.s.smates: “I may be a fatty, and my hair might be thinning, but I’m still a good boy, ah.”
Lin Qian comforted him: “Don’t be sad, ah. In a few years, everyone born in the "90s will be bald.”
Ai Wei: “….?” He’s told a lot of people about his unfortunate name, but this was the first time he had ever received such a reply.
While Lin Qian was socializing with his new roommates, Chen ShiYi set out to clean up Lin Qian’s area.
While Lin Qian let Lin YaZhi carry his suitcase to make his father feel like he was taking good care of his children, this didn’t mean that he would allow his elders to clean up for him.
“Auntie, I’ll sort things myself, ah. Please don’t worry about it.” Lin Qian stopped Chen ShiYi. Then, noticing that Lin YaZhi also wanted to clean up for him, he quickly said: “Look at my dorm-mates, ah. They’re both fixing their beds on their own. If I asked you to help me, how will I be able to integrate myself into this dorm in the future?”
At his insistence, Chen ShiYi could only give up.
But Lin YaZhi was still a little worried. “Can you do it yourself?”
Lin Qian didn’t answer as Zheng PingQing b.u.t.ted in and said: “Don’t worry, I’m here. I’ll come back later and help him sort his stuff.”
Lin YaZhi looked at Zheng PingQing up and down in suspicion but reluctantly acquiesced. “Alright…I’ll trust you this one time.”
After putting down Lin Qian’s suitcase, they all went to L University to do Zheng PingQing’s admission procedures.
Because of his excellent appearance, Zheng PingQing only had to show his face, and the sister operating the booth immediately walked them to Zheng PingQing’s dormitory.
Chen ShiYi commented: “I didn’t expect the two universities to be so close, ah. It’s great that you two will be able to take care of each other during your time here.”
Zheng PingQing smiled. “Of course, ah. Before I even applied for this university, I checked the distance between University L and University A. One kilometer more, and I would’ve gone to University Z.”
Chen ShiYi: “…”
University Z’s ranking was at least a hundred places below University L.
Chen ShiYi suddenly had the greatest urge to ask Lin YaZhi to beat up her son.
When they arrived at the dormitory, the sister that led the way told them: “Your dorm room is on the fifth floor. It’s neither too high nor too low, very nice. I’ll take you up.”
Walking up to the fifth floor usually isn’t that of a big deal, but with the added suitcase in his arms, it was still a bit of a burden.
Zheng PingQing gave Lin YaZhi an expectant look.
Lin YaZhi ignored Zheng PingQing’s glance and politely said to the sister: “We’ve troubled you.”
After that, he walked up the stairs and left Zheng PingQing and his heavy luggage on the first floor.
Zheng PingQing: “….” Tsk, in the end, the treatment compared to one’s biological child is different.
Zheng PingQing was moderately lucky as University L recently changed their accommodations a few years ago from six-person rooms to four-person rooms. When he entered his room, there was only one person inside.
After greeting his roommate, Chen ShiYi said: “PingQing, just put your suitcase away for now. Let’s have a meal together first.”
With a light ‘Nn,’ Zheng PingQing pushed his suitcase under his table and turned to leave. However, he suddenly felt something amiss.
Zheng PingQing thought for a moment, then looked at Chen ShiYi: “Mom, aren’t you going to say something?”
Chen ShiYi was confused. “What do you want me to say?”
Zheng PingQing pointed toward his bed: “Like offer to help clean up or something?”
Chen ShiYi furrowed her brows. “Ah Qian didn’t let his elders clean up after him, yet you take the initiative and ask your own mother to do this?”
Zheng PingQing: “…”
No, his mother didn’t treat him like this before, ah!
Lin YaZhi also became doubtful. “You want your own mother to clean up your bed? Are you really doing to help Ah Qian unpack later?”
Zheng PingQing: “….”
Ah, the mystery’s been solved. It must be father-in-law who was whispering things in his mother"s ears!
A vengeful Zheng PingQing looked towards Lin YaZhi, intending to retaliate by shaking the man’s mental state. He said: “By the way, there’s something I almost forgot to say to father-in-law.”
Lin YaZhi, who immediately knew that Zheng PingQing was about to say something terrible due to his expression, promptly refused. “I won’t listen.”
Of course, Zheng PingQing wasn’t the type of person who would stay quiet just because someone didn’t want to listen to him. With a smile, he continued: “I proposed to Lin Qian, and he accepted. He’s no longer my boyfriend, but my fiancee.”
Zheng PingQing tugged at Lin Qian’s hand and showed off the glittering rings on their fingers. “Look.”
Lin YaZhi: “!!!”
In the end of the day, Chen ShiYi still loved her son. She quickly rushed to stop Lin YaZhi and said: “YaZhu, just forget it, forget it…”