Chapter 26: The Vicious Fake Young Master of a Wealthy Family · 26

As the weekend approached, the injury on Su Wenyu’s ankle had improved somewhat; he could walk by putting a little weight on it.

Using the walker, Su Wenyu moved swift as the wind. Because he’d eaten too much at lunch and his stomach felt a bit bloated, to avoid indigestion, he paced back and forth several times in the corridor outside the dorm.

Only when Zhou Xu opened the door to remind him not to overdo the exercise did Su Wenyu execute a single-legged drift using the walker, braking to a stop right at the doorway.

Zhou Xu watched this maneuver and commented ambiguously, “Looks like your foot is better.”

Su Wenyu’s grin vanished instantly. He obediently used the walker and limped, hobbling, into the dorm.

Saturday night, Su Wenyu still slept on the floor mat.

The feeling of lying on the floor the moment he returned to the dorm had already deeply captivated him. If it weren’t for the new freshmen registering tomorrow, he really would have liked to just sleep on the floor until graduation.

Sunday morning, Su Wenyu didn’t sleep in either. He got up early to wash up, then, with Zhou Xu’s help, moved the bedding back onto the top bunk.

“Want to eat at the cafeteria today?” Zhou Xu asked after tidying his own bed, hopping down the ladder in two steps.

Su Wenyu’s face lit up with pleasant surprise: “I can go to the cafeteria?”

Zhou Xu: “…”

“You can go if you want to.”

Why was he saying it like he’d been forbidding him?

During the week, the cafeteria was too crowded. Zhou Xu was only worried Su Wenyu might be jostled and reinjure himself, so he’d brought food back to the dorm.

If Su Wenyu had asked to go to the cafeteria, Zhou Xu wouldn’t have refused. At most, he’d have told him to find a seat in the corner and sit tight, not wandering around.

Su Wenyu was incredibly excited about going to the cafeteria for the first time.

He changed his clothes, then sat in his chair to put on his shoes.

Once everything was ready, he stood at the dorm entrance in high spirits, waiting for Zhou Xu to go to the cafeteria together.

Zhou Xu grabbed the trash bag, his phone, and IC card. After confirming the dorm door was properly shut, he led Su Wenyu downstairs.

Going down, Su Wenyu’s ankle was slightly uncomfortable. He gripped the handrail with both hands and hopped down step by step on one foot.

Zhou Xu walked in front of him; if Su Wenyu suddenly slipped, he’d have time to catch him.

Once outside the dorm building, Zhou Xu told Su Wenyu to stay put. He crossed the street to toss the trash, then came back to take him to the cafeteria.

At seven-thirty on a Sunday morning, the cafeteria nearest the male dormitory was quite empty and quiet. A glance around showed hardly any people inside.

Su Wenyu was a little curious: “Why are there so few people? And it seems like not much food is out…”

Only two windows on the first floor were open—a noodle shop and another selling various steamed buns, pancakes, and rice porridge.

“Most people aren’t awake yet. They sleep until noon or afternoon and just eat one meal then,” Zhou Xu said. In his previous school, his roommates mostly kept that kind of schedule.

“Oh.” Su Wenyu looked at Zhou Xu a few extra times, curious why he didn’t sleep in.

It seemed like even during the summer break at the Su residence, Zhou Xu never slept late and had even kept up his morning runs.

A male university student with terrifyingly strong self-discipline.

Although they were the same age, Su Wenyu always felt Zhou Xu was much more mature and steady than him.

“Want porridge or noodles?” Zhou Xu asked, looking down, interrupting his wandering thoughts.

At the mention of food, Su Wenyu immediately reined in his scattered thoughts and limped quickly over to the breakfast window, carefully making his selection.

Zhou Xu didn’t eat much in the morning. Two steamed buns, a boiled egg, and a bowl of purple sweet potato porridge was enough for him.

Seeing Su Wenyu looked like he wanted one of everything, Zhou Xu spoke up to warn him: “It’s only a little over three hours until lunch. Don’t eat too much this morning.”

Su Wenyu could only, with great forbearance, select from all that delicious food just pan-fried buns, potstickers, and a cup of soy milk with added sugar.

After carrying their trays to an empty spot, Su Wenyu sat across from Zhou Xu, eating one pan-fried bun after another with utter seriousness.

Zhou Xu felt that every time Su Wenyu ate, he treated the food with a kind of devout reverence.

Sometimes Zhou Xu even wondered if Su Wenyu had suffered some kind of mistreatment in the Su family. But looking at how the Su household servants treated him, that didn’t seem likely, and the concern shown by Shi Pei and Su Duanhong didn’t seem fake either.

Zhou Xu glanced at Su Wenyu’s slender wrists and frowned. He eats so much, but where does the meat even go?

After breakfast, Zhou Xu took Su Wenyu for a stroll around the fruit shop, buying two boxes of freshly cut fruit and a large watermelon.

On the way back, Su Wenyu carried the packed fruit boxes, trailing behind Zhou Xu, who was carrying the watermelon, and slowly headed back to the dorm.

Once at the dorm, Su Wenyu felt some soreness in his ankle. After spraying it with medicine, he obediently sat in his chair, watching TV and eating fruit.

Outside the dorm door, the sounds of suitcases and footsteps gradually appeared, and the noise downstairs slowly grew louder.

After finishing one box of fruit, Su Wenyu curiously went to the balcony and looked down. He saw many seniors wearing volunteer vests, leading new students and their parents, appearing below the dorm building.

“So many people.” After watching for a while, Su Wenyu closed the window and went back inside. He said to Zhou Xu, “Wonder when our roommates will arrive.”

Zhou Xu seemed to be reading a book. The fruit box at his left hand was already half-eaten.

Hearing Su Wenyu’s voice, his gaze lifted from the page. He speared a piece of honeydew melon with his fork and said, “Normally, afternoon is more likely for returning to school.”

Su Wenyu nodded in understanding, clearly looking forward to the arrival of his new roommates.

For lunch, they again ate at the cafeteria. Su Wenyu ordered a spicy hot pot, the single-portion pot piled high like a small hill.

Zhou Xu still had fast food: three meat dishes and two vegetables, the rice on his plate double the amount of most people’s.

Su Wenyu and Zhou Xu might not be blood brothers, but in terms of appetite, they were evenly matched.

After eating, Su Wenyu tugged at the hem of Zhou Xu’s shirt, wanting to buy milk tea, dragging out his tone to complain: “Two days. It’s been two whole days since I’ve had milk tea.”

Zhou Xu’s shirt hem was pulled almost out of shape. In the end, he almost helplessly accompanied him to the milk tea shop.

If he refused any longer, his clothes would probably be ripped right off him in public.

Many people were out eating at noon, and with many new students having just entered school, there was a bit of a line outside the milk tea shop.

Su Wenyu used his phone to go ahead and snap a picture of the drink menu, then brought the photo back to Zhou Xu, asking what he wanted.

Zhou Xu didn’t really have a craving, but seeing Su Wenyu so earnestly choosing, he glanced down at the menu photo he’d taken and pointed at a fruit tea. “I’ll take this one.”

Su Wenyu’s eyes immediately followed to where he pointed. He zoomed in on the picture, looked at it, and said, “Then I’ll drink this one too.”

With his choice paralysis resolved, Su Wenyu felt much more relaxed. When the line reached them, he immediately ordered two fruit teas, with ice.

Once the teas were made, they didn’t bother getting them bagged, just opened them and drank right away.

The weather in early September was still scorching. The iced fruit tea was cool and refreshing. The two walked back along the shaded path, the stifling heat seeming to ease up a bit.

Walking towards the male dormitory, they encountered even more new students and parents.

Su Wenyu bit on his straw, gulping down his milk tea. Watching the volunteers enthusiastically introduce the school to new students and parents, he edged closer to listen in on a few snippets.

Almost at the base of the dorm building, footsteps came running up from behind Su Wenyu. Instinctively, he pressed closer to Zhou Xu, moving inward to make way for the person behind them.

But just as that person ran past Su Wenyu, he suddenly glanced back.

He then stopped abruptly, a look of delighted surprise on his face. “It’s really you!”

Su Wenyu: “?”

He looked at the somewhat unfamiliar boy gazing in his direction, hesitated, then pointed at himself. “Who? Me?”

The boy was wearing a white T-shirt and sweatpants, with a very sunny, handsome appearance.

Seeing Su Wenyu’s blank look, his face immediately showed a hint of disappointment. “Ah, you don’t remember me? We met at the hospital before.”

Su Wenyu strained his memory. Only after a good while did he recall this boy from his summer memories.

“Ah, the one with the injured arm,” Su Wenyu remembered.

“Yes, yes, that’s right.” The boy immediately perked up, nodding repeatedly. He pointed at his forearm and said, “The injury’s all healed now.”

Su Wenyu glanced at his arm, saw no visible injury, but nodded along, saying, “That’s good.”

The boy’s eyes seemed to hold only Su Wenyu. He hadn’t even noticed Zhou Xu beside him. Enthusiastically, he said, “I never imagined I’d run into you here. Are you a student at this university? A freshman?”

Su Wenyu shook his head. “Sophomore.”

The boy was a little surprised. “A senior, huh? But you look younger than me.”

Su Wenyu replied modestly, “I just look young for my age.”

The boy chuckled. “I’m a freshman, just finished registration. Senior, could I add your contact info? We didn’t get the chance at the hospital last time.”

Saying this, the boy pulled out his phone.

Su Wenyu, called “Senior” multiple times, felt utterly delighted. Of course, he wouldn’t refuse. He immediately fished his phone out of his pocket and opened his QR code for the boy to scan.

Zhou Xu stood beside Su Wenyu, momentarily feeling like an invisible man.

After adding the contact, the boy didn’t linger. He explained, “My luggage is still out back. I have to go check into my dorm.”

Su Wenyu waved repeatedly. “Okay, go do your thing.”

The boy glanced back three times with each step. “Senior, I’ll treat you to dinner later!”

Su Wenyu didn’t know how to refuse, so he just said, “If we have time.”

The boy waved his arm. “See you later, Senior~”

Su Wenyu felt quite a few eyes land on him because of the boy’s words. Instinctively, he ducked behind Zhou Xu a little, waving quickly. “Bye-bye.”

It was only when they were back at the dorm that Su Wenyu realized Zhou Xu had walked beside him without saying a single word.

“That guy we met at the hospital before, do you still remember him?” Su Wenyu thought Zhou Xu had forgotten and tried to prompt him. “He was wearing a red basketball jersey at the time.”

Zhou Xu glanced at him flatly, took out his card to open the door. “Don’t remember anymore.”

“After all, unlike you, I can’t recall what someone was wearing even when I’m doubled over with gastroenteritis pain.”