Sharing the Dorm with the Enemy from Previous Life

Let’s Be In A Relationship (1)

At seven o’clock in the morning, the sky cleared after a few days of light snow.

The winter morning came late and a bright ray of the morning sun had just emerged from the gray clouds, giving the sky a pale golden-red color.

It shone through the shop’s glass in the neighboring street, casting a halo of light on the young man lying on his back inside.

The clerk walked over to Qin Yuan, lying on his back, and said in a low voice, “This student, it’s time to pick up your meal.”

Qin Yuan raised his head in a daze and sat up straight. The muscles in his back were tense and stiff after lying on his back for several hours, and his calves were hunched over and slightly out of circulation.

His eyes were slightly red and he looked around in a daze before fully awake again from the confusion of his dream.

Over the past few days, the people and events in his dreams had become more and more frightening for him to recall.

Sometimes they were so clear that they made people flush. He remembered Ruan Qingmu’s movement and expression when he woke up, his recklessness, teasing, doing things he would never normally do, and being secretive and intimate. Meanwhile, sometimes he couldn’t remember them and when he tried desperately to think of them, his head hurt so much that he could only remember the sadness and grief he felt when he woke up. So miserable.

Fortunately, it was only a dream.

The clerk smiled and handed over the packaged breakfast items. “It’s freshly-made, still hot.”

Qin Yuan smiled back at him. “Thank you for your hard work.”

He pushed open the door with one hand pulling his suitcase and the other carrying his lunch box.

The winter morning breeze hit his face, filling his collar and nose with the fresh and cold first snow.

The street of Aimin Alley was already very shabby and the road’s drainage system was not working well, so the snow was half-melted and half-frozen. The leather shoes under Qin Yuan’s feet made a slight “creaking” sound when he stepped on them.

Many people stayed up all night on New Year’s Eve and used to wake up early to set off firecrackers on New Year’s Day. Now that they were banned, firecrackers were no longer everywhere in the early morning hours to welcome the New Year. On the contrary, it was much quieter than on an average weekday.

Qin Yuan strolled along the small street and looked up to check the shop’s signboard… “Blind Beauty Massage.”

Mu Wanli got up early and was boiling water in the kitchen in advance, wondering how many dumplings to cook. Suddenly, a soft knock sounded on the door outside.

She was shocked: What happened? Their family didn’t have any local relatives and Qiu-ge had said when he left yesterday that he would pay his respects to his parents for the New Year today. Could any insensitive guests want a massage outside this time of the year?

The door opened and a handsome, composed youth stood outside in the golden morning sun, with a tall figure. His eyebrows reflected the warm winter sun behind him, gleaming, but his expression was slightly nervous. “Hello, Aunty Mu. I’m Ruan Qingmu’s friend, coming here to pay you a New Year’s visit.”

***

Mu Wanli was dumbfounded, holding the large iron ladle high in her hand for a while before scrambling to let him inside. “Ohh, I recognize you. You’re the neighboring class’ class monitor, honor class student with the surname Qin, right?”

She had only seen the boy once when she sent her son to his dormitory at the beginning of this term and was impressed enough to recognize him at first glance.

As she ushered Qin Yuan toward the room, she raised her voice and called out, “Mu Mu! ——”

“Aunty, no need to call him.” Qin Yuan stood awkwardly in the living room. “I’ll wait here for a while. Let him sleep more.”

Mu Wanli quietly glanced at the suitcase at his feet and felt a tug at her heart. Didn’t he go to his stepmother’s place to celebrate the New Year? Why did he suddenly pop out on the first day of the New Year? Did he not spend New Year over there and come back overnight?

What kind of mess was this?!

“Child, sit down. I will make some hot dumplings for you. They were just wrapped last night. Mu Mu helped me to knead the dough.” She rushed toward the kitchen.

Behind her, Qin Yuan hurriedly stood up and said softly, “Aunty, I-I brought some KFC for breakfast.”

As he said this, his face turned red. He had come in such a hurry that he hadn’t had time to think about it on the way. It was only then that it occurred to him that he had come to the house for the first time as a guest. It was the first day of the New Year and he had come empty-handed, bringing only a few breakfast items?

Mu Wanli smiled. “You should try our family’s dumplings. Let Mu Mu eat the KFC.”

She ignored Qin Yuan’s protests and knocked on Ruan Qingmu’s room door. “Mu Mu, ah. Your friend comes to pay you a New Year’s visit. Wake up quickly.”

No sound was heard. The little mute was supposed to be deaf, so he could not hear her and was sleeping soundly inside.