Chapter 70

Chapter 70

The college entrance exam results are out, and Yuan Xiao and Cheng Nanyi scored remarkably well.

The very night the results were released, recruitment teams from several top domestic universities camped at their home.

Yuan Ting, never having witnessed such a scene of intense competition, found the sight of people arguing fiercely quite amusing.

But his brother…

“Which university is offering the most scholarship?” Yuan Xiao asked earnestly.

Yuan Ting: “...”

Can you be a bit more realistic?

Things were much quieter for Cheng Nanyi. After the old man took people to a hotel dinner, he sent them away.

Yuan Xiao eventually chose the top school in the capital... to study accounting.

Yes, accounting, to manage money.

His character really can't collapse.

Surprisingly, Cheng Nanyi chose a university in neighboring Chuanhai City. Although less famous than Yuan Xiao's school, the economics program he chose is a flagship course there.

Seeing Yuan Xiao and Cheng Nanyi finalize their university choices, Yuan Ting sighed and began to slump again.

“What’s wrong now?” The two were sorting scrap in their rented shabby courtyard, Yuan Xiao working energetically while Yuan Ting appeared listless.

“I was thinking, maybe we should find a girlfriend for Cheng Nanyi.”

Yuan Xiao collapsed onto a pile of rubbish, staring numbly at Yuan Ting: “Come on, tell me what you’re thinking.”

“You’ve got a girl you like, why doesn’t he?” Yuan Ting frowned, “I don’t get it.”

“I get it,” said Yuan Xiao.

“Why?” Yuan Ting looked at his brother in shock. His brother had such insights?

“Because raising a child can be soul-crushing, especially a troublesome one.”

Yuan Ting picked up some trash and threw it, scoffing.

Yuan Ting gazed up at the white clouds in the sky, reflecting on how Cheng Nanyi, now eighteen, was about to start university and a new phase of life.

Hoping for a thorough resolution, he contemplated their separation across different cities.

Different universities have different start dates. Yuan Xiao was the first to begin, sent off by his uncle and aunt.

As the most outstanding university student the town had ever seen, Yuan Xiao brought great pride to the family.

His aunt even gave Yuan Ting a substantial red envelope, acknowledging that without Yuan Ting's self-sacrifice back then, Yuan Xiao's fate might have been different.

Yuan Ting accepted it without any guilt.

When it was time for Cheng Nanyi to start university, he planned to go with Mo Yikai, who was also studying in Chuanhai City, albeit at a less prestigious institution. They would be studying at opposite ends of the city.

On the first evening of the semester, Yuan Ting invited Cheng Nanyi for a dinner at a roadside barbecue stand, intending it as a farewell meal.

Cheng Nanyi’s entire face scrunched up in distaste. Yuan Ting, secretly laughing inside, did it deliberately just to tease him.

Cheng Nanyi sat down without a word, his hands stuffed in his pockets, his posture signaling his discomfort with the setting.

Yuan Ting ordered a table full of food and two bottles of beer.

“What’s a kid doing with beer?”

“It’s for you, brother. You’re of age now.” Yuan Ting filled his glass, “Now that you’re an adult, you can drink, smoke…”

Looking up at him, Yuan Ting added, “...and date.”

Cheng Nanyi raised an eyebrow, looking at him curiously.

"Brother, do you have a girl you like?" Yuan Ting suddenly felt guilty and didn't dare to look at Cheng Nanyi.

A slender hand reached out, lifting his chin, while Cheng Nanyi squinted at him across, "Did Li Yichao say something to you?"

"He did say something..." Yuan Ting coughed lightly, "Brother, isn't he disgusting? He likes boys, isn't that perverted?"

Yuan Ting carefully observed the changes in Cheng Nanyi's facial expressions as he spoke.

Cheng Nanyi suddenly let go of his chin and sat back, frowning at Yuan Ting, "I was careless."

"What's that about?" Yuan Ting was taken aback.

Cheng Nanyi took a sip of beer from the table and then said to Yuan Ting, "Later, I'll buy you some books. Let's say, one every half month, since high school is busier. Read a book every half month and write a reading report for me."

Yuan Ting: "?????" I'm talking about men dating men being weird, and you're talking about writing reading reports?

Cheng Nanyi lifted his eyelids, glancing at him with a snort of laughter.

Yuan Ting heard it, the tone brimming with mockery.

Yuan Ting bared his teeth at him, "What are you dissatisfied with?"

"Dissatisfied with your shallow level of education."

"What????" Yuan Ting's eyes bulged in disbelief, damn it, he's insulting me.

"The world is vast with countless wonders, kid. There's a lot for you to learn. Some things you might not accept or understand, but don't judge them with narrow and superficial views."

"Start with reading books. First understand the world through them, then measure it with your own steps."

"..." Yuan Ting bowed to Cheng Nanyi, apologizing for his narrow-mindedness.

Damn it, when did you, a captor and a freak, become so profound?

Yuan Ting's punch landed softly, like on cotton. Frustrated, he grabbed Cheng Nanyi's beer and downed it in one go.

"Brother," Yuan Ting suddenly looked up at Cheng Nanyi, sincerely saying, "I wish you peace and success, may your future be as bright as brocade."

Peace and success, a future as bright as brocade?

Cheng Nanyi's eyes narrowed slightly, recalling the last time the kid said these words, they had ended up breaking off their relationship.

Now the same words were being spoken again.

Cheng Nanyi looked at the youth whose eyes were reddened from the alcohol and let out a cold laugh.

Initially, he had used 500,000 yuan to bring him back, thinking that the day he finally became disappointed, he would let him go.

But now, he wasn't ready to let go yet, so the control remained in his hands.

Yuan Ting met his gaze and inexplicably shivered.

How could it feel cold in the height of summer?

That night, Yuan Ting suffered from insomnia, tossing and turning restlessly in bed.

He didn't know what he was thinking about, just feeling suffocated and irritable.

Cheng Nanyi at eighteen was deep, broad-minded, knowledgeable, and thoughtful – surely he wouldn't be as stubborn as he was at fifteen.

Yuan Ting couldn't sleep until five in the morning, and after just two hours, he was woken up.

Mo Yikai was standing beside his bed, looking at him.

Yuan Ting groggily asked, "What are you doing?"

"Cheng Nanyi is leaving. Aren't you going to see him off?"

"I already said goodbye to him last night," Yuan Ting waved his hand dismissively and turned over to continue sleeping.

He had never intended to see him off in the first place.

Mo Yikai literally dragged him out of bed.

Yuan Ting, with his hair looking like a chicken's nest, got into Chuanghai's car, still not fully awake.

He didn't understand why he had to go see him off.

Hadn't they already said their goodbyes last night?

And was this really the way to send someone off?

Holding a cup of soy milk in his hand, Yuan Ting watched the vehicles rushing by outside the window and couldn't help but laugh.

Yuan Ting silently glanced at the person sitting beside him, engrossed in his phone.

"What, got a problem with it?"

Hah, ha...

As if he dared to say he had a problem.

"Of course not."

"Good, have breakfast. It's your favorite egg-filled pancake."

Yuan Ting bit into it resentfully, as if he were eating a piece of Cheng Nanyi.

After finishing breakfast and taking a few sips of soy milk, Yuan Ting finally woke up completely.

Then he looked at himself, still wearing the white T-shirt and shorts he slept in, just like that, dragged out of bed by Mo Yikai.

"Are you out of your mind?" Yuan Ting slapped the person in the passenger seat, "Couldn't you wait for me to change clothes before driving off?"

"Hey, little rascal, getting bold, huh?" Mo Yikai turned back glaring at Cheng Nanyi, "Aren't you going to do something?"

"Don't you dare talk about my brother," Yuan Ting spread his arms, shielding Cheng Nanyi.

Mo Yikai: "..." Here we go again.

Is it possible to never tire of a game played from childhood to adulthood?

Mo Yikai, uninterested in arguing, warned, "Kid, hit me again, and I'll hit back."

Yuan Ting leaned back in his seat, silently staring at the car roof.

Cheng Nanyi really was becoming more outrageous, not even bothering to ask his opinion.

Such a nuisance!

It only took two and a half hours to drive from their city to Chuanghai University. Upon arriving at the school's entrance, Yuan Ting was sprawled across Cheng Nanyi's lap, sound asleep.

Feeling someone shake him, Yuan Ting groggily opened his eyes, "Time to eat? I'm starving, I dreamt of eating egg pancakes."

Cheng Nanyi looked down at him, and Yuan Ting blinked, "Uh... Cheng Skinflint."

Yuan Ting sat up, rubbing his face, forced to wake up.

"Brother Xiao Zhang, let's not go into the school yet. It's noon; let's find a place to eat first," Cheng Nanyi suggested.

"Okay." Xiao Zhang parked the car, and the group got out.

The school entrance was lined with snack shops, offering plenty of dining options, though most were small storefronts.

The three of them were looking around for a decent place to eat when Yuan Ting darted towards a shop, exclaiming, "Hahaha, Luosifen (snail rice noodles)..."

They followed him and were greeted by an indescribable aroma.

All three instinctively covered their noses and stepped back, but Yuan Ting had already found a seat inside, waving them over, "Come on, come on..."

Yuan Ting had never tried Luosifen before. He had seen it become popular in online videos, so he ordered it out of curiosity.

And surprisingly, it was delicious.

However, after eating Luosifen that evening, Cheng Nanyi refused to share a bed with him.

Thus, Yuan Ting ordered Luosifen three days in a row.

Eventually, Cheng Nanyi banned him from ordering Luosifen.

Cheng Nanyi and the other two went to a nearby restaurant for noodles, leaving Yuan Ting to enjoy his Luosifen alone.

After they had finished eating and regrouped, Mo Yikai blocked Yuan Ting from getting too close, "You've marinated yourself in the smell, just throw it away."

Cheng Nanyi grabbed Yuan Ting by the neck, "Let's see if it can be washed off."

Yuan Ting blew a breath at him, causing Cheng Nanyi to release him and stay two meters away.

Hahahaha, utterly satisfying.

"That's so gross," Mo Yikai ran a hand through his stylish blue hair, tilting his head back, "I won't walk with someone who stinks like that, so I've decided to head back to school first."

Xiao Zhang dropped Cheng Nanyi and Yuan Ting at their dormitory building before leaving to take Mo Yikai back to school.

Mo Yikai arrived at school early because he was part of the student council and busy with orientation activities. It wasn't that he was driven away by Yuan Ting's stench.

Cheng Nanyi didn't have much luggage, just one suitcase. They first went to register and then went to find their dormitory after collecting their things.

The registration period lasted two days, and Cheng Nanyi arrived on the second day, so the other roommates in the dormitory were already there.

Cheng Nanyi's dormitory was a four-person room. The environment was quite nice, with beds above and desks below, and a private bathroom.

"Hello, brothers," Yuan Ting greeted enthusiastically as he entered, "This is my brother Cheng Nanyi. Let's take care of each other in the future."

"Are you here to send your brother to school? I thought you were the student."

"Don't be fooled by my mature and steady appearance. I'm actually just starting high school," Yuan Ting said cheerfully, "And I probably don't have the brains to attend the same university as you guys." His goal was a regular tier-two university. If tier-three wasn't so expensive, he would have liked to attend the same school as Mo Yikai.

"Usually, it’s the parents who come to drop off. This is the first time I've seen a younger brother do it."

Yuan Ting sighed, "Can't help it, I've always been the one taking care of him."

The others in the dormitory laughed heartily.

The three roommates were Ding Ran, Zhu Lian, and Yu Tong'en.

In the short time Yuan Ting had been there, he had already learned everyone's names and busied himself helping Cheng Nanyi make his bed.

"Cheng Nanyi, your brother is really nice," Ding Ran said enviously, "I only have a sister who beats me up like I'm her grandson."

"I have a younger sister," Zhu Lian added, "She's always tattling on me at home. Whenever she does, my dad whips me."

Cheng Nanyi just smiled and didn't say much.

After making the bed, Yuan Ting, exhausted, pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and offered it around, "Brothers, anyone want a smoke?"

The three of them hesitated for a moment, then all waved their hands and declined.

"Where did you get these cigarettes?" Cheng Nanyi frowned.

"I swiped them from Brother Yikai. I thought maybe someone would like to smoke." Yuan Ting put away the cigarette box and smiled. "Actually, not smoking is the best. Smoking is bad for your health."

"By the way, brother, I have a few things to remind you of." Yuan Ting stood by the bedframe and looked at Cheng Nanyi, speaking with a serious tone. "You've never lived in a school dormitory for junior high and high school, so you might not know the rules. I did some research online, so you better remember this. When you play games, use headphones so you don't disturb other brothers. And when you use the restroom, remember to flush, or you'll get scolded. When you enter or leave, remember to close the door. After the lights go out at night, don't talk loudly, as it will disturb others' rest."

The other three laughed, and Yu Tong'en said, "Cheng Nanyi, your little brother is just like your older brother."

Cheng Nanyi looked deeply at Yuan Ting and raised an eyebrow in contemplation.

He didn't actually have these problems Yuan Ting mentioned; he was saying this for the benefit of the others.

Yuan Ting sighed inwardly. The young master had never experienced the hardships of sharing a room and had plenty of quirks. He had to make things clear for him.

There were only four people in one dormitory, and the young master's personality made it easy for the other three to form a group.

"Come on, give me your phone." Yuan Ting reached out towards Cheng Nanyi.

Cheng Nanyi handed his phone over.

Yuan Ting skillfully unlocked it and began tapping and scrolling.

After more than half an hour, Yuan Ting went downstairs and returned with two large bags of KFC, placing them on the table. "Here, my brothers, today I'm bribing you here."

"Bribing for what?" Ding Ran asked, puzzled.

Yuan Ting sighed as he opened the bags. "My brother has a lot of quirks and hasn't lived in a school dormitory before. I'm afraid he might not do things well and make you guys angry without even realizing it."

Yuan Ting took out a family-sized meal: "Let's add each other on WeChat. If he does anything wrong or struggles with something, you can tell me, and I'll give him a talking-to."

"Here, you with the germophobia, this small portion of chicken leg is for you. Eat it over there," Yuan Ting casually handed a small box to Cheng Nan Yi.

"I don't have germophobia," Cheng Nan Yi stated indifferently.

Yuan Ting winked at the other three and muttered quietly, "See, those with germophobia always deny having it."

"Cheng Nan Yi, you have germophobia?" Zhu Lian asked while eating, "Don't worry, we'll be careful not to touch your stuff."

Cheng Nan Yi was silent for a moment: "Then, thank you all."

"No problem, mutual respect is important. Just don't expect us to share your germophobia."

"Guys, you're in luck," Yuan Ting beckoned them, "Do you know the biggest benefit of having germophobia?"

"What?"

Yuan Ting winked at them, whispering in front of Cheng Nan Yi, "It's that he can't stand dirty clothes, socks, and shoes. You can just ask him for money to go to the laundry. He always pays up. I've made quite a bit off of him because of this."

"My brother is all about being foolish with plenty of money, feel free to take advantage."

Freshmen are required to live on campus, where Cheng Nanyi would definitely struggle to adapt in many aspects.

In his bedroom at home, the housekeeper cleans it three times a day.

Unfortunately, this school doesn't offer single rooms.

"Hahaha..." Yu Tong'en gave Yuan Ting a thumbs up, "Little brother, impressive."

Freshmen still possess a naive clarity, and Yuan Ting's truthful jokes were well received, more comfortable than direct statements.

Besides, he's genuinely friendly, and this table of KFC must have cost a couple hundred.

Overwhelmed by this display of worldly wisdom, Yuan Ting kicked off his shoes and climbed onto the bed: "Uh, bro, I can't keep my eyes open, I'm going to crash on your bed for a bit, okay?"

The moment he hit the bed, Yuan Ting was already in dreamland.

What a taxing day it had been for him.

Cheng Nanyi glanced at the air conditioner's position and pulled the blanket over Yuan Ting.

Zhu Lian whispered, "Cheng Nanyi, your brother is really interesting."

Cheng Nanyi curled his lips slightly, the little guy had indeed grown up, even arranging things for him.

To be honest, he hadn't anticipated these things at all.

Yuan Ting slept straight through to the evening.

When he opened his eyes, only Cheng Nanyi was in the dorm.

Sitting up and stretching, Yuan Ting lazily asked, "Where are the others?"

"They went to have dinner."

"Why didn't you go?"

Cheng Nanyi glanced at him and poured a cup of warm water into his own cup for him: "Guess?"

"Oh, so you were waiting for me." Yuan Ting chuckled, took the cup and drank the water, then uncomfortably tugged at his sweat-soaked clothes. "Brother, I need a shower."

Author's note:

Thanks to the little angels who voted for me or nourished me with their support from 2023-09-11 23:10:23 to 2023-09-12 15:11:55~

Thank you to the little angels for nourishing: Zoey 66 bottles; Lucky Coin 48 bottles; Hey Hey, Two Strikes, Origin of the Universe 20 bottles; Ai 15 bottles; Pilvi 14 bottles; Xiang Shi., Qian Qian 10 bottles; Pufferfish Melon 6 bottles; 404 Big Ghosts 5 bottles; Manmi 4 bottles; Drunken Autumn Wind 2 bottles; Ping Xuan, Sweet Pear, 67132556, Shui Feng Qing 1 bottle each;

Thank you so much for your support, I will continue to work hard!