From an afternoon of conversation, Xu Ye had already filed away a working profile on each of them.

Zhang Xinzhou (Number One): laid-back, generous, easy-going…

Yang Fei (Number Three): all bluster, convinced of his own way with women, factually a lifelong singleton…

Li Tongwen (Number Four): introverted, gentle, an honest sort…

By the time evening came and the sun began to go down, Xu Ye had the measure of all three. “Should we go out for dinner tonight?”

“Sure.”

“First meal of university has to be something good.”

“Absolutely.”

Li Tongwen looked a little hesitant at that. Xu Ye had actually noticed it at lunch, during their first exchange — the worn T-shirt with the collar starting to curl, the high school uniform folded carefully into the wardrobe when he’d unpacked. Enough to sketch the picture. Li Tongwen’s family wasn’t doing well. Possibly genuinely struggling.

Xu Ye was about to say he’d cover it when Zhang Xinzhou got there first.

“One condition before we go anywhere — tonight is on me. If any of you tries to fight me on it, I’ll be annoyed.”

Yang Fei immediately draped himself over Zhang Xinzhou’s shoulder. “Big bro, don’t tell me you’re one of those second-generation rich kids?”

Zhang Xinzhou shrugged. “Not quite. More of a second-generation demolition beneficiary.” [TL: 拆二代 (chāi èr dài) — the children of families whose properties were compulsorily purchased and demolished during China’s rapid urban development boom, often receiving substantial government compensation or replacement properties. A distinct and notably well-off social category.]

“How many flats are we talking?”

Real estate in 2014 was still in its ascent. Owning even a single flat in a first-tier city already put you ahead of eighty percent of the country.

Zhang Xinzhou held up three fingers.

“Three flats?” Yang Fei grinned. “Only one more than my family.”

“Three buildings,” Zhang Xinzhou said.

“I’m sorry — three buildings?”

Yang Fei stared at him. “Big bro — no, wait — spiritual father—”

“Here’s the deal,” Zhang Xinzhou said, perfectly unruffled. “My dad made it very clear: he has zero expectations of me learning anything useful in four years of university. Eat well, play well, enjoy myself. I’m going home after graduation to collect rent anyway.” He paused. “So I’m calling it now — I’ll cover all the electricity and water bills for the room, every month. In exchange, I’m opting out of cleaning duty entirely.”

Xu Ye had guessed Zhang Xinzhou’s family was comfortable. Three buildings in Shenzhen was a different magnitude entirely — the annual rental income from that probably beat most listed companies’ annual earnings.

“Cleaning is my responsibility from this day forward! I’ll handle everything—”

Xu Ye grabbed Yang Fei by the collar and pulled him back, laughing despite himself. “Did you work in the imperial palace in a past life? Show some dignity.”

Yang Fei grinned unrepentantly, then swung around to Xu Ye. “What about your family? Big operation?”

“Dad’s a civil servant, mom’s an accountant at a small company. Nothing to write home about. Come on — Li Tongwen, stop standing there looking uncertain, a billionaire is buying dinner and you’re wasting it.”

He didn’t wait for a response, just reached over and pulled Li Tongwen out of the room.

The campus was still busy with new arrivals.

Yang Fei walked with his hands behind his head, surveying the foot traffic with an air of proprietorial satisfaction. “Do you know what the male-to-female ratio is at this school?”

“What is it?”

“Three to seven. Two out of every three students is a girl.”

Zhang Xinzhou played along: “And what does this have to do with you?”

“I’m planning to have a girlfriend by the end of first year. My family line is two generations of only children, and my parents are actively encouraging me to find someone at university.”

“Best of luck.”

“Zhang Xinzhou, with your family’s money, you must have dated in high school, right?”

Zhang Xinzhou shook his head. “My dad kept me on a tight leash. If I’d so much as looked at a girl, he would have broken both my legs.”

“Li Tongwen, I’m guessing zero?”

Li Tongwen shook his head quickly.

“Xu Ye?”

Xu Ye shook his head without hesitation. “Same.”

Technically true. He’d chased Gu Mengyao in high school, but she’d never agreed to anything. And Qingqing he’d only met after the gaokao.

Yang Fei’s chest visibly expanded. “So I’m the only one with actual experience,” he announced, with the confidence of a man who has overestimated himself in every direction. “I’m telling you, there’s a method to this. I’ll teach you all gradually.”

The words had barely left his mouth when Zhang Xinzhou’s iPhone rang.

He answered and held it to his ear. “Hey — yeah, all sorted. About to go eat…”

The crowd noise made it hard to hear, so he switched to speaker.

A girl’s voice came through: “When does your military training start?”

“Not sure yet. Either tomorrow afternoon or the morning after, probably.”

“Okay. Go eat, we’ll talk tonight.”

“Sure~”

He hung up.

Then Li Tongwen’s phone rang. He answered on speaker too — a girl’s voice, speaking in a dialect none of them could place.

A few short sentences, then he hung up as well.

Yang Fei had just opened his mouth when Xu Ye’s phone rang. He glanced at the screen, glanced at Yang Fei, and answered on speaker without missing a beat.

“Hey~”

“Idiot, have you eaten yet?”

“Not yet, on my way somewhere now. You already ate?”

“Mm.”

“How was the canteen?”

“Not bad.”

“Military training starts tomorrow for us. I’m a bit nervous~”

“You’ll be fine. Your school’s program should be pretty relaxed.”

“Still two whole weeks though. I’m worried I won’t make it.”

“You will. And if it gets too much, just put in a rest request — the instructor will say yes. You’re too pretty for them not to.”

“Everyone in the room last night was on the phone with their families. I was just sitting there by myself.”

“Tonight after dinner I’ll call you.”

“Oh~”

“Talk later.”

“Okay~”

Xu Ye put his phone away.

Yang Fei looked like he was about to combust. He pointed at each of them in turn — Zhang Xinzhou, Li Tongwen, Xu Ye — voice climbing: “You — you — you — you all said you’d never dated anyone!”

“Her and I are strictly platonic.”

“That was my sister.”

“We’re just good friends.”

“Please.“

Yang Fei’s face had gone red. “She’s calling you idiot and you’re telling me you’re just good friends. You lot are unbelievable.”

Xu Ye and Zhang Xinzhou looked at each other, then simultaneously slung an arm around Yang Fei’s shoulders.

Xu Ye said: “Yang Fei, look at it this way. If Zhang Xinzhou and I are both accounted for, you’ve just eliminated two competitors. You’re not as rich as Zhang Xinzhou and you’re not as good-looking as me — but with two strong opponents out of the picture, honestly? You might have a shot at the campus belle.”

Yang Fei drew himself up. “My credentials are perfectly solid, for the record.”

“Absolutely.”

“No question.”

Xu Ye looked over his shoulder. “Li Tongwen, stop dawdling — come on. Tonight we are going to absolutely destroy this demolition heir’s wallet.”

Li Tongwen smiled and hurried to catch up.

The four of them fell into a row and walked out of the campus gate together.

(End of Chapter)