Chapter 124 College Life
Fubao and Gu Shengtian brought a lot of gifts. Gu Shengtian carried two bundles of bedding, clothes and other things packed in unpacked nylon bags, while Fubao carried a large bag.
The large bundle was actually a pale yellow bed sheet with a peony pattern, which Liu Guizhi had bought specifically for Fubao at a state-owned store in the county town. Inside the sheet were some clothes, and the other two people each carried a few miscellaneous items.
Xiao Dingkun wanted to take Fubao's bed sheet bag directly, as it was the heaviest one.
Fubao: "Brother Dingkun, I can carry it myself——"
Before he could finish his words, Xiao Dingkun took it without any explanation and held it in his hand.
Xiao Dingkun is very tall, taller than when he was in the Pingxi Production Brigade. He is a head taller than Fubao who is 1.67 meters tall, and feels at least 1.83 meters tall.
He was also very strong. The huge burden that was originally for Fubao was carried by his strong arms as easily as carrying a chick.
When Fubao saw this, he didn't hesitate to be polite.
The brother and sister followed Xiao Dingkun forward, first crossed a high overpass, then walked through the bustling crowd, and came to a state-owned shopping mall.
Xiao Dingkun: "There's a noodle shop on the other side of this mall. The food is pretty good. Let's go through and have a bowl of noodles first."
Fubao and Gu Shengtian had no objections at this time. They were dazzled by the sight of country people coming to the city. They had no idea what to do and just nodded, listening to Xiao Dingkun.
Xiao Dingkun led them through the mall. There were not many people buying things in the mall, but there were many walking through. Most of them were people like Fubao and Gu Shengtian who were obviously from other places. The salesperson was knitting a sweater and looked at this group of country people carrying luggage packed with bed sheets with a look of contempt.
However, when they saw Fubao, they couldn't help but look at him several more times, and there was amazement in their eyes.
After being amazed, I felt regretful. The girl is so pretty, but it's a pity that she is dressed so poorly.
Fubao naturally felt their gazes, but she didn't think much about it until she passed by a large mirror in the mall and suddenly saw herself in the mirror.
There were three people in the group. Xiao Dingkun in the front was wearing a white shirt and black trousers, looking neat and clean. He rolled up his white shirt at his arms, revealing his strong arms. He looked handsome and manly.
Gu Shengtian next to him looked around, unable to see enough to see, with a dull look on his face and a silly smile on his face.
Looking at myself again, my eyes were filled with the curiosity of a countryman coming to the city. My hair was messy and my clothes were wrinkled. I looked like I had just been dug out of a pile of dirt.
She suddenly felt ashamed. Did she look like this?
So stupid!
It’s also thanks to Brother Dingkun that he was able to recognize me?
Fubao bit his lip, feeling extremely disgusted with himself.
Even when he walked into a state-owned noodle restaurant and sat down at a shiny table, Fubao was still a little depressed.
Xiao Dingkun took the menu and looked at the brother and sister. One of them was looking around with confidence and a silly smile on his face, while the other one looked wilted like an eggplant hit by frost.
He handed them the menu: "What would you two like to eat?"
Gu Shengtian took the menu and looked at it: "Let's have a bowl of noodles."
Fubao didn't have any objection. It was good enough to have something to eat. Besides, white flour noodles were a good thing.
After hearing this, Xiao Dingkun ordered three bowls of noodles with soybean paste and some cold dishes and other side dishes.
The fried noodles with soybean sauce arrived quickly. The chewy and hot noodles were topped with diced pork soybean sauce and mixed with vegetables, giving off an enticing aroma.
Fubao and Gu Shengtian hadn't eaten properly for a whole day and night, so seeing this naturally whetted their appetites. Fubao's frustration instantly vanished, and they no longer cared about their image. The two of them worked hard.
Xiao Dingkun also ate with them, and while eating, his eyes fell on Fubao from time to time.
She had changed a lot compared to when she was a child. The way she looked at him became unfamiliar, reserved, even a little distant and polite.
But... the way she eats noodles with soybean paste now is a bit like when she was a child.
After eating the noodles with soybean paste, sweat started oozing from the tips of Fubao and Gu Shengtian's noses. After drinking some tea, they finally felt better.
Even if you are still tired, you will feel more energetic as long as there is food in your stomach to replenish your nutrition.
Xiao Dingkun could see that Fubao's eyes were brighter than before.
He smiled, got up to pay the bill, then helped her carry the package of Peony sheets again and took them to school.
I took the bus from here to the school. After traveling for more than ten stops, I finally arrived at the gate of Imperial University of Peking.
There was already a big sign at the entrance welcoming the new students. When Fubao and his friends went over to ask, they found out that the school had sent someone to the station to pick them up, but somehow they missed the time and didn't make it.
Gu Shengtian divided the luggage, bundled it up again, and handed Fubao to Xiao Dingkun: "Brother Dingkun, I'm going to report to the Aviation University first. Please take care of Fubao and help her with the admission procedures."
They all reported on the same day, so he couldn't delay there. Fortunately, the two schools were not too far apart, so he still had time to get over.
Xiao Dingkun picked up Fubao's bed sheet and said, "Okay, you know how to get there, right? Just take bus No. 103, which we saw earlier."
Gu Shengtian nodded quickly: "I know, I know!"
Gu Shengtian rushed to catch the bus, and Xiao Dingkun took Fubao into the school. According to the teacher's explanation, they began to line up to go through the admission procedures. After various registrations, they finally had to go to register for the dormitory and collect the keys.
When it was Fubao's turn, Xiao Dingkun took out her admission letter and glanced at it: "Gu Danyang?"
Fubao was confused for a moment, then he remembered that this was the name he had changed and he had not mentioned it to Xiao Dingkun yet.
So I quickly said, "This is my full name. Secretary Li changed it for me. It's for formal occasions."
Xiao Dingkun: "Oh? You didn't mention that in your letter."
Fubao: "...Maybe I forgot to mention it."
In fact, after changing her name, except in formal occasions, people who were familiar with her still called her Fubao. She didn't take it too seriously and didn't tell Xiao Dingkun.
But now that he asked this, Fubao felt that it seemed that it had not been mentioned.
Now it was her turn to fill out the form. As she was filling it out, her mind was full of random thoughts.
Xiao Dingkun said he had not mentioned it just now. She remembered that she had not mentioned it, as if it was an omission on her part. They were very familiar with each other in their correspondence, so familiar that she loved to talk to him about everything. They talked about absolutely everything. She was willing to tell Brother Dingkun many things that she was unwilling to tell her parents, brother, or even Chen Cui'er.
But now, when they met, he was right in front of her, familiar yet unfamiliar, but she suddenly lost the sense of familiarity and dependence she had in the letter.
The Xiao Dingkun in the letter and the Xiao Dingkun in the real world seemed to be separated, leaving Fubao at a loss as to what distance and attitude to adopt when facing Xiao Dingkun.
Of course Xiao Dingkun saw it.
So he didn't show any familiarity between the two of them in the letter, so as not to make her uncomfortable.
Now that he heard that she had changed her name, he just said "Oh" softly and didn't mention it again.
After completing the registration, Xiao Dingkun carried the luggage in one hand and Fubao's scattered belongings in the other, and took her straight to the girls' dormitory.
He walked very fast, and Fubao hurried to catch up.
Fu Bao, who followed, couldn't help but glance at Xiao Dingkun, trying to find a trace of familiarity from the past in his calm eyebrows and bright eyes.
Who knew that Xiao Dingkun happened to look over and caught her gaze.
Fubao was startled, his face slightly reddened. "Um...Brother Dingkun, how about I go there myself?"
This is the girls' dormitory. I wonder if boys can go in?
Xiao Dingkun seemed completely oblivious to Fubao's discomfort. He looked at the blush on her face and asked, "Is it too hot? Should I buy you a popsicle?"
He saw a white foam box in the school store next to him, which was obviously selling popsicles.
Fubao quickly shook his head and waved his hands: "No, no."
She had just arrived and didn't know how expensive the popsicles were here, and she didn't want to let Brother Dingkun spend money anymore.
Besides, she is not a child anymore, why should she eat popsicles!
Xiao Dingkun couldn't help laughing as he watched her shaking her head and waving her hands.
A soft, white little baby appeared in front of his eyes, swallowing his saliva and saying with eager eyes, "I don't want to eat it, I don't want to eat it."
Fubao paused when he heard him laugh: "Brother Dingkun, what are you laughing at?"
Xiao Dingkun still smiled: "Nothing, you really don't want to eat it? Then I'll go buy one and eat it myself?"
Fubao blushed: "I think eating one would be fine..."
He bought one for himself and didn't let her eat it. How painful it must have been for her to watch him.
Seeing her like this, Xiao Dingkun naturally understood what she was thinking. He put down his luggage and went over to ask for two popsicles, handing them both to Fubao: "Hold them for me first."
Fubao: “Yeah.”
So Xiao Dingkun carried a large bag made of bed sheets in his left hand, and an enamel pot, washbasin, thermos and other miscellaneous items in his right hand, while Fubao held two popsicles in front and ate them as he walked.
Imperial University of Peking is a century-old prestigious university. The dormitory buildings are also quite old, and still retain the architectural style from before the liberation, with green bricks and tiles, and ivy covering half of the wall.
After entering the dormitory building, Xiao Dingkun was asked to register by the dormitory manager before he was allowed to enter.
When he arrived at the dormitory, there was already a girl packing her things, so Fubao quickly greeted her.
The girl was wearing a floral shirt, neatly dressed, with two braids and glasses. When she saw Fubao, there was a hint of surprise in her eyes, but soon she saw the clothes on Fubao.
Fubao's clothes were considered very good in their county, but the style still looked outdated in the capital, and the shoes on her feet were even more rustic.
People in the city all wear square-toed shoes, or the now popular army green Liberation shoes, but Fubao's shoes are still the old-fashioned handkerchief shoes with sticks on both sides.
After seeing this clearly, the girl greeted Fubao lightly and continued to pack her things.
At this time, Xiao Dingkun also came into the room, put the pile of luggage on the ground, and looked at the situation in the dormitory.
The dormitory is very simple, with three wooden bunk beds. The female student who came in first has already occupied the lower bunk by the window, which should be the best position.
He asked Fubao, "Would you like to use this bed?"
This is the bed opposite the female classmate, also next to the window, and also the lower bunk.
If it's the upper bunk, it's always inconvenient to get on and off.
Fu Bao didn't have any ideas at this time, so he nodded: "Yeah."
At this time, she had almost finished one of the two popsicles in her hand, so she quickly handed the other one to Xiao Dingkun: "Brother Dingkun, you eat it first, don't let it melt."
Xiao Dingkun took it and ate it quickly, then began to help Fubao unpack his luggage and pack his things. He took out the cold cream, thermos, and bedding, and placed the clothes in the cabinet beside the bed. He also placed the tea eggs he brought in a ventilated place on the windowsill, and then ate slowly.
Here, Xiao Dingkun was busy moving and dismantling things. The girl next to him had finished packing and looked over.
When she saw Xiao Dingkun, she was a little surprised and couldn't help but look at him a few more times.
Clothes in this era didn't have many styles, but she could still tell that this man was not from the countryside like her roommate. This man was wearing the popular army green Liberation shoes. His white shirt was very white, with a very stiff collar. His sleeves were half rolled up, revealing his wheat-colored arms. The watch on his wrist was obviously a very rare watch - at least she had never seen one before.
When she looked at Fubao again, there was a look of scrutiny in her eyes.
Fubao didn't think much about it and continued to clean up. When she was almost done, she said to Xiao Dingkun, "Brother Dingkun, you can go back first. I don't have much to do here."
Xiao Dingkun: "I'll go eat something with you first, and then buy some daily necessities."
There are not many shops near the school, but there is a small store in the residential area opposite where you can buy daily necessities.
Fubao didn’t bring much with him, so he needs to buy some more.
Fubao: "No, what I have now is enough, no need to buy more."
Seeing this, Xiao Dingkun didn't force it: "Then I'll go back first. I'll write down the route to my place for you. If anything happens, come find me."
As he spoke, he took out a pen from his shirt pocket and wrote down his address in a flamboyant manner. He also told Fubao which bus to take to get there. After giving all the instructions, he left.
After seeing Xiao Dingkun off, Fubao felt a little empty, as if he had lost his support, but he also felt relieved.
It's a very complicated feeling.
She was both dependent on Xiao Dingkun and felt unfamiliar with him.
After Xiao Dingkun left, she had a conversation with her only roommate.
It was obvious from the clothes that this roommate was not from the countryside. After asking, I found out that her name was Li Juaner, and she was from the same province as Fubao, but hers was from the provincial capital, and her parents were both high school teachers.
Because of their shared province, the two of them looked at each other with a certain familiarity. Li Juaner suddenly remembered something: "Your name is Gu Fubao?"
Fubao quickly shook his head: "No, my nickname is Fubao, and my real name is Gu Danyang."
Gu Danyang?
Li Juaner was surprised when she heard the name. After a pause, she smiled and said, "So it's you?"
Fubao: "Ah? Do you know me?"
Li Juaner nodded. "You did very well in the exam. I think you got the highest score in our province. I heard my parents mention it."
Speaking of this, Li Juan'er was obviously feeling a little uncomfortable. Her family was well-off, she had a good study environment, her parents could help her, and she was very smart since she was a child. She didn't expect to be defeated by a country girl.
She's still a country girl who looks a little silly.
Fubao didn't think much about it. She thought that it was rare that they were from the same hometown and were roommates, so the two of them could take care of each other.
Li Juaner glanced at Fubao and said, "By the way, who was that person who just came with you? Is he your relative?"
Fubao: "He used to be an educated youth in our countryside. I knew him when I was a child, but I haven't seen him for more than ten years now."
Li Juaner understood, so she said it!
As they were talking, several other girls arrived one after another. Some came with their parents, and some came with their own luggage. Some were about eighteen or nineteen years old like Fubao and Li Juaner, some were in their twenties, and there was even one named Wang Fenghua, who was thirty years old and married, and came with her husband and children.
It was naturally a noisy day. In the end, the family members all went to stay in a guesthouse outside, and it was finally quiet. In the evening, we went to the cafeteria to eat something. After everyone cleaned up and washed up, it was time to go to bed.
Li Juaner changed into pajamas.
Feng Meini, a 20-year-old from the countryside who lived in Fubao's upper bunk, was puzzled when she saw Li Juaner's pajamas: "What is this? Why do you need to change into a new outfit before going to bed?"
Her accent had a strong twang from somewhere in the North.
Li Juaner frowned and looked at Feng Meini: "This is pajamas."
Then she asked doubtfully, "Don't you change into pajamas before you go to bed?"
Feng Meini: "Pyjamas? You need to wear clothes to sleep? We just take off all our clothes and go to bed!"
As she spoke, she quickly took off her coat and hung it on the head of the bed, leaving only her underwear.
Li Juaner: "..."
After a moment's silence, she looked at Fubao.
Fubao was also confused. It turned out that she had to wear pajamas when sleeping. She didn't even know this.
She reads a lot of books and is quite knowledgeable, but the books don't talk about wearing pajamas to sleep.
Her mother bought her several new sets of clothes, but they were all thick outerwear or summer shirts. She didn't mention spending money on clothes for sleeping. After all, for rural people, having enough food and clothing was their primary need. No one would have thought of having special clothes for sleeping!
Li Juan'er looked at the others in confusion: "You guys don't wear it either?"
Ding Weihong smiled, a hint of disdain in her smile: "I'm wearing it, it's just a pair of pajamas, what's so special about it!"
Li Juan'er ignored Ding Weihong and looked at the others.
As it turned out, except for Ding Weihong and Wang Fenghua who knew about pajamas, the other three were as confused as Fubao.
There was an awkward atmosphere in the dormitory.
Finally, Wang Fenghua said, "Pajamas aren't popular in the countryside. People are frugal, so you can wear anything and still be cool. It doesn't really matter. We just wear anything to get by. We're frugal and simple, and capitalism isn't popular in school."
Wang Fenghua knew about pajamas. She used to be a city dweller, but she went to the countryside because of the "Suppression of Rural Demise" program.
She is now 31 years old and has two children. The eldest son is in elementary school and the youngest daughter is four or five years old. Now she is going to college, and her husband has to work alone in his hometown. The family conditions are not good, so of course he will not wear pajamas.
But after all, he was older and more considerate, so he spoke up for a few girls who didn't know what pajamas were.
After hearing this, Li Juaner understood a little. She glanced at the underwear on Feng Meini on the upper bunk. Although it was called underwear, it was actually made by herself. It was a tacky coarse cloth bellyband that was simply unbearable to look at.
"If you don't feel awkward, then you don't have to wear it."
Having said that, some girls who didn't know about pajamas still felt the difference, especially when they got up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night and saw others getting up in pajamas while they had to put on clothes. They deeply understood that "clothes to wear when sleeping" seemed to be very necessary.
So the next day, while washing up, Feng Meini whispered to Fubao, "You don't have pajamas either, right?"
Fubao: "Well, I was just wondering if we should buy one?"
In fact, she thought that if she was at home, she could wear a soft old dress, which would be her pajamas. But this time, her mother had prepared new clothes for her and was reluctant to let her bring those patched clothes. And she absolutely did not want to wear new clothes to sleep, so as not to get them wrinkled.
Feng Meini: "Okay, okay, let's go buy some pajamas together, otherwise I'll feel weird."
Feng Meini was actually a carefree person, but even so, she felt different from Li Juaner and wanted to wear pajamas. After being admitted to university and having her household registration transferred to the university, she started eating commercial grain, but she found that she was still far away from the people in the city.
Fubao: "Yeah, yeah, let's go buy it together later!"
In fact, not only from the pajamas, but also from some other small things, she vaguely felt that there seemed to be a big difference between herself, a child from the countryside, and the people from the city.
It seems there is still a lot to learn!
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