Cold treatment
The day after I left the group, the atmosphere in dormitory 602 was so awkward that it reached freezing point.
Lu Yu, who always used his boundless energy to turn the dormitory upside down, stayed up until 8:50 today for the first time ever. It wasn't that he didn't wake up, but he didn't know what expression to use to face the icy person sleeping next to him.
He could clearly hear the whole process of Shi Guang getting up, washing up, and then quietly walking out of the dormitory. There was only a curtain and less than a meter of distance between the two of them, but it felt like the whole of Siberia was between them.
"Brother Lu, are you and Shi Guang... in a cold war?" Fat Jiang, with a messy head of hair, sat up from the bed with sleepy eyes and asked cautiously.
Lu Yu tutted in annoyance and jumped off the bed. "Cold war bullshit! I'm following Sun Rui's scientific advice and implementing a strategic cold approach."
That being said, Lu Yu felt something was wrong everywhere.
For the first time in his life, Lu Yu experienced what it meant to "be cautious when using a weapon to attack a rat" from a man.
At two o'clock in the afternoon, the first formal class meeting for freshmen was held in the 101 lecture hall of the Literature and History Building.
Lu Yu and Jiang Xiaopang walked into the classroom just in time. It was already mostly occupied. He immediately spotted Shi Guang, who was sitting in the far corner of the first row. He had his head lowered, intently flipping through a thick professional book.
Lu Yu paused for a moment, and finally sat in the back row of the classroom with Jiang Xiaopang.
"Brother Lu, you really don't want to sit over there?" Fat Jiang asked in a low voice.
"Sit down there," Lu Yu lowered his voice, but his eyes unconsciously glanced towards the corner, "Didn't you hear what Sun Rui said? Maintain a safe social distance!"
The process of the class meeting is similar to that of all universities. First, the counselor speaks, then the freshmen introduce themselves, and finally the class leaders are elected.
The counselor, a recent graduate named Zhou Sisi, wore round-framed glasses and looked very approachable. After her opening remarks, she smiled and said, "Now, let's start from the front row. Everyone take turns introducing themselves so we can get to know each other!"
The atmosphere in the classroom suddenly became lively.
Some were confident and confident, while others were shy and nervous. When it was Shi Guang's turn, everyone's eyes, including Lu Yu's, were focused on him.
He slowly stood up, looking forward expressionlessly, his voice not loud but clear enough:
"Time."
After saying that, he sat down.
...Gone?
The whole class was silent for two seconds, and then a suppressed, small-scale discussion broke out.
"Holy crap, that's so cool!"
"Is this the cool guy on the confession wall? He's even more charming in person than in his photos!"
"Why do I feel so much like a fat pig..."
Lu Yu listened in the back row, holding his forehead helplessly. He finally understood that Shi Guang didn't need to do anything; just standing there would automatically make him the focus.
When it was Zhao Teng's turn to introduce himself, he stood out. Holding his phone, he excitedly introduced himself in a vlogging tone: "Hello everyone! I'm your classmate Zhao Teng. My dream is to become a TikTok influencer with a million followers! For the next four years, my camera will capture every bit of Jiangnan University. I hope everyone will pay attention and give me a like!"
His exaggerated actions caused the whole class to burst into laughter.
In a joyful atmosphere, the order of introduction soon came to the back row.
"Next student." Zhou Sisi gestured with a smile.
At Jiang Xiaopang's urging, "It's your turn, Brother Lu," Lu Yu stood up and, striding with his long legs, walked from the back row to the podium in a few steps. Unlike the others, who stood stiffly in place, he leaned naturally against the edge of the podium, his hands resting on the table, his body leaning forward slightly, his eyes scanning the audience, his face wearing that naturally infectious, relaxed smile.
As soon as he stepped onto the stage, he brought his own spotlight effect, and everyone's attention was involuntarily drawn to him.
"Hello, everyone." His voice was clear and magnetic, with the youthful cheerfulness that characterized him. "My name is Lu Yu, Lu for land, and Yu for island. I'm very happy to be classmates with all of you for the next four years."
He picked up the chalk, turned around and wrote his name on the blackboard in a cool and vigorous handwriting, just like him, exuding an unruly handsomeness.
"I don't have any particularly outstanding qualities, except that I'm incredibly energetic, I love to have fun, and I love making friends." He turned and continued, "Basketball, gaming, drone photography, 3D modeling—as long as it's fun, I'm willing to get involved. So, for the next four years, if you need to team up, schedule a game on the court, or need aerial photography for graduation photos, feel free to contact me."
His words were extremely down-to-earth, instantly bringing him closer to all the students. Many boys in the audience smiled, thinking, "This guy is easy to get along with."
"As for why I came to our School of Cultural Relics and Historical Architecture, which sounds so cool..." Lu Yu paused and smiled mysteriously, "It's simply because I think protecting those oldest stories is a particularly romantic thing."
This unexpected and literary remark made many girls present brighten their eyes.
Sitting in the first row, I subconsciously raised my head, and my fingers that were turning the pages of the book paused for a second.
Lu Yu looked at the students' reactions and concluded, "In short, in the next four years, I hope we can do many fun and romantic things together. That's all for me. Thank you everyone!"
He bowed slightly, and the audience immediately erupted in thunderous applause, louder than any previous one.
After the self-introduction session, it was time for the most crucial class leader election.
Counselor Zhou Sisi smiled and said, "We need a responsible and charismatic student to be our class monitor. Does anyone have any recommendations?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Fatty Jiang raised his hand high in the back row, pointed at Lu Yu next to him, and shouted, "Teacher! I recommend Lu Yu! He united everyone in our dormitory on the first day of school. His organizational skills are amazing!"
"Yes, yes, we all agree!" Zhao Teng also joined in the fun.
Lu Yu, pushed by the crowd, reluctantly walked up to the podium. He wasn't nervous at all, and smiled confidently and openly.
"Hello everyone, I'm Lu Yu. To be honest, I haven't held any high-ranking official position, but my strengths are my warm heart and my love of nosiness. For the next four years, if you trust me, feel free to come to me with any troubles or difficulties. I promise that as long as I can do it, I will do it without hesitation. My campaign manifesto is just one sentence: I hope that four years from now, no one in our class will regret having missed out on any of the fun things in college. Thank you everyone!"
He didn't talk about any grand goals, but rather spoke of the most practical things. His sincere speech, coupled with his persuasive and handsome face, instantly won the applause of the whole room.
The result was no surprise, Lu Yu was elected class monitor with a high vote.
Zhou Sisi nodded with satisfaction and continued, "As for the candidates for the League Secretary position, I've looked at everyone's college entrance exam scores and files. Shiguang's grades are outstanding, and he's also talented in painting, making him very suitable for organizing some League Day activities. Shiguang, are you willing to serve as our class's League Secretary?"
The eyes of the whole class were once again fixed on time.
Lu Yu's heart also began to lift. He thought, if Shi Guang could become the League Secretary, their work would always overlap in the future, wouldn't the ice slowly break?
Under everyone's gaze, Shi Guang stood up again.
He didn't look at the counselor or his classmates, but calmly uttered two words:
"No."
Quick and decisive, without any hesitation.
The entire classroom fell into dead silence.
The smile on Zhou Sisi's face froze. She obviously didn't expect someone to reject her so thoroughly in public.
Lu Yu felt a mixture of emotions. He felt as if he had once again seen the full extent of the iceberg. A lone, towering iceberg that refused to melt and refused to be approached by anyone.
In the end, it was a quiet girl named Lin Xiyue who took the initiative to take over the position of League Secretary and resolved the embarrassment.
After the class meeting, Lu Yu, the newly appointed class monitor, instantly became the center of the class.
He was surrounded by a group of enthusiastic classmates, his phone buzzing non-stop. Within five minutes, he had added two-thirds of the class on WeChat. The familiar Zhao Teng even put his arm around his shoulder, calling him "Brother Lu" all the time, as they discussed where to go for the first class party that evening.
"Brother Lu, that's it! 7pm, barbecue at the usual place on Fallen Street, don't go home until you're drunk!" A burly man patted his chest and made a heroic summary.
"Okay, you guys organize first, I'll be there later." Lu Yu handled all this with ease, with a flawless smile on his face, but his mind was no longer here.
As he chatted and laughed, he caught a glimpse of a solitary figure walking out of the lecture hall. Time stood upright, like a solitary, proud cedar tree, completely out of tune with the bustle of the surroundings.
Just as Shi Guang walked to the classroom door, Zhao Teng, who was determined to become a million-follower UP host, suddenly rushed over with his mobile phone in hand and pointed the camera at Shi Guang.
"Hi! Mr. Shi Guang! Don't walk so fast! You are even cooler in person than in the photos. Can you share with us your experience of being a cool and aloof male god?" Zhao Teng's tone was full of familiarity and offense. He regarded this as a perfect video material.
The pace of time suddenly stopped, and he subconsciously raised his hand to cover his face, his brows tightly furrowed, and his eyes were instantly filled with resistance and disgust.
The students who were leaving in an orderly manner were stunned. They didn't expect Zhao Teng to be so direct.
Just when the situation was about to become awkward, Lu Yu moved.
He smiled and pushed through the crowd, unnoticedly squeezing between Zhao Teng and Shi Guang. He put his arm around Zhao Teng's shoulders and pulled him in the opposite direction, while using his body to cleverly block Shi Guang behind him.
"Hey, Mr. Zhao, you're being too mean," Lu Yu said, sounding joking, but his eyes held a warning that brooked no argument. "Our classmate Shi Guang is shy and doesn't like being on camera. If you want to film footage, film me! I promise to cooperate with you 360 degrees without any blind spots. How about that?"
"Ah? Oh...oh okay!" Zhao Teng's attention was immediately diverted by Lu Yu's interruption, and he excitedly began to discuss the shooting angle with the new squad leader.
When he was protected behind him, he stared blankly at Lu Yu's broad back.
Shi Guang clearly saw the flash of displeasure and warning in Lu Yu's eyes when he turned to Zhao Teng.
He said nothing, but while no one was paying attention, he lowered his head and quickly left the classroom.
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