039. Dong An
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National Day was just around the corner.
Lin Nan was sitting at his desk playing on the computer, occasionally sneaking glances at Chen Yao, who was packing his suitcase next to him, and then turned to look at the now-empty seat of Tu Junhui, feeling a twinge of despair.
In just a week, he would be living alone.
Tomorrow he had an interview at a part-time bubble tea shop, but who knew if they’d found a new employee in the past couple of days?
With his mind elsewhere, he was losing games faster than he could blink.
“While the dorm’s empty, don’t forget to lock the door at night,” Chen Yao said as he stuffed clothes and a laptop into his suitcase, stretching and standing up. He continued, “I just paid two hundred for the electricity yesterday, so send me fifty when you can. I doubt there’ll be any power cuts this week.”
“Yeah, sure.”
Xiong Da had his own backpack packed and was about to leave when he turned back and said, “I’m off now.”
“Wait, let’s go together.” Chen Yao hurriedly zipped up his suitcase, lifting it with a hint of worry as he advised Lin Nan, “Lock the door when you go out, remember to scoop the litter daily, and just give the cat a spoonful of food. Oh, and if your family hasn’t transferred money to you yet, you can borrow from me…”
“Okay, okay, just go already!” Lin Nan interrupted him, annoyance written all over his face. “I’m not a kid; do you really need to say all that?”
“Alright, I’m off then?”
With Xiong Da leading the way, Chen Yao turned back three times before leaving the dorm, casually closing the door behind them.
The dormitory was suddenly enveloped in silence, and Lin Nan, who had initially wanted to keep playing, lost interest and sank into his thoughts, resting his chin on one hand as he stared blankly at the computer screen.
“Meow~” Named Cola, the now growing black cat had been weaned and was full of energy, hopping around, but currently, it was curled up at Lin Nan’s feet, looking up at him.
He hadn’t bathed this cat since he rescued it, so Lin Nan rarely had any close contact to avoid fur flying everywhere, and he never let it on his desk or bed, washing his hands every time he petted it.
“Is it time for your vaccinations?” Lin Nan suddenly remembered, “You haven’t had a medical examination either, have you?”
“Meow~” Cola plopped down, resting its head on Lin Nan’s foot.
Suddenly, the front door burst open, startling Lin Nan, who looked up to see it was Lin Yuan next door.
“Are you going back for National Day?” He placed his suitcase in the hallway and walked into the room. “Is Cola okay?”
“Not going back, don’t worry.” Lin Nan shot him a glance and replied. “Aren’t there people left in your dorm? If you need something, just have them take care of it for a couple of days.”
Lin Yuan relaxed at that, casting a grin at Cola lounging on Lin Nan’s foot before heading out and closing the door.
The hallway was quieter than ever. Lin Nan sat in his chair, faintly hearing the chirping of birds outside on the balcony and Cola’s purring, but gradually, all human voices faded away.
As night deepened, Lin Nan felt an eerie sensation that he was the only one left in the entire dorm, maybe even the whole school.
His stomach grumbled, prompting him to give Cola a spoonful of cat food and a bit of warm water before heading out of the dorm.
A meal in the cafeteria usually cost less than ten bucks, but ordering takeout would set him back at least fifteen. Even though the prices weren’t drastically different, Lin Nan preferred the cafeteria.
After all, he was broke.
He expected the dorm to be nearly deserted, but as he walked down the hallway, he found several dorms still occupied by one or two people—some might be planning trips, others like him probably just hoping to work, or perhaps just chilling in the dorm for the seven-day break.
Passing by the dormitory supervisor’s office, the old uncle inside caught sight of Lin Nan. He still had questions about Lin Nan’s gender, and given the time apart, he thought Lin Nan looked even more feminine.
Lin Nan had a decent impression of the old man before, but now he felt a chill run down his spine, fearing he might again be mistaken for a girl slumming it in the boys’ dorm.
He rushed out the door and peeked back to see the old man showing no reaction, which let him relax a little, only to look up and find Dong An standing right in front of him without him even noticing.
“What’s up?”
“Calling you to eat.” Dong An, looking a bit frail with his hands stuffed in his pockets, stood there with a slight slouch.
Lin Nan wasn’t thrilled with his stance; he looked like a street punk, and given past online interactions had been anything but pleasant, his opinion of Dong An wasn’t great.
“You’re calling me to eat?” Lin Nan was incredulous. He thought this guy was just passing by to chat and make snarky remarks.
“Didn’t Chen Yao tell you? He said you were all alone in the dorm for National Day and didn’t want you to get bored, so I’m here to keep an eye on you,” Dong An said, not bothering with further explanation as he turned to go. “Let’s go eat.”
Though Chen Yao did mention it, Lin Nan never imagined Dong An would actually come.
His impression of him improved slightly as he trailed behind Dong An at a leisurely pace towards the cafeteria.
Lin Nan typically felt comfortable with real friends but found it awkward around Dong An, someone he’d only met once or twice. He kept a distance of two or three meters behind, sneaking glances every now and then.
It had to be said that Dong An was very different from Chen Yao; Lin Nan felt secure around Chen Yao, built on years of trust, while with Dong An, not only was he unfamiliar, but he also looked slightly frail, carefree… Lin Nan couldn’t shake the worry that this guy might suddenly take a jab at him.
Even though it was past seven, the cafeteria still served dinner, albeit with fewer choices than at peak times.
Lin Nan eyed Dong An’s plate piled high with three meat dishes and a side of soup, feeling a twinge of envy as he ordered a plate of fried noodles for only seven bucks.
This guy could easily eat thirty bucks worth at a meal…
Returning with his fried noodles to the spot Dong An had claimed, Lin Nan was about to dig in when he noticed Dong An had a second bowl of rice.
“Wow, you can eat that much?” He burst out in surprise.
After all, Dong An didn’t exactly look like a big eater.
Dong An looked up in confusion, glancing at the fried noodles on Lin Nan’s table. “Aren’t I treating you?”
“When did you say you were treating me?”
“A man takes a girl out; isn’t it always on the man?” Dong An said as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
This guy couldn’t be serious; was he really just testing the waters with his jabs?
Lin Nan used to react strongly to being called “girl” or “sister,” but nowadays, he sighed in resignation and casually stole a piece of Dong An’s braised pork from his plate.
Ever since the hospital confirmed he had indeed become a “girl,” it felt like he was ready to throw in the towel.
Being a girl wasn’t so bad… was it?
But Dong An was suddenly curious, looking up at him, “What’s up? Can’t handle being called a girl now? Feeling down? Want to play some games? A couple of rounds in Silver should cheer you up.”
“You can’t get mad just because I said something! What happened to that fierce guy from last time at the internet café? Your typing speed in those online battles?”
