Chapter Seven: In the Same Class After All

Dugu Ming was ecstatic upon advancing to the fourth level. At that very moment, however, the door to the infirmary swung open, and a young girl in a nurse’s uniform walked in. Instantly recalling the bed behind him, which, thanks to his earlier impulsiveness, had been reduced to a pile of scrap, Dugu Ming realized there was no explaining this away. He simply chose not to. Without a word, he darted to the window, threw it open, and leapt out from several stories up, vanishing without a trace.

It all happened in a flash. The nurse saw nothing of Dugu Ming’s escape—only the twisted wreckage of what had been a steel-framed bed. Convinced she’d encountered a ghost, she screamed, slammed the door, and fled in terror.

From then on, a rumor spread throughout Ningxia University: in the empty infirmary lived a poltergeist of prodigious strength. This specter, it was said, delighted in destruction, capable of reducing even steel beds to mangled shards. The tale so terrified the students that no one dared feign illness to skip class anymore.

Naturally, Dugu Ming himself remained oblivious to all this. At that moment, the culprit was happily strolling down the street after registering for classes, whistling a tune in high spirits thanks to his recent breakthrough. Every so often, he burst into laughter, drawing puzzled—and sometimes scornful—looks from passersby. “Idiot,” they muttered under their breath.

Dugu Ming couldn’t have cared less about others’ opinions. He had always been one to walk his own path, indifferent to the world’s judgments.

As he walked, memories of the day replayed in his mind—from meeting the young girl to his sudden advancement. He sensed a connection between these events, but the thread eluded him, leaving him vexed. Oh, forget it, he thought, scratching his head in frustration.

Truth be told, Dugu Ming rather wished he could see the girl again. But don’t get any funny ideas—it wasn’t just because she was beautiful. Well, perhaps that was a small part of it. Judging from today’s encounter, she was likely a student in his own college, so there was a good chance they would cross paths again. With that thought, Dugu Ming found himself looking forward to his university life.

The next day, Dugu Ming drove his Audi sedan to campus. Though it hardly compared to the Ferraris, Porsches, or Mercedes-Benzes of the world, it was still a respectable car. But then, Dugu Ming had always been a low-key sort of person. Otherwise, had he driven his limited-edition Bugatti Veyron, every other car would have paled in comparison.

Upon arrival, he found a spot for his car, glanced at the Ningxia University sign, and drew a deep breath. Realizing that the coming years of his life would be spent here, he couldn’t help but feel a flutter of excitement. He chuckled to himself.

The classroom was packed—standing room only, with even the front row filled to capacity. Dugu Ming wondered, since when had students become so studious? Or was his major simply full of so-called academic prodigies? Frankly, Dugu Ming had little fondness for such types—perhaps you feel the same? Shaking his head, he decided to just find any available seat.

No sooner had he sat down than a short, chubby fellow, drenched in sweat and clad in a soccer uniform, rushed in clutching a filthy ball and plopped down beside him. Dugu Ming frowned; he had a slight aversion to filth. The newcomer, however, grinned widely at him.

Good heavens, Dugu Ming was startled. Sit if you must, but why smile like that? If you were handsome, maybe, but with looks like yours, best not to.

“I’m Zhang Liming. What’s your name?” the newcomer asked, all easy familiarity.

Dugu Ming glanced at him. Liming? Do you think you’re really Leon Lai, one of the Four Heavenly Kings? A full head shorter than most and about as far from handsome as one could get, yet you have the nerve to use that name? Of course, while these thoughts flashed through his mind, Dugu Ming kept them to himself. Instead, he replied, “I’m Dugu Ming.”

“What? You’re Dugu Ming?” The short, sweaty guy gaped at him in shock.

What’s this? Dugu Ming was taken aback. “Do you know me?” he asked shyly, scratching his head. He hadn’t expected to be so famous—after all, he’d spent years abroad and only recently returned.

If only you’d said you were a fan from the start, Dugu Ming thought, I wouldn’t have judged you so harshly. Suddenly, he found the fellow somewhat endearing.

“No, I don’t. It just surprised me, that’s all.” The sweaty, awkward stranger replied quickly.

What the—? Dugu Ming was at a loss. If you don’t know me, what’s with the theatrics? Even someone as even-tempered as Dugu Ming couldn’t help but curse inwardly. Ignoring him, Dugu Ming edged away in his seat and turned his attention to the lecture.

“Oh, right! Now I remember—you’re Dugu Ming!” After a moment, the chubby guy suddenly exclaimed.

Lost in thought, Dugu Ming was completely caught off guard by the outburst, nearly suffering a heart attack.

Are you out of your mind? Is this a joke to you? One scare after another—if not for my training, you might have killed me, Dugu Ming thought, his nerves frayed.

Suppressing his annoyance, Dugu Ming narrowed his eyes and looked at the odd fellow opposite.

“I remember now—I’ve seen your name before. Turns out we’re roommates!” Zhang Liming announced, entirely oblivious to Dugu Ming’s irritation.

What? The news struck Dugu Ming like a bolt from the blue.

Suddenly, he remembered he was supposed to be living in the dorms—and was scheduled to move in today.

Sizing up the self-proclaimed Zhang Liming before him—those sticky, dirty clothes, the overwhelming stench of sweat, that squat, stocky build—Dugu Ming felt his head throb at the thought of sharing a room with him for four years.

Just then, Dugu Ming’s heart began to race, as if something momentous were about to occur. Instinctively, he turned to look toward the door.

There, gliding through the classroom entrance, was a vision in white—a young woman with cascading hair like a waterfall, a face of rare beauty that would make any woman feel inadequate, lips gently curved in a playful, endearing smile. She seemed every inch a fairy descended to the mortal world.

It was her—the very girl who had occupied Dugu Ming’s thoughts these past few days. He never imagined she would be in his class.

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