Chapter 111: Squandering Heaven’s Gifts

“Suit yourself, I’ll finish it.” Li Mu wasn’t one to pressure girls into drinking, but he didn’t mind if they had a little. So, without much thought, he downed his glass in one go.

Zhao Ziqiu smiled faintly and tilted her head back, emptying her cup as well.

“Cold drinks, be careful not to hurt your stomach,” Li Mu warned kindly.

Zhao Ziqiu glanced at him with interest and retorted, “Why don’t you watch out for yourself then?”

Li Mu smiled lightly, “Because I’m a man.”

Zhao Ziqiu curled her lips. “So what? Why can’t men and women be equal when it comes to drinking cold things?”

Seeing her roll her eyes, Li Mu thought this long-legged beauty had some character. He lowered his voice and said, “I’m just looking out for you. Men don’t have ‘close friends’.”

In his past life, Li Mu had a girlfriend who always loved eating cold things—ice cream, popsicles, and drinks with ice, even in winter. But the price was steep; when her period came, she would suffer unbearable pain. Yet after those few days, she’d never give up her habits.

It was then that Li Mu learned a basic truth: women shouldn’t consume cold food or drinks during their menstruation. To avoid worsening cramps, even otherwise, it’s best to avoid cold things as much as possible.

Hearing Li Mu mention “close friends,” Zhao Ziqiu blushed slightly. Women had many euphemisms for their periods—“the monthly visitor,” “Aunt Flo,” “close friends,” among others. She clearly understood what he meant. Though she appreciated his concern, a guy bringing up “close friends” with her was a bit awkward.

Nearby, Li Yawei hadn’t caught the start of their conversation. He vaguely heard Li Mu say something about not having close friends. Slightly tipsy, he immediately wrapped an arm around Li Mu’s neck with a loud declaration, “Li Mu, how can you say you don’t have close friends? I, Li Yawei, am your close friend! And the other four brothers in dorm 606—though we just met, we’ll be living together for four years, so we’re all your close friends!”

Li Mu felt a wave of embarrassment wash over him, his face practically black with disbelief. Zhao Ziqiu laughed heartily, covering her mouth with a charming hand, causing the others in the dorm to swoon and stare in admiration.

Everyone kept asking Zhao Ziqiu what was so funny. She glanced at Li Mu a moment and said, “Li Mu just whispered a joke to me…”

The five roommates of 606 turned to Li Mu with envy in their eyes. He didn’t talk much, but his flirting skills were off the charts—he’d barely said a word, yet he’d already made the goddess-level Zhao Ziqiu blush prettily.

The other girls encouraged, “Li Mu, what joke did you tell Ziqiu? Tell us too!”

Li Mu glanced at Zhao Ziqiu. Though her eyes showed no blame, she shyly stuck out her tongue.

With a helpless smile, Li Mu searched his mind for jokes and settled on one:

“A young man asked a Zen master in the temple, ‘Master, I have goals, opinions, ambition, honesty, integrity, and talent. Why haven’t I found a partner yet?’

The master said nothing and led him to the courtyard, where a few plum trees quietly blossomed, releasing their fragrant scent.

Inspired, the young man exclaimed, ‘The plum blossom’s fragrance comes from bitter cold… Master, are you telling me that perseverance will lead to success?’

The master shook his head and said, ‘Plum Qian (no money), what the hell do you think I’m telling you?’”

Li Mu’s punchline left the eleven others staring at each other in confusion—only Zhao Ziqiu burst out laughing, “Haha, ‘Plum Qian’… I’ve never heard such a ruthless Zen master!”

Others were puzzled. Han Xiaoxiao asked, “Ziqiu, did I miss something? Does the last line relate to the rest?”

Zhao Ziqiu giggled for a while, then explained to Han Xiaoxiao and the others, “It’s a pun—‘Plum Qian’ sounds like ‘no money.’”

Suddenly, everyone understood. They’d expected a philosophical story from the Zen master but found him unexpectedly blunt. Imagining it anew, they all laughed and nodded.

Li Mu shook his head, “Looks like this joke isn’t really suited for telling aloud.”

Zhao Ziqiu smiled gently, “Not your fault—it’s just that they didn’t get it. I think it’s pretty good.”

The young men and women’s gathering went on until nine in the evening. The boys from dorm 606 were already quite tipsy and clamoring to go to a karaoke bar, but the girls from the women’s dorm at Yan University said they had to get up early—the school’s military training opening ceremony was scheduled for seven the next morning.

The boys from 606 showed their manners by escorting the six girls to their dormitory building. Li Yawei and Han Xiaoxiao hugged and kissed goodbye, Li Yawei in an overly sweet tone saying, “Baby, I’ll miss you. I’ll text you tonight.”

Han Xiaoxiao giggled, “If you’re bored, just call the dorm phone—it’s cheaper.”

The other ten watched the couple’s affectionate display, feeling a bit awkward. Tonight, the head of 606, Sun Jian, seemed to be getting along well with a short-haired girl from Han Xiaoxiao’s dorm, exchanging phone numbers and QQ contacts nearby.

Hu Zhengdao was chatting with a girl too but felt awkward since he didn’t have a phone and was too shy to ask for her number.

Only Li Mu and Liu Nian stayed quiet. Liu Nian sat there dazed, clearly not used to this kind of gathering, shy around the girls. Li Mu stood nearby, head down, texting. Chen Wan was messaging him, asking what he’d done today, and he was replying honestly.

“Li Mu, is your girlfriend checking up on you?” Zhao Ziqiu asked curiously, noticing him fiddling with his phone.

Li Mu looked up casually. “My sister. She studies in Shanghai.”

Zhao Ziqiu nodded lightly, then cheerfully said, “Share your number with me. If you come across any good jokes, you can send them to me and brighten my day.”

As she spoke, her gaze met Li Mu’s large eyes with a sparkling look. Li Mu’s heart skipped a beat. Could Zhao Ziqiu be interested in him? It seemed unlikely—though he considered himself decent-looking, Zhao Ziqiu was a goddess with long legs and a stunning figure, surely accustomed to being pursued by countless handsome men. He probably wouldn’t even rank in the middle tier.

Still, despite his surprise, Li Mu readily exchanged numbers with Zhao Ziqiu.

After Li Yawei and Han Xiaoxiao had their fill of affection, the six from 606 began walking back. Along the way, Sun Jian looked enviously at Li Mu and said, “Li Mu, I think Zhao Ziqiu is into you!”

Xue Jianfeng pulled out cigarettes and handed one to Sun Jian and another to Li Mu. “I think so too. She kept chasing after Li Mu to chat all night.”

Li Yawei laughed, “Li Mu, maybe I should have my girlfriend ask Zhao Ziqiu for you. If she really likes you, you better act fast. Girls like Zhao Ziqiu will be swarmed by guys like flies after military training!”

During freshmen orientation, upperclassmen hadn’t started classes yet. Everyone wore green military uniforms and hats during training, which slightly diminished even the most beautiful girls’ allure. But once that was over, first-year girls would dress up extravagantly to make up for it. The campus would be flooded with stunning freshmen competing for attention, and the upperclassmen would swarm them like starving wild dogs.

Generally, first-year boys were at a disadvantage. New to the school, still adjusting to new roommates and environment, they didn’t have the time or confidence to pursue the beauties of their own year. By the time they realized it, the girls nearby had already been courted several times over by upperclassmen. So they bottled up their frustration, waiting for the next year when they themselves became upperclassmen to compete for freshmen girls, creating a vicious cycle.

Li Yawei’s advice to Li Mu was based on this typical college pattern: for a goddess like Zhao Ziqiu, you have to strike first and hard—a moment’s hesitation could mean losing her.

Li Mu smiled and asked, “She just spoke with me a little more at this dinner. Does that really mean she’s interested?”

Li Yawei replied, “Doesn’t it?”

Li Mu shook his head helplessly. “Come on, it was our first meeting, and we just talked a bit. It means nothing. Can we not be so self-deluded?”

Xue Jianfeng egged him on, “Come on, just give it a try. If it doesn’t work, no big deal. But if it does, dating such a stunning beauty means your four years in college will be pretty much perfect!”

Li Mu unexpectedly waved him off, “I’m not thinking about dating right now. Maybe later.”

“What?!” Li Yawei was shocked. “You don’t want to date in college? What do you want to do then?”

Li Mu shrugged. “Too many things. Take it slow.”

“Damn!”

Unexpectedly, Li Mu’s sincere, straightforward answer was met with all five of them raising their middle fingers in unison. To them, even if Zhao Ziqiu had just a hint of interest, Li Mu should seize the opportunity and pursue her with all his might. Doing nothing was simply a waste of a treasure.