Now, when I think back on it carefully, I can't remember many details. 　　I don't remember the changing seasons of the tree under the teaching building, nor the changing seasons of the playground, and I've never felt that the canteen at No. 1 Middle School had ever been so crowded. 　　"Have you never eaten in your eight lifetimes?!" Qi Lin finally couldn't help but curse when he was stepped on for the third time. 　　Chen Mo stood in front of him, moved forward a bit, and decided to stay away from the conspicuous bag. 　　Qi Linfei, without realizing it, put his arm around his shoulder and continued angrily, "Line up! What are you all pushing for!" 　　Chen Mo turned around, "Didn't you notice everyone's looking at us?" 　　"Go ahead and look." 　　Chen Mo was too lazy to reason with him. 　　But then I overheard two girls in the long line next to me whispering excitedly, "Isn't that Chen Mo from the second year of high school? He's even better looking in person than in the photos! Is that his boyfriend next to him?... Ah, I'm going crazy! This is the first time I've ever seen a real gay person in real life!" 　　Chen Mo: "..." 　　He wanted to say thank you, but there was no need. 　　In the end, I just ordered a few dishes, left early, and found a less conspicuous spot to sit down. 　　Not long after, Qi Lin still came looking for him. 　　Chen Mo looked at the person who had suddenly appeared opposite him, besides Qi Lin, and asked in surprise, "Didn't you go back?" 　　"You're back again." Xi Siyan glanced at him and unpacked the disposable chopsticks in her hand. 　　He was still wearing the same clothes he had worn that morning when he came down from the mountain, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and the collar buttons that he usually buttoned all the way up. His indescribable aura instantly diminished Qi Lin's presence the moment he sat down. 　　Chen Mo said "oh" but didn't offer any opinion, and continued eating his meal. 　　The food in the No. 1 Middle School cafeteria is actually not bad. 　　However, the doctor advised him to avoid certain foods for the next two days, so Chen Mo made himself a dish of scrambled eggs with tomatoes, stir-fried broccoli, and stir-fried carrots with meat. 　　They don't have strong flavors, but I just don't like them. 　　Qi Lin, who was standing next to him, was texting someone. 　　When he sent a voice message to the other end in a sweet, cloying voice, saying, "Baby, I'm eating." 　　"Are you in a relationship?" Chen Mo asked, holding a head of lush green broccoli in his mouth. 　　Qi Lin looked up, grinning mischievously, and whispered, "Don't tell anyone, okay? We're still in the ambiguous stage, I haven't confessed yet." 　　Chen Mo is so disgusted. 　　I was thinking, "This guy's been messing around since high school?" 　　"You..." Chen Mo was about to say something, but then thought better of it and picked up the soup next to him to drink. 　　Qi Lin took out his phone and waved it in front of Chen Mo and Xi Siyan, saying, "How is it? Pretty, right? We met online and have only been chatting for a month." 　　When the photo was shown in front of Chen Mo, he choked on his soup. 　　"A woman?" Chen Mo coughed. 　　Qi Lin asked curiously, "Why are you so shocked? It's like I'm the same as you. I'm not interested in men." 　　Chen Mo didn't even know where to begin his吐槽 (tu cao, a Chinese internet slang term for sarcastic or critical comments). 　　Looking at Xi Siyan with a questioning gaze, she found that Xi Siyan seemed more interested in her reaction, and finally handed her a piece of paper, saying, "Wipe it off." 　　"Thank you." Chen Mo hesitated before taking it. 　　Sure enough, Xi Siyan said, "That was my soup." 　　Chen Mo was initially still immersed in the fact that Qi Lin had liked big-breasted girls back in high school. It took him two seconds to react before he looked at the soup bowl next to him. 　　A tiny bit of seaweed floated inside, as if mocking him. 　　Chen Mo: "...Sorry." 　　Hesitating for two seconds, "Shall I get you another bowl?" 　　"No need, I'm finished." Xi Siyan tossed down the napkin, leaned back in his chair, and gestured with his chin toward the plate in front of Chen Mo. "A cat in disguise? You eat so little in one meal." 　　Qi Lin leaned closer and said, "Yeah, you don't have much of an appetite. You can't take a lot of abuse." 　　"Abuse?" 　　Qi Lin pointed to the person next to him, "Last time, Sun Xiaoya failed her physics exam and cried so much. She asked him to tutor her, and she lost eight pounds in a week. Can you believe it? From that day on, she said she would never lose weight again." 　　Chen Mo stuffed another broccoli into his mouth and looked at the person in front of him who seemed exceptionally cold and ruthless. 　　"Physical attack?" 　　Qi Lin laughed twice, "Your joke is really lame." 　　After eating, I returned to my dorm. 　　Chen Mo then realized that Xi Siyan's belongings had already been moved in. 　　A suitcase, a black bag, and even the beds were already made. The uniform black and blue silk fabric was flawless, without a single wrinkle, as if someone had obsessive-compulsive disorder. A tablet computer sat on the table below, and Chen Mo noticed that more than one person had one on their table—something impossible in other dorms. No wonder it was a specially approved dorm; the treatment was indeed different. 　　Two people moved into the dormitory in one day, but Chen Mo was the only newcomer. Fortunately, the other two roommates were as Qi Lin had said, so the atmosphere was quite harmonious. 　　It went on until night. 　　My roommate Xue Ping, whom I hadn't seen all day, has returned. 　　He wears glasses and has a fairly normal appearance, except that his hair is a bit long, with a few strands of premature gray hair occasionally visible in the middle, which fits his image as a diligent student. 　　As a newcomer, Chen Mo, sitting in his chair with his feet propped up on the desk and the front leg of the chair tilted back, greeted the person with a wave of his hand as they entered, "Hello, Chen Mo." 　　Xue Ping glanced at him, said nothing, pushed up his glasses, and returned to his seat. 　　His bed was facing Chen Mo. 　　Below was a thick stack of books and test papers, which made him stand out from the other laid-back people in the dormitory. 　　Chen Mo raised an eyebrow, showing no particular reaction. 　　Instead, Xi Siyan, who was leaning against the wardrobe next to him with her arms crossed, tapped on his desk and frowned as she reminded him, "Don't get distracted." 　　Xue Ping paused in his action of putting down the book. 　　Looking back, it seems there's some doubt about why the two were together. 　　Xi Siyan continued, "The outline of all the key points you need to memorize is here. You'll be tested after you've digested them. It'll be a three-day period, with targeted review and filling in any gaps in your knowledge. Any questions?"

Chapter 49