The King of Black Fog

Back in the dorm, Li Changzhou took a bath, changed into beach shorts and slippers, and left his dirty clothes soaking in a basin.

"Big bro, what did the doctor say?" Bed No. 4's Da Huang, furiously tapping on his keyboard while gaming, asked Li Changzhou as he walked toward Bed No. 2.

"Said I have nerve weakness from studying too much." Li Changzhou plopped down into the chair, finally feeling relieved.

"Damn!" Bed No. 3's Dong Ge sat up from under his covers, "I was wondering why I've been dizzy these past few days too, definitely from studying too much!"

Bed No. 1's Chen Shao, smiling, looked up at Dong Ge and said, "You've been studying too much? More like jerking off too much, right?"

"Bullshit!" Dong Ge cursed, "Da Huang, pass me some tissue."

"Get it yourself!" Da Huang replied without turning his head, his fingers clattering on the keyboard as he muttered, "Idiot! Can't you see I'm coming! Heal your mom's soldiers!"

Dong Ge turned his gaze back to Li Changzhou, "Big bro?"

"Call me daddy."

"Chen Shao?" Dong Ge tentatively asked Chen Shao.

"Call me grandpa."

"Whoever gets it for me, I'll bring lunch for them tomorrow!"

The floor thudded as Da Huang, Chen Shao, and Li Changzhou, like fish seeing feed, swarmed under Dong Ge's bed.

Da Huang won this battle, licking his lips and saying, "Dong Ge, braised chicken, no vermicelli, add more potatoes."

"Tell me tomorrow, you can go now."

"Sure, Dong Ge, you're busy."

This was a typical day in a male university dorm.

Li Changzhou wished he had more agility and went back to his chair, searching on his phone for soldier training methods.

The first step already stumped him—it required eating breakfast.

He pulled a pen from the holder and noted down key points in a notebook provided by the school.

The phone buzzed, a WeChat message popped up.

(Qian Xia: @Changzhou)

(Qian Xia: Big bro, come out)

(Qing Lan: @Changzhou, don't be shy)

Li Changzhou clicked in and found himself in a group chat named [Three Sisters].

(Changzhou: Looking at "Criminal Law", what's up?)

(Qian Xia: Don't believe you)

(Qing Lan: Need to talk face-to-face, meet at the second floor of the first cafeteria at 1:30 PM)

(Changzhou: Going out at that time could kill a person)

(Qing Lan: That's why there are fewer people then)

(Changzhou: Okay, is your 'qinglan' in 'Qing Lan'?)

(Qing Lan: No, it's '清岚', '青岚' is my online name)

(Qian Xia: Bro, remember to bring money, treat us to ice cream)

(Changzhou: 'Extortion, is defined as an act that aims at illegal possession, using threats or coercion to demand public or private property, involves a considerable amount or multiple instances of extortion.')

"Big bro studying?" Chen Shao peeked from behind Li Changzhou.

He was the anti-grade-grubbing pioneer of Dorm 407, any hint of studying triggered him like radar, immediately coming over to inspect.

If someone wasn't studying, Chen Shao wouldn't do anything; but if they were, he'd immediately start reading too.

"Just chatting." Li Changzhou held up his phone screen to prove his innocence.

Chen Shao displayed a relaxed and trouble-free smile.

After Chen Shao returned comfortably to his seat, Li Changzhou also stood up from his seat, stretched out his arms, and grabbed the bunk bed's rail.

"Hmm!" He grunted, pulling himself up steadily.

After his Adam's apple cleared the rail, he slowly released and let himself down.

After doing this twice, his face was already red.

"Big bro, what are you doing?" Dong Ge, lying in bed with tissue stuffed in his nose, asked.

Bed No. 4 was closest to the air conditioner; this guy had caught a cold and was still covered in a blanket.

"Train—" Pulling up.

"Practice—" Relaxing.

"Why suddenly start training?" Da Huang curiously glanced over.

"I want—" Pulling up.

"To be—" Pulling up.

"A tough guy! Ha, can't do it anymore!" His Adam's apple hadn't cleared the rail before Li Changzhou lost his strength.

Gulping for air, he stood straight, stepping forward with his right leg until his thigh was parallel to the ground.

"Tough guy? These days girls prefer pretty boys, you know?" Chen Shao joined the conversation, but he wasn't supervising the workout, just ensuring the other three weren't studying.

"I want to be a new age man who looks like a pretty boy but is actually a tough guy," Li Changzhou retracted his right leg and repeated the same movement with his left.

"Joking aside, with your looks, big bro, what woman can't you attract?" It was also Chen Shao's habit to praise others.

Examples included: Big bro, you're definitely passing this exam! If not you, then who!

Dong Ge, do you even need to study? No way, you're passing for sure!

Da Huang, why are you even looking at the books? Just grab a pen, that's enough!

For himself, no matter what the exam, there was always just one phrase: Finished, I'll have to retake it this time.

But about good looks, Chen Shao wasn't wrong; Li Changzhou was handsome enough not to rely on muscles to enhance his charm.

He wasn't training to chase girls.

The game of value had just started, the real world hadn't seen war yet, students didn't have to struggle in poverty, hunger, or death, people hadn't started to become frenzied, they just needed to sing praises to youth and love.

But the countdown had already begun, all these thoroughly ordinary days would end one day.

Once his strength returned, Li Changzhou pulled his legs in, gave a light hop, and grabbed the rail again.

"One—"

"Two—"

The veins on his neck bulged out like he was using a pair of old-fashioned pliers, with a firm gaze.

By 1:20, Li Changzhou still stopped training and took a shower.

It couldn't be helped, not just his sister, Yang Qinglan was also there.

'Women are such a hindrance.' Li Changzhou checked his hair in the mirror at the wash area, making sure it looked natural and handsome.

He put on a T-shirt, and layered a short-sleeve white shirt over it, with faded jeans below.

With both hands thrust into his pockets, he embodied the idol of idols.

"Damn! Big cousin looks so cool, and he even took a shower, going on a date?" Dong Ge propped himself up from the bed once more.

"With my sister."

"Finally hitting the orthopedic ward, huh?"

"Get lost!"

Leaving the chilly dorm, Li Changzhou felt comfortable initially, but soon, he felt like a log placed near a furnace, slowly heating up, soon to be scorched red.

The walls of Ming University's buildings were thick and exuded a sense of the era.

Just from the buildings, one could get the impression that the students here were outstanding.

It seemed like there was a club activity over the weekend; sounds of playing the Guzheng emanated from inside the building.

The cafeteria they agreed to meet at was the most secluded one in Ming University, but no matter how out of the way, there would be students because it was closest to some dormitories or academic buildings.

The cafeteria was air-conditioned; scattered throughout were students, some studying, others playing games, and some sleeping.

A group of cafeteria workers played cards at a long table in the northeast corner.

Li Qianxia and Yang Qinglan sat in a section of the cafeteria near a window set up like a coffee shop with round tables and greenery.

Outside the window, the air twisted like that of a desert under the blazing sun.

As Li Changzhou approached, he saw Yang Qinglan propping her face with one hand, her chin slightly lifted.

The curve of her profile was hauntingly beautiful, her lean neck reminiscent of an Immortal Crane's noble demeanor.

She too had changed her outfit, wearing a white T-shirt and light blue denim skirt.

His sister was also beautiful, with her striking features, sparkling eyes, radiant smile, and lively ponytail.

Denim shorts tucked into the hem of her white T-shirt.

Together, they presented a stunning view, a scene that would be flawlessly charming in a city-based idol drama.

"You still wearing a shirt? Aren't you hot?" Li Qianxia called out upon seeing him.

"It's cold due to the air conditioning inside." Li Changzhou sat down next to his sister.

"But you do look pretty handsome." After saying this, Li Qianxia turned to Yang Qinglan, "Don't you think so, Qing Lan?"

Yang Qinglan sized up Li Changzhou and chuckled lightly, "Yeah."

"If you're not interested, don't force yourself."

"Bro!" Li Qianxia spread her hands.

"What?" Li Changzhou leaned back, distancing himself from her hand.

"Money, I'll go buy some ice cream."

"Didn't bring my campus card." The snack bar in the cafeteria also accepted campus cards.

"I brought mine, send it through WeChat."

"... You really are, not letting go until you suck my blood dry."

If it were just the two siblings, Li Changzhou would have definitely not given in 90% of the time, but no way around it, Yang Qinglan was also there.

'Women are such a hindrance.' Li Changzhou took out his phone and transferred thirty via WeChat.

"Qing Lan, what would you like?" With money in hand, Li Qianxia's tone perked up by twenty percent.

"A Cute Duo maybe, strawberry flavored."

"Alright, and for you, big bro?"

"The most expensive one."

"Okay, Green Tongue it is?"

"... I'll take a Cute Duo as well." Li Changzhou quite liked Green Tongue; it was cheap and tasted good.

But no way around it, he couldn't let outsiders see him leisurely enjoying a Green Tongue, not with his sister around and especially not with Yang Qinglan present.

At this moment, Li Changzhou suddenly understood that it wasn't women that were the hindrance, but his own male pride.

After Li Qianxia left with her agile, long strides, only Li Changzhou and Yang Qinglan remained at the round table.

Yang Qinglan propped her chin, watching Li Qianxia weave through the cafeteria chairs, her black hair flowing like a waterfall.

On this hot Saturday afternoon at 1:32, two options lay before Li Changzhou.

Option one: "What did you call me out for?" (cold expression)

Option two: "You look quite nice too." (handsome, composed, sunny face)

"You," Li Changzhou made his choice, "look quite nice too."

Unexpectedly, he hadn't chosen wrong, but his expression was off, shy, awkward, and somewhat bashful.

Wasn't that instantly giving away that he was a virgin?

Yang Qinglan withdrew her gaze, smiling sweetly: "Thank you."

"How long have you known my sister?" Li Changzhou asked without betraying any emotion.

"About a week." Yang Qinglan responded.

"Oh." Li Changzhou nodded, "You seem to get along really well."

"Yeah, we hit it off and chat often."

"Chat? What about?" Li Changzhou asked curiously.

"She said," Yang Qinglan looked at him, "her brother's goal is to be a man that makes women scream and cry."

"Huh? Does she have another brother?"

Yang Qinglan laughed.

Li Changzhou scratched the corner of his left eye near his temple with his right hand.

In the distance, Li Qianxia walked back their way with a cheerful stride.