Dusk descended, and the city lights began to bloom.The splendor of the capital, Jinghua, was like an invisible web that instantly wrapped around Qin Yu the moment he stepped off the train.
Neon lights streamed across glass walls, tracing the dreamlike outlines of skyscrapers. Car lights flowed like rivers of gold through the wide streets. The air was thick with exhaust, the aroma of food, and the restless hum unique to great cities—it all flooded into his lungs, pounding in sync with his heartbeat.
Excited? Maybe a little.
Nervous? Oh, absolutely.
He dragged along a half-old suitcase, its corners rubbed shiny from years of use. The suitcase wheels rattled with a lonely "gulu gulu" against the pavement—a sound that didn't belong in this dazzling place.
His eyes swept past a row of bright, glittering hotels—revolving chandeliers, uniformed doormen standing tall—each one screaming a price far beyond his reach.
In the end, Qin Yu found himself at the end of a dim, narrow alley, where a near-invisible sign marked a shabby little inn.
Behind the counter sat a half-asleep proprietress, looking as though she might merge with her abacus at any moment. She lazily quoted a price—one number that instantly drowned the tiny spark of excitement in Qin Yu's chest with a bucket of ice water.
"Two thousand. One night."
Qin Yu's fingers creaked against the suitcase handle. For a moment, he thought he must've misheard.
"Th-that's… more than my grandpa earns in two months."
The woman didn't even lift her eyelids. Clearly, she was used to this kind of reaction.
Back in his hometown, Feng Yu's fortune-telling stall barely brought in a thousand yuan a month—after a lifetime of sweat and toil.
And here, just one night's bed swallowed the fruits of several months' work.
This city, he thought, even its air smelled like burning money.
The inn room was small and suffocating, barely enough space to turn around—but at least it was clean.
Qin Yu lay flat on the hard bed, the wooden slats pressing painfully into his back.
He pulled out his phone; the glow lit up his young but weary face. The string of numbers representing his savings—one hundred thousand and a few hundred more—glared back at him like a cruel joke.
That money was his two grandfathers' lifelong savings, the foundation for his college life.
And in this city, one quiet night had already sliced a piece off his heart.
His only comfort was the fact that he'd entered Jingbei University as the top student of the southern region. Tuition waived, meals and dorms covered, plus an extra scholarship.
Thinking that, his anxiety eased—just a little.
At dawn, Qin Yu shot up from the bed, hastily packed, and practically bolted for the front desk to check out, terrified that staying one more second would cost him another few hundred yuan.
He rolled his suitcase into the morning crowd, heading toward Jingbei University.
The school's reputation preceded it—the finest university in all of Huaxia. Even from afar, its stately air and grandeur could be felt.
The gate stood tall beneath lush trees, a silent symbol of prestige.
According to the notice, top-ranked freshmen could register early.
If it weren't for Feng Yu and Feng Yang—his two grandfathers—being away, Qin Yu wouldn't have come to Jinghua alone so soon.
But what met his eyes was far from the quiet campus he'd imagined.
Instead of peace and calm, it was—well, a festival. Not quite drums and fireworks, but close enough. The place was buzzing with energy, a wave of voices and laughter washing through the gates.
Everywhere he looked were students dragging suitcases, faces full of youth and hope. Many were surrounded by family—mothers fussing with fruit and thermoses, fathers lugging bags with steady steps, younger siblings tugging carts and chattering nonstop.
Qin Yu stood alone in the crowd. His half-old suitcase looked painfully shabby among all the brand-new luggage, like a beggar who'd wandered into a noble banquet.
An inexplicable loneliness crept into his chest.
"Hi there, are you a new student?"
A clear, friendly female voice came from beside him.
Qin Yu turned his head. The speaker was a girl in Jingbei's uniform, her ponytail neat, her face bright with energy and warmth.
He nodded. "Yeah."
"All by yourself? Your family didn't come?" she asked kindly, studying him with gentle curiosity.
Qin Yu forced a small, polite smile. "They're busy. I came alone."
"Wow, that's impressive! So independent!" the girl—Jiang Qingqing—said with genuine admiration.
"You flatter me," Qin Yu murmured, lowering his head, embarrassed.
Jiang Qingqing was a whirlwind of helpfulness. She led him to registration, chatting cheerfully as she explained the campus layout.
When they reached the boys' dorm, she even double-checked his info and made sure everything was in order.
"Here, this is my number." She handed him a small slip of paper, digits written in elegant handwriting. "If you ever need help with anything, call me anytime!"
With a bright smile, she waved goodbye and jogged off.
Qin Yu stood there holding the warm paper, scratching his head in dazed silence.
Nearby, two girls sat on a stone bench by the dorm entrance. One of them, Song Yuyao, nudged Jiang Qingqing with a teasing grin.
"Wow, Qingqing-jie, not bad—already hooked a cute freshman?"
Jiang Qingqing laughed. "That one? He's quite handsome, actually. Clean kind of handsome."
"Sure, clean. But did you see his clothes?" Song Yuyao smirked, her eyes full of judgment. "That outfit probably costs less than one of my T-shirts. Total Pinxixi fashion disaster."
"You're being shallow." Jiang Qingqing flicked her friend's forehead playfully. "That's what you call a raw gem! If he looks that good in cheap clothes, imagine what a little styling could do? Killer material!"
She blinked mischievously. "That's called contrast charm."
"Yeah yeah, whatever you say," Song Yuyao chuckled, shrugging. "But guys like that—'poor and handsome'—are fine for flirting. Living with one? Hard pass."
The two walked off laughing.
Qin Yu, blissfully unaware of the gossip, finally found his dorm room.
When he opened the door, what greeted him wasn't a bed—but a massive open suitcase blocking the entrance.
Curious, he glanced inside—and his heart skipped a beat.
Holy crap. This wasn't a suitcase. It was a mini luxury boutique!
Neatly folded designer clothes he'd only ever seen in magazines, a pair of limited-edition AJ sneakers worth a fortune, and—just casually tossed beside them—a gold Rolex glinting under the light.
If those were real… just the stuff in that suitcase probably cost more than everything Qin Yu owned combined. His entire 100,000 yuan might buy him one shoe. Maybe the hand of the watch.
"Ah! Sorry, buddy, blocking the door, huh?"
A round-faced boy popped up with an apologetic grin.
Seeing Qin Yu's stunned face, he misunderstood and scratched his head awkwardly.
"Heh, sorry, I brought too much. My mom insisted I pack everything. Couldn't find a better suitcase, so I just grabbed one at the airport duty-free shop—cost a few ten-thousand, but, eh, it'll do for now. Don't laugh at me."
Qin Yu: "..."
A suitcase worth tens of thousands… just to make do… and he's the one being laughed at?
Was he sure Jingbei University wasn't secretly an aristocratic academy?
Despite the storm in his chest, Qin Yu's expression stayed calm. He cleared his throat. "As long as it works."
"I'm Su Ming, local to Jinghua. You?" The chubby boy shoved the giant suitcase under the bed like it was nothing and stuck out his hand with a big grin.
"Qin Yu." He shook the hand, quietly unpacking his modest luggage. His eyes drifted to the opposite bed—already neatly made. "You're fast."
Su Ming chuckled, puffing his chest a bit. "Didn't do it myself. Had our housekeeper come over this morning to tidy up."
Housekeeper.
Qin Yu's heart sighed again. The gulf between worlds was real.
Just then, Su Ming suddenly let out a "Hey!" and pointed excitedly at the corner of Qin Yu's suitcase—where a few Five Emperor Coins had accidentally peeked out.
"Whoa! Dude, you play with these too?" Su Ming's eyes lit up. "You into Xuanxue stuff?"
Qin Yu froze, then calmly tucked the charms beneath his clothes.
He'd meant to store them in his shouwu pouch, but he'd been distracted while packing.
Originally, he'd even wanted to stash the entire suitcase in there—but walking around empty-handed would've drawn too much attention.
"No, my grandpa said they bring safety. Just carrying them for that."
"Oh… that's all, huh." Su Ming's excitement visibly deflated.
After a moment, Qin Yu hesitated, then asked, "You're… interested in that kind of thing?"
"Of course! Super interested!" Su Ming's eyes lit up again. "There's actually a Xuanxue Society here at Jingbei! The president's an upperclassman, but I heard all the other officers are gorgeous senpai! Hot ones!"
A "Xuanxue Society" full of pretty senior girls? Sounds more like a pop idol group.
Instant disinterest.
Back in the village, he'd been scolded plenty by Grandpa Feng Yu for attracting too many girls' attention.
He'd finally escaped that "Daughters' Kingdom." No way was he jumping back in voluntarily.
"No thanks. I need to study," Qin Yu said plainly. "I'm counting on that scholarship."
Su Ming gawked. "Come on, man! This is college! You're supposed to join clubs, date girls, go to mixers! Who studies here?"
Qin Yu sighed inwardly. If only I could afford to think like that. Poverty not only limited imagination—it also limited your entire college life.
But Su Ming was relentless. "C'mon, join us! We're just missing one more roommate! The guy in the top bunk—Lin Zihao—already went to check the club out!"
"Lin Zihao?" Qin Yu glanced at the upper bunk, already perfectly arranged.
Another rich kid, he thought.
And right on cue—
The dorm door creaked open, and a tall, trendily dressed young man strode in.
Huge sunglasses covered half his face, his gait dripping with arrogance. The Rolex on his wrist caught the light like a flare.
Qin Yu's expression tightened as he recognized the same watch model he'd just seen in that suitcase.
"Zihao, what's the word?" Su Ming rushed up, eyes shining.
Lin Zihao adjusted his glasses and smirked. "All set. They're having a welcome event tonight at the clubroom."
"No way! Awesome!" Su Ming slapped his belly, beaming. "Knew coming early was smart!"
Lin Zihao nodded, then turned his gaze to Qin Yu.
He studied him from head to toe, eyes hidden but tone dripping with intrigue.
"Well, well… You wouldn't happen to be that 'Scholarship Elite,' would you?"
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