Qin Yue calmly retracted his gaze and straightened up.
"Let's go."
Xu Wei walked beside him muttering about the schools lack of proper facilities.
"How could someone trip all of a sudden, they must not have leveled the ground properly."
Qin Yue felt oddly comforted by Xu Wei's countless excuses and couldn't help but crack a small smile.
"Just my bad luck. I don't think the school can guard against that."
Xu Wei was stunned for a second before vehemently countering.
"No way. You're obviously so lucky."
Qin Yue only smiled and didn't say anything else. His bad luck was clearly returning.
Xu Wei would have plenty of time to realize he was telling the truth.
Xu Wei didn't completely understand what Qin Yue meant by "bad luck," but he didn't think too much about it.
He just assumed Qin Yue was joking, or being dramatic in his own quiet way.
But twenty minutes later, Xu Wei began to suspect his roommate might actually be cursed.
They were walking toward the library when the first incident happened.
A bicyclist came speeding down the path, zig-zagging through pedestrians while yelling into his phone. Xu Wei tugged Qin Yue aside just in time.
But then the cyclist swerved again at the last second coming directly towards them, his brake screeching.
He didn't hit them, but the sudden swerve sent them crashing into a row of metal trash bins. Fortunately they were closed.
Both boys froze as the cyclist tumbled off, cursing loudly.
"Hey! Watch where you're—"
Xu Wei stopped mid-sentence when he saw the resigned look Qin Yue was giving him.
Qin Yue sighed. It was good while it lasted.
"Never mind"
Xu Wei blinked rapidly.
"What was that!? Did he aim for you?!"
"No," Qin Yue said simply.
"But he literally came out of nowhere!"
"He came from the road."
"That's not the point!"
Qin Yue didn't respond and kept walking while Xu Wei hurried after him.
Next came the library. When they walked in, Xu Wei inhaled deeply.
"Ahhh..can you smell it? Knowledge, wisdom, excellence."
Qin Yue scoffed lightly.
"And a whole lot of dust."
"That's the scent of academia," Xu Wei insisted.
They walked deeper inside. Rows upon rows of shelves filled the hall, each one towering several meters high.
Xu Wei's eyes shone.
"Look at this place! It's like a palace for nerds."
They wandered deeper until they reached the study pods on the second floor. Xu Wei pressed his face against the small glass booth.
"Let's study here later. It feels so intellectual. Like my IQ rose just by walking in."
"No," Qin Yue said blandly.
"What? Why? It's quiet! Peaceful! Perfect!"
"I don't like enclosed spaces."
"Oh." Xu Wei blinked. "…Is it a trauma thing?"
"No."
"Claustrophobia?"
"No."
"Then why?..."
"It's a long story."
They explored for another half hour before Xu Wei suddenly gasped and grabbed Qin Yue's arm.
"Oh no."
"What?"
"I forgot to return something. Wait here, I'll be back in three minutes."
Before Qin Yue could ask anything, Xu Wei sprinted away.
He didn't come back in three minutes. He didn't come back in five. By the ten-minute mark, Qin Yue was already heading downstairs, suspecting Xu Wei got lost. Which he did.
He found Xu Wei standing lost in the reference section, staring hopelessly at two identical pillars.
"Where did the exit go?" Xu Wei whispered.
Qin Yue sighed.
"Follow me."
"How do you even memorize this place already?"
"I didn't."
"But you walked so confidently"
"It's just pretending."
"Oh."
Qin Yue led the way, Xu Wei trailing behind. By the time they escaped the labyrinth of shelves, Xu Wei was sweating lightly.
"Let's not come here again," he muttered.
Qin Yue gave him a flat look.
"Didn't you say it smells like wisdom?"
"And stress. Also stress."
They then stepped outside just in time for the sky to darken.
Xu Wei stared up.
"Eh? Wasn't it sunny?"
Qin Yue didn't look surprised.
"It'll rain soon."
"Now? But the forecast said.."
A deep thunder cracked overhead and drops of rain fell down.
Xu Wei looked incredulous
"Okay. Correction. YOU are the forecast."
"We should head back," Qin Yue said.
"Yes, yes, RUN!"
But the rain intensified quickly, getting heavier by the second. Students scattered in all directions.
Xu Wei grabbed Qin Yue's wrist.
"Hurry! This way!"
He dashed toward the nearest building but halfway there, Qin Yue slipped again on nothing. Xu Wei caught him with both arms.
"What did I say about facilities? The ground here is broken beyond belief!"
"It's normal pavement."
"It's sabotaged pavement."
When they finally reached a covered walkway, both were dripping.
Qin Yue gave him a look as though saying 'you see?'
Xu Wei pretended not to notice.
"Coincidences take place all the time. We just happened to encounter more than usual."
Qin Yue gave him a blank stare.
"I'm cursed"
Xu Wei insisted.
"It's coincidence."
Qin Yue couldn't be bothered to argue with him and they descended into silence, watching the raindrops fall.
"Are you cold?" Xu Wei suddenly asked.
"No."
"You look cold."
"I'm fine."
"Your fingers are pale."
"They're always pale."
"True"
When the rain finally slowed, they made their way to the student center. A large hall with a flurry of activity unaffected by the gloomy weather outside.
The place was bustling with club booths everywhere, flyers stuck on walls, students shouting slogans.
Xu Wei immediately lit up.
"Ohhh, this is the place! Let's join a club! Or two! Or ten!"
He dragged Qin Yue along before he could protest.
Their first stop was the Chess Club.
A bored student looked up. "Do you play?"
Xu Wei said no
"Then why are you here?"
"We're browsing," Xu Wei said confidently and dragged Qin Yue away.
Next was the Photography Club.
Someone tried to hand Qin Yue a DSLR.
"Wanna try holding it?"
"No."
Xu Wei intervened.
"Sorry, he doesn't like posing."
"I wasn't posing," Qin Yue muttered.
"And how are you answering so confidently when you don't even know that?"
Third was the Drama Club
They tried to recruit Xu Wei because he "looked expressive."
Xu Wei nearly joined but backed out when he saw the required audition involved crying on cue.
The Science Club looked too intimidating.
The Dance Club nearly roped Xu Wei in completely, but he tripped during a practice move and fled.
Eventually, Xu Wei slumped on a bench, hands on his knees, panting.
"I give up. But I just wanted to make friends."
Qin Yue wanted to say something but Xu Wei interrupted him.
"You don't count, you're already my friend."
He perked up.
"Well at least I have one friend, that's not too bad."
But almost immediately his expression deflated.
"…Then why won't the other guy...Bai Jinhai become my friend?"
"If you think hard enough, you'll be sure to figure it out yourself"
Not understanding the thinly veiled jab, Xu Wei sighed.
"If you say so."
Seeing him actually take those words seriously, Qin Yue was slightly stunned and then turned away embarrassed. It was too unbearable to look at.
Unaware he had been tricked, Xu Wei sat quietly, thinking hard about the reason.