Chapter Seventeen Encounter

  Although the school had a diversion, Zhao Heng and Qiao Yuncai still spent three hours to complete the formalities. However, what made Qiao Yuncai overjoyed was that not only were they both students of the School of Economics and Management, but they also lived in the same dormitory. This made Qiao Yuncai rub his head and laugh heartily, thinking that having a roommate with a similar temperament was better than anything else.

  In the scorching sun of three or four o'clock in the afternoon, Zhao Heng and Qiao Yuncai finally felt relieved after completing all the registration procedures. They went to the school supermarket to buy two bottles of purified water and squatted under a tree to rest. Zhao Heng looked at the crowded corridor and felt that he had finally become a freshman at Huada; Qiao Yuncai, however, stared at the shining legs of the female students.

  "Xiao Qiao, why did you take the train here?"

  Zhao Heng leaned against the tree, sipping mineral water in small mouthfuls, and asked Qiao Yuncai, who was panting heavily: "Although you didn't reveal your true identity, I know that your family background is not ordinary. Although you've dressed yourself up to look rustic, your words and actions all show good breeding."

  "And also the strength of the handshake and that analysis."

  Zhao Heng looked at Qiao Yuncai who was still quite honest and asked: "Are you pretending to be a pig to eat a tiger?"

  Qiao Yuncai's hand paused slightly as he drank water, then he turned his head to calmly meet Zhao Heng's gaze: "Old Zhao, your eyes are still quite poisonous. Our Qiao family is doing alright in Huaxi, but this has no impact on our relationship whatsoever. I came to Huahai University just to read some books and make a few friends."

  Make a few reliable and genuine friends.

  Qiao Yuncai straightened his back slightly and drank all the clean water in the bottle.

  Zhao Heng didn't ask any more questions, although he had only been with Qiao Yuncai for a few hours, this rustic rich man still gave him a kind of innocent and down-to-earth feeling. Moreover, as Qiao Yuncai said, it's best to be pure in college, and getting entangled in family background will only bring more trouble to each other, so he dispersed the thought.

  "Old Zhao, from now on we're brothers."

  Qiao Yuncai quickly drank a bottle of mineral water, then rushed to the supermarket to buy a 5-liter bottle of Coke, tore open the cap and gulped it down, only after burping did he add: "Together with wealth and honor, we'll go through thick and thin, two brothers patting each other on the shoulder can conquer anything, don't worry, from now on I'll definitely do my best to protect you."

  Zhao Heng couldn't help but smile wryly, and then patted his body:

  "Go back to your dorm, put down your stuff and take a shower."

  Qiao Yuncai hugged a large bottle of Coca-Cola and nodded repeatedly: "Got it!"

  Just as the two stood up on the campus path and were about to head towards their dormitory, a shrill sports car sound came from behind, Zhao Heng subconsciously pulled Qiao Pangzi back two steps, just standing firm when a red sports car brushed past the two of them, if not for Zhao Heng's quick reaction, they might have been grazed on the arm.

  Even so, Qiao Yuncai's cola still didn't hold steady and fell to the ground, shattering and bursting in the wheels. The splashing cola also landed on several pedestrians, and Zhao Heng and Qiao Yuncai's pants were also stained with a small piece. Qiao Yuncai was heartbroken and scolded on the spot: "How do you drive? You crushed all my cola."

  The people around almost fainted collectively, this fat guy is too invincible! They were dissatisfied with the car owner, but when they saw the sleek sports car and the awesome license plate, they knew it was a rich second generation, not someone to be trifled with. So they could only admit defeat and vent their anger by scolding a few words.

  After all, it is impossible to catch up with others and ask for justice back.

  However, amidst the crowd's astonishment, the red sports car slowly backed up and stopped beside Zhao Heng and Qiao Baozi, who were both looking astonished. The dark window rolled down quickly, revealing a delicate face. Zhao Heng was slightly stunned - it was Ding Lingling, whom he had just parted with half a day ago. Before he could say anything, the other person let out a cold hum:

  "Zhao Heng?"

  She gave Zhao Heng a once-over: "I didn't think you were really a new student at Huahai."

  Qiao Pangzi's eyes lit up when he saw the beauty: "Zhao Heng, your friend?"

  "Shut up!"

  Before Zhao Heng could speak, Ding Lingling bluntly shouted: "Who is friends with him? I, Ding Lingling, don't have a friend like him. You don't know not to talk nonsense." Then she glared at Zhao Heng: "I'm saying it again, don't get close to her! Otherwise, I'll make you regret it. Did you hear?"

  Qiao Pangzi was shocked and couldn't believe that this girl was so arrogant.

  Zhao Heng gave her a cold glance and said in a chilly tone: "I'm saying the same word: Scram!"

  Ding Lingling was furious and laughed, pointing at Zhao Heng with a fierce aura: "Fine! You have the guts, let's see who will come out on top. I'll make you know whose territory Huahai is." After warning Zhao Heng, she stepped on the accelerator and sped forward, the red sports car instantly leaving the two behind, wrapped in uncontrollable anger and arrogance.

  "Zhao Heng, who is this little girl?"

  Qiao Pangzi has woken up from the pain of cola: "So cruel."

  Zhao Heng patted his clothes and said lightly: "A passerby, not worth mentioning."

  Qiao Yuncai saw that Zhao Heng didn't want to mention it, so he tactfully stopped asking about Ding Lingling's background. He pointed at the surrounding scenery and chatted with the girl, shifting the unpleasant topic from earlier. At the same time, he hugged a bottle of cola and drank slowly, then the two continued walking towards the dormitory area, quickly leaving the unpleasant atmosphere behind.

  Southwest 701, male dormitory top floor, sixty stairs, Zhao Heng walked to the room without even panting, this amount of exercise was really nothing for him, after all, he started carrying bricks and running wild at the age of ten, and had long since trained himself like a machine, perhaps the seventieth floor could make him feel slightly pressured.

  However, these seven floors were a great difficulty for Qiao Yuncai. He scolded the leaders of Huahai University on the spot and was so angry that he almost paid to install an elevator. If it wasn't for Zhao Heng stopping him in time, Qiao Yuncai would have already called the newspaper to denounce Huahai University's bullying of freshmen, making them crawl like dogs.

  When Zhao Heng dragged him into the room, Qiao Yuncai directly fell onto the bed panting.

  "This Hua Hai University is said to have good welfare, but there isn't even an elevator."

  Before Qiao Yuncai finished speaking, he was surprised to see Zhao Heng tidy up the bed in a flash. In less than five minutes, a warm and cozy bed appeared before his eyes, clean and neat, with several books on the headboard, a small lamp, and even a cup of water. This made Qiao Yuncai exclaim at Zhao Heng's efficiency.

  "Hurry up and make your bed."

  Zhao Heng tore off his clothes and walked into the bathroom to take a shower. Qiao Yuncai took a deep breath, picked up the cola and gulped down two big mouthfuls, then started packing his luggage. Although he had the ability to be meticulous and thrifty, his self-care was still lacking in some ways, and no matter how hard he tried, it was always just barely satisfactory.

  He made the bed while glancing at the empty bed.

  Song Qingguan!

  After settling the bed, Zhao Heng rested for another two hours and then prepared to go to the cafeteria to eat. However, Qiao Baozi pulled him out of the school to eat on Food Street, telling him that the university cafeteria was definitely crowded with people. Besides, it's the first day of school, so they should reward themselves and celebrate their meeting.

  Zhao Heng couldn't help but follow Qiao Baozi's persistence and enthusiasm, walking out of the university gate with him. Although he was used to being calm and quiet by nature, he was still very easy-going with people around him. Plus, Qiao Baozi's straightforward personality made him a treasure, so Zhao Heng didn't have too much stubbornness and directly headed towards the food street next to Huahai University.

  That is the famous Hua Hai Food Street.

  In Hua Hai, the economic center of the south, there are many banquets that cost tens of thousands of yuan per table, but if you want to get close to the people's livelihood and eat some small snacks for a few dollars, it's not hard to find. The Hua Hai Food Street, which gathers small eats from all over the country, may not be authentic, but just looking for something that tastes good without being too particular, this is a very suitable place.

  The bustling food street is filled with people coming and going, a mix of all sorts, including couples hand in hand, citizens or tourists gathering to satisfy their cravings, as well as hoodlums. The air is filled with the sounds of human chatter, amidst the hustle and bustle, while the small eateries on both sides emit steaming hot air that mingles with the harmonious glow of the overhead lights.

  The flavor of city life is portrayed under the international metropolis.

  Although the lanterns had just been lit and there was a hint of coolness, the crowd was too dense. However, looking at those delicate and transparent snacks and the warm hawking, the bleakness that originally belonged to this season also quietly dissipated. Zhao Heng's appetite was tempted, and Qiao Yuncai even opened his stomach to eat wildly.

  Steamed dumplings, beef offal, fish balls, made Qiao Baozi eat until his belly was round.

  "I heard there's roasted chicken at the street corner, it's quite good."

  Qiao Baozi, who had swallowed three beef balls, seemed unsatisfied and pulled Zhao Heng to another intersection. The latter could only follow him helplessly. Perhaps because the food street had absorbed too many people, Qiao Baozi's target intersection was deserted, with few people passing by except for the occasional speeding cars.

  Zhao Heng and Qiao Baozi were about to walk towards the roasted chicken shop tens of meters away when, from the exit of a narrow alleyway on one side of the dimly lit road ahead, urgent and chaotic footsteps came, mixed with male shouts and a kind of heartfelt cry for help that rang in Zhao Heng's ears: "Save me! Save me!"

  Zhao Heng's heart skipped a beat, and he subconsciously pulled Qiao Pangzi behind him.