"We’re all friends here, no need to pay. Just have my dad bring it back casually."
Shi Yu isn’t in the habit of taking money from friends, mainly because she truly isn’t short on cash.
"No way, a gift and fetching sothing are two different things. You should calculate it properly. Besides, if you don’t establish correct values and keep acting so carefree, you might end up getting sold soday."
Qian’s advice didn’t really stick with Shi Yu, but she never thought it would co true one day.
After a while, Dong Yi ca back, and Qian could guess from her expression that the phone call hadn’t yielded any results.
There are several universities around here, making it especially challenging to find a job, particularly tutoring, which gets snapped up imdiately from the ads.
"Any luck?" Qian asked.
Dong Yi shook her head.
"Try waiting outside the job market on Saturday, holding a sign saying ’Tutor,’ and see if you get lucky." Qian referred to a street outside the job market where students stood with signs, all looking for part-ti jobs.
Dong Yi nodded.
"You’re working in your first year?" Shi Yu asked, and Dong Yi made a sound of agreent.
"Aren’t you guys joining any university clubs? If you’re working, your schedule will be packed."
"I’m not going." Dong Yi got in through the national tuition waiver policy for poverty-stricken areas, and she has to pinch pennies for living expenses. The university scholarship can only be considered in September next year, so for now, she has to be frugal. Working is a must.
"Qian, are you joining? I joined the drama club, you should join . The president is really handso."
"I’m not going, no ti."
Qian doesn’t want to work outside. She’s not short of money but also doesn’t want to join clubs like the young lady Shi Yu does. That’s kid stuff, not suitable for her. She wants to spend more ti researching academic things.
"But I really want you to co..." Shi Yu felt a bit disappointed, recalling how people are still talking about a performance Qian gave at the freshman welco event. If Qian joins a club, she’d definitely be a dazzling sight.
"As long as you have fun yourself, innocent girl. Not everyone is like you, without having to think about the future." Qian tapped Shi Yu on the head, then turned to Dong Yi.
"First year, Shi Touyu has so makeup that’s about to expire; she’s giving it to us. These ones are for you."
"I don’t use it."
"Just take it. She’ll throw it away otherwise."
Feeling how wasteful that would be, Dong Yi finally accepted it and earnestly thanked Shi Yu, "Thank you."
"No need..." Shi Yu was sowhat embarrassed by Dong Yi’s sincerity; none of her friends were this earnest.
While Dong Yi was climbing onto the bed, Shi Yu gave Qian a thumbs-up, acknowledging Qian’s adeptness in handling situations.
Qian shrugged and picked up her book to read.
People born into different environnts will have various personalities. Although her two roommates ca from distinctly different backgrounds, they were inherently good kids.
In the dorm, Dong Yi changes into her white nightgown. She only has two sets of clothes for going out and is very careful with what she wears daily.
"First year, do you especially like the color white?"
Shi Yu associates white with campus ghost stories.
"Not particularly, I don’t have specific preferences." Dong Yi wears whatever clothes she has. As a child, she wore clothes donated by others outside, as long as they kept her warm, she wasn’t picky about the style.
Dong Yi looked down at her pajamas, "These two sets are clearance items I bought from a night market, ten bucks for one, fifteen for two."
They were quite comfortable to wear, cheap items were the best for Dong Yi.
"Pfft."
Qian, who was reading, laughed.
"Qian, what’s so funny?" Shi Yu asked.
"I’m laughing because a whole horror legend started with clothes sold at fifteen for two."
There were many legends in previous lives about Dong Yi, like she ca from a family of shamans, thus the fondness for white clothes and the inability to rest in peace; even more ridiculous ones said she watched ’The Ring’ and emulated Sadako, wearing white even in death.
Turns out, she simply saved money buying clearance clothes from night markets.
So really, legends are usually unreliable, just over-interpretation. The truth is often simple. Qian doesn’t believe in ghosts at all.
If ghosts were real, she’d want her Xiaowei to co back and visit her.
Thinking of her daughter, Qian refocused and concentrated on child psychology again. She must complete her studies quickly to see her daughter sooner.
"I’m getting scared just seeing white clothes now..." Shi Yu mumbled quietly, tying the red cloth at the bedhead a bit tighter.
Seeing how Dong Yi was unlikely to change her pajamas, Shi Yu felt uneasy from that legend. With the white pajamas soaking in the bathroom, she couldn’t stand it and ran to Qian for help while Dong Yi was in the bathroom.
"Qian, can you figure out a way to get our freshman to change clothes? That white dress is too creepy."
"You’re asking ?" Qian put down her book, and Shi Yu nodded vigorously.
Qian beckoned, and Shi Yu leaned over with her ear as Qian whispered a plan.
Shi Yu’s eyes brightened, "Alright, I’ll do it right away!"
She grabbed her paint set and dashed to the bathroom. Dong Yi was squatting, washing clothes. Following Qian’s instructions, Shi Yu accidentally tipped, "Ah!"
The paint spilled all over, getting on Dong Yi’s clothes as well.
"Freshman! I’m so sorry!" Shi Yu cried out as she saw the white pajamas stained with colors in the basin, dramatically exclaiming.
"It’s nothing, it’ll wash out." Dong Yi didn’t mind at all.
"No, it won’t wash clean; this is special paint I use for my art projects! Freshman, I’m a sinner!"
Shi Yu dramatically plopped down on the bathroom tile floor, clutching Dong Yi’s legs, "I’ve ruined your fifteen-for-two outfit, I’m so terrible!"
"Once it dries, it’s still wearable, really." Dong Yi tried to help her up, but Shi Yu was adamant about staying down.
"I am a sinner. If you don’t let atone, I’m dood. My mom said I’m under a bad star this year, and if I get into trouble, I’m gonna get punished..."
"Uh, what do you want?"
"Would you let buy you two new sets of pajamas?"
"Really, no need. I can wear them like this in the dorm."
"Oh, Mom! I wronged you, I’m going to face karmic retribution!" Shi Yu clung to Dong Yi’s leg, acting like it was real. Joining the drama club let her pick up a few acting techniques.
"Freshman, she has plenty of clothes; just let her replace them. She’s so loud I can’t read my book." Qian ca over to say, and Shi Yu nodded desperately. As long as Dong Yi didn’t walk around in that scary white, anything would be fine.
"Yes, Freshman, I have two sets of pajamas that I’m tired of and wanted to discard, would you like them?"
Dong Yi looked at her two roommates and nodded, "Alright then."
Shi Yu imdiately jumped up, retrieved the scary white dress from the basin, and decisively threw it away, simultaneously pulling off the ones Dong Yi was wearing. She then dug out two long-sleeved pajamas from the box.
"Here you go, one with a monkey face, one with a robot cat, and they even have hoods. It’s getting cold; you’ll be warr in these - wearing sleeveless isn’t suitable for this season."
Shi Yu’s pajamas were cartoon-style, and although Dong Yi found them pretty new and was sowhat reluctant, with both Qian and Shi Yu insisting, she had no choice but to accept. The white gown was thus sidelined.
However, that very night, the dormitory rumors updated, saying it was now the Animated Monkey Head that road the campus at midnight...
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