Restart life

Chapter 90 0088 [I choose 404]

Chen Guiliang strode ahead and asked, "What's your name?"

The boy said, "My name is Jiang Junlai, from Qian Guiren."

"Why did you choose the Yuanpei Class?" Chen Guiliang asked, sounding like a senior questioning a junior.

Jiang Junlai had no doubt about his identity and recounted in great detail: "After the CMO ended, I got the qualification for admission without examination and originally wanted to apply to the mathematics department. As you know, the mathematics department at Peking University is particularly outstanding. That night, a Professor Zhu came. I have now forgotten what he said to me, but I applied to the Yuanpei Class in a daze at the time."

"You made the right choice." Chen Guiliang suppressed a laugh.

Jiang Junlai asked curiously, "Which department are you from, senior?"

Chen Guiliang said, "I was also in the Yuanpei Class."

Jiang Junlai was overjoyed: "That's great! Senior brother, what year are you in?"

"Freshman year," Chen Guiliang said.

"Huh?" Jiang Junlai wondered if he had misheard.

Chen Guiliang turned around: "Let's go, what are you all standing there for?"

Jiang Junlai's tone was somewhat displeased: "Do you know how to get to the dormitory?"

"I don't know." Chen Guiliang continued to stroll forward.

Jiang Junlai looked at the guy in front of him, feeling like a million alpacas were stampeding through his mind. All he wanted to do was roar and shout: Heavens, what kind of lunatic is this?!

But he really couldn't find the dormitory, and subconsciously chased after it a few steps: "Why would I just wander around without asking first?"

"Where did you ask that before?" Chen Guiliang countered.

Jiang Junlai said, "At first I asked the gatekeeper, then I kept walking along the main road and asked any teachers or students I saw. After going around in circles without getting any results, I turned back and walked towards the school gate, and that's when I ran into you."

“You should go to the student affairs office or the dormitory management center. There must be someone on duty there,” Chen Guiliang said. “I don’t know where the student affairs office is, but the dormitory management center is definitely nearby.”

Jiang Junlai was quite puzzled: "How did you know?"

Chen Guiliang said, "The return-to-school time hasn't arrived yet. Right now, the school mainly consists of freshmen and returning students who didn't go home for the summer. It's evening now, so the students' movements are basically unrelated to the classrooms. Most students come from our left and then head towards the school gate. Or they come in from the school gate and walk to our left. Do you understand?"

“I understand, the dormitory area is on the left. I even went to take a look, but there are too many dormitories there,” Jiang Junlai said.

Chen Guiliang sighed, "Sigh, you got into Peking University through the International Mathematical Olympiad, can't you use your divergent thinking a little? There are so many dormitories here, which means the dormitory management center is nearby!"

Am I stupid? Jiang Junlai scratched his head.

The student in front of me seems to be very smart.

"You also won first prize in the academic competition, right?" Jiang Junlai asked.

Chen Guiliang laughed and said, "I did win the first prize."

Jiang Junlai thought to himself: I haven't seen this person at the math Olympiad winter camp. He might be competing in the physics and chemistry competition.

Chen Guiliang asked two passersby for directions and soon arrived at the Yanyuan Dormitory Management Center.

Jiang Junlai looked extremely embarrassed. This place was two or three hundred meters from the school gate, and he had just passed by it three times...

Chen Guiliang, ever the friendly type, went in and struck up a conversation: "Teacher, you've worked so hard, still on duty so late."

This teacher is very young, otherwise she wouldn't have stayed on duty.

After reviewing their admission notices, he flipped through the dormitory assignment list and said, "Students from the Yuanpei Class will be moved to buildings 36 and 37 this year. Hmm... there are also a few in building 38. You two, one in arts and one in science, can share a room. Would you like to choose your own?"

He then pointed to the form and said, "There are still five dorm rooms to choose from."

Just as Jiang Junlai leaned over to take a look, he heard Chen Guiliang say, "I choose room 404 on the 36th floor."

“Then I’ll also use 404.” Jiang Junlai didn’t think much of it.

The teacher then said, "There's no need for any temporary check-in procedures. You can just move in directly. You can complete the formalities when you register for school tomorrow. I'll have the dorm supervisor take you to get your mattresses, blankets, pillows, etc. Oh, and you should also let the dorm supervisor know which dorm room you chose. You can get your keys from the dorm manager on the 36th floor."

"Thank you, teacher." Chen Guiliang bowed very politely.

The teacher then called over an older woman, presumably the building manager of the 36th floor.

The woman's surname was Yang, so Chen Guiliang and Jiang Junlai called her Aunt Yang.

Aunt Yang led them south for 200 meters, then turned west for 400 meters, and pointed to an old dormitory building, saying, "That's the 36th floor."

Chen Guiliang recalled the route and location, thinking: It's quite close to get to the barbecue and internet cafe outside the South Gate from here.

Along the way, Aunt Yang also told us where there were public bathrooms and where we could use washing machines (for a fee), etc.

Then he took them to collect bedding and other supplies.

"I'll be in charge of your 36th floor. If you have any difficulties in life, just come to me. Including things like a broken light bulb."

"Thank you, Aunt Yang."

After the building manager left, Jiang Junlai said, "Aunt Yang is quite kind. By the way, what's your name?"

"Chen Guiliang."

"That sounds familiar."

When they arrived at dormitory building number 36, they saw some girls' clothes hanging out to dry outside the windows on the first and second floors.

"Is this a mistake? This seems to be a girls' dormitory," Jiang Junlai muttered, glancing at the clothes again.

Chen Guiliang walked straight in and said to the dormitory manager on duty, "Hello, uncle, we've come to get the keys."

The dormitory supervisor glanced at their receipts and reminded them as they retrieved their keys: "The first and second floors are girls' dormitories. Even if a girl invites you in, you can't go in. If you get caught, the consequences will be severe."

"Understood," Chen Guiliang replied.

As they went upstairs, Jiang Junlai exclaimed excitedly, "They even have mixed-gender dorms!" Chen Guiliang corrected him, "This is called a mixed-gender building. You want to go and visit the first and second floors?"

"You're the one who wants that!" Jiang Junlai said, his face flushed red.

Even so, Jiang Junlai was still very curious and made a point of observing the area as he went upstairs. An extra door had been installed at the entrance to the girls' floor stairwell, and it was impossible to enter without a key.

Arriving at room 404, I pushed open the door and entered.

The two of them checked out the accommodations without prior arrangement.

Jiang Junlai was somewhat disappointed: "There's no toilet, no bathroom, not even a faucet. It's just like our high school dormitory."

"It's alright, it's a four-person room."

Chen Guiliang opened his suitcase, took out a towel, and went outside to find a water room.

Sure enough, the layout here is the same as a high school dormitory. There is a public toilet and a water room at the end of the corridor, and there is a laundry sink in the water room where you can wash clothes.

Chen Guiliang didn't bring a bucket or bathing supplies; he'll have to buy them tomorrow.

But he was so hot and sweaty during the day that he was too lazy to go outside to find a public bathroom. He simply turned on the tap, soaked a towel, and poured cold water on himself for a quick shower.

Wearing wet sandals, Chen Guiliang returned to 404 and found Jiang Junlai sleeping.

This guy traveled all the way from Guizhou by train; he must have been exhausted by now.

Chen Guiliang also laid out a palm mat and a straw mat to lie down and rest.

He took out his phone and saw dozens of unread text messages. Seven of them were from Tao Xue, and four were from Bian Guanyue.

He quickly replied that he had settled in at Peking University, and then closed his eyes, intending to take a nap.

"Boom boom boom!"

There was a knock on the door.

Jiang Junlai jumped out of bed and ran to open the door.

A boy wearing a plaid shirt was standing outside the door.

"Hello," Jiang Junlai said.

The boy in the plaid shirt introduced himself: "My name is Long Xiang, and I'll be a junior soon. You're freshmen in the Yuanpei Class, right?"

“Yes,” Jiang Junlai said.

Long Xiang said, "There are only a dozen or so freshmen missing from the Yuanpei Class who haven't registered yet. I saw the lights were on in this dormitory, so I came over to take a look. I might be your counselor."

"A senior student who just started his third year of university is a counselor?" Chen Guiliang sat up as well.

Long Xiang explained, "Each counselor is responsible for ten freshmen, and may take on one or two more. The third-year students in the Yuanpei Class apply to take on these roles themselves. I think it would be very interesting to mentor you all, so I volunteered."

"How are the mentors assigned?" Chen Guiliang asked.

Long Xiang said, “Mentors are divided into professional mentors and part-time mentors. A professional mentor also mentors ten students, occasionally with one or two more. Part-time mentors are only assigned at critical times, and they are all top professors at Peking University. If you can build a good relationship with your part-time mentor, you can participate in academic projects as early as the second semester of your sophomore year.”

"Holy crap!" Jiang Junlai exclaimed.

Long Xiang said, "Your class of Yuanpei is exceptionally outstanding. There are fewer than 150 students in total, but you have 10 provincial top scorers, 20 first prize winners in subject competitions, and 3 international gold medalists in chemistry. Oh, and one first prize winner in the New Concept Writing Competition. The rest, apart from those admitted through independent enrollment, are basically all among the top ten in their respective provinces in arts and sciences or top scorers in their cities."

"By the way, what are your names? How did you get in?"

Jiang Junlai said, "My name is Jiang Junlai, and I was recommended for the CMO position."

"My name is Chen Guiliang, and I won the first prize in the New Concept Writing Competition." Chen Guiliang felt that his failure was rather unique.

Ten provincial top scorers, 20 first prize winners in academic competitions, and three international gold medalists in chemistry. Faced with these classmates, Chen Guiliang couldn't compete academically; he could only be a disruptive force in this year's Yuanpei Class.

“So you’re Chen Guiliang,” Long Xiang said with a smile. “Our classmate Ao, from the class of 02, really loves your poem ‘Journey to the Seas.’ She even got into an argument with someone on the BBS because of it.”

Jiang Junlai suddenly realized: "No wonder it sounded so familiar. I knew it when you mentioned 'Yinghai Xing'. There's a boy in my class who really admires you and he even recites your poems in the classroom."

"I am deeply grateful for the kindness of these two classmates. Please convey my thanks to them," Chen Guiliang said with a smile.

Long Xiang added, "Leave a contact method, either QQ or mobile phone number is fine. I will notify you as soon as possible of any arrangements made by the school."

Chen Guiliang gave his QQ number and mobile phone number, while Jiang Junlai only left his QQ number.

Chen Guiliang asked, "Senior Brother Long, can we find the 'Veritable Records of the Ming Dynasty' in the library?"

Long Xiang was taken aback, then took out his phone and said, "Let me ask for you."

He made several phone calls in a row, and finally hung up and said, "The main library has the 'Veritable Records of the Ming Dynasty' and a reference book for it."

"Thank you, Senior Brother Long," Chen Guiliang said.

Long Xiang laughed and said, "You're pretty impressive, you're already asking about this stuff before even starting military training. I also took history as an elective, just to get some credits, and I haven't decided on a major yet."

"You're a junior and still haven't decided on your major?" Jiang Junlai was extremely surprised.

“That’s normal,” Long Xiang said. “Our advisors told us to choose our majors based on our interests and aspirations. I don’t know what I like, and I haven’t decided on my aspirations yet. I can only attend the classes that interest me and get the credits so that I won’t be unable to graduate later.”

Long Xiang reminded Chen Guiliang: "You're a liberal arts student, so don't hesitate when choosing courses, especially the required ones. When I was a freshman, my roommate was also a liberal arts student. Faced with all the courses in the university, he procrastinated and didn't know what to choose. But advanced mathematics was a required course, and by the time he chose it, the class teaching advanced mathematics D was already full, so he had to bite the bullet and choose advanced mathematics C. He found it particularly painful at first and even failed a course."

"And then what happened?" Jiang Junlai asked curiously.

Long Xiang said, "After failing Calculus C, he felt extremely ashamed and was too lazy to retake it. He directly chose Calculus A and struggled with math all day long. Last semester, he decided to pursue computer science while minoring in philosophy. He is currently using computers to create a philosophical model."

Chen Guiliang: “…”

The world of academic superstars is difficult for ordinary people to understand.

-

(More cameo appearances by the top-tier players will follow. Senior Sister Ao in this chapter is also a cameo, not the female lead. Also, thanks to a reader for reminding me that the Feiyu Internet Cafe outside the south gate of Peking University was demolished in 2003.)
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(End of this chapter)