Strangers in Sync

Chapter 10:

Compared to the leaps and unpredictable nature of rational thinking, this little secretary had a rather simplistic, black-and-white way of thinking. In the midst of busyness, two hours quickly passed. The rental period for A picture had arrived, signaling that the consultation meeting had to come to an end. The last student, a guaranteed admission candidate from another school, stood out remarkably. Fang Huaining chatted with him for quite a while, while Li Ting's recording paper became densely filled. However, since he wasn't from this major, even with his impressive listening skills, he couldn't achieve perfection. Meanwhile, Fang Huaining, who had been conversing fluently with the student just moments before, suddenly noticed something amiss. A slender finger pointed towards the end of Li Ting's notes, and he said, "There's something missing here, it's called… never mind, let me handle it…" Before Li Ting could react, he felt the person beside him lean in, snatch the pen from his hand, and fill in the missing part. As he watched that hand write until the very last character, a low voice whispered in his ear: "It's a specific algorithm of a program, quite difficult to spell." Li Ting lowered his head, unaware of how close Fang Huaining was. He only felt the warm breath brushing against the top of his head as he spoke, tickling his hair slightly. However, Fang Huaining quickly retreated and quietly settled back onto his side.

The students preparing for graduate school gradually dispersed, and Hong Yue approached to collect the notes. Observing everything unfolding so smoothly, she felt somewhat surprised and couldn't help but express her gratitude to Li Ting, saying, "Thank you so much, classmate. What's your name?"

Fang Huaining, overhearing this, slightly turned his head. With so many coincidences, Li Ting had certainly made an impression, yet he realized he didn't even know the other person's name.

However, after these few encounters, Fang Huaining had sensed this individual's personality; he seemed quite unique—not someone who made friends without expecting some monetary benefit, so Hong Yue would likely be disappointed.

Sure enough, Li Ting simply shook his head, indicating he wasn't inclined to say much.

But before he could turn away, Hong Yue seized him again. "Don't be shy! We're not at an awards ceremony; we don't have to do good deeds anonymously! Come on, tell me your name!"

Caught in her grasp, Li Ting reluctantly responded. "Li Ting."

Which "Li"? Which "Ting"? Fang Huaining wondered. "Which 'Li' and which 'Ting'?" Hong Yue seemed to read his mind.

Li Ting paused, took back the pen, and wrote his name on a scrap of paper. "Oh, that sounds nice," Hong Yue said enthusiastically. "So, Li Ting, thank you so much today. You should know we are from the School of Computer Science, right? If there's a chance in the future, you can come to the research institute to hang out. I'll treat you to some candy."

Amidst Hong Yue's expressions of gratitude, Fang Huaining noticed that Li Ting still wore the same expression, devoid of even a polite smile. Those who were overly sensitive might conclude that he believed offering assistance was a significant burden.

In contrast to the leaps and unpredictability of rational thought, this little secretary had a rather straightforward, black-and-white approach to thinking.

He was indeed a peculiar person, difficult to understand.

Just as Fang Huaining was fixated on Li Ting's back, concocting a psychological analysis, the subject abruptly stepped back, turned around, and returned to face him.

Fang Huaining quickly averted his gaze and happened to see Li Ting pull something from his pocket, placing it on the table in front of him before turning to leave.

It was two coins...

Was it for the taxi fare? Did he remember to return it?

No surprise washed over Fang Huaining as he reached out and held the two coins in his palm, as if he could still feel a trace of warmth lingering on them...

The group at the research institute had ordered meals for four consecutive days. Since Li Ting hadn't been there the afternoon before, it was naturally his turn to make the delivery today.

The other project teams had been extremely busy these past few days, and noticing how well Liu Chuping's team was enjoying their meals, everyone decided to imitate them by ordering from Dou Dou Dim Sum. The large volume of orders meant Li Ting had to run back and forth three times.

Today was the day of the computer test for students applying for graduate school. Hong Yue and the others were supposed to assist in the computer lab. However, in the afternoon, Fang Huaining returned and happened to run into Li Ting as he stepped into the elevator. Wang Fuliang was also there; perhaps the memory of losing money while delivering computers was still fresh—Li Ting wasn't wearing a hat this time, and Wang Fuliang recognized him immediately. "Hey, it's you! What a coincidence!" What a true coincidence that he had never experienced before, Fang Huaining thought, glancing at the small figure with flushed cheeks from all the running around, and couldn't help but sigh to himself. "That's a lot to deliver." Only then did Wang Fuliang notice that Li Ting was carrying two large meal boxes in each hand. To keep the food warm, those boxes were quite heavy. "I'll help you," Wang Fuliang offered. After discussing the matter with Zhao Bang, neither of them felt that Li Ting was trying to deceive them; on the contrary, the more they thought about it, the more they admired him; after all, they couldn't do what he was doing. Even now, that respectful impression lingered in their minds, and Wang Fuliang was eager to assist.

Li Ting evaded his hand and waited for the elevator to arrive, then briskly walked out. He delivered meals one by one to other groups, finally arriving at Fang Huaining's location.

Wang Fuliang was making phone calls to those who hadn't yet arrived and said to Li Ting, "Pack things up a bit; they'll be coming over to eat soon." Li Ting had no interest in offering such personalized service; she simply took the meals out of the thermal box. Wang Fuliang, with particularly poor timing, tried to strike up a conversation with Li Ting: "Where did you take my laptop last time? How much did you sell it for to the recyclers?" Li Ting found the unrelated question too tedious to answer. The naturally enthusiastic Northern man continued, "After you finish here, where else do you need to go? It's so hot; you can sit for a while before leaving." Li Ting didn't waste a moment; she gathered her things and left. "Wait, wait, you need to give me the receipt… I have to let my senior submit it for reimbursement… Hey, someone's looking for me; Huaining, can you grab the receipt for me?" Wang Fuliang said as he sat down at the computer to start a video call. Fang Huaining looked at Li Ting. Li Ting returned his gaze. The two locked eyes for a few seconds, and silence ensued. Fang Huaining lowered his head slightly and asked, "Didn't you bring it?" Li Ting half-turned her head and replied, "No one told me to get it." Fang Huaining said, "I told your colleague who delivered the meals a couple of days ago; he must have forgotten to inform you." These unreliable people were not new to Li Ting, and she turned to leave.

Fang Huaining blurted out, "Where are you going?" Li Ting replied, "I'm going back to get it." "Wait…" Li Ting paused, turning her head to look at the hand on her arm. Fang Huaining was startled and quickly released his grip: "It's no big deal; you can bring it tomorrow." After a moment's thought, he casually asked, "You'll come by tomorrow too, right?" Before Li Ting could respond, Wang Fuliang called out first. "Huaining, Huaining… come here quickly." Fang Huaining asked in confusion, "What's wrong?" It turned out that Wang Fuliang's group had recently collaborated with a German school, and his senior had asked him to handle the communication. However, Wang Fuliang had sent the materials late, and due to the time difference, the Germans were no longer at the school. The documents they rushed back were all in German. "Hurry up and find Wei Ping; see if she's around and ask her to come over." Wei Ping was Qian Kun's girlfriend, studying in the German department at University A, while Qian Kun was another roommate of Fang Huaining and Wang Fuliang. The four of them shared a close bond. In the past, most translations for the research institute were contracted out to her or postgraduate students from the foreign language department. Fang Huaining said, "Aren't they traveling out of town?" "Oh? Right, I just remembered. Then what do we do? Where can we find a translator at this moment? We can't possibly have them rewrite everything."

"I have to give my senior feedback shortly," Wang Fuliang said anxiously.

Fang Huaining understood that Wang Fuliang had sent the materials late because he had been helping them out; he wasn't a graduate student but just an intern, and he still needed to prepare for the entrance exam next year. Wang Fuliang was concerned that any minor mistakes would leave a bad impression on his advisor.

Fang Huaining furrowed his brows. "Let me think of a way." He did have connections in the foreign language department; there was a girl he had met before in the library during exams. She had insisted on sharing a seat with him and was also Wei Ping's classmate. However, if Fang Huaining made this request and the girl actually came through, he would inevitably need to repay the favor later, fearing it might create unnecessary misunderstandings.

Fang Huaining hesitated for a moment, yet his hand still reached for the phone.

No matter what, the issue had to be resolved.

"He wants you to organize the data that was sent over the last few days; tomorrow at noon, Professor Braun will have a live call with you to discuss your network compression project and has also provided a few project outlines."

Suddenly hearing a third voice, Fang Huaining and Wang Fuliang turned around to find that Li Ting hadn't left yet.

Caught up in the dilemma of whether or not to give the girl's phone number, Fang Huaining, for once, failed to respond immediately.

He watched as Li Ting moved her lips, momentarily thinking she was still talking about the receipt. Seeing their two blank faces, Li Ting realized they hadn't understood and could only point to the printed document on the table, explaining, "It says this." Wang Fuliang: "Ah… ah??!!" Fang Huaining: "...…"

Chapter 11:

Not caring about the gratitude of bystanders, nor accepting the admiration of onlookers. "You… you can understand German?" After a brief silence, it was still Wang Fuliang who spoke first. Li Ting didn't respond to such an obvious question. Wang Fuliang continued, "What are the key points they listed about network compression?" Li Ting understood he was being skeptical and translated items one through four from the document. The more she spoke, the wider Wang Fuliang's eyes grew. Fang Huaining, who had already witnessed this young man's incredible abilities, showed the advantage of experience at this moment; in front of these professionals, the materials couldn't be casually dismissed, and there was no reason for her to pretend not to understand. Wang Fuliang finally displayed an expression of amazement, lowered his head, and began to frantically take notes: "You… take it slow… slow down, I need to write it down…" But Li Ting didn't slow her pace at all, making Wang Fuliang struggle to keep up behind her. Though it was challenging, they managed to roughly organize the materials in a very short time.

Once things were settled, Li Ting dropped the items in her hand and was ready to leave, as if she had just kicked a stone off the path, not caring about the gratitude of passersby, nor accepting the admiration of onlookers.

"Wait... wait," but Wang Fuliang was unwilling to let her leave easily. He jumped from his spot and rushed in front of Li Ting, his eyes shining behind thick glasses, and asked, "Which university are you from? What, what's your major?"

Li Ting rolled her eyelids, seemingly reluctant to answer. The students from University A all liked to investigate household registration; they wouldn't let you pass without saying a word. Noticing that Fang Huaining was also staring intently at him, Li Ting pursed her lips and chose to answer one of the questions.

"Foreign Language major," she replied.

"No wonder!" Wang Fuliang exclaimed as if enlightened.

But Fang Huaining thought to himself: "No wonder, who among those studying foreign languages knows how to farm?"

At least they could barely grasp part of this person's skills and their origins. Although Li Ting was unwilling to disclose her university, judging from her ability to transcribe so many obscure terms from other majors the day before and her seamless translation of documents today, her professional competence was exceptionally outstanding.

How could such an outstanding person choose such a grueling job?

Why exactly?

Fang Huaining pondered, and then heard Wang Fuliang suggest, "Do you... have time tomorrow?"

According to the information, tomorrow Professor Braun will communicate with us in real-time. We require someone who speaks German nearby. Professor Braun is an older man, and his German-accented English is often difficult to understand; he also gets annoyed when students interrupt him casually. Last time, we almost fell behind due to language barriers during our communication with Wang Fu Liang's group.

Li Ting remained silent, tapping his foot lightly on the ground and displaying a disinterested expression. Wang Fu Liang was eager to persuade Li Ting, but Fang Huaining directly addressed him, saying, "There's a compensation." Li Ting stopped moving, and Fang Huaining continued, "It's not just about delivering takeout." Li Ting's eyes roamed beneath his eyelids, but Fang Huaining noticed his eyelashes fluttering again and added, "It will take no more than forty minutes, so you can go back to work at the store afterwards without any issues." After being spoken to, Li Ting looked over. Fang Huaining sensed that he had won him over. However, Li Ting's attitude towards the situation remained lukewarm. "Then just don't back out," he said. "How could we... once we agree," replied Wang Fu Liang. Wang Fu Liang wanted to elaborate on the idea of increasing opportunities for communication between the two parties, but Li Ting was not in the mood to listen. He picked up his thermos, moved swiftly, and dodged Wang Fu Liang's outstretched hand before slipping out the door. "Then tomorrow at the same time. You mustn't be late," he was told by someone, possibly Wang Fu Liang.

Wang Fu Liang called out to the departing figure, a bright smile on his face, but after a moment, his expression changed as he looked at Fang Huaining with concern. "The income from delivering takeout doesn't seem low right now. How can you tell him we would pay more? The senior mentioned wanting to find a translator, but it has to be from University A; if she doesn't trust the person and doesn't agree, the pay might be quite low..." "Are you backing out now?" Fang Huaining asked. "I… I'm not, I'm just worried…" "No need to worry," Fang Huaining said as he sat down at the table, opened the lunch box he had just received, and began to eat spoonfuls. "If your senior really disagrees with the fee, I will cover the excess since this idea originated with me." "Huaining! You're too loyal!" Wang Fu Liang was taken aback, then rushed forward, moved, and said, "If you're spending extra, I'll treat you to a meal…" At that moment, Wang Fu Liang thought again: "Or we can treat that guy to a meal as a thank-you… what do you think?" Fang Huaining raised an eyebrow after swallowing a shrimp: "That can be considered…"

Li Ting was once again the last to leave the store today. On his way back to his rented room on his electric bike, he noticed a shadowy figure sitting in the dark with disheveled hair. Li Ting didn't panic; he simply walked over and kicked the person. Tian Dian let out a "hmph," as if waking from a daze, and hoarsely said, "You're back?"

"I… forgot my keys." Li Ting opened the door and turned on the lights. Tian Dian stumbled past him into the room, saying, "After sweating like this, I really need to wash…" Before he could finish his sentence, Li Ting grabbed his wrist. "What's going on?" Tian Dian asked nervously. Li Ting looked at him. "What do you think?" Tian Dian struggled. "I'm dead tired; I just want to sleep." However, Li Ting ruthlessly grabbed his hair and pulled back, exposing Tian Dian's entire face. A large bruise in the middle of his forehead was clearly visible under the bright light, almost showing signs of blood. Tian Dian forcefully shook off his hand and chuckled, "Alright, alright, I just had a drink again. I fell hard after getting drunk." Li Ting said nothing. Tian Dian looked at him seriously. "Li Zi, really, trust me, I won't drink excessively next time, okay?" Li Ting held his gaze for a few seconds before slowly releasing his grip and stepping into the room. Tian Dian sighed with relief. Li Ting's room was very small, but he had few belongings: a bed, a small wardrobe, all quite old. The only decent thing was a bookshelf in the corner, filled with a mix of old and new books. Li Ting walked over, his gaze sweeping across two rows of yellowed science magazines before landing on two newly borrowed professional texts on the lower shelf, pulling one out.

He recognized the characters, but the combined content was obscure and difficult to understand; Li Ting had no idea what was written on it. Nevertheless, he patiently flipped through the pages, and his restless mood seemed to calm down as a result. Occasionally, the sound of clattering came from outside; it was probably Tian Dian tidying up after his shower. After a considerable amount of activity, tranquility finally settled in the rented space.

Li Ting turned off the small bedside lamp and stood in the darkness for a while, feeling the keys in his pocket before quietly opening the door to leave. Riding the downstairs electric bike once more, Li Ting sped through the night, reaching the bar street in just over half the usual time.

Walking along familiar paths into that small alley, Li Ting kept his steps steady until he reached a gray-black door at the far end. He was aware of that person's habits; after drinking, they preferred not to walk through the front door but instead opted for back doors, engaging in dubious activities in the dark.

Sure enough, after waiting for almost an hour, the door slowly opened, and a young man stumbled out, looking reasonably composed while cradling a boy in his arms. Li Ting hid in the shadows, quietly watching his back, his hand searching along the wall until he found a wooden stick to grip, weighing it in his palm. The man and the boy were closely entwined, occasionally leaning together, laughing and chatting.

Just as their heads were nearly about to collide, Li Ting quickly stepped forward, raised the stick in his hand, and swung it forcefully at the man's back! With a crack, the stick splintered into two pieces. "... Aww!!!" "—Ah!!" A simultaneous scream and cry of pain erupted from the man and the boy. Realizing the danger, the boy immediately ran away, while the man stumbled and crashed against the wall, turning back in agony. Upon seeing who was behind him, the man cursed, "I... damn it, Li Ting..." Before he could finish, Li Ting kicked him in the stomach, sending the burly man, who was half a head taller than him, crashing to the ground. Li Ting then began to rain punches down on his face. The man on the ground started shouting, alternating between bravado and pleading for mercy: "I... I didn't mean to provoke Tian Dian, I just... just happened to run into him... Ow, stop hitting me... I didn't touch him, I only bought him a couple of drinks... Damn... okay, okay, I just gave him a little push... Who knew he would fall down the stairs... Ow ow ow..." Li Ting didn't want to give him an opportunity to argue; he just wanted to finish him off. However, just as he found his rhythm in beating him, another person dressed in a waiter's uniform emerged from the gray door. Taking advantage of the distraction, the man struggled to his feet, shoved the waiter aside, and dashed into the bar, shouting at a nearby table of patrons.

He looked disheveled; anyone could see what was going on, and the three men who appeared to be his friends approached angrily. Li Ting had an opportunity to retreat but was caught by the waiter at the door. The waiter, looking particularly displeased, asked him, "Li Ting, what are you up to now? Where's Tian Dian? Did he run off after just a few hours of work? Can't handle a little bit of grievance at all?" Li Ting remained silent, merely gazing at the several men gradually surrounding him. The man who had just been beaten, looking defeated, felt his reinforcements arrive and replaced his expression with a harsh one, pointing at Li Ting. "That sissy from last month was begging me not to leave, and now what? Acting like he's made of gold and can't be touched? Damn! Fine, I don't care about that piece of trash either. But you, always sticking up for him—if you're so bold, why don't you help him out for a few more days? I guarantee I won't look at you guys again." With that, he signaled his friends to take care of Li Ting.

Chapter 12:

What Kind of Creature Is This? At the Dou Dou Dim Sum Shop, some of the staff were student part-timers, and most had gone back home for summer vacation. With a shortage of manpower, several nearby universities were holding summer activities, which increased the workload instead of reducing it. However, they typically managed similar situations easily, partly thanks to Li Ting, who could do the work of three people.

But for some reason, today this big shot's hand speed was clearly lagging behind his usual pace, and he even seemed to be dragging the team down. Xiao Mao had already cleaned the kitchen once, yet Li Ting still hadn't finished washing over a dozen bowls. The assistant manager approached to urge him on, but before he could speak, a loud crash resonated as the large basin in Li Ting's hands slipped and shattered on the ground. The nearby waiters glanced at the mess and then exchanged looks, each reflecting the same confusion. This was the third incident today; was this typically meticulous worker having an off day? Thrown off?! Someone silently mouthed from behind. The assistant manager frowned but, observing Li Ting's expression and those dark, brooding eyes, swallowed his reprimanding words and instead offered different instructions. "Li, Li Ting, let someone else handle this. Someone over there placed an order; you go and deliver it." Li Ting seemed to acknowledge that he wasn't at his best today and didn't protest. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, removed his gloves, and stepped outside. The volume of deliveries assigned to him was usually quite large, and under normal circumstances, it wouldn't be a problem for Li Ting. But today...

He looked at the cracked phone screen and checked the time, estimating the distance he needed to cover and the speed he would have to maintain, his expression somewhat weary. Nonetheless, Li Ting still mounted his bike, braving the scorching sun as he set off. He took a shortcut; it was shorter but featured rough roads that jolted him, and Li Ting gripped the handlebars tightly, feeling dizzy from the bumps. After dismounting, his steps wavered slightly. Today's delivery orders weren't like the ones from the A University Research Institute, which were all clustered together; they were scattered across various locations, with some even in older residential buildings. Li Ting had no choice but to grit his teeth and run up and down the stairs until he could hardly distinguish between steps and flat ground. After finally completing the deliveries, he realized it took even longer than he had anticipated—an extra half hour. With the return journey taking another ten minutes, he surely couldn't make the next assignment. Despite this, Li Ting still headed toward the intended destination...

The summer camp entered its final day, with most students starting their return trips, allowing Fang Huai Ning and the others to breathe a sigh of relief. Before noon, he returned to the research institute first. On the sixth floor, he ran into Wang Fu Liang, who was sorting materials. Upon seeing him, Wang Fu Liang quickly remarked, "The meeting with Professor Braun has been moved up.

Fang Huai Ning paused. "When does it start?" "In forty minutes," came the response. Fang Huai Ning looked at his watch. "Should we call the guy from the Dou Dou shop?" Wang Fu Liang suggested. Fang Huai Ning shot him a look. "Do you have his number?" Wang Fu Liang looked dazed. Fang Huai Ning sighed. "Call the dim sum shop." "Oh, right."

After a while, Fang Huai Ning noticed that Wang Fu Liang had a subtle expression. "I had the dim sum shop call him, and they said he went out for a delivery, but he isn't answering." "Give me his phone," Fang Huai Ning said. Wang Fu Liang complied, and after Fang Huai Ning entered the number, he dialed. Indeed, it rang for a long time without anyone picking up. Fang Huai Ning glanced at the screen, his brows slightly furrowed. "Did he stand us up?" Fang Huai Ning replied, "Let's wait a bit longer." This wait lasted twenty minutes, during which Fang Huai Ning's recent calls section accumulated a row of numbers, yet it remained a one-sided arrow. They still had some patience, but the members of Wang Fu Liang's group were growing more cautious. The senior asked several times, and Wang Fu Liang assured her it would be ready soon. Gradually, the senior, seeing no one, began to feel a bit anxious. Upon reflection, it was indeed unreliable to ask a delivery person to translate for a research project.

Though he was a foreign language major, he couldn't possibly be as competent as someone from A University in the relevant field, and such serious communication shouldn't be taken lightly. If it weren't for Fang Huaining's strong belief in him, the senior wouldn't have even offered this opportunity. With more than ten minutes left, the senior said, "Alright, it seems the person you chose has a discrepancy. I can only prepare an alternative." "Huh? What preparation?" The senior smiled slightly and glanced at Fang Huaining: "Huaining doesn't know? She happened to be here to play today, so I brought her in, originally just as a backup; I didn't expect it would actually come in handy." As she spoke, the senior called out to the lounge: "Yaoqing, we're about to start." The next moment, a beautiful girl walked out, the same one they had encountered at A Library last time. Since they were about to make the call, Yu Yaoqing didn't have time to chat with Fang Huaining; she hurriedly smiled at him and rushed into the room. Wang Fuliang felt a bit annoyed and helplessly shrugged at Fang Huaining before following her in. Fang Huaining, however, did not move, still standing there, occasionally glancing down at his phone. During lunchtime, the dim sum shop sent someone, but it wasn't the expected person. For some reason, Fang Huaining suddenly recalled the simple yet sturdy wooden shed he had seen in the storm, feeling that he wasn't someone so irresponsible.

In under twenty minutes, the call room door opened, and Yu Yaoqing walked out. Seeing that Fang Huaining was still there, a hint of joy flashed across her face.

"Wow, it's my first time doing such a job, and fortunately, it didn't go wrong," Yu Yaoqing said, still feeling a lingering fear.

With his hand in his pocket, Fang Huaining leaned against the wall, his face remaining consistently aloof despite the warm atmosphere in front of acquaintances.

He asked, "It's done?"

Yu Yaoqing smiled: "They haven't finished yet, but I wrapped up first because it was too nerve-wracking inside. How about you? Aren't you busy today?"

Fang Huaining didn't answer.

Yu Yaoqing wanted to say more, but she saw that he was lost in thought, looking downstairs. She followed his gaze, but she didn't discover anything particular - only a boy was standing in the square in front of the research institute, looking up in this direction.

The distance from the seventh or eighth floor was not short, yet Fang Huaining seemed to have perceived the expression on the boy's face - a look that already understood the outcome without words.

He glanced at Fang Huaining and then at the girl beside him, seemingly having no intention of coming up or greeting; instead, he turned and walked toward the car parked by the door.

In that brief moment, Fang Huaining hesitated about whether to go downstairs, but he knew that by the time he arrived, Li Ting would likely have already left, and what could he possibly say?

In truth, this kind of collaboration was not a big deal; they had found someone to help, and when the other party got delayed, they had to make a last-minute switch, and everything turned out fine. Yet for some reason, watching the departing figure, Fang Huaining felt as if the sunlight shining on him was inexplicably glaring...

Having assisted Professor Song significantly, Ni Weinian felt a twinge of sympathy for Fang Huaining and granted him a few days off. Coincidentally, Qian Kun had just returned from a trip and wanted to gather a few roommates for a meal.

Wang Fuliang was still being worked to the bone downstairs and couldn't join them. Only Zhao Bang and Fang Huaining were present.

Qian Kun wasn't studying computer science; he was from the Sports Academy and had known Fang Huaining since childhood, as they were distant relatives. He wasn't sure how luck had led him to their dorm. He was tall and sturdy, with a well-defined face and a sunny demeanor, and both he and Fang Huaining were the odd ones out in the entire science and engineering dormitory building.

He had just returned from a competition in U City where he had won a prize, and after spending time with his girlfriend, he was in a great mood and eager to treat his friends generously.

"Today I'm treating, where do you guys want to eat?" Qian Kun asked. He expected Fang Huaining to choose something light, like a Western restaurant or a vegetarian place, while Zhao Bang would likely prefer a meat-heavy barbecue spot. To his surprise, after thinking for a moment, Zhao Bang suddenly said, "Let's go to Dou Dou Dim Sum Shop." "Huh? Where is that?" Qian Kun asked, puzzled. "Tsk, have you forgotten? We ordered from there last semester; it seems they have rolled out a lot of new items recently. Wang Dashie eats there every day and hasn't grown tired of it; I want to try it too," Zhao Bang replied. Wang Dashie referred to Wang Fuliang, who posted about everything on social media. Qian Kun was confused and turned to look at Fang Huaining. Fang Huaining didn't say anything, but Qian Kun understood that this meant he was not opposed to the idea. That was unusual. They had eaten there before and hadn't found it particularly delicious. It wasn't surprising that Zhao Bang and Wang Fuliang were swayed, but to sway Fang Huaining... Could there be a signature dish? "Fine." Qian Kun agreed and led the group toward the shop. Their spirits were high, but when they arrived, they found the doors tightly closed, with a sign that read "Closed for one week." "What's going on? They're actually closed?" Zhao Bang exclaimed, expressing his disappointment.

Qian Kun replied, "The activities at our school and the surrounding schools are likely wrapping up, so they're just taking advantage of the slow period to adjust."

Zhao Pang was furious, muttering, "Really never stopping to rest, day or night... damn it."

Qian Kun glanced at him before turning to Fang Huaining, who was staring intensely at the notice board, and said, "Guys, I think something's off. Honestly, are you hiding something remarkable inside? Is it a big beauty? Are you setting me up to meet your sister-in-law? Is it you, Fatty? Or... could our top dog finally meet his match?"

Qian Kun's teasing remark was abruptly cut off by a cold, piercing glare from Fang Huaining.

Zhao Pang's initial desire to try the dim sum from the restaurant was now replaced with disappointment, but upon hearing Qian Kun's vague words, he suddenly recalled something. "Don't say it, but yeah, there really is someone remarkable inside."

"Describe them," Qian Kun asked curiously.

Zhao Pang thought for a moment before coming up with an apt phrase: "Strength like mine, brains like Huaining's, and a face like Xu Miaomiao's."

Qian Kun's eyes widened in surprise. Even among the science students, his physical strength stood out. As for Xu Miaomiao, she was renowned for her beauty at A University – even look at how Wang Fuliang was smitten with her every day, and Fang Huaining's exceptional intelligence didn't need mentioning.

"So, what kind of creature is this?" Qian Kun wondered.

"A synthetic person?"

He looked toward Fang Huaining as if seeking confirmation, and received a silent response. "Surprising, right? Hard to imagine, isn't it? Too bad you won't get to see it," Zhao Pang shrugged, smirking at the curious Qian Kun. Before he could finish, the sudden revving of a motor vehicle broke the silence of the street behind them. Fang Huaining turned back, and immediately, a familiar face came into view, as if descending from the sky, slowly approaching from the distance... The top dog, skilled in managing his expressions, gritted his teeth to suppress a gasp. Zhao Pang was close behind, staring blankly as the small car passed by him, unable to restrain an astonished "—Wow!" He hadn't meant to delay the driver; he only called out in surprise. Unexpectedly, the car that had already traveled some distance suddenly veered its front end. It wasn't an attempt to say hello or to turn back; rather, it lost control and tipped over sideways, rolling down a slope with several steps. At that moment, several big men were taken aback! Fang Huaining was the first to regain his composure and rushed over without hesitation!