A gentleman’s friendship, as insipid as water

After a round of games, Zhang Kai and the others came back.

After some time, two installation workers walked into the living room carrying a washing machine.

"Where shall we install the washing machine?" one of the workers asked.

"To the balcony!"

After that, Zhang Kai walked into the room and took out one thousand yuan and put the same on Arthur's desk and said, "Arthur, I have put the invoice and the rest of the money on your desk."

Arthur didn't even look at the money and just stuffed it into his pocket.

After the washing machine was installed, Arthur went downstairs to the cafeteria for dinner.

On the first day in the university, Zhang Kai and the others seemed a little excited.

Arthur went on with his routine. After chatting with Feng Yang for some time, he went to bed at 11 o'clock.

…

The next morning, Arthur got up early as usual.

After washing his face, he changed the strap of his watch into a rubberized one and went out for a morning run.

Coming to the school grounds, Arthur found that there are many people also doing their morning run.

He also joined the wave of people doing their morning exercises.

As he ran, he felt that the figure in front of him looked a bit familiar, as if he had seen the person somewhere.

Arthur out of curiosity, paced up his speed and when he saw the other party clearly, he suddenly became happy.

It really was someone he knew.

He was the young man he met at the Four Seasons Hotel in Shanghai. (N/T: Chapter 11)

Arthur was quite impressed with this man as he was really handsome and temperamental.

At this time, the young man also saw him and the two couldn't help but smile at each other.

After half an hour of running, the two gradually slowed down.

Arthur smiled and said, "What a coincidence. We met again!"

"Are you a freshman this year?" the young man asked.

"Yes, I am Arthur Farlier, a freshman in the Finance Department!" Arthur stretched out his hand and smiled.

The young man shook hands with him generously and said, "Lin Xingnan, a sophomore in the business management department."

Arthur then asked, "I am going to the cafeteria. Want to go together?"

"No, I am used to taking a shower after exercising!" Lin Xingnan shook his head.

"See you next time then!"

"Goodbye!"

Even though they did not talk to each other much, Arthur somehow felt the friendship between the two can be described as 'a gentleman's friendship, insipid as water'. (T/N: Meaning, true friends don't hang out together all the time. But they could maintain a really good relationship, always willing to be there for the other)

When Arthur came to the canteen, he ordered an Omelette, Soy flavored pancake, two tea boiled eggs, and a bowl of white porridge.

After finding a place where he can sit down, he started to eat his breakfast.

To Arthur's surprise, the breakfast at JinCai Canteen really tastes good.

Not far away, at a dining table, five to six girls gathered together constantly looking at Arthur while whispering.

"Is he the junior brother that Huang Yue mentioned?"

"He looks exactly the same as in the photo. It should be him."

"Wow, the side of his face from this angle looks really handsome."

"Rich and handsome. This old lady's heart is moved!"

"Hey, the freshmen will have military training this afternoon. How about we go and tease him?"

"Will he ignore us?"

"No way! He looked really warm and friendly."

…

Arthur had already get used to the gaze of the senior sisters. He himself felt really speechless inside.

After eating his breakfast, he bought breakfast for Zhang Kai and the others, then he left the canteen under the gaze of the senior sisters.

Back in the dormitory, Zhang Kai and the others were moved to see that Arthur had bought breakfast for them.

At half-past eight, everyone changed into their military uniforms and rushed to the school grounds.

The so-called freshman conference is where the school leaders speak under the awning while the students are exposed to the sun like fools.

But they had to go even if the sun's rays begin to hurt.

The sun gradually rose and the temperature began to rise.

When the principal had finished speaking, everyone thought they are free, but another school leader came up.

Another forty minutes of speech, and the freshman conference had marked its end at eleven o'clock.

"Fuck, can't they just say a few words? I almost got a heatstroke!" Wang Zejing wiped the sweat off his face as he complained.

Arthur smiled and said, "You can't last that long? That military training is much worse."

"Hey! Hey!"

Wang Zejing smiled and said in a low voice, "I'm already ready. I will go to the hospital and get a fake medical certificate."

"You're going to ask for a leave?"

Arthur couldn't help but laugh: "Lao Wang, did you not see from the WeChat group? The counselor said that the freshmen who would file for a leave in the military training will have to make up for it in their sophomore year."

Zhang Kai on the side nodded and said, "You will have to make up for it in your sophomore year, whatever you missed in your junior year. Anyway, you must make up for your military training whatever it takes before graduation!"

"Fuck! No way!"

Wang Zejing was puzzled, "No! That can't be true! I asked an old student and he said that you don't have to make up for your leave."

"That was last year. This year, the school leaders paid special attention to the military training."

Upon hearing this, Wang Zejing was completely disheartened.

…

In the afternoon…

Back in the dormitory, Arthur tried on the military training uniform that was allotted to him.

It fits very well.

Wearing the army green camouflage uniform on him immediately changed his whole demeanor.

Capable, energetic, and at the same time, a wave of male hormones is also exuded.

Arthur stood in the mirror and nodded in satisfaction. He even felt like falling in love with himself, not to mention other people.

Wang Zejing also saw Arthur's appearance at this moment, feeling really envious. Compared with them, Arthur is really a dimensional reduction blow!

He then saw Arthur putting on sunscreen and stepped forward and said, "Arthur, can I borrow!"

"Okay!"

Arthur handed over the sunscreen and asked, "Zhang Kai, would you like some?"

"I don't need it!" Zhang Kai waved his hand.

"Yeah!"

"It makes no difference anyway whether he wears sunscreen or not. He is all black anyway!"

…

JinCai's military training is grouped into departments. Each department is assigned an instructor.

Standing beside Arthur, Wang Zejing kept babbling about several beautiful girls within the class. Arthur listened absent-mindedly to the boy day-dreaming about getting a girlfriend and curled his lips.

"You two get out!"

At this moment, the instructor shouted suddenly.

Arthur glanced at Wang Zejing and the two walked out of the group quickly. Arthur did not expect to be implicated because of this straight dude.

The instructor looked at the two of them and asked: "Who told you to whisper to each other?"

"Reporting to the instructor. No one!" Arthur replied.

"You two stand here!"

Their position happened to face everyone.

Being stared at by close to three hundred people, it was a lot of pressure.

Wang Zejing seemed strong at the beginning, but in the end, was defeated by the countless eyes looking at him and so bowed his head and looked at the ground unconsciously.

On the contrary, Arthur looked at everyone without fear and only annoyance.

Meanwhile, the girls also looked at his indifferent expression and talked among themselves from time to time.

"Very handsome. Which class is he in?"

"You can ask as soon as they're done."

"I'm so angry. His skin is even better than mine."

Arthur hadn't noticed yet. But beside these groups of girls, there is also a boy who is looking at him intently.

…

After half an hour, the instructor didn't seem to want to let them rest.

At this time, Arthur felt that there is something strange with everyone's eyes.

He saw five senior sisters dressed in thin clothes, walking towards them happily under a parasol.

These senior sisters seemed to be planning on teasing them while holding cold drinks in their hands.

After standing under the sun for a long time, everyone was thirsty and felt the thirst unbearable.

They swallowed after seeing this scene.

Looking at the red watermelon in front of him, Arthur didn't hesitate and took a big bite.

For a moment, everyone was stunned.

/////