The real young master thought he was hated by everyone

The dorms for undergraduates at S University were standard four-person rooms with a private bathroom. However, hot water had to be fetched from a designated station on each floor using a campus card.

Despite Mrs. Xie repeatedly insisting, “You’ll just get in the way,” Xie Sizhi stubbornly skipped work that morning and took a taxi over from his office to help.

He waited at the main gate for over an hour, only to find out, after messaging Li Heng, that they were already at the dorm. It turned out he’d waited at the wrong entrance. It was both frustrating and a little pathetic.

Eventually, he was assigned the task of lining up at the large square in front of the library to pick up Li Heng’s campus card.

The dust on the tables and bed frames was significant, and Mrs. Xie felt that cold water alone wouldn’t be sufficient to clean it. She put on rubber gloves, watching the dirty water drip off her cloth as she said, “If your roommates were here, you could ask to borrow their cards.”

The tables weren’t too bad, still relatively clean. The main issue was the bed frame. Unless it was thoroughly wiped down, followed by a dry cloth to absorb the water, it would be impossible to spread sheets and blankets on it.

Even though she had brought along a mat similar to a yoga mat to place on the bottom layer for extra comfort, she wanted everything spotless since, barring any unexpected events, her son would be sleeping on this bed for the next four years.

“They’re probably out eating or getting books,” Li Heng guessed.

Today was the last day for new students to report to campus. He’d expected to be one of the last to arrive and had even prepared himself for a less ideal bed choice. Surprisingly, besides himself, one other roommate hadn’t arrived yet, so he chose the bed on the right.

Though it wasn’t by the window, it didn’t face directly toward the door, offering a bit more privacy.

He tried to discreetly take the cloth from Mrs. Xie’s hand, but she caught him in the act.

“Du, keep an eye on your brother,” Mrs. Xie instructed Xie Duzhi, who was carefully setting up a tablecloth and arranging the desk lamp and other items. “Don’t let him get his clothes dirty.”

“Okay,” Xie Duzhi replied, pulling the younger boy toward him a bit. “Do you want a lock?”

He was referring to the drawers—and possibly the wardrobe.

“…Probably not necessary?” Li Heng had never used a lock for his dorm drawers or cabinets before. “It’s just roommates, and we’ll definitely lock the door when we leave.”

“Better safe than sorry. I noticed your roommates all have locks,” Mrs. Xie said as she dialed Xie Sizhi’s number. “… There have been plenty of thefts in college dorms recently. What if your laptop gets stolen?”

Money was a minor concern. The real issue would be the loss of important files — like photos and half-finished videos he’d taken, or future assignments.

“You can probably buy one at the library’s convenience store. I’ll go get one later.”

With two wardrobes and three drawers, he figured he’d end up carrying a full set of keys wherever he went.

“I’ll have them delivered at noon,” said Xie Duzhi, checking the time and asking Li Heng for his phone.

Li Heng obediently unlocked the screen and handed it over, reminding him, “Third Brother, use the second SIM card for calls.”

To his surprise, though, instead of making a call, Xie Duzhi tapped on the screen for a while. After about a minute, he handed the phone back.

Li Heng found a new app installed on his phone.

“It’s a new product from the company,” Xie Duzhi explained. “Once connected to the digital lock, you can authenticate and link it directly.”

After exploring it for a while, Li Heng figured out how the app worked. Once a lock was placed, it could be opened using a pre-recorded fingerprint or a dynamic code, and it stayed connected to the official system in real-time. If any tampering was detected, the lock would emit a shock and instantly send coordinates to alert the police.

It seemed very secure.

Mrs. Xie praised him for his thoughtfulness, then tried calling Xie Sizhi several more times, but there was still no answer.

“I told you he’s just as useful being here as not,” she said, sounding a bit exasperated. “We’ll just have to pick up the campus card together later.”

“How about we find a place nearby for lunch? I’d like to explore the campus a bit more.”

Naturally, Xie Duzhi had no objections; he wasn’t working today anyway.

“I know the best places to eat,” said Li Heng, finally finding a way to contribute. He felt genuinely grateful for his desk mate, who had been sharing a steady stream of blog posts and forum recommendations with him.

Thanks to this, he knew exactly where all the popular spots were around S University, even down to each restaurant’s signature dishes.

Mrs. Xie shared his preference for sweeter flavors, while Xie Duzhi, although he never expressed any food preferences, actually tended to favor dishes with lighter sauces and milder flavors.

“Then you can lead the way, Heng,” Mrs. Xie said. “Let’s finish arranging everything here first and come back later to set up the bedding.”

Besides the bedding and the desk supplies that Xie Duzhi was organizing, there wasn’t much left to arrange.

“Are you starting military training this week?” Mrs. Xie asked as she pulled off her gloves and tossed them into a nearby basin. “Check if you packed sunscreen. If not, I’ll bring it tomorrow.”

Though the September heat wasn’t intense in City S, it wasn’t exactly cool either.

“Yes, I brought some,” Li Heng replied patiently, showing her the sunscreen. “I’ve got everything else too.”

During high school, they’d had a three-day training, but university training was a full week. “Uncle Fu even packed a solar fan for me.”

Only then did Mrs. Xie relax.

She sighed, feeling a bit distressed. “You’ll probably lose weight after a week of training. When your brother trained, it was just five days. Why is it longer for your class?”

Over the summer, he had finally put on a bit of weight, and his face looked a little rounder, so she worried that training would undo all that progress.

“Some of my classmates have an eleven-day training,” Li Heng said, trying to ease her concerns. “Besides, upperclassmen on the forums say that our training isn’t too strict. We’ll have breaks, and we’re allowed to use our phones and bring bags to the field.”

“Then remember to pack some snacks for yourself,” she reminded him. “Don’t forget to eat them.”

“I don’t forget to eat; I just don’t finish them,” he protested. “You can ask Third Brother.”

He looked to Xie Duzhi for confirmation. “Right? I just can’t finish them.”

During exam season, he had stayed at Third Brother’s place often. After work, Xie Duzhi would pick him up from school, and there were times when he caught him eating jerky on the way out.

He usually didn’t snack on the go, but studying could make anyone hungry.

Expecting his brother to back him up, he was surprised when, on this topic, Xie Duzhi’s stance matched that of the other adults.

“His appetite is too small,” he commented honestly.

“It’s because he doesn’t eat much that his appetite’s small,” Mrs. Xie quickly added, continuing the conversation, “And he doesn’t like meat.”

Sometimes, she wished her second and third sons could balance each other out. One barely ate anything but meat, while the other hardly touched it at all.

Since Xie Sizhi was past the age for growth spurts, she worried more about Li Heng.

“Mom, should we go get lunch now?” Li Heng quickly changed the topic, anxious to avoid further discussion of his eating habits. “It’s already past ten. If we wait too long, it’ll be crowded and we’ll have to wait.”

Parents and new students were still pouring in to report, and with all grades already back in session, the campus was lively and packed with people.

Mrs. Xie nodded, agreeing. “We can eat anywhere near the main gate. We’ll still need to get your campus card afterward.”

She stacked up the basins by the wall, quickly wiped down the floor, and gave Li Heng permission to close the door.

“Maybe you should live off-campus?” As they headed downstairs, she began to have second thoughts. “I just noticed that your school has strict electricity limits.”

S University didn’t allow students to use appliances like hair dryers, kettles, or mini cookers in the dorms, even posting a long list of prohibited items.

She had imagined the dorm room, though small, would still have space for essential items.

With fall approaching, a humidifier and air purifier seemed necessary. And for winter, there should be an electric blanket. She’d even prepared a mini-fridge to keep milk and snacks fresh.

These items were all ready, waiting to be brought in after training.

Since the dorm was shared, bringing these in after the roommates got to know each other and settled in seemed more considerate.

“Du and your brother didn’t have these restrictions in their dorms,” she said, frowning.

As for T University’s dorm rules, she wasn’t sure.

Not because of favoritism, but because in his four years there, Xie Sizhi had never set foot in the dorms. After reporting to his counselor, he’d promptly moved into his own apartment to game.

“During my intake, we were assigned brand-new dorms,” Xie Duzhi explained, “No old wiring issues to worry about.”

This is also why he chose to live in the dormitory instead of moving to an apartment like Xie Sizhi did.

“No wonder.”

Because it was clean, Mrs. Xie hadn’t done much to help them clean the dorms back then. She just gave it a quick wipe and left.

She had considered donating several dorm buildings to S University, but even if she contacted the school now, construction wouldn’t start until the winter or summer vacation. By the time the new dorms were ready, her youngest might already be in his third year, busy with internships and preparing for exams, so he wouldn’t spend as much time in the dorm as he did in his first and second years.

“I’m not always in the dorm. I’m at home on weekends,” Li Heng said, trying to persuade her to let go of the idea of him moving out. “Also, Mom, I have classes every morning this semester.”

Their dorm was in a prime location, close to both the teaching buildings and the dining hall, making it very convenient for classes and grabbing meals after school.

Living off-campus would certainly offer better conditions, but it would also add more time-related costs.

Mrs. Xie hadn’t seen his class schedule yet, so when Li Heng showed her the screenshot he had saved, she couldn’t help but click her tongue.

“Why do you have so many classes?”

“Right?” He tucked his phone back into his pocket. “That’s why I said staying in the dorm is fine.”

The conditions in the university dorms were clearly much better than in his high school, so he was quite satisfied.

But more than the dorm’s living conditions, Mrs. Xie’s real concern was his social life.

University education was very different from high school and earlier stages. There were no fixed classes, and students weren’t arranged by grades or height, so even after four years, some people still wouldn’t know everyone in their class. 

In fact, dorms became the primary unit of social life.

No matter how much she reminded herself to let go, ever since that long conversation with her youngest son, she had been reflecting a lot and was no longer as cautious as she once was, as if dealing with fragile porcelain. 

But no mother could help worrying about these small things.

Just as she used to worry about her older son being quiet and introverted, or about her second son living alone and potentially not making any friends, it was the same now.

When she sent Xie Shenzhi and Xie Sizhi to F University a few years ago, at least she met their roommates, exchanged pleasantries, and had some initial impressions, but she couldn’t fully relax. What if her youngest son’s roommate turned out to be someone rude and domineering?

She worried they might clash, but she didn’t want to just pull strings to change his dorm assignment or arrange for him to room with old classmates.

“Make sure to call me more often at night,” she finally said.

“Got it—” Li Heng drawled. “I’ll try to coordinate with my roommates or just step out onto the balcony to call you.”

Since others might be working on assignments when he made calls, his dorm was considered private space but also a shared one.

“Don’t forget to share the cookies and candy with them,” she reminded him. “The little gift box at the bottom of your backpack, there are three in total.”

She would usually have been the one to give the gifts, but she was concerned that after making the bed, her youngest’s roommates might not have returned yet. She couldn’t just stay in his dorm while they explored the campus, either.

Li Heng didn’t even know when she had slipped the gift box into his bag.

Originally, he had planned to share chocolates he had brought back from Belgium with his new roommates.

“I’ll take them out when I get back and put them on the desk,” he responded to her.

If he took them out in advance, he wouldn’t forget.

However—despite saying “let them be,” when they passed by the square in front of the library, Mrs. Xie made a special detour to pull Xie Sizhi out of the queue.

“Why aren’t you answering your phone?” She didn’t truly seem angry but more exasperated.

“Today isn’t the last day of registration, why are there still so many people?”

“Maybe it’s because there are more parents from out of town.” Xie Sizhi hesitated and didn’t dare mention that he had absentmindedly ended up in the wrong line, in front of a temporary desk, where he had been stuck for a while and didn’t realize the mix-up.

He mumbled evasively, “My phone wasn’t charged and switched to energy-saving mode. I didn’t feel it vibrating in my pocket.”

“Did I tell you not to charge your phone?” She waved her hand at him. “After lunch, you’ll go pick up Heng’s book list and get the books, no problem with that, right?”

“Of course not,” Xie Sizhi stood up straighter, jokingly saluting her. “Mission accepted, Commander.”

He grinned, looking as carefree as ever.

But for some reason, Li Heng felt like something was off with his second brother. He seemed a bit unhappy, a little melancholic.

He purposely slowed down a step, falling behind Mrs. Xie and him, and quietly nudged Xie Duzhi, making a gesture with his lips.

“Third Brother—”

He silently mouthed, “Don’t you think…?”

“What?” 

Xie Duzhi raised an eyebrow and pulled out his phone to ask him.

Li Heng quickly typed a message and sent it.

【Little Meow Meow: Don’t you think Second Brother has been a bit strange since earlier?】 

【Little Meow Meow: He looks the same, but the feeling is totally different.】

【Duzhi: What?】

Li Heng elaborated further.

【Little Meow Meow: Normally he’s more outspoken when arguing with Mom, and he looks her straight in the eye.】

But just now, when he was making a promise, Li Heng noticed his gaze drifting elsewhere.

【Duzhi: …】

If Xie Duzhi hadn’t specifically pointed it out, he might have overlooked this small change as well.

The young man’s gaze dropped, and for a moment, a thought flickered in his eyes, before it vanished as quickly as it had appeared, leaving only a small ripple in his calm demeanor.

After a pause, he quickly typed the next message.

【Duzhi: I’ll check on it.】

Li Heng scrolled through his list for a while before picking out an appropriate emoji.

【Little Meow Meow: How do you check on this?】

He thought he could just directly ask Xie Sizhi.

“Don’t use your phone while walking.”

Mrs. Xie’s voice suddenly rang in his ears, startling Li Heng. 

He stopped and found she had unknowingly stopped ahead of him, standing with her hands on her hips, looking both amused and slightly annoyed.

“What’s so interesting, you got so absorbed in it?”

“And you too, Duzhi. How did you start walking while using your phone?”

If he hadn’t stopped just now, Li Heng thought he might have bumped into her.

He felt a bit guilty, lowered his head to admit his mistake, and promised not to do it again, while secretly glancing over at Xie Duzhi.

Their eyes met at that exact moment.