Chapter Text
Mo Ran’s finally going to college.
After all the shit he has gone into, he deserved this privilege. That is if he will not experience those things he experienced in high school again. Really, he needs a break, he’s passionate about his education but fate just had other things in tow for him. What kind of things? Well, it’s his story to tell.
He arrived at the school grounds at around 8:00 am on a Monday. This will be the university’s first day of classes for the school year 2020 – 2021. He arrived at the uni’s auditorium yes, but we might as well add the fact that he’s already 30 minutes late. Who could blame him tho? The university’s too big for one man, he should ask his uncle Xue Zhengyong, the president of Sisheng University, about this matter.
Opening the main auditorium doors, he could already hear someone speaking over the speakers. He cursed inwardly and promised to himself that yesterday will be the last time he’ll drink some booze the night before their school days. He should have better control of his urges to waste his life away if he truly intends to make things right with his life and, if possible, repay Xue Zhengyong with the kindness the latter bestowed upon him in his time of need.
He quietly opened and closed the doors and tiptoed his way to his seat, which is unfortunately situated in the row just after the first one. And to add fuel to the fire, he was assigned to sit beside his spoiled brat of a cousin, the only child of his uncle, Xue Meng. They’ve been through thick and thin already, through Mo Ran’s rough childhood, Xue Meng has been there with him. Although not at his side – Xue Meng chose to operate his support in the background, both of them seemed to get along on most occasions after the incident they’ve undergone in high school. Until yesterday when they got caught strutting along their dorm corridors drunk and wasted, Xue Meng then blamed Mo Ran again for that and they’re really not in good terms right now.
“Karma’s a bitch, I see” Xue Meng whispered with a satisfied grin plastered on his face the moment Mo Ran finally reached his wretched seat. The latter then harshly nudged the former’s forearm using his elbow and said “Not my fault your ass got too wasted you vomited in front of the dorm manager”.
“You--!” Xue Meng almost lost control of himself and actually half-yelled at Mo Ran. Fortunately for both of their sake, only the front and third row noticed the former’s spur of a moment and turned to quietly gossip about it after. However, out of all the people that the cousins managed to catch their attention, one of them fully caught Mo Ran’s. The person was seated just in front of Mo Ran, and during their commotion, said person turned his head back to look at them, just enough to show the corner of his left eye.
That left Mo Ran’s mouth hanging, metaphorically of course, he doesn’t want to risk his reputation being the “Mouth-Hanging Stupid One” on his first day of school. The sight doesn’t last long as the man sitting in front of him withdrew his line of sight and focused it on the speaker speaking at the stage in front of them. Well, that reminds him, he hasn’t been paying attention to the one speaking at the front, he can only hope that the things he missed wasn’t that important and had no value over his education proper.
After the longest, most boring orientation, or so for Mo Ran and Xue Meng’s perspective, they are finally dismissed by Xue Zhengyong after a few words of encouragement to start off another school year for continuing students and a great new start for freshmen. Their schedules was already sent to their respective emails two weeks before the opening so at the very least they can prepare themselves for what is to be expected during their first year in college. Mo Ran has decided to take up Civil Engineering to fend up his passion in building things while Xue Meng begrudgingly chose Business Management to take over their family company. For a son of a businessman, that is the least to be expected of him.
The rest of the day was declared free by the administration, to let their students take a closer look and familiarize themselves on the university grounds. Most students spend their vacant time exploring the school and making friends. For Mo Ran, well, he actually have plans to start right this year so he made his way towards the campus’ main library and started researching about his respective subjects.
The library, to say the least, was as luxurious as what the rumors have told. It is three-floors high with every level having an area 2 times the size of a soccer field. The books were neatly arranged on intricately designed wooden shelves. Not to mention there are also a variety of reading spaces available, the library housed individual cubicles – some with computers, some intended only for reading purposes – there are also sofas and benches with throw pillows, and if some group of friends wanted to have a group study, tables are also readily made for then with the inclusion of lamps at each of it. All in all, it wasn’t your typical university library, it’s built with the intention to fully reflect on what kind of campus Sisheng University is, and it’s not just some university.
Only a few students are in the library at that moment since many find it a waste of vacant time. But Mo Ran silently thanked the organizers of the event so he can at least have a skim of his upcoming lectures in peace. He brought out his phone from the back pocket of his jeans to start searching for books referencing his subjects. He had to log in first to the computerized login page of the library and enter the books he wanted to search for, his calvary made easy by technology.
He ended up bringing 3 thick, heavy books with him to his chosen cubicle, namely The Civil Engineering Handbook by Chen Wai-Fah, Civil Engineering Materials by Shan Somayaji, and Architecture: Form, Space, and Order by Francis D.K. Ching. He’s a little ambitious for a freshman, yes, but he’s really determined to start and finish his college years with flying colors, that’s the least he could repay his uncle for all he’s done. Fishing up a notebook from his backpack, he then started taking notes on the important things he needed to know before facing his classes head on.
He hasn’t noticed the time passing and by the minute he became aware of it, the natural light shining through the big windows of the library is long gone. Looking around, he realized there’s only two students left inside, including him. Wow, what a great way of kicking off his study schedule. Regardless of it, he has a total of 13 pages worth of notes.
This should be enough for tomorrow’s class.
____________________________________________
Mo Ran finally woke up with his alarm clock ringing by his bedside. And would you look at that, he woke up before Xue Meng this time, that’s definitely a first and an achievement he should brag to his cousin for the next two weeks.
He got up and did his morning rituals right before going to his first morning class, Advance Physics at exactly 8:30 am. That’s quite a hard start on his day but nevertheless, he has some materials readied and organized to skip the introductory parts.
Walking down the corridors of the College of Engineering, he saw an old acquaintance from his high school, Shi Mei. Mo Ran’s heart skipped a beat the moment he saw his face. It hasn’t changed a bit, he’s still the same Shi Mei he fell in love with in high school. Mo Ran was notified beforehand about Shi Mei transferring to Sisheng University in his second year in college but still that hasn't prepared Mo Ran for the real thing.
Finally. Together again.
He unconsciously smiled widely while intently staring at Shi Mei from a distance. The latter was talking to someone, probably another one of Shi Mei’s many acquaintances but Mo Ran doesn’t mind. Like, who doesn’t appreciate Shi Mei? Probably someone who don’t have an eye for beauty and perfection.
Shi Mei glanced around and he eventually met Mo Ran’s gaze, the former smiled. Mo Ran might have been grinning like an idiot the whole time, but who can blame him tho? He then started walking towards Shi Mei’s direction so he could get a full view without the crowd of students obstructing it.
“Shi Mei! It’s been a long time! How are you?” Really, Mo Ran tries not to sound too enthusiastic about it.
Shi Mei’s eyes softened the moment Mo Ran reached his side, he almost forgot about the person he was talking to before. Mo Ran would be lying if he said they can talk later in respect to the person Shi Mei was talking to before. He’s selfish and he knows that.
“Well, if you don’t count my first year life, then good. I’m really good and ready for a fresh start” Shi Mei tries to hide the sadness with his flashing smile, but Mo Ran knew better. If Mo Ran had a devastating life in high school due to some misunderstanding between him and his homeroom adviser, Shi Mei’s situation last year was worse. The latter only got lucky Xue Zhengyong found out about his underlying situation and decided to take the matters into his hand. Eventually, Shi Mei’s past university processed his transfer papers to SU for his second year.
Suddenly feeling guilty he brought the topic up, Mo Ran hurriedly apologised and swore it will not happen again. Shi Mei just waved his hand to show that it doesn’t really matter anymore and it’s been months since the issue was resolved, so both decided they should just let it go and proceeded to enter the classroom.
Mo Ran purposely searched for two side-to-side vacant seats the moment he stepped foot inside the classroom, and (un)lucky he found exactly what he was looking for. The downside of the matter was that those seats were placed just right in front of the professor’s table. Choosing to rather face his fate with Shi Mei at his side than not, Mo Ran firmly set on to place his backpack on one of the seats and helped Shi Mei with his. He’s definitely a hopeless romantic but he would never admit to it. The former smiled to Shi Mei before leading his focus onto the front, where the professor was unarguably running late.
Some students already chattered their time away while waiting for the very-obviously late professor when someone pushed the main door open to reveal a striking aura that hushed everyone into silence. Mo Ran started wracking his brains out to remember the person in front of him right now surveying the whole class. Those eyes felt so familiar he could just imagine a face there and there, but it seems his brain isn’t cooperating with him right now.
“Professor Mo has something to take care of at the moment, so since this is only your first day in this class, he decided that I should replace him just for this time.” The person spoke with as much elegance as you can observe in a person with high standing in the society. Mo Ran would be mesmerised if not for the fact that he’s already sitting beside his long-time crush.
“To start off, I need each and every one of you to introduce your name, year, and course. No more or less than that. Let’s begin with me, my name is Chu Wanning, currently a 4th year student here and taking up Chemical Engineering” he spoke off slowly yet with confidence of a veteran, with hands firmly situated on his back and eyes roamed around the room for better access to what is going on.
“Next up is the person sitting closest to the door, stand up first and state what you are asked to state.” He spoke with authority, using an aura that intimidates almost everyone in the room. Almost everyone except Mo Ran. He found the person arrogant.
Just because he’s a senior doesn’t mean he can command us like we’re his slaves.
Mo Ran got so indulged in berating Chu Wanning he didn’t notice the latter’s eyes already fixated on his. He got confused at first, but then he looked at Shi Mei and the latter gestured that it’s actually his turn to introduce. He scrambled first to get up and worked to tidy his clothes before speaking.
“The name’s Mo Ran, 1st year Civil Engineering” He briefly said before swiftly sitting back again.
What a great start to have a great first impression Mo Ran.
Chu Wanning seemed to have lingered his gaze on Mo Ran for a bit, as if assessing his behaviour before directing it to Shi Mei, the latter surprisingly calm even if subjected under the heavy gaze of their acting TA.
“Shi Mei, I’m a transferee from Kunlun University so I’m continuing my studies here as a second year in Chemical Engineering” Shi Mei finished off with a smile and side-faced the class. And Mo Ran never felt more proud in his entire life. He was best friends with one of the most beautiful people in the world! Of course he has every right to be proud.
That setting continued for quite some time before everyone finally had their turn and Chu Wanning began listing things on the board, topics perhaps?
Wow, how can I handle all of these units just for this semester? I better just start working right away.
“It’s still being decided if I’ll proceed to be your TA for this class and not just the acting TA whenever the professor is not available. However, I and the professor expect you all to do your best, most specifically to the freshmen. I was told to be stricter to your batch and that I will follow” Chu Wanning finishes up before leaving the classroom with elegant steps. The whole class collectively let out a breath they didn’t know they were holding up in the first place.
While others seemed to see a strict and upright young man, all Mo Ran can see was an arrogant one. The kind who will use their position to climb the social ladder and look down on those below his level. With that mindset, Mo Ran proceeded to hate him as a student hating his teacher.
“I hate him” That’s the first words Mo Ran spoke after they got out of the stuffy classroom.
Maybe the world is fair after all, nobody has that face and is also good with people.
“Why? He’s okay for someone that would be assisting a professor” Shi Mei contradicted. It’s not surprising for Shi Mei to find the good in everything, he’s probably the only exception to the “The world is fair” rule.
“Shi Mei! You’re too good, what if people will use that goodness for their self-gain?” Mo Ran whined. He missed this setting, Shi Mei talking and Mo Ran whining about almost everything. Shi Mei just laughed softly at Mo Ran’s statement and proceeded to walk down the corridor.
Mo Ran rushed to his next class while Shi Mei spent his vacant him on one of the benches located on the field fiddling with his laptop. The rest of the day just went on normally without any other complications.
____________________________________________
Another day, another batch of subjects for Mo Ran, but doesn’t seem to mind as two of his schedules coincides with Shi Mei, and he’s more than happy to indulge with it. While he’s already happy with one schedule with Shi Mei yesterday, he’s happier today and no one can take it from him.
No one, except maybe that one professor who assigned him in the same group with Chu Wanning in his Physics class.
Why is the world too cruel to him? He had enough of his high school life, and now bad luck is still clinging to him like a loyal dog.
And to make things worse, he’s supposed to have Physics class together with Shi Mei but there have been some complications in the scheduling and the latter ended up having his schedule later that afternoon. Maybe he’ll just try to reside with his fate and go with the flow.
They’re currently discussing building structures and the physics behind it, this should be an interesting topic for Mo Ran, but how can he like the topic when one of the people he was assigned with is the one that he hated after their first meeting. Moreover, he has notes already, the ones he took from the books he borrowed from the library. That information could be useful for today’s lesson, but he’s still pissed about Shi Mei’s sudden change of schedule and being prisoned in a group with Chu Wanning. His day could’ve never been more ruined.
Mo Ran’s tapping his pen furiously over the table where they’re exchanging ideas for the activity at present. He has no energy to even just lift his eyes off the table.
“What do you think, Mo Ran?” a melodic yet authoritative voice abruptly interrupted Mo Ran from his musings and made him look up to see the person who asked him.
“Pardon?”
“I said, what do you think of having some stroll down the city and taking pictures of structures aligned to our assigned topic for better visualization?” and with that Chu Wanning sounds impatient. Fortunately, Mo Ran doesn’t care.
But even then, he still has to respect Chu Wanning, or at least show to others that he respects him.
“I would love to” he replies with a smile, the one that is blinding and flashy.
Their little brief meeting ended after 20 minutes of Chu Wanning mostly directing, other members collectively agreeing to every suggestion, and Mo Ran wasting his time daydreaming. Overall, it was a productive one.
____________________________________________
He was dragged by a hyperactive Xue Meng on a weekend.
Mo Ran had no plans on going out before, he just settled on taking the pictures the day before their presentation, and that is still scheduled on Wednesday next week. But oh look what we have here! After ranting his situation – Chu Wanning possibly being their TA on their Calculus class, Shi Mei’s schedule changing, and Chu Wanning (again) being their group leader and assigning him to take pictures of structures worthy for their topic – Xue Meng decided to also tag along, and by tag along he means dragging a half-asleep Mo Ran to downtown.
Xue Meng just wants to breathe the city air again, and no one can rain on his parade! As pissed as Mo Ran is, having been awoken at 7:30 on a Saturday, he’s a little bit thankful for the opportunity to just get over his supposed research once and for all.
While Xue Meng was away shopping for things in some boutique to satisfy his luxurious ass, Mo Ran got himself busy scanning the area around it. Since he grew up in the province, he really wasn’t familiar with the place so this search for the perfect structure might give him a hard time. Maybe some stroll will appease it. So, he decided to abandon his rich cousin and proceeded to take a little walk.
Not too soon after, he discovered a magnificently structured building, it was a café.
Red Lotus Café
While other café’s settle for a simple outward design, this café prides itself in its skeletal structure. You can say the building was skilfully designed, built, and decorated. It has some warm feeling to it too, something that makes you think of coffee and bitter-sweet cakes. It has a nice atmosphere to it. And for the first time since he was assigned to do it, he was happy and satisfied.
Mo Ran decided to take a picture of it first from different angles before paying a visit inside. It was your typical café in terms of its menus, but the designs and decorations inside were also well-placed. Surely for Mo Ran, this kind of place was built and designed by a skilled and professional architect already. He ordered a small red velvet cake partnered with an iced coffee to go, he really doesn’t want a certain someone shouting at his ears in public.
After expectedly seeing Xue Meng still inside the boutique after an hour, he convinced himself to at the very least inform his cousin that he'll be spending the rest of the day exploring around and boy is Xue Meng glad to abandon him here and there.
Ungrateful little bastard!
He finishes his day off with 7 different building structures in his phone, some trinkets he bought at a souvenir shop, a mini red velvet cake, and half a plastic cup of iced coffee.
Looks like my work here is done.
____________________________________________
The day of their group presentation finally came and Mo Ran will be lying if he’ll say this activity bored and annoyed him. In his own little world, he secretly enjoyed it, but he’s never gonna let Chu Wanning know that.
After eating off his cake last Saturday, he sends all of the pictures to one of his group mates who is assigned to do the powerpoint presentation and the scripts. He'll probably have to thank their leader for giving him an easy job, but no, he’s not that soft to do that.
Not long after, it’s their turn already, and Mo Ran can finally thank his professor for assigning him with these people. Look! The power point presentation is flawless, their script is flawless, the information was neatly organized to be brief and straightforward!
Everything’s going the right way, until Chu Wanning stopped talking.
Chu Wanning’s looking at the screen, as if shocked to see what’s in it. Curious about the situation, Mo Ran also decided to look at what the said person’s so shocked about.
It’s that café. The Red Lotus one.
But Chu Wanning’s shocked face morphed back into its usual stoic, cold face and continued on relaying information. For a moment, Mo Ran thought they’re going to fuck up their presentation because of one senior who seemed to have been taken aback for a moment.
Nearing the end of their presentation, Mo Ran can sense Chu Wanning’s hot gaze on him. Did he do something again this time to earn his disapproval, or disappointment, or whatever face he is making? Anyways, as if he cares.
After Chu Wanning said his closing remarks, Mo Ran quickly paced his way to his seat which is fortunately far away from Chu Wanning. He doesn’t want to answer any more questions should there be any thrown at him, specifically by someone who probably hates him.
Moran just thanked himself for getting through the day unscathed.
They got an A, of course they got an A.
____________________________________________
When he thought that would be the last time he'd ever come face-to-face with Chu Wanning, he was 100% wrong. But this time, he willingly approached the man for reasons time has yet to reveal. He really needs to sort out his priorities but when the situation involves a certain person, Shi Mei perhaps, then he has to take matters into his own hands.
It all started one almost normal morning and Mo Ran had just finished his breakfast when he heard a commotion outside one of the campus cafeteria.
Someone’s having a fight.
Abandoning his half-eaten meal on the table, he packs up, swings his backpack to his shoulders, and hurries toward the hurdle of students outside. He’s too excited for someone who doesn’t even know what the commotion is about, but in his defence, he hasn't witnessed one in like 2 years so he deserves a front row seat with this one.
“What’s all of these about?” he asked one of the students standing outside a room, smug features written all over his face.
“Someone leaked Professor Xiu’s exam, the culprit is being questioned inside right now” the student replied without turning around, too busy to take in gossip to face the one asking.
“Well who’s the culprit?”
“I still don’t know, no one knows right now so we’re still waiting for that person to come out”
“Well that’s interesting”
Priorities thrown out of the window, Mo Ran proceeded to wait for the said culprit to show its face and really, his patience is wearing thin.
“Someone’s coming out!” shouted another student who lives for gossip.
Too eager to wait at the back, Mo Ran shoved his way through the increasing crowd to have a better view of the scene. He fished his phone from his pocket and proceeded to record the unfolding scene.
Xue Meng’s gonna love this.
Mo Ran’s eyes are too focused on his screen he doesn’t notice the other students murmuring about a certain second year. Well, until Mo Ran found a familiar face appearing on his phone.
Shi Mei.
And that’s not all, following Shi Mei were two other people. Of course there’s Professor Xiu, who is looking more furious than he already is on a daily basis and…
Chu Wanning.
Well fuck.