New student registration lasted for two days.
Most new students didn't have anything particularly important to do, so they chose to come on the first day.
After all, after the college entrance examination, they had more than enough time to play during the nearly three-month holiday.
Furthermore, everyone was quite eager and looking forward to college life.
However, by the time evening arrived, none of Qin Tian's three roommates in Dorm 208 had appeared, so it seemed they wouldn't be coming today.
The adjacent dormitories were also occupied by male students from their Economics Class 1, and most of them had already arrived.
This was unlike some university girls' dormitories, where not long after the semester started, relationships would devolve into a complex web of eight different groups and countless subtle machinations.
Such situations were rare in male dormitories; most found it easy to get along.
A game of cards, or a small barbecue with some beer, was enough to forge brotherhood.
Qin Tian naturally didn't suffer from social anxiety, but he wasn't exactly a social butterfly either.
If Zhuang Zhe, a quiet and reserved person, were the only one in the dorm, he wouldn't know how to fill the silence.
Fortunately, Chen Zhuang was an outgoing and friendly person, someone who could be called a true social butterfly. His presence kept the dorm atmosphere relatively lively.
"My two younger brothers, did neither of you bring a laptop?"
Chen Zhuang took out a laptop from his backpack and asked the two of them.
Zhuang Zhe, who was sitting at his desk playing with his phone, shook his head, indicating he hadn't.
"I didn't bring one either, I forgot to buy it!"
Qin Tian replied with a smile.
Both Chen Zhuang and Zhuang Zhe were taken aback.
Forgot to buy it?
Before college, weren't things like phones and computers usually something you'd pester your parents to help you buy?
How could there be such a thing as forgetting?
And the way it was said, it sounded as if he could buy one whenever he pleased!
They were puzzled but didn't press for an explanation, assuming Qin Tian was just making casual conversation.
"That's a shame, otherwise we could have teamed up for some games. Do you guys play games?"
Chen Zhuang asked with a smile again.
"I, I've never played computer games before."
Zhuang Zhe shook his head again.
"Never played computer games? Alright, you're clearly the type who buries himself in books. What about you, Qin Tian?"
"I've been playing League of Legends recently."
"Holy crap, a fellow gamer! I only started playing after the college entrance exam, and I'm already Silver. Let me tell you, my Malphite is really something."
"Oh really? Then let's team up when we have the chance."
Qin Tian said, unable to suppress a smile.
"Definitely! It's a shame you didn't bring a computer, otherwise we could start right now!"
"We haven't even gotten internet installed yet, how can we play?"
"Right!"
Chen Zhuang slapped his forehead as if suddenly realizing something and eagerly stood up, saying, "Then let's go get it done now, otherwise the service hall will be even more crowded tomorrow."
"You can go, right? We'll split the cost later."
Qin Tian said with a smile.
"Sure, I'll head out now. I'll grab some food too. Do you two want anything?"
Chen Zhuang asked.
"Thanks, but I'm good!"
Qin Tian smiled and politely declined.
"Tsk, I forgot you have a girlfriend. Zhuang Zhe?"
"I don't need anything either, I'll eat at the cafeteria later!"
"Okay, then I'm off!"
Without further ado, Chen Zhuang strode out of the dorm.
After he left, the dorm felt much quieter.
"Brother Zhuang is a good guy!"
Qin Tian said with a smile, trying to start a conversation.
"Yes!"
"Let's vote for him to be the dorm leader!"
"Okay!"
Qin Tian: "..."
The conversation stalled, and Qin Tian, with nothing else to do, propped his chin up and zoned out.
Zhuang Zhe gave him an apologetic look, opened his mouth as if to say something, but ultimately swallowed his words.
Qin Tian rested his elbow on the desk beneath his bed, propping his chin with one hand. He gazed out the window at the setting sun, his thoughts drifting further away.
He had indeed forgotten to buy a computer. After all, he had a desktop at home capable of playing games, and he could go to an internet café anytime, where internet access was free.
However, in college, if conditions permitted, it was necessary to buy a good-performance laptop.
In his previous life, he hadn't had the money, nor did he want to burden his mother with buying one. When his dorm mates played games together, he could only watch from the sidelines.
It wasn't until later, after being introduced to some part-time jobs by a senior, that he painstakingly saved enough money to buy his first laptop.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but reminisce about his college days in his past life, and the few close friends he had in the dorm.
That school was just a second-tier university in Jiangcheng, and the dormitory conditions weren't as good; it was a more cramped six-person dorm.
Influenced by his surroundings, his college life was similar to that of most of his classmates.
Skipping required courses and attending elective courses were standard practice.
Either they were idling away in the dorm, or they were spending all night at internet cafés playing games.
It was a carefree and joyful period where he didn't overthink things.
However, such times were always short-lived.
Starting from the second semester of his junior year, the confusion about life after graduation, the pressure of academic and social life, and various emotional burdens seemed to descend upon everyone at once.
They began to rein in their wilder sides and, just like in high school, once again worked hard for their future lives.
Some began preparing for postgraduate entrance exams, while others ventured out of campus, actively seeking internships to gain social experience.
After graduating from university, everyone went their separate ways. In the beginning, they kept in touch, but as time passed, due to the pressures of their respective lives, their communication gradually dwindled, and eventually, it ceased entirely.
Before his rebirth, the last time he saw his close friends from the dorm was at one of their weddings.
That guy had been the least social in the dorm during college, not particularly close with the rest of them, but he had invited all of them to his wedding.
Not only their dorm, but he had also invited male students from other dorms in their class.
Qin Tian and the others knew the reason, of course, but they didn't mind, considering it a rare opportunity to gather. They all gave a considerable amount of gift money for the occasion.
"Ding!"
The phone placed beside him suddenly rang, interrupting Qin Tian's thoughts.
"Brother Lei, Brother Jian... I don't know who became your roommates in my place this time, but I wish you all a bright future and great prospects!"
Qin Tian took a deep breath and, in his heart, sent his sincere blessings to his close friends from his past life.
All the memories of his previous life were like a fleeting dream, and he had no intention of disturbing them.
From the moment he stepped onto the Jiangda campus, he was destined to walk a different path from the people and events of his college life before his rebirth.
For him, those would only be memories hidden deep within his heart.
He picked up his phone and unlocked the screen. It was a message from Xia Nuannuan.
"Brother Tian, my roommates want to treat us to a meal."
Qin Tian paused, then typed a question mark.
"It's the ones I met downstairs in the dorm. It turns out they were my roommates and their mothers. Then, due to some circumstances, she wants to treat us to a meal."
Xia Nuannuan quickly sent another message to explain, followed by an "angry" emoji.