Chapter 139: The Shameful Tradition of Yenching University (6/10)

Except for Zhang Chu, the other two had only recently left home. Without realizing it, the mature and steady Zhang Chu had become the other two’s mainstay. Whatever he suggested, An Mi and Sun Ruiqi never turned him down.

After making a circuit outside, Yang Ling finally returned to the group. Once they met at the southwest gate of Yanyuan, the four of them headed across the road toward Changchun Garden Food Street.

“Believe it or not, I had already investigated all the good food around Peking University before I even came here. I’ll find time to try it all little by little.”

An Mi spoke with great pride. He looked thin and frail, not at all like someone with a hearty appetite.

Yang Ling did not stand on ceremony with the others. Young people became familiar with one another quickly, and he asked in ordinary Mandarin, “Then tell us what’s best on this food street. We’ll eat that today.”

“Xiabu Xiabu or Little Hanging Pear Soup would both be good. Xiabu Xiabu serves individual hotpots, while Little Hanging Pear Soup is Chinese food with stronger flavors. It’s so cold today—why don’t we have hotpot?”

An Mi made the suggestion with enthusiasm. He had set his heart on eating his way from the west gate all the way to the east gate, Zhongguancun, and even Wudaokou.

Sun Ruiqi stood in the rain holding an umbrella. His tall, broad build made him look like a student from a sports university rather than a top scholar. He was already starving and urged them on.

“Why don’t we just have hotpot? We’ll split the bill evenly, so don’t complain if I eat too much.”

“All right. Let’s go with that.”

Although Zhang Chu had rented an apartment nearby, he had never actually visited this food street. He had been busy from the moment he arrived in the capital, and whenever he had a little free time, he preferred staying indoors.

Changchun Garden Food Street was a distinctive themed commercial district, with buildings both above and below ground. It attracted not only students from Peking University, but also students from nearby schools, office workers, and local families who liked to come here for a stroll.

When they reached Xiabu Xiabu, Zhang Chu and the others finally relaxed. The restaurant was crowded, but two tables were still available, so they did not have to wait for a number.

“Should we get the spicy broth or the clear broth?” An Mi suddenly asked. He, Yang Ling, and Sun Ruiqi were all from northern China; only Zhang Chu came from the south.

Yang Ling asked, “Does anyone here not eat spicy food?”

“No. We can all handle spice.”

“Forget the split pot. Let’s just get the spicy broth!”

In those days, oddballs were still a minority. After ordering two dishes he liked, Zhang Chu passed the menu to Sun Ruiqi, and everyone began adding things.

A seafood platter, fatty mutton and beef, mussels, prawns, fish slices, various shellfish, and a platter of vegetables soon arrived. None of them held back, and before long they were all sweating profusely as they ate.

Hotpot went wonderfully with beer, but Zhang Chu and the others did not drink much. The four of them shared two bottles merely for the occasion, and their first meal at Peking University was thoroughly satisfying.

…

After dinner, the drizzling autumn rain finally stopped, leaving the pavement strewn with fallen leaves.

When Zhang Chu and the others swayed back to their dormitory, they found that students had moved into the neighboring rooms as well. Almost every dormitory door stood open, and everyone was immersed in the excitement of getting to know their new surroundings, roommates, and classmates.

Clearly, ties such as belonging to the same class or hometown made it easier for people to connect at this stage. Freshman year was the peak period for hometown associations and their activities; by sophomore year, hardly anyone attended them anymore.

As Zhang Chu unlocked the door, he heard loud laughter coming from the room next door, along with someone solemnly reading out a news article.

“Student Ai applied to the School of Physics at Peking University this year and firmly believes that interest is the forerunner of learning. A graduate of Chongqing Nankai Middle School, Student Ai won national first prizes in physics, chemistry, and English competitions during middle school. In high school, he participated in the nineteenth National High School Physics Competition…”

“Stop reading! This is so embarrassing!”

The man, speaking with a distinctly Sichuan-accented Mandarin, looked as though he might cover his face with his hands at any moment. Having his old interview read aloud by his classmates was simply too humiliating.

Yang Ling suddenly burst out laughing.

“I remember now! This is the legendary dormitory tradition shared by Peking University and Tsinghua!”

“Let’s try it too.” An Mi was eager to give it a go. He was curious to find out what this long-standing freshman pastime was really like.

Searching for one’s roommates online—especially newspaper interviews they had given—and then broadcasting the results was considered one of the most humiliating experiences acknowledged by countless students at the two top universities. It was even more embarrassing than finding interviews from one’s childhood.

Yang Ling immediately joined in. “Sure. Let’s see whose interview is the most embarrassing.”

The moment he finished speaking, the other three pairs of eyes turned toward Zhang Chu, leaving him utterly baffled.

“Why are you all looking at me? My interviews are obviously the most interesting. How could they possibly be the most embarrassing?”

Privately, Zhang Chu began to worry. Surely he did not have any embarrassing past to uncover…

The dormitory’s wireless connection was painfully slow. As soon as Sun Ruiqi connected his computer, he began searching for “An Mi,” but found only some irrelevant results.

“This blog can’t be yours, can it? How come you don’t have any interviews?” Yang Ling asked curiously. Normally, anyone admitted to Peking University’s Chinese department ought to be more than just an unknown nobody.

An Mi burst out laughing.

“That’s because my entrance-exam results weren’t especially outstanding. I entered through the independent admissions program and got in despite being short by several dozen points. Hurry up and search for the rest of you—I can’t wait.”

“Try Yang Ling. This guy was apparently among the top ten liberal-arts students in Black River Province,” Zhang Chu urged from the side.

Sun Ruiqi quickly typed in Yang Ling’s name and hit Enter. Numerous news reports immediately appeared.

Zhang Chu spotted a particularly conspicuous headline at once:

“Black River Province’s Liberal-Arts Top Scorer Crowned: Claims Tsinghua and Peking University Should Both Be Fighting to Recruit Him, Says His Greatest Wish Is to Find a Girlfriend!”

“He said he might be rather cold toward the girl he liked, yet his greatest wish was to find a girlfriend… And when asked which university he wanted to attend, Yang Ling said he hadn’t decided between Peking University and Tsinghua, because both schools ought to be fighting over him! Yang Ling, you really went all out. That confidence is unbelievable.”

An Mi looked as though he had discovered a new continent.

“So, did you find a girlfriend during those three months of summer vacation?”

Yang Ling gave an embarrassed smile and hurriedly closed the webpage.

“I was too naïve back then. I just said whatever came into my head. If you know any attractive, intelligent girls, introduce me to one. I’m still a virgin.”

Zhang Chu had not expected his roommate’s news reports to be filled with such memorable lines either. No wonder he had felt an instant connection when they first met. It turned out their personalities were practically identical.

“I’m saying, what’s the point of looking at my news? Read Zhang Chu’s interviews instead. He must have given more interviews and appeared in more reports than all of us put together.”

Yang Ling maliciously changed the subject and turned everyone’s attention toward Zhang Chu. There were even more embarrassing interviews waiting to be uncovered, and he could not let his roommates find them.

Compared with their awkwardness and helpless laughter, Zhang Chu merely waved his hand and said indifferently, “Go ahead and search. When you’re done, read all those reports aloud for me. I’d love to hear them.”

When it came to having the thickest skin, Zhang Chu had never lost.