Chapter 18: Tuition Fees
Ruan Yu hurried out of the cafeteria, relieved that Teng Yi hadn’t followed her.
When she returned to her dorm, she realized she was drenched in a cold sweat. Her head spun again, and she lay down on the bed, frustrated that yet another afternoon would pass without her accomplishing anything.
Teng Yi’s jacket hung from her bedpost. She reached out and lightly pushed the sleeve, then pushed it again. The jacket swayed back and forth, the hanger creaking softly. Her heart felt restless.
Ruan Yu dozed off for a while but was awakened by the ringing of her phone beside her pillow.
She glanced at the long string of numbers on the screen and suddenly remembered something. Sitting up abruptly, she answered the call.
It was a staff member from the university’s finance office, explaining that they were finalizing accounts and noticed her tuition hadn’t been fully paid. The call was ostensibly to ask if she was facing any difficulties, but in reality, it was a reminder to settle the remaining balance as soon as possible.
Ruan Yu responded politely and, in the end, mustered the courage to ask for another month’s extension. At the start of the semester, she had already paid most of the fees—what remained wasn’t much. If she could find a part-time job within a month, she should be able to earn the difference.
Though the finance officer agreed, her tone made it clear she wasn’t pleased. After all, an incomplete payment was like a small stain on an otherwise pristine piece of clothing—something that should be easy to fix, yet for Ruan Yu, it was proving so difficult. It wasn’t a major issue, but it was still an annoyance, and one that would linger for a while longer.
After hanging up, Ruan Yu broke into another cold sweat, her throat drier and sorer than before. But she ignored it and immediately opened a job-search website, determined to find a replacement job quickly. She had no intention of returning to the Teng household.
Most of the part-time listings online weren’t suitable—some required too many hours, others were too far away. As a student, her priority was still her studies; she couldn’t afford to lose sight of the bigger picture for small gains. And in the evenings, she had to return before the dormitory’s curfew, or she’d have nowhere to sleep.
Too many restrictions, too many rules.
Finally, she came across a job listing for a restaurant server. The restaurant wasn’t far—just two bus stops away—and the hours were manageable. They were only looking for temporary help during the evening rush.
Perfect.
Ruan Yu quickly got up, changed out of her wrinkled sleepwear, washed her face, and rushed to the north gate to catch the bus. When she arrived at the restaurant, she saw two girls around her age walking out of the lobby—likely also there for the job.
The manager took one look at Ruan Yu, listened to her introduction, and after a brief appraisal, regretfully informed her that the position had already been filled.
Disheartened but resigned, Ruan Yu thanked him and left.
As she stepped out, she overheard a server quietly ask the manager, “Weren’t we still short one person?”
“Did you see how pale she looked? She didn’t seem healthy.”
“…”
The door closed behind her, cutting off the voices.
Ruan Yu considered going back to plead her case—to explain that she was just recovering from a cold—but then thought better of it. The manager probably wouldn’t wait for her to get better.
An autumn breeze swept through the streets. She tightened her jacket around herself and trudged back, her steps heavy.
By the time she returned to campus, the sky had darkened.She didn't go to the cafeteria for dinner. The bowl of mixed noodles from lunch still seemed to sit heavily in her stomach, making her feel uncomfortable. Just thinking about the taste made her queasy.
Walking past the cafeteria led straight to the girls' dormitory building.
Before she even reached the entrance, she spotted from afar that tall, slender figure standing under the streetlight.
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