Shine on Me

In late March of my senior year, I ended my internship at an accounting firm in Wuxi and returned to my university in Nanjing. Honestly, I would have loved to laze around at home for another ten days or half a month, living off my parents, but clearly my mom’s maternal patience was running thin. So after raiding the fridge at home, I lugged my heavy load back to Nanjing in disgrace.

While still on the bus, I texted my dormmates: "This watermelon is rolling back to Nanjing. Line up and welcome me at the school gate."

Ten minutes later, I got a reply from Siliang: "Who are you? Don’t know you."

I chuckled and typed quickly: "Oh well, never mind. Poor me, carrying a chicken in my left hand and a duck in my right—so heavy! Maybe I’ll just leave them on the bus."

This time, replies came within seconds—more than one.

Siliang: "Ah! Darling, it’s you! Don’t move from the school gate, sis is coming to get you."

Xiaofeng: "Watermelon, day and night I longed for you unseen, and now—let’s gnaw on duck legs together."

...Their enthusiasm was downright spine-chilling.

As soon as I got out of the taxi, I spotted a conspicuous crowd at the school gate. Our dorm had six people, but nine showed up—five girls and four guys...

With just one chicken and one duck, did they really need to bring their entire entourage? I secretly regretted not gnawing on a chicken leg first in the cab.

"Heh heh... You guys really went all out..."

The dorm leader tugged my ear: "You brat, you picked the perfect time to come back. We’re having a group dinner at Hesheng today."

The words "Hesheng" triggered an instant reflex in me—Hesheng = best sour fish = best sweet and sour ribs = best crab roe tofu...

Salivating, I held up the chicken and duck. "Can this count as a special contribution so I don’t have to pay?"

Siliang looked exasperated: "Stop embarrassing our dorm. Zhuang Xu is treating today."

I froze. Zhuang Xu... My gaze drifted toward the figure standing far away. While everyone else had moved closer when they saw me, he remained in place, wearing a light gray sweater, his expression unreadable.

Zhuang Xu—that name also triggered a reflex. Zhuang Xu = top student in the International Finance Department = a handsome guy who could elevate our school’s male population by a whole tier = Rong Rong’s ambiguously labeled "friend"...

Which equaled—

Nie Xiguang is a big, stupid idiot!

My eyes stung a little. After all this time, still so pathetic... Something seemed about to spill over...

I immediately looked up at the sky. One second, two seconds...

"What the hell are you looking at?" The ever-violent dorm leader yanked my ear hard.

They’d probably been staring at the sky with me. I stifled a laugh and blinked innocently. "So weird... It’s not raining red."

Zhuang Xu never treated anyone, even when he won top scholarships. Everyone knew his father had passed away early, leaving only a frail mother and a younger brother in high school. Yet he never even applied for financial aid.

Only after saying it did I realize how sarcastic it sounded. The awkwardness was palpable. A Fen shot me a reproachful glare and pinched my hand hard under everyone’s watchful eyes.

Ow! How long had it been since she last trimmed her nails?! She nearly pinched tears out of me.Poor me, so used to being bullied by my dorm mates, I could only seethe silently, my heart bubbling with grievances—it wasn’t intentional, even a dog will bite when pushed too far… and so will I when provoked…

Finally, Rong Rong stepped in with a smile. “Zhuang Xu signed with Bank A in Shanghai, with a monthly salary of around eight thousand.”

“Wow.” Bank A! Eight thousand a month! Even postgraduates might not land such an offer!

Surprised, I turned to look at Zhuang Xu. He was already gazing at me, his dark eyes fixed on me as if waiting to see my reaction.

Was this… just my imagination?

Either way, I should congratulate him. I stepped forward and said sincerely, “Congratulations, Zhuang Xu… um, well, when I visit Shanghai in the future, I’ll count on you—free food, free lodging, all expenses covered…”

“Weren’t you supposed to come back tomorrow?”

My rambling was cut short by his clear, deep voice. Stunned, I looked up at his towering figure, my mind muddled. What was he asking me?

A Fen suddenly grabbed my hand and dragged me toward Hesheng Restaurant. “Zhuang Xu, are you treating us or not? I’m starving to death!”

Later, as I sat at Hesheng surrounded by a table full of delicious dishes, it dawned on me—if my mom hadn’t kicked me out, I would indeed have returned tomorrow. Yesterday’s phone call with my dorm mates had confirmed that.

Zhuang Xu… probably never intended to invite me in the first place.

Logically, anyone with a shred of dignity would have put down their chopsticks and left right then. But… was I really that dignified?

Hmph! I viciously gnawed on a spare rib—eating double portions suited my nature just fine. So I focused on the dishes, skipping the rice, picking the priciest items, ordering freshly squeezed juice…

Like a whirlwind devouring everything in its path, like a wolf swallowing its prey whole, like chopsticks guided by divine intervention…

“Watermelon, you remind me of a certain animal,” Xiaofeng, sitting to my left, said with awe.

Only then did I realize I’d become the center of attention. At some point, everyone had stopped eating and was just watching me. Zhuang Xu sat directly across from me, glanced at me, then raised his hand to call the waiter.

“We’d like to order a few more dishes.”

Before my face could even turn red, the senior on my right pinched my thigh hard. “Rein it in.”

Ugh. Was it really necessary to be so violent just because I was channeling my frustration into eating?

Fine, I wouldn’t eat anymore—not that I could anyway. Bored, I poked at the braised pork in my bowl, wondering how I’d managed to eat so much of something so greasy.

The table soon livened up again, with Zhuang Xu’s job as the main topic. A Fen and Siliang’s boyfriends, both from Zhuang Xu’s dorm, had drunk enough beer to start slurring as they draped their arms over his shoulders. “Zhuang Xu, you’re the best in our department. We’ll follow your lead from now on…”

A Fen and Siliang watched with smiles. Siliang remarked, “Then Rong Rong will have to find a new job.”

Xiaofeng, mouth full, mumbled, “Why? Her current one’s pretty good.”

“Because it’s in Nanjing—too far from Shanghai.” Siliang’s tone was teasing, her eyes twinkling mischievously.

“Ohhh—” Xiaofeng drew out the sound as if suddenly enlightened, then abruptly turned to me. “Watermelon!”

“Huh?” I’d been intently poking at the pork in my bowl and jumped at her call. Weren’t they talking about Rong Rong? Why me?

“The chicken you brought was delicious.”I was speechless—

Xiaofeng, you're the real pig here.