Chapter Eighteen: A Fine Treasure

After chatting with Xu Hao about Xu Wenrui’s past relationship, hearing a mixture of truths and embellishments, objective and subjective descriptions, they decided it was getting late and offered to walk Xu Hao back.

As the three of them entered the school gates and hadn’t gone far, Xu Hao suddenly pointed ahead.

“Hey, isn’t that Xu Wenrui’s counselor? What’s he doing here at this hour?” Xu Hao muttered, puzzled.

Following the direction he pointed, the two saw Xu Wenrui’s counselor—a young man about their age, not very tall, with a friendly demeanor. Someone else walked beside him, looking quite familiar.

“Isn’t that Gao Yang?” Yan Xue recognized the person next to the counselor. “What’s he doing here?”

“Gao Yang?” Kang Ge had little impression of him, as he had taken Xu Wenrui’s grandparents and aunt to his office early that day to gather information, missing the chance to meet Gao Yang.

“He’s the son of that long-faced woman who immediately complained we were too young—the childhood friend who grew up with Xu Wenrui, seems they’re very close. We exchanged contact info before; I’d planned to find time to chat with him about Xu Wenrui, but didn’t expect to run into him here so soon!” Yan Xue explained to Kang Ge.

“That’s quite a coincidence. No time like the present; let’s see what he’s here for, then have a word ourselves.” Kang Ge snapped his fingers, motioning Yan Xue to follow.

The two, along with Xu Hao, caught up quickly. Xu Hao, eager to help, jogged ahead to call out to Xu Wenrui’s counselor. He spoke a few words while gesturing back toward Kang Ge and Yan Xue.

It was clear the counselor learned who Kang Ge and Yan Xue were from Xu Hao, as he came forward to greet them, shaking hands with a slightly nervous and awkward air.

“I had no idea about any of this before—how could something like this happen so suddenly?” he sighed after greeting them, “Even Xu Wenrui’s roommates never told me anything!”

“Perhaps his roommates don’t even know yet,” Yan Xue didn’t mention that they had already met Zhuang Fukai.

The counselor paused, then let out a visible sigh of relief. “So…it happened off campus?”

“Yes, it happened at his own home,” Yan Xue replied.

“Oh…” The counselor visibly relaxed, the knowledge that his student hadn’t gotten into trouble on school grounds lifting a burden from his shoulders. “Such a pity for such a talented student.”

“Gao Yang, what brings you here?” Yan Xue turned to the young man.

Gao Yang, caught off guard that Yan Xue remembered his name, seemed startled for a moment before reverting to his usual wooden expression. “I came to pack up Xu Wenrui’s things. My mom said it wasn’t appropriate for the family to come to the school, and since my own school isn’t far, I came instead.”

“I see. Would it be possible for us to take a look at Xu Wenrui’s dorm as well?” Kang Ge asked the counselor.

The counselor agreed quickly, assuring them it was fine, but asked that Kang Ge and Yan Xue keep a low profile to avoid spreading rumors and causing unnecessary panic among the students.

“You know how quickly news travels in a school—once people start talking, and if you haven’t reached any conclusions on your side, who knows how wild the rumors will get!” The counselor, though relieved, still had his worries.

Kang Ge and Yan Xue were happy to comply, and they quickly came to an agreement.

While they had settled things, Xu Hao looked a little lost. Glancing at the unfamiliar Gao Yang and mulling over what the counselor had just said, he sensed something was off and asked Kang Ge, “Bro, was Xu Wenrui badly hurt? Does he need to take a leave from school?”

The counselor was surprised by the question too and looked at Kang Ge, who glanced back at him before scolding Xu Hao, “Didn’t I tell you not to pry? It’s against our work rules—yet you’re still asking!”

Xu Hao quickly promised not to ask any more questions. The counselor shot Kang Ge a grateful smile.

Gao Yang remained silent, his wooden manner betraying a certain reluctance about his task.

The five of them arrived at the dormitory building. As the counselor entered, he greeted the dorm supervisor. Kang Ge, ever at ease, waved to the supervisor as well. No one said much; they walked straight inside. The supervisor, seeing “Xu Wenrui’s sister and brother-in-law” with the counselor, didn’t stop them—clearly, their visit had been approved.

At the door to Xu Wenrui’s dorm, Xu Hao took his leave, heading back to his own room. Though curiosity was written all over his face, he managed to restrain it.

Given that it was a male dorm, and Yan Xue was a woman, the counselor went in first. After a few minutes, he opened the door and let the three waiting at the entrance inside. Gao Yang, lost in thought, had to be nudged by Kang Ge before he came to his senses and followed them in.

K University’s dorms were standard four-person rooms, with beds above and desks below, and more spacious than most schools. The boys’ dorm wasn’t as decorated as the girls’, nor as messy as one might expect. Zhuang Fukai was absent—perhaps he’d left earlier to talk to a teacher about the graduate exams.

The other two boys were present. One was short and dark-skinned, with large eyes that, due to the whites showing, always seemed to be glaring. The other was tall, thin, pale, and slightly hunched, almost like a giant shrimp.

Seeing the counselor bring in three strangers, both seemed confused, their eyes darting between the newcomers, searching for answers.

“That’s Xu Wenrui’s bed and wardrobe. His things should all be here. Help him pack up; if you’re missing anything, ask his roommates,” the counselor said, pointing to the bed by the door.

Gao Yang nodded and walked over slowly to open the slightly ajar locker under Xu Wenrui’s bed. It was packed with clothes, piled so high it looked like a mountain on the verge of collapse.

From his backpack, Gao Yang took out a tightly folded woven sack, shook it open, and began packing Xu Wenrui’s clothes one by one, folding each carefully. The counselor watched him, then glanced at the small bookshelf by the desk, where Xu Wenrui’s certificates of honor were prominently displayed. He couldn’t help but sigh and shake his head.

Kang Ge, being tall, easily reached the certificates on the bookshelf. There were three, each with a bright red flocked cover embossed with gold lettering, heavy in the hand. He opened them: “Third Prize in the Campus Singer Competition,” “Outstanding Award in the Campus Street Dance Competition,” and “Outstanding Student Leader.” All three were in the most prominent spot on the shelf, a clear sign of their importance to Xu Wenrui.

Yan Xue’s attention, meanwhile, was drawn to the wardrobe Gao Yang was packing. She noticed that almost all of Xu Wenrui’s clothing and accessories were well-known trendy brands. Even the shoe cabinet under the desk, besides leather shoes, contained several pairs of AJ and Yeezy sneakers. Yan Xue wasn’t up on sneaker prices but knew those didn’t come cheap.

Did Xu Wenrui’s family have significant means? But she distinctly remembered when they’d met his parents; their clothes had been extremely modest, and Xu Wenrui’s father’s leather shoes even looked rather worn.