A hundred flavors of life

Chapter 1385 Is this a staged accident?! (Please subscribe!)
In the dormitory, Xu Kaiyang was facing the mirror, fiddling with his parted hair, which had been coated with about half a bottle of hairspray, striving to make sure that every strand of hair was in its most perfect position.

He lay sprawled out on his bed, legs crossed, watching Xu Kaiyang's smug expression, and couldn't help but tease him:
"Hey Lao Xu, that's enough! Your head is so smooth and slippery that even a fly would have to do a split to stand up! If you keep smearing it, we won't need to turn on the lights at night; your head will be a reflective light bulb!"

Xu Kaiyang didn't turn around, still carefully tidying the stubborn lock of hair on his forehead, muttering to himself:

"What do you know! My cousin Zhao Ye is coming to Jinling in a couple of days. My dad said that although we look exactly alike, he has a much better temperament than me now. I have to start cultivating my temperament in advance so that I won't be outdone. Temperament, you have to start from scratch!"

As he spoke, the topic shifted to Hua Shier:

"By the way, Twelve, you never tidy yourself up. You just wander around with that buzz cut, it really affects the overall look of our dorm!"

"Take my advice, get a parted hairstyle, like mine and Lao Zhang's, a 3/7 or 4/6 split will look good, it'll make you look more energetic! Don't get a 2/8 or 5/5 split, that'll make you look like a traitor in an old movie!"

Hua Shier didn't even bother to lift her eyelids, and retorted irritably:
"Do you think I'm like you two repeat students who don't have to participate in military training and have plenty of time to show off?"

"Open your eyes and look around, which freshman who just finished military training doesn't have my hairstyle?"

"Besides, what do you guys know about fashion? In another ten years or so, all the handsome guys on the street will have my hairstyle, and your parted hair will be so outdated it's practically falling apart. Only you guys are treating it like a treasure!"

Zhang Kai sat up abruptly, his face showing a hurt expression:

"Twelve, you're hurting our feelings by saying that!"

Xu Kaiyang chimed in, "That's right, that's right, just talk, why bring up repeating a grade! Why don't you mention when I was in elementary school, I was so smart that the school made me skip a grade?" He tried to save face.

Before Hua Shier could speak, Zhang Kai grinned mischievously and revealed the truth:

"Old Xu, come on! You skipped a grade because you wrote love letters to a girl in your class, and her parents found out. They came to the school with the letters, and your dad felt ashamed, so he used his connections to let you skip a grade and change your environment, right? Smart? Pshaw!"

"Old Zhang, I'll fight you to the death!"

Xu Kaiyang was hit where it hurt, and immediately became furious. He threw down the comb and pounced on Zhang Kai: "I've discovered that I can't tell you anything. Your mouth is a sieve!"

In an instant, the two were wrestling on the bed, mostly just playing around. Hua Shier watched, chuckling to himself.

Chen Xiaozheng, who had been quietly reading, frowned at the noise. He slammed his book shut, stood up, and gave Zhang Kai, who was making a ruckus, and Hua Shier, who was watching the commotion, a cold look in his eyes. Then, without saying a word, he opened the door and walked out, closing it a little too hard.

Hua Shier gestured with his chin toward the door, somewhat speechless:

"Hey, you two are fooling around, why is he glaring at me?"

While fending off Xu Kaiyang's attacks, Zhang Kai spat out a word:

"Pah! What else could it be? Old Xu often introduces him to model-making jobs, which can earn him some money. That kid is materialistic, so of course he'll side with Old Xu. In his eyes, the two of us are just a bunch of people who are making him study!"

Xu Kaiyang stopped at this point and acted as a peacemaker:

"Alright, alright, we're all classmates. Zheng is just a bit withdrawn, but he's not a bad person. Let's not get off topic. You two, take a look at my hairstyle now. Is it stylish enough?"

Zhang Kai immediately gave a thumbs-up, his expression exaggerated:

"So cool! Absolutely breathtakingly handsome! Of course, he's still a tiny bit less cool than me!"

Hua Shier felt awkward looking at Zhang Kai's supposedly handsome hairstyle and couldn't help but tell the truth:
"Actually, Lao Zhang, I think you'd look better bald than with this hairstyle!"

Zhang Kai didn't catch the sarcasm; instead, he tossed his head triumphantly.

"That's right! With my looks, what hairstyle can't I pull off? Even bald, I'd still be handsome!"

"Pah!" Hua Shier and Xu Kaiyang said in unison, expressing their contempt.

Zhang Kai didn't seem to care, chuckling to himself. He glanced at the time, exclaimed "Ouch!" and jumped out of bed to start changing, urging others to hurry up.

"Hurry up and change your jersey! Didn't we agree to play basketball with Zhu Xiaobei? I even told her to invite Ruan Wan and Zheng Wei too! This is a rare opportunity, don't dawdle!"

Upon hearing this, Hua Shier suddenly realized: "So, Lao Xu, why are you so obsessed with your hair today? It turns out it's not to welcome your cousin, but to show off your peacock feathers in front of Zheng Wei!"

Xu Kaiyang blushed instantly, his secret exposed, but he didn't deny it. While frantically searching for his jersey, he stubbornly insisted:

"Twelve, you...you're spouting such nonsense!"

He put on his jersey, then remembered something and said:

"By the way, Twelve, tomorrow is the 'Battle of a Hundred Clubs,' and all the clubs are recruiting. Have you decided which club to join? Come join our Go club! Then the three of us brothers can chase girls together and share all the good fortune!"

"Let me tell you, most of the girls who like Go are quiet, lovely, and elegant beauties! In the past, those ladies from well-to-do families valued music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. We're just catering to their interests, taking advantage of our proximity!"

The "Battle of a Hundred Clubs" is a traditional activity for university clubs to recruit new members after military training and before National Day. Each club sets up a booth to promote their clubs, creating a grand scene.

As Hua Shier changed his pants, revealing his strong, long legs, he shook his head in disgust:

"Give me a break! 'Hook up girls with me'? If it were that easy, you two wouldn't have been staring at the freshmen like hungry wolves on orientation day."

"If I hang out with your gang, I'm afraid I'll go hungry for three days and nine meals a day, and I won't even see a girlfriend!"

These words hit home. Xu Kaiyang and Zhang Kai exchanged an embarrassed glance, because what Hua Shier said seemed to be true. Their Go club was so male-dominated that it was practically a monastery.

After tying his shoelaces, he asked curiously:
"So, Twelve, what club are you planning to join? It's not the martial arts club, is it? I heard you were incredibly skilled during military training!"

Hua Shier had already changed into his basketball shorts and was taking off his shirt, revealing a well-defined but not exaggeratedly muscular upper body. Upon hearing this, he chuckled, showing off his white teeth:
"I'm planning to apply for my own club!"

"Apply by ourselves?" Xu Kaiyang and Zhang Kai both became interested. "What kind of club?"

"Fortune-telling club!"

Hua Shier said in a serious tone, "What do you think about specializing in palm reading and fortune telling for beautiful women?"

Zhang Kai and Xu Kaiyang were stunned for a moment, then burst into earth-shattering laughter. Zhang Kai slapped his thigh:

"Hahaha, a fortune-telling club? How did you even come up with that! This idea is so outrageous! You can even legitimately take advantage... no, I mean conduct academic exchanges!"

Xu Kaiyang finished laughing before reminding him:
"The idea is good, but it falls under feudal superstition, so it definitely can't be approved!"

Hua Shier had anticipated their response, and as he put on his clean jersey, he smiled confidently:

"Fortune telling is something we call ourselves in private, so of course we can't use that name when applying for a club. I've already thought of it; the official name will be 'Chinese Classics and I Ching Society,' focusing on promoting traditional culture and studying the wisdom of our ancestors! That really elevates the level of our organization!"

Zhang Kai then asked, "It seems that applying for a club requires more than 20 students with formal enrollment to jointly initiate it. Where are you going to find so many people to support your 'Chinese Studies' club?"

Hua Shier changed his clothes, clapped his hands, and said casually:
"I've got everything done. Two hundred yuan per signature, and there are already more than thirty people on the list, all of them are freshmen from our year. Done!"

Xu Kaiyang was dumbfounded. In the end, he could only give a thumbs up and utter two words: "Awesome! Rich and willful!"

Zhang Kai, on the other hand, looked heartbroken and pounded his chest in despair:
"Twelve, oh Twelve! Why didn't you ask me for this good opportunity! If you had asked me, I could have gotten it done for you for thirty yuan a signature! You've cost me 170 yuan for just one spot! My heart aches!"

Hua Twelve laughed and scolded:
"Get lost! Looking for you? I'm afraid you'll just bring a bunch of your shady friends to fill the numbers!"

Just as the three were laughing and joking, the dormitory door was kicked open with a bang, and Zhu Xiaobei, carrying a basketball and dressed in sportswear, rushed in like a whirlwind:
"Hey, you guys, don't you have any sense of time? You're so slow and indecisive, even slower than Zheng Wei and the other girls!"

Before she could finish speaking, she saw Hua Shier, who had just changed into his jersey but hadn't had time to put on a shirt yet, and Zhang Kai, who was only wearing briefs and was frantically trying to cover himself with his pants because Zhu Xiaobei had suddenly barged in.

Zhu Xiaobei's gaze lingered on Hua Shier's beautifully sculpted abs and pectoral muscles for a mere fraction of a second, a fleeting awkwardness crossing his face before his eyes swept over Zhang Kai's embarrassed expression, and he immediately spat:
"Pah! As if nobody cares to look at that! It's an eyesore!"

After saying that, he turned and left briskly, carrying the basketball, leaving behind the words, "Hurry up! We're waiting for you downstairs!"

After the door closed, Zhang Kai patted his chest with lingering fear, then suddenly became smug and boasted:
"How about that, buddy? Did you scare her away with that physique? She's definitely never seen anyone so manly before!"

Xu Kaiyang added insult to injury without any mercy:

"Yeah, I guess they've never seen anyone as 'petite' as you and yet dare to show off!"

Hua Shier laughed heartily.

"Xu Kaiyang, I'm not done with you yet!" Zhang Kai, enraged, lunged at him again, baring his teeth and claws.

The two started arguing again.

The atmosphere on the basketball court was lively.

Hua Shier spent the entire game coasting, basically just strolling around outside the three-point line, either making a few brilliant assists or occasionally taking a casual spot-up jump shot that went in like a breeze. He was tired of running a few extra steps, which he called "technical style".

In contrast, Xu Kaiyang and Zhang Kai, under the watchful eyes of Zheng Wei, Ruan Wan, and other girls on the sidelines, were working incredibly hard, running all over the court, stealing, breaking through, and making layups. They were sweating profusely, as if they wanted to add slow motion and background music to every move, trying their best to show off their 'vigorous masculine charm'.

When the break whistle blew, a group of people quickly sat down on the sidelines.

Zhu Xiaobei picked up a bottle of chilled drink, twisted it open, and gulped down several mouthfuls.

Zheng Wei and Li Weijuan picked up a bottle of water almost simultaneously and walked over to Hua Shier, who had just sat down and wasn't even out of breath.

"Hua Twelve, have some water!"

The two spoke in unison, and after they finished, they glanced at each other, instantly filling the air with a faint sense of tension.

Hua Shier felt utterly helpless. Choosing either one would obviously offend someone, and besides, neither of them was his type.

He gave an innocent smile and waved his hand:
"Thank you both, ladies, but I haven't broken a sweat and I'm not thirsty at all. Please leave it here for now, I'll take it myself if I need it later."

The way this Tai Chi was executed left Zheng Wei and Li Weijuan somewhat resentful, but they couldn't say anything more.

On the other side, Xu Kaiyang and Zhang Kai were green with envy at Hua Shier's treatment. Fortunately, there was the understanding Ruan Wan, who handed them two bottles of water with a smile.

"You two have sweated a lot, drink some water to replenish your energy."

The two were so moved they almost cried. They took the water and gulped it down, finding it sweeter than usual.

After the game, Xu Kaiyang, wanting to show his good manners and mainly to impress Zheng Wei, offered to treat everyone to a meal at a well-regarded noodle shop near the school.

Then the boys and girls separated and went back to their dormitories to wash up and rest.

Back in the girls' dormitory, Ruan Wan dried her wet hair with a towel while seemingly casually reminding Zheng Wei and Li Weijuan:

“Weiwei, Juan’er, I think Hua Shier might not be a good match.”

Zheng Wei was looking at her flushed face from exercising in the mirror when she heard this, so she turned around and asked curiously:

"Why? I think he's great! He's handsome, plays basketball well, and has a nice voice!"

She got along well with Hua Shier from the first day of school, and she did have some ulterior motives.

Ruan Wan hesitated for a moment, seemingly considering her words, before finally saying:
"Doesn't he have a girlfriend? You saw Fang Hui last time too."

Li Weijuan scoffed dismissively, patting toner onto her face as she spoke:
"Ruan Ruan, your thinking is so outdated! How could a guy as outstanding as Hua Shier not have a girlfriend?"

"Let me tell you, do you know how much those basketball shoes he was wearing today cost?"

She lowered her voice and held up three fingers:

"At least this much! More than three thousand! My God, that's enough for an average person to earn for half a year! A guy who's this good-looking, rich, and interesting—if he's not a perfect match, then what is?"

Zheng Wei wasn't as "materialistic" as Li Weijuan, but she had her own logic. She tilted her head and said:

"I think Hua Shier and Fang Hui are in Nanjing and Beijing respectively, so far apart that it's too difficult for them to maintain a long-distance relationship for four years! It definitely won't last! Rather than waiting for them to break up naturally and Hua Shier to end up with some little vixen, it's better for me to take advantage of the situation!"

She spoke with a confident and self-assured air, tinged with a girlish cunning and self-assurance.

Seeing Zheng Wei's eager expression, Ruan Wan hesitated for a long time before finally deciding to share her observations. She said softly:

"Hua Shier... he probably has more than one girlfriend."

Seeing the surprised looks from Zheng Wei and Li Weijuan, Ruan Wan added:
“I overheard him saying those tender words to Fang Hui earlier. He also said almost the exact same thing to another woman on the phone outside the restaurant.”

This time, Zheng Wei remained silent, her brows furrowing slightly as if she were processing the information.

But Li Weijuan's thought process was clearly different from ordinary people; her eyes actually lit up even more:

"What does this show? It shows that good things are always in demand!"

"Look at Zhang Kai, he's been in college for two years and still can't find a girlfriend. Hua Shier has two girlfriends, which only proves how outstanding and sought-after he is! The fiercer the competition, the higher his value!"

Zhang Kai: That really hurts, bro!

Ruan Wan, Zheng Wei, and even Zhu Xiaobei, who was quietly drinking water, were all completely defeated by Li Weijuan's "profound" remarks and were collectively speechless.

Before we knew it, it was time for the 'Battle of a Hundred Clubs' club recruitment day.

The main road on campus was lined with stalls from all sorts of clubs, with banners, display boards, speakers, and cosplay equipment—it was as lively as a market.

Hua Shier's booth was set up right next to Xu Kaiyang's Go club.

Unlike other groups that used fancy propaganda boards, he ingeniously used a bamboo pole to erect a long cloth banner with eight large, elegant characters written in calligraphy:
'He looks like he's dressed in linen, and his iron mouth is straight. '

Below that is a line of smaller print: "No money if not allowed."

Xu Kaiyang's Go club booth was deserted. He was yawning listlessly when he saw the Hua Shier sign and couldn't help but ask with amusement:

"Twelve, are you recruiting new members or setting up a fortune-telling stall? Wow, you're charging for fortune-telling?"

Hua Shier sat on his own small stool, calmly shaking his finger:

"How novel! Where can you get your fortune told for free?"

"Our line of work involves revealing heavenly secrets, which inevitably incurs karmic consequences!"

"Rules are rules. You have to charge people for fortune telling. This is called 'paying to avoid disaster' or 'severing karma'!"

"When Heaven sees this, it thinks, 'Oh, this Taoist disciple is just trying to make a living and earn a little money to support his family, which is understandable, so it won't bother with it. But if he doesn't accept money, then he's revealing heavenly secrets for no reason, and he'll be in big trouble! Do you understand?'"

Because the 'fortune telling' sign stood out conspicuously among the many legitimate student clubs, a number of curious students quickly gathered around, pointing and whispering. Zheng Wei and her three roommates also squeezed into the crowd to watch the spectacle.

Zheng Wei skipped and hopped to the stall, her big eyes full of curiosity:
"Hua Twelve, is your fortune telling accurate?"

Hua Twelve chuckled and pointed to the small characters on the banner:

"A dragon is riding on your face! Can't you read? No money, no charge!"

"What do you mean by 'flying dragon riding in my face'? My name is Jade-Faced Little Flying Dragon!"

Zheng Wei pouted: "You want more money?"

Xu Kaiyang, who was standing next to her, immediately jumped out and put his newly learned "theory" from Hua Shier to use on the spot. He solemnly explained to Zheng Wei all sorts of nonsense about "revealing heavenly secrets" and "severing cause and effect."

Zheng Wei was skeptical, but after thinking for a moment, she took out ten yuan from her pocket and slapped it on the small table in front of Hua Shier:
"Then I'm looking for someone! Can you help me figure out where the person I'm looking for is?"

Hua Shier gestured for Zheng Wei to extend her hand. He pretended to look at her palm lines, then closed his eyes, made hand gestures, and muttered incantations, as if he were using the Plum Blossom Divination method to cast a hexagram.

A moment later, he opened his eyes, looked intently at Zheng Wei, and recited four lines of poetry aloud:

Ironclad decree can determine the fate of a nation.
The moon hides its shadow even when it is only inches away.

I searched for him a thousand times in the crowd.
I saw an old friend where the lamplight flickered.

Zheng Wei was completely confused and waved her hand dismissively: "I don't understand! Speak like a human!"

Hua Twelve readily accepted good advice and stated it directly:

"The divination indicates that the person you are looking for is not far from you, but is currently deliberately avoiding you. According to the guidance, wait until the streetlights are on at night in the place where he is most likely to appear, and wander around aimlessly. You might just bump into him."

Zheng Wei was skeptical, but she still pushed the money forward a little:

"Fine! Here's the money! But if you don't agree, I'll not only make you return the money, but I'll also beat you up to vent my anger!"

Zhang Kai egged Ruan Wan on from the side, "Ruan Ruan, why don't you count yourself in? It's on me!"

Ruan Wan smiled and gently shook her head: "Thank you, but no need. I don't really believe in this." She was gentle and rational by nature and kept her distance from such metaphysical matters.

Li Weijuan was somewhat tempted, but after thinking about it, she realized that ten yuan was enough for her to buy several bags of snacks, so she ultimately couldn't bring herself to spend the money.

Zhu Xiaobei readily agreed, plopping down opposite Hua Shier and pulling out ten yuan: "Give me a calculation too!"

She didn't say what it meant, and Hua Shier didn't ask. It was the same routine: after examining her palm and pondering for a moment, he gave a four-line interpretation:
The hexagram indicates a short-lived fortune, like frost.
A sword hidden in the hair, a desolate fate.

If you seek a bright future,
Long hair reaching the waist brings good fortune.

He looked at Zhu Xiaobei and explained:
"The divination indicates that your recent fortune has been somewhat turbulent, which may be related to your short hair. It is recommended that you grow your hair out. When your hair reaches your waist, your fortune will naturally become smoother, and everything will go well."

Zhu Xiaobei touched his neat short hair, lost in thought.

On this day of recruitment, Hua Shier's "Chinese Classics and I Ching Society" did not recruit a single member, but he earned several hundred dollars by fortune telling thanks to his "iron-clad predictions" and the fact that many people were just there to watch or give it a try.

That evening, Hua Shier, with a wave of his hand, used the "ill-gotten gains" he had made from fortune-telling to treat Xu Kaiyang, Zhang Kai, Zheng Wei, Ruan Wan, Zhu Xiaobei, Li Weijuan, and others to a small meal outside the school.

After dinner, everyone went back to their romantic affairs, except for Zheng Wei, who actually went to the neighboring university of political science and law to verify Hua Shier's divination, because the person she was looking for had previously studied there.

As darkness fell, the streetlights on the neighboring campus lit up one by one, and many men and women came out to wander around!
Zheng Wei wandered around aimlessly for a long time, her legs aching, but she still couldn't see that familiar figure. She was cursing Hua Shier as a liar and planned to settle accounts with him when she got back.

Suddenly, an old street lamp not far away made a soft bang as the bulb shattered, sparks flickered a few times, and then went out instantly.

Zheng Wei was startled and instinctively looked in that direction.

Using the light from the other streetlights nearby, and the flash of electricity, she immediately saw a somewhat forlorn figure under the broken streetlight. The figure, who had been facing away from her, seemed startled by the sudden commotion, and instinctively turned around to look before hurriedly walking away in a somewhat disheveled manner.

Although it was just a fleeting glimpse, Zheng Wei saw it clearly. That face was none other than Lin Jing, her childhood sweetheart and older brother whom she had been searching for for a long time and thought she would never see again!
Zheng Wei froze on the spot, her mind blank, with only Hua Shier's four lines of poetry echoing in her ears:
"I searched for him a thousand times in the crowd, only to find him where the lamplight burst open."

"Really? That accurate?"

On the other side, Hua Shier put away his slingshot in the shadows, got on the borrowed bicycle and rode back to his school next door. Just as he entered the school gate, a girl on a bicycle came towards him.

Hua's handlebars were turned right, while hers were turned left.

Hua Shier quickly turned the handlebars to the left, and the girl turned the handlebars to the right, clearly indicating they were interested in each other.

In the end, Hua Shier had no choice but to stop his bike and wait for the girl to pass before continuing. However, the girl from the other side crashed into him with a loud thud. He didn't move an inch, while the girl fell to the ground in pain!

Hua Shier was speechless. Was this some kind of staged accident?
　Thank you to 08a and Little Tiger of the Demon Realm for the donations, and thank you to all the brothers who voted with monthly tickets and recommendation tickets. Thank you so much!

　　(End of this chapter)