A hundred flavors of life

Chapter 1439 Another batch has been tricked! (Please subscribe!)
Lu Ming has an extroverted personality, and the enthusiasm of an extroverted Northeasterner is impossible to hide. After making his own bed, he took the initiative to help Hua Shier make his bed.

"Pengfei, right? I'll make your bed for you. You can unpack your luggage yourself. Oh, and remember to keep your money with you at all times, don't leave it in the dorm."

As soon as he said that, Zou Yu and Chen Xin both turned to look at him, their meaning quite clear: Who are you referring to?
Lu Ming felt their gazes and realized that his words had been a bit thoughtless, or rather, not clearly expressed. He scratched his head and laughed awkwardly:
"I didn't mean that. This isn't directed at anyone in particular. I just checked, and our dorm room door is so crappy, it could be kicked open with one blow. It's not safe to keep money in the dorm. You all need to be careful too!"

Zou Yu and Chen Xin were relieved, and at the same time felt that this guy was a straightforward person who said what he thought.

Hua Shier arranged his things, and Lu Ming helped him make the bed. When making the sheets and blankets, he even took them out to the corridor to shake them out.

"How is it? Not bad, right?"

Lu Ming clapped his hands with a smile, very satisfied with his results.

Hua Twelve genuinely thinks it's great:
"In your Northeastern dialect, you're quite the nimble fellow! You folded this blanket with a style reminiscent of the military!"

Lu Ming gave a thumbs up:
"You have a good eye! I have a neighbor who's a veteran. He folds his blankets like they're made of tofu. I tried to learn from him, but I'm still not quite there yet. I can only fold them into little buns!"

Hua Shier chuckled as he listened to him speak like a comedian, and greeted him:
"I can't let you help me for nothing; I'll treat you to drinks later."

He then beckoned to Zou Yu and Chen Xin:
"Hey guys, we come from all over the country, it's fate that we live in the same dorm. Today it's my treat, let's find a place to have a couple of drinks!"

Chen Xin and Zou Yu both hesitated a bit, while Lu Ming said somewhat embarrassedly:

"No way, I'll just help with a small favor. Otherwise, I'll treat you."

Hua Shier nodded immediately: "Okay, this meal is on you!"

He finished speaking and looked at Lu Ming while suppressing a laugh.

Who understands Northeasterners best? Of course, it's the Northeasterners themselves.

When Hua Shier said he would treat everyone, Lu Ming replied with "I'll treat," which was just a polite way of putting things.

Normally, the person who offers to treat first won't readily accept the other person's offer.

This isn't hypocrisy, it's just a habitual politeness.

Just like during Chinese New Year, relatives give each other lucky money, exchanging red envelopes for good luck and to bring joy. Both sets of parents will always politely decline, saying "No need, no need," but since they've already given it, how could they really refuse? It's just that accepting it directly feels awkward, so they just exchange a few polite words.

That's exactly what Lu Ming meant just now.

But Hua Shier deliberately did the opposite. When Lu Ming said, "It's my treat," he readily agreed. Sigh, that's just how honest my brother is.

Lu Ming was instantly stunned, his face turning as purple as an eggplant. His expression seemed to say, "Wait, that's not how it's supposed to be. Shall we go over it again?"
Chen Xin and Zou Yu also found it interesting and looked at Lu Ming, wanting to see what he would say.

To be fair, Lu Ming was a straightforward person, and he quickly recovered and said:

"Okay, then it's my treat. But I didn't bring much money with me. Do you have any hot pot, tofu pudding, or hand-pulled noodles? Just grab a bite, haha!"

Hua Shier chuckled, amused, and punched Lu Ming on the shoulder.
"I was just teasing you. I said I'd treat, so I did. I knew you people from that area were all about saving face and being overly polite, so I was just teasing you."

Lu Ming then realized he had been tricked, and punched Hua Shier on the shoulder, laughing heartily:
"You jerk, so that's why you didn't follow the script. You did it on purpose, huh? You don't do things like that, you know? Seriously, you have to give way a couple of times. This isn't serious at all."

Chen Xin and Zou Yu laughed too, finding their two roommates quite amusing.

Hua Shier checked the time:

"It's almost noon. Let's go out for a walk and then find a place to eat. Oh, and invite all the girls with girlfriends too, let's get together and let everyone get to know each other!"

Chen Xin and Zou Yu both said they didn't have girlfriends. Lu Ming said:

"Stop talking nonsense. Who has a girlfriend before college? High school students dating? That's improper! Where I'm from, teachers and parents repeatedly tell us not to date early, not to date early. If you get caught, you'll be so embarrassed!"

Hua Shier's face darkened as he stared at Lu Ming.

Lu Ming, still unaware of the situation, noticed Hua Shier's unfriendly gaze and asked in confusion:
"What are you looking at? It's like you have a girlfriend!"

Hua Shier sighed: "I really do have something to say. You've already called me indecent twice, and you still ask me what I'm looking at? What's wrong with me looking at you?"

"Stop kidding, it really exists!"

Seeing that Hua Shier didn't seem to be lying, Lu Ming scratched his head and looked out the window:

"Hey, the weather's really nice outside, look at those clouds." (The third syllable of "chai"!)

Chen Xin and Zou Yu were both amused; the transfer was just too abrupt.

Hua Shier said irritably, "It's Cai, Ping She, ptooey! You've completely distracted me. Let's hurry up and find a place to eat. I'll call two more people while I'm at it!"

He called a few roommates out, first to call Zhuang Tunan, and then to call Wu Shanshan from the girls' dormitory.

Hua Shier also asked Wu Shanshan to invite all her roommates to have a meal together, so that they could build good relationships in the future.

Wu Shanshan quickly led her three roommates downstairs. The three girls had different styles. In addition to Su He, the quiet girl from Hangzhou whom she had met before, there was a short-haired, neat girl from the north named Zhao Xiaoyan, who came from Tianjin.

The other one, with long hair and a somewhat shy demeanor, is named Shen Wei and is a local from Shanghai.

"These are Su He, Zhao Xiaoyan, and Shen Wei."

Wu Shanshan introduced them in a generous manner: "This is my boyfriend, Xiang Pengfei. This is Tu Nan, who is also a senior in our department. These three should be his roommates."

Hua Shier greeted the girls with a smile, then introduced himself:

"Lu Ming is from the Northeast, Chen Xin is from Shanghai like Shen Wei, and Zou Yu is a handsome guy from Guangdong. Ask him for herbal tea next time."

After the introductions, the atmosphere relaxed considerably. The group of nine left the campus in a grand procession and, with Zhuang Tunan's recommendation, found a clean and lively local-style restaurant near Chifeng Road.

During the back-to-school season, the store was packed with students and parents, bustling with activity and full of lively atmosphere.

We found a large round table by the window and sat down. Hua Shier skillfully ordered dishes: braised eel in sizzling oil, crystal shrimp, eight-treasure spicy sauce, pickled bamboo shoots and pork, braised fish tail, and a few refreshing vegetarian dishes. After consulting everyone's opinions, we also ordered a few bottles of beer.

After ordering, I remembered to ask the girls and my roommates:

"Do any of the ladies have any dietary restrictions? Zou Yu, you're from Guangdong, can you handle spicy food? Lu Ming, Shanghainese cuisine tends to be sweet, are you from Northeast China used to it?"

The girls all said it was no problem.

Before Zou Yu could speak, Lu Ming interjected:
"Try it, what's wrong with that? But don't order too much, it's already quite a lot!"

Hua Shier waved his hand and said, "In your Northeastern dialect, we're already eating at a restaurant, so let's not be stingy. Eat as much as you want, and we'll order more if we're not full!"

Lu Ming gave a thumbs up: "So generous! I'll treat you to tofu pudding or hand-pulled noodles later!"

A burst of laughter erupted at the table.

While waiting for the food, everyone chatted about their hometowns and their experiences taking the college entrance exams.

Hua Shier naturally rinsed Wu Shanshan's cups and plates and served her some appetizers. This subtle thoughtfulness was obvious to everyone, making their relationship clear.

Lu Ming, who couldn't hold back his words, couldn't help but speak up:

"Pengfei, did you and your sister-in-law really get together in high school?"

His face still held a hint of disbelief, after all, his previous theory that "puppy love is improper" was still fresh in his mind. Hua Shier smiled and put his arm around Wu Shanshan's shoulder, saying frankly:
"Let me formally introduce myself. This is Wu Shanshan, my girlfriend. Please take care of me from now on."

Wu Shanshan blushed slightly, but still smiled generously at everyone.

Lu Ming immediately picked up the teacup in front of him: "Oh my, sister-in-law is so beautiful! A perfect match, let's drink tea instead of wine, congratulations!"

Hua Shier glanced at him sideways and said, "Who are you calling sister-in-law? Call her sister-in-law."

Lu Ming got annoyed and put down his cup: "Hey, it's not certain who's older between us! You look young, you're definitely younger than me. Tell me, what year were you born?"

Hua Shier laughed, but instead of answering directly, he pointed to Zhuang Tunan, who was drinking water beside him:
"See this guy, Comrade Zhuang Tunan? He's several years older than me. You asked him what he called me?"

Zhuang Tunan nearly choked on his water. Under the curious gazes of everyone at the table, he reluctantly put down his cup, wiped his face, and resignedly uttered three words:
"Brother Pengfei."

"What's going on?" Su He asked softly, "Is it because of a difference in generation?"

It's no wonder she asked that question; Zhuang Tunan looked significantly older than them.

"It's not a matter of seniority."

Zhuang Tunan sighed, looking at Hua Shier with a mixture of amusement and exasperation: "Should you say it yourself, or should I say it for you?"

Hua Shier made a gesture of invitation, looking very humble.

Zhuang Tunan then briefly recounted Hua's 'glorious achievements' from his 12th childhood.

He used various competitions to "foole" all the kids on the street into calling him "brother," and even his own cousin lost to him at that time, thus losing his "brother" title.

After the story was told, everyone laughed, followed by expressions of shock and skepticism.

It's not that I think Zhuang Tunan is lying, but rather that I find this whole thing too unbelievable.

Lu Ming looked even more incredulous: "Wow, Pengfei, you've never lost a game since you were a kid? Are you a gambling god?"

Wu Shanshan said, "I can testify that what Brother Tu Nan said is absolutely true. I also lost to Brother Pengfei back then."

Lu Ming blinked: "Then you guys must have been fooled by him. He must have a trick up his sleeve, cheating or something. Pengfei, how about we brothers have a match now? I don't believe that you can be better than everyone else in everything, even though you're all grown up with two shoulders and a head."

Chen Xin also pushed up his glasses, revealing an interested expression:
"Interesting. Count me in?" He was a local, with the meticulousness and inquisitiveness typical of people from Shanghai.

Although Zou Yu didn't speak, he looked at Hua Shier with curiosity.

While we were talking, the dishes were served one after another by the waiters.

Hua Shier glanced at the untouched dishes on the table, then at his new friends, and smiled:
"Alright, since we're having a meal, let's not make it too complicated. Let's keep it simple, just to fit the occasion and add a bit of good luck to this gathering."

"The loser will willingly call the other brother 'brother' from now on, how about that?"

"Alright!" Lu Ming decided. "Then we'll decide what to compete on!"

Hua Shier chuckled and said, "Alright, just tell me what you want to compete in!"

Zhuang Tunan pointed at him: "Look, here it comes again, here it comes again, that confident smile, I've seen it so many times, you guys be careful!"

Lu Ming waved his hand: "Don't scare me, I don't believe in superstitions!"

He scratched his head, his eyes darting to the sizzling eel stew that had just been served, and a sudden idea struck him:
"I've got it! Let's compare 'estimates'!"

"See this plate of eel paste? How many eel segments are there? No counting allowed, just estimate by sight! You have five seconds. Whoever estimates closest to the actual number wins! The error cannot exceed five segments, otherwise you lose!"

He felt that the question tested both observation skills and intuition, and was quite reliable.

Hua Shier glanced at the dish, but Lu Ming blocked her view with both hands:

"It hasn't even started yet, don't look ahead. Just tell me if it's okay or not."

Hua Shier smiled and nodded: "Sure, Chen Xin, Zou Yu, are you guys playing too? Or is this round only counting Lu Ming?"

Chen Xin and Zou Yu exchanged a glance and both expressed their willingness to participate. Several girls also found it interesting and joined in with great enthusiasm.

Lu Ming withdrew his hand: "Let's begin, one, two, three, four, five, done!"

He covered the dish with his hand again and first stated his estimate: "I estimate forty-five!"

Everyone pondered for a moment and wrote down a number on their palm.

Hua Shier barely looked at it and just jotted down a number.

Zhuang Tunan volunteered to be the referee, and under the watchful eyes of everyone, he carefully separated and counted the eel segments with chopsticks.

"A total of forty-seven sections!"

Lu Ming chuckled, "It's only two levels away, but I think we have a pretty good chance of winning. You guys reveal your answers!"

Chen Xin opened his palm, revealing his estimated number: fifty-five.

Zou Yu estimated it to be forty-nine.

Wu Shanshan wrote 48, Su He 45, Zhao Xiaoyan 50, and Shen Wei 46.

Hua Shier stretched his hand to the center of the table and said with a smile, "Everyone, take a look. Now comes the moment to witness the miracle! Let's go!"

With your fingers spread out, the number 47 is right in your palm!
"Wow!" the girls exclaimed in unison.

Lu Ming's eyes widened: "Holy crap, you must be guessing?"

Hua Shier laughed and said, "The eel is of uniform size, and the chef's knife skills are consistent. Judging from the stacked area and height of this plate, combined with the common portion sizes, I can only make a rough estimate."

He spoke casually, yet it felt like his "probably" was far too accurate.

These days, college students are all proud and arrogant. If they lose, they lose; they don't cheat. They're all willing to accept defeat. He called out to Hua Twelve:
"Brother Pengfei!"

Several girls lamented that they should have known better than to compete.

Zhuang Tunan chuckled, "I warned you all before, but you didn't believe me. Now this kid has tricked another bunch of people!"

Hua Shier laughed heartily, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "You flatter me, you flatter me. Hurry up and eat your food, it'll get cold soon!"

Lu Ming poured Hua Shier a glass of beer and said irritably:
"You've become Brother Pengfei now, you have to have a drink before eating!"

Hua Shier smiled and picked up his beer:

"Then let's make one: May our university life be as beautiful as a poem, may we ride our dreams like horses, and live up to our youthful years! Cheers!"

Lu Ming was the first to shout "Good!" Then everyone's glasses clinked together, the wine bubbles swirling, and the brand new college era began amidst the clinking of glasses and laughter.

　Thanks to 08a, Little Tiger of the Demon Realm, and Brother Li Meng of the God of Death for their donations, and thanks to the brothers who voted for monthly tickets and recommendations. Thank you so much!

　　(End of this chapter)