Reborn in 2005, starting with repairing mobile phones

At the fork in the road, Zhou Lin waved to them, Chen Lu glanced at Lin Dong, said goodnight softly, and turned to leave.

Boys' dormitory.

As soon as the door opened, Li Hu lay down on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

"What a pity."

Chen Long went to pour water without turning his head back.

"What's a pity?"

"I didn't punch that blond guy a few more times." Li Hu got angrier as he spoke. "He dared to harass our senior in public. I didn't even do that. That kind of person deserves to be taught a lesson. If the police hadn't arrived quickly, I would have made him crawl on the ground with his teeth knocked out."

Lin Dong sat down on the edge of the bed and glanced at him.

"Never mind, third brother. As long as everyone is alright."

Li Hu snorted.

"Luckily, that policeman was sensible and let us go. Otherwise..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone could tell from his tone: Otherwise, that blond-haired guy would be in big trouble.

Lin Dong dismissed the thought and looked away.

Young male college student, all fired up. Seeing a pretty female senior makes him feel all hot and bothered, like he wants to be a hero.

Chen Long walked over with a water glass in his hand and replied with a smile.

"Alright, alright, it's good that no one's hurt. If this had gotten out of hand, we wouldn't have been able to go to military training tomorrow."

Li Hu grunted twice and got up to wash up.

Xu Zang leaned against the headboard and read the book without saying a word from beginning to end.

Lin Dong leaned against the headboard, looking at the three of them.

They've fought side by side, been in prison together, and been fellow patients. The four of them have achieved at least one of these things.

Although it's not that serious, that's how relationships develop.

The corners of his mouth curved slightly.

He took out his phone to check the time.

There were more than a dozen missed calls, all from Uncle Cai.

He paused for a moment, then opened the text message.

The message I sent is still online: "[On the small street next to the school, near the grilled fish restaurant, someone is blocking our way.]"

I rushed out right after sending it, and then forgot about it and didn't check my phone for a long time.

Just then, my phone vibrated again.

It was Uncle Cai calling.

Lin Dong answered the call.

"Mr. Lin!" Uncle Cai's voice was a little anxious. "Are you alright? I've called you several times but you haven't answered. I was even about to take some people to the school."

Lin Dong lowered his voice.

"It's alright, it's all taken care of."

Uncle Cai visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's good, that's good... Um, should I find someone to handle this?"

Lin Dong glanced at Li Hu, who was still humming a song in the bathroom, and his lips twitched.

"No need, it's already been taken care of."

Uncle Cai was taken aback for a moment, but didn't ask any further questions.

"Okay, then enjoy your university life. Call me anytime if you need anything."

Lin Dong hummed in agreement and hung up the phone.

He put his phone back on the bedside table and found that Chen Long was looking at his phone, Li Hu was also looking at his phone when he came out of the bathroom, and even Xu Zang glanced at his phone.

Everyone is looking at their phones.

On the first day of school, let your family know you're safe. While cell phones weren't ubiquitous in 05, it was normal for parents to buy one for someone who had been admitted to Shenzhen University. Aside from those who were extremely poor, quite a few students at Shenzhen University owned cell phones.

Lin Dong withdrew his gaze, feeling nothing.

He lay down and stared at the ceiling.

Let's just let this matter rest for today.

My phone vibrated again.

He picked it up and read the text message from Uncle Cai: "President Lin, are you sure you don't need me to bring people over?"

Lin Dong typed a few words: 【No need, go to sleep early.】

After sending the message, he put his phone on the bedside table.

Li Hu was already snoring softly, and there was no more movement from Chen Long's bedside. Xu Zang closed his book and turned off the lamp.

The dormitory room went dark.

Lin Dong closed his eyes.

The next day.

early morning.

The whistle blared downstairs.

Lin Dong suddenly opened his eyes; the sun was already high in the sky.

"Holy crap, what time is it?!"

Li Hu's voice boomed from the other side, followed by a flurry of chaos.

Chen Long had already sat up and was frantically putting on his military training uniform.

"Hurry, hurry, it's too late!"

Xu Zang didn't say anything, but he moved much faster than usual, and put on his clothes in no time.

Lin Dong also got up and grabbed his clothes to put them on.

"I slept like a log last night!" Li Hu said, buttoning his shirt as he rushed towards the door. "I'm off! We computer science students meet at the East Campus playground!"

"Our electrical engineering department is in the west district!" Chen Long also ran out.

Xu Zang glanced at Lin Dong, nodded, and rushed out as well.

Lin Dong was the last to leave.

The corridor was filled with running figures; some were tying their shoelaces as they ran, some were cursing under their breath, and some hadn't even wiped the toothpaste foam off.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry! We're supposed to meet at 8:00, it's already 7:50!"

"Damn, we shouldn't have talked so late last night!"

Lin Dong rushed downstairs with the crowd.

playground.

When Lin Dong arrived at the assembly point of the School of Electronic Engineering, a huge crowd was already lined up.

Each college has its own formation, with signs erected at the front: College of Electronic and Information Engineering, College of Computer and Software Engineering, College of Teacher Education, College of Economics...

He found his college's sign and squeezed into the line.

The person next to him glanced at him but didn't say anything.

Ahead, a man in military uniform was talking to several instructors; he was probably the commander.

The sun had just risen; it wasn't that hot yet.

At 8:00 sharp, the whistle blew.

The commander walked up to the podium and picked up the microphone.

"Attention, everyone!"

The playground quieted down.

"Today is the first day of military training. Over the next two weeks, you will undergo rigorous military training. I hope you can persevere and strengthen your willpower."

He paused.

"Now, we will assign instructors. Each college will have its own instructor; those whose names are called, please step forward."

He began taking attendance.

"Zhang Qiang, School of Electronic and Information Engineering!"

A burly man with a dark face walked out from the instructors' group and stood in front of the School of Electronic Engineering's formation.

The commander continued calling roll.

Lin Dong stood in the line, looking at the dark-faced instructor in front of him.

Zhang Qiang glanced at them, his voice incredibly loud.

"My name is Zhang Qiang, and I'll be your instructor from now on. It'll be two weeks of military training. You'll do exactly what I say, understand?"

"Understood..." came the scattered voices.

"Speak louder!"

"clear!"

Lin Dong called out in response.

Zhang Qiang glanced around, his gaze lingering on Lin Dong's face for a moment before shifting away.

"Stand at attention! For one hour!"

A chorus of wails erupted from the ranks.

The sun slowly rose higher and began to shine.

Lin Dong stood there, motionless.

My mind was preoccupied with company matters.

......

noon.

canteen.

Lin Dong carried the plate and found a prominent spot to sit down on the first floor.

A short while later, Li Hu came over and plopped down next to him, looking rather unwell.

"Damn, our instructors are too ruthless. We made them stand at attention for half an hour and then run three laps."

Chen Long also came over with a plate and sat down.

"We're fine, we're just practicing marching drills."

Xu Zang was the last to arrive. He sat down silently and began to eat.

Lin Dong glanced at them.

"Is everything alright?"

Li Hu waved his hand.

"It's nothing, my legs are just numb."

Chen Long chuckled.

"Weren't you pretty good at fighting last night? Now you're complaining of being tired after standing for just a short while?"

Li Hu glared at him.

"How can that be the same?"

Xu Zang didn't say anything and kept his head down while eating.

Lin Dong's lips twitched.

These guys are really interesting.

They were in jail together last night, and this morning they were running away like their lives depended on it. Now they're sitting together again, acting like nothing happened.

Li Hu cursed and swore, Chen Long laughed beside him, and Xu Zang ate his food in silence.

It's... pretty realistic.

He lowered his head and continued eating.

......

Afternoon. Classroom 502, Building 3.

The classroom was full of people.

Lin Dong found a corner to sit down by the window, an inconspicuous spot.

Song Yao stood on the podium and talked about class rules, discipline, and how to spend university life.

Lin Dong listened, but his mind wandered.

Then came the election of class officers.

One student after another walked up to the podium.

The first one was a tall, thin boy who wore glasses.

"Hello everyone, my name is Wang Lei, and I'm from Hunan. I'm running for class monitor. I served as class monitor for three years in high school, so I have plenty of experience. My goal is to help everyone find good jobs four years from now. Thank you."

He bowed and left.

The second one was a girl with short hair and a sweet smile.

"Hello everyone, my name is Liu Tingting, and I'm from Jiangsu. I'm running for class arts and culture representative. I love singing and dancing, and I can play the piano. I hope you'll vote for me. I promise to make sure everyone has a great time during class activities."

She blinked and went downstairs.

The third one was a chubby boy who scratched his head as soon as he got on stage.

"Hello everyone, my name is Zhang Wei, and I'm from Northeast China. I'm running for sports committee member. I'm pretty good at sports; I'm fast and strong. You can leave the sports meets and such to me. Um... thank you everyone."

He scratched his head and went downstairs.

The fourth one was a very composed-looking boy wearing a white shirt.

"Hello everyone, my name is Chen Jie, and I'm running for class monitor. My grades are pretty good; I scored 630 on the college entrance exam. If you have any questions about your studies, feel free to ask me anytime. I hope we can all improve together."

Lin Dong sat in the corner, watching them.

Young is so good.

Some of these speeches were nervous, some were awkward, and some were even a little ridiculous. But everyone's eyes were bright, and they were all trying their best to show their best side.

This is youth.

He recalled a saying: One cannot simultaneously possess youth and the understanding of youth.

But he's different.

He had his youth, lost it, and now he has it all back.

This feeling is very unique.

He looked at the people on the stage, and the corners of his mouth slowly curved up.

very nice.

......

The class meeting has ended.

Lin Dong had just stood up when Song Yao called him back.

"Lin Dong, wait a moment."

Lin Dong stopped in his tracks.

Song Yao walked over and glanced at him.

This student...

From the first time she met Lin Dong at the dormitory that day, she felt that he was different.

Although she had just graduated and had only been an intern counselor for a short time, she hadn't met many students yet.

But after interacting with her yesterday and today, she noticed that most of the new students had something in their eyes when they saw her. Some were nervous, some were reserved, some wanted to get close to her, and some pretended not to care but kept glancing in her direction out of the corner of their eye.

But this approach didn't work on Lin Dong. This morning during military training, she had been observing Lin Dong the whole time.

While everyone else in the group was looking around and chatting secretly, he stood there, staring straight ahead, his thoughts unreadable.

When the instructor was giving a speech, everyone else was tense and on edge, and he was tense, but his tension was different from others. While others were afraid of being scolded, he seemed to be just going along with it.

Standing in front of him now, he's still the same.

They don't flinch or stare at you. They just stand there naturally, waiting for you to speak.

When those classmates looked at her, their eyes shone with a light, a hint of expectation, and a curiosity that was fresh and new to everything. She had seen many such eyes before—simple, easy to understand, and sometimes even a little silly.

But Lin Dong did not.

There was nothing like that in his eyes.

She couldn't even figure out what he was thinking.

He was dressed very simply, and his looks weren't the kind that would immediately catch your eye. But just by standing there, you would notice him.

Song Yao snapped out of her thoughts.

"Director Chen wants you to go to his office. It's on the third floor of the administration building."

Lin Dong was stunned for a moment.

"Now?"

Song Yao nodded.

"right."

Lin Dong nodded.

"it is good."

He turned and walked out.

Administration building. Third floor. Director's office.

Lin Dong knocked on the door.

"Come in."

He pushed the door open and went in.

Chen Guo sat behind his desk, holding a document in his hand. When he saw Lin Dong enter, he put the document down and smiled.

"Lin Dong, you're here? Have a seat."

Lin Dong sat down in the chair.

Chen Guo looked at him with a smile, his eyes showing a mixture of scrutiny and satisfaction.

"How's it going since school started at Shenzhen University? Are you adjusting well?"

Lin Dong thought about it. He ran into Chen Lu on the first day of school, then encountered some thugs at dinner, and ended up in jail with his roommates. So many things happened on the first day. It was quite interesting.

"good."

Chen Guo smiled.

"Not bad? That's pretty good."

He leaned back in his chair, his hands clasped together on the table.

"Lin Dong, the school leaders all know about your time at Stanford. Shenzhen University has produced many outstanding students over the years. But you are the first person to bring such a great deal of honor to the school before even enrolling."

He paused.

"So the school has expectations for you."

Lin Dong looked at Chen Guo. He knew that Chen Guo had something to discuss with him.

Chen Guo stopped beating around the bush.

"I called you here today because there's something I want to tell you. The school wants you to speak as a representative of outstanding freshmen at the opening ceremony after military training."

Lin Dong paused for a moment, his brows twitching slightly.

Speaking on stage? Then the whole school would know him. If Li Hu and the others found out, they'd definitely tease him every day. He cherished this pure student friendship and didn't want to complicate things.

"Director Chen, I..."

Chen Guo waved his hand.

"Don't rush to refuse. Think about it, you won the game at Stanford and shared the stage with Jobs. How much face did that bring to Shenzhen University? Of course, the school will let you shine with that kind of honor. There will be over ten thousand freshmen watching you. How prestigious will that be?"

Lin Dong was silent for two seconds.

Chen Guo looked at him.

"What? You don't want to?"

Lin Dong nodded.

"I want to fully experience university life. I don't want to be too high-profile."

Chen Guo was taken aback.

He hadn't expected that answer.

For most people, being chosen as an outstanding freshman representative would be a cause for celebration. Imagine the prestige of being watched by over ten thousand people giving a speech. But Lin Dong refused without even a second thought.

Good boy, you're not swayed by worldly fame.

He looked at Lin Dong with a hint of admiration in his eyes.

"Alright, I won't force you then."

He paused, then added.

"But the school is aware of your situation. If you have any academic problems in the future, just go directly to Teacher Song. You don't need to go through those complicated procedures to ask for leave. You can come and go as you please, just don't fail your exams."

Lin Dong looked at him.

"Thank you, Director Chen."

Chen Guo waved his hand.

"No need to thank me. It's because you're capable that the school is willing to make this exception for you."

He stood up, walked to the window, and turned his back to Lin Dong.

"Lin Dong, do a good job. If you achieve something in the future, just remember the good things Shenzhen University has done for you."

Lin Dong stood up.

"Yes."

He turned and walked out.

As he reached the door, Chen Guo called out to him again.

"Oh, right."

Lin Dong turned around.

Chen Guo turned around and looked at him.

"If you achieve anything in the future, remember to come back and tell your juniors about it. Don't be too serious, just chat casually and let them see that Shenzhen University can produce such talents."

Lin Dong nodded.

"it is good."