"Which class are you from?"
"Class 3."
"All of you stand right here and stay put. Don't you know what time it is now?"
A middle-aged female teacher with a registration form angrily pointed at the corridor outside the classroom.
The four of them scratched their heads as they stood at the classroom door.
"I told you we should have just skipped."
"Exactly, now we've been caught. Would've been better to skip altogether."
"Happy birthday, big bro Lin! Later, I'll take you to the internet café for the day and treat you to some skewers!"
"Sounds good."
"Oh right, I still owe you 500 yuan from last month."
He pulled out several hundred-yuan bills from his pocket, counted them, and handed them to Lin Bai.
"Who still uses cash these days?"
"Bear with me, will you? The project my dad was in charge of had payments delayed for years and only came through yesterday. They even underpaid by a lot. Who knows how much the higher-ups skimmed off. I only got these few hundred as pocket money, and now I'm giving it back to you, so I'll be eating dirt again this month."
"Fine. If you're really eating dirt, just let me know. Call me 'daddy,' and your bro will treat you to instant noodles."
Inside the classroom, a balding teacher walked over and angrily said:
"Are you guys ever going to stop? Get in and sit down properly."
This was the university where Lin Bai studied. Today was his 18th birthday, and also the beginning of a turning point in his life...
After the boring class ended.
"Lin Bai, happy birthday."
A black-haired, well-built girl walked over to Lin Bai.
His roommates, seeing this, walked ahead.
"Big bro Lin, we'll be at the usual place. Don't stand us up. We'll go first, you two talk."
"Thank you."
Lin Bai took the exquisite box but didn't rush to open it.
"Don't mention it. As friends for over ten years, this is only natural. It's not like I specifically picked it out for you."
Chi Xiaoyu turned her head away in a tsundere manner and then urged:
"Come on, open it."
Lin Bai nodded and unwrapped the beautifully packaged box. Inside was a red cup with Chi Xiaoyu's name engraved on it...
"Hey? What the heck is this that you're giving me?"
Lin Bai was shocked.
"You don't have a girlfriend yet, right? This will help with your physiological needs."
Chi Xiaoyu shyly turned her head and ran out.
Lin Bai shook his head. He couldn't understand what his childhood friend of over ten years was thinking. If she liked him, why did she reject him back then? If she didn't like him, why give him a gift with her name engraved on it for his birthday?
"Big bro Lin, you finally made it?"
"What's up, big bro Lin? What nice gift did our Class Flower Chi give you?"
"Nothing, don't worry about it."
"Come over, come over. We've set up the computer for you. Carry us, big bro Lin."
Lin Bai expertly sat down and easily led his roommates to victory in the game. The screen displayed a big "VICTORY"...
"Shall we go for some skewers?"
"Sure, it's getting late anyway."
"Any later would be bad. I heard that the middle school next door has been haunted recently."
"I'm a firm materialist. You're telling me it's haunted? I definitely want to check that out."
"Next time. Today is for celebrating big bro Lin's birthday. We'll have a chance to check it out in the future."
They arrived at the bustling food street where a sign with four large characters read "Brothers' BBQ."
This time of day was peak business hours. Seeing the four arrive, the owner smiled.
"The bros are here again! You're old customers now. I'll give you a 20% discount. The money will be deducted from your membership card. Eat as much as you want."
Lin Bai raised his beer bottle, clinked it with his roommates, and shouted:
"Thanks to all of you for celebrating my birthday with me. We're not leaving until we're drunk."
"Happy birthday, big bro Lin."
With the sound of clinking glasses, the owner brought various barbecued items: grilled eggplant, grilled chicken legs, grilled oysters...
"I can't take it anymore, big bro Lin. I'm getting dizzy. I need to head back first."
"I'm feeling a bit dizzy too. I'll go back with him."
Wu Le supported Xiao Yang as they returned to the dorm.
"These two are such lightweights."
Li Mingzhe laughed as he raised his glass.
"Come on, big bro Lin. We're not leaving until we're drunk."
"All right."