Lin Min arrived in Meng City a week early for the summer vacation.
After spending a month during the holidays, he also gained quite a bit of inspiration. When he arrived at Qingmeng University, before the semester started, he looked at the school's bulletin boards and found a place in the school that rented beds for 50 yuan a day.
Then he just wandered around the school.
Qingmeng University was very big. Right across from the main gate was the entrance to one of Meng City's most famous tourist attractions, Big Buddha Mountain. It was very well known nationwide and was said to be very efficacious. Many devout believers came from far away to worship there. Every day it was filled with crowds of people.
And right across from the back gate was the ocean, with long and soft sandy beaches and uniquely beautiful scenery.
The school had a long history. In front of the College of Liberal Arts building there was even a thousand-year-old tree. The roots of that one tree took up an entire garden.
The shops on the school's student street were very mature. Almost every one gave you the feeling it was an internet celebrity shop.
Facing students, the decor was very delicate and fresh, and the prices of goods were also cheap.
There were many barbershops.
As the start of school approached, every shop was actively preparing.
Lin Min's major was medicine. He was thinking about what he could do. Medical students had to go one more year than others, with undergraduate taking five years total, and now undergraduate medical students also had difficulty finding jobs. At least they needed a master's degree, which meant he would have to study books for many more years.
Studying books for so many years, with his mom selling pancakes and his dad working as an orderly, plus his dad loved to gamble and didn't bring money home, instead losing quite a bit, and his sister still needing to go to school, all of these worries added up together, he simply could not calmly study.
On the first day he accomplished nothing, and returned to the rented bedspace.
It was the same on the second day.
And the third day, fourth day, fifth day, sixth day, seventh day...
He didn't create the world in seven days like God. He wandered very confusedly for seven days.
And he had originally said that Xiaoqi would come to register, and he would go pick her up, but in the end he didn't dare send a message either. He felt a little confused. In Lushan City he had casually started a business with his classmates, that tutoring school, and he had also busily run around and done quite well, although in the end he rejected Sister An and dropped out, he still felt that he was capable. But the result was that when he arrived in Meng City, he discovered he knew nothing and had no use.
He didn't even dare go see Xiaoqi, who worked very hard every day and seemed to be studying all the time, extremely motivated and positive. He felt it would be embarrassing just to meet up.
He didn't dare go see her.
Then it was time for school to start and military training.
He also entered the busy life of a new student.
He discovered there were many opportunities for work-study at the school, but at the same time they would also take up most of the study time. The medical students' studies were especially bitter, because it was all practical, the books they had to memorize were all thick, if you casually stacked them up they were all higher than himself. If he gave up his studies for the sake of earning money then there was no meaning at all.
Then he discovered medical books were especially expensive, all kinds of reference books, just one cost several hundred yuan.
Studying medicine not only took mental effort but money too. Considering others as well as himself, with such high prices, not everyone could buy these books lightly.
Lin Min wanted to go find some used books.
Used books should be a lot cheaper, and not every senior student who graduated would continue in the medical profession. Now there was also a lot of shocking news about medical disputes, and doctor was not the best profession either. Many people who graduated would pack up all those thick books and sell them off.
In the past few days wandering around, he had discovered the school had junk collection stations. He had even considered picking through trash. His dad worked as an orderly at the hospital and would often pick up some trash thrown away by patients' families, collecting it to sell.
But there wasn't much money. If there really was money, Lin Min didn't know if he could bring himself to do it.
He went to the two small junk shops to look and sure enough there were a lot of books, many still seeming brand new. They were all reference books, very useful.
He bought the ones he felt were useful for very cheap. And this gave rise to another idea - selling used books.
The junk shop owners didn't know the value of the books, but he did. He could take the initiative to collect them, then resell.
At school, it shouldn't be too difficult for students to set up stalls to sell books and such.
The summer had trained Lin Min for this much at least, following Sister An to attend so many business dinners and whatnot, getting acquainted with the student council here at school should also be very easy.
Whether it succeeded or not, at least he had taken the first step.
He chose to set up his stall every night after dinner. At that time after eating, many people would come out for a stroll. Qingmeng University didn't have strict lights out rules, it was relatively freer, half the people chose to study at night, half didn't go.
Lin Min was handsome, although not the sunny big boy type. His face was rather ascetic, a bit of a fresh little meat. He dressed neatly and cleanly, with a slightly hoarse voice. Together with his ascetic face, some people who originally didn't plan to buy books would casually flip through them, and in the end inexplicably buy one.
The profit was pretty good too.
Better than those work-study students washing dishes and sweeping floors.
And when there were no customers, Lin Min could also look through the books and study, so it didn't hinder his studies too much.
For Lin Min this was a good start. He dared to contact Xiaoqi now.
He asked her how it was going adapting to the school.
Xiaoqi was quite excited to see Brother Lin Min's message. After all they had been neighbors for three years of high school, although they hadn't been particularly close, but Brother Lin Min seemed like someone with an especially soft heart but also very contradictory inside. The system kept hinting that Lin Min was turning evil, but he was also the most easily moved. Even if she gave him a bucket of water, Brother Lin Min would feel grateful. Through the system Xiaoqi already knew, not all good deeds brought rewards, most of the time there were none actually, even if someone expressed gratitude excitedly and ardently, they were not actually moved inside.
"It's pretty good, the school's facilities are great, the library is huge with lots of books, and there are a lot of foreign teachers, the environment for learning foreign languages is very good. How about you, Brother Lin Min?"
Lin Min had been looking at Xiaoqi's Moments. These past few days she had posted a military training photo, wearing a hat and camouflage uniform, vigorous and heroic, very upright. He gave it a Like, and saw his sister had also Liked it, since they only had each other and his sister as mutual friends.
"I'm doing pretty good too. Are you free on Saturday? Some classmates happen to be going to Enhua and I can drop by to see you on the way."
Lin Min edited his words several times before finally fixing it up to send.
Actually he just wanted to go to Xiaoqi's school to see her, but felt it was a bit abrupt to say it that way.
Xiaoqi didn't expect Brother Lin Min to come to Enhua, but she had already made plans with her roommates to go into town tomorrow, so could only cite her plans.
Lin Min was thinking about calling Xiaoqi's roommates to go to Enhua together and treat them to a meal, but when he saw her reply he generously said, "No problem, I was just going along for fun with my classmates anyway. Next time when you're free, I'll come find you."
After sending the message, Lin Min sat in front of a pile of old books in a daze for a very long time.
Xiaoqi closed WeChat and turned on her computer to start watching Japanese study videos. She didn't encounter any suitable ones today, so she should start self-studying first. The Apple computer had very good battery life, able to last seven or eight hours without plugging in, enough for her to study.
Lin Min arrived in Meng City a week early for the summer vacation.
After spending a month during the holidays, he also gained quite a bit of inspiration. When he arrived at Qingmeng University, before the semester started, he looked at the school's bulletin boards and found a place in the school that rented beds for 50 yuan a day.
Then he just wandered around the school.
Qingmeng University was very big. Right across from the main gate was the entrance to one of Meng City's most famous tourist attractions, Big Buddha Mountain. It was very well known nationwide and was said to be very efficacious. Many devout believers came from far away to worship there. Every day it was filled with crowds of people.
And right across from the back gate was the ocean, with long and soft sandy beaches and uniquely beautiful scenery.
The school had a long history. In front of the College of Liberal Arts building there was even a thousand-year-old tree. The roots of that one tree took up an entire garden.
The shops on the school's student street were very mature. Almost every one gave you the feeling it was an internet celebrity shop.
Facing students, the decor was very delicate and fresh, and the prices of goods were also cheap.
There were many barbershops.
As the start of school approached, every shop was actively preparing.
Lin Min's major was medicine. He was thinking about what he could do. Medical students had to go one more year than others, with undergraduate taking five years total, and now undergraduate medical students also had difficulty finding jobs. At least they needed a master's degree, which meant he would have to study books for many more years.
Studying books for so many years, with his mom selling pancakes and his dad working as an orderly, plus his dad loved to gamble and didn't bring money home, instead losing quite a bit, and his sister still needing to go to school, all of these worries added up together, he simply could not calmly study.
On the first day he accomplished nothing, and returned to the rented bedspace.
It was the same on the second day.
And the third day, fourth day, fifth day, sixth day, seventh day...
He didn't create the world in seven days like God. He wandered very confusedly for seven days.
And he had originally said that Xiaoqi would come to register, and he would go pick her up, but in the end he didn't dare send a message either. He felt a little confused. In Lushan City he had casually started a business with his classmates, that tutoring school, and he had also busily run around and done quite well, although in the end he rejected Sister An and dropped out, he still felt that he was capable. But the result was that when he arrived in Meng City, he discovered he knew nothing and had no use.
He didn't even dare go see Xiaoqi, who worked very hard every day and seemed to be studying all the time, extremely motivated and positive. He felt it would be embarrassing just to meet up.
He didn't dare go see her.
Then it was time for school to start and military training.
He also entered the busy life of a new student.
He discovered there were many opportunities for work-study at the school, but at the same time they would also take up most of the study time. The medical students' studies were especially bitter, because it was all practical, the books they had to memorize were all thick, if you casually stacked them up they were all higher than himself. If he gave up his studies for the sake of earning money then there was no meaning at all.
Then he discovered medical books were especially expensive, all kinds of reference books, just one cost several hundred yuan.
Studying medicine not only took mental effort but money too. Considering others as well as himself, with such high prices, not everyone could buy these books lightly.
Lin Min wanted to go find some used books.
Used books should be a lot cheaper, and not every senior student who graduated would continue in the medical profession. Now there was also a lot of shocking news about medical disputes, and doctor was not the best profession either. Many people who graduated would pack up all those thick books and sell them off.
In the past few days wandering around, he had discovered the school had junk collection stations. He had even considered picking through trash. His dad worked as an orderly at the hospital and would often pick up some trash thrown away by patients' families, collecting it to sell.
But there wasn't much money. If there really was money, Lin Min didn't know if he could bring himself to do it.
He went to the two small junk shops to look and sure enough there were a lot of books, many still seeming brand new. They were all reference books, very useful.
He bought the ones he felt were useful for very cheap. And this gave rise to another idea - selling used books.
The junk shop owners didn't know the value of the books, but he did. He could take the initiative to collect them, then resell.
At school, it shouldn't be too difficult for students to set up stalls to sell books and such.
The summer had trained Lin Min for this much at least, following Sister An to attend so many business dinners and whatnot, getting acquainted with the student council here at school should also be very easy.
Whether it succeeded or not, at least he had taken the first step.
He chose to set up his stall every night after dinner. At that time after eating, many people would come out for a stroll. Qingmeng University didn't have strict lights out rules, it was relatively freer, half the people chose to study at night, half didn't go.
Lin Min was handsome, although not the sunny big boy type. His face was rather ascetic, a bit of a fresh little meat. He dressed neatly and cleanly, with a slightly hoarse voice. Together with his ascetic face, some people who originally didn't plan to buy books would casually flip through them, and in the end inexplicably buy one.
The profit was pretty good too.
Better than those work-study students washing dishes and sweeping floors.
And when there were no customers, Lin Min could also look through the books and study, so it didn't hinder his studies too much.
For Lin Min this was a good start. He dared to contact Xiaoqi now.
He asked her how it was going adapting to the school.
Xiaoqi was quite excited to see Brother Lin Min's message. After all they had been neighbors for three years of high school, although they hadn't been particularly close, but Brother Lin Min seemed like someone with an especially soft heart but also very contradictory inside. The system kept hinting that Lin Min was turning evil, but he was also the most easily moved. Even if she gave him a bucket of water, Brother Lin Min would feel grateful. Through the system Xiaoqi already knew, not all good deeds brought rewards, most of the time there were none actually, even if someone expressed gratitude excitedly and ardently, they were not actually moved inside.
"It's pretty good, the school's facilities are great, the library is huge with lots of books, and there are a lot of foreign teachers, the environment for learning foreign languages is very good. How about you, Brother Lin Min?"
Lin Min had been looking at Xiaoqi's Moments. These past few days she had posted a military training photo, wearing a hat and camouflage uniform, vigorous and heroic, very upright. He gave it a Like, and saw his sister had also Liked it, since they only had each other and his sister as mutual friends.
"I'm doing pretty good too. Are you free on Saturday? Some classmates happen to be going to Enhua and I can drop by to see you on the way."
Lin Min edited his words several times before finally fixing it up to send.
Actually he just wanted to go to Xiaoqi's school to see her, but felt it was a bit abrupt to say it that way.
Xiaoqi didn't expect Brother Lin Min to come to Enhua, but she had already made plans with her roommates to go into town tomorrow, so could only cite her plans.
Lin Min was thinking about calling Xiaoqi's roommates to go to Enhua together and treat them to a meal, but when he saw her reply he generously said, "No problem, I was just going along for fun with my classmates anyway. Next time when you're free, I'll come find you."
After sending the message, Lin Min sat in front of a pile of old books in a daze for a very long time.
Xiaoqi closed WeChat and turned on her computer to start watching Japanese study videos. She didn't encounter any suitable ones today, so she should start self-studying first. The Apple computer had very good battery life, able to last seven or eight hours without plugging in, enough for her to study.
