Chapter 35 : It’s a Boomerang!

Song Qiuyu and her roommates went to pick up their textbooks for the semester shortly after returning to school.

Starting tomorrow, they’d all be early risers.

Lunch, as usual, was at the crowded student cafeteria.

After a few days away, a new braised pork hock rice stall had popped up.

This stall even had a banner offering a 50% discount to civil engineering students!

“Don’t bother looking, it has nothing to do with us in the directing department.”

Xie Zhuran glanced at Song Qiuyu, who was staring intently at the stall.

“Looking longingly” wouldn’t even begin to describe it.

“I heard that a senior from our directing department made a short video about braised pork hock rice to attract new students to the civil engineering department,” Lin An said, adjusting his glasses.

“But the discount is only for new civil engineering students, huh?”

“No choice. Who told our directing department to be the ‘wherever needed, we’re there’ kind of all-purpose worker, showing up without fail and never bargaining when called!” Xie Zhuran sighed, spreading her hands.

Song Qiuyu was touched.

To put it unpleasantly, it was like working illegally, but there was no other way.

It was all for gaining experience.

“That’s why we need to shoot our own videos!” She clenched her fist.

They had already discussed it carefully in the dorm.

While she still had some popularity, they would temporarily release videos on her account.

Then, once they all became famous, the others would create their own separate accounts.

They shouldn’t waste this free traffic that had come their way.

The script for their first video was still pending finalization.

This would take time and careful thought.

“But speaking of which, Song Qiuyu, you should have a computer, right? Though I don’t think I’ve seen you take it out yet.” Xie Zhuran said, taking a bite of braised pork.

Song Qiuyu shook her head.

“You’re studying directing, how can you not have a computer?” Xie Zhuran was so shocked his chin almost hit the table.

“Do you all have one?” Song Qiuyu looked back and forth at her three roommates.

“Of course! I went and bought the latest model the day I received my acceptance letter!” Xie Zhuran exclaimed.

“I bought one too.” Lin An nodded.

Jiang Xiao continued eating, silently agreeing.

Song Qiuyu’s expression grew a little serious.

Although she had expected it, she didn’t have much money on hand right now.

If she bought a computer, she’d probably have to “eat dirt” for a while.

Not to mention moving out.

Jiang Xiao glanced at Song Qiuyu out of the corner of his eye.

He wasn’t very clear about her current family situation, but he remembered that her family was quite poor in middle school.

His lips moved slightly.

Song Qiuyu, however, seemed to have made up her mind, frowning as she said, “It looks like I have to buy a computer!”

Upon hearing this, Xie Zhuran and Lin An exchanged glances.

Could it be that Song Qiuyu’s family wasn’t doing well financially?

This was troublesome.

A computer capable of video editing had high hardware requirements, so the price wouldn’t be low.

“There’s a computer mall nearby, after we finish eating…” Song Qiuyu hadn’t even finished speaking when Lin An resolutely interrupted, saying, “We’ll go with you to buy it.”

Song Qiuyu was stunned to hear this.

“Exactly! You’re clearly an amateur; you’ll get ripped off if you go by yourself!” Xie Zhuran’s words were blunt but true.

Song Qiuyu felt a little overwhelmed and unconsciously looked at Jiang Xiao.

Jiang Xiao was about to be startled, then realized two more gazes were fixed on him, making him very uncomfortable.

These two gazes could only be Lin An and Xie Zhuran.

Jiang Xiao vaguely seemed to hear their thoughts: “Jiang Xiao, you’ll come along too, right?”

“…Then, let’s all go together.”

Jiang Xiao lowered his head and continued to eat after speaking.

So, on the streets of the computer mall that afternoon, three tall, bulky figures and one petite figure moved from shop to shop.

Anyone who didn’t know them would have thought they were three escorts and their little princess.

After comparing prices at several stores, Song Qiuyu finally spent four thousand yuan on her first laptop.

With the help of her three roommates, it was a purchase that truly maximized value for money.

“Come on, come on, let’s head back to the dorm. I want to try out my new computer!”

Song Qiuyu excitedly touched her laptop bag.

As she spoke, she caught a glimpse of Jiang Xiao beside her, constantly typing on his phone, seemingly sending messages to someone.

An idea instantly sparked in her mind, and she pulled out her phone to check the time.

Sure enough, it was time for Jiang Xiao’s daily afternoon messages again.

Suppressing her curiosity, she calmly walked back to the dorm with them.

Then, while setting up her computer, she secretly switched accounts and took a peek.

[Jiang Xiao]: Xi’er, today I looked at the news for “Peace Elite,” the shooting game we used to play. The game has updated with so many interesting new modes. Over the years, many similar games have also come out. I really want to try them all with you. If you were here, you’d probably get MVP every time and carry me.

After reading it, Song Qiuyu felt a mix of emotions, even a little embarrassed. How could she be that good?

But a shooting game, huh?

She looked at her already booted-up computer, and a flash of inspiration went through her mind.

She connected her computer to the campus network. “I want to test the performance of this new computer. How about we play some games together?”

“Sounds good! LOL?”

Xie Zhuran enthusiastically opened his computer as well.

“I’ve played enough LOL today. Is there anything else?”

Song Qiuyu found it awkward to directly suggest a shooting game.

Xie Zhuran stroked his chin.

“Then how about Valorant? Monster Hunter? Red Alert?”

Song Qiuyu pretended to ponder, nodding, then looked at Jiang Xiao.

“Jiang Xiao, you should join us too. Do you have any ideas?”

Jiang Xiao paused.

He didn’t know much about games; the only ones he knew were related to Shen Xi.

Like shooting games.

Xie Zhuran and Lin An also looked at him, remembering that he had only just downloaded TikTok.

They couldn’t help but wonder if this person didn’t even play games…

But was that possible?

“Peace Elite?”

Jiang Xiao spoke.

As soon as he said that, both of them were stunned.

Song Qiuyu covered her face.

Oh no, this kid didn’t even know that “Peace Elite” was just a mobile game.

She had asked the wrong person!

However, she didn’t seem to know much about PC games either.

“Hahahaha, I’m dying of laughter!”

Xie Zhuran let out an uncontrollable burst of laughter, slapping the table with thudding sounds.

“It seems neither of you knows much about PC games? Then I’ll make the recommendations.”

He tilted his head and thought.

“How about this: you probably didn’t get enough target practice during military training, right? I’ll recommend my favorite shooting game: it’s called CS!”

Song Qiuyu’s eyes immediately lit up.

Although she hadn’t heard of it, it was a shooting game, which more or less fulfilled Jiang Xiao’s wish, right?

Jiang Xiao was slightly moved.

All four computers were connected to the internet, and the games were downloaded.

With one spot open, Song Qiuyu decisively contacted Sang Tian.

[Sang Tian]: Sorry, Song, my classmate and I are still out having fun. I probably can’t play games with you right now.

Sang Tian also sent a “sorry” emoji.

Seeing this, Song Qiuyu sighed, only able to say it was okay.

They were ready to team up with random players, but a sudden message from their advisor called Lin An away.

They went from needing one player to needing two.

At the crucial moment, Xie Zhuran opened the skit group chat, which hadn’t been disbanded yet, and yelled into it.

Then, their team was complete.

The teammates who answered the call were Gu Nian, and… Gu Nian’s girlfriend.

This girlfriend was completely unafraid of strangers.

And her voice was both alluring and sweet. She immediately greeted them, “Hello, everyone! You can call me Xiaoxue!”

Then, completely oblivious to others, she started flirting with Gu Nian, calling him “Brother” one moment and “Darling” the next.

Even before the game started, Xie Zhuran, as the one who invited them, already wanted to kick them out.

Song Qiuyu listened to the constant romantic atmosphere emanating from her headphones, and her beautiful face gradually scrunched up.

This familiar feeling was bad—it was a boomerang!

Her heart skipped a beat.

Past memories flashed through her mind like a deathbed hallucination, making her involuntarily purse her lips, her neck turning red.

How many times had she, online, with a soft voice, shown affection to Jiang Xiao in front of other players?