Chronicle of the 70s
Chapter 149 - 145 Check-in, monthly ticket 630 extra - s

Chapter 149: 145 Check-in, monthly ticket 630 extra Chapters

On April 3rd, after sending Qin Zhen away, Li Xianglu prepared new cotton quilts, mattress pads, three bed sheets, as well as pillow covers, rice containers, toothbrushes and toothpaste. She also bought two new sets of clothes, including shirts, shoes, and socks.

There was a jar of chili oil-marinated shredded pickles, a jar of spicy diced chicken, and a large jar of beef jerky, as per Qin Zhen’s request. He’d rather die than go study in Shanghai without them.

Qin Xi, furious as he was, couldn’t do anything about it. Considering Qin Miao in the capital wasn’t a good egg, and it wasn’t yet time to deal with him, Qin Xi felt it was better for his brother to stay far from the capital. He didn’t believe Qin Miao could reach Shanghai in his sleep.

On April 4th, it was time for university registration, the first college entrance examination enrollment in ten years, and everyone was filled with excitement.

They didn’t arrive too early. In the morning, Qin Xi came by bicycle and carried Li Xianglu’s quilt and other bulky items on the back of his bike. Li Xianglu, riding behind, had both of their washing and brushing tools strapped to her bike. She didn’t bring any clothes; being only a half-hour bike ride from home, she could easily come back if she needed to change.

They arrived at nine o’clock, and the place was already packed. Seeing so many people with their bags and mesh bags full of excitement made Li Xianglu happy.

Qin Xi, knowing his way around, helped Li Xianglu with the registration. At this time, college education was free until fees started being charged in 1994.

However, there was a charge for textbooks and accommodation.

The fees were paid annually, with a yearly accommodation cost of twenty-three yuan for a slightly better eight-person dormitory, and textbook fees of twelve yuan, making it thirty-five yuan per person in total.

Although it might not seem like much, this amount equaled a third-grade worker’s monthly salary, and many people paid using a bundle of Mao tickets.

Qin Xi registered two names and paid the fees for both before taking the dorm assignment slips to Li Xianglu’s dormitory first.

Since many parents were moving in and out today, no one minded a male student entering the female dormitory. Li Xianglu was assigned a room at the far end of the first floor, and after checking with the dorm supervisor, they quickly went in.

Li Xianglu carried a mesh bag with her rice container, wash basin, toothbrush, towel, and other necessities, while Qin Xi carried a big cotton quilt behind her.

The dorm was rather shabby, but being an eight-person room, it was better than a twelve-person one. Li Xianglu gently knocked and then pushed open the door.

Inside, three people were already there; two were lying on their beds, while another girl, helped by her family, was organizing her belongings, and was looking around with a leg propped up. Upon hearing the door, she curiously asked, "Who are you guys?"

Li Xianglu didn’t like the tone, but people have their own personalities, and it wasn’t her place to say anything, so she just smiled lightly and said, "I’m from this dorm."

After saying that, she opened the door wider to let Qin Xi in.

Li Xianglu looked around the room. It was roughly fifteen square meters, and with three of the lower bunks already taken, only one was left. Although it was by the door, a lower bunk was more convenient after all.

Li Xianglu then took the basin and towel out of the mesh bag to fetch water.

Qin Xi gave a faint smile to the others and moved another stool over to place things on it temporarily.

Li Xianglu brought back water, and Qin Xi took it and began to clean. Without cleaning, one wouldn’t know, but once he started, he was shocked at the dirtiness; the water had turned black. Qin Xi frowned and said to Li Xianglu, "Hold the stuff, I’ll change the water."

After Qin Xi left, the girl sitting and watching asked curiously, "Who is that person to you?"

Li Xianglu glanced at the girl who was wearing a pink sweater; she had decent features, thick eyebrows, and big eyes, but her nose was a bit flat, and her somewhat dark skin looked odd with the pink sweater. Didn’t anyone tell her that pink is picky about skin tone?

The girl saw that Li Xianglu wasn’t paying attention to her, and with a pout, she called out, "Country bumpkin."

Li Xianglu frowned and looked over, thinking, what kind of person is this, so uncultured?

The middle-aged couple who had been helping to organize things finally stopped. The man, having just heard his daughter’s remark, frowned and said, "Xu Xin, what are you doing? That’s so impolite! Apologize to her right away!"

A Jinshan accent?

The girl pouted, unwilling to concede, "I was speaking to her, but she ignored me. Why should I apologize?"

What Li Xianglu hated the most were those people who acted as though the whole world was their mother, and everyone had to spoil them!

Seeing this, the man’s brow furrowed even deeper. The woman, upon hearing her husband reprimanding their daughter, discontentedly said, "Oh come on, what are you saying? It’s registration day, the child is in a good mood, what’s this now?"

The man shook his head upon hearing his wife, thinking that a good child has been spoiled like this; if you discipline her, you’re the one who seems wrong. Feeling a bit embarrassed, he turned to Li Xianglu and said, "Sorry about that, young lady. I’m Xu Xin’s father. Our Xu Xin is in the finance department. May I ask what you’re studying?"

Li Xianglu, seeing Qin Xi come in a second time to wipe things down, stood back and said with a smile, "Hello Uncle Xu, my name is Li Xianglu, I’m also in the finance department."

By comparison, it was clear who was raised better. Mr. Xu felt even worse. How come everyone else’s kid was so polite and likable, while his own was so off-putting?

Qin Xi wiped down the bed and used some cardboard to fan it dry before carefully making Li Xianglu’s bed. At the bottom was a thin palm mattress that Qin Xi managed to get from somewhere, covered with a layer of army green canvas. It was placed at the bottom and then a thick mattress layer was added on top—making the bed both solid and comfortable. As they were putting on the sheets, they heard the door "whoosh" open.

Li Xianglu frowned and turned her head, only to see a girl with a bun on her head, carrying a large bag, and saying with an embarrassed face, "I’m so sorry everyone, the noise from opening the door startled you all."

A Shanghai accent, it seems the people in her dorm come from all over the place.

Following the girl was a middle-aged woman holding a quilt, over forty but still with fair skin. Seeing that there were no lower bunks left, she said unhappily, "Oh dear, what’s this? There are no lower bunks left? My Chongchong can’t sleep on an upper bunk. The child sleeps so restlessly, what if she rolls off?"

She said this while looking at the other people around.

Qin Xi and Li Xianglu did not speak; the bed was made, and Li Xianglu sighed, sat down, then said to Qin Xi, "Let’s go to your side; I’ll help you make the bed."

Qin Xi shook her head, "No need, you rest for a bit. Didn’t the dorm manager just say that once we’re done tidying up, we need to go pick up our books? We’ll meet up at the bicycle storage area after that."

Li Xianglu nodded, and Qin Xi left first.

The Shanghai woman, seeing that she was being ignored, started to look displeased and turned to Li Xianglu, "Little sister, could we switch bunks? My Chongchong has never slept on an upper bunk since she was little."

Li Xianglu rolled her eyes to the heavens and said insincerely with a smile, "Auntie, I’m sorry, but I’ve also never slept on an upper bunk, I might fall off too."

The woman did not expect such a straightforward answer and was a bit embarrassed. The girl with the bun chuckled and said, "Mom, don’t worry, I’m grown up, I can take care of myself."

The woman glanced at Li Xianglu, who was arranging things under the bed, rolled her eyes, let out a sigh, and said, "Grown up? You’re only nineteen, still a child."

Li Xianglu felt like she was about to lose control of all the energies within her and wanted to howl at the sky to relieve some stress.

ps: It’s 1 am... Tomorrow at 12:30 pm, we will have a roll call red envelope giveaway in the group chat, hurry up if you haven’t joined yet.

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