Chronicle of the 70s
Chapter 152: Daring to the point of not wanting to live, in the dead of night

Chapter 152: Daring to the point of not wanting to live, in the dead of night

The new students in the dorm came from all around the country. Besides Li Xianglu and two other girls who had homes in the capital, everyone else was from out of town and needed to stay in the dorms.

The upper bunk near the window on the right belonged to Li Dayu, a 19-year-old like Li Xianglu, also from Guanzhong, but he was from within the province. Both of his parents were government workers, and he had fair skin and a gentle manner of speaking.

Below him was Xu Xin, a 20-year-old from Jinshan, who loved wearing pink clothes. Her parents, as well as her aunts, uncles, and uncles-in-law all worked at a coal mining company; her family was well off.

The lower bunk near the window on the left was occupied by a Nanjing girl named Wang Ke, who was 20 years old. However, with her fair skin and babyface, she looked more like she was 17 or 18. She was quiet and didn’t talk much; perhaps she came from a less fortunate family. It was heard that her home was a single income household; her mother was from a rural area and lacked food supplies.

Wang Ke’s upper bunk belonged to a person from the capital, a particularly proud girl, 21-year-old Lu Anna. After registration, she disappeared and didn’t show up even at the next day’s meeting.

The bunk above Li Xianglu was occupied by Iro, a 20-year-old from the capital. She looked confident, was well-spoken, and her fashion sense was spot on.

On the opposite side, the upper bunk was taken by Xiao Chong, a 19-year-old with a bun hairstyle, nicknamed Chongchong, from Shanghai. Both of his parents were workers; being the youngest child, he was pampered a lot by his parents.

The girl in the bunk below him, probably with the poorest conditions in the dorm, was Ma Lingling from Gansu. Her clothes were patched, yet she had an unusually cheerful personality and did not show any inferiority complex, much to Li Xianglu’s surprise.

It wasn’t that she was petty, but for someone from a poor background to come to the spacious capital and live in a generally well-off dorm speaking with a local accent, how could she not feel the slightest bit inferior? Therefore, Li Xianglu was somewhat repulsed by Ma Lingling. Seeing her actively helping others, Li Xianglu did not accept her enthusiastic help and declined it with a faint smile, repeatedly. After several such instances, Ma Lingling also felt that Li Xianglu was difficult to get close to and gave up, instead blending well with the others in the dorm.

The initial phase of studying was a shock to everyone. The coursework was much harder than the college entrance exam; all had entered with top scores from their provinces, eager and competitive.

In order to stand out in the upcoming assessment, the library was always full. It was crowded at any time, and 10 p.m. was the most painful time for the staff—these students were demon-possessed with learning, even willing to read by candlelight. They wouldn’t leave even when it was time to close; however, the library had to shut its doors at 10 p.m.

For this reason, the school organized a meeting for the new students, asking them to understand the library’s operation that staff still had to organize books after closing time, and that if students left late, the staff would have to rest late.

The situation improved slightly right after the meeting but deteriorated again in just a few days, much to the staff’s complaints.

Li Xianglu was not that desperate. She listened attentively in class, studied in the classroom, and returned by nine, buying an English dictionary to translate texts on International Trade, familiarizing herself with the specialized vocabulary.

When Li Xianglu returned to the dorm, Lu Anna and Iro were already there. Seeing Li Xianglu, Iro smiled and said, "You’re back?"

Li Xianglu nodded and smiled, "Yeah, why are you still in the dorm?"

With a look of resignation, Iro replied, "I went home this afternoon, and by the time I got back, there were no spots left in the study rooms."

Li Xianglu chuckled, "Yeah, too many people and the smell isn’t nice. That’s why I returned." Saying that, she put down her books and notebooks.

Iro glanced down, noticed the International Trade textbook, picked it up and was taken aback by the dense annotations on the first few pages, then she noticed the thick English dictionary beside it and asked, "Why aren’t you reviewing? Why have you started translating textbooks? Aren’t you worried about the exam in a couple of days?"

Li Xianglu calmly took a wash basin and toothbrush from under the bed, "My English is fine, and besides, there are only two days left. It’s better to switch things up so I don’t forget what I’ve studied."

Iro was startled, "Can studying too much really cause you to forget?"

Watching Li Xianglu leave, Lu Anna, who lay on the upper bunk, sneered, "You actually believe what she says?"

Iro turned her head to face Lu Anna, who was engrossed in a novel, and said, "What does it matter if I believe it? She scored 380 on her college entrance exam and came in first in our class."

Lu Anna shook her head, "You know the exams; they’re as easy as anything. The upcoming assessment is no joke. Do you think just memorizing some poetry and writing essays will get you scores?"

Iro shook her head, sitting on a protective sheet that Li Xianglu had spread out on the bed, and sighed, "I’m really worried. My aunt said that this baseline exam is very important. Being in a good class can help with job placements later on."

Lu Anna scoffed, "So what if you have good grades? Does that guarantee a good job placement?"

Iro paused, right; they’re not just ordinary folk – they’re girls who have seen the roundabout ways of society.

When Li Xianglu came back after cleaning up, Iro asked, "Xiao Xiang, what face oil are you using? It smells light and refreshing."

Li Xianglu smiled and handed over a small bottle from her pocket.

Iro examined it: Palace Lamp Almond Honey. It was way fancier than the locally produced Shanghai Baiquelan, considered a luxury in skincare products, exceptionally moisturizing with excellent hydration effects. But it was expensive—a bottle cost seventeen yuan.

Li Xianglu often used high-quality items; the clothes she wore, the things she used were all good quality. She even had a high-end radio, and despite indirect inquiries, Li Xianglu only mentioned she was from Guanzhong and planned to go home on weekends with a guy.

That guy caught many girls’ attention the moment he set foot on campus with his tall build and handsome looks—and not too old either. He often showed up on a Phoenix Head bicycle to pick up Li Xianglu; their relationship was unclear, as Xu Xin had asked several times but never got an answer.

Since exams were approaching, many stayed up late studying, curtains drawn and flashlights on, which greatly agitated Li Xianglu, who couldn’t sleep at all and went for breakfast with dark circles under her eyes.

Qin Xi, seeing her this way, furrowed his brows and sighed after asking; their dorm was the same. Now that ten years had passed, everyone was studying as if their lives depended on it, and he hadn’t slept well either. So, he suggested, "Why don’t we head back? The exam locations are already assigned. Continuing like this, you won’t perform well without proper rest."

Li Xianglu nodded in agreement; she hated being sleep deprived.

She spent the day yawning non-stop. Even with people studying at noon, Li Xianglu greeted everyone before hurrying back; she needed to catch up on sleep.