It was only after Fang Bai left that everyone snapped back to reality.
"Fang Bai was using a 'big brother' phone just now, wasn't he?" Wu Jiang couldn't help but ask everyone, his heart filled with shock.
"Yes, it was a 'big brother' phone. I've seen one before. They cost twenty to thirty thousand yuan on the market, and they're hard to buy. It seems our roommate comes from an extraordinary family background," Wang Yifei, who had seen a 'big brother' phone before, said thoughtfully.
Yang Tan, who had just felt a bit superior as a local, now felt completely out of their league.
Even Yang Tan's father, who served as the Deputy Director of the Industrial and Commercial Bureau in Jinshan County, a deputy section-level official, saw his son's silence and knew his child had been outshone in front of them.
Yang Tan's mother helped her son arrange his duvet cover and bed, then had to leave. As she left, the middle-aged man pulled his son outside the dormitory to talk.
"That classmate of yours is either rich or powerful. He intentionally keeps a low profile, but he doesn't deliberately hide anything, either. He's probably just used to it. Get along well with him normally.
The parents of a child like that are definitely not ordinary in their local area. Even our leaders have to treat them well, let alone your dad."
Yang Tan nodded, "Okay, Dad, I understand. I've noticed some things too. I think he's quite easy to get along with.
Unlike some of our high school classmates who had a bit of money or power; their noses were always in the air."
"Hmm, my judgment of people is still quite accurate. If he runs for class monitor, you probably won't have a chance.
But I hope you learn to get along with people from various backgrounds; this will be of great help to you in the future.
Otherwise, you're not suited for my path," the middle-aged man knew his son was interested in a political career in the future, and thus, such classmate relationships during university were extremely important to him.
Yang Tan was full of confidence, "Fang Bai said he doesn't want to run for class cadre. Even if he wanted to, I wouldn't back down from him. Don't worry, I'll build good relationships with all my classmates."
"He seems not to care, but I don't believe what he says; he hides it too deeply. Of course, there are other classmates you haven't met yet. Anyway, anyone who can get into this university shouldn't be underestimated, but you also need to be confident."
"Okay, got it, Dad. You two should head back."
The family of three chatted for a while before Yang Tan's parents left. Yang Tan returned to the dormitory and saw everyone still discussing Fang Bai's 'big brother' phone, guessing what his family did.
"Brothers, once our other roommates arrive, I'd like to treat everyone to a casual meal so we can get to know each other," Yang Tan, unwilling to be outdone, felt he had to make friends with his roommates in advance to gain the upper hand.
"Alright, then we won't be polite."
Around six in the evening, another roommate arrived: Chen Sanjun from Suzhou.
At noon the next day, the last roommate arrived, named Mei Xihu, from Dongshan Province. He enjoyed poetry, wore thick glasses, and had a refined appearance. His parents were teachers who had studied in Hangzhou when they were young and fell in love by West Lake, which is why they named him "Xihu."
When he learned all his roommates' names, he was slightly surprised, "I think the names of the eight of us just happen to form a poem: Bai Tan Fei Wu Jiang, Mei Chui Dong San Jun."
Everyone heard him say this, and indeed, it was true! It was too coincidental. Everyone couldn't help but burst into laughter, suggesting they write a couplet and hang it at the dormitory entrance.
"That works. I can write couplets. What should the horizontal scroll be called? mechanical eight oddities?" Mei Xihu joked.
"Hey, don't say that, mechanical eight oddities is pretty good! We all come from different places, with different personalities. This is good."
"Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea, Mechanical and Electrical Eight Immortals?"
"mechanical eight oddities sounds better. The eight of us, assembled into a large machine, are also a team."
"I also think mechanical eight oddities is better; it makes people more curious about which eight oddities and where they are odd. Anyway, I've witnessed Fang Bai's oddness."
"Once Fang Bai arrives, if he has no objections, then it's settled: mechanical eight oddities will surely become famous at Jiao Tong University."
In the evening, Yang Tan invited the six roommates in the dormitory to eat at a small restaurant outside the campus.
"Ah, it's just Fang Bai who hasn't arrived yet."
"He said he'd come tomorrow. He's probably staying outside."
"Isn't Fang Bai's family from Wen City?"
"If you have money, you can stay in a hotel as you please. Looking at him, he doesn't lack money, and he probably isn't used to dormitory life."
"I haven't met Fang Bai. Will rich people be difficult to get along with?" The two roommates who hadn't met Fang Bai were very curious.
"He's quite enthusiastic; you'll know when you meet him. When he picked up that 'big brother' phone to answer a call, it stunned us all. He said he wants to treat us, so when he comes, we'll really make him pay, haha," Wang Yifei laughed heartily. "Tonight, thank you, Yang Tan, for the treat. I'll toast you first. The class meeting will probably be held tomorrow to elect class cadres. I'll definitely vote for you."
"Yang Tan, thank you for the dinner. But I want to state in advance that I'm also running for class cadre, but not class monitor—just any position will do."
"No problem, fair competition. I hope all of us mechanical eight oddities become class cadres," Yang Tan did not hide his goal. If he didn't say anything, how would everyone know his thoughts? What if they threw their votes to other competitors then?
After discussing this, everyone chatted about their interests, such as how many girls were in the class, postgraduate studies, studying abroad, and the school's club situation.
This afternoon, their counselor, Qin Xue, came to the dormitory to inform them about the class meeting at ten o'clock tomorrow and to inquire about the dormitory's occupancy.
The next morning, around seven o'clock, Fang Bai arrived at the dormitory.
He didn't have many personal items; his backpack contained a lunch box, toothpaste and toothbrush, a mouthwash cup, a thermos, a towel and clothes hanger, etc. He also brought a pair of slippers and a pair of sports shoes, as well as a set of sportswear.
He casually brought a few pounds of apples and a few pounds of oranges, and a box of pastries. He could carry it all by himself.
Wang Dakai drove Fang Bai to the vicinity of the dormitory and then drove away. The car was parked for less than a minute, but it still startled some students.
When Fang Bai walked into the dormitory, most of his roommates were already awake. The roommates who had met Fang Bai greeted him warmly when they saw him return.
"I bought some fruit and pastries for everyone on the way."
"Mm, Fang Bai is too kind. I won't be polite either. I'll play the big landlord. Thank you."
"Thank you, then I won't be polite; I haven't had breakfast yet. Oh, right, there's a class meeting at ten o'clock this morning. The counselor came to inform us yesterday, but you weren't here. However, we told her you'd be here today," Wang Yifei put down his book, put on his slippers, and felt even hungrier after seeing the pastries.
Fang Bai thanked him and asked, "Okay, do you know where it is?"
He placed his personal items on the upper bunk by the left window. His bed was pre-assigned.
"Room 213 in Teaching Building Four. We scouted it out yesterday; it's right next to the gymnasium."
A moment later, all eight roommates were present and chatted about military training and courses.
"Mei Xihu suggested that our names just happen to form a poem: Bai Tan Fei Wu Jiang, Mei Chui Dong San Jun. The horizontal scroll would be called mechanical eight oddities. We'd like your opinion; the seven of us have no objections."
"Mei Xihu's idea is quite poetic. I have no objection," Fang Bai chuckled, surprised that a roommate's name could be so coincidental.
"Fang Bai, it's Mei Xihu."
"Oh, I'm sorry," Fang Bai apologized. They weren't familiar with each other yet, so he shouldn't make fun of his name.
Wang Yifei, having gotten more familiar with Fang Bai, asked with a grin, "Fang Bai, can I take a look at your 'big brother' phone? I've never touched one before; I'm a bit curious."
"Of course, no problem, it's nothing," Fang Bai took out his phone from his backpack and threw it directly onto his bed on the lower bunk. There was a "clatter" that startled everyone.
Wang Yifei quickly picked it up, checked it, and said with a frown, "Be careful! Aren't you afraid of breaking it?"
"It won't break from a fall like that; it's fine. I've tested it. It won't break even if it falls from two or three meters, as long as it doesn't fall directly onto a hard floor. I have to say, the quality of foreign products is still good. Besides, if it breaks, I'll just repair it. It's just for making calls. You can use it to make calls too if you want; I won't charge you for the calls," Fang Bai said casually, thinking of future Nokia phones that could even be used to crack walnuts.
Initially, he found this 'big brother' phone quite novel, but after using it for a day, he felt it wasn't that interesting anymore. He wouldn't even carry it unless necessary.
"..."
The roommates didn't know what to say. They had to treat such a treasure with extreme care, truly fearing even a slight scratch.
"The body really does have a few marks. Fang Bai, your upkeep is too poor," Wang Yifei said with heartache. "It's too expensive to use. I heard even answering a call costs six mao."
"Heh heh, I'm not joking. If I'm not using it, you can take it to make calls. I really won't charge you. We're in the same dormitory; talking about money is too vulgar, and we're supposed to be the mechanical eight oddities," Fang Bai didn't take it seriously. He hoped to ease their relationship this way, emphasizing that he wasn't superior just because he had money, and they wouldn't tolerate that from him.
He climbed onto his bunk to arrange his bedding. Each freshman received a four-jin cotton quilt and an eight-jin cotton quilt, as well as a mat and a pillow. The bedsheets were blue plaid, of average quality, and stored in the wardrobe.
The roommates who were initially curious about the 'big brother' phone but afraid of breaking it didn't dare to touch it. After hearing Fang Bai's words, they realized he didn't care about it at all, and they couldn't resist gathering around Wang Yifei to admire it, passionately discussing how to make and answer calls. Students from the neighboring dormitory saw the commotion and also came in to take a look, only to find them playing with the 'big brother' phone.
Soon after, Fang Bai's dormitory was crowded with students, all wanting to touch it and simultaneously realizing there was a wealthy student in their class.
"If I walked around campus with a 'big brother' phone, I bet girls would quickly approach me," a student said enviously.
"Vulgar. Do you think Fang Bai would do that? Besides, you're making our schoolgirls sound too vulgar."
"Most girls wouldn't, but if I were a girl, I would, haha."
"Fang Bai wouldn't be interested in ordinary girls, but that doesn't necessarily apply to us. I heard the Department of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering has a very low girl-to-boy ratio."
Students of this era rarely spoke vulgarities, especially freshmen at Jiao Tong University, but when the topic turned to girls, the discussion became very lively.
They yearned for love, especially boys who were not confident about their appearance, who could only hide in a corner of the campus, reciting love poems to vent their inner turmoil.
Fang Bai finished arranging his bedding, took back his phone, and told everyone to disperse so as not to disturb students who wanted to study.
Soon after, everyone dispersed.
At this moment, Yang Tan had mixed feelings, feeling that the popularity he had accumulated over two days was not as much as that of a 'big brother' phone.
If Fang Bai ran for class monitor, he truly had no confidence.
Around 9:30, everyone left the dormitory and headed towards the classroom.