Love Me in Another Universe

Chapter 41. We're in the Same Class Again! (Part 1)

August 22, 1996, Tuesday.

"Lang, morning..."

Gao Xinglang stood under the big banyan tree at the entrance to his residential quarter. Hearing the familiar voice, he looked up and saw Guan Xuchen listless. He smiled and asked, "Soupy, why do you look like you're still half-dreaming? Are you feeling unwell?"

Guan Xuchen shook his head and forced a smile, saying, "It's nothing. I just didn't sleep very well last night."

Gao Xinglang then noticed that Guan Xuchen was carrying a bulging duffel bag in his left hand, a bucket full of miscellaneous items in his right hand, and a pillow under his right armpit.

Gao Xinglang's mouth hung open in surprise, and then he burst out laughing, "Soupy, are you going on a long journey? Why are you carrying so many things?"

Guan Xuchen looked at the backpack behind Gao Xinglang and asked back in surprise, "Lang, is that all your luggage?"

"It's just five days of military training, so I just brought some clothes to change and toiletries," Gao Xinglang replied casually. Then he took Guan's duffel bag, weighed it, and teased, "Soupy, you didn't pack bricks in this bag, did you? It's so heavy."

Guan tried to take the bag back, but Gao laughed and said, "I'll carry it for you. I don't have much luggage anyway."

"Thank you, Lang," Guan Xuchen thanked Gao with a smile, while using his free left hand to take the pillow tucked under his right armpit. He then walked with Gao Xinglang towards Guangzhou Xiaoda Middle School.

"No problem, you're my good bro!" Gao Xinglang said cheerfully, and then asked curiously, "But Soupy, what exactly are in your duffel bag?"

Guan Xuchen thought for a moment, and then said proudly, "Clothes, toiletries, emergency medicines, a flashlight, an umbrella, slippers, toilet paper, snacks, and a few books."

Gao Xinglang laughed out loud when he heard this, saying, "Soupy, your duffel bag is like Doraemon's magic pocket!"

Then he pointed at the pillow that Guan Xuchen was holding in his left hand and asked, puzzled, 'Didn't the admission notice say the school would provide pillows and quilts?"

Somewhat embarrassed, Guan Xuchen replied, "I was worried that I wouldn't get used to a strange pillow, so I brought the one from home."

Gao Xinglang teased, "Soupy, it's so thoughtful of you. Any girl who marries you in future will very happy!"

"Lang, what nonsense are you talking about?" Guan Xuchen muttered, blushing.

The two returned to the school and saw a sign saying "Welcome New Students" posted at the entrance, and there were many student volunteers on hand to help. The two asked a volunteer about the registration process and then walked into the school as usual. They first came to the open space under the teaching building. It was bustling with activity, with a lot of students gathered there. Some were looking at the class allocation on the temporary notice board, some were queuing up to register, and others had already finished registering and were chatting excitedly on the campus.

Gao Xinglang and Guan Xuchen saw a lot of unfamiliar faces, presumably new students from other schools who had been admitted to Xiaoda. Guan Xuchen walked towards the notice board with mixed feelings. On the one hand, he was excited about making new friends in senior middle school; on the other, he was worried about whether he and Gao Xinglang would be allocated to the same class.

At that moment, a few students finished looking at the class allocation and left. So Guan Xuchen and Gao Xinglang walked up to the notice board. Guan Xuchen started with Class 1, Senior One and quickly scanned the names of the students in the six classes. He soon found his name under Class 3. He read on and after a dozen names, he saw Gao Xinglang's name.