The September sun still carried the heat of late summer, casting sharp beams through the dusty dorm window. Lu Zhao, slightly out of breath, stood outside Room 302 with a heavy suitcase. The door was ajar, and faint voices drifted from inside. He took a deep breath and pushed it open.
The dorm was a standard four-person layout—bunk beds above, desks below—currently feeling a bit empty. One spot by the window was already occupied. A figure stood with his back to the door, bent over, arranging books on a shelf. At the sound of the door, he straightened and turned around.
For a moment, Lu Zhao felt the room was too bright.
Standing before him was a tall boy in a plain white T-shirt and light blue jeans, clean as a sky after rain. His skin was pale, his nose straight, lips well-shaped. But it was his eyes that stood out—like ink jade soaked in clear water, lucid yet naturally distant. He stood quietly, as if the noisy air around him had stilled in his presence.
Lu Zhao had never seen such a good-looking… boy. Words caught in his throat, the greeting he'd rehearsed stuck.
"Hello. New roommate?" The other spoke first, voice clear and steady, emotionless.
"Ah, yes, hi! I'm Lu Zhao, Computer Science and Technology major." Lu Zhao snapped back to himself, awkwardly introducing himself as he dragged his suitcase in.
"Gu Xun. Same major." The boy nodded, then turned back to his books without further small talk.
Lu Zhao quietly exhaled. So this ridiculously good-looking roommate was a bit cold. That was fine—less pressure. He chose the bed opposite Gu Xun and began unpacking.
Not long after, the door slammed open with a bang. A loud, energetic voice exploded: "Yo! Another one! Hey bros!"
Lu Zhao turned to see a tall, athletic boy in a basketball jersey, skin sun-kissed, holding a basketball in one hand and a massive sports bag in the other. His grin was dazzling, all white teeth and firecracker energy—like a walking flame that instantly lit up the dorm's cool atmosphere.
"I'm Jiang Jin, sports recruit, also in Computer Science! You two?"
"Lu Zhao. Computer Science."
"Gu Xun. Same."
Gu Xun's concise reply didn't dampen Jiang Jin's enthusiasm. He bounced over, eyes sparkling. "Gu Xun? Nice name! Damn, you're way too handsome. I heard girls in the hallway talking—said our floor got a supermodel. Guess they weren't wrong!"
Gu Xun's brow twitched almost imperceptibly. He leaned back slightly, putting distance between them. "Thanks," he said coolly.
Jiang Jin didn't mind. He turned to Lu Zhao, clapping him hard on the shoulder. "Lu Zhao, right? You look solid. Let's play ball sometime!"
Lu Zhao winced at the slap, shoulder tingling, but smiled. "Sure, though I'm not great."
"No worries! I'll teach you! Guaranteed results!" Jiang Jin thumped his chest with pride.
The fourth roommate never showed—rumor had it he rented off-campus. So Room 302 settled into a trio.
The first few days were orientation and textbook pickup. Since they shared a major, their schedules aligned, and they naturally moved as a group. To class, to the cafeteria, to the bookstore—Jiang Jin was always the loudest, slinging jokes with his arm around Lu Zhao, occasionally trying to pull Gu Xun into the banter. Gu Xun mostly listened quietly, nodding or replying briefly. Lu Zhao found himself in the middle—enjoying Jiang Jin's energy, but also comfortable with Gu Xun's silence.
Lu Zhao's first real impression of his roommates came during their introductory lecture.
The elderly professor spoke slowly, the content dry. Lu Zhao zoned out, sneaking glances sideways. Jiang Jin was doodling basketballs in his notebook, clearly mentally on the court. Gu Xun, on the other hand, sat upright, eyes fixed on the screen, slender fingers gripping his pen as he took neat, precise notes.
When class ended, Jiang Jin shot up. "Let's go! I'm starving!"
Lu Zhao packed up and casually said to Gu Xun, "Your notes are really thorough."
Gu Xun closed his notebook. "Just habit."
On the way to the cafeteria, Jiang Jin complained about the boring lecture. Gu Xun suddenly corrected a basic concept Jiang Jin had misunderstood—succinct, logical, and clear. Jiang Jin blinked, then laughed, throwing an arm around Gu Xun. "Nice, scholar! You're our homework savior now!"
Gu Xun stiffened slightly, quietly slipping out of Jiang Jin's grip. "Mutual learning," he replied flatly.
Lu Zhao watched, mentally tagging his roommates: Jiang Jin—fiery, athletic, a bit rough around the edges. Gu Xun—unreal looks, cool demeanor, sharp mind. A scholar.
That evening, the three ate together. Jiang Jin's tray was piled high with meat, devoured in seconds. Lu Zhao ate at a normal pace. Gu Xun was slow, graceful, his movements elegant—a stark contrast to Jiang Jin's chaos.
"Gu Xun, you eat so little. Is that enough?" Jiang Jin asked, mouth full.
"It's enough." Gu Xun dabbed his mouth with a napkin.
"Hey, I scoped out the girls in our department today—lots of pretty faces…" Jiang Jin launched into his intel.
Lu Zhao listened with interest, chiming in occasionally. Gu Xun remained silent, focused solely on his tray.
After dinner, the sunset stretched their shadows long. Jiang Jin walked ahead, excitedly planning which clubs to join. Lu Zhao followed, Gu Xun trailing half a step behind.
Back in the dorm, Jiang Jin shouted about showering and dashed into the bathroom. Gu Xun sat at his desk, turned on his lamp, and opened a book. Lu Zhao slumped into his chair, scrolling his phone.
Silence settled. Lu Zhao stole a glance at Gu Xun. The warm lamp glow outlined his perfect profile, long lashes casting a faint shadow beneath his eyes. He looked like a painting. Lu Zhao sighed inwardly at the unfairness of genetics, then returned to his phone.
He thought: so this is college life. Two decent roommates—one loud, one quiet. Gu Xun might be hard to approach, but at least he wasn't unpleasant. As long as Jiang Jin didn't get too handsy, and Gu Xun kept his distance, things should be fine.
He had no idea that soon, this fragile peace and initial goodwill would be shattered by the complexities of reality. For now, Room 302 was just an ordinary dorm at dusk—quiet before the storm.