Boys' Dorm 9+1 · Chat

Thursday evening in Dorm 402, everyone was settled into their own relaxed routines. Lin Yan sat at the desk by the window, his fingers holding a fountain pen as he annotated finance notes. The steam from his black coffee drifted past his thin-rimmed glasses; he was surrounded by an unshakable aura of cool focus. Jiang Ye leaned against a bed frame, twirling his drumsticks, his bear hat pulled low over his eyes. With silver studs glinting in his ears, he was looking down, revising a streetwear illustration draft—indolent and defiant. Lu Chi had just hoisted two large water jugs onto the storage cabinet. He wiped his sweat with a towel draped around his neck, his crimson hair damp. His wrists, wrapped tight in bandages, rested casually on his lap, exuding a rough, powerful energy. Su Yu was slumped in his chair, chewing bubblegum while scrolling through campus radio scripts. His silver-gray hair hung softly, and he’d blow a round bubble every now and then—lazy and easygoing. Shen Xingci was curled up on his bottom bunk, hugging a stuffed bear while humming a demo. His misty-blue hair was messy and soft, and the light blue band-aid on the bridge of his nose made him look even more adorable. A small nightlight, for someone afraid of the dark, cast a warm glow. Fu Shen had just returned from a workout, his black hair slightly damp and a towel over his shoulder. He was looking down, organizing a first-aid kit, the hard, sharp lines of his broad shoulders and narrow waist exuding a restrained masculinity. Wen Ran was tending to a small electric pot, his light brown curls soft and fluffy. He was stirring silver ear fungus soup with a small spoon, the air filled with the sweet scent of grains, looking as gentle as a ball of warm light. Xie Xun sat in a corner, holding an old film camera and focusing on the succulents on the windowsill. His white hair paired with red-rimmed glasses made him look literary and quiet as his fingertip gently pressed the shutter, leaving behind the faint clicking sound of film. The entire dormitory was quiet and well-ordered; the eight of them were each busy with their own tasks, showing a comfortable, unspoken chemistry. “Knock, knock, knock.” Three moderate knocks sounded. There was none of the usual sternness or stiffness of a dorm manager; instead, the tone was calm, even carrying the lightness of a young person: “Dorm inspection, please open the door.” The activity in the room stopped all at once. Jiang Ye was the first to scoff. He stopped twirling his drumstick, looked up, and raised an eyebrow. “This voice doesn't sound like that grumpy old manager from upstairs?” Su Yu chewed his gum and stood up nonchalantly. “Did the shifts change?” The door was swung open. The next second, the room fell silent. The eight people, who had been busy just moments ago, all froze in place. Eight pairs of eyes landed on the doorway, all filled with the exact same thing—bewilderment, surprise, followed by a surging curiosity. Standing outside the door was not at all the stern, middle-aged stereotype they had in mind. Instead, it was someone dressed in simple casual clothes, wearing a dorm manager ID card, who looked to be about their age—maybe a year or two older at most. No posturing, no stern face. Their eyes were clean and clear. They held a registration ledger, their fingers gripping it slightly as if with a newcomer's nervousness, standing in the sunset-drenched hallway. They were worlds apart from the dorm manager image the boys had imagined. Su Yu was the first to snap out of it. The bubblegum in his mouth popped with a *snap* right against his lips. His almond eyes widened, and his lazy expression vanished instantly. After a full two seconds of stunned silence, he spoke in disbelief, his voice tinged with shock: “...Wait a minute? *You’re* the dorm manager?” Those words completely broke the silence. Lin Yan’s hand holding the pen froze, not even noticing the ink blot staining his notes. He slowly pushed down the black-rimmed glasses that had slid to the tip of his nose. His cool, downcast lashes lifted, and in those eyes that were usually calm and emotionless, a rare and obvious look of astonishment appeared. His gaze swept between you and your ID card twice, his tone unusually uncertain: “The new dorm manager?” The top student, usually rational, restrained, and unreadable, couldn't hide his surprise now. Jiang Ye straightened up, pushing his bear hat back to reveal his silver-studded ears and defiant eyes. His body tensed under his black-and-white striped hoodie as his scrutinizing gaze swept over you. His lip stud pressed against the corner of his mouth, his face full of “once-in-a-lifetime” shock, his tone blunt and curious: “Does the school hire such young dorm managers now?” His previously indifferent gaze lost its distance, replaced by direct scrutiny and growing interest. Lu Chi froze completely, his sweat-wiping motion coming to an abrupt halt. Beneath his crimson hair, those eyes—usually fierce and aggressive—widened like those of a startled large beast. His intimidating aura dissipated mostly in an instant. He stared at you blankly for a long time, unable to speak, the tips of his ears actually turning slightly red. After a while, he managed to squeeze out a sentence, his voice full of disbelief: “...You're... about the same age as us?” The usually hot-headed and direct boxer now had a softened tone, his eyes filled with nothing but shock. Shen Xingci was so startled he stopped humming, his grip on his stuffed bear tightening. His misty-blue eyes were wide and round like a frightened kitten's as he peered at you timidly. His soft, delicate face was full of innocent wonder as he murmured in a voice as light as a feather: “Dorm manager sister/brother... you're so young...” He even forgot his shyness, his eyes filled with pure curiosity and surprise. Fu Shen’s hand organizing the first-aid kit paused, his hard jawline tightening slightly. He looked up at you. In those eyes that were usually taciturn, steady, and unshakeable, a very obvious flash of stunned realization passed. His gaze lingered on your youthful features for a moment before landing on your manager ID. After two seconds of silence, he spoke calmly, though his voice carried an undetectable note of surprise: “The new manager?” Even someone as composed as him couldn't hide the unexpectedness in his eyes. Wen Ran’s spoon in the silver ear fungus soup wobbled slightly. His light amber eyes curved into an expression of surprise. His usually gentle face was full of shock, which then melted into warm curiosity. He quickly put down the spoon and stood up, his tone soft and full of pleasant surprise: “It's actually someone as young as us! I thought it was the previous manager teacher.” He even instinctively wanted to pour you a cup of herbal tea, his heart full of friendly curiosity. Xie Xun’s hand holding the film camera jerked, forgetting to press the shutter. His snow-white short hair made his features look even cleaner. Behind his red-rimmed glasses, his eyes widened slightly. On his usually quiet, reserved, and distantly gentle face, a blunt look of surprise appeared. The lens unconsciously focused on you for a moment as he spoke softly, his tone full of wonder: “...So, it's a new dorm manager of our age.” Eight people, eight kinds of surprise, but one shared thought. There was no defensiveness, no distance—only the extreme shock that “the dorm manager is actually the same age as us” and an overwhelming wave of curiosity. Su Yu was the first to recover. He stepped forward with a laugh, his almond eyes curving mischievously, his tone full of novelty: “Amazing. We've lived in 402 for three years, and this is the first time we've seen such a young dorm manager!” Jiang Ye leaned against the wall, his lips curling into a rare, non-hostile smile, his gaze intrigued: “Interesting. Looks a lot easier to talk to than the last one.” Lu Chi scratched his head, shedding his aggressive aura. He awkwardly looked away, but he wasn't fierce anymore—just awkwardly curious. Lin Yan gently closed his notebook, the coldness in his eyes fading a bit, replaced by a more gentle, observant look. Shen Xingci, clutching his bear, slowly poked his head out from under his covers, his eyes sparkling as he stared at you. Fu Shen stood up, setting aside his cold demeanor, his gaze steady yet curious. Wen Ran smiled as he handed you the warm herbal tea. Xie Xun gently pressed the shutter, quietly capturing this first meeting on film. The room, filled with youthful energy, instantly exploded with wonder and curiosity, all because of a new dorm manager of the same age.