Lin Wu, a native of this city, had spent nineteen and a half years in its embrace. Yet, in his memory, he had never witnessed such fog. The northern region’s characteristic dryness, low humidity, and minimal rainfall made fog, this gentle and elusive scenery, almost nonexistent.
The most enchanting fog scene he had ever encountered was captured in a photo of his parents during their youth. In the water towns of Jiangnan, amidst a fine drizzle, black awning boats gracefully navigated the waterways of the ancient town, blurring the distinction between water and fog.
This was the setting of his parents’ honeymoon. Lin Wu often imagined it to be a magical journey, and even though he was born three years later, his name seemed to linger in the mist of that distant southern town.
Initially, the comments under the fog post praised the photos and the picturesque scenery. However, the discussion gradually shifted to an academic tone, debating whether such weather in Shenyang could be considered abnormal. It sparked concerns and anxiety about global climate anomalies.
Their university life unfolded with simple and unpretentious moments, like eating grilled cold noodles with the spirit of the United Nations.
Around noon, Li Junchi finally returned. Tall and well-proportioned, with healthy wheat-colored skin, he was often mistaken for someone from the school’s sports department.
Upon entering, his gaze first met Xia Yang’s, then turned to the roommate he hadn’t seen during the entire break, Lin Wu, who was staring at him from the top bunk.
Li Junchi chuckled, “Did you just wake up, or did you eat and are ready to take a nap?”
“Do I look like I’ve had a meal with this sallow face?” Xia Yang wiped his face, fully awake. Then, as if remembering something, he ambiguously raised an eyebrow towards Li Junchi, “Wanna exchange WeChat?”
Confused, Li Junchi asked, “Exchange what?”
Lin Wu, enjoying the banter, chimed in, “For that girl you picked up at the station.”
Li Junchi had a response ready, “I didn’t ask her for it; she insisted on giving me hers!”
Lin Wu: “Is there such a good thing?”
Xia Yang: “Did you give her yours?”
“How could I give it to her,” Li Junchi asserted, “there’s a separate charge for that.”
Lin Wu: “…”
Xia Yang: “…”
A proclamation of being powerful and proudly single.
Since Li Junchi hadn’t eaten yet, he seamlessly returned to the previous topic, “Let’s have hot pot together for lunch.”
Lin Wu’s eyes lit up at the mention of hot pot, “Spicy tomato mushroom soup or curry?”
As the saying goes, there’s nothing a barbecue can’t solve, and if there is, then let’s have hot pot.
“Either is fine,” Li Junchi laid out the small boxes from the plastic bag, “you choose the flavor.”
Fifteen minutes later, three male students faced their desks, each with a bubbling self-heating mini hot pot.
Lin Wu sighed, feeling exhausted. After a month and a half of a break, he had forgotten about their dorm’s “Joyful Hot Pot Time.” At the end of the previous semester, the entire dorm had collectively voted to change from a “group hot pot” to a “self-heating individual hot pot.”
“My hot pot, it has no soul now,” Lin Wu lamented.
Unable to resist any longer, he got up and went to Li Junchi’s side to manually pause the playback. Instead of bothering to switch back to his own phone, he directly sent a voice message in the group using Li Junchi’s phone, “We’re not having hot pot, let’s have cold noodles. Absolutely safe. You can relax and wait obediently at the train station. Ah.”
At that time, the residents of Dorm 333 voted on whether to change the hot pot mode. The result was two in favor, one against, and one abstention. So why did they eventually change it? Because the one against was Ren Feiyu. His “pessimistic energy emission + inexplicable crisis awareness” could outdo ten Xia Yangs when he really got going, and that was with him playing at an ordinary level while Xia Yang went all out. So one vote equaled ten votes, effortlessly.
Speaking of trains, Ren Feiyu finally sent a short reply, exuding unstoppable excitement, “It’s all set, changed it to tomorrow, still on this train, hehehe.”
It’s rare to see Ren Feiyu happy. Keep in mind that this person spends 364 days out of the year in a “mourning” state. He feels like any cloud above him is plotting against him, and you can’t call him paranoid because the facts prove that life does seem to target him every day.
So, when he was happy, Lin Wu and his friends were also happy.
Unfortunately, joy lasted only three seconds. Soon, the gloominess returned: “But I won’t be able to make it to tomorrow morning’s class…”
Heartbroken, pitiful, aggrieved.
Lin Wu had just returned to his seat to enjoy his mini hot pot when he heard this statement. He put down his chopsticks and stood up again. Being closest to the window, he took a step toward it, grabbed his phone, and snapped several pictures of the freshmen who had just finished military training and were walking towards the front dormitory building. He then posted the pictures in the group chat.
After a long silence, Ren Feiyu finally responded with a line of text.
Please grant me a koi fish: It’s all in the past [Contemplative. Nostalgia.jpg]
Although accompanied by an emoji, the text still seemed much more solemn than a voice message.
Lin Wu changed back to text as well: Are you happy now?
Please grant me a koi fish: Being alive is truly beautiful [Facing the wind with tears.jpg]
The devilish military training is a fine tradition that the school has insisted on for many years. On this day last year, they were freshmen, almost shedding a layer of skin in that hellish September
Happiness is all relative. However, what took everyone by surprise was that the next day, military training did not proceed as scheduled. Heavy fog had arrived.
“Attention, students, please be informed that due to weather conditions, all classes are suspended today, and the campus is temporarily closed. Students, unless there are special circumstances, please do not go out, try to stay in the dormitories, and minimize outdoor activities to avoid accidents…”
The repeated announcement reverberated throughout the entire campus.
They remembered the moment vividly because when the first broadcast began, they had just exited the cafeteria after breakfast, gearing up to navigate the path through the thick fog to the first-class building.
Necessitating a literal “groping” through the dense fog, even the sturdier individuals had to cling to each other, reminiscent of Thomas and his comrades, each pulling the other along, taking cautious steps forward. A misstep could result in collisions with people, trees, or, worse, a collective stumble.
The fog was undeniably thick.
The once azure morning sky transformed into a chaotic expanse of white, clouds swirling in the firmament, and dense fog billowing down, blending seamlessly with the earth and sky. Distant mountains, towering buildings, nearby foliage, and pedestrians all took on the hue of fog, turning ethereal, translucent, and floating in this dreamlike mist.
Lin Wu, upon waking and peering out the window, was initially startled. Eventually, he realized it was merely fog and eased his initial apprehension. Alongside Li Junchi and Xia Yang, they grabbed their books and embarked on their journey.
Little did they know that, after a struggle to the cafeteria and having just finished breakfast, they were informed of the cancellation of all classes across the entire school.
In addition to the loudspeaker announcement, an official notice in the departmental group, accompanied by the counselor’s emphasis, underscored the suggestion to manage with available dormitory food and avoid venturing to the cafeteria until the fog dissipated, minimizing unnecessary risks.
It was just fog, not heavy rain, snow, hail, or thunderstorms—what could possibly be dangerous?
【Environmental Engineering Class 1 Group】
Sturdy-toothed Xia Yang: Isn’t it just slightly reduced visibility? Suspending classes and closing the school seems a bit excessive, don’t you think? Those who understand it’s fog might think there’s a gas leak or something [Shrugging]
Admired Liu Mu: I also find it a bit exaggerated.
Elegant and graceful Sun Yuehan: Better to err on the side of caution.
I am the class monitor Deng Chacha: Better safe than sorry.
Beautiful White Xinrui: ?
I am the class monitor Deng Chacha: Already done.
Zhuguangbaqi Bai Xinrui: ?
I am the class monitor Deng Chacha: A girl from the Materials Science College got injured at the dormitory entrance, a boy from the Business School got injured at the cafeteria entrance, three boys from the Mechanical Engineering College were fooling around and almost caused a stampede on their way to the classroom, and a boy from the Sports College jumped down from a tree and fractured the arms of a boy from the Literature College.
Sturdy-toothed Xia Yang:……
Flowing Peng Peng of the group, Pang Dongdong:……
Admired Liu Mu:……
Beautiful White Xinrui:……
Blooming Lin Wu: No, I can endure those three from the Mechanical Engineering College fooling around, but the ones from the Sports College and Literature College are too confusing, right??
This was the morning 8 o’clock class group chat record.
Lin Wu’s keen observation instantly steered the conversation, sparking waves of discussion.
Sturdy-toothed Xia Yang: Yeah, why did he climb the tree?
Elegant and graceful Sun Yuehan: And why jump down afterward?
Gourmet Shang Haitao: The key is that he hit someone.
Commanding Xu Zhenlong: And he happened to hit the Literature College guy’s arms?
I am the class monitor Deng Chacha: Exceptional weather causes emotional excitement, leading to passionate tree climbing. That’s a possibility, Sturdy-toothed Xia Yang.
I am the class monitor Deng Chacha: Climbing to the treetop, finally calming down, then deciding to rely on one’s good physical fitness to jump down directly. That also makes sense, Elegant and graceful Sun Yuehan.
I am the class monitor Deng Chacha: Maybe it’s not hitting someone, but the Literature College student was originally down there reaching out to catch him, Gourmet Shang Haitao.
I am the class monitor Deng Chacha: So, both arms were fractured, Commanding Xu Zhenlong.
I am the class monitor Deng Chacha: Any more questions? Blooming Lin Wu.
Blooming Lin Wu: In this weather, even if someone from the Literature College passed by below, they wouldn’t see someone in the tree. Even if someone from the Sports College shouted from above, those passing below wouldn’t see anything clearly. Would they dare to stretch their hands recklessly?
I am the class monitor Deng Chacha: Why can’t they climb the tree and have fun together?
Blooming Lin Wu: A Sports College student and a Literature College student?
I am the class monitor Deng Chacha: Nowadays, gender isn’t an issue anymore; is the department still a problem?
Blooming Lin Wu:…
Blooming Lin Wu: [Your words are too deep, to the point where I dare not ask further, afraid of uncovering a story I can’t bear.jpg]
Blooming Lin Wu: [Excuse me! Speedy escape.gif]
The class monitor is always the class monitor, just like an uncle is always an uncle.
