Chapter 167 - 166: School Begins (Third Update)
Gu Xiaoqing started school.
After the hustle and bustle, Gu Xiaoqing had no choice but to start school.
Welcoming her high school life.
The city’s No. 1 High School is a boarding high school, requiring students to live on campus.
From Monday to Friday, they stay at the school, they can go home Friday night and return Sunday night.
Gu Xiaoqing was accompanied by Gu Ruhai and Li Xuemei to register.
No matter how busy the couple was, they decided to accompany their child to school.
They also wanted to see what the city’s school was like.
They wouldn’t feel at ease until they saw the living environment of Gu Xiaoqing’s dormitory.
It’s their child’s first time living outside, how could the parents not worry?
The bedding for Gu Xiaoqing was newly made by Li Xuemei, mainly because she was afraid that Gu Xiaoqing would not be comfortable there.
The couple accompanied Gu Xiaoqing to register at the city’s No. 1 High School.
There were quite a few parents accompanying their children for the freshman registration.
The entrance was filled with parents and students.
There was a unified office for paying fees.
Gu Xiaoqing handed over the admission notice, paid the tuition and boarding fees, and received two sets of school uniforms and toiletries like a basin and towel.
Then she saw her dormitory room number "302" on the list.
On the official list announced by the school, Gu Xiaoqing saw that she was assigned to Class 1 of the first grade.
Since there was no one she knew here, Gu Xiaoqing didn’t pay much attention to other things.
She and her parents took their luggage and headed straight to the dormitory.
In both her lives combined, Gu Xiaoqing had never stayed in a dormitory, so this was a brand new experience.
Upon reaching the dormitory building, there was a dorm supervisor at the entrance who checked Gu Xiaoqing’s payment slip and informed her that her dorm was on the third floor.
Gu Xiaoqing led her parents to room 302.
The door was open, and inside was empty, with no one there yet.
The dormitory was filled with dust, obviously having stayed vacant throughout the summer, with waste papers of newspapers and books scattered all over the floor.
Gu Xiaoqing had no choice but to get a broom, dustpan, and mop from the dorm supervisor; how could people live here if it remained uncleaned?
Li Xuemei quickly took over so that Gu Xiaoqing could hold the luggage outside, while she and Gu Ruhai cleaned the dormitory. There were eight beds in the dorm, all bunk beds.
Li Xuemei first wiped everything clean with a cloth and swept the floor, while Gu Ruhai mopped it clean with a wet mop. Except for the window glass, everything else seemed refreshed and renewed.
Gu Xiaoqing chose the lower bunk on the right under the window.
She didn’t like climbing up and down.
Moreover, the best advantage of the lower bunk was that one could store things under the bed; those idle books, old clothes, once packed up, could all be stuffed underneath, equivalent to having an additional cabinet.
The door had eight cabinets embedded in the wall, but they weren’t very big.
The cabinets were numbered corresponding to the bed numbers.
Gu Xiaoqing laid a cover on the bed board, a coarse cloth sheet from their countryside, then added the bedding. The sheets, quilts, and pillows were all tidied up.
Her washbasin and other items were placed under her bed.
Li Xuemei checked the cabinet, noting that she needed a small lock, and there was no thermos here, thinking of buying one for her daughter.
The couple asked the dorm supervisor about the location of the campus store and wanted to buy things for Gu Xiaoqing.
Gu Xiaoqing stayed in the dormitory to organize things.
As for clothes, Gu Xiaoqing only brought a few changes, but even then, the cabinet couldn’t fit too many items.
Gu Xiaoqing knew that there were still textbooks not yet distributed, which would probably need to be stored.
After placing the clothes, there was basically no space left in the cabinet.
The middle of the bunk beds was occupied by four large tables, evidently, the place where everyone returned to do homework and eat. Gu Xiaoqing cleared out the drawer closest to her bed, lined it with old newspapers, and put in her lunch box, chopsticks, and some girly items like a small mirror, comb, and snow cream.
That’s when Gu Xiaoqing had just finished tidying up.
Someone came in.
It was another parent bringing a child to the dormitory.
Seeing Gu Xiaoqing inside, the other party clearly paused.
But they didn’t say much.
It was a girl who appeared short and chubby with a somewhat dark complexion, yet she seemed easy to get along with, constantly smiling with two dimples showing.
She wasn’t shy upon meeting, directly greeting Gu Xiaoqing.
"Hello, my name is He Min, from Class 1 of the first grade. My home is in the city. What about you?"
He Min spoke without a hint of showing off, merely stating where she was from. However, if it were another person, they might suspect He Min of boasting about being a city kid.
Gu Xiaoqing wasn’t reserved either, and with a smile, she said: "My name is Gu Xiaoqing, also from Class 1 of the first grade. My home is in Gu Family Village, Sishui County."
Being from the countryside wasn’t something to hide. Gu Xiaoqing didn’t see it as shameful because she got into high school on her own skills, not through connections. What’s there to fear?
He Min immediately laughed, surprised, and said: "Wow, you’re really capable. The city’s No. 1 High School doesn’t admit many students from rural areas; only top-scorers can get in, as most students are from the city. Seems like your grades are good, so please take care of me in the future."
He Min was an outgoing student.
Gu Xiaoqing smiled.
He Min chose the lower bunk opposite Gu Xiaoqing’s by the window. Mrs. He quickly and skillfully laid the plastic sheet, made the bed, and arranged the quilt and pillow.
It was clear that Mrs. He was well-prepared, having brought a thermos and such.
Very quickly, she had arranged everything for He Min, even locking the cabinet and handing the key to He Min, reminding her not to lose it.
By then, Gu Ruhai and Li Xuemei had returned, carrying a thermos and locks they had bought.
They handed them to Gu Xiaoqing and, seeing Mrs. He, smiled and greeted her. It was normal for the parents of children sharing a dormitory to say hello to each other.
Gu Ruhai and Li Xuemei needed to leave, unable to stay away from their store for too long.
Li Xuemei secretly gave Gu Xiaoqing two hundred yuan, knowing that they’d need to eat in the cafeteria and buy meal tickets, fearing that Gu Xiaoqing might not have enough money of her own, she insisted on giving it to her.
The couple left after a long bout of advice.
Mrs. He had already left earlier.
He Min pulled Gu Xiaoqing, insisting on touring the school to at least figure out where the cafeteria and campus store were.
Gu Xiaoqing agreed.
The two locked the dormitory door and left.
He Min was a well-natured girl, her mouth continuously chattering, looking at everything with a fresh face, telling Gu Xiaoqing how staying on campus made her family uneasy.
But He Min was very happy, finally able to be free.
Gu Xiaoqing laughed; this kid was like a spoiled child looking to escape her parents’ control.
The two of them did see the cafeteria, but since it was the registration day for new students, the cafeteria had not officially opened yet.
Gu Xiaoqing and He Min decided to have lunch at a small restaurant outside of school. (To be continued. If you like this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)