Chapter 127: Going Dutch

Jinda was closer to the heart of the nation, and many of its facilities and entertainment options were quite different from the city Chen Xin had come from.

In terms of food, prices here were about twenty-five percent higher.

Because Chen Xin wasn’t particularly interested in jewelry or dressing up, and since luxury brand stores hadn’t yet opened in her city, the seniors at Jinda saw her as a rustic girl from a third-tier city. They worried she wouldn’t be able to chip in for shared expenses, so they privately discussed just splitting the costs evenly among themselves as a way to welcome the new junior.

But not all the students were happy about this, as some came from modest backgrounds and covered their daily expenses with their own earnings.

Qin Qing was impulsive and hated people who had opinions but wouldn’t speak up, only acting coy. She simply declared, “I’ll cover Chen Xin’s share.”

“What do you mean by that, Qin Qing? I’m not saying we’re stingy, but there was no such rule before. Why is it different just because she’s here now?” said a graduate senior downstairs, a history major with a serious demeanor. “I’m not against helping her split the costs, but you need to be clear—will this apply to everyone from now on, or just to her?”

Qin Qing frowned, about to lose her temper, but was stopped by Gou Xiangru. “What are you guys doing? I don’t get it—did you even tell her about splitting the costs? You’re just guessing on your own. Do you really know if she needs the money or not?”

Gou Xiangru was perceptive. Though Chen Xin’s style wasn’t trendy, her food and belongings didn’t seem cheap. She occasionally brought them breakfast, which they always returned, but Chen Xin’s attitude remained straightforward, as if she wasn’t trying to curry favor but simply acting out of habit.

“Coming from a small city, she probably never experienced anything like rural tourism. She might think it’s just a park, free of charge.”

Another female student, who didn’t get along with the others and kept to herself—her financial background suspicious—had been watching this drama unfold and, seeing Qin Qing being persuaded by Gou Xiangru, began to stir trouble again.

“What are you saying? You think everyone’s supported by some rich man like you?”

Qin Qing disliked her. They often clashed, and everyone in the building knew these two were like nails and eyes—always ready to fight at the slightest provocation. They had even fought before but were warned to keep it verbal since.

That girl had long since given up caring. She lifted her head and sneered at Qin Qing, “Who cares about those men? At least mine give me money and take me out to eat and have fun, unlike some people who can’t even find a man to support them, and might even have to pay to keep him!”

Qin Qing was furious, slamming the table and about to charge, but others held her back. The history senior then realized she might have made a mistake and awkwardly stood at the dorm door, looking between the quarrelsome roommate inside and the tense group of classmates and fellow townsfolk outside, opening her mouth to say she agreed to pay and asking everyone to stop making a fuss.

“Qin Qing, Gou Xiangru, are you there?” Chen Xin’s voice came from down the hallway. “Qin Qing?”

She was holding a large stack of documents and two bags, her chin resting on the papers, looking a bit unsteady.

“Hey, Xiao Xin, what are you doing?” Qin Qing turned, pushing through the crowd to see Chen Xin standing at the hallway entrance, then hurried with Gou Xiangru to help catch the items.

“These documents were given to me by a senior to bring back. Half of them are for your reference. The two bags were sent up by some male student downstairs who said he was your fellow townsman,” Chen Xin explained.

The bags were heavy and hurt her hands as she passed them on, then she shook her hands free.

“They look like snacks. Is that fellow townsman trying to pursue you?” Chen Qing casually asked. Such things were common in university and often joked about. But Chen Xin noticed the atmosphere grew tense after she said this.

“Heh, oh my, someone brought snacks? That’s all you get?” Qin Qing clenched her eyes shut, barely controlling herself.

“What’s wrong with snacks? Someone who cares enough to buy you snacks knows your likes and dislikes. Those who just throw money around are only buying a joke,” Chen Xin said. She had seen far more than these students and, though she hadn’t reacted before, hearing that girl’s words and seeing the awkward expressions around her, now understood everything.

The girl who had spoken stepped forward, dressed in a pretty skirt, high heels on her feet, carrying a metallic chain handbag, and wearing makeup. While makeup was normal for girls, especially at art schools, it was rare at this hour and place. Chen Xin immediately saw how different this girl was from the others.

Chen Xin remained indifferent. They were all adults responsible for their own lives. Whether they chased wealthy sponsors or paid their own way was their choice; she did not judge. But this girl was clearly picking a fight with Qin Qing, so Chen Xin could not stay uninvolved.

“A joke? So what if someone wealthy jokes around? Some people don’t even have the right to joke—they just nibble on chips,” the girl said, twisting her waist as she walked away, deliberately flipping her hair past Qin Qing.

“Rich, huh? Did he give you that bag?” Chen Xin glanced at the quilted chain purse. “Honestly, you might want to check if he’s running out of money. This knockoff is so careless. It’s fine for school, but if you go to a formal event with it, I think you’d be better off with a genuine domestic brand.”

Chen Xin spoke earnestly, her eyes showing a hint of sympathy.

“You don’t know anything. This is an international brand. Ever seen it?” the girl snapped.

“I have, but this isn’t it. You should really ask,” Chen Xin replied, then turned to Qin Qing. “Let’s go upstairs and put these down first. They’re heavy, my hands are sore.”

Seeing no more commotion, the others went about their business. Before heading upstairs, a girl near the dorm entrance spoke up—this Tuesday they needed to collect the money so they could pay the deposit.

Qin Qing wanted to say something but was shot a warning glance by Gou Xiangru and stayed silent.

“Oh, okay. How much?” Chen Xin assumed the others had already paid and, since no one had reminded her, she planned to settle it now to avoid missing out later.

“We plan to stay two days. The accommodation costs ten to fifteen yuan per bed. There are triple and quadruple rooms, and double rooms at fifty yuan per room. Breakfast is included, but lunch and dinner are self-serve. We’re charging fifty per person for now, with adjustments later,” someone explained.

“Fifty?” Chen Xin was about to respond when the girl interrupted again.