Chapter 348: Sour Even Without Vinegar

The next day, the weather was so hot and stuffy that the girls cut back on their activities.

Most of them just hid out in their dorms, enjoying the air conditioning.

Everyone went to bed relatively early that night, since the opening ceremony was the next day.

Xiangchuan Medical College’s opening ceremony for new students was held in the school’s main auditorium.

The early morning sun streamed through the high windows of the auditorium, casting its light upon the densely packed rows of freshmen.

The air was filled with the vibrant energy of youth.

Chen Mo, Su Yuqing, and their roommates followed the crowd to the section for the eight-year clinical medicine program and sat down.

As far as the eye could see, the entire auditorium was packed. Hundreds of new faces showed a mix of curiosity, anticipation, and a hint of bewilderment.

"So many people..." Su Yuqing murmured, subconsciously inching a little closer to Chen Mo.

In such a massive setting, having someone familiar nearby was always the greatest source of comfort.

"Both new and returning students are here, so of course it’s crowded." Chen Mo smiled, his gaze sweeping over their surroundings.

He saw Wang Lan looking around excitedly, while Li Zhe had already taken out a small notebook, seemingly ready to jot something down. Shen Xinghe sat quietly to one side, his distinguished air occasionally drawing curious glances from students in other departments.

In a nearby row, Su Yuqing’s roommates—Lin Xiaoxiao, Zhao Ya, and the ever-energetic Zhou Yue—had also taken their seats.

Everyone was chatting quietly amongst themselves, a hint of excitement in their voices.

Soon, the ceremony officially began with the solemn strains of the national anthem.

The school leadership, representatives of the academicians, and faculty representatives took the stage in succession to give their speeches.

The speeches were all more or less the same: a welcome to the students, an introduction to the school’s brilliant history and impressive resources, an explanation of the medical oath to which they would one day swear—"The health of our patient will be our first consideration, their life entrusted to us"—and, finally, expressions of high hopes for the freshmen.

As Chen Mo listened to the passionate yet earnest speeches from the stage, his state of mind was quite different from that of most of the other freshmen.

His ten years as a detective had given him a more profound, even somber, understanding of "life" and "responsibility."

For him, choosing medicine wasn’t just about pursuing a career that would keep him close to Su Yuqing. He also hoped that if his loved ones ever needed it in the future, he would be able to help them himself.

He glanced at Su Yuqing beside him. She was listening with rapt attention, her eyes clear. It seemed she, too, was thinking of her mother’s illness and the responsibilities of a physician.

Initially, her only motivation for studying medicine had been her mother’s illness, but she had since started thinking about all the other families in similar situations.

Mental illness was often more terrifying than any physical ailment. When one person got sick, it could destroy the balance of the entire family.

To save one person was to save a family.

The weight of that duty was immense.

The freshman representative was a girl from the south with outstanding grades and exceptional speaking skills. She confidently described her vision for the future, earning round after round of applause from the audience.

"Wow, she’s amazing," Wang Lan muttered. "What a presence."

"I heard her college entrance exam scores were so high they were redacted for privacy. Several top universities were fighting to recruit her," Zhou Yue added in a low voice, sharing a rumor she’d picked up from somewhere.

Then again, she came from a wealthy family, so it wasn’t surprising she had access to information most people didn’t.

Upon hearing this, Shen Xinghe merely raised an eyebrow, offering no comment.

Chen Mo noticed Su Yuqing also had a look of admiration on her face. He gently squeezed her hand and chuckled softly, "You’d do just as well as her up there."

Su Yuqing blushed and gave his palm a light pinch. "Don’t be silly."

The opening ceremony soon concluded with a rousing rendition of the school song.

Like a tide, the freshmen surged out of the auditorium’s exits, and the space was instantly filled with a cacophony of noise.

"Finally! My butt’s gone completely numb from all that sitting," Wang Lan said, stretching his arms dramatically.

"What’s the plan now?" Li Zhe asked, looking toward Chen Mo and Su Yuqing. He had apparently already designated the couple as the group’s de facto social coordinators.

Zhou Yue came bustling over, dragging Lin Xiaoxiao and Zhao Ya with her. Her voice arrived before she did: "Alright, everyone! To celebrate the official start of our university careers, let’s grab another meal together! I vote hot pot for lunch! I’ve already booked us a table!"

Her enthusiasm was infectious, and Wang Lan immediately seconded the motion. "Awesome! I was waiting for you to say that! I got up so early this morning, my stomach’s been growling for ages! Let’s split the bill this time."

"Sure," Zhou Yue said after a moment’s thought, not refusing the offer.

After all, she was wealthy enough not to care about the cost, but she was also considerate. She knew the guys had their pride and took their feelings into account.

Chen Mo and Su Yuqing exchanged a smile, naturally having no objections.

The others nodded in agreement as well.

The hot pot restaurant Zhou Yue had booked was on a backstreet near campus. Its decor was lively and the atmosphere was bustling and inviting. With the opening ceremony over, they weren’t the only ones with the idea to celebrate; the restaurant was already packed with other groups of freshmen.

After all, hanging out was the fastest way to turn strangers into friends.

Just living in the same dorm wasn’t enough.

In fact, seeing each other constantly without ever deepening the connection could just make things more distant and awkward.

The eight of them pushed two tables together, and the atmosphere instantly became boisterous.

The dual-sided hot pot was already bubbling away—one half with roiling chili oil, the other with a savory mushroom broth. All sorts of dishes soon filled the tabletop.

"Come on, everyone, don’t be shy! I’m putting the meat in now!" Zhou Yue, playing the perfect host, bustled about enthusiastically. "Let’s get everyone’s glasses filled! A toast to us getting together and to the start of school!"

Laughter immediately filled the air.

Friendships always blossom quickly among the young. After just two meals together, a few plates of meat and a couple of drinks, the bond between them had already grown much stronger.

They even started calling each other by nicknames or more familiar forms of their names.

Wang Lan, with his straightforward and boisterous personality, was always able to strike up a lively conversation with Zhou Yue and Lin Xiaoxiao.

And while Li Zhe was a bit more introverted, he could still hold his own in a conversation when the girls took the initiative to include him.

Shen Xinghe had a strong presence, but he was more of an observer. The few times he did speak, he would always spark a small discussion, especially when he shared interesting anecdotes from film sets, which everyone found fascinating.

Chen Mo and Su Yuqing sat together, talking quietly now and then, but mostly just watching the lively scene with smiles on their faces.

Chen Mo would naturally cook Su Yuqing’s favorite foods in the pot for her, drain the spicy oil, and place them in her bowl.

This subtle, thoughtful gesture didn’t escape Lin Xiaoxiao’s notice. She realized that Chen Mo was spending most of the meal looking after Su Yuqing, making sure she had enough to eat and drink, while paying little mind to himself. In turn, Su Yuqing was doing the same for him. They were both subconsciously putting the other first. Seeing this, she couldn’t resist teasing them loudly, "Whoa! Could you two be any more lovey-dovey? He gets food for you, you get food for him... Have some consideration for the rest of us! I haven’t even added any vinegar to my sauce, but everything’s starting to taste sour from jealousy!"