Chapter 25: The Green Recruit

The freshman orientation was held as scheduled on the athletics field. This was likely the first time Chen Fan met his classmates face to face. Whenever there was an opportunity to get to know new people, Chen Fan never let it slip by—especially in a major where girls outnumbered boys.

Still, Chen Fan had heard from others that university classes weren’t as cohesive as those in high school. Many people went four years in the same class without speaking a single word to each other. He wondered if that was true.

All around, banners welcoming the new students fluttered, each bearing a different sponsor: “Snail Noodle Soup wishes the freshmen a happy start,” “Wheaty Roast Chicken Wings warmly welcome the Class of '17,” and so on. To Chen Fan, it all felt a bit out of place.

Following the markings on the ground, Chen Fan found his class’s designated spot. All the freshmen had been herded onto the football field’s grass. Chen Fan stomped his foot; the turf was far from soft, pitted and uneven in places, clearly seldom used.

“Chen Fan, long time no see. Didn’t expect us to be in the same class,” a voice greeted him from behind after he found a relatively level spot to stand.

Chen Fan turned, looking around the crowd. There were too many unfamiliar faces, and he couldn’t immediately spot who had spoken.

“Oh, you’re Xiao Yuhua, right? We met at the Werewolf Club, didn’t we?” Chen Fan suddenly remembered. Back then, all he’d known was that she was also a freshman—he hadn’t expected they’d end up classmates.

Today, Xiao Yuhua was dressed in a dark, casual outfit, her ponytail neat and crisp at the back of her head—a bit different from their first meeting.

She smiled slightly. “If there’s a chance, let’s play Werewolf together again. I heard there’s actually a Werewolf club at the university.”

“Really? I’ve only ever heard of eSports clubs. If we get the chance, let’s check it out together,” Chen Fan agreed readily.

Turning around, Wei Youlong grinned mischievously. “That girl’s pretty cute. Do you have a crush on her?”

“We only met for the second time today. Feelings aren’t that casual,” Chen Fan shot him a disdainful look.

“That’s where you don’t understand girls. I’ll keep an eye out, no rush,” Wei Youlong said with a half-smile, already scanning the crowd again.

“With so few boys, looks like there’s hope of finding a girlfriend in college!” Xu Changhui was visibly excited.

Lai Guangyi started counting on his fingers. “We’ve only got three boys’ dorms for our class. There are fifty-five people, so that’s about four girls for each of us.”

Xu Changhui glanced at Lai Guangyi’s smug face and teased, “With your looks, you’d be lucky if any girl even notices you. Don’t worry about the numbers—just aim for quality. Best if one is worth four.”

Lai Guangyi joked, “If I actually marry a city girl, maybe I’ll never have to go back to the county. If I land a cushy job, I’ll never have to worry about food or clothing.”

Xu Changhui laughed, “More likely you’ll be fattened up and sacrificed before you ever get to enjoy it, ha ha ha!”

It was just past eight, but the newly risen sun was already glaringly bright. The university officials hid in the shade, tirelessly delivering lengthy speeches, while Chen Fan, sweating buckets, squinted and silently wished they’d hurry up.

“Finally, I wish each and every freshman success in your four years here—may you remember your original aspirations and see them through to the end.”

A wave of applause erupted. Chen Fan clapped as hard as he could; he’d been waiting for this moment for what felt like ages.

“Thank God, it’s finally over. With this weather, if I get roasted like this for a week, my parents will think I’m a refugee from somewhere.”

Each class was led off to their own grounds to prepare for group training. While waiting for their instructor, everyone did a brief round of introductions.

“Hello everyone, my name is Chen Fan. I’m a local from Yuanyu. Please take care of me in the days ahead—thank you.”

Chen Fan’s face flushed red; he really didn’t know what else to say. It was his first time introducing himself in front of so many girls.

In comparison, his three roommates seemed much more at ease—especially Wei Youlong, who was clearly used to this sort of thing, delivering smooth pleasantries without missing a beat.

A good name might make people remember you, but after hearing everyone’s introductions, Chen Fan couldn’t recall many names—though he did remember several of the prettier girls.

“A few of them are really good-looking—some remind me of actresses from the movies,” Xu Changhui said, eyes wide, afraid to miss a single beauty.

“They must all be wearing makeup. How come I never saw girls this high caliber back in the county?” Lai Guangyi wondered, but didn’t let his attention slip.

Xu Changhui retorted, “Pretty is pretty, makeup or not. As long as it’s nice to look at.”

Chen Fan was no different. Boys liked to look at pretty girls, and they loved to rate them, too. Compared to the universally acknowledged beauties, Xiao Yuhua’s looks weren’t the most stunning, but she was pleasing to the eye, the kind you never tired of.

Their instructor was a buzz-cut man in camouflage, a square jaw and a broad chest, giving off the air of a modern-day Frankenstein.

“Separate training? Why’s that?”

The groans came from the boys’ group. Chen Fan didn’t really mind—looking was one thing, but in this sweltering heat, staring at pretty girls too long would just make him restless. Separate training might not be so bad.

“At the university’s request, military training will be conducted in formations. Since there are so few boys in your department, you’ll be assigned to other formations. Be prepared,” the instructor announced, leaving no room for negotiation.

“Is it our fault there are so few guys in the department? They recruited way too many arts students that year.”

“Why didn’t you go to the School of Information, then? It’s all boys over there.”

“Can you guys keep it down? The girls in the back can hear everything.”

“Quiet! All the boys, step forward. Follow me!” the instructor barked, instantly silencing everyone. Chen Fan snapped to attention and marched three steps forward.

...

“What’s our formation called again?”

Chen Fan and the others were thrown in with a new group, but looking around, it was all rough, burly guys—not a single cute one in sight.

“No name. I think they just call us the Sixth Formation,” Xu Changhui couldn’t help but complain. The higher-ups really didn’t bother with creativity.

The buzz-cut instructor vanished, replaced by another with a hard, rakish face, who came to stand right in front of Chen Fan.

“Welcome to the Sixth Formation. I’ll be your instructor.”

His cold, stern voice sent a chill down Chen Fan’s spine—he felt the urge to make a run for it.

“First, is anyone unfit for military training? If so, let me know now.”

“Me, me, cough cough.”

Chen Fan turned to see it was Wei Youlong, who was putting on a show, feigning illness.

After a few whispered words, Wei Youlong staggered off to the side and sat down, even waving at the crowd.

“That guy… he actually got out of it,” Chen Fan muttered. He disdained such tactics, but deep down, he couldn’t help but feel a bit envious—the instructor looked like a tough customer.

“There’ll be a martial arts demonstration during the parade. Anyone interested? Whoever volunteers doesn’t have to do daily training. If you’re interested, sign up now.”

“I’m in.”

Chen Fan raised his voice, then shrank back. The opportunity was right in front of him, and he wanted to give it a try.