Chapter 3 Jia Meili Appears

East University main campus.

Located in the southwest of Dongfang Capital Central Ring, it boasts an advantageous geographical position, and the campus itself is staggeringly large.

Zhang Wei walked on the main thoroughfare of the once familiar campus, but all he saw was a sense of unfamiliarity.

"The campus, huh? How long has it been since I last walked on such a path after graduating from law school?"

He searched his heart for an answer, but alas, had no mood for reminiscing.

Zhang Wei didn't waste time and headed straight for his dormitory.

Soon, he found the room where the original owner had lived for four years, a standard quarter for four people.

Walking into the dormitory, his body instinctively felt the warmth, and his spirits lifted, considering he had lived here for four years.

Oh, no!

It was the original owner who had lived here for four years; his body had simply produced a muscle memory response.

Snore~lull~

Snore~lull~

Zhang Wei was quickly drawn to a snoring noise, his gaze unconsciously shifting to its source.

It was coming from his upper bunk, where someone was sleeping.

In Zhang Wei's mind, the name "Luo Xiaobu" subconsciously surfaced.

He was one of his four former roommates, and now the only one remaining.

In Zhang Wei's memory, he was a fair-complexioned chubby guy, not tall, with a cheerful appearance; his classmates all called him "Radish."

As for the other two roommates, it seemed they had found internships in the legal department and had simply moved out to live elsewhere, planning to gain experience while preparing for the bar exam.

The ultimate goal for students of East University Law School is the bar examination.

This is also an advantage of the Law School, as its students are eligible to take the bar exam in their senior year of undergraduate studies, while those from non-law schools must wait until after graduation.

Before his time travel, Zhang Wei had also been preparing for the bar exam.

Generally speaking, bar exam preparation relies on short-term intense study, with most people cramming like crazy during the 3-6 months before the exam.

Some head to the library to recite legal statutes and principles; others focus on recent societal cases; most students pull all-nighters to learn new material and review legal principles, with staying up until dawn being quite common.

Seeing how soundly Luo Xiaobu was sleeping, he likely pulled an all-nighter yesterday.

Thinking this, Zhang Wei decided to grab his things and then leave the dormitory.

"Ah meimei~ Little Jasmine's so cute~"

"I love Xiao TuanTuan's black stockings the most... no wait, I love white stockings too, love you~"

"My butt's all perked up, come step on me, Queen TianTian, come step on me, come step on me please~"

As Zhang Wei reached his bed and started packing up his stuff, he heard some unbearably crass noises from the upper bunk.

"Good grief, up to watching female livestreamers again last night?"

Drawing from the original owner's memories, Zhang Wei understood why Luo Xiaobu was still in bed.

Despite his innocent appearance, this chubby guy had a secretly lascivious heart and his favorite thing to do was watch female livestreamers.

Especially those in black and white stockings who act coquettishly, sell cuteness, cosplay as queens, and tell risqué jokes; he had collected an entire list of such livestream channels.

His web browsing history was indeed not safe for work~

Seeing him talk lewdly in his sleep clearly indicated he had watched a late-night show with female streamers the night before.

Typically, midnight shows are less strictly monitored, and some channel moderators tend to be more lenient, so the livestreamers' broadcasts are usually much more provocative than during the day.

Sometimes they do a little something, and you end up doing a little something too...

Watching the chubby guy twist and turn in bed, with an expression that was nothing short of lewd, Zhang Wei's lips twitched slightly.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, does this chubby kid even want to pass the bar exam anymore?"

He shook his head secretly, glanced at the clock on the wall, and noted it was almost 10 a.m. already.

He wondered whether he should wake up the chubby guy or not; otherwise, there's no telling how many classes he would skip today.

"Radish, wake up!"

"If you don't get up now, you're going to be late!"

"Careful, the counselor might come over, and his Iron Sand Palm isn't exactly sighted."

Zhang Wei nudged the bunk bed, but sadly Luo Xiaobu didn't wake up.

Zhang Wei prodded Luo Xiaobu's arm again, and the other person turned over, still asleep.

Zhang Wei got annoyed, his eyes narrowed, and he instantly thought of something.

Sometimes to deal with certain people, you need the right medicine!

He slightly lifted the corner of his mouth, resembling an old driver, and leaned into Luo Xiaobu's ear, chuckling, "Holy shit, there's a great show to watch!"

"Great show, where, where!"

Just a second ago, Luo Xiaobu was fast asleep, but now he immediately opened his eyes, did a carp flip, and sat up, looking around.

And then he saw Zhang Wei standing below the bunk bed.

He rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't seeing things, and yeah, it was indeed Zhang Wei.

"Wow, a ghost!"

Accompanied by a scream, the upper bunk nearly flipped over.

Zhang Wei: "..."

A few minutes later, Luo Xiaobu finally got out of bed.

"Zhang Wei, you didn't restart life, did you? You're not dead!"

"What are you talking about? As you can see, I'm standing here just fine."

Zhang Wei spread his hands and did a twirl on the spot, letting the little fatty take a good look.

After confirming multiple times that Zhang Wei before him was a living person, Luo Xiaobu hurriedly patted his chest, looking like he had been scared half to death.

Then, he looked at Zhang Wei with a rather complex expression.

"Zhang Wei, don't get any weird ideas. It's just a teaset that got broken. What's there to be upset about? At worst, go apologize to Professor Zheng; maybe he will forgive you?"

"To be honest, when I heard you jumped from the building, I never thought you'd do such a thing. Did Yuan Dong call you again, pressuring you to repay the money? If it's really not going well, as a good buddy, I'll lend you a few hundred bucks. That's all the pocket money I have left for the month!"

Luo Xiaobu looked determined as he spoke to Zhang Wei earnestly.

"Teaset?"

Zhang Wei was confused but soon realized there indeed seemed to be such an incident.

He gradually remembered that one of the reasons the original owner was driven to suicide was because of a teaset.

"Zhang Wei, you didn't forget, did you?"

"Er, I'm a bit amnesiac, after all, I went through quite an ordeal, you know..."

Zhang Wei scratched his head awkwardly, with an embarrassed smile.

"Radish, tell me what's the deal with that teaset..."

"Oh, alright, this thing started about a week ago, during the banquet hosted by Professor Zheng. But I must say, Professor Zheng is really rich. His house is incredible, the decor is so luxurious, and it's even in Central Ring. The housing prices in Dongfang Capital Central City, well, that's just..."

"Ahem, get to the point!"

"Oh yes, my bad. I'll stick to the main point. From what I saw, it wasn't really a big deal. You just accidentally..."

With Luo Xiaobu's narration, Zhang Wei finally understood the whole teaset incident.

A week prior, Professor Zheng from East University Law School hosted a banquet in his luxurious home located in Dongfang Capital Central City, to entertain students from his department and notable alumni from the legal community, purportedly to celebrate his 55th birthday.

Many of East University Law School's alumni had made considerable achievements within the Dongfang legal community, such as famous barristers, supreme court judges, and senior prosecutors.

The purpose of the banquet was also straightforward: to let some outstanding students get acquainted with well-known figures in the Dongfang legal community in advance, preparing for their future entry into the field.

For law school students aspiring to enter the legal community, making a good impression at Professor Zheng's banquet was the first step.

However, during this banquet, a small event occurred that made everyone remember Zhang Wei.

Having taught at the law school for nearly 30 years, Professor Zheng's former students and associates were spread throughout Dongfang's legal community, many of whom were successful. Furthermore, Professor Zheng was extremely concerned with saving face, so at such banquets, many alumni and students would bring gifts to show their goodwill.

Students still in school wouldn't usually give expensive gifts, as it could appear as bribing a professor or provide fodder for gossip. Besides, students don't have much money, so it's not possible for them to spend tens or hundreds of thousands on pricey luxury items.

But Yuan Dong, a student from the department, gave Professor Zheng a set of expensive teaware, reportedly worth hundreds of thousands. Professor Zheng was very pleased.

Of course, this teaset wasn't gifted under Yuan Dong's name as a student but in the name of his father, who owned an antique shop.

But unexpectedly, during the display, the tea set was accidentally shattered by Zhang Wei.

This incident infuriated Professor Zheng, and Yuan Dong demanded on the spot that Zhang Wei compensate for it.

Zhang Wei was just a poor student who grew up in an orphanage, and his university education was funded by student loans—where would he get any money?

Suddenly burdened with a debt of several hundred thousand, Zhang Wei's heart certainly couldn't bear it, but since the mistake was on his part, he couldn't withstand the pressure, and that's what led him to take that step.

After hearing everything, Zhang Wei remained surprisingly composed.

"A tea set worth several hundred thousand? I really want to see that..."

"Zhang Wei, it's just a tea set. What's there to look at?"

As Luo Xiaobu spoke, he seemed indignant, "And Yuan Dong, too. Even though you broke the tea set by accident, he's been relentless, demanding compensation in front of so many people. In my view, you should have just apologized to Professor Zheng. After all, he's not short of money. He hosts such parties every year and gets so many gifts he can barely carry them all!"

"I remember saying 'I will compensate,' didn't I?"

"Yeah, you really are honest, Zhang Wei. If it were me, I'd have flatly denied it, or at worst admitted it was accidental. What could they do to me, eh? I might not have any other skills, but I sure have a thick skin!"

"Since the tea set was a gift to Professor Zheng, then he would have the right to decide its fate. Did he say anything at the time?"

"I remember, at that time..." Luo Xiaobu paused, shaking his head, "It seems he didn't!"

Zhang Wei instantly understood; it seemed Professor Zheng was determined to have a poor student like him compensate for the tea set.

It wasn't that Professor Zheng was overbearing and lacked magnanimity—Zhang Wei did make a mistake, and it concerned a tea set worth several hundred thousand.

But in front of so many people, Professor Zheng could have at least feigned some courtesy, said a few words to ease the situation, and had Zhang Wei compensate later.

Clearly, the other party didn't do so, or perhaps they didn't care about Zhang Wei at all, not even bothering to offer a few pretentious words of generosity.

There was also Yuan Dong, who was one of the participants and the provider of the tea set.

Speaking of Yuan Dong, the name "Jia Meili" immediately popped into Zhang Wei's head.

He vaguely remembered that Jia Meili seemed to have gotten together with Yuan Dong, and the original host couldn't accept that the girl he was fawning over went with someone else, and in a fit of pique...

"Got it, Radish, thanks for your help!"

Zhang Wei said with gratitude, his expression remarkably calm.

After packing up some things, he prepared to leave the dorm.

But as he reached the door, he stopped in his tracks.

Zhang Wei looked at Luo Xiaobu with a serious tone, "Radish, I have to remind you, internet broadcasters may be appealing, but after all, they are beyond the screen—you can't touch them. It's better to make an effort, work hard, pass the judicial examination, and become a lawyer. As a person, you need to be pragmatic and see reality clearly!"

"Oh, I know, but I've already heard this sermon over eight hundred times from my family..."

"Oh, have you? But I'm not done yet..."

Zhang Wei smiled and continued, "I'm telling you to strive hard and become a lawyer, not just so you can be ambitious, but so you can marry a wealthy woman one day—that's the real pragmatism."

"You can boast to others too—you know, other people's little puppies are just a pretty face, but your little puppy is not only cute and chubby but also a top student from East University Law School and a great lawyer who has passed the judicial examination. Wouldn't it be something to show off when you're out and about?"

"Dude, Zhang Wei, you..."

"Radish, that's all I have to say. Whether you can secure a wealthy woman, it's all up to you now. How does that saying go? 'Young folks don't realize wealthy women's worth, mistaking internet celebrities for treasures,' hahaha..."

Luo Xiaobu wanted to retort, but Zhang Wei had already left the dormitory laughing.

"Is this still the honest and reserved Zhang Wei who disliked talking? How did he change like this?"

Luo Xiaobu felt that Zhang Wei seemed different after that incident.

...

East University, Law School Campus.

After leaving the dormitory, Zhang Wei had no particular place to go. He just carried a bag, walking through a place that felt both familiar and strange.

As Zhang Wei walked past, the students from the Law School instinctively avoided him.

Some older students knew Zhang Wei had broken the tea set at the banquet and had incurred debts of several hundred thousand, so they dared not get too close for fear he would ask to borrow money from them.

And some juniors and sophomores had also learned through the campus internet forum or podcasts about a senior who had offended Professor Zheng.

"The warmth and chill of human relationships, the vicissitudes of life!"

Zhang Wei, looking at the crowds deliberately avoiding him, felt unburdened and headed straight to the cafeteria.

It was almost noon, and he was getting a bit hungry.

The main campus cafeteria of East University was quite large, with a wide variety of food.

However, Zhang Wei went straight to the familiar corner in his memory and ordered the familiar meal set of two vegetable dishes and a soup.

Two vegetarian dishes, a free soup, plus rice that could be refilled, this was the meal he had most often during his four years.

Although the free soups in the university canteen were mostly tomato and egg soup or seaweed soup, occasionally the chefs would make some meat broth from leftover meats, so Zhang Wei wasn't worried about falling behind in nutrition.

"Zhang Wei, how come you're discharged already? Didn't the doctor say you needed at least another week of rest!"

Within the canteen, a voice rang out, tinged with surprise.

Xia Qianyue had just finished her morning criminal investigation class and happened to come to the canteen. Without thinking, she glanced towards the corner where Zhang Wei usually sat.

And just with that look, she saw a familiar figure.

Xia Qianyue didn't expect to see Zhang Wei in the canteen either.

He was calmly eating his meal. Hearing Xia Qianyue's voice, he instinctively turned around, nodded with a smile, and then continued to pick up his bowl and wolfed down a couple more bites of rice.

Seeing this, Xia Qianyue's slender eyebrows twitched slightly, and then she strode toward Zhang Wei.

"Zhang Wei, what's going on? The doctor's orders aren't a joke. You still need to recuperate. Are you worrying about the counselor? Haven't I already told you, I've asked for leave on your behalf…"

She took a seat across from Zhang Wei and instinctively started to lecture him.

Zhang Wei looked up at Xia Qianyue in response.

Today, Xia Qianyue was dressed in a white casual outfit; under her loose sweatshirt, nothing much could be seen…

"Such a lovely girl, too bad she's a bit flat-chested. She might leave the kids hungry in the future…"

Zhang Wei made such a comment in his mind, but teased out loud, "Really a feast for the eyes, huh? Seeing you has just increased my appetite. I could eat 4 bowls of rice in one go!"

After saying this, he shoveled in another two bites of vegetables.

At this joke, Xia Qianyue immediately stopped talking, her eyes widened in disbelief.

She knew Zhang Wei had changed somewhat, but she hadn't expected such a drastic change, to dare tease her openly in the canteen filled with so many people.

If it had been before, Zhang Wei would have always sat silently in the corner, eating his meal without a word, and then left without saying anything.

"Zhang Wei, you…"

Xia Qianyue was about to say more, but the appearance of several figures in her line of sight caused her to instinctively show a look of disgust.

The newcomers also noticed Xia Qianyue and Zhang Wei, who was sitting in front of her and busily eating.

The group was slightly surprised, but soon one of them revealed a trace of mock amusement and walked straight over.

"Yo, isn't this Zhang Wei? How come you came to school today?"

"I heard a few days ago that you had an unfortunate fall. That really is unfortunate, but looking at how energetically you're eating today, it seems like the rumors from a few days ago weren't accurate, huh?"

"And, aren't you thinking of not compensating for that tea set? It's not that I want you to compensate, but since you promised in front of so many people that you would, I have to give you some face, right?"

"Besides, that tea set, I had to really work on my dad to get it, and Professor Zheng really, really likes it. We can't just let this matter go!"

The person seemed to stress the point by dragging out the intonation on the word "really".

Yuan Dong!

Without even turning around, Zhang Wei knew the person who came was Yuan Dong, the one who had caused him to shoulder hundreds of thousands in additional debt.

Similarly, the woman whom the original owner was infatuated with, Jia Meili, seemed to be following along.

Because the two were almost always seen together on campus, they were practically joined at the hip!

So…

Zhang Wei stood up sharply and turned around, his gaze bypassing the sarcastically speaking Yuan Dong and locking onto someone behind him.

There were two girls with Yuan Dong, one with relatively average looks and petite stature, completely unremarkable, certainly not Jia Meili.

The other girl, however, was a bit taller, with light makeup on her face, wearing branded clothes, a clearly expensive necklace hanging around her neck, her lower body clad in tight denim shorts, revealing a pair of fair, long legs.

Many male students in the canteen were also occasionally sneaking glances at the woman's legs; clearly, all boys think alike.

With Zhang Wei's experience from his previous life, this girl's overall attractiveness was about 80 points. With makeup, she could add a few more points, but at most, she would be an 85.

Such a girl could be rated the beauty of her department with ease, but as the beauty of the whole faculty, that might be a stretch, and she definitely had no chance at being the campus belle.

And this girl was precisely the leading cause of the original owner's desperation.

Her name was Jia Meili!