Chapter Three: Enrollment (Part One)

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Entertainment All Around (From this chapter onward, all the main characters speak Korean.)
Story setting: September 2004
Recommended song: Cheer Chen—The Meaning of Travel
Statement: This is a work of pure fiction; any resemblance to actual persons or events is purely coincidental!

There’s a certain rule with buses in Korea: there will always be a seat, because once all seats are filled, unless someone gets off, the driver simply won’t stop at the next station. Maybe it’s because there are fewer people, or it’s a matter of habit, or perhaps the public facilities are just better… Whatever the reason, this rule allowed the four of them to smoothly find seats on the bus.

Outside the window, uneven buildings drifted past, giving glimpses of the city’s profile. The strongest impression, just like at the airport, was cleanliness. Korea’s cleanliness extends not only to its cityscape but to its people as well—meticulous and refined. In China, as the country develops, the overall quality of the populace is rising, and the streets are now quite clean, rarely littered with scraps of paper. Yet the air doesn’t feel as clear—there’s a haze, a dustiness, that perhaps will take some time to overcome. Koreans on the street were dressed with great care—it was their rush hour, and each person, head held high, moved with purpose. Their clothes were clearly chosen with thought, their faces carefully made up—powder and lipstick never absent, and heavy makeup was also a common sight. Few wore flat shoes; despite the uneven pavements, these women strode gracefully in high heels, perhaps one reason for their excellent figures. From the streets to the bus itself, everything was spotless—exaggeratedly so, as if not a speck of dust could be found. The luggage racks gleamed with polish. As for other aspects of culture, those would have to be discovered with time, but for now, hygiene was an undeniable strength.

Jiang Yihan gazed at this unfamiliar city, occasionally raising his camera for a few shots, but for the most part, he sat in a daze, his mind blank—adapting to such a foreign place would take time.

“Hey, Dead Cat, now that you’re in Korea… what about Liu Yan? Did she say anything?” Li Ran finally broke the silence once they boarded, asking a strange question that introduced a new name.

Jiang Yihan was silent for a moment. “Liu Yan knows, but she didn’t say much.” As he watched the changing scenery outside, his thoughts drifted back—to his hometown, to the girl named Liu Yan. “She broke up with Chen Jun—you knew that, right?” Seeing Li Ran nod, he continued, “You must wonder why I didn’t seize the opportunity? Yiyi blames me for that.”

Li Ran shook his head. “I know you wouldn’t. You’ve been by her side for three years, and you never took the initiative. I was frustrated, but I know how hard it is for you to speak up.”

“Yeah.” Jiang Yihan appreciated his friend’s understanding. He’d always known Li Ran understood him best. “I was afraid that if I confessed, we couldn’t even be friends anymore. And when she broke up with Chen Jun, I wasn’t there. There was someone else—Lin Xu, I think—who stayed with her for two months, and then they got together.”

“She!” Li Ran was clearly unhappy with this outcome, but after a moment’s hesitation, he said nothing more.

A silence settled…

“Hey, Lazy Cat, why did you come to study in Korea? Don’t tell me you didn’t get into university back home, or I’ll lose all respect for you.” Breaking the quiet, Li Ran placed his hand on Jiang Yihan’s shoulder, shifting the subject.

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“You’re one to talk! Since you’ve been here, how much do you actually know about my situation?” Jiang Yihan hid his previous emotions, casting a mock scornful glance at his long-time friend.

“Come on, give me a break! You know I’m not good at keeping in touch. I…” Li Ran seemed a little embarrassed at the accusation.

“Hmph, I know your heartless ways. Relax, after all these years, who knows you better than I do? If I were really angry, I wouldn’t have come to Korea to find you.” Jiang Yihan grinned at his best friend. “But interest must be paid.”

“No way—ow, ow, ow!” Jiang Yihan bit down hard on Li Ran’s arm—yes, bit, with his teeth. Before long, a row of teeth marks stood out clearly on Li Ran’s sturdy arm. Jiang Yihan’s face was the picture of gleeful villainy, delighted at his own success.

Yin Yuner looked at the scene in disbelief; today’s events completely overturned her former image of Li Ran.

“Heh, did you think only girls bite people? That someone like Li Ran could act this way?” Jiang Ziyi laughed at Yin Yuner’s reaction—every time she asked “really?”, Yuner nodded blankly, clearly stunned. “Actually, it’s not strange at all,” Jiang Zihan explained. “Li Ran and my brother grew up together—Li Ran’s two years older, and we lived nearby. My brother was always bullied because he was small, and Li Ran protected him. But Li Ran’s father didn’t like him, favored my brother, and often beat Li Ran. It was always my brother who rescued him from his father’s stick. Their relationship is odd—more like real brothers. Li Ran’s protection and affection for my brother became a habit, almost a part of his personality. Their bond is so close that I used to get jealous. When we were kids, Li Ran often made my brother angry, but my brother wasn’t strong enough to fight back, so he’d bite Li Ran instead. Li Ran never resisted, just let him bite. Over time, this habit—one more common among girls—became their thing. So, see?” She laughed at Yin Yuner’s half-understanding look. The depth of feeling between Li Ran and Jiang Yihan couldn’t be summed up in a few words, nor easily understood by outsiders—perhaps only someone like Jiang Ziyi, who shared their childhood, could truly feel it.

“I went abroad for a simple reason—I think there’s not much difference between studying for an undergraduate degree at home or overseas, but coming here lets me develop myself. My family isn’t well-off, but they can afford to send me. Besides, I think I can win a full scholarship. Work pays well here too, so I can support myself. Mainly, I want to grow—living in a foreign environment gives you more than a degree; it gives you independence and social skills. There’s a lot to learn.” Jiang Yihan explained. “As for my sister, you know our mom’s been in Hungary for years. I didn’t want to leave her alone in China, so I asked her, and she wanted to come too. Our mom didn’t object—everyone’s eager to go abroad these days—so here we are. Simple, right?”

“I thought maybe you didn’t do well on the college entrance exam,” Li Ran teased.

“Oh please, do you really think my grades weren’t good enough?”

They launched into a lively, carefree conversation—the endless chatter of friends long separated.

…

“My god, I never knew Li Ran had this side to him. I’ve known him almost a year, and he’s spoken more today than in all that time,” Yin Yuner was still reeling. Meanwhile, our little princess Jiang Ziyi had fallen asleep against the window. Noticing his sister asleep, Jiang Yihan took a jacket from his bag and draped it over her, gently brushing her stray hair behind her ear before turning back to chat with Li Ran.

Swaying along, the four of them finally reached their destination: Chung-Ang University.

Founded in 1918, Chung-Ang University is a prestigious institution with a long history. For six consecutive years, it was rated the best university for educational reform, and in a survey of 204 universities by the JoongAng Ilbo, its Department of Drama, Film, and Photography all ranked first, and its College of Pharmacy ranked fourth. Many stars active in Korea’s entertainment industry are alumni, such as Kim Hee-sun (Film), Lee Young-ae (Drama), and Lee Jung-hyun (Film).

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Although departments like Film and Journalism are highly respected in Korea, Chung-Ang’s overall strength still doesn’t match the top three universities—Seoul National University, Korea University, or Yonsei University (the SKY universities).

Today was orientation day. The school’s main gate was simple but pleasing, with trees and lawns making a good impression. Cars weaved through the bustling crowd—most students were accompanied by their parents, who helped with luggage while the children looked around, excited to begin life at the university they’d worked so hard to enter. A few had come alone, lugging their own bags, but their faces shone with the same excitement. Perhaps influenced by the happy new students, or simply glad to meet their juniors, the older students greeting newcomers wore welcoming smiles.

Getting off the bus, Jiang Yihan couldn’t help but raise his hands to the sun, taking a deep breath of the local air, and shouted to Li Ran, “Xiao Jin, this is the university where I’ll spend my undergraduate years!”

“Yup, that’s right. So, how does it feel? By the way, why Central University and not SKY? Why not one of the top three?” Li Ran asked as he led the group toward the registration area, carrying Jiang Yihan’s luggage.

“Oh, I choose my major, not my school. I wanted to study journalism—reporting, specifically, really interests me. And besides, you’re here, so why not hang out with you? Ha!” Jiang Yihan jogged ahead.

Though the entrance was crowded due to the new term, the four of them made a striking scene—one handsome, one stylish, one playful, one adorable—a feast for the eyes. They quickly attracted the attention of many freshmen. Wherever Jiang Yihan went, he radiated an undeniable presence, becoming the focus of the crowd. Some older students wondered if these standouts were from the drama department—perhaps this year’s batch was particularly impressive. Some wanted to approach, help, or start a conversation, but perhaps it was Li Ran, known as the campus ice king, that deterred them, or maybe they were just shy, or waiting for the right moment. Still, someone finally broke the ice.

A petite girl—less than 1.6 meters tall—approached, her delicate features cute at first glance.

“Excuse me, can you tell me the way to the registration office?” she asked timidly, lightly tapping Jiang Yihan. Clearly, she wasn’t just attracted by the handsome faces—she was lost.

“I don’t know,” Li Ran replied coldly, his friendly face gone, “Find it yourself.”

“Come on, Xiao Jin, you’re as heartless as ever. People should help each other, you know.” Jiang Yihan nudged Li Ran’s foot. “We’re freshmen too and heading to registration now. If you don’t mind, you’re welcome to join us.” He gave the girl a big, bright smile—a smile Jiang Ziyi always called his “kidnapper’s grin.” Yet, it was undeniably warm, charming, and a little dazzling, impossible to look away from. The little girl stood frozen, her heart skipping a beat, staring at that radiant smile.

“Brother, there you go again with your ‘lure little girls’ smile—move over!” Jiang Ziyi, seeing the girl’s reaction, knew her brother’s smile was indeed irresistible. “Hey, Yin Yuner, are you out of it too?” She nudged the also-dazed Yin Yuner and shook her head helplessly, exchanging a glance with Li Ran. In unison, they declared, “Irresistible to men, women, old, and young!” The two burst out in laughter, their composure utterly lost, and Jiang Yihan soon joined in, unable to hold back.

At the gate, the upperclassmen waiting to welcome freshmen were first charmed by this attractive group, then utterly shocked to see the so-called “eternal iceberg” of the school laugh—a rare event indeed. Was this really the Li Ran famous for his perpetual zombie face? Was this his twin?

The laughter of the three jolted the two dazed girls to their senses. Blushing, they ducked their heads, embarrassed, and hurried to catch up with the group already moving ahead.