Dormitory 306 was on the third floor, facing south on the east side. Zhu Yanyi opened the door and stepped inside. To the right near the entrance stood a cabinet with eight compartments, each labeled with a number matching the bed. On both sides of the room were bunk beds, four on each side, making eight beds in total. Zhu Yanyi had the top bunk by the window on the left, Bed Number One. She was quite happy with this spot.
Once the beds were assigned, Zhu Shunyao took out a washbasin and went to fill it with water. Zhu Yanyi and Zhu Yanli began cleaning. Although the beds were already tidy, Zhu Yanyi only cleaned her own area. However, she and her sister still swept and mopped the floor and wiped down the cabinet. Next to the cabinet was a table and a rack for washbasins and thermoses. The two girls quickly cleaned these surfaces, then placed their own thermoses and basins neatly. Only after making the beds and hanging the mosquito nets did Zhu Yanyi let out a breath of relief.
Zhu Shunyao looked around, nodded in satisfaction, and said, "Let’s go. You’ve done a good job here. Let’s check on Cheng Chen. If everyone is settled, we’ll go eat lunch. In the afternoon, I’ll walk with you to get familiar with the route to An’ni’s school. Today, I’ll stay at a guesthouse near City No. 1 High School."
Zhu Yanyi and Zhu Yanli exchanged glances and nodded. "Okay," they agreed.
The father and two daughters left the room. Cheng Chen’s dorm was on the second floor of the boys’ building. When they entered, Chen Ailian had just finished tidying up for Cheng Chen. Cheng Baokun smiled when he saw them. "You’re faster than us."
Zhu Shunyao pointed at Zhu Yanyi and Zhu Yanli. "The girls are quick with their hands. I only helped a little."
Chen Ailian sighed with a laugh. "That’s the good thing about having daughters. Look at me—I did all the work alone. The father and son here are like masters, just watching."
Zhu Yanyi and Zhu Yanli giggled. Zhu Yanyi made a funny face at Cheng Chen. Cheng Chen shrugged. She wasn’t good at chores, so she had to silently accept her mother’s teasing.
With both families settled, they went out to eat. Afterward, they would take Zhu Shunyao to the guesthouse near City No. 1 High School to check in and drop off luggage. Then, Cheng Baokun and Chen Ailian would take the San Ka bus back home. Zhu Shunyao would stay until he helped Zhu Yanli get fully settled, then he would take the public bus back alone.
Because school had just started, there were many snack stalls around the campus. The group found a fast-food stall, ordered some stir-fried dishes, and began eating. Cheng Baokun ordered two taels of white liquor to share with Zhu Shunyao. As they ate, they watched the people passing by. Chen Ailian remarked, "It really is the city. It’s so lively now that school has started. Our Sicheng Town can’t compare."
Cheng Baokun nodded in agreement. "Even though Yao City is small, it is still a city."
"Development is really fast now. Ten years ago, this place was just called Yao District. Now it’s a city," Zhu Shunyao said with a sigh. "Even as a third-tier city, you can see it developing faster than ordinary counties."
Cheng Baokun smiled, took a sip of liquor, and said, "So you need to speed up too. How is your house building coming along?"