Chapter 18

Finally, Luoyang managed to wake up the few drunkards and took a taxi back to the dormitory.

Just as he was about to go to sleep, Luoyang's phone rang.

He thought it might be Liu Qin, but when he saw the name on the screen, his expression suddenly became somewhat unnatural.

It was his mother...

To be precise, it was the mother of the original owner of this body.

Since his rebirth, this was the first time the parents of this body had contacted him, and Luoyang didn't know how to face them.

But what had to come, would come.

Luoyang took a deep breath and answered the call, "Hello."

"Why did it take you so long to answer?" A voice that was both unfamiliar and familiar came from the other end of the line, filled with affection, much like his mother from his previous life.

"I didn't notice it just now..." Luoyang's voice was somewhat unusual.

"Hmm, why haven't you called your parents for so long?"

"I've been busy and forgot..." Luoyang said, somewhat embarrassed, not really knowing how to approach the situation.

"Hard work during the summer vacation, huh?" His mother's voice was tinged with concern, like a gentle warm current flowing into Luoyang's heart.

Perhaps it was due to the original owner of the body, or perhaps it was because Luoyang was missing his mother from his previous life, but at this moment, a barrier in Luoyang's heart quietly dissolved, and his voice became much more natural. "I've grown up, so it's natural for me to help you with some things."

"What are you helping with? Tuition fees are due when school starts, and I've had your father transfer you ten thousand yuan. Let us know when you need more."

"What?" Luoyang was taken aback and quickly said, "Mom, you don't need to transfer money, I have money!"

His parents in this life were hardworking laborers, and Luoyang felt it was inappropriate to use their money. Besides, he had received over ten thousand yuan just from tips last month.

By the time this month's royalties came in, he would probably have several hundred thousand yuan, so he certainly didn't need his parents' money.

"Where did you get the money from your summer job?" His mother insisted, "You're in college now, and you'll have many expenses. Let me know if you run out of money."

Luoyang couldn't help but laugh and cry, "Mom, I'm writing novels online now, and I earn over ten thousand yuan a month."

He didn't dare to exaggerate too much, or the stark contrast would raise his mother's suspicions.

"What? When did you start writing novels? Such high royalties?"

"I wrote for fun during the summer, and unexpectedly, the book became popular. The readers are very enthusiastic, and now the book is making money..." Luoyang had to fib a bit, but most of what he said was basically true, just simplified so that the older generation could understand.

"Good, good..." His mother said, sounding relieved. "I didn't expect you to earn as much as your father and me. That's great, but don't let it interfere with your studies. Tian Du University is the top university in Longguo, and you can easily earn tens of thousands of yuan after graduation. Don't lose the big picture over small gains!"

"Sure, sure..." Luoyang pretended to listen attentively.

"You're the most capable one in our family. When you get to Tian Du, visit your Uncle Er. He works at a magazine, and I hear he's not doing well. Visit him when you have time." His mother added.

Uncle Er?

Luoyang inherited some of the original owner's memories and recalled an Uncle Er who worked at a magazine, the only cultured person in the family besides himself.

"Sure, I'll visit him when I have time," Luoyang said.

He had expected there to be a barrier, but as they chatted, Luoyang found that his heart wasn't resisting the family of this body. Instead, he felt a sense of closeness, which warmed his lonely heart.

"If you need help, you can also ask Uncle Er. He's a warm-hearted person and has always been good to you," his mother added.

"Okay, okay..."

"And..."

That night, Luoyang and his mother talked a lot, and his father even took the phone to chat with him for a bit.

After hanging up, Luoyang lay in bed, the faint light from his phone illuminating a faint smile on his face.

——

"I'm from An Province, my name is Zhou Ling, and I like playing basketball and various fitness activities. It's an honor to be classmates with all of you, and I hope you will guide me in the future."

"I'm from Liao Province, my name is Wang Kai, and I like reading and drawing... That's why I chose the Fine Arts Department. I hope you will guide me in the future."

"My name is Luoyang, I'm from Su Province, and I have a wide range of interests. I hope to become friends with all of you in the future..."

In Longguo, there is no military training, so the next morning, the students came to the Fine Arts Department classroom and, as required by the counselor, introduced themselves one by one.

The entire Fine Arts Department is divided into eight classes, each with a slightly different focus. Luoyang's class is the first class of the Fine Arts Department.

The counselor is a man in his thirties named Xu Jie, who speaks slowly and seems very approachable. After everyone had introduced themselves, Xu Jie said, "Today is the first day of the new semester. After I distribute the books, there won't be much else to do. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Today is just a casual chat."

The students laughed, the relaxed atmosphere of university contrasting sharply with the tension of high school.

A boy eagerly raised his hand and asked, "Counselor, which department has the most beautiful girls?"

Everyone laughed.

Xu Jie laughed too and said, "This student is very honest. How can you make up for your wounded youth in high school without a girlfriend in college?"

Everyone laughed again, finding Xu Jie's humor quite amusing.

"First, every department at Tian Du University is excellent, whether it's the large academic departments or the smaller Fine Arts and Music Departments, all rank among the best in the country. As for beautiful girls, I'm not sure about the freshmen, but you'll have to discover them yourselves."

"However, in the sophomore year, we have a beautiful manga artist in the Fine Arts Department. Many of you in this class might have read her manga, 'The Gate of Life and Death.'"

"The author of 'The Gate of Life and Death'!?" As soon as Xu Jie finished speaking, a chorus of exclamations erupted from the audience.

"Xue Yi?"

"She's our senior in the Fine Arts Department!?" Many found it hard to believe.

"Her popularity in 'Contemporary Manga Forum' ranks among the top twenty!"

"Xue Yi has even released photos, and she's definitely a goddess, especially her... chest... cough, cough, in short, she's irresistible to otakus!"

Longguo has countless manga fans, and like novels, manga is an important part of Longguo's culture.

'Contemporary Manga Forum' is the best-selling manga magazine in Longguo, and every manga artist dreams of having their work published in it.

This is why the audience was so agitated; many of the students were fans of 'The Gate of Life and Death.'

Xu Jie, who had anticipated this reaction, waved his hand and said with a smile, "You're already so excited? Xue Yi's real name is Gong Xueyi. You might run into her on campus, so stay calm to impress her."

Though he said to stay calm, Xu Jie himself was also quite animated.

The idea of a beautiful manga artist, something so distant from their lives, being right in front of them, made the students even more agitated.

The only one who remained relatively calm was Luoyang.

Luoyang had read Xue Yi's 'The Gate of Life and Death,' a romance manga disguised as a fantasy. It was quite popular in Longguo, appealing to both men and women, and the quality was good.

But it was only good, and compared to the manga from his previous life, it still fell short. This is why Luoyang could remain calm, and he might even consider starting a manga series himself one day.

After all, the artistic foundation of this body was top-notch.

Xu Jie signaled for everyone to quiet down. Once the excitement subsided, he continued, "Not just our Fine Arts Department, but the Music Department, History Department, and Philosophy Department also have many beautiful and talented girls. They are students like you, but many have already won numerous professional awards."

"For example, the campus beauty from the Dance Department has won the national girls' dance competition, and a senior from the Music Department has already released two albums by her sophomore year..."

"So our campus is a place of blooming talent! If you really want a girlfriend, you won't lack for options. It's up to you whether you can win these flowers."

After Xu Jie finished speaking, the boys all looked eager.

Many of the girls, however, huffed in dissatisfaction.

Xu Jie immediately realized he had overlooked the girls in the class and quickly added, "But, haven't you noticed? We have many beautiful girls in our own class. Why look far when you have them right here?"

This wasn't entirely insincere. Girls studying art generally tend to be quite attractive, and several in the class were indeed very beautiful.

Influenced by Liu Qin's stunning beauty, Luoyang was largely indifferent to these girls, but the other boys were different.

The boys looked around, like hunters seeking prey, causing many of the attractive girls to blush. The first class of university passed in this harmonious atmosphere...