97: Chapter 97 Applying for Off-Campus Housing

The next day.

Chen Fan woke from his slumber.

He instantly felt that his body was different.

There was no trace of the usual morning grogginess and muddled head; his mind was exceptionally clear and sharp. His complexion had a natural rosy glow, and after a night of deep, dreamless sleep, he felt indescribably peaceful and refreshed.

His breathing was long and steady, his eyes were bright and spirited, and his limbs felt full and powerful.

He went to the bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror.

His skin had become fair, possessing a luster that seemed to radiate from within.

"Damn, I didn't turn into a sissy, did I?"

He quickly examined himself carefully.

Fortunately, only his skin had improved.

His temperament remained unaffected.

He still looked like a sunny, handsome young man. With a sturdy, well-defined physique—broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and tight, smooth muscle lines—he didn't look effeminate at all. Instead, he possessed an added sense of healthy, refreshing youthfulness.

Seeing this, Chen Fan felt relieved.

...

Five days passed in the blink of an eye.

The military training had ended.

On the parade ground, the neatly arranged formations marched past the reviewing stand one after another, shouting slogans that shook the sky and goose-stepping exactly as they had practiced every day for the past half-month.

Chen Fan stood in the ranks, kicking and swinging his arms in rhythm. His face was expressionless, his gaze fixed straight ahead, and every step landed perfectly on the beat.

The muscle memory from the past half-month remained, so his movements no longer required conscious thought.

The people around him, however, were quite excited—it was finally over, and they would soon be free from this misery.

After all the formations had marched past, the principal spoke, followed by a representative of the instructors, and then a student representative. The speeches lasted nearly an hour, and some people standing below were almost falling asleep.

Finally, the end of the military training was announced.

A burst of cheers erupted from the crowd, louder than any slogan shouted earlier.

"It's finally over!"

"We're liberated!"

"Let's go, let's go, back to shower and sleep!"

The ranks instantly scattered like a flock of birds released from a cage, surging out of the parade ground in twos and threes.

...

Upon returning to the dormitory, Chen Fan couldn't wait to take off his military training uniform.

He took a shower, changed into clean clothes, and went straight to the counselor's office.

When he arrived at the office, there were four or five teachers inside.

Chen Fan scanned the room and saw Counselor Shen Na sitting at a desk by the window.

She was wearing a light gray sweater, her hair tied loosely at the back of her head, with a few stray strands falling by her ears.

She held a file in her hand, her head bowed as she read it very carefully. Her brows were slightly furrowed, and she occasionally made a mark on the paper with her pen.

Chen Fan walked over and stood in front of her desk.

Counselor Shen Na heard the movement and looked up.

Seeing that it was him, she paused for a moment, then the corners of her mouth curled up slightly.

"Chen Fan?" She put down the file and leaned back against her chair. "Military training is over?"

"Mm."

She looked him over and pointed to the chair next to her. "Sit down. Do you have something to discuss with me?"

Chen Fan sat down and didn't beat around the bush: "I want to apply for off-campus housing."

"You want to live off-campus as a freshman? Are you not getting along with your roommates, or is there some other reason?" she asked.

"Living in the dormitory feels inconvenient."

Counselor Shen Na nodded, not rushing to respond.

She set the file in her hand aside, crossed her hands on the desk, and looked at him.

"Applying for off-campus housing is not an easy matter; you need to be mentally prepared."

Chen Fan didn't speak, waiting for her to continue.

"First of all, the school has a regulation that, in principle, freshmen must live on campus," Counselor Shen Na said. "If you want to apply to live outside, you have to meet several rigid conditions."

She held up a finger:

"First, the family's permanent residence must be in Chang'an and close to the school. Second, you need signed consent from your parents."

She looked at Chen Fan and continued: "I remember your home is in a county in Weishui City, not in Chang'an, right?"

"My family bought a house in Chang'an. Also, my parents have already agreed to let me live off-campus."

Counselor Shen Na looked at Chen Fan with surprise; she hadn't expected that Chen Fan would already have a house bought for him in Chang'an while only being a freshman.

"Having a house is fine, but it can't be too far from the school. Otherwise, if the commute is too long, the school will likely not approve it."

"It's not far, the commute is only about 30 minutes."

"That will be fine."

Counselor Shen Na tapped her fingertips on the desk and said directly to Chen Fan:

"You need to fill out an off-campus housing application form, stating clearly the reason for your application and the detailed address off-campus."

"You also need a parental consent form, which must be signed by your parents in person, with a copy of their ID cards attached. If your parents are out of town, they can fax it over."

"Additionally, you must prepare a copy of the property deed; this is a key document."

"Finally, sign a safety commitment form, stating that you are responsible for your own personal and property safety during your time living off-campus, and that it has nothing to do with the school."

She explained everything at once and looked at Chen Fan:

"Come back to me once you have these materials prepared. After the college review is passed, it still needs to be submitted to the Student Affairs Office for approval."

"Thank you, Sister Na."

Counselor Shen Na paused for a moment and looked up at him.

"What did you call me?"

"Sister Na. I feel like calling you that is a bit more intimate."

"Fine." Counselor Shen Na leaned back. "Sister Na it is."

Chen Fan had originally wanted to call her Counselor Shen, but felt it wasn't quite appropriate; if he called her Teacher Shen, she looked like she was only in her twenties. Calling her Sister Na felt a bit more intimate. He hadn't expected Counselor Shen Na to actually agree.

She capped the pen on the desk, set it aside, and added:

"However, the materials must still be submitted. The parental consent form, the copy of the property deed—nothing can be missing. Don't think that just because you called me 'Sister' you can get away with it."

Chen Fan nodded: "I know."

"Go ahead." Counselor Shen Na waved her hand.

...

After leaving the counselor's office, Chen Fan immediately left the school and headed toward the parking lot of Xingqing Park.

From the start of school until now, his car had been parked here for over ten days, and he didn't know how much the parking fee would be.

When he walked to the parking space, that black Porsche was parked there quietly, covered in a layer of dust.

The front windshield was covered in a fine layer of dust, a small pile of withered leaves had accumulated at the base of the windshield wipers, and the car body was also dusty, though because of its dark color, it wasn't obvious unless one looked closely.

Chen Fan took the keys out of his pocket, unlocked the car door, and took out a rag.

He first wiped the front windshield; the dust smeared, leaving streaks of water. He went to the trunk, got a bottle of mineral water, poured it onto the rag, and wiped it again.

Once the glass was clean, he wiped the rearview mirrors, the headlights, the hood, and finally, he wiped each of the four door handles one by one.

It took over ten minutes, but the car finally looked decent.

He threw the rag back into the car, got in, and turned the ignition.

The engine roared, and the car body gave a light shudder.

When he reached the exit.

The prompt indicated: 15 days, 14 hours, and 13 minutes, with a parking fee of 325 yuan.

Chen Fan pulled four one-hundred-yuan bills from his wallet and handed them over.

The parking attendant gave him 75 yuan in change and handed it over along with the receipt.

"Take the ticket."

Chen Fan took it, casually stuffed it into his pocket, and stepped on the gas.