After the teacher said goodbye, Lam Tuc immediately collapsed onto his desk, both arms hanging limp, completely drained of energy. He looked like he had just returned from a battlefield.
“Minh... Minh Triet.”
“What is it, Bro Tuc?”
“How are you still awake after sitting through three straight hours of lectures? I feel like I’m about to die. What the hell are these sequences? If I study this for much longer, my head’s going to explode.”
“Why does it sound so terrifying? It’s only Calculus I. Besides, we didn’t even learn anything new today. This is all high school material.”
“You...!”
Lam Tuc rubbed his forehead helplessly. He didn’t know what to say. At that moment, he finally understood the gap between a genius and an ordinary person.
“It’s okay. I can go over it again for you tonight.”
“Thanks.”
Lam Tuc decided to observe the classroom for a while. Compared with him, everyone else looked more awake. Maybe they understood the lecture—or maybe they had given up from the start. Either way, it had nothing to do with him. He reminded himself that he had to keep trying.
“Hey, Minh Triet, let’s head back.”
“Okay.”
The two of them returned to their familiar dorm room. Lam Tuc went straight into the kitchen, then asked Minh Triet,
“What do you want for lunch?”
“Just cook whatever you want. I’m not picky.”
“Then I’ll use whatever’s in the cabinets.”
Minh Triet nodded from the bed and continued watching anime. The entire room fell silent, save for the sounds of Lam Tuc cooking in the small kitchen. He prepared the ingredients with practiced ease, every movement executed as perfectly as an artistic performance. Suddenly, he heard a voice behind him.
“Bro Tuc, you’re really good at this.”
“When did you sneak out here?”
“That’s not important. Do you want to be my personal chef? Name your price.”
“Sorry, but I still prefer going to school.”
“What a shame. If you ever change your mind, let me know.”
“You came out at just the right time. I just finished cooking, so come help me carry the food to the table.”
“Sure.”
The two of them began enjoying the lunch Lam Tuc had prepared.
“This is really good, Bro Tuc.”
“Of course. It’s different when I make it myself.”
After they finished eating, Lam Tuc watched Minh Triet load the dishes into the dishwasher and press the button before standing there fiddling with the tablet. He sighed inwardly. “That looks pretty nice. Once I have the money, I’m definitely buying one.” Minh Triet suddenly looked up and asked,
“You like home appliances? If you want one, just tell me. My family has plenty of this stuff.”
“N-No, I just think it’s kind of interesting. You worry about your own business.”
“Ha. Bro Tuc, are you really a tsundere?”
“What did you just say?”
“Oh, nothing. I’m just watching a show.”
The two of them returned to their beds and went about their own business without saying another word. Lam Tuc thought, “This is so peaceful. I never expected college to be this relaxing. I hope things can stay like this until graduation.” But he had no idea that this was only freshman year, nor did he know that in the future, everyone—including him—would have to struggle every second to grind out conduct points and GPA while working part-time to pay for food. But that was a problem for later. For now, after his lunch break ended, it was time for Lam Tuc to go to work.
“I’m heading to my part-time job.”
“Be careful. Go a hundred meters past the school gate and look to your left—you’ll see it. If you have any trouble remembering, call me.”
“I know. Make sure you prepare the study materials at home. You still have to go over the lecture for me tonight.”
With that, Lam Tuc set off for work, taking only himself, his phone, and a little loose change.
About five minutes later, he arrived at Minh Triet’s family’s supermarket. When he stepped inside, the scene before him left him stunned. The vast space was bathed in brilliant light, with endless rows of neatly arranged products lining every shelf. Gentle music mingled with the soft rumble of shopping carts, while the rich aroma of freshly baked bread spread throughout the store. Shoppers bustled through self-checkout, tapping their payments quickly and smoothly before carrying their packed bags away.
Lam Tuc made his way to the employee area. There, he met a fairly young woman with white hair who appeared to be a foreigner.
“You must be Lam Tuc. You’re here to start work today?”
“Hello, ma’am. Yes. Minh Triet recommended me, so I’m starting today.”
Lam Tuc silently sized up the woman in front of him. She noticed his guarded expression and gave him a gentle smile.
“You don’t have to be so cautious. I’m Minh Triet’s mother. That boy has been texting me all about you. This is the first time he’s ever talked so much about someone else. Thank you for being willing to spend time with him.”
“You don’t have to thank me. I spend time with Minh Triet because I know he’s a good person. There are so many schemes at this university, and it’s rare to meet someone as honest as him. I’m the one who should be thanking you.”
“You’re too polite. By the way, do you know what a tsundere is? Minh Triet keeps saying in his messages that you’re one.”
“It’s just an insult, ma’am.”
Lam Tuc gritted his teeth, his forehead twitching. He swore that once he got back to the dorm, he would definitely teach Minh Triet a lesson. Otherwise, he wasn’t Lam Tuc.
After saying goodbye to Minh Triet’s mother, he got to work. The job was fairly simple: he only needed to watch the machines operate and occasionally check whether anyone was trying to cheat the payment system. All things considered, it was a pretty easy job. Lam Tuc thought to himself, “Even though I only want to focus on my studies, I’m just like everyone else. I’m using college to build relationships for the future.”
Once the sun had completely set, leaving the evening quiet and deserted, Lam Tuc returned to the familiar dorm room. In stark contrast to the scene outside, he charged inside full of energy.
“Minh Triet, how dare you call someone a tsundere?”
“I-I didn’t mean to.”
“You still have the nerve to say you didn’t mean to? Do I need to call your mother and confirm that?”
Minh Triet jumped. He hadn’t expected his mother to sell him out. With no way out, he decided to kneel and confess his guilt. About fifteen minutes later, Lam Tuc grew bored and decided to let Minh Triet off the hook. The two of them returned to their familiar routines. Nothing had changed—except that from then on, Minh Triet no longer dared to call Lam Tuc a tsundere.