September, the beginning of the school season. Although autumn had officially arrived, the heat persisted unbearably.
In the capital, on Jingdu Avenue, at the end of this road stood the most prestigious institute of higher education in Huaguo—Jingdu University.
Today marked the freshman registration day for a new academic year. As far as the eye could see, the entire Jingdu Avenue was filled with cars, banners, and bustling crowds of people carrying bags and suitcases in all shapes and sizes.
Students who had traveled from faraway hometowns, accompanied by their families, wore beaming smiles that seemed to stretch to their ears as they hurried toward the university gates.
Getting admitted to Jingdu University was no small feat; in some small counties, it could be years before someone managed to achieve such an honor.
Many students brought along entire families, as though they wished to have every single member of their clan witness the monumental moment of becoming a Jingdu University student.
Of course, there were exceptions.
Evelyn Hartley was one of them.
She came alone, dragging a modest-sized suitcase and carrying a simple black shoulder bag. Dressed in a pair of jeans and a plain white T-shirt, with waist-length hair cascading down her back, she wove leisurely through the crowd.
Perhaps it was because Evelyn Hartley was strikingly beautiful; the eyes of the passersby seemed to land on her again and again as they walked past.
From time to time, fragments of whispered conversations drifted to her ears.
"Hey, did you see that girl over there? The one dragging her suitcase all by herself? She's gorgeous! And she smells amazing."
"I saw her too—what a figure, and such elegance. She's stunning, absolutely hit me right in the heart. She looks like a new freshman at Jingdu University too. How come I don't see her family with her?"
...
Evelyn Hartley caught snippets of these murmurs, but she appeared completely unfazed, as if accustomed to it. She maintained her steady, unhurried pace, heading deeper into the Jingdu University campus.
Walking into the campus of Beijing University, Evelyn Hartley was met with numerous welcome volunteers eager to lend a helping hand. Many offered to show her the way or guide her to the registration area, but she politely declined each and every one of them.
A number of students couldn't help but wonder who she was.
After all, someone with such stunning beauty paired with an aloof demeanor—walking about so solitary and self-possessed—it was the first time anyone had encountered someone like her at Beijing University.
However, not all the welcome volunteers took her rejection kindly. A senior upperclasswoman in charge of orientation, unable to hold back her annoyance, raised her voice with a hint of disdain, "Seriously? Acting this high and mighty?"
"Our campus is famously huge. Don't come crying back once you get lost and can't find your way."
"Tch, what a pretentious act!"
Her comments drew laughter from some onlookers and were clearly audible to Evelyn Hartley.
Unbothered, Evelyn continued forward, maintaining her steady pace.
The freshman registration was centralized in the grand auditorium. By the time Evelyn arrived, the place was bustling with people, as each department had its own designated area.
Many incoming students were frantically searching for their respective registration desks or asking guidance from volunteers.
Yet, Evelyn, as if she had scouted the area beforehand, strode directly to the Journalism and Communications department's registration window without any hesitation.
The line in front of the Journalism and Communications desk wasn't long. Evelyn quietly queued up at the end of the line, reaching into her bag to retrieve her admission letter.
Before long, a male voice called out, "Alright, next student!"
As the voice fell, the person ahead of Evelyn gathered their documents and walked away. Stepping forward, she handed her admission letter to the administrator.
The young man handling the registration was focused on the task at hand and lowered his head as he accepted the document from her hand. Opening the letter, he began processing the information.
The next second, he abruptly raised his head, his excitement evident to the naked eye. "You're **Evelyn Hartley**?"
His voice wasn’t quiet, drawing the attention of quite a few people on either side.
When the guy raised his head and finally saw **Evelyn Hartley**, he froze completely. Slowly standing up, his eyes revealed an unmistakable hint of awe and admiration that he couldn’t put into words.