Ning Xue’s words shattered Su Jing’s fantasy.

When it came to what Ning Xue said, how could she be wrong? Although Su Jing had also been admitted to Huaqing University and was in the same department as Ning Xue, and despite her love for gossip and seemingly knowing many inside stories, when it mattered, she still lacked confidence in front of Ning Xue.

Ning Xue came from a distinguished academic background, and the department’s professors favored her.

Before departing for military training, this year’s architecture freshmen had just purchased drawing supplies as required by their teachers. Drawing architecture? Dream on—they would be drawing pencil lines! Even Su Jing, who claimed to love drawing, hadn’t received approval from the teachers for her line work.

Meanwhile, Ning Xue had already created architectural works worthy of competition entries.

In “Introduction to Architecture,” the freshmen had to learn pencil lines, ink lines, and font practice—all tedious tasks with little sense of achievement that required extensive practice outside class hours. During the two-week military training, many male students were eager to experience true manhood, yet many still brought their drawing supplies.

How else could they keep up with Ning Xue’s progress without intense practice?

Those withdrawing foundations were better off, while those without felt anxious.

Xia Xiaolan had some basic foundation—Gong Yang had taught her a few things when they worked together on renovation designs. Although Xia Xiaolan had been busy with college entrance exams at the time and couldn’t practice much, she still knew some basic techniques.

In terms of line practice, she was only slightly behind Su Jing, and at least ahead of Lu Yan and Zhou Limin in their dormitory.

But it was useless. Her ability to draw lines couldn’t dispel those rumors. Logically, while students might believe the unreliable rumor about her using connections to enter Huaqing, how could teachers believe it? She couldn’t believe that no teacher knew her college entrance exam score.

She had no connections whatsoever! While the Zhou family had connections, not only could she not use them, but even the Zhou family’s own younger generation couldn’t use them!

Take Zhou Yi for example—according to Zhou Cheng, her educational background was quite ordinary.

If the Zhou family could arrange for someone to attend Huaqing, they would have arranged it for Zhou Yi first!

Xia Xiaolan still couldn’t understand Teacher Wang and Teacher Lin’s strange attitudes.

She also didn’t know where the rumor about her wanting to transfer departments came from.

Even if she wanted to transfer, why would the English and Advanced Mathematics teachers have opinions about her? These were basic subjects required in all departments!

During the journey from school to Zhangjiakou in Hebei Province, everyone had to spend several hours in the same vehicle. The enclosed environment helped Class 2 students become more familiar with each other. After all, they had been attending classes together for two weeks—if the boys still weren’t talking to the girls, they weren’t just shy, they must have gynophobia!

Sitting on the school bus, Xia Xiaolan discovered that this “highland flower” wasn’t as aloof as imagined.

Whatever others asked, as long as Ning Xue knew the answer, she would explain carefully.

Su Jing, who was already Ning Xue’s devoted fan, now almost wanted to abandon her closest post-enrollment roommate Xia Xiaolan to sit next to Ning Xue.

Both Lu Yan and Zhou Limin had spoken with Ning Xue. Xia Xiaolan hesitated whether to follow the trend and say a few words to this popular figure, but when she turned her head her gaze met Ning Xue’s… Xia Xiaolan sensed disdain in Ning Xue’s eyes.

Perhaps “disdain” wasn’t entirely accurate.

The emotion was fleeting, making it difficult to analyze its exact meaning. But that look was somehow strangely familiar, identical to the expression her previous life’s professional instructor had shown when learning she had abandoned her major to pursue sales.

Huh?

Xia Xiaolan felt somewhat uneasy.

All being students around 20 years old, none were particularly deep thinkers—at least based on Xia Xiaolan’s experience in judging these classmates.

Ning Xue patiently explained things to others, though her tone wasn’t warm. This was partly due to her personality, but also carried a sense of “how can you commoners not understand such simple knowledge.” Due to her family background, Ning Xue was unmatched in architectural knowledge among the ’84 freshmen, and even senior students might not match her expertise. As a lonely expert like Snow, Xia Xiaolan could understand her resignation.

What Xia Xiaolan couldn’t understand was Ning Xue’s disdain.

They had exchanged fewer than five sentences total, limited to “Please pass the homework,” “Thank you,” and “Excuse me.”

For Xia Xiaolan to judge based on less than five exchanges with Ning Xue… well, that standard was nonsense. She wasn’t judging based on that, but rather on Ning Xue’s pride.

Ning Xue’s attention wasn’t focused on competing with the ’84 freshmen at all.

She must be targeting the senior brothers and sisters of the entire Architecture Department, or perhaps even the world beyond Huaqing’s Architecture Department.

Why did Xia Xiaolan empathize? Because she had the same mentality at Anqing No. 1 High School!

After finishing practice papers from the provincial capital’s high school, she could easily help Anqing No. 1 students with their work. She contributed selflessly because she was confident that regardless, Anqing No. 1 High School students wouldn’t become her competitors.

Ning Xue was like that now—a heaven-chosen talent whose focus shouldn’t even fall on Xia Xiaolan.

One only develops emotions about someone they care about, and as the freshman representative and the department’s future star, why would Ning Xue care about Xia Xiaolan, who was plagued by rumors?

Ning Xue’s disdain made no sense at all.

Just like Teacher Wang and Teacher Lin’s strange attitudes toward her, it was inexplicable!

Xia Xiaolan felt that if she could understand one puzzle, perhaps the other would naturally resolve itself. After all, Ning Xue was well-liked by the teachers—maybe their strange attitudes stemmed from the same reason?

The road became bumpy at Kong Family Village.

Keeping windows closed was stuffy, but opening them meant dust flying onto their faces. No matter how goddess-like someone looked, being covered in dust would dim anyone’s appearance. When the school bus stopped at the military training site’s entrance, uniformed personnel led them in. Not just the Architecture Department—all ’84 freshmen were here.

First came assembly and discipline instructions: no accessories allowed, no loose hair, no makeup for girls, no hair gel for boys. Military training was meant to enhance students’ political consciousness, inspire patriotism, strengthen national defense awareness, and reinforce organizational discipline—it had nothing to do with pleasure or comfort. Only in a plain and austere environment could military training achieve its purpose!

“Hand over any contraband items—don’t wait for us to find them during inspection. Cigarettes, alcohol, snacks, everything must be surrendered! These items are prohibited here, and I’m telling you not to take chances… Now, let’s welcome our Chief Instructor to explain the important points of this military training!”

Someone started, and soon thunderous applause filled the venue.

In the wave of applause, Xia Xiaolan caught sight of the long-legged Chief Instructor.

Well, well, her boyfriend who hadn’t replied to her letter, who was originally working at a Beijing unit, had suddenly parachuted into Hebei Province to become their Chief Instructor.

Su Jing exclaimed, “This Chief Instructor is such a handsome guy!”

Even the honor guard at Tiananmen Square wasn’t as handsome as him!