Even before entering the university world, there were already “legends” circulating about Xia Xiaolan!

Xia Xiaolan saw herself as just a fresh face at Huaqing University.

During orientation, senior student Du Xuefeng, normally eloquent and composed, found himself practically speechless. Later, when Shan Yujun asked why he was so quiet while she did all the talking, Du Xuefeng just stood there like a wallflower, offering only polite smiles.

Du Xuefeng finally admitted he had been stunned and speechless.

“The junior from the Architecture Department looks like a movie star,” were his exact words, which quickly spread throughout the department. Shan Yujun’s classmates took extra glances at Xia Xiaolan, commenting, “She is beautiful—even I, as a woman, am captivated. She’s going to be the new campus beauty and without question the department beauty.”

Terms like campus beauty and department beauty were just playful nicknames students used privately.

Huaqing University students rarely judge people by appearance. With outstanding students gathered from all across the country, being above average meant little here. To stand out at Huaqing—now that was truly exceptional!

Good looks were an advantage in helping others remember a new student quickly.

And they could certainly set young men’s hearts aflutter.

But to earn real respect from Huaqing students, being a “campus beauty” wasn’t enough! Even scholarship recipients weren’t considered the most impressive. The truly remarkable were those who effortlessly earned scholarships while excelling in both academic and extracurricular activities—these were the campus celebrities.

Of course, Huaqing specialized in science and engineering. At their peer institution, Beijing University, being athletic enough to throw the shot put or smart enough to conduct research wasn’t sufficient—could you write poetry? The poetry gatherings by Weiming Lake at Beida were quite famous.

Xia Xiaolan was completely unaware that she had sparked discussions among upperclassmen before even formally registering. Exhausted from a day-long train journey, everyone slept deeply at the guest house that night, with hardly a word exchanged.

The next morning, Xia Xiaolan couldn’t take Liu Fen and the others to the dining hall—she didn’t have meal tickets! She remembered a photo that had gone viral on social media in her previous life, showing Huaqing’s Ninth Dining Hall serving rice and noodles from bathtubs.

Actual bathtubs were set up in the dining hall, filled with rice and noodles, with students squatting nearby with their lunch boxes. These elite students lived so simply and down-to-earth. The photo had been taken by a French person in the 1980s and published abroad in a photo collection. When overseas students saw it, they photographed and shared it back home. It initially spread among Huaqing alumni before Xia Xiaolan saw it in her social media feed.

She had thought Huaqing’s dining hall was unique then, never imagining she’d have the chance to eat rice and noodles served from bathtubs herself… It felt strange yet filled her with an absurd anticipation.

The breakfast stalls outside Huaqing didn’t require meal tickets.

After breakfast, they toured the campus some more. Huaqing University was a vast complex—Senior Shan hadn’t shown them even half of it yesterday. They wouldn’t finish seeing it all today either. Shao Guangrong had promised to bring the car at nine.

When Xia Xiaolan asked about the time, she realized she didn’t have a watch.

It would be inconvenient for classes later. Xia Xiaolan made a mental note to buy a watch. Wearing a Rolex on campus wouldn’t be wise—she figured a Meihua watch would be more appropriate, and reasonable for a student to own.

Huaqing was home to academic elites; showing off wealth would likely invite contempt.

Xia Xiaolan had no plans to live in poverty, but she also didn’t intend to stand out at Huaqing through displays of wealth… She didn’t want her classmates to remember her as nouveau riche decades later!

“Beep beep—”

While Xia Xiaolan was lost in thought, Shao Guangrong arrived with the car.

“I’ve arranged to borrow this car for two days. Since Aunt Liu and the others would find it difficult to get around Beijing, Sister-in-law, please drive them around to see the sights.”

This showed why Shao Guangrong was such a seasoned hand—though talkative, he was thoughtful in his actions. Not only did he provide Xia Xiaolan with a car, but he also prepared a map—there was no GPS in ’84, and many streets were very different from thirty years later. Xia Xiaolan indeed wasn’t familiar with present-day Beijing’s roads.

To reach the Forbidden City, they needed to go through Tiananmen.

Xia Xiaolan knew this route, but before she could ask Shao Guangrong how he would return, he had already hopped on a bus and left.

When Xia Xiaolan’s group arrived at the Forbidden City, Chen Qing and Chen Wangda were already there, holding maps and waiting at the entrance. Chen Qing had assumed Shao Guangrong would drive them but was surprised to see Xia Xiaolan behind the wheel.

Was there anything Xia Xiaolan couldn’t do?

At that time, learning to drive was expensive. Those who learned could find jobs as drivers—with luck, they might work for organizations as chauffeurs or become long-distance truck drivers.

For instance, some male students who failed the college entrance exam at Anqing No. 1 High School this year chose to learn driving instead of retaking the exam.

Driving was a valuable skill, and surprisingly, Xia Xiaolan could do this too!

And Shao Guangrong trusted her enough with the car, unworried about damages? Chen Qing couldn’t figure out Shao Guangrong’s background.

Yesterday at the guest house, unlike Xia Xiaolan’s group who fell asleep immediately, Chen Qing and Chen Wangda had talked until late into the night. They discussed how to approach university life—Chen Qing came to learn, determined not to be intimidated by Beijing’s grandeur nor isolate himself in a small social circle.

Chen Wangda hoped that in four years, Chen Qing would become as confident and well-spoken as those Huaqing students. ‘Study hard and make friends’ was Chen Wangda’s eight-character principle for Chen Qing.

Chen Qing had his thoughts, making Chen Wangda chuckle:

“I know what you’re thinking, boy—you want to find a wife? Right now you’re not as outstanding as others, and our family’s circumstances are what they are. People aim high—why should Xiaolan choose you? But in four years, you could catch up. I don’t think Xiaolan will marry before finishing university anyway.”

Who wouldn’t want a smart and capable daughter-in-law?

Chen Wangda wasn’t like Chen Qing’s mother, with her petty mindset—believing Chen Qing was too good for any girl, yet when meeting truly exceptional girls, worrying they might overshadow Chen Qing!

What nonsense!

Why do men strive?

Isn’t it for the women they love, for power and wealth? Was being a meek farmer in the countryside, frightening women into silence with drunken fists, what counted as capability and success?

Chen Qing was encouraged by his right grandfather—not measuring up now didn’t mean he couldn’t in four years. He could transform himself into an outstanding person during university, making Xiaolan see him not as a neighborhood brother but as a dependable man worthy of lifelong commitment!

With this mindset, Chen Qing conducted himself with perfect courtesy during the Forbidden City tour.

Liu Zitao, wise beyond his years, sensed the threat and grabbed Xia Xiaolan’s hand, asking loudly:

“Sister Xiaolan, I miss my brother-in-law. When will you take me to see him?”

He needed to report the situation to his brother-in-law! Liu Zitao swore to the great leader that he would perfectly complete the mission his brother-in-law had entrusted to him!