"She’s stunning." Avery gazed at the lady causing a stir, genuinely impressed. She boasted an enviable figure, a graceful neck, and shoulders that accentuated her beauty. With a radiant complexion and cascading curls, her presence exuded both nobility and elegance. Her poise, gestures, and smile were just perfect. She wore rare transparent glasses with a silver chain dangling by her ear, enhancing the mysterious allure of her eyes. She wore a high-collared floral chiffon shirt paired with deep, knee-length shorts, which made her look simple, elegant, and full of vitality. Even with Athen’s keen eye as a top doctor and designer, she couldn’t find a flaw in the lady’s looks, grace, or style. It was safe to say she was the most beautiful lady Avery had ever seen. Like everyone else, Avery found herself stealing glances at her.
However, not everyone was focused solely on the lady. Many were also watching Avery. In fact, everyone was glancing back and forth between the two, overwhelmed by the choice. Ian was one of them. His eyes darted between Avery and the lady, muttering in distress, "One is like a fairy, and the other is like a goddess. They’re both breathtaking. Which one to choose?"
The other guys sighed in unison, puzzled by his dilemma. Someone thought, ’Why did he think either would give him a choice?’
Joy also noticed the commotion over by Avery. Following the gazes of the crowd, she quickly spotted Avery, and after a brief pause, she stopped in her tracks, momentarily taken aback. Their eyes locked. A strange sensation welled up inside Avery, as if an invisible force was linking her to the other girl in a way she couldn’t quite understand. It was like the Milky Way and Andromeda. Despite the vast distance, they were destined to meet due to a cosmic pull. She couldn’t say what would result from this encounter.
They were staring at each other while everyone else watched them. For girls like them, encountering one another was rare enough. Seeing two was practically a miracle. The street fell quiet for a moment. But soon, Avery broke the gaze, smiling, "Is my paperwork ready?"
"What?" The senior students snapped back to reality and hurriedly handed her the materials. "Here you go! This is the registration guide, which details how to get to the dorm, how to collect your campus card, when the orientation meeting is, and it even includes a map."
"Oh, it’s getting late. We should send someone to take you there."
"No, no, that’s not necessary." Avery waved her hand. "I’m fairly familiar with Rosemont University, and I’m strong enough to go alone." She had visited Rosemont University often and was indeed quite familiar with it. However, her previous trips had mostly been to the laboratories, research rooms, the principal’s office, and the library. She had never actually been to the student dorms.
With that, Avery stuffed the documents into her bag, slung it over her shoulder, and wheeled her suitcase towards the dormitory.
"Hey, Avery, wait up! I’ll walk you."
"I’m going too. I need to pick up my textbooks and bedding. Let me help you!"
A few guys quickly followed her, glancing back at the beautiful lady. She seemed indifferent to Avery, taking a few steps before stopping at the History Department’s registration desk.
"Hello, I’m Joy Lambert, a new student here to register."
Everyone was taken aback and thought, ’A lady this gorgeous applying for History?’ Usually, such stylish beauties pursued majors like Foreign Languages, Literature, Media, or Arts. Avery was an exception, pursuing aerospace engineering, a field where graduates typically focused on research and rarely made public appearances.
The senior students from the history department looked pleased. "Welcome. Have a seat and grab a drink."
"Thank you." Joy sat down, accepting a cup while filling out her registration form.
One senior, reviewing her documents, raised an eyebrow. "You didn’t take the SAT?"
Joy smiled, "I grew up studying abroad and didn’t take the domestic SAT, but I passed Rosemont’s entrance exam for international students."
The senior was puzzled. "So you’re technically an international student? How did you end up here?"
Joy replied, "I used to be classified as one, but when I turned eighteen, I chose Osceiton citizenship and got my ID last week. I’m no longer considered an international student. I don’t want to be treated like one. I just want to live like any other domestic student, staying in the same dorm and eating in the same cafeteria."
Her words significantly boosted her favorability among the crowd. Given her style, taste, and elegance, she clearly came from a well-off family. Choosing Osceiton citizenship while growing up abroad, yet rejecting special treatment, was commendable.
Her seniors quickly finished her registration and led her to the dorm. As she walked, many students followed, wanting to steal glances at Joy, creating quite a scene. Amidst the crowd, Joy resembled a supermodel on a runway, standing out and shining brightly.
Gia and her friends watched from the side, feeling more than just jealousy. Zoe sighed, "With Avery already overshadowing us, now we have Joy. Who will even notice us?"
That was her honest thought. She felt miserable but had grown accustomed to being second best, developing a high tolerance for it. Her words were intended to provoke Gia.
Jodie felt a twinge of jealousy, but she wasn’t interested in competing with other women; all she wanted was to find her perfect wealthy boyfriend. Hearing this, she pouted a bit and playfully said, "Sure, she’s pretty, but her chest can’t compete with mine. Guys definitely prefer someone like me."
That wasn’t entirely an exaggeration. Men who liked her tended to be loyal, often indifferent to other beautiful styles. Some of her admirers specifically disliked Avery’s type.
Gia shot them a cold glance. "She hasn’t offended us yet. Let’s focus on Avery for now." Avery’s popularity upon arrival didn’t exceed their expectations. So they were biding their time.
Nearby, Ian had settled down, opening his laptop to search for Joy’s name and photos online. His friends gathered around, eager to learn more about her. Ian murmured, "That’s strange. Why can’t I find any information about Joy online? No photos, no reports or gossip, and I can’t even locate her social media accounts. A beauty of her caliber should be a prominent figure wherever she goes. There’s no way she wouldn’t leave a trace online."
The others nodded, also puzzled. "Ian is a big shot in the programming and hacking world. If someone has any photos or information online, he should be able to find it."
Someone suggested, "Maybe her family is protecting her well, like some stars and wealthy families do, keeping their children out of the media’s reach."
Ian pressed a key with determination. "You’re right; that’s probably the case." He lowered his voice and said, "Wait a moment. I’m going to see if I can access her student records to find out what her background is."
As a senior in computer science, Ian was an exceptional student, always ranking first in his class and representing the school in various programming competitions, where he frequently took home awards. He was already on track for a master’s and doctoral program. The school often recruited him for computer labs and network projects, and with his family’s standing in Rosemont City, he had built a wide network of seniors, professors, and school administrators.
His friends exclaimed, "Ian, we’re counting on you."