Wen Fufu had stayed inside her rented apartment for the past three days and only dared to go out on the day of the graduation ceremony. Although the plot where she was hit by a car and died in the novel had already become a thing of the past, accidents could still happen. She was afraid of that “accident.”
That day, the campus was filled with banners. Every sentence written on them carried blessings for the students who were about to graduate and step into society.
Wen Fufu stood under a tree-lined path and took a deep breath. Being outside still felt better. After hiding in her room for three days, she felt as if her mind was about to grow mold.
A notice in the class group chat said to gather at the field. Following her memory, Wen Fufu walked toward the sports field.
In her original world, Wen Fufu had also experienced a graduation ceremony once. Looking at the lively field and the parents who had come to accompany their children on this important day, a wave of longing rose in her heart. She remembered that when she graduated back then, her father, mother, and younger brother had all come to attend.
Now only she remained.
Sigh… better not think about it. The more she thought about it, the sadder she became.
Wen Fufu shifted her gaze away and stopped looking at the scene that made her heart ache.
Suddenly, someone gently tapped her shoulder. She turned around and saw a tall, slender girl dressed fashionably smiling at her.
“So you’re here. What were you looking at so intently? I was calling you from behind for a while, but you didn’t react at all.”
Wen Fufu happily grabbed her hand. “Fei Fei, where did you go? I was just thinking about going to find you.”
“I think you weren’t planning to look for me at all. I’ve been standing behind you this whole time, and you didn’t even notice.” Li Fei pinched her cheek. This action had started in their freshman year and had continued all the way until graduation.
Wen Fufu covered her face. “Sorry, there were too many people. I didn’t see you.”
“Fufu, I’m telling you, you really need to change that soft personality of yours. Be a little more assertive. You’re about to graduate. You can’t keep looking at people with that innocent gaze all the time. When people see it, they just want to bully you.”
“I’ve always been very assertive.”
Li Fei looked at her as she widened her moist, bright eyes and protested without the slightest sense of intimidation. Her hands started itching again. So cute… I really want to pinch her cheeks.
In the end, Li Fei restrained herself. With the air of a bossy big sister, she wrapped an arm around her friend of four years.
“Today is the last day we’ll be together like this. I really can’t bear to part with you. Why don’t you come work at my dad’s company with me and go back to D Province?”
Li Fei’s parents owned a company in D Province. She was a true rich second generation. After graduation, she would return there to learn how to manage the company with her father. Otherwise, she would have wanted to stay in B City with Wen Fufu. In her four years at university, Wen Fufu was the only close friend she had made, so the reluctance to part was genuine.
“That wouldn’t be good, would it? I’d be getting in through the back door. What if it affects your dad’s reputation?”
“What’s there to be afraid of? So what if it’s through the back door? They can’t control that. With your ability, you could easily get in even through the front door.”
Wen Fufu smiled. Li Fei had tried to persuade her more than once, but she still preferred to stay in B City. Besides, if she really went back to D Province with Li Fei, she would become a burden to her friend, and that was the last thing she wanted.
Wen Fufu changed the topic. “Fei Fei, why didn’t your parents come today?”
Li Fei waved her hand. “They’re too busy. They don’t have time to come. Today I’ll just stick with you.”
Li Fei had been independent since childhood and even somewhat mature in her thinking. She usually did not care much about whether her parents appeared at important occasions. After all, she would see them when she returned home.
“When does that lecture you mentioned start?”
Li Fei suddenly became shy. “It starts at ten o’clock. You already promised to go with me. You can’t go back on your word.”
Wen Fufu felt a little surprised. What kind of lecture could make her usually confident and cool friend become shy?
“Attention, students. The graduation ceremony will begin shortly. Please return to your respective classes and take your seats. Thank you for your cooperation.”
The broadcast sounded at just the right moment. Wen Fufu had no time to continue investigating and was pulled along by Li Fei toward their original class.
The class monitor, Liu Hao, was maintaining order. When he saw the two of them, he urged them to hurry and take their seats.
Graduation ceremonies were always long and solemn. After listening to the speeches from the school principal and the director, the atmosphere on the field instantly became lively, because the next part was the tassel-turning ceremony.
Wen Fufu slightly lowered her head as the principal turned the tassel on her cap. Holding her diploma, she walked down from the stage.
Before she had even steadied herself, Li Fei impatiently grabbed her and started running.
“Hey, Fei Fei, slow down!” Being dragged along like that, her graduation cap even fell off.
“There’s no time! Let’s hurry to the auditorium. If we’re late, there won’t be any seats left.” Li Fei had not expected the graduation ceremony to last longer than planned. It was almost ten o’clock now. If they arrived late, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say they wouldn’t even be able to squeeze in at the auditorium entrance.
The two of them ran to the entrance of the auditorium, where a long line had already formed. Everyone there had come to attend the lecture.
Wen Fufu and Li Fei joined the line at the back. Catching her breath, Wen Fufu said, “Fei Fei, tell me honestly. Whose lecture is this? Why are so many people here to listen?” She also noticed something interesting—most of the people in line were women.
Li Fei grinned. “Of course it’s my idol’s lecture. This is the first time he’s participated in this kind of public event. Everyone who knows about it came running here. Look, the people lining up aren’t just from our university. Many are from other schools too.”
Wen Fufu looked around and realized it was true. There were indeed many outsiders. There were probably more people here than at the university’s sports festival.
“How come I didn’t know you had an idol?”
“There are plenty of things you don’t know.” Li Fei nudged her shoulder. “My idol’s ability and looks are unmatched in my eyes. Once, I went to a banquet with my dad and saw him there. Even though I only caught a distant glimpse, his temperament and his figure were simply more handsome than any man I’ve ever seen. Then I asked my dad if he knew him, and my dad told me some of his achievements. At that moment I thought—if I’m going to find a man, it should be someone like that.”
“You like him?” Wen Fufu teased.
“Wrong. If you think that, you’re completely mistaken. Fufu, let me tell you—there are two kinds of men in this world. One kind can be approached, and the other kind must never be touched. My idol belongs to the second type. He’s like a snow lotus on the Tianshan Mountains—something you can only admire from afar but never profane. I simply admire his ability.”
Wen Fufu fell into thought. For her proud and calm friend to admire someone so much, she started to become curious about what that person looked like.
By the time it was Wen Fufu and Li Fei’s turn to enter, the seats at the front of the auditorium were already full. They were quite lucky—although only the last row remained when they got in, the people behind them could only stand to listen.
“See? I was smart. If I hadn’t dragged you to run earlier, we’d be standing now.” Just thinking about standing for two hours made her feet feel tired.
The auditorium, which could hold five thousand people, was instantly filled to capacity. Li Fei’s idol really was extraordinary.
Looking at the sea of heads in front of her, Wen Fufu realized she had thought too simply. Later on, she might not even be able to see the person clearly.
“Sister Zhu, I never thought we’d one day get to hear President Song’s lecture.”
Two elegantly dressed women sat in front of Wen Fufu. Judging from their clothes, they looked like high-level white-collar workers.
“Right. As long as you live long enough, good things will happen,” the slightly older one said.
“Our company’s boss heard the news and originally wanted to come in person, but he’s still on a business trip. So he sent me instead. He even told me to take good notes and record the whole lecture so I can give both to him afterward. But Sister Zhu, doesn’t President Song usually refuse these kinds of invitations? He doesn’t even accept interviews. Why did he suddenly agree to attend a lecture, especially at a university?”
Zhu Lütong was a senior secretary in their company and often followed their boss around, so she knew a little insider information.
“I heard that the principal of this university once taught President Song’s father. He accepted the principal’s invitation because of his father’s sake.”
“No wonder. I heard he’s very handsome. I wonder if I’ll get the chance to shake his hand.” The younger woman blushed as she fantasized.
“I think you shouldn’t get your hopes up. Even if you want to, he probably doesn’t. Do you see the people sitting in the front rows? They’re all reporters from major newspapers. They’ve had their eyes on this event for a long time. You won’t be able to compete with them. As for me, if I can learn a little financial knowledge today, I’ll already be satisfied.”
A graduate of Harvard, already listed among the world’s richest people at such a young age, born into a prestigious family and blessed with good looks—countless people wanted to report on him.
Wen Fufu listened with great interest. Someone so impressive seemed almost comparable to the male lead of this world.