Chapter 33: The School Beauty Is Too Aloof

The paulownia leaves at the Ming Palace campus of Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (NUAA) had turned golden. This prestigious 211 university, renowned for its focus on aerospace, was bathed in the pale sunlight of late November.

Beside the school motto monument in front of the main building, inscribed with "Wisdom encompasses all things, the Way benefits the world," students drifted by in twos and threes, clutching copies of *Aerodynamics* and *Mechanical Drawing*. The admission cutoff for the Aircraft Design major in Jiangsu Province consistently remained above 380 points.

In front of Building 2 of the College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Chen Duling was busy checking her debate notes with her head bowed.

She wore the college’s standardized dark blue blazer over a crisp white shirt, her straight calves visible beneath a knee-length navy pleated skirt. Unlike the girls around her, who sported carefully curled bangs and meticulously penciled brows, she simply tied her long, dark hair into a neat ponytail, exposing her smooth, clear forehead.

Yet, she still drew the gaze of every boy nearby.

"Chen, could I borrow your notes on Materials Mechanics to take some photos?" a classmate panted as he caught up to her.

She stopped and pulled a loose-leaf binder from her canvas bag. The cover, neatly labeled "Key Formulas for Mechanical Principles," shimmered with a faint blue fluorescence in the sunlight; the edges were pristine, without a single crease.

"Thanks, campus belle!" the boy teased as he scurried away.

Chen Duling frowned slightly. This title, which had followed her throughout her university life, still made her uncomfortable.

She looked toward the College of Electronic and Information Engineering. Today was the semi-final of the third "Discussing the Present, Debating Affairs" competition, where the College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering would face off against the College of Computer Science and Technology.

The lecture hall in the Economics and Management building was packed.

When Chen Duling entered with the Mechanical and Electrical debate team, the sound of camera shutters erupted from the back rows.

"Third speaker for the opposition, Chen Duling," the moderator announced, suppressing a laugh as they read the note on the cue card, "please ask the audience to keep the volume of their photography down."

Amidst the laughter from the audience, the boys from the Computer Science college nudged each other, peering forward. Their debaters were all dressed in identical plaid shirts and black-rimmed glasses, a sharp contrast to the crisp, dark blue suits of the Mechanical and Electrical team.

"The topic for this semi-final is..." University Debate Team Captain Yan Wenkai adjusted his glasses. "Should the aerospace field focus more on basic research or technological innovation? The affirmative, the College of Computer Science, may begin their opening statement!"

The first speaker for the Computer Science team jumped up. "We maintain that technological innovation is the core competitive strength! The reusable rockets of America's SpaceX..."

Chen Duling took notes rapidly as her opponent spoke, the tip of her fountain pen scratching across the paper.

When it was the opposition's turn for cross-examination, she rose, her ponytail tracing a confident arc in the air.

"May I ask the second speaker for the affirmative," her voice was as clear and cold as an icy spring, "without Mr. Zhou Peiyuan's basic research on turbulence theory, how could we have modern aerodynamic aircraft design?"

She pointed her pen precisely at the opposing debater. "The Falcon 9 rocket you just cited—its engine combustion stability research is based on the work of Theodore von Kármán in 1953..."

Beads of sweat appeared on the forehead of the Computer Science second speaker.

The Mechanical and Electrical section erupted in cheers, the boys frantically snapping photos of their school's campus belle.

Whispers rippled through the audience.

"Damn! That knowledge base!" Freshman Zhang Xiaofeng slapped his companion wildly. "Who is this Von... whoever she just mentioned?"

The boys from the Avionics major in the back row sneered. "You don't even know Von Kármán? And you're trying to pursue the campus belle?"

"I heard she scored 148 on the math section of the college entrance exam," a senior wearing glasses whispered. "Last semester, she was the only girl among the three students who scored over 90 in Materials Mechanics."

Zhang Xiaofeng pouted, unconvinced. "Just because she has good grades doesn't mean I can't pursue her! I don't believe it..."

"You want to try?" someone mocked. "Last semester, after the Mechanical Principles class, the Vice President of the Student Union presented her with roses right in the middle of the lecture hall, and she didn't even touch the ribbon."

The chatter was interrupted by a sudden burst of applause.

On stage, Chen Duling was delivering her closing statement: "...As Mr. Qian Xuesen said, if the foundation is not solid, the earth will shake. When we look up at the stars beyond the Kármán line, let us not forget that it is basic research that builds the stairs to the stars."

She bowed slightly, the pearl studs on her earlobes gleaming under the spotlights.

The discussion in the back rows continued. Several boys stared at the radiant Chen Duling on stage, their eyes wide.

"She's so beautiful!" a boy in black-rimmed glasses said obsessively. "She really is the campus belle of NUAA; that elegance is unparalleled!"

"It's not just her looks," the boy in the plaid shirt next to him added. "She's a true academic powerhouse! During the school anniversary on the 19th of last month, she spoke as a student representative in the auditorium. The speech was so well-written that even the President kept nodding."

"You guys are all behind on the news," a boy with a buzz cut whispered mysteriously. "Do you know what she did during the summer break?"

He glanced around, and once he was sure no one was paying attention, he said, "She went to film a movie! *The Left Ear*, directed by Alec Su. She’s the lead actress!"

"Really?" several boys exclaimed simultaneously, causing the audience in the front rows to turn and glare at them in annoyance.

"Of course it's true! My cousin works at a film company and said he saw her on set with his own eyes."

The boy with the buzz cut said triumphantly, "She might be a big star in the future; she’s not from the same world as us."

The group sighed. Zhang Xiaofeng muttered unwillingly, "She really is the goddess of our school... it's just that she's too cold and distant. I wonder which lucky guy will be able to win her over."

"Don't dream," the boy with glasses adjusted his frames. "It's impossible. Her standards are too high. I heard even the Student Union President was politely turned down when he asked her to dinner."

"Cold and distant? I don't think so."

A low, magnetic voice suddenly cut in.

The boys only then noticed a stranger sitting next to them.

He was wearing a simple black turtleneck sweater under a dark gray wool coat. His 1.86-meter-tall, upright frame was striking even while seated. His sharp, angular profile looked particularly profound in the dim light of the lecture hall.

"Who are you?" Zhang Xiaofeng asked cautiously.

The man’s lips curled slightly, his gaze still locked on Chen Duling on stage. "Just... a spectator."

"Tch, acting all mysterious," the boy with the buzz cut scoffed. "You say she isn't cold? Do you know her, then?"

The man didn't answer immediately.

At that moment, Chen Duling bowed to offer her thanks and her gaze swept across the audience.

The moment she saw the man, she froze for a split second before looking away as if nothing had happened.

But the sharp-eyed Zhang Xiaofeng caught the detail. "Holy crap! Did she just look this way?"

The man chuckled and stood up in a leisurely manner.

His commanding height immediately drew attention from those around him; several girls had already begun whispering about which department this junior might be from.

"I wouldn't say we know each other," he said while adjusting his cuffs, his tone as casual as if he were discussing the weather, "I’m just planning to ask her to dinner in a bit!"

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