A Young Woman's Heart

"Then I'll definitely choose something related to literature! After all, I'm the class representative for Chinese!"

“What kind of reason is that…” Mo Xueyao drooped her eyelids.

Where is Xiaoyao?

"Huh? I...I haven't decided yet. Whatever, or maybe I should study something related to medicine?"

"There don't seem to be many liberal arts majors that are related to medicine."

“Traditional Chinese medicine seems to be something that can be tested,” Mr. Xue interjected.

Mo Xiaoxiao gently smoothed her younger sister's long hair and smiled sweetly, "Youyou and I will probably choose education-related majors."

"Then you'll definitely choose a teacher's college, right?"

"I guess...? Luckily, there are quite a few second-tier and third-tier universities affiliated with teachers' colleges, so I should be able to get in." Mo Zhuyou gently scratched her cheek. "It's just that my sister..."

"Your sister is definitely more likely to pass the exam."

"That's not what I meant. I meant that my sister could have done better on the test, she should."

"I'll just stay with Youyou." Mo Xiaoxiao rested her chin on Youyou's shoulder and gently rubbed her cheek.

They're twin sisters, but they look like they're several years apart.

"Youyou, you have to work hard."

"That's right, that's right! It's not good to always let Xiaoxiao give in to you!"

……

(four)

"Eh—!!!" Hua Yinyin suddenly raised the information booklet in her hand excitedly, waving her arms and legs as if she had won the lottery. "Look! The fourth one from the bottom, there's a women's university in Shanghai!"

"Women's universities? Is that so rare... There are others, but even those in Beijing are only second-tier universities. The others are even third-tier universities or vocational colleges."

"Wrong, it's a first-tier university!! And its admission score is close to that of Zhejiang University! It was established in 1997, which means it's a relatively new school!"

"Huh? There's a women's university that's a first-tier university?" Mo Xueyao was a little curious, because women's universities don't have many majors, and the teaching staff isn't very strong. In addition, the selection process is unique, so it's already quite good to get into a second-tier university. To reach the first-tier university and get close to the score line of Zhejiang University is almost impossible.

After all, if there aren't many applicants, the cutoff score can't possibly be set that high.

"It is a girls' college jointly run by educators from four countries, namely the UK, France, Italy, and Japan, and our country. The admission scores are adjusted according to the region of application. If it is a relatively poor region, the score will be lowered appropriately. Hmm... unfortunately, the admission scores for Hangzhou are the same as those for Shanghai, which are the highest requirements."

Mo Xueyao became curious and flipped through the manual for a while before finally finding it on an inconspicuous page.

"Ginkgo...Women's...University (Note ①)?"

Yu Shu also curiously leaned over to look at Mr. Xue's side.

Mr. Xue simply pushed the manual in front of her.

“Ginkgo Women’s University…” Wang Jiale read it aloud, “Founded in Shanghai in 1997, located near the subway…”

"...Convenient transportation, strong teaching staff, including teachers and professors from various countries with many years of teaching experience..."

"The majors include Clinical Medicine, Applied Psychology, Business Administration, International Trade, Foreign Languages ​​and Literature, Financial Engineering, Natural Philosophy, World Literature, Educational Technology..."

"The highest score among them is... the lowest is... and it is also the only women's university in the country that is a 211-level institution."

While the 211 Project can't compare to the 985 Project, since there are only 39 985 Project universities nationwide, it is still a level above ordinary first-tier universities.

This means that it is very difficult for ordinary people to get into this school.

The information also states that due to various limitations, the university only had a little over 800 new students last year.

There are far fewer than those of similarly sized institutions.

Of course, there's also the reason that its brand awareness isn't high enough yet.

Moreover, although it is located in Shanghai, it does not have a policy of giving priority to local Shanghai residents for admission. Instead, it uses a different and more complex method for calculation.

Those who can do well on the exam don't want to go, and those who can't do well can't get in.

An awkward situation where neither side can gain or lose.

But if you can get in, the teaching quality won't be bad.

Because there are many teachers there, even at the university level, small class sizes can be implemented.

This is very characteristic of foreign countries—an elite education model.

"Ginkgo - umm".

"How about we go together?"

"I should be... fine? But it's so boring being surrounded by girls."

"It's only fun when it's all girls!" Hua Yinyin protested, raising her hands high. "Cute girls are the most precious treasures in the world!!"

"Did you just remove the 'unlovable' part?"

"Ahem—" Hua Yinyin clearly didn't want to admit that she was a member of the "appearance association."

“Going to Shanghai is too much trouble.” Mo Xueyao lazily squinted her eyes. “I still want to go to university in Hangzhou.”

"Hey, Yaoyao, if you don't live on campus during college, it's the same as not going to college at all!"

"...You can live on campus in Hangzhou too."

"But that one is too close, it's different!"

"Shanghai isn't that far away."

"Damn it—I don't care, I'm going to this university!"

"Then go ahead and do it..."

Clearly, no one has made up their minds yet. For native Hangzhou residents, choosing a local school is definitely the most reliable option.

……

========

Note ①: Ginkgo Women's University is purely fictional; such a university does not exist in reality.

Chapter 140 Lawn and Riverbank

Sunday, a rare sunny day.

The snow on the ground had finally melted almost completely, and the wind blowing in our faces even carried a hint of spring warmth.

—Although spring is actually still far from here.

This is on the edge of Hangzhou, and there's a beautiful villa complex right in front of us.

It was also where teachers like Ye Wen lived.

However, Mo Xueyao and Li Wanyan were not invited; they simply took the empty bus and went for a stroll.

Although I didn't leave Hangzhou, I left my familiar streets, so I could at least be considered to have gone on a 'trip'.

"Ah, Sunday is so nice. I wish Sundays like this could go on forever." Mo Xueyao, carrying an electronic keyboard, jumped out of the car with a 'whoosh,' took a deep breath of the fresh suburban air, and looked back at Li Wanyan.

Li Wanyan stepped off the bus gently, feeling the breeze. Behind her, the bus slammed its doors shut and slowly drove away.

The wide, flat asphalt road stretches into the distance, with bamboo-covered mountains on the right and flat plains and rivers on the left.

Although two years have passed, the area still seems to have not developed and retains more of its natural landscape, so there are not many cars passing by.

Such tranquility always makes one feel far removed from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Actually, when I'm in the city, I don't really feel any noise anymore.

Only when you arrive in such a place will you suddenly realize how pure the world truly is.

Although her ears couldn't move, she could clearly feel them lazily stretching out.

If she had cat ears, they would probably be drooping comfortably on her head right now.

When you spend a lot of time together, you don't necessarily chat all the time.

Even without speaking, there's no awkwardness at all, because body language, eye contact, and even the other person's facial expressions and faint body odor can all convey their feelings.

The more familiar they are with each other, the more their interaction resembles that of animals.

There was a natural understanding between them.

After walking a short distance, you can see patches of lush greenery in front of you; it's a riverbank planted with dark green lawns.

It's a special variety of grass, and since winters in the south aren't actually that cold, they remain green even in winter.

Mo Xueyao gripped the keyboard strap tightly and took a few steps down the slope.

The slope wasn't steep, but it still took some getting used to to maintain your balance.

"Here it is?" Mo Xueyao walked to the middle of the riverbank, put down the keyboard bag on her back, and only let go after making sure it wouldn't slip off the riverbank.

Li Wanyan bent down, took out a picnic blanket from her schoolbag, and spread it on the grass.

"It seems the violin case should have been placed on those steps over there..." Mo Xueyao tiptoed to the steps. "I didn't even see it before..."

Clearly, these steps are for people to walk on.

Each step is spacious and stable, so you don't have to worry about your items slipping off.

Li Wanyan also moved the picnic blanket here, and then took out a large bunch of fresh wild vegetables.

Actually, the two of them had already gotten off the bus once, walked into the woods near the roadside to pick some wild grass, and then got back on the bus.

Although there aren't many wild vegetables in winter, there are always some.

If you go on a picnic and eat a packed lunch from home, it always feels like something's missing.

The golden sunlight shone down on the riverbank without reservation, making people feel warm and cozy.

Li Wanyan picked up the wild vegetables, walked up the steps to the river, and used the clear, slowly flowing river water to wash away every speck of mud from the vegetable leaves. Then she filled a small pot halfway with water.

Clear water droplets dripped from the vegetable leaves, exuding a fresh scent everywhere.

Mo Xueyao took off her little leather shoes and put them aside. On her small feet, which were clad in black pantyhose, she stretched out her ten toes forcefully, then clenched them and then relaxed them.

"Whoosh—what a comfortable breeze..." She squinted, letting the playful wind ruffle her bangs. "If only I could really travel everywhere after graduation..."