Shan Hanyu
I am twenty-one years old and a third-year bachelor student dual-majoring in Business Computing and Finance, but I tend to dive into the stock market. It is something new that I have discovered months ago, but my family is completely against it. Thus, I have been keeping my endeavours at a minimum.
My scholarship requires me to have my final academic year in a different university. Originally I had started having lessons for my final year for a few months at Acacia University. Acacia University is located not far from where I stay, but all of a sudden, I received a letter that transferred me to another university, Nexonia University located at Andophia City.
My city is about 1600 kilometres from Andophia City. I guess, if I have to do it, I have to. The only thing I have on my mind is getting this graduation certificate. Then probably I can find a job. But I am totally clueless about this new place.
They call me a nerd, and that is why I seldom have female company. But yesterday before I leave home to head to the airport for my flight, my mother smiles at me and gives me a farewell present: a handsome new hairstyle that she guarantees will steal the hearts of the girls at the new university. I was born in a single-parent household, but later my mother remarried a foreign customer, James, and together they had my sister, Harriet. My mother is the most brilliant hairstylist ever.
So after a moderately-long plane ride (two hours to be exact) and the first-ever plane ride in my entire life, I disembark and look at my new 'home'. Honestly, I have no idea what to think about it. It is beautiful, having a lot of skyscrapers and not as traffic-congested as my city. Since I am planning to graduate here and find a job in this city, I probably should hatch a plan for my long-term stay here.
The next day, I head over to Nexonia first thing in the morning. The subway journey is very smooth, and there are few commuters. I make my way through the station and take the next bus to the university. Nexonia is very majestic, but the funniest bit is how my mother was right. The very minute I walk into the university corridors the next morning, all eyes are on me. I realise Nexonia just has so many girls.
One offers to escort me to the cafeteria, and I utter my thanks, nervously. I try to remember my mother's words and give her a confident smile. She appears to be over the moon when I do so.
But when I enter the cafeteria, a surprise greets me. Sitting right in the cafeteria is a bewitching and yet, distinguished-looking female student. She doesn't look much younger than I am, so I hope she is in the same year as me. Her long hair swishes as she gets up from her seat and indulges her friend. She looks like I've seen her somewhere before, but where?
The girls in the cafeteria are whispering excitedly and looking my way, but I am uninterested. The woman steals my breath away with every smile, even if it is not to me. I can barely hear what she is saying with all the noise around me. I try to get her attention by taking some glances her way, but she just looks away, as if I don't exist.
Her face seems to say a thousand words, but everything about this surprising woman is beyond me. She has the most intriguing expression ever, a sharp chin and a small mouth with luscious lips. I wonder if she has ever been kissed, but quickly brush my indecent ideas about her away.
Her almond eyes are filled with an unreadable emotion, but the more she ignores me, something in me tells me I must get my hands on her.
I have a lesson at 10:00 in the morning. Surprisingly, we meet again in the hall where we have our lecture. She is holding a pile of books, and when she sees me in the front row, she treats me as air and walks away to find another empty seat.
Why is she being so cold to me? I don't know.
So how am I going to get to know her now?
I have to try my best.
The lecturer Mr Wang, a large man with spectacles on his nose and a large mole on his right cheek, comes in with the most solemn expression on his face. I take out my notebook and scrawl some notes in my writing pad, but he announces that before he starts his lecture, there will be a project soon that needs to be held in pairs. He notices me and tells me that I should talk to another student to obtain the notes and assignments due this week, but the pairings for the project have already been determined by the system.
Then, he announces the pairings.
I hear my name being called. "Shan Hanyu and Lu Shengyi."
She freezes. I know that it has to be her name. Lu Shengyi.
Again, another familiar feeling lingers in my mind upon pronouncing her name silently. It is the most beautiful name I have ever heard. I pronounce it in my head a few more times.
I seize the opportunity to approach her when she is alone, sitting at an empty table in the university hall, reading. She ostracises me with an 'I'm not interested' look after the lecture ends. Then her voice just cuts through me. I sense a stinging feeling in me as she brushes me off.
"I don't care who you are, and if it's just about the project, you can rest assured I will complete my tasks on time and be responsible."
I had attempted to introduce myself formally, but it seemed she did not even want to listen. She is fascinating but her attitude towards me is unrealistic. It is as I have done something horrible to hurt her.
As I walk away, I suddenly hear her melodious voice. She is now smiling as beautifully as an angel, speaking and laughing with a girl. I recognise the girl easily as the girl who was with her in the cafeteria. She greets the girl as Xiaoxian and seems joyful to be talking with her.
Maybe, if I can't reach her on my own, I might be able to get to her through her circle of friends. I must do all I can to get into her good books so that she will view me in a different air and perhaps come to trust me.
And to achieve this, I plan to start with Xiaoxian. I will assemble all the information I can on her through Xiaoxian. Perhaps she will be touched by my sincerity and accept my offer for a date with her.
She is all, in my twenty over years of life, that I want. A woman who steals my heart at first sight. Before this, I have never believed in love at first sight.
But now, her entire image trespasses into my mind, making me unable to think of anything other than her. She has a way about her that commands my soul. I cannot rest until she is mine.