Chapter 157
Avery politely declined offers for help with her luggage. However, others took her bags without waiting for her consent, and she didn’t bother to argue. Once in the dorm, people invited her to join them for lunch, but she pulled out a thermos and said she had brought her own food from home and would eat in her room. Everyone was surprised. They didn’t expect Avery to bring lunch to school. Someone thought, ’Could her family be struggling financially? She doesn’t seem like it.’ But Avery wasn’t wearing designer brands. Perhaps her family background was modest. Another woman felt a secret sense of superiority and thought, ’Avery isn’t so perfect after all.’ The boys, on the other hand, felt secretly pleased. If her family wasn’t well-off, it meant they had a chance to pursue her.
Avery smiled and said, "It’s almost half past twelve. You should hurry to lunch." The seniors wanted to say more, but the ladies beside them pulled them away.
As Avery ate, she curiously examined the dorm. During her high school years, the Murphy family had rented her a place right across from school, so she had never lived on-campus before. This dorm accommodated four students. Each had their own bed, lofted to allow for a wardrobe and desk below, along with a bathroom and balcony. It was quite nice.
The other three dormmates weren’t there yet. One bed had luggage on it, while the other two were empty, as the students hadn’t arrived. Avery glanced at their names: Celine Austin, Marilyn Bender, and Daphne Robbins. Generally, girls studying engineering tended to be down-to-earth. Maybe she could look forward to dorm life in college.
To be honest, Avery’s main reason for attending university was to experience the life of an "ordinary person." She wasn’t expecting to learn much that her usual teachers couldn’t teach her. "Since I’m here, I might as well enjoy it," Avery said to herself.
After finishing her meal, Avery tied her hair up, put on a mask and hat, and went downstairs to the cafeteria to pick up her bedding. She carried a plastic bucket with sheets and pillows in one hand and a large woven bag filled with blankets over her shoulder, striding back to her dorm with ease. As she passed by, everyone stared in disbelief. While there were girls who could carry that much, it was rare to see someone do it so effortlessly and gracefully.
"Look!" someone in the second-floor cafeteria called out. "Isn’t that Avery?" Students by the window leaned out, instantly spotting her. Even though Avery was wearing a mask, her figure and presence were so striking that the seemingly ordinary green dress she wore stood out as truly unique, leaving a lasting impression on everyone who saw her.
"It really is her! She’s so beautiful. Why isn’t anyone helping her with her things?"
"I’ll go help her."