Chapter 133: Registration for the New School Year

The negotiations between Menglong Culture and Media and various film production companies, television studios, and overseas broadcasters had reached a virtual stalemate. The film and television rights for "Psychological Crime" and the television adaptation rights for "Sherlock Holmes" were all caught in a tug-of-war.

Currently, both sides were locked in a battle of attrition—one trying to drive the price down, the other trying to push it up—with the entire company working tirelessly for the sake of Zhang Chu alone. These negotiations required time and energy to grind through, lasting until both parties were finally satisfied.

However, time waits for no one. When Zhang Chu received a prompting call from his mother, he suddenly realized that it was time for him to report to Peking University.

Autumn in Beijing rarely sees much rain, but today it was drizzling incessantly. Leaves swirled as they fell in the residential complex, and the temperature had plummeted. After packing his admission letter, ID card, and wallet into his backpack, Zhang Chu grabbed an umbrella and headed out.

Fortunately, the complex was just outside the west gate of Peking University. He had only taken a few steps before he spotted the orientation volunteers outside the school gate. Clad in university apparel, they stood under rain canopies, explaining procedures to freshmen struggling with bags and luggage.

"Hello there! Are you a freshman, too?" asked a girl wearing glasses. She had truly never seen a freshman arrive traveling so light; even the locals usually had parents in tow on the first day of school.

Zhang Chu nodded and smiled. "Yes, I'm in the Class of 2018, Department of Chinese Language and Literature. Senior, do you know where the registration point for our department is?"

"Really? Little Rabbit, come here! It’s a direct junior from your department—a fresh face!" the girl shouted exaggeratedly. Teasing the freshmen was all part of the fun for the seniors.

Lin Tu dropped what she was doing immediately, grabbed an orientation handbook, and ran over. When she saw Zhang Chu, she couldn't help but offer a wry smile; this was one junior you didn't want to mess with. As one of the most famous students in the incoming class, Zhang Chu was already a familiar face to the orientation staff, given how frequently he stirred up headlines.

"Junior Zhang Chu, are you here to register all by yourself?" Lin Tu asked cautiously, worried that he might be up to something unpredictable.

Zhou Weisha, the bespectacled senior beside her, exclaimed in surprise, "Little Rabbit, you actually know him? Come clean, is there something going on between you two?"

"How could there be! This is Zhang Chu, the author of 'Sherlock Holmes'—he's a celebrity in our department!" Lin Tu quickly clarified.

"So you're Zhang Chu? Junior, can you give me an autograph? I love reading Danmei novels!"

A few metaphorical crows flew over Zhang Chu’s head. This senior was truly something else. "Senior Zhou, I write serious mystery and detective novels, not Danmei..."

Zhou Weisha dismissed him with a wave. "Yes, yes, 'not Danmei,' but better than Danmei. I love Holmes and Watson. By the way, which station is filming the show? I hope they do a good job."

Finding a senior who had read his books at the orientation site made Zhang Chu feel his luck was quite good. Wasn't Peking University supposed to be full of academic geniuses? How did they have time to read such books, let alone equate "Sherlock" to Danmei? It was exhausting.

"It hasn't been decided yet. I'm just a hands-off boss; I leave those matters to the professionals."

Seeing this, Lin Tu picked up her umbrella and said, "The registration point for the Chinese department was originally outside, but because of the rain, it’s been moved to the reception station in the QIU DE-BA Gymnasium. I'll take you there."

"The gymnasium, right? I know the way, so no need to trouble you, Senior Lin!"

This was likely the hallmark of a man destined to be single. Only halfway there did Zhang Chu realize he had missed the chance for a romantic stroll in the rain with a senior.

The QIU DE-BA Gymnasium, once the venue for table tennis during the Beijing Olympics, was located near the East Gate 1 of the university. Zhang Chu had to traverse the entire campus from the west gate to get there. Even though he knew the location, it took him a full fifteen or sixteen minutes to arrive.

The area outside the gymnasium was teeming with people. Freshmen, led by upperclassmen, were dragging mountains of luggage to register. Zhang Chu looked quite out of place, arriving with nothing but a single backpack.

Stepping from the damp outdoors into the gymnasium, his ears were immediately assaulted by a roar of millions of decibels—the place was packed. With thousands of freshmen, parents, volunteers, seniors from every department, security guards, and faculty, the signs for each department posted on small stalls were clearly visible. Among the sea of freshmen, over four hundred were top-ten scorers from their respective provinces in the college entrance exams. He might have been brushing shoulders with a provincial or municipal top scholar without even knowing it.

Once Zhang Chu located the sign for the Department of Chinese Language and Literature, he headed straight for it.

"Are you Zhang Chu?"

Before he could even speak, the staff member in charge of the department's orientation spoke up. "I'm your assistant counselor, Jia Zhi. Did your parents not come with you?"

Zhang Chu shook his head. He really hadn't realized he had become so famous that even a stranger would recognize him.

"I came alone. Senior Jia, how do I go about registering?"

Jia Zhi had actually seen Zhang Chu’s photo long ago. As a master’s student in the department and a first-time assistant counselor, he had familiarized himself with the notable students in his class. He just hadn't expected to see the "famous" Zhang Chu on the very first day.

"Give me your admission letter and ID card. I'll issue your dormitory key and campus card. How are you managing with housing?"

Zhang Chu scratched his head. Even though Peking University rarely checked dorms, he figured he should at least stay there for a few days to go through the motions for school inspections and his parents, and to get to know his roommates. "I came to Beijing alone and only brought some clothes. Once I find my room, I’ll head to the supermarket to buy what I need. Don't worry."

"Alright then, get to it. Here is your key. I'll have Li Tao take you there. He’s a junior; you can ask him about anything regarding life or studies."

A reporter from the campus television station, having heard that Zhang Chu had arrived alone, rushed over with a camera, but failed to capture even a shot of his back. By then, Zhang Chu had already left with Li Tao, heading toward the dormitory buildings on the other side.

"Your parents actually let you come to Beijing alone?" Li Tao asked, sounding slightly surprised. He wasn't sure if he should call them laid-back or something else.

Zhang Chu shook his head. "Hardly. They make me call every day to report that I'm safe, and there's an uncle who acts as a snitch. Brother Li, is the curriculum in our department difficult?"

"The courses aren't too hard; passing is easy, but getting high marks is tough. Honestly, for a top scholar like you, people will talk if you don't rank in the top three."

"Let them talk. Their mouths are their own." Zhang Chu was philosophical about it. He had come to Peking University to improve his own abilities, not to show off or gain prestige—that was just a side effect.

As they spoke, a vast expanse of neat dormitory buildings appeared before them.