"Seek and find, seek and find,

A perfect senior to my mind.

Kiss and hug, hold me tight,

Make a little one tonight."

The odd little song drifted through the halls of the Chinese Painting Department building at the Provincial Academy of Fine Arts. A brown-haired girl with a side ponytail climbed the stairs step by step. Her military cap sat crookedly atop her head, and she was drowning in an oversized army-green camouflage uniform, dripping with sweat.

Just moments ago, the military training—dreaded by every freshman—had finally ended. Almost all students rushed back to their dorms to shower, blast the AC, flop onto their beds, and scroll through their phones, dreaming of the college life they’d imagined.

But this girl walked the opposite way.

"How could Senior ignore me? I’m such a cute underclassman! Not even bringing me water during drills, not visiting once… It’s outrageous! My anger won’t be cooled by just one popsicle. Ten? No—*a hundred*!" She pouted. "I think he’s in Chinese Painting Class 1… Hmm… Still in session?"

Sweet-faced and clad in the telltale freshman camo, she was unmistakably an underclassman. Every student in the classroom—boys and girls alike—swiveled toward the window. Just as only handsome upperclassmen earned the title "Senior," only adorable girls like her qualified as "underclassmen." She fit the single students’ ideal perfectly. Even in that sloppy uniform, her charm shone through.

"Can any of you focus on painting with minds this restless? Eyes on the board!" An elderly professor rapped the chalkboard with his chalk, scolding sharply.

"Not in class… Weird. My intel should’ve been solid. Whatever. I’ll ask the teacher. Just need Senior’s contact. That Sister of mine refused to give it to me—such a jerk. Even if he hides at the ends of the earth, I’ll find him."

"Seek and find, seek and find…"

Humming her twisted little tune, she skipped away from the classroom door, leaving behind a pack of disappointed wolves buzzing with whispers.

"Was that an underclassman from our department?"

"Do we even *have* underclassmen that pretty?"

"Maybe she’s from Photography in the Design Department…"

Inside the counselor’s office, the girl’s shocked cry rang out:

"*What?!* Senior Qi Yan already dropped out?!"

"He submitted his withdrawal in the first week. We tried desperately to stop him. Students like him—talented, hardworking, with true potential—are rare. With patience and refinement, he’d have been a master artist in twenty or thirty years. But the waiting… Masterful brushwork means little without fame. Experts see skill; outsiders chase names." The female counselor shook her head, her expression heavy with regret.

Though the praise for Senior made the girl’s heart flutter slightly, his dropping out was utterly unexpected. *So off-script.*

"Then why didn’t you fight harder to keep him?"

"He said he had to care for his paralyzed sister. The dean approved it immediately—admiring his sense of duty. I couldn’t argue."

"Xiao Rong, still sighing over that talent-wasting trash student?" A potbellied Director Ma strode in, his tone grave. "Ah! Su Shiyu! The top scorer who chose our academy over CAFA? Your grades could’ve gotten you into the Central Academy!"

"Oh! *You’re* Su Shiyu! No wonder you look familiar. Your paintings… they carry Qi Yan’s influence. Were you classmates? Same master?" the counselor asked curiously.

"Senior is just Senior. Nothing more." The girl stated it firmly.

"You mustn’t follow his path!" Director Ma reached to pat her shoulder. "Don’t abandon proper Chinese painting for those tasteless, vulgar, erotic scribbles." She dodged smoothly, leaving him fumbling to retract his hand.

"Teacher… Can I withdraw too?" Su Shiyu asked earnestly.

"Eh?! Why? We won’t approve without valid reason!" The counselor gaped.

"Because Senior left. This place means nothing without him. I only came here for him."

"That’s reckless! Love doesn’t require the same campus. With modern transport, you can meet anytime. Rent a little place off-campus—you’ll be cozy as can be. No need to quit!" The counselor pleaded.

"Without Senior, I wouldn’t be who I am. My family will support my choice." Su Shiyu’s gaze snapped to Director Ma. "And *you*, Director Ma—or should I say *Donkey* Director? Never insult my Senior again. Not his hobbies, his art, or his character. Say one more word, and I’ll sue you for defamation and emotional distress." She gave a stiff bow. "Excuse me, teachers. Goodbye."

Her tone was polite, but she whirled around and stormed out without a shred of respect.

"Ahhh! Where *are* you, Senior?! If only I hadn’t gone to Europe with Mom over summer… I should’ve stuck to him like glue! But he left to care for his sister…" Her eyes lit up. "He once slipped and said Sister is his sister’s doctor! She *must* know where they are. She never talks about work or lets me visit the hospital… This time, I’ll pry it out of her!"

"First, handle the withdrawal. I’ll just say I’m retaking exams… They can’t stop me anyway. Hehehe… Seek and find, seek and find…"

Humming her strange song again, she headed back to her dorm to pack.