On the way home inside the car, Iris studied the documents Giulia Moretti gave her. She planned on completing all the necessary requirements for enrollment today and submit everything to the admissions counselor tomorrow.
After reading through them, she leaned back and closed her eyes. She was at the backseat. Jiang Ying Yue was sitting at the front with the driver. They left Dom at the penthouse. He was busy with paperwork regarding her recent job commitments.
Iris' feelings at the moment about her enrollment to Cross Academy were complicated.
Cross Academy was viewed by most of the world as a legendary school for geniuses. It was situated at a remote location in the Swiss Alps. Not much was known about its history other than what they revealed to the public. Nevertheless, most textbooks agreed that the academy was founded by a mysterious explorer and educator named Professor Galaxianne Arria von Cross about 250 years ago.
The first students she recruited to establish the Cross Academy when they settled in the Swiss Alps all became key historical figures with great accomplishments after they returned to their own homelands. She passed down the academy to one of her students and disappeared thereafter, never to be seen or heard from again.
The academy continued to follow the mission laid down by its great founder—to gather and nurture the most talented and skilled individuals in the world. However, throughout its two and a half centuries of existence, it also evolved to become an independent, neutral superpower with assets and networks comparable to a wealthy country. After all, most of its alumni were world-class leaders in their own fields of expertise.
What made it unique was that once enrolled, its students didn't need to travel all the way to Switzerland to study. Instead, the academy would send highly skilled instructors to wherever part of the world its students lived. Despite this option, most students still chose to study directly at the campus in Switzerland.
In her previous life as Evelina, she was recruited by the academy in her early teens after playing around in the deep web. Bored and curious, she accepted the offer without thinking too much. She only thought that it would be interesting.
What she didn't expect was the delighted reactions from her family after they learned that Cross Academy made an offer to her. They were absolutely ecstatic. Even her cold mother had a rare pleased expression on her face. It was only afterwards that she realized how prestigious a standing Cross Academy held on the world stage.
Since her background was special and her family rarely permitted her to leave the estate, the academy sent instructors to her. She officially enrolled as a Computer Science student. But seeing her talent in music, the academy decided to nurture her in this field as well, replacing her private music teacher with some of the top musicians in the world who were also alumni of the academy. That was how her skills in both computers and music were developed to such a high degree.
The number of times she actually visited the Swiss campus could be counted in one hand. And each time, her entourage was like a small army.
Now as Iris Long, she never really thought about getting a regular university degree because she already received the best education in the world in her previous life. That was until Long Hui pointed out that she was undereducated and unqualified to work at Long Industries.
She realized that to others, she barely completed senior high school. It was unfortunate that no matter how intelligent or skilled a person was, he or she would still be looked down upon by most of society if he or she lacked a university degree or an equivalent proof of higher education or training.
Unless a person developed a massively successful career or was earning millions or better yet billions of money, others would have preconceived notions that the undereducated were automatic failures in life.
Iris personally didn't give a whit about what others thought about her. She just wanted to live her life the way she wanted it, enjoying her passions, discovering new things, and most importantly pursuing her dreams. However, she was slowly realizing that she was now living in society, not in a closed off environment anymore. She still didn't care about others' unwanted opinions, but Long Hui's words stuck with her.
She had the education but no proof. Of course, she could always enroll at a regular university and easily pass everything, but she didn't want to take time off from her showbiz career to spend years studying. So she decided that her best option was Cross Academy.
Now that she was about to become a student in the academy once again, Iris couldn't help but feel uncomfortable using her connection to her previous life. She was both Evelina and Iris, but they were two different people.
She wanted a fresh start as Iris Long, but it seemed that she still needed Evelina Vetrova.
This was making her a little nervous. It felt like she just opened a door which she couldn't close—the door separating her past and present lives.
Iris shook her head, not liking the direction of her thoughts.
Jiang Ying Yue turned on the radio. Jin Chonglin's song was currently playing. She was about to change to another station but Iris stopped her.
"No, that's fine. Thank you."
Iris leaned back and focused on the sexy R&B song to distract herself. Her fingers tapped with the beat of the music.
For some reason, the song was making her think of Jin Liwei.
Taking out her phone, she started typing.
"I think I miss you."
Then she hesitated, contemplating whether to send the text or not.
'He's my boyfriend. There's nothing wrong in texting him to say that I miss him.'
Persuading herself like this, she finally sent the text.
Barely three seconds had passed and he already replied.
Liwei: "I miss you too, baby. So much. Will come home early tonight in time for dinner. I love you."
She was already smiling before she even realized it. And just like that, all her earlier worries were blown away by a single text from her man.
