She's a Passerby, But Can See the Protagonist's Halo-Chapter 169

In September of her senior year, before the month had even ended, Yan saw an announcement on her computer from the School of Liberal Arts.

"Bin City University School of Liberal Arts Proposed List of Recommended Postgraduate Students Exempt from Examinations (Direct PhD Track)"

Under the Chinese Language and Literature major, the name "Yan Qingwen" stood out prominently.

With everything settled and her direct PhD admission secured at the same university, Yan felt increasingly at ease.

She and Jue Jue had studied in this city for three years, and now, they would remain here for at least five more.

The unpleasant climate, however, still didn’t sit well with her.

Her phone screen lit up with a flood of messages—clearly, many classmates had seen the announcement and come to congratulate her.

"97 on the re-examination? I bow to the master."

"How many from your dorm got direct PhD spots? I heard the sister from the College of Agriculture is going to the Agricultural Sciences Academy?"

"Yan, my queen, a solo-authored C-journal paper? You’re my idol!"

Unlike STEM fields, where seniors might be required to join research groups early, humanities and social science PhDs like Yan had plenty of free time.

In contrast, the medical school’s workload was never light. Yan and Jue Jue’s daily routines remained largely unchanged. Though Yan had few classes, she continued her lifelong habits of reading literature, accumulating knowledge, and researching.

Beyond daily life, the wedding planning group created two years ago was now in full swing.

Yan watched as the "Wedding Planning Group" expanded like a snowball.

He Xing added Officer Zheng Yi.

At some point, Xu Jiaojiao pulled in Lu Chen.

The group was usually quiet, but whenever a message appeared, it would trigger a flurry of responses.

Most of these messages were polls—venue polls, dress polls, design polls, and so on.

Yan couldn’t understand why these people were so enthusiastic about her and Jue Jue’s wedding.

Chu Bingbing said, "Because it’s not us getting married."

For them, marriage still felt distant, but for the couple, it was just around the corner. They treated it as a chance to learn the ropes and gain experience.

To this, Yan could only say, "Alright then, suit yourselves."

During the last winter break of undergrad, with only six months left until the wedding date, another wave of people descended on Ning City for custom dress fittings.

Granny Huang, Yan’s elderly neighbor, only worked on the couple’s wedding outfits.

The bridesmaids' and groomsmen’s attire was handled by Auntie Huang’s design studio.

After the measurements were taken, Yan watched as the wedding planning group buzzed daily with @everyone reminders.

[Group Assistant]: @everyone, folks, keep your figures steady for the dresses!!!

In the months leading up to graduation, Auntie Huang’s team made two or three additional trips from Ning City to Bin City for minor adjustments.

While everyone else was busy with graduation season, Zhu Jue and Xiao Qingnang were preoccupied with their usual final exams.

Yes, their eight-year direct MD-PhD program had only completed its first four years. Starting next semester, they would enter the clinical training phase. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm

June at Bin University was exceptionally hectic—undergrads taking finals, graduates preparing to scatter to the winds, and others gearing up for summer sessions.

On graduation photo day, after the group shots with their majors, students were free to take individual photos.

Many classmates—both from their department and others—came to take pictures with Yan and Gu Jiasui.

Yan’s dormmates wore custom-made cloud collars in different colors over their graduation gowns, making them stand out beautifully.

In front of the century-old academic building, Yan and Suisui held their bouquets, smiling radiantly.

Across from them were their dedicated "photographers"—Yuan Ye with his DSLR, directing the shoot.

"I think my face is going to freeze from smiling," Yan whispered to Suisui during a rare break from photos.

She considered herself someone who enjoyed posing for pictures, but today’s turnout was overwhelming.

"Same here. My facial muscles are exhausted," Gu Jiasui admitted.

Their dorm’s group photos had been taken the day before. Yi Zhi was stiff in front of the camera, and Ding Ling kept staring blankly at the lens. The whole ordeal had nearly driven Yuan Ye mad.

"Alright, alright, you two ‘lowest-educated’ guys, go take your photos before another crowd shows up," Yuan Ye teased, patting Xiao Qingnang and Zhu Jue on the back.

Among their friend group, these two were the only ones in the eight-year MD-PhD program. Four years in, they still hadn’t even earned their bachelor’s degrees.

Today, they could only stand by in formal attire—no graduation gowns for them.

"The ‘lowest-educated’ ones here are the only ones with partners," Xiao Qingnang shot back as he stood up.

"Say that again in four years," Zhu Jue retorted.

If all went well, he and Yan would both be PhD graduates by then.

"Jue Jue, Brother Xiao, Wild Ye, what are you guys chatting about? Come take the photo!" Yan called out.

"Hurry up!"

Even during graduation season, Bin University’s visitor quotas were strict—only two guests per student, limited to a few visits per month. The best way to get graduation photos taken was to recruit fellow students.

Portrait photography was one of Yuan Ye’s "professional skills," so he’d been roped into service.

Holding bouquets, arms around shoulders, hands clasped, heads slightly bowed—Yuan Ye grew increasingly frustrated as he reviewed the shots.

"Old Xiao, stop being so stiff! Can you act natural for once?!"

"Did someone freeze you in place?"

His outburst made everyone laugh, and in that moment, Yuan Ye snapped away.

"That’s better. Now keep it together!"

Yan and Jue Jue were fine—they were used to being photographed.

But Xiao Qingnang… was a lost cause.

"Let’s just move somewhere else," Yuan Ye declared, herding the group away.

Blue skies, white clouds, green trees, red walls—the campus paths provided the perfect backdrop.

Yan and Jue Jue’s photos went smoothly. Once they were done, everyone pulled out their phones, trying to get Xiao Qingnang to relax. Finally, they resorted to a last-ditch tactic.

Through remote coordination, Yi Zhi, Ye Ping’an, and Ding Ling brought over Da Ju, San Hua, and Pengpeng.

Little Pengpeng, now a healthy and lively cat, darted between the couple, distracting Xiao Qingnang from the cameras.

This time, the photos of Suisui and Xiao Qingnang turned out lively and natural—holding the cat, being licked by Pengpeng, scratching the kitten’s chin…

"That should do it," Yuan Ye said after a full afternoon of shooting.

"Any other spots you want? Maybe a classroom building in the evening?"

"Oh!" Yan suddenly remembered something and raised her hand.

"There’s one more place."

"That little path we walk every evening."

That path held so many secret memories for her and Jue Jue—whispering about their friends, stopping by the convenience store, testing the Nanyue Tribe’s bells…

At the mention of that little path, the eyes of those present flickered with recognition.

The school was too crowded today, so after escorting the three free-roaming campus cats to the school pets' office, the group headed to the path Yan had mentioned.

On this path, both Yuan Ye and Ye Ping'an found themselves lost in memories of the past.

Yuan ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‍Ye couldn’t help but recall the terror of transforming into a red-clothed female ghost and being chased relentlessly by another senior ghost.

Ye Ping’an thought back to how, time and again, he had stumbled upon couples opening and closing a spacetime portal here, smuggling interstellar goods—it felt like such a long time ago now.

Ding Ling’s eyes sparkled; this was the very spot where senior Shen Hui had once pursued a vengeful spirit, only for Yan to later step in and subdue it.

The three of them shared the same thought: This place, this path—it absolutely deserved a photo!

By the end of June, the graduation certificates and diplomas had been handed out to that year’s graduates. While most dorm rooms had emptied as students scattered—returning home, traveling, starting jobs, or going abroad—the luggage from the girls of Room 320 and the boys of Room 414 had long been packed up, their keys returned.

Ph.D. candidates were eligible for shared two-person dorms, but Yan hadn’t applied. When the new semester began, she and Jue Jue would be living on their own, having already moved into a house Xiao Qingnang had secured for them in Bin University’s faculty housing area well in advance.

Neither of their parents had attended the graduation ceremony—partly because Ning City University’s graduation season was just as hectic, but also because Yan and Jue Jue’s wedding was fast approaching.

The wedding, meticulously planned by their friends and family for over two years, was finally about to happen!