Chapter 22

In the blink of an eye, three years had passed since that incident.

Now, Kara was eighteen years old. If nothing unexpected happened, she would graduate from high school this year.

Over the past few years, Kara had begun to keep a low profile, probably realizing that her reputation had been tarnished by those idiots.

However, Kara was destined not to be able to stay under the radar. After all, she was incredibly beautiful. Every time a new batch of freshmen entered the school, there would always be either good or bad boys who pursued her.

If it was a decent guy, she would politely decline.

If it was the type of thug she despised, Kara would now use her immense mental strength to make them go through dozens of internal battles each day, without ever directly engaging.

Her actions had reassured her adoptive parents, and eventually, there were no more problems.

At the same time, Clark had turned eight. He was now in elementary school and had slowly begun to master his strength. But Clark, having been quite withdrawn in recent years, still struggled to make friends, which was unfortunate.

Thankfully, he had his sister by his side.

Kara had been training Clark for the past few years, even teaching him how to fly. However, Clark's speed wasn't as fast as Kara's, and his strength wasn't as great either. Additionally, Kara was simply more striking.

There was still a significant gap between the siblings, mainly because there was a ten-year age difference. As a fellow Kryptonian, Kara had the advantage of maturity and strength.

It would take a lot of effort for Clark to catch up.

That afternoon, Kara was sitting alone on the school lawn, leaning against a tree behind her, happily reading a book. It was a university guide, and she was still uncertain about whether she wanted to go to college.

If she went to university, she would need to pay a significant amount of tuition every year, but having a college degree would make finding a job easier.

If Kara decided to stay in the small town and build a life there, she wouldn't necessarily need a college degree—just finishing high school would suffice for many jobs. Plus, since the town was within the jurisdiction of Metropolis, attending college in the state would be cheaper.

And with her incredible learning abilities, Kara could apply for scholarships and grants each year. A few thousand dollars annually might be enough. If she worked part-time, things should work out.

"Kara…" A boy suddenly appeared in front of her, looking at her expectantly. "You're Kara, right? I think…"

"Whatever you're thinking, you'd better stop," came a dry voice.

Kara looked up and saw two familiar figures approaching. The dark-skinned girl was Dani, dressed in a casual shirt, paired with jeans and sneakers.

The girl who had spoken was another friend, Jennifer, with fair skin, long, wavy blonde hair, and an elegant blue suit paired with high heels. She looked stunning.

Jennifer glanced at the boy, who was now flustered, and snorted softly. "It's the last semester, and now you want to confess to Kara? Come on, go after girls your own age."

The boy blushed and awkwardly excused himself before walking away.

Dani shook her head, amused. "You didn't need to be so harsh. Kara didn't say anything. What if he was someone she liked?"

"Please, Kara's not interested in anyone from this small town," Jennifer scoffed, folding her arms.

Kara sighed, feeling a little exasperated. "Jennifer, don't forget that I'm from this small town too. My family still lives here, so there's nothing wrong with it."

What she didn't say was that it wasn't just that she looked down on boys from small towns—she looked down on almost everyone. After all, she had traveled from the "real world." How could she marry someone from a "fictional" world?

Kara's style was similar to Dani's. She wore a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and her long hair was simply tied into a ponytail with a headband. Since she hadn't cut her hair in years, it now reached her waist.

Unlike Jennifer, Kara's blonde hair was naturally straight, and she had never permed it.

Jennifer, on the other hand, had dyed her hair because she loved the blonde look, but it had affected her hair quality, so she had opted for big waves. Despite this, she still looked beautiful.

Kara also preferred wearing jeans and sneakers, not as fond of the more glamorous outfits like Jennifer's.

"Girls, shouldn't you pay more attention to fashion and taking care of yourselves?" Jennifer teased her friends.

Kara and Dani exchanged glances, both speechless at her remark. They were still students, after all.

"Kara, have you started planning your college journey?" Dani noticed the university guide Kara was reading, guessing she was considering higher education.

Jennifer's eyes lit up. "Which college are you thinking of?"

Kara pointed to one of the universities in the guide—Metropolis University. She could go there if she chose to take the entrance exam.

"Is it because it's affordable?"

Jennifer and Dani exchanged glances, feeling puzzled. "Can't your family afford it?"

While Jonathan's family were farmers, they had a large-scale operation, and their annual income wasn't low.

Plus, by the time Clark had to go to college, Kara would already be graduated.

Kara shook her head, knowing it wasn't just about money. "I want to stay close to Metropolis after I graduate, and it's close to home."

That was the main reason. Since she had decided to build her future in Metropolis, attending a local university would make it easier to find a job afterward.

"I knew you'd say that," Jennifer and Dani exchanged knowing looks before Dani pulled out two application forms. It turned out both of them had also applied to Metropolis University.

Kara smiled. She had grown up, and now, her future was coming into focus.