Xiao Lan didn’t tell anyone about what Ning Xue’s mother had said, only mentioning to Grandmother Yu: “I’m afraid I’m not worthy of Old Ning’s guidance. You don’t need to bring this up with him either, to avoid causing any family conflicts.”

Grandmother Yu was taken aback. “Old Ning might not be good at other things, but he knows his stuff when it comes to architecture. Anyone with more experience than him in China is either dead or retired. You won’t find a better teacher if you miss this chance!”

As expected, Grandmother Yu had been trying to get Xiao Lan accepted as Ning Yanfan’s student.

Xiao Lan felt warmth in her heart. Despite Grandmother Yu’s sharp tongue, she had a soft heart and was always looking out for both mother and daughter. While claiming to help find her son, Grandmother Yu had signed an agreement promising to give Xiao Lan the small building at Erqi Square in Shangdu if they found him. As a business deal, Xiao Lan wouldn’t lose out – that location would likely become part of the future Asia Department Store area in Shangdu.

In the 1990s, it became the most famous department store in the Central Plains region, even sending a female honor guard to Tiananmen Square for its opening promotion, capturing national attention. It was unprecedented for a private honor guard to appear at such a sacred national venue, with some saying it marked the dawn of a new commercial era in Hua Nation. Xiao Lan, not from Shangdu, had no special attachment to the Asia Department Store – she just knew it was extremely successful. Even if she didn’t develop the small building at No. 45 Erqi Square herself, the land alone would be very valuable.

Xiao Lan understood exactly how much the building was worth, and even if it was just a business transaction, she had a strong sense of commitment and would definitely put her heart into finding Grandmother Yu’s son.

Grandmother Yu didn’t need to do any of this. Xiao Lan smiled and said, “If I can’t find him in Hua Nation, I’ll look abroad. If someone wants to learn, why worry about finding a teacher?”

Grandmother Yu fell silent.

The old lady felt it was quite a shame.

But after what Ning Xue’s mother had said, it would be impossible for Xiao Lan to brazenly show up at their door. Even Grandmother Yu couldn’t swallow such an insult – she would have gotten into an argument with Ning Xue’s mother right there. Xiao Lan wasn’t just intelligent; despite her young age, she showed remarkable restraint by not throwing things in Ning Xue’s mother’s face. Grandmother Yu sneered – she was already one foot in the grave, having lived several decades, experienced both wealth and hardship and tasted all of life’s flavors.

Ning Xue’s mother was getting ahead of herself – who did she think she was?

Back then, she hadn’t looked down on Ning Yanfan and Ji Huaixin for being poor, yet when Xiao Lan wanted to be friends with Ning Xue, she was rejected for not being from the same social class.

Grandmother Yu was very upset – it was because of her that Xiao Lan had gone there only to be humiliated.

“If you’re not going, then don’t go. I’ll tell Old Ning you won’t be studying with him anymore.”

Xiao Lan thought for a moment, “This has nothing to do with Old Ning. Please save face for him – just say I lack the energy.”

Ning Xue had given her a second assignment: to draw the architectural floor plan of Prince Gong’s Mansion.

Xiao Lan decided to complete this assignment and show it to Ning Xue, but wouldn’t accept any new assignments after that. Of course, she would continue studying on her own, and if she needed to learn more, she’d have to be sweet-tongued and diligent – surely the architecture department professors would be willing to guide her.

…

At the Ning residence.

Ning Yanfan hung up the phone.

Lacking energy?

Ning Yanfan knew Grandmother Yu well and had met Xiao Lan twice.

At the Grand View Garden, Xiao Lan had run around without showing any sign of fatigue. With her clever mind, she surely understood this was his way of evaluating students. For her to claim lack of energy now – did this mean she was unwilling to study under him?

Everything happens for a reason. Ning Yanfan thought for a moment and called the family’s housekeeper.

“Who received the gifts when Xia Xiaolan came?”

“It was Sister Zhen.”

The housekeeper was only in her thirties, and this wasn’t feudal society – Ning Yanfan didn’t allow the old-fashioned terms like Master and Madam in his household, so the housekeeper called Ning Xue’s mother Sister Zhen.

“Just her?”

“Yes, Sister Zhen even invited Miss Xia to stay for dinner. I went to prepare in the kitchen while Sister Zhen chatted with Miss Xia, but by the time I finished cooking, Miss Xia had already left.”

The housekeeper didn’t know what was going on and didn’t embellish the story, just stating the facts.

The housekeeper liked Ning Xue; Old Master Ning was healthy and not difficult to serve, but Ning Xue’s mother, being an official’s wife, was quite demanding. Though she didn’t raise her voice or scold people, she was extremely particular – even when mopping the floor, she practically wanted the housekeeper to get down on her knees and clean every crack.

Ning Yanfan immediately understood.

He knew exactly what kind of person his daughter-in-law Zhen Wenxiu was, which was precisely why he usually had Ning Xue stay at the studio, to prevent Zhen Wenxiu from gradually influencing Ning Xue’s personality.

Ning Yanfan had wanted to repay Grandmother Yu’s favor and find a friend for Ning Xue.

Young people need friends, don’t they?

But Zhen Wenxiu had ruined it.

Ning Yanfan sighed. He couldn’t tell Xue about this – Zhen Wenxiu already felt there was a rift between mother and daughter, and Xue was someone who couldn’t tolerate even a grain of sand in her eye. If he mentioned this, it would only damage their mother-daughter relationship.

When Ning Xue returned, Ning Yanfan told her she didn’t need to continue teaching Xiao Lan.

Ning Xue didn’t ask why.

She was usually indifferent to such matters, but Ning Yanfan felt she actually understood and just couldn’t be bothered to deal with it.

Had he been wrong? Did Xue have no friendly feelings toward Xiao Lan?

Instead of asking about Xiao Lan, Ning Xue brought up Ji Jianyuan: “Grandfather, Ji Jianyuan has fallen out with his mother. Auntie Ji called me out today and gave me a bill to pass to Ji Jianyuan.”

Ning Xue showed Ning Yanfan what she had.

Several pages detailed Ji Jianyuan’s expenses after going to America. Ji Jianyuan had left for America at age 7 and returned at 19, spending 12 years there and costing Ji Ya 69,000 US dollars.

“This is absurd!”

The 69,000 dollars included everything, even Ji Jianyuan’s daily milk money.

Though Ning Yanfan wasn’t Ji Jianyuan’s real grandfather, even as an elder, he was furious enough to slam the table.

Ning Xue didn’t know how Ji Jianyuan and Ji Ya had fallen out. “Auntie Ji said that over 12 years abroad, she spent 70,000 dollars, about 6,000 dollars per year. She won’t charge Ji Jianyuan interest, but after he graduates from university, he not only has to repay this money but also pay 6,000 dollars annually in filial support.”

This was forcing Ji Jianyuan to bow his head and submit, wasn’t it?

Looking at the long list, Ning Xue marveled at Ji Ya’s memory while feeling disturbed by her frightening need for control.

To give her son a child-rearing bill?

Being born wasn’t Ji Jianyuan’s choice. Unlike other mammals, human babies need at least a dozen years from infancy until they can support themselves in society. Ning Xue had heard that Western social customs emphasized children’s independence, with many people relying on loans for university. But before university, she’d never heard of parents who wouldn’t raise their children – the bill showed that when Ji Jianyuan was 10, he was sent to a club to learn fencing at 2,500 dollars per year. If 10-year-old Ji Jianyuan had known it cost so much, would he have dared to learn?!