With Zhou Maotong’s guarantee, Xia Xiaolan felt full of energy.

“Senior Zhou, please chat with Teacher first. I’ll arrange today’s lunch – we must properly celebrate our first meeting as martial siblings!”

Zhou Maotong seemed to have things to discuss with Mao Kangshan, so Xia Xiaolan thoughtfully gave them space to talk.

Watching Xia Xiaolan leave, Zhou Maotong looked delighted:

“Teacher, congratulations! You’ve truly accepted an excellent disciple this time!”

For a smart person, learning architecture wasn’t difficult. Zhou Maotong had never worried about Xia Xiaolan’s intelligence – she was smart enough to get into Tsinghua’s Architecture Department.

However, Zhou Maotong was pleased to have a junior sister who was not only intelligent but knew how to utilize her intelligence.

Moreover, the Teacher liked this junior sister. Making Mao Kangshan happy in his old age was Xia Xiaolan’s greatest value in Zhou Maotong’s eyes!

Of course, Sister Xia had other values that Zhou Maotong was still observing.

Mao Kangshan was quite proud, “I never thought about accepting a female disciple in my early years. She’s more attentive and detailed than you male students.”

Zhou Maotong sighed – The teacher hadn’t changed at all, still having the ability to kill any conversation instantly, a trait probably inherited by Mao Guosheng.

That’s what made them true father and son.

But the Teacher had the ability and qualifications to talk nonsense. Mao Guosheng lacked ability yet only learned how to talk nonsense – how was that acceptable?

Thinking about what the Teacher’s wife had told him when he first arrived in Pengcheng, Zhou Maotong felt the weight on his shoulders grow heavier.

He couldn’t ignore the Teacher’s wife’s request – during his student days, how many meals had she cooked for him?

While young and studying away from home, the Teacher taught him while the Teacher’s wife cared for him.

Remembering those times, the middle-aged Zhou Maotong’s eyes moistened:

“Teacher, I have a presumptuous request, hoping you’ll agree.”

Mao Kangshan was uncomfortable, “I’ve already agreed to be Guangdong Construction’s consultant, isn’t that enough?”

Having already stabbed Zhou Maotong once, now came another blow to the heart. If Zhou Maotong wasn’t now a person of status, he would have cried out loud: knowing he wasn’t as favored as his junior sister was one thing, but couldn’t Teacher at least try to hide it a little!

Zhou Maotong’s gaze was resentful, “Teacher, it’s about Brother Guosheng. You see, even our Construction Bureau has been restructured into an enterprise. I think the architecture industry’s structure will change greatly in the future. As they say, ‘trees die when transplanted, but people thrive.’ Brother Guosheng has been at the Provincial Design Institute for over ten years, gaining considerable experience. Perhaps it’s time for a change of environment – there might be new opportunities.”

Mao Guosheng, who had been invisible in the room, trembled at Zhou Maotong’s words, his lifeless eyes showing a glimmer of hope.

Was Senior Brother offering him a helping hand?

Though he often met with Senior Zhou in his youth, later when even his father stopped contacting his students, Mao Guosheng naturally grew distant from Zhou Maotong and others.

Unexpectedly, Zhou Maotong still remembered their past relationship!

Like a drowning man grabbing at straws, Mao Guosheng looked at Zhou Maotong with grateful eyes.

Zhou Maotong waited for Mao Kangshan’s answer while Mao Guosheng felt anxious.

Just as the hope in Mao Guosheng’s eyes was about to fade, Mao Kangshan finally spoke:

“Guosheng, what do you think? Are you willing to leave the Provincial Design Institute? Think carefully – this time no one will force an arrangement on you. Whether you can succeed outside the institute depends on your ability!”

Mao Guosheng’s personality had been formed over many years. Xia Xiaolan’s strong medicine had only been working for a few days – it couldn’t immediately cure his habit of excessive caution.

Being overly cautious, hearing Mao Kangshan’s words, he hesitated again: “Senior Zhou, may I ask specifically where this job change would be to?”

Zhou Maotong was at Guangdong Construction, so he probably wanted him to go there.

Mao Guosheng wanted to know exactly what position he would have at Guangdong Construction.

Zhou Maotong wasn’t angry – he already knew Mao Guosheng’s personality. Besides, with the Teacher’s wife’s request and the Teacher’s face to consider, it wasn’t just Sister Xia who cared about the Teacher. Zhou Maotong also wanted to help ease Teacher’s worries:

“Of course, it’s Guangdong Construction. After our restructuring into an enterprise, we’ve been expanding these past two years. Expansion means increasing staff, and your transfer from Zhejiang Design Institute would be in the same professional field.”

Mao Guosheng was somewhat tempted.

Since Zhou Maotong initiated this, he would surely look after him at Guangdong Construction.

Although Zhou Maotong wasn’t yet the top leader at Guangdong Construction, he held considerable power.

But if he went to Guangdong Construction, would it be a temporary assignment or resignation from the Provincial Design Institute? A temporary assignment meant just changing work locations from Hangzhou to Yangcheng. Resigning meant losing all his current benefits at the Provincial Design Institute.

Mao Guosheng expressed his concerns.

Mao Kangshan’s nostrils flared – well, he had said he wouldn’t interfere, so he shouldn’t get angry at Guosheng’s words. This was just Guosheng’s personality, impossible to change.

Zhou Maotong was prepared for this, patiently explaining to Mao Guosheng:

“Either temporary assignment or direct resignation works – it’s your choice. Staying at the Provincial Design Institute, the situation is stagnant. Once you leave that place, you’ll realize it’s not so remarkable… Of course, if you want to be cautious, start with a temporary assignment. But I must tell you one thing upfront: at Guangdong Construction, the workload is completely different from the Provincial Design Institute. We rarely have idle positions here, bonuses are directly tied to workload, and besides working for Guangdong Construction, I hope you can take on an additional role.”

More work means more pay – this concept was completely different from the “iron rice bowl” mentality.

Even at the Provincial Design Institute, architects who produced more drawings got more bonuses.

But those bonus amounts weren’t high.

Since coming to Pengcheng, Mao Guosheng’s deepest impression was the high salaries here.

Even Liu Yong’s renovation workers earned three to four hundred yuan monthly – compared to that, Mao Guosheng’s salary at the Provincial Design Institute was too low.

“Senior Zhou, I’m not afraid of a heavy workload.”

His wife probably wouldn’t object if he could earn more.

Mao Guosheng was very happy – Zhou Maotong spoke straightforwardly, truly looking after him!

Zhou Maotong nodded firmly, “Teacher, as they say, ‘a tiger father has no dog sons.’ I look forward to Brother Guosheng’s performance at Guangdong Construction. Guosheng, the additional role I want to give you is to assign you to Pengcheng. You might need to travel between Yangcheng and Pengcheng. You just heard me say I’d introduce two reliable employees to Sister Xia – you’re one of them!”

Mao Guosheng’s smile instantly froze.

What?

After such a big roundabout, it was to work for Xia Xiaolan.

This must be his father’s idea, losing rationality in his fondness for Xiao Xia, even gambling on his son’s future. Mao Guosheng turned to look at Mao Kangshan, who also showed complete surprise.

“Maotong, what exactly is this about? Explain it to me clearly!”

– Mao Kangshan was more anxious than Mao Guosheng. What was the meaning of pushing Mao Guosheng onto Xia Xiaolan?