As the semester ended, students were busy with their final exams. Ning Xue left the country quietly – besides the dormitories 305 and 307, many students from the Architecture Class of ’84 didn’t know the truth and assumed she was just on an extended break.

One final exam period, one chaotic rush.

After finishing her exams, Xia Xiaolan figured it would be almost impossible to win the special scholarship again next year… Well, she wouldn’t be around to receive it anyway since she’d be studying abroad, better to leave the opportunity for others.

Meanwhile, Huo Chenzhou’s negotiations with the Shenzhen government went smoothly, and Dongfeng Holdings secured their desired land.

The day after exams, Xia Xiaolan handed over a box of blueprints to Huo Chenzhou’s representative.

The person gave Xia Xiaolan an envelope in return: “This is from Manager Huo.”

Inside was a bank transfer slip made out to Mao Kangshan, exactly as Xia Xiaolan had requested.

Huo Chenzhou had paid the entire 50,000 yuan design fee upfront.

He wasn’t worried about Xia Xiaolan running off – if there were any issues with the blueprints, both she and Mao Kangshan would be responsible.

Xia Xiaolan was exhausted.

Ning Xue wasn’t wrong when she said Xia Xiaolan’s skill level was only that of a third-year undergraduate architecture student. Previously, she had only directed others, but now that she had to do the work herself, she realized it was far more demanding than she’d imagined.

Her drawing skills might have started at a junior level, but after completing these blueprints, she felt like she could graduate early!

When she returned home from school, she found Tang Hongen there. After greeting him as “Uncle Tang,” she collapsed into bed and fell into a deep sleep.

She even slept through dinner and didn’t wake up until the next day.

When she moved, her joints crackled.

“Am I rusting or what?” Xia Xiaolan muttered to herself.

Then came a knock, and Grandmother Yu entered with an unusually gentle expression.

Xia Xiaolan had mentioned going to Hong Kong after exams. The winter break would pass quickly, and then she’d be studying abroad… Grandmother Yu had tried asking around for help but with no results. For some reason, she just believed in Xia Xiaolan – what others couldn’t accomplish, Xia Xiaolan usually could.

“Please don’t smile at me like that, Grandma, it’s creeping me out. I’m getting up right away!”

Grandmother Yu gave her a side-eye but didn’t argue.

“Hurry and get up, they brought your travel permit yesterday.”

Xia Xiaolan forgot about her creaking joints and jumped out of bed.

Getting to Hong Kong wasn’t easy at this time. Some people chose to sneak across the border, never planning to return. Going through official channels required obtaining a Hong Kong travel permit from one’s registered residence.

Tang Hongen had helped arrange this for Xia Xiaolan while she was consumed with drawing blueprints and final exams.

After washing up, Tang Hongen and Liu Fen had just returned from outside.

Her mother was wearing a familiar-looking scarf that seemed to be Uncle Tang’s. How did it end up around Comrade Liu Fen’s neck after one outing? Surely another romantic story that Xia Xiaolan didn’t want to hear about.

“Mom, Uncle Tang—”

“We saved you breakfast, have you eaten?”

Was her mother showing concern or changing the subject?

Xia Xiaolan was pushed to the table to eat breakfast. Tang Hongen, never one to rush, waited until she finished before giving her the travel permit:

“I wanted your mother to go to Hong Kong with you for fun, but she declined.”

Liu Fen shook her head, “Xiaolan isn’t going there for fun.”

She didn’t want to burden her daughter, and the business in Beijing couldn’t be left for too long.

At least the two new shops in Beijing were doing well. “Especially the children’s clothing store – that young Yu you found is dedicated.”

No potential customer could escape Young Yu’s sales pitch.

Those who brought children into the store had no chance of leaving empty-handed.

Some people just had that natural charm – Xia Xiaolan didn’t have nearly as much patience when it came to dealing with children.

After mother and daughter finished discussing the shop, Tang Hongen continued:

“With the permit, you can now go directly to Hong Kong from Shenzhen. Crossing at Luohu is very convenient, no need to transfer to a flight. When are you leaving?”

Xia Xiaolan spread her hands:

“I’d like to rest for a few more days, but I promised Tang Yuanyue, so the sooner the better.”

Xia Xiaolan wanted to finish her business in Hong Kong quickly.

That way she could come back and spend time with her family.

She packed her luggage and gave Huo Chenzhou’s payment slip to Mao Kangshan.

Mao Kangshan had been worried sick lately, mostly about Xia Xiaolan. He wished he could transfer his knowledge directly into her head so she could instantly learn everything he knew about the profession.

With this trip to Hong Kong followed immediately by America, Mao Kangshan was already feeling low even before Xia Xiaolan had left.

“Teacher, do you and the Teacher’s wife need anything from Hong Kong?”

Mao Kangshan pocketed the 50,000 yuan payment slip and waved his hand: “Just focus on your important business, don’t worry about trivial things. I won’t be going with you – your teacher’s wife and I bought tickets to return to Hangzhou.”

Return to Hangzhou?

That made sense – besides Mao Guosheng, Teacher Mao had other children, and they would certainly want to reunite for the New Year. Xia Xiaolan couldn’t expect them not to return home.

But even with them going to Hangzhou for the New Year, Xia Xiaolan could arrange everything properly.

After Xia Xiaolan left, Mao Kangshan gave the payment slip to Madam Song.

Madam Song felt it burning in her hands: “How can you accept so much money? Xiaolan drew those blueprints—”

“Can’t you see? She’s going abroad for a year and worried we won’t have enough money while she’s gone, so she’s finding ways to give us money?”

Mao Kangshan understood clearly.

Though Xia Xiaolan took the job, she had requested the payment be made to him.

The payment slip felt as heavy as that house purchase contract with Mao Kangshan.

Madam Song sighed: “You can get 50,000 yuan just for drawing some blueprints?”

That was more than their entire life savings.

Mao Kangshan glared, “You think they’d pay 50,000 to just anyone for designs? She’s my disciple, Mao Kangshan’s disciple!”

Madam Song wanted to retort: then why haven’t your other disciples ever earned 50,000 for a single design?

Never mind – he was like a firecracker, ready to go off at any moment. Better not provoke him!

Xia Xiaolan first arrived in Shenzhen, meeting up with Gong Yang and Wang Houlin.

Ge Jian wanted to come along too, but someone needed to watch the Jinsha Chi construction site. Bai Zhenzhu volunteered: “Xiaolan, let me go with you.”

“What about your brick factory…”

“There are plenty of people watching it, and I don’t know how to make bricks anyway. What’s the point of me staying?”

Bai Zhenzhu was quite relaxed about it, trusting her Bai Family Martial Arts School brothers completely, unlike Kang Wei who monitored his furniture factory from start to finish.

So Xia Xiaolan took these three people through Luohu customs, stepping onto Hong Kong soil for the first time on January 23, 1986.

Right after crossing, someone speaking Cantonese approached them asking for 400 Hong Kong dollars per person as a “crossing fee.”

Wang Houlin clicked his tongue, “That’s so expensive!”

Xia Xiaolan noticed he wasn’t even wearing a uniform and ignored him.

When Wang Houlin and Gong Yang tried to pay, she stopped them.

The man made some threats, but Xia Xiaolan remained unmoved. After a brief standoff, he slunk away.

Wang Houlin finally realized: “…Was he a scammer?”

What “crossing fee”? How could he be legitimate without even wearing a uniform? Xia Xiaolan wasn’t completely sure at first, but when he ran away out of guilt, she knew for certain:

“Mr. Wang, this is Hong Kong – everything revolves around money!”