Xia Xiaolan’s group registered smoothly – as long as four-person teams weren’t restricted, why worry about anything else?

They hadn’t paid attention to one rule: the competition had no year restrictions.

This meant that if you were strong enough, second-years could team up with third and fourth-years. Strong players uniting naturally meant stepping up to another level!

Lower years could also beg higher years to carry them… Of course, with everyone aiming for the top three, adding a member without ability wouldn’t help much and would mean splitting the prize money further – seniors definitely wouldn’t want that!

Some powerful contestants like second-year Jonathan received team invitations from seniors while sitting at home.

A fourth-year senior invited Jonathan to join:

“Buddy, imagine how scared other contestants would be if we teamed up!”

The one extending the invitation was already a top student in the Architecture program’s senior year. Jonathan was very tempted.

Jonathan was proud and entered competitions aiming to win. His current three-person team was the strongest among second-years, but looking at the whole college, there were stronger teams. Strong joining would naturally be best.

“Joining isn’t a problem, but I want to bring my group along!”

“Three people?”

The other party was troubled, “The competition limit is 5 people, we already have three, leaving two spots. You can bring one team member!”

They only wanted Jonathan.

Heidi wasn’t strong enough, and Ning Xue hadn’t proven herself with any major achievements.

But asking Jonathan to abandon his girlfriend and join alone was unlikely, so they painfully sacrificed one spot.

Anyone could guess Jonathan would choose Heidi – would he abandon his girlfriend for a competition?

They didn’t know that Jonathan hesitated – emotionally he had to choose Heidi, but rationally he knew Ning Xue was stronger and choosing her would increase their chances of winning-

Jonathan hesitated for several seconds, then simply shook his head: “Never mind, we’ll go on our-“

“Take Heidi! Jonathan, bring Heidi and join them, don’t worry about me.”

Hearing Jonathan was about to give up the opportunity, Ning Xue interrupted his unfinished words.

“Ning, we can enter as three.”

Heidi also urged, “Yes, we’re a study group, we won’t split up!”

The most satisfying answer would have been Jonathan choosing her without hesitation, but Heidi knew Jonathan’s character – he wouldn’t abandon teammates. Jonathan refusing to join the seniors’ team was within Heidi’s expectations.

Since the choice was made, Heidi wouldn’t be stingy with some heartwarming words.

But Ning Xue was very firm:

“Jonathan, we’ll still be a study group, but you and Heidi join them, don’t worry about me – I want to enter the competition alone!”

The senior students laughed: “You’re an international student from China, right? You’ve got courage.”

Such confident international students were either extremely foolish or truly capable.

If there was one more spot, he would invite Ning Xue to try.

Jonathan frowned: “Are you serious?”

Ning Xue nodded, “Jonathan, I never speak falsely.”

Ning Xue also felt this competition came at the right time.

She had been thinking about lacking legitimate practical opportunities when suddenly Wilson Hotel sponsored this architectural design competition.

The top three prizes weren’t what Ning Xue wanted – she wanted to test her comprehensive abilities and participate in designing Wilson’s new hotel… wasn’t this a practical opportunity? In Cornell’s Architecture college competition, no one would care that she was Ning Yanfan’s granddaughter. Her entry would receive the fairest evaluation.

No judge knew her.

No judge would give her high scores because of her grandfather.

Whether she collaborated with Jonathan and Heidi wasn’t important – this would be completely, entirely her own design.

Jonathan could also see that Ning Xue wasn’t joking.

Being straightforward, he said: “Good luck!”

…

News of Ning Xue entering alone spread quickly.

She wasn’t the only solo entrant – some extremely antisocial students couldn’t find teammates.

Or the rare few who believed they could crush everyone.

But Ning Xue, a sophomore, entering alone still caused private discussion. Although Xia Xiaolan’s group and Jonathan’s group were competitors, Daisy still felt indignant for Ning Xue:

“Jonathan’s group is too much, abandoning Ning to join the seniors’ team – that’s betraying a teammate!”

Xia Xiaolan didn’t quite believe it, “This doesn’t seem like something Jonathan would do.”

“They only needed two people, what other choice did Jonathan have? He chose Heidi.”

That wasn’t wrong.

Unless Jonathan wanted to break up, he could only choose Heidi.

No woman in the world would think rationally when facing such situations – it’s hard to convince yourself that your boyfriend chose to abandon you when faced with a choice.

Not capable enough?

Is competition more important than feelings?

These thoughts would fill Heidi’s mind – once Jonathan chose Ning Xue, their relationship would end immediately.

“But Jonathan had a second choice – not joining the seniors’ team… Perhaps Ning Xue wanted to compete alone?”

If Ning Xue wanted to enter alone, that would be a win-win choice.

Rather than saying Jonathan abandoned his teammate, it was more like Ning Xue chose to give up teaming with Jonathan and Heidi for this competition!

“Is that possible?”

Daisy didn’t believe Xia Xiaolan’s speculation. Xia Xiaolan laughed: “Our group still has a spot, right? If the registration deadline hasn’t passed, we can submit a new form. If you don’t believe me, I’ll personally invite Ning Xue to try.”

Daisy was also excited about potentially inviting Ning Xue.

After all, Daisy’s trio didn’t dislike Ning Xue – it was Heidi who always called them losers.

Now that Ning Xue had split from Jonathan and Heidi, what if she was willing to join their team?

Daisy followed Xia Xiaolan with great hope.

However, upon meeting Ning Xue, Daisy was greatly discouraged.

Ning Xue didn’t respond to Xia Xiaolan’s invitation, instead asking her, “Why don’t you enter alone?”

For Xia Xiaolan, Daisy’s trio was dispensable – Ning Xue believed Xia Xiaolan shouldn’t team up with them. This was recognition of Xia Xiaolan’s ability, but honest words are often hurtful, and Daisy was hit so hard by this directness that her acne nearly exploded.

“Xia, has she always been this arrogant?”

Xia Xiaolan nodded seriously, “People with real ability can be arrogant. In China, we have a saying – some people are like flowers that grow on high mountains, blooming in harsh cold and snow. How many chances does an ordinary person have in their lifetime to see it bloom? Ning Xue is like such a flower – she lives for herself and won’t change her original intentions to satisfy social rules or others’ expectations.”