Xia Xiaolan explained to Daisy what a “high mountain flower” meant.

Not only did Ning Xue reject Xia Xiaolan’s team invitation, but she also declined all other invitations from people who heard she was alone.

So capitalists are truly evil – they happily sponsor a school competition, implement rules allowing free team formation, and set a three-day registration deadline with changes permitted until the cutoff… This caused team compositions to keep changing. Stable groups like Xia Xiaolan’s were rare, and several competing teams even had conflicts, with many changing members at the last minute.

Friends fighting, couples arguing – what’s the point of all this trouble?

Since Ning Xue wouldn’t join, Xia Xiaolan’s group decided not to add anyone else. New members would require time to adjust, and after registration closed, they only had half a month to submit their work – no time to integrate new teammates.

Xia Xiaolan arrived in America in mid-February, and now over a month had passed. As April approached, she remembered Zhou Cheng’s birthday was in late April, so she specially picked out a watch as his birthday gift.

Zhou Cheng had always liked watches, and he and Xia Xiaolan had an agreement to exchange new watches every year.

Watches represent time – interpreted deeply, it’s quite romantic, symbolizing the embrace of time year after year!

Previously, they had to ask others to buy Rolex watches, but now in America, Xia Xiaolan could go to stores herself to carefully select one, with more choices and direct control over prices.

Her own watch cost over 200 dollars, while Zhou Cheng’s mechanical brand watch was slightly more expensive at over 300 dollars.

Though it didn’t sparkle with diamonds, the style was attractive, and Xia Xiaolan felt it suited Zhou Cheng’s temperament.

Xia Xiaolan was using this “official business” opportunity to handle personal matters. Since they were entering the electronic commercial plaza in the competition, they needed to pay more attention to details. Every weekend, Xia Xiaolan would drive Daisy and the other two around to observe various shopping centers, seeking inspiration to perfect their overall design.

America had several types of large stores:

First were supermarkets, a model that later influenced the world, with various supermarkets spreading throughout China as well.

People’s daily lives depended on supermarkets, which provided necessities from various ingredients to processed foods, along with kitchen supplies, newspapers, and books.

“This model isn’t suitable for an electronic commercial plaza – people selecting electronic products themselves?”

Don’t be ridiculous. Leaving aside whether unattended electronic products would be stolen or damaged by unruly children, without enthusiastic and detailed sales guidance, most Chinese consumers wouldn’t know how to use electronic products.

If customers can’t select suitable products and are left empty-handed, failing to retain customers’ money would be the worst planning failure!

For the same reason, automated vending stores wouldn’t work either.

“Only Malls remain!”

Indeed, only malls – now a mature pedestrian commercial district in America.

The “Shopping Mall” concept was introduced to Foshan two years ago. In 1982, Foshan built a five-story commercial retail space comprising 13 merchandise departments, Western restaurants, an amusement park, a concert hall, a dance hall, a rooftop garden, a beauty care center, and a cosmetic photography department. Named “Xinghua Mall,” it became hugely popular upon opening, remaining successful until now, thanks to its comprehensive merchandise, multiple services, and ticket-free shopping.

The “Xinghua Mall” example was also a good material for Du Zhaohui to convince the Pengcheng city government.

Xia Xiaolan was designing for Du Zhaohui based on her memories of SAIGE Plaza while trying to incorporate the mall concept, leading to the current new design.

Over two days, Xia Xiaolan drove Daisy and the other two around various malls.

In 1986, America’s most famous retail giant wasn’t Walmart.

Since the early 20th century, Sears has held the top position in U.S. retail sales. In the mall sector, Sears was undoubtedly the big brother, and this was mainly where Xia Xiaolan’s group visited.

Sears had stores in all major American cities, and Xia Xiaolan visited both the New York and Washington locations.

Ithaca town was about equidistant from Washington and New York City.

They went to Washington on Sunday.

The group split all expenses for gas, lodging, and food.

On this point, Xia Xiaolan quite admired American culture – nobody took advantage of others, and whether classmates or friends, relationships remained more equal.

Washington D.C. had two seasonal attractions: Christmas and the flower season beginning March 29th.

Thousands of cherry trees surrounded Potomac Park, so beautiful that even straight women like Xia Xiaolan couldn’t walk away.

“This is a place for romance!”

If only Zhou Cheng were here.

This thought popped into Xia Xiaolan’s mind.

Spring had arrived.

Willows were sprouting and flowers blooming. China and America, both in the Northern Hemisphere, shared the spring season.

While Xia Xiaolan admired cherry blossoms in Washington, Zhou Cheng received his advanced training completion certificate early from the academy leadership.

An excellent student couldn’t escape recognition.

Zhou Cheng passed all subjects in advance examinations.

He saluted the academy leadership.

The leaders gave many words of encouragement, and only when Zhou Cheng was about to leave did his fellow students receive the news.

“You’re really in a hurry!”

“Great, everyone graduates in two years, but you’re leaving after just a year and a half?”

After a year and a half of training, attending classes, and completing missions together, the students from various places had grown close.

Zhou Cheng patted his roommate: “All good things must end. Don’t be so sentimental, guys – who knows when we’ll meet again? Though I’m graduating early, I’ll stay in touch regularly!”

Indeed, Zhou Cheng could graduate early in a year and a half – why shouldn’t he leave?

From November 1984 to April 1986, Zhou Cheng had been away from his original unit for exactly a year and a half. Upon return, the unit remained the same, his position was still there, though several of his subordinates had retired during this time, making Zhou Cheng quite emotional.

“Squad Leader Zhou is back!”

In the unit, where Zhou Cheng’s name hadn’t been heard for long, Fang Shizhong, who previously had friction with Zhou Cheng, had just become a father and was feeling proud and joyful, so he didn’t dislike Zhou Cheng as much anymore.

“Wasn’t he supposed to study for two years? Why is Zhou Cheng back so soon? Could he have made a mistake and been sent back by the academy?”

Not disliking Zhou Cheng as much didn’t mean suddenly liking him – Fang Shizhong’s mouth was still as harsh as ever.

Gao Fei hadn’t seen Zhou Cheng for a year and a half either.

She had never succeeded with Zhou Cheng, and now, just over a month after giving birth to her daughter, she hadn’t lost her pregnancy weight and felt embarrassed to appear before Zhou Cheng.

It wasn’t that she still had feelings for Zhou Cheng – how could such deep emotions persist after a year and a half without meeting?

Even if she did still think of him, what of it? She and Fang Shizhong even had a daughter now!

Gao Fei lifted her shirt to nurse the baby while telling Fang Shizhong: “Go find out what’s the deal with Zhou Cheng’s early graduation. While Zhou Cheng was away, you had a chance to shine in this unit. Now that he’s back, don’t let him ruin your promotion chances!”