Although Xia Xiaolan knew about future events, she couldn’t tell this to Wendy Wen.

“Wendy, China is undergoing Reform and Opening Up. This is a massive reform that will completely transform China’s poverty and backwardness. I hope you’ll have the chance to visit China yourself someday. We’re friends now, aren’t we? I sincerely invite you to be my guest in China!”

Wendy Wen, as a Chinese-American and descendant of the previous generation of Chinese immigrants, had never actually been to China. Professor Wen often told her that the Wen family’s roots were in China. Though Wendy had a Chinese name and could speak Chinese, she had received an American education and didn’t hold China in high regard.

Professor Wen still considered himself Chinese, just working and living in America. However, Wendy thoroughly identified as American, strongly embracing her American citizenship.

Xia Xiaolan couldn’t force patriotism on someone who had been an American citizen since birth – naturally, they would love America, and there was nothing wrong with that. Still, as a friend extending an invitation, Wendy didn’t refuse:

“I’ll visit if I get the chance. You know how busy my work is – Klaus and I haven’t had a vacation in years. While work in America offers freedom, it’s also easy to become unemployed, as you saw with Hector earlier. He’s the head of security at the hotel and can join the club with Klaus, but if he can’t find a new job quickly, he’ll lose his club membership. Bank loans will crush him, and losing club membership is just the first step – he’ll lose his house, his car… Everything!”

Good jobs weren’t easy to find. Surgeons like Klaus didn’t worry about unemployment because of their solid skills. Wendy didn’t worry either – if she lost her current law firm position, she could find another. But this didn’t mean they could be careless about work. Everyone was used to spending in advance, and once income stopped, even people like Wendy and Klaus would have severe headaches.

At the club, Klaus took Zhou Cheng shooting, while Wendy and Xia Xiaolan went to the stables. Wendy arranged for an instructor to teach Xia Xiaolan horseback riding. After two or three hours of practice, Xia Xiaolan could only manage to ride a gentle mare slowly around the track while being led by the instructor.

The instructor claimed she had talent, but didn’t aggressively try to sell her a membership. Those who were truly interested would take the initiative to join the club, pay membership fees, pass qualification reviews, and get existing members’ recommendations. Though not top-tier, this club maintained strict procedures.

Hard-selling to everyone would be beneath the club’s positioning.

While Xia Xiaolan was enthusiastically learning to ride, at the Wilson Hotel, the five judges of the C·W Architectural Design Competition had yet to reach a unanimous decision.

The awards ceremony was tomorrow, but they still disagreed about the top three entries.

Money really could make anything possible. Cornell Architecture students typically considered it an honor to work at first-rate architectural firms after graduation. Harold had directly invited a partner from the renowned Foster + Partners in Britain to be a judge. Though only a junior partner, his industry expertise was not to be underestimated.

While the first C·W Architectural Design Competition’s scope wasn’t large, its standards were high. Besides the junior partner from Foster + Partners, there was also an architect from the P&W firm in America.

These two judges could effectively challenge the Cornell Architecture professors. The professors emphasized academic research, while the firm judges were more practical.

The professors hoped for innovation built on solid professional knowledge, displaying unique design beauty. The two firm judges believed architectural designs must ultimately become realizable projects – how could impracticality work?

Only students would create flashy designs. Once they truly entered the field, they’d know those were all useless frills! The key to winning public bids was accurately capturing clients’ desires while maintaining artistic beauty, not recklessly forcing the architect’s ideas onto clients… Student works might overflow with spirit but were too unrestrained.

The academic and firm judges had developed serious aesthetic differences, making it impossible to decide the top three rankings.

“Professor McCarthy, what’s your opinion?”

After arguing for so long, both sides finally remembered this neutral party.

Professor McCarthy’s hawk-like nose gave off an unapproachable air. He honestly expressed his concerns: “I can’t make a choice. Both works involve my students – emotional preference would affect my judgment.”

McCarthy’s colleague, another architecture professor, couldn’t help saying, “Do you not know what students call you behind your back? McCarthy the Demon King – and you have emotional preferences for students! By your logic, since all participants are Cornell Architecture students and have taken at least one course with us three judges, regardless of their year, wouldn’t we all be troubled by emotional preference?”

Then they couldn’t choose at all.

Professor McCarthy expressionlessly glanced at his colleague: “Of course I have preferences. Between idiots and excellent students, I can’t help favoring the excellent ones.”

This was completely understandable. Teachers were human too – students who understood after one explanation and worked hard were naturally more likable than those who didn’t understand after many explanations and didn’t study privately.

McCarthy’s colleague laughed heartily: “So what’s there to struggle with now? They’re all excellent students, your appreciation for them is equal, and they’re on a fair starting line.”

McCarthy frowned. This was unfair. With people from Foster and P&W here, whoever won first place would surge ahead from the starting line.

However, his colleague was right – there could only be one first place, and despite his preferences, he had to cast his vote.

“Professor Lipton, this time I must side with the firm judges. Though I love the spirit of the other work, I must admit this piece should be the competition’s champion-” Professor McCarthy picked up one of the works from the conference table.

The firm judges applauded: “Professor McCarthy is indeed the most fair.”

“It deserves to be champion!”

Professor Lipton was dumbfounded. Why had he dragged McCarthy into this? McCarthy never followed conventional logic – he wouldn’t think about architectural academia needing to unite, he only did things his way!

Professor Lipton reluctantly accepted, his voice slightly shrill: “That’s a first place then. Surely there won’t be any disputes about second and third place?”