“Of course, I agreed to help Director Deng. His check was a personal matter, but this has become official business.”

Zhou Cheng had become more mature in handling situations.

In the past, he might have felt awkward about it, but now Zhou Cheng… had she corrupted him?

“This is perfect – your unauthorized departure from the delegation has turned into a tactical rescue mission. But since Director Deng needs your help, doesn’t that mean you can stay in New York longer?”

The delegation had already stayed in New York long enough and was supposed to head to other industrial cities.

As part of the entourage, Zhou Cheng should leave too, but since Director Deng hadn’t finished negotiating the production lines import, they naturally couldn’t leave with the main group. So while the rest of the delegation moved on, Zhou Cheng could stay in New York with Director Deng?

A few extra days would be nice!

Zhou Cheng also found this quite coincidental:

“The state enterprise wanting to import the production lines is Comrade Song Zhicheng’s unit.”

Xia Xiaolan couldn’t help but laugh, “That’s perfect! Song Minglan still owes me a favor, and now her father will owe you one too.”

Old Tang had worried about the Song family giving her trouble.

The Song family seemed to be having bad luck lately. Song Minglan was guilty and worried about her telling tales, and without Zhou Cheng, Song Zhicheng’s production line import plan would fail. They kept running into her and Zhou Cheng – how could the Song family dare give her trouble now?

…

Song Minglan was discussing this very matter.

“He secretly left the delegation and happened to save a billionaire, who then voluntarily approached the delegation offering to help import your production lines?”

How could such coincidences exist in this world?

What incredible luck!

Were American billionaires like cabbages by the roadside that you could just pick up anywhere?

Song Zhicheng pulled out newspapers from the past few days. “It was reported earlier, but we didn’t pay attention then, thinking it was irrelevant news.”

A hotel shooting incident – what did that have to do with the delegation?

It wasn’t like the American executive Song Zhicheng needed to meet had almost been shot, so who would notice such news?

Looking carefully now, the news mentioned a Chinese man who bravely caught the gunman… The briefly mentioned, unnamed Chinese man was Zhou Cheng!

Song Minglan grabbed the newspaper, but her focus differed from her father’s.

The Wilson Hotel was sponsoring Cornell University’s School of Architecture design competition, and the shooting happened during the award ceremony. In a small photo, she could barely make out Xia Xiaolan receiving an award on stage.

Receiving the championship award?

The person holding the trophy was indeed Xia Xiaolan.

No wonder Zhou Cheng was at the award ceremony, he was accompanying Xia Xiaolan to receive her award…

Song Minglan’s feelings became incredibly complicated.

She had looked down on Xia Xiaolan’s background and always thought both Xia Xiaolan and her mother relied on men with power and connections, that they were calculating and manipulative, definitely not good people.

However, Song Minglan had to admit one thing – Xia Xiaolan was truly intelligent.

Being calculating and manipulative showed intelligence.

Being good at business showed intelligence.

Even in studies, Xia Xiaolan performed better than most people!

Although this C·W competition was just among Cornell architecture students, weren’t Cornell students impressive? Xia Xiaolan winning first place meant she had outperformed other Cornell students and overcame the judges’ prejudice against Chinese students to win… Song Minglan suddenly shuddered.

Xia Xiaolan was terrifying!

If the daughter was this formidable, her mother’s gentle and honest appearance must also be fake. No wonder Cousin Sheng Xuan had lost.

“Minglan, what’s wrong?”

Song Zhicheng found it strange that she could get so much from just reading the newspaper.

Song Minglan handed him the paper, “I was wondering why Zhou Cheng happened to save an American millionaire. Looking carefully at this news report, I understand now. Look, isn’t this Xia Xiaolan? No wonder Cousin lost when she ran into these two mother and daughter.”

Song Zhicheng looked closer – indeed it was.

These Americans were really rich – a mere architecture design competition had a fifty thousand dollar prize for first place. Didn’t this mean Xia Xiaolan had won both honor and money from this design competition?

If this had happened to his Minglan, Song Zhicheng would have bragged about it too.

Second marriages often face conflicts over each other’s children. What makes a child a burden? Only those who cause trouble and hold others back. If a child constantly brings honor and glory, it doesn’t matter whether they’re biological – people will always praise how excellent so-and-so’s daughter is.

From this perspective, Xia Xiaolan as a stepdaughter indeed brought Tang Hong’en glory rather than holding him back.

So Tang Hong’en’s marriage to his second wife was very stable. There was no chance of setting him up with another wife – Tang Hong’en wouldn’t marry a third time.

“If your cousin were smarter, she should gracefully let go and look for other excellent men. With her conditions and connection to our family, even if she can’t find someone like Tang Hong’en, she has a good chance with someone slightly less accomplished. But she’s confused, making herself a joke, refusing to leave Pengcheng, and even lending money to Tang Hong’en’s ex-wife – what is she trying to do? Minglan, you should talk some sense into her.”

Song Zhicheng said this sternly and told Song Minglan to go back soon.

Song Minglan felt caught in the middle.

Her cousin thought the Song family hadn’t helped.

Her father thought her cousin was foolish.

As Song Minglan left the hotel, she saw Xia Xiaolan and Zhou Cheng walking toward the parking lot.

Seeing her, Xia Xiaolan nodded in greeting:

“Miss Song, what a coincidence.”

Considering her father’s attitude and their current need for Zhou Cheng’s help, Song Minglan couldn’t be too cold. She smiled: “Xia Xiaolan, you’re too formal. Just call me by my name. Oh, and congratulations on winning the architecture competition.”

After exchanging pleasantries, Xia Xiaolan got in the car with Zhou Cheng.

As Song Minglan watched them start the car, she stepped forward and said quietly:

“I haven’t forgotten about the favor. Just wait and see – there’ll be some excitement in New York’s Chinese student circle soon!”

Seeing her serious tone, Xia Xiaolan nodded earnestly: “Song Minglan, I never said I’d tell on you, why are you so nervous? If you want to do something, that’s your idea – you can’t blame everything on me, right?”

Xia Xiaolan was wary of traps and refused to fall in.

Song Minglan gritted her teeth in frustration: “We agreed – don’t go back on your word. I owe you a favor, just keep your mouth shut about the party!”

See, this was a classic case of a petty person judging others by their standards, thinking Xia Xiaolan would be a snitch behind their backs. Of course, Xia Xiaolan wasn’t exactly noble either – seeing Song Minglan’s agitated state made her quite happy.

If she didn’t agree, Song Minglan might bite someone.

Xia Xiaolan wondered what kind of day it was, with one person after another chasing after her and Zhou Cheng, insisting on “repaying favors”!

The excitement in New York’s Chinese student circle – Song Minglan must be planning to get back at Li Yong and Xiang Li for making a fool of her last time, right?