May 8th.
Xia Xiaolan faced her final exams at Cornell University.
This was also the day of Jiang Yan’s surgery with Dr. Bellman.
Even if Zhou Cheng were heartless, he should still visit the hospital at this time. After all, Jiang Yan was having her first reconstructive surgery in a foreign country without any family around – having a friend present would surely be more reassuring.
Xia Xiaolan readily approved Zhou Cheng’s visit:
“Don’t come back to Ithaca tonight either. It’s too much trouble going back and forth. Aren’t you picking up my mom and Grandma Yu at the airport tomorrow? Just stay in New York tonight.”
Jiang Yan’s surgery was scheduled for the afternoon. Zhou Cheng only left after seeing Xiaolan enter the exam room.
“Do well on your exams, let the people at Cornell see that my wife is the best wherever she goes.”
Zhou Cheng had confidence in Xia Xiaolan.
Daisy and others were worried – Xia Xiaolan had taken a week off right before exams, and they hadn’t seen her studying. They weren’t sure how she would do in these courses. The only one they didn’t need to worry about was Professor McCarthy’s “Structural Elements” – her coursework had been excellent, so Xia Xiaolan would get at least an A. Whether she could get an A+ depended on how the “Dark Lord” would grade.
Professor Lipton, who had unfortunately been hit by a stray bullet at the C·W awards ceremony, had been discharged from the hospital. He appeared back on Cornell’s campus during exam week, though his movements were still slow as his wound needed time to fully heal.
He wanted to thank his colleague McCarthy, who hadn’t abandoned him in the critical moment but instead risked being hit by stray bullets to stop his bleeding.
Watching students enter the classroom for exams, Professor Lipton grumbled:
“You favor that exchange student from China? I prefer the designer of ‘Library on the Cliff.’ Her work is full of spirit. Students don’t need to consider so many practical problems; pure design is more… Professor McCarthy, are you even listening to me?”
That detestable hook-nosed man.
Although he had helped save him, he was still unlikeable. Professor Lipton felt McCarthy’s not listening showed a lack of respect!
McCarthy’s hooked nose even conveyed his unhappiness – even Professor Lipton could see it. He valued Xia Xiaolan, yet she had rejected both P&W firm’s invitation and his proposal.
Xia Xiaolan didn’t want to stay at Cornell!
Why?
Was Cornell not good enough, or was his teaching inadequate?
What a foolish Chinese girl.
With McCarthy’s temperament, he would never tell anyone about being rejected by Xia Xiaolan.
Actually, Ning Xue had also rejected the P&W firm’s invitation, but McCarthy wasn’t upset at all. Because Ning Xue told him she wanted to work at GMP firm in Germany. Students had the freedom to choose firms, and regarding her professional future, Ning Xue had clear plans, which McCarthy deeply respected.
If P&W firm could invite Ning Xue, given current trends, it would be perfectly normal for her to go to GMP.
But Xia Xiaolan… Xia Xiaolan was completely playing with her professional future. Could returning to China be better than developing her career at Cornell?
Impossible!
World-class architectural firms barely recognized architectural degrees from China.
The circles she could reach while standing on Cornell University’s platform would be extremely difficult to access after returning to China.
McCarthy’s anger, in Chinese terms, was disappointment in unfulfilled potential. Professor Lipton couldn’t understand his feelings at all.
McCarthy withdrew his gaze.
Such an unambitious student, yet still hoping for an A+ from him?
Hmph!
“No, I don’t value her at all. She’s not worth my attention!”
McCarthy’s response stunned Lipton.
Doesn’t value her, not worth it?
Then why fight for her championship at the C·W finals?
Lipton felt he had been fooled, and this anger overshadowed his gratitude to McCarthy:
“Don’t be so petty, I’m not going to compete with you for this female student!”
…
In the classroom, Xia Xiaolan was completely unaware that two professors were having an unpleasant exchange because of her.
She also couldn’t have guessed how disappointed Professor McCarthy was in her. Xia Xiaolan took everything seriously – exams should be taken seriously too. When she returned home, a transcript full of As would please Old Mao, and the Huaqing Architecture Department would approve too.
“By now, my mom and Grandma Yu should have boarded their flight from Hong Kong.”
Tang Hong’en had sent Min Xiaoju along, so Xia Xiaolan wasn’t too worried about Liu Fen and Grandma Yu’s safety during the journey. However, until Liu Fen and Grandma Yu arrived in New York, she would keep worrying about potential accidents during their travel.
Pushing down these distracting thoughts, Xia Xiaolan decided to focus on her exam.
With only one exam per day, she finished her exam before Zhou Cheng even reached New York.
It wasn’t until three in the afternoon that Zhou Cheng called the Wen household from the New York hospital:
“I just arrived not long ago. Jiang Yan’s surgery has already begun.”
“Oh, how was she doing?”
How was she?
She was certainly happy to see him come, and they had talked for a while during pre-operative preparations.
“She seemed very confident. These past two days, Jiang Yan has gotten to know Dr. Bellman better, and they’ve built a good trust relationship.”
That meant she was doing quite well.
Whether one faces surgery with worry or joy, it’s still surgery. A patient’s mood affects their recovery progress, so it was best that Jiang Yan could face it positively. Xia Xiaolan thought to herself that she was truly magnanimous and kind to actively let Zhou Cheng go to New York.
By the time Jiang Yan was wheeled out of the operating room, it was almost 7 PM. Zhou Cheng called Xia Xiaolan again:
“Dr. Bellman said the first surgery was very successful!”
“That’s good.”
Xia Xiaolan breathed a sigh of relief.
“Are you staying at the hospital tonight?”
Though there was a care worker, it still felt strange.
Zhou Cheng probably felt the same way. He couldn’t act like before, disregarding gender differences with Jiang Yan.
Since he knew Jiang Yan liked him, and he couldn’t reciprocate, he shouldn’t do things that might give her false hope:
“No, I’ll leave once the anesthesia wears off and she’s conscious. Don’t worry about where I’ll stay – Director Deng and the others are still in New York, I can squeeze in with them for a night.”
Xia Xiaolan cleared her throat: “Comrade Zhou Cheng, I must commend you for actively avoiding suspicion and promptly reporting your whereabouts!”
Zhou Cheng didn’t know whether to laugh or cry but still had to coax her to go to bed early.
They talked for half an hour before hanging up. Hu Ying brought her some milk:
“Your mother arrives in New York tomorrow. Are they coming back to Ithaca?”
Xia Xiaolan shook her head, “My mom wants to come, but Grandma Yu’s physical and emotional state might not be suitable for such a trip. Tomorrow after she gets off the plane, she’ll have to face the terrible news that her son might already be dead. I won’t be there, and I don’t know if Zhou Cheng can handle this situation well.”
Parents burying their children – truly one of life’s greatest tragedies.
Putting herself in Grandma Yu’s place, Hu Ying thought if anything happened to Mannie, she would break down on the spot.