“This is ridiculous!”

Han Jin spent considerable effort to have Li Yong and Xiang Li destroy each other. Since she had already offended Song Minglan, she naturally wanted to crush these two under her feet. Why would she wait for them to recover and seek revenge?

This was Han Jin’s family heritage. Her father rose to power during the turbulent years by stepping on others. While many like him who flourished during that period lost their positions after the order was restored, Han Jin’s father remained secure in his position and even advanced – certainly not through kindness. Those he had wronged were now old, weak, sick, or disabled, with no hope of recovery for decades, making it impossible for them to pull down Han Jin’s father.

Growing up in such a family atmosphere, Han Jin naturally learned her father’s ways. Never be on the losing end. Flatter superiors while oppressing subordinates. Actively pursue what you want. These were the “family teachings” of the Han household, deeply ingrained in Han Jin.

She had completed Song Minglan’s instructions, yet Song Minglan was dissatisfied – Han Jin would have to be crazy to be happy about this. Of course, she wouldn’t dare show anger toward Song Minglan, who was born with better luck. She could only desperately try to please Song Minglan, swallowing any discontent.

In front of her boyfriend Chen Qing, she couldn’t completely contain her fury. After all, being just over 20 years old, Han Jin still had a long way to go before mastering control over her expressions.

Chen Qing put down his book, “What’s made you unhappy now? Didn’t you just meet Senior Sister Song?”

Han Jin bit her lip, “Senior Sister Song is so hard to please. You won’t tell me why she knows Xia Xiaolan. If you’d just talk to Xia Xiaolan, wouldn’t that save me a lot of trouble?”

Chen Qing pressed his lips together: “I don’t know. I can’t help you.”

“Fine, I know you can’t bring yourself to face Xia Xiaolan. I won’t force you. At least accompany me to the hospital? Poor Senior Sister Xiang, was hospitalized with broken bones after Senior Li beat her. Chen Qing, you won’t hit women, right? What kind of man hits women? I can’t believe Senior Li is that type of person!”

Han Jin changed the topic. Even Chen Qing, who only focused on studying classics, was shocked:

“He beat his girlfriend until she was hospitalized with broken bones?”

Was this a relationship or dealing with an enemy?

Whether in villages or cities, wife-beating still existed. Seven Wells Village was considered decent because Chen Wangda was the village chief, and the overall atmosphere was better.

The worst wife-beater was Tian Laosan, who loved hitting people when drunk, and eventually drove his wife away. Later, seeing the Liu family had money, he even wanted to marry Liu Fen. After that, Liu Fen’s current husband, an official, dealt with Tian Laosan.

Chen Qing’s thoughts wandered to Xia Xiaolan again. To cover this up, he agreed readily:

“Alright, I’ll go to the hospital with you. We Chens don’t have that nasty habit of hitting women, don’t worry about that!”

Han Jin held his arm, “I knew you were the best! I’m planning to visit the hospital to see if Senior Sister Xiang needs help. Maybe we could lend her some money for medical expenses, what do you think?”

Chen Qing nodded, “You’re doing the right thing.”

He wasn’t comfortable going out with Han Jin and found her temperament changeable. But overall, she was just childish, angry one moment and happy the next, loving to be praised, while being generous with money. When others were in trouble, Han Jin was willing to help – that was good.

…

The short holiday morning passed, and Xia Xiaolan arrived at the GMP office as usual.

As soon as she arrived, Matthew approached:

“Why didn’t you come back yesterday after delivering the documents? Was Wilson satisfied with Hoffman’s design?”

Just mentioning the document delivery gave Xia Xiaolan a headache.

She couldn’t possibly explain this to Matthew, nor was there any need to.

Grey walked over, looking at her very coldly:

“Starting today, you officially join Mr. Hoffman’s team. What are your strengths?”

How ridiculous – what strengths could an undergraduate architecture student have?

After graduation and starting work, one realizes that applying professional knowledge learned in school isn’t so simple in practice. Grey had been Hoffman’s assistant all along and still couldn’t participate in design as an architect. Yet Xia Xiaolan, an undergraduate intern who’d been at GMP for just days, was allowed to join the team – Grey’s coldness was completely reasonable; both professionally and personally, she couldn’t accept this!

“Grey…”

“What are your strengths?”

Grey didn’t want to talk much with Xia Xiaolan, her voice completely flat.

Xia Xiaolan’s head hurt, “I’ve done architectural design, and interior decoration, and know some structural design.”

Equipment design and landscaping were Xia Xiaolan’s weak points.

Grey made some quick notes, “Mr. Hoffman instructed that an independent desk be prepared for you. Do you have any other requirements?”

Xia Xiaolan shook her head, and Grey left immediately.

Matthew, standing nearby, was petrified!

How was this possible? What happened yesterday? He just went about his normal workday, and slept one night – had several years passed like in a sci-fi movie?

Shit!

“What did you do?”

Grey was already having people arrange an independent desk for Xia Xiaolan – this wasn’t a joke.

Damn, why not give her a private office while they’re at it!

Matthew was suspicious and uncertain, while Xia Xiaolan was suffering in silence.

There are no secrets in the workplace.

Though Hoffman and Mr. Kissinger didn’t say anything, there were others present yesterday. Xia Xiaolan felt that news of her “using connections” would spread throughout the office along with her preferential treatment-

“Matthew, I can’t explain the current situation in just a few words.”

Matthew looked at her – well, then use more words, he had time now.

No, he’d celebrated too soon.

He had no time today. After Xia Xiaolan’s obvious “promotion,” Matthew gained Grey’s favor and took over the work Xia Xiaolan had been responsible for.

As for Xia Xiaolan?

She now had to do an architect’s work.

She had her place at the long table in Hoffman’s studio, but no one in the team understood this, and they naturally wouldn’t give Xia Xiaolan chances to speak.

Cornell’s architecture program was good, but everyone present had equally impressive credentials.

If an undergraduate intern could be their equal, wouldn’t their years of struggle for position and career become laughable?

Xia Xiaolan got “promoted.”

Xia Xiaolan also got isolated.

Matthew, being clever, soon heard the gossip in the office break room about Harold Wilson, the big client, specifically requesting Xia Xiaolan’s participation. He ran to her independent desk:

“Did you know each other before the C·W design competition, or during the awards?”

Is this the workplace advantage of being beautiful?!

Xia Xiaolan was also full of anger, “Please keep your dirty thoughts to yourself. Do you think I won first place because I knew Harold? Damn it, I don’t know why he’s doing this either, I just wanted to be a proper intern at GMP!”

Matthew hadn’t said anything, but his expression answered for him:

They thought they could compete fairly, but who knew Xia Xiaolan had connections? How to deal with this now? But this also made her lose Grey’s goodwill, and probably Hoffman’s favor too.

-GMP’s exceptional treatment of Xia Xiaolan was because they thought it would help them secure the Wilson Hotel project.

-What if they didn’t get it?