Zhou Yi didn’t dare to think too deeply.

The restaurant provided two meals, and in these 12 days, she’d earned only $80, somewhat less than she’d expected.

But with free meals, she could support herself, and could potentially repay Xia Xiao Lan’s $1,000 loan early… That was her plan, but Xiao Qi advised against it:

“If you’re worried about failing the test, you should reduce your working hours. Six hours a day is too much. You’re spending all your time working – what about language school?”

Zhou Yi’s head was about to explode.

The restaurant job solved her living expenses but truly interfered with her studies.

From 7 AM to 10 PM, she had only 16 waking hours, with 6 spent working illegally, plus other tasks, leaving only about 8 hours for actual studying.

Was she studying all those 8 hours?

Even studying just one subject, anyone would experience learning fatigue. If all 8 hours were truly efficient study time, the results would be excellent… If Zhou Yi could manage that, she wouldn’t be panicking about the upcoming test.

Strangely, though she knew an exceptional student like Xia Xiao Lan, she refused to ask her for study advice. Instead, she carefully listened to newer friends like Ye Xiao Qiong and Xiao Qi.

Reducing work hours meant possibly not repaying Xia Xiao Lan on time.

Not reducing them meant possibly failing the assessment.

Fearful of both options – that was Zhou Yi’s nature, an indecisive coward. Wanting both, she couldn’t choose. Xiao Qi suggested studying late after work.

The dormitory lights stayed on anyway.

“During our college entrance exam preparation, we studied until one or two every night!”

Xiao Qi said this naturally, while Zhou Yi’s face fell.

…Study until one or two? Was that even living?

She dared not argue with Xiao Qi, fearing to show her weakness.

Xiao Qi had taken the college entrance exam, graduated from university, and been assigned to a newspaper. Caught in the study-abroad fever, when she couldn’t get official sponsorship, she quit her iron rice bowl job to come to America.

Zhou Yi, a poor student who’d never experienced the college entrance exam and attended vocational school at her family’s arrangement, had no idea how hard studious people could push themselves.

Zhou Yi thought she was working hard enough, but Xiao Qi immediately told her that not studying until 1-2 AM hardly counted as effort.

Zhou Yi was skeptical:

“But I know someone who ran a small business while preparing for the college entrance exam and became the provincial top scorer.”

She meant Xia Xiao Lan, though unnamed.

Xiao Qi didn’t argue, just patted Zhou Yi’s shoulder:

“How can you compare people like that? Some remember vocabulary after one reading, others need a dozen attempts to remember 70-80%. We’re ordinary people with ordinary abilities – don’t compare yourself to geniuses.”

Zhou Yi: “…!”

Damn, the logic was impeccable – she couldn’t argue at all.

Exhausted, Zhou Yi dragged her tired feet back to school, thinking about the upcoming test, to study late into the night.

After just one night of late studying, Zhou Yi felt unsteady on her feet.

The next day, listless, she was dragged to the restaurant by Xiao Qi.

Coincidentally, Xia Xiao Lan had finished her morning work and was leaving the theater with colleagues for lunch. As the renovation team leader, while not exactly walking with background music, she was certainly the center of attention among the group.

Zhou Yi instinctively pulled Xiao Qi away to hide.

“What are you doing? You know them?”

Among the foreigners, Zhou Yi probably only knew that beautiful Chinese-American woman.

They were professionals.

Seeing such a young Asian woman at the center, Xiao Qi was curious: “You know someone like that?”

Zhou Yi opened her mouth – how could she not know her? If things hadn’t gone wrong, that would be her sister-in-law.

“She’s the provincial top scorer I mentioned.”

Back in China, Zhou Yi had never envied Xia Xiao Lan’s wealth, but rather other aspects.

In America, Zhou Yi increasingly felt the gap with Xia Xiao Lan – like an unbridgeable ocean trench!

Curious, Xiao Qi listened as Zhou Yi, without revealing Xia Xiao Lan’s identity, told her story.

Learning that Xia Xiao Lan had come to America as an exchange student through an English competition, studied architecture at Cornell, and interned at GMP, Xiao Qi looked at Zhou Yi like she was an idiot.

Xiao Qi hadn’t attended international student parties – if she had, she’d have recognized Xia Xiao Lan immediately.

Even so, she found it strange:

“Look at her – does she seem like just an intern? Zhou Yi, you have a Buddha at your doorstep but won’t worship, preferring to wash dishes in a Chinese restaurant!”

Both were working jobs.

What useful experience could one gain in a greasy restaurant kitchen?

Would she wash dishes forever?

But interning at a major American company… Xiao Qi’s breathing quickened. She came to America to do great things – with Zhou Yi’s connections, she could avoid so many detours!

Xiao Qi was exasperated. Zhou Yi mumbled:

“Like you said, with student visas, we can only work under the table. Her help wouldn’t matter!”

Xiao Qi poked her: “Are you stupid? Poor students without connections work illegally, but connected students can ‘intern’ through school arrangements. Any company’s internship allowance would exceed my month of vegetable cutting! You’re passing up opportunities others would fight for. It’s not just about living expenses – you’re worried about the Level 101 test but haven’t considered that your classmate won a special prize in English competitions to become an exchange student, beating other Chinese university students… What are you thinking?”

Could there be a better mentor?

Language school teachers couldn’t provide one-on-one instruction.

Xiao Qi thought someone who won a special competition prize must be nearly native-level in English.

A Chinese person speaking English like a native speaker must have effective learning methods.

If Zhou Yi hadn’t seized the opportunity, Xiao Qi truly wanted to seek Xia Xiao Lan’s guidance.

Stuck at Level 108, Xiao Qi felt uncertain about advancing further.

No, Zhou Yi must approach this Buddha – without a connection, Xiao Qi couldn’t just reach out herself.

“Zhou Yi, let me tell you…”

…

Xia Xiao Lan thought she’d spotted Zhou Yi.

Looking back, the person had vanished, perhaps deliberately hiding.

Xia Xiao Lan didn’t dwell on it – Zhou Yi needed to experience hardship, and the language school test would reveal everything about her study efforts. That afternoon, leaving the theater, Matthew poked his head around the door:

“Tina’s having a party. Want to come?”

Xia Xiao Lan had zero interest in parties and had planned to drive back to Ithaca.

But now suspecting Tina and Farn’s connection to Xu Zhong Yi, she wanted to discreetly approach the siblings.

“Of course – why wouldn’t I go!”