Xia Xiaolan couldn’t help but exchange glances with Daniel.

Daniel feigned casualness, “What, is Fahn testing whether you’re worthy to be his sister’s boyfriend? I’ve never seen anyone as protective of their sister as him. With Fahn around, last night’s party wouldn’t have had any effect – Tina won’t be able to find a boyfriend.”

Matthew exclaimed:

“How is that possible? Tina is my client, I have basic professional ethics and know how to maintain proper client relationships! He wasn’t asking about me, but about Xia, which is why I said it was strange!”

“Oh, what did he ask about me?”

Xia Xiaolan clasped her hands together and turned to look back at Matthew, seemingly very interested in Fahn.

“Just about your situation at Cornell, where you live, your family background in China… Look, buddy, don’t look at me like that, I don’t know these things about you either, okay? Even if I did know, I wouldn’t tell Fahn.”

This wasn’t the right way to pursue a girl.

Matthew just found it strange.

Xia Xiaolan nodded, “Don’t mind him, he’s just overprotective of Tina, afraid that I’m deliberately getting close to her to take advantage of her friendship or money or something.”

Matthew pursed his lips.

No one knew better than him how Xia Xiaolan and Tina had met.

At Mrs. Wilson’s house, it was Mrs. Wilson who had actively introduced Tina to Xia Xiaolan.

Tina had been very enthusiastic about Xia Xiaolan, wanting her to do design work, but was refused… Rich people were really strange, practically paranoid! Matthew had been excited before attending the party last night, thinking he could expand his client circle.

After attending the party, Fahn had thrown cold water on his hopes.

Were those questions just inquiring about Xia Xiaolan’s information? Matthew felt that each question was also interrogating him.

He leaned back in his chair: “After doing Tina’s commission, I’ll focus on completing my remaining credits. I’ll worry about job hunting next year.”

Xia Xiaolan glanced at him, “You’re not in a hurry anymore?”

Matthew snorted:

“Being in a hurry won’t help.”

Even calculating boys had their pride. Xia Xiaolan didn’t mock him but rather agreed: “You’ve finally understood. It wouldn’t be hard for you to get into GMP now, you don’t need to be so rushed. It’s just waiting an extra half year, then you can legitimately accept client commissions.”

At GMP, you wouldn’t get big projects at first, but wouldn’t there be opportunities for small commissions?

Matthew wanted to take shortcuts, but while Tina was naive, Fahn wasn’t simple.

What could an undergraduate architecture student do even if they got Upper East Side clients? Those people wouldn’t take Matthew seriously.

Matthew hadn’t understood before, but perhaps Fahn’s words last night had affected him somehow.

Ah, young people’s pride was quite endearing.

If it were Xia Xiaolan, the money she wanted to earn wouldn’t be deterred by a few casual words – how else could one channel anger except by earning more money?

But this Fahn… was quite interesting.

Xia Xiaolan returned to school, not bothering with the New York matters.

Except for Jim still being unheard of, her life seemed to have returned to peace.

No one at school was antagonizing her.

Zhou the fool still had someone watching over him.

Sweet talking with Zhou Cheng on the phone, life couldn’t be more relaxed.

But under this rare tranquility, something big seemed to be brewing.

Xia Xiaolan said to Zhou Cheng on the phone:

“I feel like Xu Zhongyi’s matter will have a result soon.”

Zhou Cheng frowned, “Wife, stay away from them. I don’t want other people’s grudges dragging you in.”

She had done enough helping Grandmother Yu find her son.

Zhou Cheng wasn’t a saint – he was a hundred percent against risking his wife for other people’s affairs.

Xia Xiaolan smiled bitterly, “I’d like to stay far away but look at how these people keep crashing into my life. How can I avoid them?”

She had given up looking for Xu Zhongyi’s family, but Mrs. Wilson had introduced her to Tina, and Tina led to Fahn. While one familiar-looking Tina could be ignored, add in Fahn… Xia Xiaolan had tried to hold back, but having their faces constantly appearing before her, pretending not to see them was suffocating.

After thinking, Zhou Cheng still worried:

“Just stay at school recently, don’t go to New York. I’ll ask Third Brother if he can make a trip to America for me.”

Xia Xiaolan thought Zhou Cheng was being too dramatic.

But Daniel’s warning still made her uneasy, so she didn’t object too much:

“If Third Brother can come, I’ll treat him to a proper tour of America!”

Zhou Cheng had no choice with her and called Pan Bohua after hanging up.

Pan Bohua didn’t contact Zhou Cheng until the next day.

When Zhou Cheng asked if he could go to America, Pan Bohua asked curiously:

“How did you know I was going to America?”

Zhou Cheng was even more surprised than Pan Bohua, “Third Brother, you’re going to America…”

“To check on Sister Jiang Yan, I’m serious! If Jiang Yan can’t find someone, I won’t get married either, I’ll wait for her! Since I need to transport some things to America anyway, I’ll go see my future wife, see how her treatment in America is going, those American doctors are so expensive, wonder if they’re any good?”

Pan Bohua spoke as if joking, but Zhou Cheng knew he was a man of his word, probably really seeing Jiang Yan as his responsibility.

“Third Brother, since you’re going to America, I have a favor to ask.”

Zhou Cheng briefly explained about Xu Zhongyi’s situation.

Hearing it involved local Chinese gangs, Pan Bohua sneered:

“Those bastards are shameful. If they want to go down the dark path, there are so many ways to make money. What good is it targeting their people?”

If they had the guts to go after Americans, Pan Bohua might respect them somewhat.

Most immigrants who went to America back then were desperate in their homeland, and everyone had low status in America.

Not helping each other was one thing, but the weak bullying the weaker… Pan Bohua looked down on such people: “Don’t worry, I’ll keep your wife safe.”

Whether watching over one sheep or two made little difference, it was just one more task. Pan Bohua felt very relaxed about it.

With the human weapon heading to America, not only was Zhou Cheng relieved, but Xia Xiaolan also slept more soundly at night.

Friday morning, Hu Ying checked the mailbox as usual, retrieving the household’s subscribed newspapers and a pile of bills.

“Oh, here’s a letter without a postmark.”

Xia Xiaolan put down her milk, “Auntie Hu, let me see.”

Hu Ying handed the letter to her.

Xia Xiaolan opened it and a photo fell out, which she quickly caught.

Looking at it, she was stunned.

It was a family portrait.

The girl in the photo was Tina, looking a few years younger than now. The boy was Fahn, also more innocent-looking than now, though his gentle expression remained unchanged. They were standing, with a man and woman seated in front.

The woman was young and refined, with an air of elegance – she was Grandmother Yu’s daughter-in-law, Cui Yiru.

This Cui Yiru looked much more dignified than in the photo Grandmother Yu had kept.

And the man beside Cui Yiru… wasn’t Xu Zhongyi!