The best gift!

Encouraging and validating the three of them, these photos were better than any gift, including cash or checks!

Even though all three had interned at architecture firms for two months and followed projects to varying degrees, this feeling was completely different. At the firms, they were just junior interns who couldn’t make decisions, only assisting the real architects.

Only with the “Electronics Plaza” design were they and Xia Xiaolan equal team members – the “Electronics Plaza” was the crystallization of all four’s collective wisdom.

“I’m glad you like them. I didn’t stay long in China this time, only managed to take these photos. Right now, only the main structure is complete, there’s still the later interior work and decoration. The actual completion should be after January next year. I’ll send you the latest photos then.”

By January next year, Xia Xiaolan would be back in China.

“This is already amazing to us. We didn’t expect the construction to be so fast!”

For a building of this scale, even a full year of construction wasn’t considered long.

Add another six months to a year for interior work, and taking two to three years from project initiation to completion was quite normal.

If funding issues arose midway, a construction period of five to six years wouldn’t be surprising.

Du Zhaohui had no choice – his “competition” with Du Zhaoqi would end in February, so naturally they had to rush to complete it within a year.

Xia Xiaolan pushed the photos toward Daisy, “I know many people doubted this, here’s the best evidence.”

“Heidi doubted it the most. I want to throw these photos in her face, let her see… but I can’t. Demanding an apology from her now wouldn’t be kind.”

Daisy sighed deeply.

Xia Xiaolan was puzzled, “Did something happen while I was away from school?”

Daisy had such strong opinions about Heidi, yet she would pass up a chance to get satisfaction and make Heidi eat her words.

Richard’s smile also faded slightly, “Xia, Heidi is taking a leave of absence. She couldn’t get over her emotional trauma, and with her poor academic performance, doctors diagnosed her with depression.”

Depression?

Even Xia Xiaolan didn’t dare joke about this anymore:

“That serious? How was it discovered?”

Daisy carefully put away the photos and lowered her voice, “It’s not good to gossip about her, but her condition was terrible. She and Ning were roommates originally, then Ning moved out of the dorm. This semester Heidi got a new roommate, and it was this new roommate who discovered Heidi’s depression. A few days ago, Heidi attempted suicide in the dorm. Her roommate called emergency services in time, that’s why Heidi survived.”

Suicide?!

Things had gotten this serious.

Xia Xiaolan couldn’t help touching her forehead, where there was no longer any trace.

It was “Xia Xiaolan’s” suicide by wall-hitting that had given her this second life. Now she had completely adapted to being “Xia Xiaolan,” escaped that terrible situation and returned to being Director Xia.

Even insects cling to life – how precious is life? To give up just for a failed relationship?

She looked down even on the former “Xia Xiaolan.”

At least the former “Xia Xiaolan’s” suicide attempt could be attributed to a sheltered rural environment, old-fashioned thinking, and external pressure.

For Heidi, an Ivy League elite who grew up in America, to attempt suicide over a failed relationship… Xia Xiaolan frowned: “What about Ning Xue and Jonathan?”

“Both were called in by the school for questioning. Others say Heidi’s suicide attempt is related to Ning, Jonathan, and Professor McCarthy’s attitude. In short, the Architecture Department is in chaos!”

This came from fat Lyle.

Lyle cared about his classmates too.

But honestly, Heidi had been so unlikeable before, often mocking them as the “Loser Trio.” Lyle’s words showed more concern for Professor McCarthy.

For a professor, having his teaching methods deemed too harsh and causing a student to attempt suicide – such accusations would seriously impact any professor. Lyle, as Professor McCarthy’s devoted fan, was worried for him!

Xia Xiaolan hadn’t expected such events at school during her brief return to China.

She suddenly recalled Daisy’s earlier words: “So when you said Professor McCarthy’s emotions have been volatile lately and he’s especially strict in class, it’s because of this?”

Daisy nodded, “We think so. You know the professor is a very serious person. No one can guess what he’s thinking.”

Normal people would try to keep a low profile and avoid attention when faced with such “accusations.”

Professor McCarthy was never normal.

Behaving opposite to normal people was indeed more like something Professor McCarthy would do.

Then there was Ning Xue…

Though Xia Xiaolan and Ning Xue were competitors, she felt Ning Xue was quite unfortunate.

Given Ning Xue’s pride, she would never steal Heidi’s boyfriend. Ning Xue and Jonathan getting together probably happened when they developed feelings while interning at P&W firm.

By then, Jonathan and Heidi had already broken up.

In American culture, if Jonathan broke up with Heidi in the morning, dating another girl that evening wouldn’t even be criticized.

But that was under normal circumstances!

Now things were far from normal. With Heidi’s suicide attempt, what would others think?

They would think Ning Xue stole Heidi’s boyfriend and betrayed their friendship… Ning Xue and Jonathan’s relationship was in danger.

While Xia Xiaolan was still sympathizing with Ning Xue, Jonathan, and Professor McCarthy, she noticed the three seemed to have more to say. Xia Xiaolan jolted: “Don’t tell me this has something to do with me too?”

“Heidi’s roommate said Heidi often cursed about you in the dorm… Some students who don’t know anything are saying you were too aggressive, forcing Heidi to apologize, and hurting her self-esteem. You, Ning, Jonathan, and Professor McCarthy – you four caused Heidi’s suicide attempt.”

Daisy looked angry.

This was partly why she had hoped for Xia Xiaolan’s quick return to school.

While Ning Xue, Jonathan, and Professor McCarthy still appeared at school after Heidi’s suicide attempt, only Xia Xiaolan, the unfortunate one, had taken leave and hadn’t returned – she was seen as guilty and avoiding responsibility. Those who hadn’t done anything wrong didn’t need to feel guilty, so clearly Heidi’s suicide attempt must be related to Xia Xiaolan.

If she could use an emoji now, Xia Xiaolan would throw out a “confused Black man” face.

This argument sounded familiar.

Oh right, hadn’t Mrs. Wilson said something similar outside Kennedy Airport just the day before?

That her appearance had led to Cui Yiru’s suicide.

Damn it, now Heidi’s suicide attempt was being blamed on her too?!

Xia Xiaolan wanted to find a mirror to check if the words “God of Suicide” were carved on her face as if anyone she looked at too long would have to pay with their life.

Daisy, emotional, defended Xia Xiaolan:

“Xia, if making Heidi apologize drove her to suicide, aren’t Richard, Lyle, and I also at fault? So we can’t excel, we must do worse than Heidi… is that what’s required?!”