“What’s wrong with yearning for success?”

Matthew mumbled, then suddenly raised his voice: “There’s nothing wrong with wanting success, but how dare you look down on me, assuming I can only succeed through shortcuts?”

Bah!

Don’t I have talent?

He was also an honors student in Cornell’s architecture program!

Matthew pushed the forceful Eric away completely:

“I’ll do what I should do, you disrespectful bastard, you have no right to question me.”

Eric withdrew his forcefulness, putting on a sincere smile again:

“Student Matthew, let’s get reacquainted. I’m Eric Bloom, Xia’s lawyer. We’ve met before, but I didn’t know you well enough, and I was just quite rude… Nice to meet you, Matthew. You know, I once asked Xia if she worried you might be bought by Mond and others, but she said she trusted you. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have questioned your friendship!”

The strategy of stick followed by carrot wasn’t unique to Chinese people.

Matthew’s cheeks flushed at Eric’s praise:

“She said she trusted me?”

“Of course!”

“What a foolish woman, I don’t even trust myself – if we’d just let Lisa remain a nobody at GMP, none of this would have happened.”

Matthew was angry.

Sometimes he thought Xia Xiaolan was too clever, sometimes too foolish – such a contradictory woman.

When Lisa wasn’t cooperating, she should have kicked her out.

But thinking again, he had also initially opposed Xia Xiaolan, yet when the opportunity came, she hadn’t forgotten him.

Matthew’s expression suddenly turned strange.

“I’ll testify. I don’t want to owe anyone favors.”

Especially not to someone who left Cornell and America without attachment and then cut off contact – a jerk like that, wouldn’t owe them anything.

“Student Matthew, you’re so clear about gratitude and grudges. Your juniors told me this, but I didn’t believe it. My thinking was truly shallow.”

Eric sighed.

Matthew had a bad feeling. “What do you mean…”

This was a borrowed faculty office.

Someone stepped out from behind the thick curtains.

Two people crawled out from under the desk.

Daisy, Richard, and Lyle rushed toward him:

“Senior Matthew, I knew you were a good person.”

“Matthew, give that thief hell in court!”

“Matthew, if there’s a trial, Xia will come back to America, right…”

Ah, how embarrassing!

Why were these three idiots here?

Damn Eric Bloom, he knew it – this so-called civil rights lawyer was just a devil.

Matthew kept a straight face, “All of you shut up. You know I’m testifying because I don’t want people questioning my talent, right? And I hate Mrs. Dawson – she hit me with her purse chain, you should remember! Stop it, Lyle you pervert, why are you touching my butt! Mmph-“

Being hugged by a fat person wasn’t exactly a pleasant experience.

Matthew’s face changed dramatically.

The three – Daisy and company – laughed heartily.

They had known Matthew wouldn’t give false testimony. Senior Matthew was just like them.

Eric quietly left the room, straightening his sleeves, muttering to himself:

“Young people are so energetic. Those still in school still have that passionate idealism.”

It wasn’t the same after leaving school.

Some good young people, after entering society, slowly became the kind of jerks they most despised as students!

For now, the student witness seemed controllable.

Eric knew Matthew’s earlier words were sincere, but he still needed to be careful and prevent Mond’s side from having any chance to tempt Matthew. He instructed his assistant: “Keep an eye on Matthew, don’t let the defendant’s people contact him, understand?”

Don’t let adult worldliness contaminate youthful innocence.

Now he needed to meet the architecture faculty professors. Hopefully, professors devoted to academic pursuits would share the students’ passion.

First was Professor McCarthy – Eric had heard he was the most ill-tempered in the architecture department. Such people were truly hard to buy off – surely he would speak up for Xia Xiaolan?

Last time, hadn’t Xia Xiaolan angered Mrs. Dawson while standing up for Professor McCarthy?

If Professor McCarthy was truly as temperamental as rumored, he would be Xia Xiaolan’s best ally. In America, they needed someone of considerable influence to protest AIA on Xia Xiaolan’s behalf. After careful consideration, Eric had chosen Professor McCarthy.

“Is this Professor McCarthy’s office?”

Eric knocked gently, “I’m Eric Bloom, who made an appointment with you. You might have heard my name, or perhaps not. I’m here for”

The hook-nosed McCarthy looked up.

“I know you. You’re a lawyer. Are you here to help my student? If you’re a dog sent by Mond Dawson, leave immediately, don’t dirty my office floor!”

Oh my~

His temper matched the rumors perfectly.

“No, I’m Xia’s representing lawyer. A scoundrel like Mond Dawson couldn’t hire me even for a million dollars!”

If offered a million dollars, Eric would still consider it.

But since that wasn’t offered, Eric spoke with absolute conviction.

McCarthy muttered something unintelligible, pulled out a document from his drawer, and handed it to Eric:

“It’s been days, you’re too slow!”

Eric carefully examined what he held, finally showing surprise, “Professor, you already knew? I mean, you were prepared.”

McCarthy looked like he wanted to stab this lawyer with his nose tip.

“How long do you think it takes for New York News to reach Cornell?”

Was Cornell some isolated island?

Or did they take him for some stubborn old man who rejected modern communication tools… hmph, if that certain someone had stayed at Cornell, none of this would have happened.

…

Xia Xiaolan felt her nose itch.

Suppressing the urge to sneeze, she walked toward the department office.

After a weekend, the department had summoned her, and Xia Xiaolan was somewhat prepared.

It was probably about the AIA matter. Old Mao had done a lot of work for her; joining the Chinese Architecture Association was just the first step.

Though mentally prepared, finding the department head’s expression grave and seeing Ning Yanfan, whom she hadn’t seen in a while, in the office, Xia Xiaolan was still quite surprised. Besides these two, there was an even bigger presence… the Huaqing University President.

Uncle President – Xia Xiaolan had never interacted with him directly, only seen him from afar.

This lineup was quite intimidating.

“Hello, Professor Ning, Director.”

“Are you Student Xia? Your department head mentioned you’re an excellent architecture student. You were recently an exchange student in America, and I’ve read the text version of your post-return lecture. You spoke very objectively, which greatly helped students interested in studying abroad. Your professional ability is vouched for by the department and Professor Ning, and I trust that. I believe even more that a Huaqing student wouldn’t steal others’ work. Don’t feel pressured; the school supports you in this matter.”