Yes, yes, yes.

You’re beautiful… no, since you won, everything you say is right!

The reporters eagerly hoped to hear details, but Xia Xiaolan stopped talking. Every reporter wanted to interview her, even exclusive interviews, with TV station reporters extending immediate invitations for show appearances.

Xia Xiaolan refused them all.

Why should she cooperate with these reporters?

These were the same people who called her a ghost, and now they were enthusiastically approaching her for newsworthy content. Xia Xiaolan didn’t care about them because she had won. The trial proceedings would become public eventually, and for the sake of news value, they would voluntarily clear her name.

It was that simple.

The media has no sympathy; they report news and create news – that’s how they survive!

But those supporters…

Xia Xiaolan squeezed out of the reporters’ encirclement and bowed to those who had waited all day at the courthouse doors:

“Thank you everyone!”

“I didn’t disappoint your trust, I won the case!”

“I will continue to work hard.”

Cornell classmates, New York Chinese students, and Chinatown residents.

Was this just Xia Xiaolan’s victory?

No, this was everyone’s victory!

Xia Xiaolan won the case, living up to their trust and support. She was exactly as excellent as everyone imagined, even winning in the New York court that naturally favored Americans!

“We won!”

Cornell students rushed forward, surrounding Xia Xiaolan, starting their classic celebration mode of lifting someone and tossing them in the air. Xia Xiaolan was powerless to stop it.

Eventually, it wasn’t just Cornell students tossing her; New York Chinese students joined in, along with people from Chinatown.

Xia Xiaolan’s supporters were in euphoria.

In contrast, were Lisa’s supporters.

Lisa lost?!

They had supported her so much, yet she lost and didn’t even stay to explain anything to her supporters, just hurriedly leaving by car.

The supporters wanted to doubt the justice system’s fairness.

But they knew better than anyone that this was America, the New York court. When Americans sue Americans, the fairness of results can be questionable, with winning or losing sometimes unrelated to the truth, depending on whose lawyer was more capable.

But when American citizens sue foreigners, judges subconsciously protect American citizens’ interests first.

Unless there was no alternative, with irrefutable evidence, both legally and morally requiring a verdict in the foreigner’s favor—Lisa’s supporters stood awkwardly still holding the design drawings.

Lisa’s hasty departure and defeat left them feeling deceived.

Which designs belonged to whom seemed unimportant now.

Maybe they were Xia Xiaolan’s.

Maybe they were Lisa’s.

Among Lisa’s supporters, someone first led by throwing away their sign and quickly leaving.

Others followed suit, throwing signs, tearing off T-shirts printed with support words, and leaving dejectedly. Some were probably too angry, still cursing.

Not cursing Xia Xiaolan though – their trust and emotions had been hurt. Lisa’s defeat and lack of explanation made them feel foolish!

Xia Xiaolan didn’t care whether these people stayed or left.

Winning the case was joyous regardless.

The court ruled in her favor, ordering Lisa to pay $50,000 in economic damages and $200,000 in reputation and emotional damage compensation… This was normal; the plaintiff’s demands couldn’t be accepted wholesale, as the court had its verification standards.

Eric believed Lisa’s appropriation of work caused Xia Xiaolan to lose the AIA Rising Star Architect Award, resulting in at least $50,000 in losses, plus Xia Xiaolan’s time and money spent on litigation, calculating $100,000 in economic damage compensation. However, the court halved it, since without Lisa’s interference, Xia Xiaolan had only been shortlisted for the AIA Rising Star Architect selection.

Being shortlisted wasn’t a guaranteed win.

No matter how talented or impressive, the award wasn’t just sitting there waiting for Xia Xiaolan to pick up.

The $200,000 compensation for reputation and emotional damages was substantial too.

Additionally, Lisa had to bear the case’s legal costs.

The court’s verdict would be published in newspapers, which Xia Xiaolan had firmly demanded.

Whether Lisa accept it or would appeal as Attorney Myers said? Xia Xiaolan didn’t care or concern herself – she’d fight each time, and Lisa would just go from being despised once to twice, thrice!

Liu Fen watched her daughter being tossed high, with so many people cheering and celebrating, her eyes still slightly red.

“This is wonderful…”

Winning the case was wonderful.

Those who testified for Xia Xiaolan hadn’t left, except Harold.

Tina was deeply contemptuous of Matthew: “You’re so stupid, you actually admitted in court that you like her, what were you thinking?”

Tina wanted to say, why couldn’t he learn from Harold?

This might be the difference between a mature man and a young fool like Matthew. Even Tina could see that Harold liked Xia Xiaolan, but he could deny it with a straight face—thinking of Harold, Tina remembered her agreement with the Wilsons, suddenly becoming distressed.

Matthew’s face reddened, “That was a mistake!”

Hadn’t he sworn to tell the truth?

Who knew they’d suddenly ask such questions?

Shit! What was he thinking then? Fortunately, they didn’t lose the case, otherwise he would have made a huge mistake!

But why did Monde Dawson choose to tell the truth at the last moment?

Matthew couldn’t figure this out either.

Today’s trial had been a power struggle throughout. Matthew only knew Xia Xiaolan’s side turned the tables in the afternoon, ultimately winning the case. But how they won, why it was arranged this way, Matthew, though involved, didn’t fully understand the inside story.

This was the result of Xia Xiaolan and Eric’s planning.

Was this the intellectual gap between himself and the experts?

Matthew fell into deep self-doubt.

…

The car drove away from the New York courthouse district.

Silence filled the car. Heidi dared not speak, fearing she might say something wrong and incur her father’s anger.

After the trial, Monde hadn’t spoken, no one knew what he was thinking.

He finally spoke first, though unclear whether explaining to Heidi or talking to himself:

“Do you know why I told the truth?”

“I’ve made myself an enemy, because failing to crush her once, she’ll resist fiercely.”

“I underestimated her, I acted without thorough investigation.”

If he wanted to deal with Xia Xiaolan, he should have prepared more thoroughly. He thought cutting off her future in the architectural circle would be easy, but hadn’t expected her to have so many supporters, with connections beyond just the architectural world—Mrs. Wilson’s invitation to intervene probably wasn’t just about dealing with Xia Xiaolan, but also related to Harold Wilson.

Monde was just an architect; he had no desire to get involved in these wealthy people’s disputes.

He had chosen the wrong pawn; Lisa’s foundation was weak, so easily defeated.

He had also misjudged his opponent, who wasn’t just a talented Chinese student.

If he hadn’t made the correct “judgment” in court, if he had said he couldn’t determine which original was drawn first or whose portfolio was superior—with Xia Xiaolan’s demonstrated initiative, she could gather all Pritzker Architecture Prize winners to date for a new assessment.

By then, the situation would be worse for Monde. Professionals tend to be jealous of each other, and not every architect of his caliber liked him!