Life teaches us never to speak too absolutely.

Young people matching social status for dating was one thing, but demanding social equality even for ordinary friendships… When you place yourself too high and look down on others, it’s no wonder when reality hits back.

Zhen Wenxiu wasn’t humbled by Xia Xiaolan having a good boyfriend.

She wasn’t humbled by Xia Xiaolan gaining an influential stepfather.

Even Xia Xiaolan’s business success and wealth didn’t matter.

The real blow came now – Xia Xiaolan’s architectural achievements surpassing Ning Xue’s. Such is a parent’s heart; Zhen Wenxiu had always taken pride in her daughter, and now felt indignant on her behalf.

But Zhen Wenxiu’s thoughts hardly mattered anymore.

She had no control over Xia Xiaolan’s decisions, couldn’t even prevent her friendship with Ning Xue, and could only privately express her bitterness – she didn’t even have a chance to show it openly. Not only would Xia Xiaolan refuse to be bullied, but considering Ji Ya’s current situation, Zhen Wenxiu had to be cautious.

“While others keep improving, Ji Ya keeps declining, she…”

What was it all for?

Zhen Wenxiu sighed thinking about it.

When Ji Ya returned to China earlier, wouldn’t it have been better to reconcile with Tang Hong’en?

Even if not remarrying, finding a wealthy American and living well together would have been fine.

Now everything was lost – the American left, and she ended up in a mental hospital. They said the American wanted to take Ji Ya with him before leaving, but she refused.

Ning Haodong didn’t want to discuss others’ affairs. Though focused on his career, he truly loved his daughter. With Xia Xiaolan’s recent success, he worried about Ning Xue and urged Zhen Wenxiu to plan a trip to America.

Zhen Wenxiu agreed immediately but still felt troubled looking at the magazine, muttering:

“How did she get ahead first, when just…”

Just two or three years ago, she had come to the Ning household, thick-skinned, wanting to study under her husband – just an ordinary student, yet she grew so quickly!

…

Mao Kangshan had also sent copies of the magazine to Huaqing’s Architecture Department.

The timing was perfect, just before the summer break. The department head displayed the magazine on his desk, extremely satisfied with his student Xia Xiaolan. Thanks to his enthusiastic ‘promotion,’ practically everyone in the department knew!

Were they shocked?

Not really – they were mentally prepared.

Since Xia Xiaolan’s lawsuit against the American architect, the architecture students knew she wasn’t just temporarily ahead of them, but had left them far behind.

Then she won the lawsuit.

Then she stopped attending classes.

Then everyone knew what she was doing lately – focused on designing a museum in Yunan, with work published in “Domus.” The gap between them and this rising star had only widened!

People liked asking Dorm 307 residents about Xia Xiaolan’s news, though they hardly needed answers, mostly just discussing among themselves:

“Is it true she’s graduating early?”

“Will she return to school? Probably not…”

“Has any company accepted her?”

“Don’t be silly, she doesn’t need that anymore. If I were her, I’d be an independent architect too!”

Everyone discussed Xia Xiaolan’s future.

Everyone who got into Huaqing University was academically excellent!

But even top students had to follow current national policies. University education followed by job assignment was the mainstream path, facing every Huaqing student.

Many would become leaders in politics, business, or their profession, but not yet.

Their futures remained unclear until they left the ivory tower and spent a decade in the real world.

Yet among the excellent students was a genius… While others waited for job assignments, the genius had already broken free from these rules. It wasn’t jealousy, but there was envy. All studying architecture together, Xia Xiaolan had suddenly advanced so far ahead that no one expected her to follow the conventional path.

She deserved a special path.

No need to build experience at design institutes, she could develop independently.

At Xia Xiaolan’s level, employment wasn’t a concern – if she didn’t want to stay in China, foreign firms were an option.

Enough talk – back to drawing!

The crowd that had gathered around Dorm 307 quickly dispersed.

Su Jing couldn’t hold back: “They said everything themselves, I couldn’t even get a word in.”

As if anyone could!

In Dorm 307, Xia Xiaolan’s bed remained, still holding some of her personal belongings. Her roommates voluntarily maintained its tidiness. Last week, Yang Yonghong had even washed and replaced her bedding.

Yes, Xia Xiaolan hadn’t lived in the dorm for a long time.

Counting the time, her roommates hadn’t seen her for at least two months.

Her early graduation was practically certain, and this bed wouldn’t stay empty much longer. Once she graduated, the school would assign another student, regardless of how Room 307’s residents felt.

For some reason, after Su Jing spoke, Room 307 fell into an odd silence.

Until Zhou Limin broke it:

“Xiaolan will graduate early. I think in two or three months, once she finishes her thesis, the department will let her defend early. Her future is secure, going further than any of us… I say, shouldn’t we start thinking about our futures?”

The youngest, Lü Yan, who had carried a tape recorder every day since freshman year, never giving up on learning English, clearly had plans:

“I’ll go abroad. That’s my dream.”

Su Jing had her dreams too. She loved drawing and had ended up in architecture by chance.

“I don’t like construction. I might switch to interior design.”

Chen Yiyi, always gentle, said she also planned to study abroad.

Yang Yonghong figured she’d end up working on construction sites – she studied civil engineering after all! But she hadn’t decided where yet.

Only Zhou Limin planned to join a design institute.

“I don’t want to, but it’s my family’s arrangement.”

This was easily manageable – graduates were assigned jobs, and companies could actively recruit. Since Zhou Limin’s family had this arrangement, they could ensure her assignment to a design institute, though she wasn’t enthusiastic about it.

Everyone had their own plans for the future, but they shared one similarity – none wanted to rely on state job assignments!

This was probably Xia Xiaolan’s deepest influence on Dorm 307.

After much discussion, Yang Yonghong, as the dorm leader, made the final decision:

“Instead of just thinking about it, let’s take action. Didn’t Xiaolan invite us for summer internships? Summer’s almost here – let’s all go to Pengcheng together!”