Tang Hong’en arrived a bit late. Xiao Wang had come to ask around noon, but Tang Hong’en didn’t reach Huaqing University until 7 PM.

He didn’t let Xiao Wang drive him, choosing instead to take the bus himself.

Xia Xiaolan waited at the agreed-upon campus gate, and Tang Hong’en was nearly an hour late. The sky had already darkened when Xia Xiaolan finally spotted a familiar figure getting off the bus.

“Uncle Tang?”

Tang Hong’en seemed quite familiar with the area. His gaze fell on Xia Xiaolan as he handed her a package.

“Have you been waiting long? The meeting ran late, and I was delayed a bit on the way.”

Tang Hong’en hadn’t let Xiao Wang escort him. For someone of his rank, the Beijing liaison office would certainly have arranged transportation in the capital, yet Tang Hong’en chose to take the bus.

“I haven’t waited long. Let me treat you to something to eat, and then we can walk around campus?”

It seemed he had genuinely come to see her. The package Tang Hong’en gave her contained processed dried shrimp. It was the ready-to-eat kind that didn’t need cooking, though the quantity wasn’t light—a full four or five jin.

In coastal areas, seafood wasn’t as expensive as inland, but this much-dried shrimp was too much for Xia Xiaolan to eat alone.

Tang Hong’en casually remarked, “You can share some with your classmates. You’re smart enough—I don’t need to teach you how to get along with them, right? How are you adjusting at Huaqing?”

The school cafeteria had little left to eat. Outside the school were some small shops converted from residential houses. Xia Xiaolan, in her efforts to bond with classmates, rarely ate off-campus. These places had no formal menus; the owner would cook whatever you ordered with commonly available ingredients. Prices were based on portion size, and quite flexible. Given Tang Hong’en’s sensitive stomach and the late dinner hour, Xia Xiaolan ordered two light dishes and had the owner make noodles for Tang Hong’en.

They chatted while eating, with Xia Xiaolan doing most of the talking.

Tang Hong’en showed genuine interest in her life at Huaqing.

Xia Xiaolan typically only shared the good news, but with Tang Hong’en, she felt the urge to confide.

The people at Huaqing were all exceptional, exceeding Xia Xiaolan’s expectations, and her journey there hadn’t been as smooth as it appeared to others.

“I saw you participated in the Tiananmen celebration parade. The school teachers couldn’t possibly have anything against you. If they did, if someone was making things difficult for you behind the scenes, you wouldn’t have gotten these opportunities at all.”

Tang Hong’en pinpointed the issue precisely.

Though Xia Xiaolan was clever, in his view, she was still a young girl. While she might be shrewd in business, she only partially understood the rules within the system.

Ultimately, Huaqing was a large administrative system, and individual teachers’ evaluations of Xia Xiaolan couldn’t influence everyone. Unless some school leader had been targeting her since she first arrived… but that was even more impossible. Setting aside whether Xia Xiaolan had any chance to “offend” any leaders if a leader truly wanted to make things difficult for her, she wouldn’t have received any opportunities at Huaqing.

But now, she could participate in the parade’s honor guard and receive the “Outstanding Military Training Graduate” award, which ruled out the possibility of being disliked by any leaders.

Leaders didn’t have time to target individual students; they thought on a higher level.

Xia Xiaolan had thought the same but wasn’t as certain as Tang Hong’en.

“You shouldn’t be too clever. If you don’t understand something, just ask directly. Put away your business tactics, watch how other students do things, and do the same!”

She was too smart for her good, with scattered thoughts.

Tang Hong’en knew Xia Xiaolan’s way of doing things, always with too strong a purpose.

While that worked fine with adults, at school it was better to avoid such complications. Rather than spending time overthinking, she should just directly ask teachers who seemed to treat her differently. Being a student was advantageous—even if she asked wrong or misunderstood, how could teachers hold it against a student?

Students shouldn’t fear being labeled “stupid.”

This applied not just to being a student but to everything else—seeing yourself as less clever and others as smarter wasn’t a disadvantage. After all, students were ultimately judged on their academic performance.

“You still haven’t figured out what you want. People waver when they’re lost.”

Tang Hong’en’s words left Xia Xiaolan speechless.

Because he was right.

Tang Hong’en made his point and quickly changed the subject. “But you don’t need to completely copy others. While it’s good to blend in, you must maintain your attitude. You are you—you can’t become someone else. Everyone is different… Take that exceptional classmate Ning Xue you mentioned. Others might have certain advantages but don’t envy what others are born with. As long as you work toward your own goals, in a few decades, you might become even more famous than Mr. Ning Yanfan!”

Studying architecture wasn’t necessarily right—people need to try things to know what they’re good at.

Tang Hong’en believed Xia Xiaolan must have had her reasons for choosing the architecture department. If she could study it well, she should continue; if not, she shouldn’t fixate on it.

She shouldn’t just compare herself to Ning Xue, who came from a family of architects.

Xia Xiaolan should set smaller goals and solve problems step by step.

“Thank you, Uncle Tang. I’ll think carefully about what you’ve said.”

This was even more intimate than being given project opportunities. Tang Hong’en wouldn’t casually offer guidance to just any student, and Xia Xiaolan was very grateful.

Tang Hong’en paid for the meal and asked Xia Xiaolan to show him around Huaqing.

Xia Xiaolan mentioned it was dark, saying, “If you have time tomorrow, it would be better to come during the day.”

“No, night is fine too.”

Tang Hong’en surveyed the campus. Under the dim streetlights, Huaqing Garden had its charm. When Xia Xiaolan encountered classmates along the way, she greeted them naturally, while Tang Hong’en quietly stayed aside without interrupting.

As they walked, she provided commentary, mentioning that the entrance ceremony was held here when they reached the West Sports Field.

Xiong Baiyan and several male students walked past carrying basketballs, with Ji Jiangyuan among them, joking and horsing around. Tang Hong’en’s steps involuntarily paused—he hadn’t expected to actually meet him—Huaqing Garden was so large, with so many students, and he was just taking a walk.

Ji Jiangyuan walked over.

“Classmate Xia Xiaolan, weren’t you determined to study hard and catch up to Ning Xue? What happened? Given up on being a genius after just one week?”

Tang Hong’en’s heart pounded.

Xia Xiaolan thought Ji Jiangyuan knew how to bring up the wrong topic—what happened to his gentlemanly manner?

She noticed Tang Hong’en hadn’t kept up, and turning back, saw him seemingly trembling slightly—

“Uncle Tang, is your stomach bothering you again?”

Ji Jiangyuan, holding his basketball, realized there was someone else with Xia Xiaolan. Since an elder was present, had his previous words been inappropriate for the situation?

“Xia Xiaolan, your uncle is…?”