Ji Ya didn’t miss a single subtle expression on Xia Xiaolan’s face.

This girl showed only confusion and surprise upon seeing her, without the slightest panic or even a hint of nervousness.

Even Ning Xue would get nervous around her, though she hid it well. A girl under twenty couldn’t conceal anything from Ji Ya, but Xia Xiaolan showed absolutely no anxiety. This girl was too composed and far too pretty. No wonder Ji Jiangyuan wouldn’t agree to be with Ning Xue. At around twenty, when hormones were at their peak, it was natural to feel flustered around pretty girls.

Xia Xiaolan was exceptionally beautiful. Ji Ya maintained her smile while thoroughly evaluating Xia Xiaolan from head to toe.

No matter how beautiful, it wouldn’t do – Ning Xue was the most suitable partner for her son.

Xia Xiaolan didn’t know what Ji Jiangyuan’s mother wanted to discuss. She was confident her relationship with Ji Jiangyuan was completely innocent. Ji Jiangyuan’s mother didn’t seem as unreasonable as Ding Aizhen, nor was she like Chen Dasao from Qijing Village.

“Auntie, what would you like to discuss?”

Being considerate, Xia Xiaolan noticed Ji Ya wearing thin high heels – wouldn’t her feet be sore from walking? Moreover, the weather these past few days hasn’t been good. Though it wasn’t raining today, it was windy. In such weather, students usually rushed to their dormitories, library, or study rooms after class – indoor places that blocked the wind, where down jackets could keep them warm.

Xia Xiaolan just wanted to finish talking with Ji Ya so she could head back!

Xia Xiaolan’s composure disrupted Ji Ya’s plans somewhat – what should she discuss with someone so calm and collected?

Finding Xia Xiaolan wasn’t surprising – even without Ning Xue’s help, Ji Ya could easily ask around campus. Both Ji Jiangyuan and Xia Xiaolan attracted attention at school. Even casual interactions between two such notable students would be remembered, making it easy for Ji Ya to gather information.

“Jiangyuan often mentions you at home. I wanted to meet you. He’s grown up abroad for over ten years, and I worried he might not adapt to the domestic environment. Fortunately, he’s made good friends like you.”

Ji Ya’s voice was truly pleasant.

But Xia Xiaolan felt chills down her spine.

Wasn’t Xiong Baiyan Ji Jiangyuan’s good friend? Those two were inseparable – how could she be considered his friend? This misunderstanding needed clarification:

“We’re in different departments. Everyone’s busy with coursework. Ji Jiangyuan and I only trained together for the school’s National Day parade, and our most recent interaction was yesterday at the Foreign Trade University’s English competition second round. Ji Jiangyuan is very popular at school – you can ask anyone, Auntie. There’s no need to worry about his adaptation to the domestic environment.”

What adaptation issues? Hadn’t Ji Jiangyuan obediently participated in the English competition?

Straightforward academic achievers like Ning Xue could simply refuse to participate, and the school couldn’t object.

Yet Ji Jiangyuan chose to align with the collective. Xia Xiaolan didn’t believe a word of Ji Ya’s supposed concerns. She disliked people who spoke in circles – hearing some rumors from somewhere but questioning Xia Xiaolan at school instead of checking with Ji Jiangyuan directly.

Xia Xiaolan wasn’t a pushover for anyone’s interrogation!

Guan Hui’e could question her – she was Zhou Cheng’s mother, and Xia Xiaolan was dating Zhou Cheng. Guan Hui’e had the right to her doubts.

But Ji Jiangyuan’s mother? Xia Xiaolan naturally sided with Tang Hong’en – she was straightforward in favoring relationships over reason. Though she didn’t know why they divorced, she knew Tang Hong’en was alone now, and it was Ji Ya who had prevented him from contacting his son for over a decade.

Xia Xiaolan’s message was clear: I have no relationship with your son, we’re barely even acquaintances. If you suspect your son has a girlfriend at school, you should look among all the female students, not ambush me after class.

This girl was too audacious.

Like a wildflower – beautiful but growing unrestrained, its branches never pruned.

Ji Ya felt Xia Xiaolan lacked basic cultivation. She concluded that Xia Xiaolan must come from a poor background, despite her not wearing the rustic cotton-padded jackets like other students and speaking politely. But that sharp edge still showed through Xia Xiaolan’s words… Whenever someone didn’t conform to Ji Ya’s wishes, she would lose control.

She wanted to light a cigarette but remembered they were on Huaqing’s campus. Forcibly suppressing her craving, her tone became harsh:

“Let me be direct then. Jiangyuan will return to America eventually. I don’t want him getting too close to domestic girls. Whether it’s a misunderstanding or not, I hope you’ll keep your distance from Jiangyuan. You’re in the Architecture Department, so you must know Ning Xue. The Ji and Ning families are old friends, and both families hope Jiangyuan and Ning Xue will end up together. When Jiangyuan returns to America, Ning Xue will also study there. Jiangyuan’s future is already planned. Your intersection with him is just these brief one or two years at Huaqing… You might be angry hearing this, but it’s the truth – you’re not from the same world.”

Xia Xiaolan took a deep breath.

“Then pardon my directness, but I might not even like your world, Auntie. Ji Jiangyuan isn’t my type, and I have a boyfriend. Please don’t come looking for me again with such baseless suspicions!”

What nonsense – why should it matter whether she and Ji Jiangyuan were from the same world? Xia Xiaolan had never wanted to be part of his world anyway. Moreover, in China, the Zhou family’s background was already quite prestigious. Whatever the Ji family’s background, Xia Xiaolan doubted it could be much more elite than the Zhou family.

Xia Xiaolan had visited the Zhou family three times. Except for Zhou Yi and her mother’s occasional provocations, the Zhou family was quite agreeable.

They’d never spoken about different worlds like Ji Jiangyuan’s mother. Xia Xiaolan felt frustrated – she’d never felt inferior about her family background. Family circumstances were inherited, but personal achievement depended on individual effort. Not all those who soared during the Reform and Opening Up came from wealthy families.

Even in the future, when people claimed social classes had solidified, new tech entrepreneurs still emerged through superior technology and innovation. Anyone who thought temporary advantage meant permanent superiority was truly narrow-minded.

Xia Xiaolan couldn’t be bothered to engage further with such narrow-mindedness.

No matter how well-dressed Ji Ya was, she was just an upgraded version of Ding Aizhen.

Ding Aizhen thought the Zhu family’s status was too high for a village girl like her.

Ji Jiangyuan’s mother directly stated they weren’t from the same world… What made these people think Xia Xiaolan wanted to enter their world?!

Utterly ridiculous. Xia Xiaolan waved dismissively and jogged away.

Ji Ya stood rooted, breathing rapidly. Her trembling hands pulled out a cigarette, but the strong wind prevented her from lighting it.

If she didn’t thoroughly investigate this girl’s background, she wouldn’t be worthy of the surname Ji!