Grandfather Ji had students all over the world, and many of his former pupils were now likely in leadership positions.

Anyone even slightly familiar with the Ji family knew about Ji Ya.

Of course, Ji Ya didn’t act so brazenly outside, and her father’s former students’ impressions of her remained frozen in the past.

Back then, Ji Ya had exceptional grace and many talents, making her the dream goddess of countless admirers. If every man needed someone to secretly love in their youth, it would be someone like Ji Ya – perfect and awe-inspiring.

Thinking about how Professor Ji had only recently been laid to rest, the Department Head felt quite melancholic.

Times had changed, and everyone was now several decades older.

Yet while his fellow students had become ordinary people bowing to life’s pressures, Sister Ji remained unchanged.

“What’s going on here?”

The security office reported that an Architecture Department student was being harassed, and the student’s family refused to let it go, demanding an explanation from the school. The Department Head had come to handle this matter.

Ji Ya’s son, Ji Jiang Yuan, also attended Hua Qing University, though not in the Architecture Department – so why was he involved?

The Department Head never imagined that the troublemaker would be Sister Ji, whom he had always viewed as perfect.

However, seeing Guan Hui E’s unfriendly smile beside her, along with Xia Xiao Lan’s presence, Department Head Ji finally understood.

It seemed Xia Xiao Lan was the “victim.”

The Department Head’s impression of Xia Xiao Lan went beyond her mere beauty.

Less than one semester into her freshman year, Xia Xiao Lan had been named ‘Outstanding Military Training Graduate’ and participated in the National College English Competition, advancing to the final round as a freshman. With only about a dozen female students in the Architecture Department’s class of ’84, it would have been difficult for the Department Head not to know about Xia Xiao Lan.

No wonder the Ji family was being so aggressive – they must have many connections among faculty and alumni at Hua Qing University. Guan Hui E believed that most leaders and teachers wouldn’t arbitrarily bully a female student, but with Ji Ya stirring things up, who knew if some fool might be deceived by her?

Just a slight gesture from the leadership could affect Xia Xiao Lan’s entire life.

A little bias in various evaluations, excluding her from recommended competitions, creating difficulties with her graduation thesis, making trouble during job assignments… it didn’t need to be obvious. Over several years of accumulation, even the most outstanding student could be forced into mediocrity.

“As a leader in the Architecture Department, you need to judge this fairly. I won’t accept anything less than a proper explanation from the school.”

Guan Hui E noticed the Department Head knew Ji Ya, which made her even more determined not to back down.

If she retreated now, the Ji family would realize Xia Xiao Lan had no support and might bully her even more.

Xia Xiao Lan wasn’t very afraid; she found it fascinating – her romantic relationship with Zhou Cheng had brought her many unexpected things, such as having Guan Hui E and the Zhou family stand up for her. Xia Xiao Lan had never experienced this before; she understood how to build relationships with clients, but this kind of disinterested “family relationship” was both novel and unfamiliar – something she didn’t have in her previous life!

Among her past matchmaking prospects, leaving aside whether their families could stand up for her, at least it wouldn’t have been the match’s mother coming forward to protect her like a mother protecting her child.

The Department Head hadn’t grasped the whole situation yet. “Comrade, may I ask who you are?”

“I’m Xia Xiao Lan’s elder, hello. Here are my work credentials.”

Guan Hui E handed her work ID to the Department Head.

She wasn’t some high-ranking official from the Education Department, not here to throw her weight around. It was proper protocol now to show work identification when meeting people – everyone needed introduction letters when traveling, and without showing work credentials, who would know if she wasn’t just some random troublemaker?

Ministry of Health, and a cadre at that.

The Department Head’s attitude became more careful – not out of snobbery, but human nature.

“Comrade Guan, please continue.”

Guan Hui E gave Xia Xiao Lan a look, and Xia Xiao Lan knew it was her turn to speak. Strangely enough, she found herself particularly in sync with Guan Hui E today.

“Department Head, it’s like this: Auntie Ji came to the school to find me before, telling me to stay away from her son, Ji Jiang Yuan. I explained to her then that Ji Yuan and I were merely acquaintances, and that I already had a boyfriend. This time, Auntie Ji brought a foreigner and stopped me at the school gate, saying she had changed her mind and wanted to send me abroad to study with her son… Her behavior has caused me great distress, and many students witnessed this scene at the gate, which has become a huge burden on my reputation.”

How could Sister Ji do such a thing?

Wait, he remembered hearing something about Sister Ji coming to look at some records in the Architecture Department.

Was she looking into Student Xia Xiao Lan?

Ji Ya’s face was pale, but the Department Head couldn’t press her directly, so he asked Xia Xiao Lan instead:

“You don’t want to study abroad?”

Xia Xiao Lan shook her head, “Even if I did, I wouldn’t do it this way. Don’t you think this is an insult to me?”

Indeed, for any self-respecting young woman, such an attitude was far from respectful.

Even if Hua Qing students wanted to study abroad, this wasn’t the way to go about it!

From this perspective, the Department Head quite admired Xia Xiao Lan.

“If you’ve already refused, isn’t this matter settled? Comrade Ji had some misunderstandings about you. Why don’t we all sit down and clear things up, and show more mutual understanding? What do you think?”

Xia Xiao Lan couldn’t say no.

But Guan Hui E could:

“This matter can’t end like this. When I arrived, your Sister Ji was still grabbing onto Xiao Lan and wouldn’t let go. I now suspect she doesn’t understand firm rejection. If she doesn’t apologize publicly, how will other students view Xiao Lan? Three people’s gossip becomes truth – I don’t want Xiao Lan to be the subject of backbiting. This child came to Hua Qing to study, not to be gossiped about. She’s performed well at school, hasn’t she? She’s not the type to slack off after getting into Hua Qing. If the school doesn’t step up to protect her, who can Hua Qing students rely on when similar things happen in the future!”

After leaving the office today, Ji Ya will surely return in a few days.

Some people just live in their world, refusing to give up until they achieve their goals. According to Guan Hui E, they either couldn’t understand or were purely selfish, doing things only in ways that benefited themselves!

Ji Ya remained silent after entering the office.

Guan Hui E standing up for Xia Xiao Lan was indeed beyond Ji Ya’s expectations.

Moreover, Guan Hui E wasn’t just anyone – she had a proper job position and spoke eloquently. Ji Ya was digging her nails into her palm, barely containing her urge to lose her temper.

Xia Xiao Lan had a boyfriend?

Then weren’t Jiang Yuan’s feelings for her complete deception?

Xia Xiao Lan must be Tang Hong En’s pawn, deliberately getting close to Jiang Yuan.

Now Tang Hong En wouldn’t let her and Jiang Yuan leave the country, and somehow their exit clearance hadn’t been approved.

Taking Xia Xiao Lan abroad was a desperate measure.

Now that this path was blocked, she and Jiang Yuan would be forced to stay in the country… Tang Hong En could take her son away at any moment. Ji Ya felt her throat itching.

“I’m not mistaken. If it weren’t for you, why would Jiang Yuan refuse to return to America? If you have a boyfriend, you shouldn’t have led my son on!”