Xu Yuejin couldn’t sleep all night after hearing Ning Yanfan’s words.

He thought about knocking on Xia Xiaolan’s door, but it wouldn’t look good for a young, beautiful junior sister if word got out.

Indeed, delicate junior sisters were the most troublesome.

If it were a young junior brother, Xu Yuejin would have broken down the door and splashed water on him to wake him up—sleeping at such a crucial time! Being stumped and making mistakes at the symposium wouldn’t just shame Xia Xiaolan. As her sponsor, how could Ning Yanfan avoid being implicated in Nie Weiguo’s vicious attacks?

That’s why Ning Xue had been so agitated about Ning Yanfan’s reputation, misunderstanding that Xia Xiaolan was trying to climb up by stepping on others, and had burst into the study to confront her.

It wasn’t just Ning Xue who was concerned—which of Xu Yuejin’s colleagues wasn’t worried about their teacher’s reputation?

Since Xia Xiaolan hadn’t sought help, Xu Yuejin spent the whole night awake, desperately recalling the key points of the “Infinity Pool” project from Nanhai Hotel. He summarized the crucial aspects of the proposal, and seeing it was past five in the morning, went to stand guard outside Xia Xiaolan’s door.

5:30, 5:45, 6:10… What was wrong with young people nowadays? They only knew how to smile and serve tea, but when he had led the team in drawing up proposals, everyone in the studio had worked late with panda eyes and drooping eye bags, while Xia Xiaolan was probably sound asleep in her school dormitory.

Xu Yuejin could tolerate this. After all, they were well-paid—following that hellish week, Ning Yanfan had given everyone in the studio substantial bonuses. Clients like Xia Xiaolan might rush projects like their lives depended on it, but at least they provided compensation worthy of such dedication.

But Young Miss, while they could help with the proposals then, today was different! In front of so many people at the symposium, Xu Yuejin wouldn’t be able to help.

He squatted at the door smoking many cigarettes, occasionally glancing at Xia Xiaolan’s door. Finally, at 6:35, when others in the guesthouse had started stirring, her door creaked open—Xu Yuejin tried to jump up but swayed and squatted back down.

Xia Xiaolan was startled, “Senior Xu?!”

Early in the morning, with insufficient corridor lighting, she’d initially thought a large mushroom had grown by her door!

“Senior Xu, you were waiting for me? Why don’t you stand up?”

Xu Yuejin’s face reddened, “…My legs are numb from squatting, give me a moment.”

When Xia Xiaolan tried to help him up, Xu Yuejin, as a married man, firmly refused physical contact with a young, beautiful girl, and grimaced as he used the wall for support.

Xia Xiaolan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, “How long have you been waiting here? Why didn’t you knock if you needed me?”

Xu Yuejin grew angry at the mention.

“You’re carefree, Did you sleep well last night? Nie Weiguo will give you trouble today. I thought you’d come to us last night, but there wasn’t a peep from you. Never mind, it’s too late for that now. Take this. The symposium doesn’t start until 9 AM, you still have two and a half hours—hurry and memorize it!”

Xu Yuejin handed Xia Xiaolan a notebook and waved goodbye, tiptoeing away while leaning against the wall with a limp.

Xia Xiaolan opened the notebook to find summary notes of the Nanhai Hotel renovation proposal. The handwriting was slightly messy, with some illustrations and calculation formulas. It was a thoughtfully prepared set of notes, the ink still fresh—had Xu Yuejin written it overnight?

Contrary to what Xu Yuejin thought, Xia Xiaolan hadn’t slept peacefully until dawn. She too had stayed up most of the night, only lying down for two hours at 4 AM when fatigue made her mind slow and inefficient.

Having worked with Ning Yanfan for several years, Xu Yuejin had very solid fundamentals and had likely written many summary papers. Even after Xia Xiaolan’s night of preparation, his notes were still very helpful.

“This Senior Xu is quite adorable.”

Xia Xiaolan wasn’t foolish—she knew he was helping her because of Ning Yanfan, and that they were targeting her mentor rather than a newcomer like herself. But she wasn’t ungrateful either; she would never disregard someone’s kindness after accepting their help.

Liu Fen and Gong Yang had also awakened.

Xia Xiaolan waved the notebook: “You didn’t sleep well last night, did you? I originally wanted to bring you both here for a nice trip, who knew we’d encounter this situation? I know you won’t be completely at ease until this is resolved.”

Liu Fen noticed her bloodshot eyes: “Did you stay up very late last night?”

Xia Xiaolan patted her face, “Not too late. Let’s go downstairs for breakfast, the symposium doesn’t start until 9.”

The symposium was being held at Jiangcheng University, about a ten-minute walk from the guesthouse. The organizers provided free accommodation and meals according to their schedule, though not everything was complimentary. At this hour, everyone was heading to the guesthouse cafeteria for breakfast.

While eating, Xia Xiaolan reviewed Xu Yuejin’s key points, cross-referencing them with the materials she’d studied last night.

People in the cafeteria kept glancing their way.

Last night’s corridor incident couldn’t remain secret in such a small guesthouse—probably everyone attending the symposium knew about it by now!

Gong Yang was worried sick.

Director Xia was surprisingly calm, still able to focus on the notebook contents in this environment.

“Sharpening your sword at the last minute? Better memorize more now to avoid being exposed at the symposium. Young people shouldn’t be too eager to stand out. Getting into Huaqing’s Architecture Department is impressive enough—opportunities will come after ten or eight years of experience. Jumping out now just brings shame to Huaqing!”

Nie Weiguo and several others passed by Xia Xiaolan’s table with their breakfast, speaking in a sarcastic tone.

Xia Xiaolan raised her eyes to look at them, particularly Nie Weiguo:

“Senior Nie, it’s fine if you don’t know me, but you can ask anyone familiar with Huaqing—in my year there, when have I ever brought shame to the school? As for you, Senior Nie, at your age you should be more composed and less sharp-tongued. I wonder, did the Huaqing principal give you authority to represent the entire school in public? Stop constantly worrying about Huaqing’s reputation!”

Xia Xiaolan was sharp-tongued, and most people couldn’t match her.

Nie Weiguo liked to blow things out of proportion, but Xia Xiaolan wasn’t afraid—she could return the same rhetoric. She knew many people in the cafeteria were watching, and some might think she was disrespecting her senior.

But why should she respect someone without virtue?

If Nie Weiguo had waited to challenge her at the symposium instead of making a scene in the corridor last night, and if she had been unable to answer his questions, she would have had to admit defeat despite her reluctance.

Now he was showing his petty nature while pretending to represent justice, thoroughly disgusting Xia Xiaolan.

“You… you’ll regret this!”

In public, Nie Weiguo still maintained some facade, leaving with a threatening remark.

Xia Xiaolan inwardly spat in contempt—she’d write her name backward if she backed down!