Nie Wei Guo could usually suppress the usual rumors and gossip. However, this time was different – it happened right when the symposium was being held in Jiang City. Which industry colleague attending hadn’t received flyers describing Nie Wei Guo’s “heroic deeds”?

The contents of the flyers weren’t entirely accurate. The latter half about him stealing others’ works and snatching people’s partners was completely fabricated! Lost works could be redrawn, but stealing someone’s partner? Wouldn’t that lead to a fight to the death? Though Nie Wei Guo had such thoughts, he hadn’t done it – he was being wrongly accused!

But ordinary people have a hunger for gossip, especially news about romantic relationships. They discussed it with relish, spreading it even faster than Nie Wei Guo could steal works from new designers at the institute.

The city-wide distribution of flyers caused Nie Wei Guo to take a heavy fall. His patron called to tell him to forget about the director position and warned him that due to the flyers’ negative impact, higher-ups would send an investigation team to look into him.

When his patron said they shouldn’t contact each other anymore, Nie Wei Guo suspected his influence was waning. Previous anonymous reports hadn’t shaken his position, but this time… this time was different!

“Xia Xiao Lan! Ning Yan Fan!” Nie Wei Guo gritted his teeth.

Though the police said there was no evidence, he strongly suspected these two. Xia Xiao Lan couldn’t have done it alone – but there was Ning Yan Fan, wasn’t there?

Nie Wei Guo collapsed onto the sofa, experiencing alternating hot and cold flashes – commonly known as “the shakes.” No, no, no, he wasn’t finished yet. There was still room to maneuver with the investigation team!

Nie Wei Guo asked his wife to gather all their bankbooks, silently vowing that whoever was trying to destroy him wouldn’t succeed!

“Nie Wei Guo is finished,” declared Ning Yan Fan while Snow Ning packed her luggage in the guesthouse.

Nie Wei Guo suspected Ning Yan Fan had arranged the flyers’ distribution, but who would know better than Ning Yan Fan himself whether he’d done it? Having ruled himself out, only one person remained who could have done this – Xia Xiao Lan!

Though he didn’t know how she’d managed it, using flyers to retaliate against Nie Wei Guo – the same method he’d used to criticize others – was a stroke of genius.

Yue Jin Xu was still confused: “Nie Wei Guo’s karma came at such an opportune time! But such a despicable person should have stepped down long ago. How many talented newcomers couldn’t advance with him at the Hubei Architectural Design Institute? Even having talent was useless – Nie Wei Guo was like a malignant tumor, a leech clinging to the institute!”

Now with work assignments distributed, wherever you were assigned after graduation was likely where you’d stay for life. Not everyone could transfer, and Nie Wei Guo was selective, targeting newcomers without connections.

Over the years, rumors had circulated, but they remained just rumors. Internal investigations at the institute were perfunctory, and Nie Wei Guo grew increasingly arrogant. This time was different – with flyers distributed throughout Jiang City and an investigation team being formed by higher-ups, even if only half the claims were true, Nie Wei Guo wouldn’t escape unscathed.

Yue Jin Xu hadn’t suspected Xia Xiao Lan; he just felt Nie Wei Guo’s downfall was perfectly timed and deeply satisfying.

Though Ning Yan Fan and Snow Ning believed Xia Xiao Lan was responsible, they wouldn’t tell Yue Jin Xu. He was too honest and might not be able to keep the secret.

“Heaven sees what people do,” Ning Yan Fan sighed. “Everyone’s still traumatized from those years of political movements, living cautiously, avoiding trouble. Otherwise, how could Nie Wei Guo have become so brazen?”

During those politically turbulent years, protecting oneself and family was challenging enough, let alone standing up for truth and justice. When self-preservation was difficult, who had the mindset to stand up for others?

Take Mao Kang Shan, for example – once known as “Cannon Mao” for his loud voice and fiery temper. After several years in the cowshed, his fierce temperament vanished, and now he was just a drowsy old man!

People feared trouble and preferred to avoid problems altogether. But Xia Xiao Lan was like a fearless calf unafraid of tigers. Given her age and background, she might not have deep memories of those political years, and she dared to stir up trouble… Both brave and clever, lacking neither courage nor wit, Ning Yan Fan couldn’t help but admire her.

That evening, Xia Xiao Lan and Zhou Cheng returned to the guesthouse after dinner and met Ning Yan Fan in the hallway.

“Teacher Ning, I must sincerely thank you. Without your recommendation, I couldn’t have attended this symposium. Though it was only three days, I learned so much.”

Ning Yan Fan nodded, “The symposium should thank you too. You brought new inspiration and change.”

Everything was understood without being explicitly stated.

Xia Xiao Lan had indeed gained much, making her debut in architectural circles and earning the goodwill of several industry leaders. She’d even collected many contact details under the pretext of seeking professional guidance.

Ning Yan Fan’s thanks were for removing a malignant tumor.

Zhou Cheng also addressed him as Teacher Ning, thanking him for taking care of Xiao Lan.

Standing straight as a spear, Zhou Cheng earned Ning Yan Fan’s approval: “Take good care of each other. You must support Xiao Lan’s studies and career. Given her demonstrated talent, it would be a terrible waste to confine her as a housewife.”

“How could that happen? Xiao Lan is so talented – I’m overjoyed and fully support her having her career,” Zhou Cheng promised, patting his chest.

From when he first knew Xiao Lan, Zhou Cheng understood she wasn’t the type to be content as a housewife. If she were, he might not have fallen for her.

Why shouldn’t women have career aspirations just because men need to be successful? The architecture undergraduate program took five years of hard work learning professional knowledge – was that just to become his supportive wife?

Zhou Cheng dared not think this way. Though he enjoyed being together constantly, he didn’t want his wife to become depressed from giving up her career ambitions just to stay close to him – well, Zhou Cheng understood clearly that if forced to choose between career and him, Xiao Lan would choose her career!

After Ning Yan Fan left, Zhou Cheng appeared somewhat dejected.

Xiao Lan noticed his mood change. “What’s wrong? Teacher Ning probably said those things out of consideration for Grandmother Yu. He meant no harm – we know you’re not that type of person. His concern was excessive!”

Zhou Cheng felt embarrassed. “Hearing others praise you makes me happy, not angry. I’m both happy and worried – worried that I won’t be as excellent as you in the future and might hold you back.”

Xiao Lan looked suspicious: “Are you my man Zhou Cheng? Aren’t you an impostor? My man would never say such unconfident things!”

Xiao Lan’s words completely dispelled Zhou Cheng’s slight melancholy.

“Since you put it that way, how could I dare disappoint you? Just wait and see, Xiao Lan!”

With just over a year left until his advanced studies at the institute concluded, Zhou Cheng was confident he would soar to great heights.