Nie had done many unethical things. He appropriated designs from newcomers at the institute and persecuted those who wouldn’t comply. While these actions merely showed his poor character, his attempt to bribe the investigation team exposed his financial misconduct. What started as potentially losing his job now threatened his freedom.

“That scoundrel will get at least ten years. The air in Jiangcheng is cleaner now!”

“But it’s strange – who did this?”

Honest employees like Little Zhang and Little Cui only cooperated with evidence when the investigation team approached them. They’d been too frightened to report Nie Weiguo themselves.

Ge Jian mingled with the crowd, listening to the animated discussions of several older women. He felt even more convinced that he’d done the right thing! If similar situations arose, he would help Miss Xia again. This wasn’t just serving her – it helped others too!

Ge Jian didn’t just gather gossip at the design institute’s residential area. He carefully pieced together all the collected information, only buying his ticket back to Pengcheng after confirming Nie Weiguo couldn’t recover from this.

Throughout everything, Ge Jian moved like a ghost, arriving and departing silently.

How did the police catch him?

The flyers were printed overnight at a press in Yangcheng and flown to Jiangcheng. Air travel had less stringent checks than trains, where suspicious behavior would alert railway police. On the plane, he just paid extra baggage fees for his large boxes, with no detailed inspection.

After all, this was 1985, when security could still bring items freely onto planes.

After preparing in Yangcheng and implementing in Jiangcheng, the police station initially wanted to find who “spread rumors,” but after the investigation team took Nie Weiguo away and confirmed his misdeeds, the flyers weren’t considered rumors anymore. With no complainant, they wouldn’t search the city for Ge Jian.

Though Ge Jian came and went quietly, he’d created a rift in the architectural circle.

Mao Kangshan, silent for years, launched an attack, criticizing certain Architectural Society members for being incompetent and allowing people like Nie Weiguo to thrive.

As a “consultant” to the Architectural Society, Mao Kangshan embarrassed his superiors, including the vice chairman and chairman.

No one could do anything about Mao Kangshan’s criticism. He’d already been marginalized as a “consultant” – they couldn’t completely expel him from the society. He was renowned alongside Ning Yanfan as “Ning of the North, Mao of the South” – it would be absurd if he couldn’t remain in the society.

Before leaving Jiangcheng after his criticism, Mao Kangshan asked Ning Yanfan for Xia Xiaolan’s contact information.

Ning Yanfan’s interest was piqued: “Have you taken an interest in her talent? Thinking of accepting Xia Xiaolan as your disciple?”

Mao Kangshan’s eyelids drooped, “What, you won’t pick up this jade from the wilderness yourself, but won’t let me take her home? You lack the courage to deal with those incompetent frauds, yet you’re quite temperamental now!”

Ning Yanfan was speechless. He couldn’t tell Mao Kangshan that it wasn’t that he didn’t want to accept Xia Xiaolan – she had actively declined to become his disciple.

After giving Mao Kangshan Xia Xiaolan’s address and phone number, Ning Yanfan advised: “If you truly want to nurture talent and take on a disciple, you’ll have attachments from now on. If you’ve offended half the circle, wouldn’t your disciple naturally inherit many enemies… We’re old now, shouldn’t we consider the young people’s future?”

Mao Kangshan tucked the note into his pocket.

“Someone I’ve chosen couldn’t be a coward. The hesitation comes from incompetence; the strong don’t care about such petty matters. Just watch for a few more years – this girl is only stronger than your granddaughter, never weaker!”

Mao Kangshan was very stubborn.

Ning Yanfan silently shook his head.

He didn’t care whether Ning Xue or Xia Xiaolan would be stronger in the future. Ning Xue didn’t need to compete with others. People face different opponents throughout life, but only one opponent remains constant – oneself!

Today’s self must be stronger than yesterday’s.

Tomorrow’s self must surpass today’s!

Though Mao Kangshan valued Xia Xiaolan, would she agree to become his disciple?

She was extremely shrewd – becoming Mao Kangshan’s disciple meant inheriting more enemies than resources. Given her intelligence, how could she agree?

Ning Yanfan was pessimistic about Mao Kangshan’s decision.

He’d likely face major rejection.

…

The turmoil in Jiangcheng no longer concerned Xia Xiaolan.

Her goal for the symposium had been achieved. If Nie Weiguo hadn’t provoked her, she wouldn’t have acted against him. His targeting helped establish her reputation.

News of her participation in the First Architectural Creation Symposium had reached Huaqing’s Architecture Department.

If it weren’t for summer break, the department head would have immediately summoned Xia Xiaolan for details.

“She even spoke at the symposium?”

Student Xiaolan was quite bold.

Being qualified to attend the symposium was wonderful – why hadn’t she informed the department earlier? The architecture professors would have gladly helped polish her presentation.

A Huaqing architecture professor had received an invitation but unfortunately fell ill from the summer heat before departing.

So at the symposium, while there were Huaqing architecture graduates, no professors attended.

Otherwise, besides Ning Yanfan, architecture professors would have supported Xia Xiaolan when Nie Weiguo troubled her.

It was quite embarrassing – Nie Weiguo was also a Huaqing graduate, yet he deliberately attacked Xia Xiaolan at the symposium. Before it ended, his scandals spread throughout the city… The comparison increasingly highlighted Xia Xiaolan’s achievements.

One brought honor to Huaqing’s architecture department, while the other brought shame.

Did the positives and negatives balance out?

“Besides Xia Xiaolan, Ning Xue also attended. Overall, they’ve made us proud!”

The department head nodded vigorously:

“Exactly! Ning Xue has her family background, but unexpectedly the ’84 class had Xia Xiaolan rise prominently. Both need proper nurturing. Who says girls aren’t suited for architecture? These two are doing excellently!”

Nurturing them wasn’t a problem.

This professor pondered briefly, recalling a crucial point:

“Remember, Xia Xiaolan won the first National College English Competition. The Ministry of Education wants them to be exchange students abroad – by next year at the latest. If the foreign school’s major doesn’t align, wouldn’t this waste her talent?”

And if the school was too good, she might stay abroad permanently – would she still count as Huaqing’s student?

The department head contemplated:

“Your point is crucial. Brain drain is serious – we can’t let foreign countries take advantage of all our good talents. We need to carefully consider where to send Student Xia as an exchange student.”

Preventing Xia Xiaolan from becoming an exchange student was impossible – winning the championship was her reward from the Ministry of Education. What right did the Architecture Department have to block her? Ruining someone’s future could destroy their life; the department head wasn’t that cruel.

However ensuring Xia Xiaolan would want to return after going abroad required careful consideration.

Even Mao Kangshan saw Xia Xiaolan as uncut jade, and the department head wasn’t foolish. Given how little time she’d spent in architecture, she could already participate in symposiums with numerous experts – her future achievements wouldn’t be modest!