The woman hired to cook was perceptive, bringing two basins of hot water for Xia Xiaolan and Mao Kangshan to wash their faces and hands.

The white towel turned black with dirt after Xia Xiaolan wiped her face.

But after washing, her true appearance was finally restored.

“Teacher, we can’t blame Brother Mao for being curious, he’s just worried about you. It’s good that he came to see the construction site – it’ll put his mind at ease!”

She had thought Mao Guosheng would hold out for a few more days.

But he couldn’t even last two days.

Xia Xiaolan put down her towel as Mao Kangshan finished washing his hands and face.

In this weather, wearing a safety helmet was truly hot. Even sitting properly indoors without a fan was unbearably hot; the most comfortable place was obviously in the hotel with air conditioning.

If Mao Guosheng didn’t want to enjoy comfort and insisted on coming to the site, Xia Xiaolan couldn’t stop him.

Mao Guosheng, exposed by his mother, looked extremely uncomfortable.

Hearing Xia Xiaolan’s words, Mao Kangshan snorted:

“What is there to worry about? I’ve eaten more salt than he’s eaten rice. Guosheng, if you want to look, then look properly! Do you know why I took Xiaolan as my disciple? Look at this Nanhai Hotel – its renovation design was done by Xiaolan! This hotel was originally designed by Ning Yanfan, but his renovation proposal wasn’t approved by the Hong Kong investors. Fortunately, Xiaolan agreed to redo it… At the Jiangcheng symposium, I knew this girl had potential!”

Deceived?

What could deceive him?

Did they think some gifts could cloud his judgment?

What moved Mao Kangshan was naturally real ability – the talent that Xia Xiaolan had already demonstrated.

Interior design was integral to architecture; architectural effects couldn’t exist separately from interior design. Mao Kangshan believed Xia Xiaolan’s talent in interior design was architectural talent.

He had tested her quite a bit these past two days.

Despite only having studied architecture for a year, though Xia Xiaolan didn’t know many things, she could handle Mao Kangshan’s intensive teaching style.

Though Mao Kangshan appeared stern and occasionally scolded people, he was extremely pleased inside.

Xia Xiaolan learned things exceptionally quickly.

Her memory and comprehension were first-rate, and she was willing to put in the work.

How could he not know if she was studying earnestly?

Combining several key factors, Mao Kangshan felt Xia Xiaolan was even stronger than his previous disciples… This might not be kind to his former disciples, but facts were facts, and Mao Kangshan wouldn’t hide it. Good seedlings were hard to find – who knew when you’d encounter one?

If it had been a few years earlier, when Mao Kangshan had just returned from the countryside feeling most dejected, he might have remained unmoved even if he had met Xia Xiaolan.

But Xia Xiaolan appeared at the right time when Mao Kangshan’s mindset had changed.

Though he scolded her harshly in private, in front of his wife Madam Song, and son Mao Guosheng, Mao Kangshan was full of praise.

He was just that willful, not caring how Mao Guosheng felt hearing this.

So young, yet able to design renovations for a large hotel?

And that proposal even superseded Ning Yanfan’s plan.

Hearing all this, Mao Guosheng kept glancing at Xia Xiaolan.

No wonder his father valued her so much – his father had always been extremely demanding, and ordinary talent couldn’t even catch Mao Kangshan’s eye.

Only the exceptionally talented could make his father break his rule and accept a final disciple.

So that’s how it was – Mao Guosheng understood everything now, but the unease in his heart wouldn’t go away. Mao Kangshan’s praise for Xia Xiaolan was something Mao Guosheng had never received. His father had never confidently said he had potential – did that mean he truly had no talent?

Mao Guosheng believed he did have talent, but because his father had offended too many people, he had been stuck at the Provincial Construction Institute for over ten years without much movement.

While Mao Guosheng was lost in thought, Mao Kangshan had no patience to argue with him. After lunch, after sending Madam Song back to the hotel to rest, Mao Kangshan stopped Mao Guosheng:

“If you’re curious, then stay and see for yourself!”

Forcing a safety helmet onto Mao Guosheng, Mao Kangshan began his afternoon teaching session.

Mao Guosheng was slow to react, watching the old man and young woman wandering all over the construction site.

Through the dust and scorching air, Xia Xiaolan’s clothes were constantly soaked with sweat. That she could endure such hardship amazed Mao Guosheng, who reluctantly followed behind.

He listened as his father alternately praised and scolded Xia Xiaolan, wondering how she could take it.

How could Xia Xiaolan still smile?

Not only was she thick-skinned, but she also had extraordinary energy.

Mao Guosheng was exhausted after just half a day, while Xia Xiaolan’s clothes went through cycles of getting soaked with sweat and drying.

Not to mention the sweat odor – with dust sticking to her body, where was her former glamour and beauty?

“Teacher, let’s take a break tomorrow. I need to properly absorb and digest the knowledge you’ve taught these past three days.”

“Hmph, if you can’t even handle this much hardship, what business do you have learning architecture? I think you’re just trying to slack off.”

Xia Xiaolan knew Mao Kangshan was just being stubborn, so she didn’t argue with the old man.

If she wanted to argue, they could go on endlessly.

She was truly exhausted. Considering her age and stamina, she felt weary. She worried that having Mao Kangshan continue like this for two more days in such high temperatures might make the old man ill.

Learning should balance work and rest.

Xia Xiaolan arranged for Mao Kangshan to have a steam bath and massage.

She also arranged for Mao Kangshan and Madam Song to have medical checkups, clearly intending for her teacher and his wife to live to ninety-nine.

Watching all this, Mao Guosheng was rendered speechless.

Who was the flesh and blood here?

Xia Xiaolan, a disciple of just a few days, made him, the actual son, seem completely worthless.

But Mao Guosheng couldn’t just leave – that would make him seem even more unreasonable.

Mao Kangshan watched coldly, unable to resist provoking him:

“Well? Do you still think Xiaolan is a fraud? She treated you to good food and drink in Pengcheng, I have some knowledge worth deceiving, but what do you have worth deceiving?”

Mao Guosheng stammered: “Dad, is she going to open a company? Where did she get 100,000 yuan from, how could she… Isn’t it her uncle who’s opening it?”

Mao Kangshan rolled his eyes:

“It didn’t fall from the sky, but why do you care where it came from? Can’t she have earned it herself? Guosheng, stop looking at people with old-fashioned views. You’ve been in Pengcheng for several days now, you should calm down and look around, see how much society has changed!”

That girl Xia Xiaolan, saying she needed to digest what she’d learned, had disappeared somewhere.

Mao Kangshan figured they could rest for a couple of days, so he could quickly help sort out Xia Xiaolan’s affairs. Opening a company was inevitable for her, and during their rest periods, she had asked Mao Kangshan if he could recommend any fellow disciples – her company couldn’t operate with just her alone, she needed staff.

Mao Kangshan hesitated. He had cut off contact with his former students and old acquaintances, but for Xia Xiaolan’s sake, he would have to reconnect with those people.

Well, if that’s what it took, so be it. This girl was more considerate than his son – if Mao Kangshan didn’t help her, who would he help?