Xia Xiaolan’s surprise wasn’t feigned.
After answering the oral exam questions according to her thoughts, she said goodbye to the finals!
Teacher Lin shared this view. Neither the teacher nor the student had much hope for making the finals. Then suddenly the results came out, and Xia Xiaolan had made it – Teacher Lin was also surprised. Huaqing had four people enter the finals, two of whom were freshmen.
One was Xia Xiaolan, and the other was Ji Jiangyuan.
Ji Jiangyuan’s success wasn’t surprising, having lived in America for over a decade – English was his second mother tongue.
Xia Xiaolan’s “pleasant surprise” brought glory to the Architecture Department. Whether she could place in the finals remained uncertain, but among so many university students participating in the English competition, Xia Xiaolan breaking through to the finals already proved her English proficiency.
It wasn’t easy, especially for a student from the countryside.
Xia Xiaolan also felt it wasn’t easy – this wasn’t achieved through cheating but through her bit-by-bit accumulation from her previous life. Due to her growth environment in her past life, she wasn’t particularly outstanding during her school years – not just in terms of college entrance exam scores, but also in following the regular path through university. She lacked confidence in things like English competitions.
Getting another chance, she attended Huaqing and could live a vibrant university life, filling the regrets of her previous life.
“Now you’ll need to spend more time on this after classes!”
“I know, Teacher Lin, I’ll have to trouble you again.”
Xia Xiaolan spoke cheerfully, making Teacher Lin smile: “This kind of trouble, I welcome as much as possible.”
Xia Xiaolan and Teacher Lin reworked their daily tutoring schedule.
What Xia Xiaolan faced, besides the finals at the end of January, were the final exams around the same time. Teacher Lin also reminded her that while the English competition was important, she couldn’t neglect her major courses.
Before Xia Xiaolan left the office, Teacher Lin cleared his throat:
“Student Xiaolan, the teacher knows you work very hard. The innocent will prove themselves innocent. What kind of person you are will eventually be recognized by everyone. External interference is a minor trouble – it can’t become a stumbling block stopping your progress!”
Xia Xiaolan was stunned for a moment before realizing Teacher Lin had probably heard rumors about Ji Ya’s troublemaking.
Recently, this was Xia Xiaolan’s only trouble at school.
Coincidentally, she would represent Huaqing in the finals alongside Ji Jiangyuan. Huaqing had only five students enter the finals – for such a national competition, could they eliminate one spot? Ultimately, Ji Jiangyuan himself wasn’t at fault. Having made the finals, the school couldn’t do anything for Ji Jiangyuan.
Was Teacher Lin worried she might lose heart and especially consoling her?
Xia Xiaolan nodded firmly:
“I won’t disappoint you. I won’t let myself become a failure.”
To crush rumors, repeatedly explaining oneself was useless – few people would listen to a failure’s words. Only when one proved their ability as a success would others automatically explain on their behalf.
This method, Xia Xiaolan had used before in Yunan. If she hadn’t demonstrated her abilities, how would the teachers and students at County No. 1 High School have believed in her so much?
The weak might receive sympathy, but after sympathy, their situation wouldn’t fundamentally improve.
The strong commanded respect, making people dare not speculate wildly.
“What’s all this about success and failure? It’s just one competition, no need to be so serious.”
Teacher Lin worried about putting too much pressure on Xia Xiaolan and casually chided her, sending her off to her business.
Once Xia Xiaolan left, Teacher Lin’s brow furrowed.
How could a young student have such pressure? It must be the trouble caused by Ji Jiangyuan’s mother affecting Xia Xiaolan. Teacher Lin went to find the department head: “Xia Xiaolan has made it to the English competition finals. This student is excellent, and I have a feeling she’ll become even more excellent… Even if her talents were truly ordinary, she’s from our Architecture Department – why should she be bullied by others?”
The department head rubbed his thinning scalp.
“Xiao Lin, this matter has changed nature somewhat.”
It couldn’t be resolved with a simple apology anymore.
Who knew Student Xia’s background wasn’t simple either? Ji Lin was quite angry when he called, saying Xia Xiaolan wouldn’t accept their apology.
The department head felt uncomfortable too.
He’d kindly informed the Ji family – was he meddling in others’ affairs?
Senior Ji’s tone carried implicit criticism, suggesting the Architecture Department hadn’t taught their students well… The department head asked Ji Lin what conditions Xia Xiaolan had set. Ji Lin said Xia Xiaolan wanted Ji Ya to apologize in person.
The department head nearly fainted – what was the Ji family unsatisfied about? This request was reasonable and normal. Some students were easy to placate, while others like Xia Xiaolan weren’t, insisting on clearly establishing right from wrong. Could the department head say Xia Xiaolan was wrong?
Students often acted on emotion. If Xia Xiaolan had actually accepted something from the Ji family and let the matter drop, the department head would have felt relieved but perhaps secretly disappointed – Huaqing students would have lost their integrity!
Xia Xiaolan only wanted Ji Ya’s apology. From Ji Lin’s tone, this had become a “battle of wills.”
The department head felt the Ji family probably couldn’t hold out, otherwise Senior Ji wouldn’t have made this call.
But what could he do?
Force Xia Xiaolan to accept this insincere “apology” for Old Ji’s sake?
Well, that would be tarnishing Old Ji’s reputation!
The department head was emotional. A matter that could have been resolved in the department office that day – if the Ji family wanted to go in circles, let them. They hadn’t valued his modest efforts.
…
The Ji family was under attack from all sides.
No matter how much Ji Lin protested, news of their family’s conflict with the Zhou family spread everywhere.
Ji Lin’s superiors were subtly questioning him. Ji Lin had thought Old Ji’s former students would actively help, but with both the Zhou family and Tang Hongen opposing the Ji family, others would hesitate to jump into this whirlpool.
Ji Lin was struggling to hold on – he needed to neutralize one threat first.
Ji Lin chose Tang Hongen.
Tang Hongen was the Ji family’s former son-in-law. Now the Ji family was in disgrace, affecting Ji Jiangyuan, who had taken extended leave and hadn’t attended school for days. If Tang Hongen wouldn’t relent, it was his own son who suffered. Ji Lin felt more confident about making progress with Tang Hongen.
“If you won’t reconcile, then leave the Ji family – when the nest falls, can any eggs remain intact?”
Ji Ya truly had a heart of stone. Ji Lin had never faced such pressure before, seeming to age years in just days.
Ji Lin’s wife wept to Ji Ya:
“That year when you said you wanted to go abroad, sister-in-law feared you’d lack money overseas and took out two antique vases from her dowry for you to sell in America – wasn’t that so? Whatever good things our family had, I let Jiangyuan choose first, putting my children second – wasn’t that so? Please take pity on your sister-in-law, pity your nephews and nieces. That’s Jiangyuan’s birth father – he wouldn’t harm Jiangyuan!”
Fighting for pride with Tang Hongen required the ability to win.
Unable to win, wouldn’t they just drag down the rest of the Ji family?
The Ji family wasn’t just Ji Lin and Ji Ya – other family members were going crazy, taking turns begging Ji Ya. This was a Ji family matter; George couldn’t interfere. George had gone to the embassy alone. Ji Lin worried the two together might hatch some bad ideas, so he forcibly separated them.
What could Ji Ya do?
Her arrogance was built on the premise that the Ji family was willing to spoil her. Now that they couldn’t continue spoiling her, Ji Ya had lost her support.
She had some money in America – US dollars were quite useful in China, but how could she use them in this situation?
Ji Ya grudgingly nodded:
“Fine, I agree to reconcile!”
This wasn’t her wish but a temporary compromise. Once she could leave the country, Ji Ya swore to repay today’s humiliation.
Ji Lin passed the message to Tang Hongen, but now Tang Hongen wasn’t in a hurry, telling the Ji family to wait two days!
Ji Ya angrily smashed things around the house.
Tang Hongen was seeking Xia Xiaolan’s agreement:
“In this matter, I want her to apologize in front of your mother – what do you think?”
At his age, still bullying someone else’s daughter – Tang Hongen didn’t want to let Ji Ya off with a casual “sorry.” Ji Ya hadn’t just insulted Xia Xiaolan, but also Liu Fen – mother and daughter were pure and innocent, with no improper relationship to him, Tang. Ji Ya’s thoughts were truly too filthy!