“Yueyue!” Han Shen’s eyes lit up the moment he saw her, striding quickly toward her.
“Uncle.”
“What are you doing here?” He glanced toward the direction Jiang Fuyue had just walked out from—the Academic Affairs Office?
Shouldn’t she be in the lab?
“Oh,” Jiang Fuyue’s expression remained calm, “I was called in for a talk.”
“A talk?” Han Shen raised a brow. “What about?”
“The Academic Affairs Office received a report, saying I need to prioritize their own school’s teachers in using the lab. They want me to vacate it as soon as possible.”
Her tone was indifferent, without the slightest ripple of emotion, as though she were simply stating facts.
Han Shen’s brows furrowed at once.
The elder who had been walking with him followed over just in time to hear what Jiang Fuyue said.
“A report?” Han Shen’s voice turned sharp.
The old man immediately spoke: “There must be some misunderstanding. I’ll look into the situation first.”
Jiang Fuyue said nothing.
Han Shen’s face darkened slightly: “Such a trivial matter, I wouldn’t dare trouble President Zhou. Yueyue, let’s go.”
Jiang Fuyue followed at his side: “Uncle, later I’ll need to trouble you to come with me to the lab to pack up my things.”
“You really have to move out?”
“It’s their lab, not ours. If they want to be polite, they’ll say ‘please.’ If they don’t, they’ll just tell you to get out. Either way, all you can do is obediently get out.”
“What kind of bullsh*t? To h*ll with them—we don’t need it!”
“Uncle, you swore.”
“Cough… once in a while. I couldn’t hold it in.”
The uncle and niece traded words as they walked, disappearing around the corner before long.
President Zhou stood frozen in place, his face turning alternately green and red as he listened.
An ominous premonition welled up in him.
The next day, that premonition came true—
“What? You’re not donating anymore?!”
“That’s right, President Zhou, my apologies.” Han Shen’s secretary spoke politely, his attitude immaculate. “Originally, our President Han was thinking of donating a lab building to both benefit Q University’s teachers and students and provide some convenience for his own child. Who knew…”
The pause there was just exquisite.
The reason? I won’t say it. You figure it out yourself.
“As for the five-million check we gave you yesterday, I’ll personally come by your office this afternoon to retrieve it. Save you the trouble of making a trip.”
President Zhou: “……” When did I ever say I’d deliver it to you?!
“Oh, and about the scholarship—since the building won’t be constructed, I suppose there’s no need for that either. After all, if Q University doesn’t welcome the young lady, then a scholarship in her name, I imagine, wouldn’t be appreciated either.”
Polite and roundabout on the surface, but every word dripped with mockery, every phrase was a barb.
The secretary finished, didn’t wait for an explanation, and directly hung up.
“Hello? Hello?!” President Zhou roared into the receiver, nearly fainting with rage.
….
Academic Affairs Office.
Chi Jian was on the phone with his daughter: “…She left yesterday.”
“Dad, you’re the best!” Chi Shuyuan’s laughter rang bright and clear.
Chi Jian sighed: “You… shouldn’t go too far either.”
“Hmph! She provoked me first! So what if she got a perfect score on the college entrance exam? She’s still going to some no-name university. I just can’t stand her holier-than-thou attitude. She ran into me this time—serves her right!”
“And that Fan Linlin from the lab—she even dared use rules and regulations against me? And sided with Jiang Fuyue? Simply ridiculous!”
“Yuanyuan,” Chi Jian frowned, “this temper of yours needs to change. You should learn to be magnanimous, not so petty and narrow-minded…”
“Dad! How can you say that to me?! None of this is my fault. They provoked me first. Am I not allowed to fight back? Could you really stand to watch your daughter get bullied?”
Chi Jian glared: “Who would dare?!”
“Hehe, don’t worry, Dad. I already gave it all back to them.”
Hearing this, Chi Jian even felt a trace of relief: “Alright, let’s end it here. Since we borrowed the lab under your mother’s name, the proper procedures need to be filled in, and the appearances kept up, so no one can use it against us later.”
Chi Shuyuan dismissed it with a wave: “Relax, Dad. Even if people know, they wouldn’t dare speak up.”
Teachers feared retaliation. Students feared not graduating.
Who would dare spread gossip?
He hung up and returned to his work—only for a shadow to fall over him. He looked up, startled: “…P-President Zhou?! What are you doing here?”
He scrambled to his feet.
His eyes darted nervously.
By rights, if the president had business with him, he would have called him to the office, never shown up unannounced like this.
And President Zhou’s expression confirmed it—cold, dark, and furious.
“Director Chi! You’ve really done it this time!” A document slammed down with a heavy thud.
Chi Jian blinked in confusion, picked it up, flipped through it—and his pupils shrank.
“See it clearly? Or do you need me to read it out loud for you?!”
It was the record of the past two weeks of lab-use applications, framed in red ink—right there, Jiang Fuyue’s application to use Area A3.
Ji Xinxin had returned the lab a week ago and hadn’t reapplied since.
“So where did this ‘priority use’ come from? Who’s being prioritized—thin air?!”
Don’t look down on the old president—despite his age, his voice boomed like thunder.
In an instant, the Academic Affairs Office fell into dead silence.
The other teachers traded glances, barely containing their glee.
For years, Chi Jian had abused his position as director—playing favorites, berating colleagues, dumping blame whenever things went wrong.
Finally—justice!
The heavens had opened their eyes!
The president himself was demanding answers. Now there’d be a show worth watching.
Chi Jian’s expression wavered, but soon he steadied himself, speaking with righteous indignation: “President Zhou, I can explain! Even a murderer gets a trial before a verdict. In your eyes, have I, Chi Jian, worked at Q University for more than twenty years only to be thought less than a murderer?!”
Everyone: Heh. What an actor! What a line delivery! A shame he isn’t on stage.
But the truth was—many superiors did buy this act.
Especially President Zhou, who was known for treasuring talent and respecting every educator.
But this time…
“Black and white, evidence right in front of you—what excuses do you still have? Chi Jian, Chi Jian, you’ve worked at this school for decades. I never imagined you would commit such a fundamental violation!”
“Your actions—at the lightest, spreading rumors. At the worst, it’s slander, framing others, dereliction of duty! Worst of all—you treated a child who just graduated high school, who carries such passion for research, in this way!”
“Chi Jian, do you still deserve to call yourself a teacher?!”
Each word struck like a hammer, every phrase landed squarely on his sore spots, stripping him of all dignity.
“President Zhou, I—”
“Enough! If you still try to argue, refuse to admit your wrong, then I’ll call the police and let them handle it!”
Now, Chi Jian truly panicked.
He lowered his head at once, face full of shame: “I’m sorry, President Zhou. I—momentarily lost my head, failed your trust, and disgraced my position as an educator. I was wrong!”
President Zhou’s face softened slightly, but he did not relent.
“I beg you, give me another chance. I’ll personally apologize to Jiang Fuyue and seek her forgiveness.”
“Knowing your mistakes and correcting them is commendable. But mistakes made cannot simply be brushed away. Everyone must bear the cost of their actions.”
Chi Jian’s heart sank, as the president, always known for leniency, declared—
“You’ve sat as Director of Academic Affairs for far too long. It’s time you step down, rest, and let capable younger talent take over.”
“President—no, please don’t… Give me one more chance! It was a moment of impulse, I swear it won’t happen again!”
President Zhou cut him off sharply: “This was a unanimous decision by school leadership, not mine alone. Considering your decades of service, we’ll tell the public you stepped down due to health reasons. That way, your face is preserved.”
With that, he strode out.
The office fell into deathly silence.
Chi Jian stared blankly, expression stiff. The others dared not utter a word, not even breathe too loudly.
Only one thought echoed in his mind: It’s over…
And just then, his phone buzzed wildly—over a dozen spending alerts, each in the thousands, some in the tens of thousands.
That card… was the supplementary card he’d given Chi Shuyuan.
…..
Chi Shuyuan was in an excellent mood after successfully getting back at Jiang Fuyue.
Feeling so pleased, she couldn’t resist a little shopping spree—after all, she had her dad’s supplementary credit card. Swipe away! She spent the whole afternoon shopping, and nearly two hundred thousand yuan was gone just like that.
When she returned home, arms full of shopping bags and steps light with satisfaction, Chi Jian was already home. He was sitting on the sofa smoking, the ashtray before him piled high with cigarette butts.
“Dad? You’re home early today! No social events to attend?”
Completely unaware of the heavy tension in the air, Chi Shuyuan slipped on her slippers and sat beside him, proudly holding up her bags like treasures. “Dad, I bought so many clothes and handbags today. Look—don’t you think this one’s pretty?”
She held a dress up against herself, admiring how it looked.
Suddenly—
“Give it here.”
“…What?” She blinked in confusion.
“The card.”
“Dad?! Didn’t you give it to me? And now you want it back? That’s not fair! You’re an adult—you can’t just go back on your word!”
Chi Jian’s face was expressionless. “Give it to me.”
The girl stomped her foot twice in frustration, pouting. “No!”
“This is the last time I’m asking. Hand it over.”
“I said no!”
Smack!
“Say that again?!” Chi Jian’s teeth were clenched, his voice low and dangerous.
The slap landed before she could react. Chi Shuyuan froze, completely stunned.
Her mind went blank; her face stiffened mid-expression.
If she had to describe that moment, it was a jumble of shock, humiliation, hurt, and disbelief.
She couldn’t believe that her father—the man who’d always adored her, who couldn’t even bring himself to scold her—had just slapped her across the face.
“…Dad?” she whispered dazedly, turning toward him.
Chi Jian’s eyes were cold and hard, with not a hint of guilt. “Do you have any idea what a mess you’ve made?!”
Chi Shuyuan looked bewildered.
“I told you to complete the paperwork properly. Did you do it?”
“I… didn’t have time…”
“You didn’t have time for the report, but you had time to go shopping?!”
“Dad, you’re scaring me. What happened?” Her nose stung, and tears welled up.
“The principal found out your report was fake.”
Chi Shuyuan’s whole body trembled—but that wasn’t the worst part.
“I’ve been removed from my position. I’m no longer the director of academic affairs.”
“W-what?” Her eyes widened in disbelief. “How? You’ve done this before and no one ever said anything! Why this time? Who ratted us out? Was it Jiang Fuyue?! I’ll go find her—”
“Stop right there!”
“Dad?”
“Hand over the card. You’re coming with me tomorrow to the Han family to apologize.”
“Apologize? For what? To who?”
“Who do you think? Of course to Jiang Fuyue! I already promised the principal. You’re going, whether you like it or not!”
“No—” Chi Shuyuan shook her head violently. “I’m not apologizing to her! I didn’t do anything wrong! Why should I?!”
“You don’t have a choice.” After saying that, Chi Jian yanked the card from her purse and stormed off.
Chi Shuyuan stood frozen, panic rising. If the principal had found out about her dad, did that mean her actions were also exposed? And if her father wasn’t the director anymore, how was she supposed to keep bullying the people she disliked?
The more she thought about it, the more frantic she became. Her face was still swollen from the slap, but she didn’t even notice.
Finally, gritting her teeth, she called Ji Xinxin.
The first time—no answer.
The second—rejected again.
The third—her phone was turned off.
About forty minutes later, Ji Xinxin finally called back.
“Yuanyuan, what’s wrong? I was in a meeting.”
“Mom, it’s bad! You told me to report Jiang Fuyue to get her kicked out, but Dad—he was…”
——
Meanwhile, the secretary who’d recovered the check immediately went to report to Han Shen.
“…You should’ve seen Principal Zhou’s face—it was darker than the bottom of a pot.”
Han Shen gave a cold laugh.
How could it not be?
Losing a whole building and a scholarship program in one blow.
If he wasn’t mistaken, there’d be an investigation soon.
When the principal himself gets involved, what’s a mere director of academic affairs? Easily replaced.
“Dare to mess with Yueyue—he’s lucky if he keeps his skin.”
“Oh, and Principal Zhou said Chi Jian will bring his daughter to apologize tomorrow.”
Han Shen snorted. “No need. We don’t care.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll let them know.”
“Forget it. They’re not worth the effort. Let them do whatever they want.”
“Understood.”
Sure enough, at ten o’clock the next morning, Chi Jian showed up at the Han residence with Chi Shuyuan in tow.
“Well, they actually came,” Han Ke said with a cold smile.
“The nerve on those two,” Han Heng added.
“If everyone could just apologize after doing something wrong, what would we need the police for?” another scoffed.
The old master barked, “Throw them out!”
That evening, when Jiang Fuyue came home, Han Shen told her everything, and the whole family found out.
The Protect Yueyue Squad immediately assembled.
Han Ting, the youngest, hesitated. “Shouldn’t we at least ask my sister what she wants? Maybe she’d enjoy hearing an apology?”
“…That’s true. Alright, I’ll go ask her.”
As for the father and daughter waiting outside—well, they could keep waiting.
——
Upstairs, in her room, Jiang Fuyue had just finished a call with Liu Jinzhong. They’d nearly finalized all the plans and paperwork for building the new lab.
The experiment might have been interrupted, but she had no intention of leaving it unfinished.
Her goal was to complete everything before the new semester in September.
But since Q University wouldn’t lend her their facilities, what now?
Jiang Fuyue waved it off—she’d just build her own!
Where?
Obviously at Ming University!
She asked Liu Jinzhong about the budget and had him handle the paperwork, then contacted Xiao Shan—the current president of Ming University—to get approval.
When she told him her plan, there was a long pause. “…You’re sure you want to build… an interdisciplinary lab?”
“Of course.”
Xiao Shan seriously wondered if she’d had too much to drink.
But facts proved otherwise—Jiang Fuyue was perfectly sane. He, however, was too short-sighted.
Once he realized Q University’s role in all this, Xiao Shan nearly burst out laughing.
If that wasn’t poetic justice, what was?
Of all the people they could’ve provoked, they went after her. Now they’d lost a whole building and the scholarship money.
He almost felt sorry for Q University… almost.
With the funding and site secured, the only question left was: who would build it?
Standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, Jiang Fuyue scrolled through her contacts and found a number—
“Sister Yue?!” came a surprised voice—it was Little Six.
After the two bars in Linhuai had been handed over to Huben, Little Six had taken charge of Yufeng Estate’s construction division.
Jiang Fuyue still remembered the “goal” she’d set for him: Don’t just build houses—learn to construct bridges, roads, even railways and high-speed tracks.
Over the past six months, he’d been accomplishing those goals one by one.
“Can you build a laboratory?” she asked.
“…Huh?”
“Can you or not?”
“Uh—what kind? Any specific requirements?”
She listed them one by one.
After a brief pause, Little Six asked, “…Do you have a model to reference?”
“No. You can get creative. Just one condition—quality must be top-notch.”
At least better than Q University’s.
“Got it.”
He’d built almost everything over the past year—just not a lab yet.
But with his experience, he was confident he could pull it off.
——
Just as Jiang Fuyue hung up, there was a knock on her door. Knock, knock, knock.
“Yueyue? You busy? Can I come in?”
It was Han Heng.
Jiang Fuyue said “Sure,” and told him to come in.
He explained about Chi Jian and his daughter coming to apologize: “Grandpa was ready to throw them out, but since you’re the one who was wronged, he thought you should decide.”
“I won’t see them. I won’t forgive them. And I won’t accept their apology.” Jiang Fuyue’s tone was calm, but firm.
Han Heng snapped his fingers. “Exactly what I thought.”
Then he turned and hurried downstairs to kick them out.
Outside the villa—
“Dad, she’s not going to accept it. Let’s just go…” People walking by were already staring at them curiously.
Chi Shuyuan’s face burned with humiliation. She wanted nothing more than to disappear.
She just wanted to leave.
“Shut up!” Chi Jian barked. “You’ll apologize to Jiang Fuyue yourself, and you won’t leave until she forgives you!”
“I don’t—”
One sharp look from her father silenced her. Tears welled in her eyes.
Mom, where are you? Dad’s gone crazy—come save me…
Just then, the villa door opened. Chi Jian perked up and stepped forward. “I’m so sorry, I—”
Before he could finish, a housekeeper came out—no Jiang Fuyue, no one from the Han family.
Ironically, though Chi Shuyuan shared a quarter of the Han family’s blood, they treated her worse than a stranger.
At least with strangers, the Hans were polite.
But this pair? They inspired only disgust—
A spoiled, malicious daughter,
And a corrupt, power-abusing father.
The housekeeper said coolly, “Please leave. Miss Jiang said she won’t forgive, and she won’t accept any apology.”
Without waiting for a response, the housekeeper turned and walked away.
Chi Jian’s face twisted, and he spat, “Tch! Who do they think they are?!”
It wasn’t clear whether he meant the servant or someone else.
Chi Shuyuan looked at her father’s contorted face, dazed.
She didn’t understand—she’d only punished someone she hated, like she always did. Why had everything suddenly fallen apart overnight?
That day, the Chis returned home empty-handed.
When Principal Zhou heard about Jiang Fuyue’s refusal, he called Chi Jian into his office for another scolding.
Life had become a living hell for Chi Jian—mocked by colleagues on one side, berated by his boss on the other.
“I heard his stunt cost the school an entire lab building.”
“Serves him right. He used to treat us like dirt—karma finally hit.”
“As if he hasn’t done enough shady stuff over the years.”
“I heard his daughter—the one with that Professor Ji—used to bully classmates all the time. Gave people low conduct scores, cut off scholarships for no reason. Tch, too many to count!”
“Someone should investigate properly.”
“Think the principal doesn’t want to? He’s only turning a blind eye for Professor Ji’s sake.”
Just when Chi Jian thought things couldn’t get worse—
Xu Kaiqing came back!
