Inside the car.
Shen Qiannan held the steering wheel, eyes fixed on the road ahead, though his gaze kept drifting toward Jiang Fuyue from time to time.
She was looking down, texting Xie Dingyuan on WeChat. Unfortunately, more than five minutes passed without a reply.
She tried calling, only to be met with the mechanical female voice: “The number you have dialed is powered off.”
Jiang Fuyue’s eyes showed a flicker of understanding.
Suddenly, Shen Qiannan asked, “That guy who blocked you earlier, was it Lou Mingshen?”
“Maybe.”
Shen Qiannan frowned. What kind of answer is that?
“You know him?” Jiang Fuyue asked.
“I have a university–corporate partnership project with the Lou Group. I’ve seen him a few times at meetings, from a distance.”
“Oh.”
Shen Qiannan’s eyes turned. “Then how do you know him?”
“I don’t.”
“Huh? Then why did he stop you?”
“No idea.”
“…”
“Geez, you sure attract trouble. Didn’t he say you took something from him? Uh…” Shen coughed lightly. “So, did you?”
Jiang Fuyue turned her head and glanced at him, half-smiling. “What do you think?”
“…” He’d just kicked the ball to her and she’d kicked it right back, perfectly intact.
It was maddening!
“Fine, I won’t ask about Lou Mingshen. I’ll ask about Old Xie! What’s going on with you two? Why did he suddenly tell me to come pick you up? Are you two… together?”
That last part came out tentative, cautious and definitely beyond the boundaries of friendly curiosity. But Shen Qiannan couldn’t help it; he had to know. His mind was clawing at itself like a cat.
If he remembered correctly, the only connection between these two was that time she borrowed the A1 laboratory, right?
And that was only because he had mediated on Jiang Fuyue’s behalf and finally persuaded Xie Dingyuan to lend half of it.
At the time, Old Xie had looked reluctant, extremely reluctant.
So how long had it been since then? And now they’d gone and opened a hotel room together?! D*mn—
Jiang Fuyue had just graduated high school. How could he even—?!
Deep down, Shen Qiannan didn’t believe Xie Dingyuan was that kind of person.
But the facts were right there—
First, Old Xie personally called him to pick her up. That was already abnormal.
When had Xie Dingyuan ever asked anyone for favors?
Almost never.
But this time, for a girl? If it were anyone else, Shen Qiannan wouldn’t bat an eye. But for a man who didn’t even have a female mosquito in his social circle, this was practically historic.
Plus, when Jiang Fuyue checked out earlier, she returned two room cards.
How could anyone not overthink that?
Jiang Fuyue’s lips curved. “Professor Xie and I…”
Shen Qiannan’s ears perked up immediately.
“Take a guess.”
“?” He blinked, dumbfounded.
“Wait, you’re teasing me, aren’t you, kid?”
Jiang Fuyue said, “Didn’t Xie Dingyuan tell you?”
“He hung up right away, and now his phone’s off. How could he tell me anything?”
“Then you’ll just have to wait until he’s free.”
“?” You hook me and then leave me hanging?
“Come on, tell me. Otherwise I won’t sleep tonight…”
Jiang Fuyue turned to the window, smiling faintly. “We’re here.”
“…”
“Thanks,” she said, stepping out, circling to the trunk to grab her luggage, thanking him again before turning away.
Shen Qiannan smacked his hands together with a pia! “Serves you right for driving so fast! Stupid paws!”
…..
“Yueyue’s back—!” Han Heng’s shout brought the whole family running.
Han Ke took her luggage and handed it to a servant. “That was quite a trip. You must be tired?”
Han Shen came out of the study, glasses still on. “Didn’t you say you’d be back tomorrow? Changed your plans?”
Han Qishan motioned her to sit on the sofa. “Come, have some tea, rest a bit. Did you have fun this time?”
Jiang Fuyue answered each of them patiently.
That night, the Han family was in high spirits.
By nightfall, Jiang Fuyue still hadn’t received any reply from Xie Dingyuan. His phone remained powered off.
After two days resting at home, she couldn’t stay idle, she dove straight back into the lab.
The old master sighed. “Is Yueyue trying to become a female scientist?”
Han Shen thought for a moment. “Actually… that’s very possible.”
Han Heng laughed. “Then ours will definitely be the prettiest female scientist!”
Soon, Jiang Fuyue was launching a new research project, while also discussing plans for the new laboratory building with Little Six.
She went through all the design blueprints, offered precise modifications, and discussed feasibility with Little Six before finalizing anything.
She never made unilateral decisions, collaboration came first.
Little Six had always known she was impressive, from news coverage, from Hu Ben and Jiang Ke’s stories, but hearing was one thing, witnessing was another.
Now he finally saw it firsthand.
First, her grasp of the construction field, from technical theory to real-world execution, was solid and articulate.
Little Six almost thought she had worked in the industry before and even foolishly asked which construction sites she’d been on.
Turns out—
She’d just read a few professional books over two nights and looked up related info online.
Apparently, some people really could “command from behind a desk.”
Next was her obsession with precision.
At first, she only described the issues verbally for Little Six to pass along to the architect, who would then make adjustments.
But because there was an extra layer of interpretation, the revised drawings never matched Jiang Fuyue’s expectations.
So she spoke to the designer directly, still didn’t work.
Her descriptions and his drawings were worlds apart.
Finally, she did it herself: pen, ruler, and paper.
“Ridiculous! What does an amateur know about drafting standards? About CAD? About earthwork volume calculations?” the designer exploded. “Fine, since you doubt my professionalism, I quit, okay?!”
This was the talent Little Six had gone to great lengths to poach from a rival firm, so he immediately rushed to calm him down.
Then he began hyping Jiang Fuyue up. “You don’t understand, there’s nothing she sets her mind to that she can’t pull off!”
The designer snorted. “It’s not that I don’t believe you, you just underestimate how technical this field is. You think someone with zero background can draw a usable plan?”
Xiao Shan rubbed his nose. “Let her draw first. If it doesn’t work, we’ll scrap it. You won’t lose anything either way.”
The designer smirked, arms crossed. “Fine. I’d like to see what an amateur can produce.”
The next day, his face hurt. Badly.
The moment the drawings were unrolled, he froze. “This… she drew this?”
The lines were precise, annotations clear, scales standardized, no professional errors at all.
And the modified layout, both the building orientation and exterior, was more logical and aesthetically balanced.
“Perfect…” he murmured, running his hands over the paper as if caressing a lover, unable to tear his gaze from every meticulous detail.
just smiled.
You get used to the face-slaps after a while.
Once all the details were finalized, Jiang Fuyue stepped back and left the execution to Little Six.
——
That night.
Jiang Fuyue left the lab, driving away from Ming University, not back to the Han home, but toward the outskirts.
The moon hung high; the night was deep.
Outside the Rose Garden Cemetery, a florist was preparing to close.
Suddenly—
“Do you have roses?”
The shopkeeper paused, looking up to see a girl in a baseball cap, her loose jacket draping over her frame.
“Oh! It’s you, the girl who always buys roses!”
Jiang Fuyue nodded slightly. “Hello. Do you still have some?”
“Yes, yes, only white ones left. Is that okay?”
“Yes.”
The woman quickly wrapped them up and even added a few extra stems.
Jiang Fuyue said, “And a bouquet of daisies too.”
“Ah, sorry, we’re out of daisies.”
“Never mind, then.”
She paid, took the flowers, and headed straight into the cemetery.
Up the path, she stopped before Zhao Chuxiu’s grave, brushed the dust off the stone, and placed the roses down.
Standing silently before the photo of the still-young woman, she said nothing.
A breeze stirred, branches whispered.
She turned to leave. Passing Lou Yunzhong’s grave, she didn’t stop.
No daisies, not even worth a glance.
Farther uphill was Lou Mingyue’s grave.
Jiang Fuyue hadn’t brought flowers for him, she brought something else.
From her bag, she drew out a scroll with handwritten words and a photograph. Then she pulled out a lighter. Click.
Flame flared.
The writing curled and blackened; the photo turned to ash.
Jiang Fuyue turned away, her silhouette fading into the dark.
When she returned home, all three uncles were still in the living room and the old master was awake too.
“Yueyue, back already?”
“Mm. Why are you all still up?”
Normally by this hour, the living room would be empty.
“Heh,” Han Heng rubbed his hands. “We were waiting for you!”
“Waiting for me? Why?”
“Come, come, sit down first, have some water.” Han Heng guided her to the sofa, handed her a glass.
Jiang Fuyue looked at them, puzzled.
“Cough… so, here’s the thing, we were thinking of going with you tomorrow. You don’t mind, do you?”
When Han Heng said this, the old man, Han Shen, and Han Ke all looked at her nervously.
Only then did Jiang Fuyue realize, it was the start of the semester tomorrow!
They wanted to send her to university.
“Sure, I’d like that. I just don’t want to take up your time…”
Han Shen immediately said, “You’re not.”
Han Ke nodded as well. “I already asked for leave.”
Han Heng proudly pulled out his new hat and mask. “Tomorrow I’m wrapping up so tight even my dad won’t recognize me!”
His dad, Han Qishan: “?”
——
The next morning, after breakfast, the family set out for the university.
Ming University required all freshmen to live on campus.
So, they went in two cars, one for people, one packed full of supplies: sheets, quilts, clothes, daily necessities, and so on.
Before getting in, Jiang Fuyue glanced at the cargo. Wow, everything was brand new and complete. Clearly, a lot of thought had gone into it.
What she didn’t know was that Han Qishan had started preparing all this as soon as her admission notice arrived.
At first, he worked from a standard checklist of dorm essentials.
But he thought it was too short and began adding more like a full-length mirror, blender, humidifier, and so on.
Every time he remembered something, he’d add it. During that time, he practically carried a pen and notebook everywhere, jotting down anything that came to mind.
Han Heng, a bit jealous, muttered to Han Ke, “When we went to college and stayed in dorms, he wasn’t this attentive. I even had to buy my own blanket! A humidifier? A treadmill? Forget it.”
Indeed, Han Qishan knew Jiang Fuyue liked to exercise in the mornings, so he had even bought a treadmill.
He’d inquired and learned Ming University’s dorms were spacious enough to fit one.
Han Ke couldn’t help but feel envious too. While he tried to soothe Han Heng’s bitterness, he couldn’t resist grumbling to Han Shen, “Dad’s really gone full-on grandpa mode, spoiling the grandkid way more than he ever did us.”
To them, he was all thorns; to Yueyue, she was a treasure, he was terrified of overlooking even the smallest detail.
As the eldest, Han Shen tried to stay calm and mediate, saying a few kind words. But whether he felt jealous inside… only he knew.
At 10 a.m., the two cars finally rolled into Ming University.
Yes, Ming University not only allowed parents to accompany students, but even let vehicles drive in.
To prevent traffic jams, security guards had been stationed to direct traffic.
Even so, the roads were packed tight.
Jiang Fuyue looked out the window, all she could see were luxury cars.
As expected of “the aristocrat among diploma mills.”
There was even a saying online: “At Ming University, bump into any random guy and he’s probably the kind of rich son-in-law your mom would love, just like how at B University or Q University, any random student you hit is probably a genius.”
Han Shen, sitting in the car, recognized quite a few people from the business world, occasionally lowering the window to greet them.
After much effort, they finally reached the dorm. The servants from the second car started unloading the supplies.
“Yueyue’s in Building A, room 4-3, don’t mix it up.”
“Be careful with anything marked ‘fragile,’ don’t break it.”
“The school said the dorms were cleaned in advance, but just to be safe, clean it again inside and out.”
“And also…”
Han Qishan was like a busy butterfly, flitting around everywhere, fussing nonstop.
Just then, Han Shen’s phone rang.
“Mom? Yeah, we’re at Ming University… Dad and the others are here too… Now? Okay, got it.”
Hearing the word “Mom,” Han Qishan froze mid-motion, still pretending to fuss while pricking up his ears.
“Ahem! That was your mom?”
Han Shen: “Mm.”
“What’d she say?”
“She said she booked a private room at Hongsheng Restaurant outside the school. The dishes are already ordered. Once we’re done here, we should head there to eat.”
Han Qishan’s eyes narrowed. “She came alone?”
Han Shen: “…No. Uncle Qin’s with her.”
Han Qishan’s face darkened instantly.
But in the end, he still went.
When they arrived, Shi Qingzhi immediately took Jiang Fuyue’s hand, greeted her three sons without sparing a single glance for Han Qishan, as if he didn’t exist.
Han Qishan: “…”
Qin Yuanchen, noticing his expression, quickly stepped forward with a polite smile. “Old Han, come sit here.”
“Mind your own business!”
Qin Yuanchen, patient as ever, just smiled and said nothing.
Truth be told, for all Han Qishan’s bluster, he only ever dared show temper behind Shi Qingzhi’s back. In front of her, he wouldn’t dare cross a line. At most, he’d just go silent and sulk.
And so, he quietly ate through the whole meal.
Afterward, Shi Qingzhi took Jiang Fuyue’s hand. “If you’re not comfortable in the dorm, just tell Grandma, we’ll move you out.”
Jiang Fuyue raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t it mandatory for freshmen to live on campus?”
“That’s just the official rule. How it’s actually enforced depends on the person. You think all those students really stay the full year?”
Han Shen leaned in to whisper, “Your grandma used to work at Q University, knew a lot of people. The new president of Ming University, Xiao Shan, used to be her student.”
Jiang Fuyue blinked in surprise. She hadn’t expected that.
Before the divorce, her grandmother had been a professor and graduate advisor at Q University, same generation as Xu Kaiqing, and a close friend too.
That was why, back when Xu Kaiqing saw Han Yunru at the pancake stall in Linhuai, she had looked so familiar.
“But isn’t Xiao Shan from the math department?”
Her grandmother used to teach in the business school, then transferred to the physics department. How could she have taught him?
Shi Qingzhi’s expression flickered with mild surprise when Yueyue named his major so readily.
But she soon smiled again, after all, her granddaughter wasn’t ordinary; it wasn’t strange she knew.
“Xiao Shan did his undergrad in math at Q University, but he minored in physics. I taught one of his core classes. Later, he gave up his PhD plans, went south to work, and went through some hard times. I thought he’d never recover, but who’d have guessed he’d end up becoming the president of Ming University?”
She sighed softly. “Life, huh, you never know what’s coming next.”
“Not long ago, I met with him. That child still remembers me as his teacher, humble, steady, and even invited me to serve as an honorary professor at Ming University’s School of Business.”
Jiang Fuyue was surprised. “You agreed?”
“Of course.”
“Not… embarrassed?”
“What’s there to be embarrassed about? It’s still a university. Each school has its own focus, some emphasize research, others holistic education. There’s no need to rank them. Who’s to say Ming University won’t someday catch up to the top-tier schools, maybe even rival B University or Q University?”
“And besides, you chose Ming University yourself. It must have its merits.”
This was the first time Jiang Fuyue had ever heard someone speak so highly of Ming University, talking about surpassing elite schools, becoming their equal.
Anyone else saying that online would’ve been instantly mocked.
It was as laughable as saying bird’s nest and snow fungus would someday cost the same as shark fin.
But Shi Qingzhi’s gaze was steady, her tone composed, she truly believed it.
——
After lunch, Jiang Fuyue saw off her grandfather and uncles, then her grandmother and Qin Yuanchen.
Before getting in the car, Han Shen reminded her, “Take care of yourself. If you need anything, just call home.”
“Okay.”
When she returned to her dorm, everything was already neatly arranged: bed made, desk wiped clean, every item sorted and placed in perfect order.
She wasn’t the first to arrive. In the four-person room, two other beds were already done: one in pink tones, very girly; the other in gray-blue, minimalist.
Neither of the other girls were there.
Jiang Fuyue changed into slippers, put on her pajamas, and lay down for a nap.
——
She woke to a rustling sound.
Someone was eating snacks, the crinkle of the bag and the crisp crunching were unmistakable.
Jiang Fuyue’s mouth twitched. She sat up just as the snacker turned around, and their eyes met unexpectedly.
The girl froze mid-motion, hand in the chip bag, her round eyes wide with alarm, chubby face frozen in shock.
“Y-you, you came out of nowhere!”
She jumped up so fast the chips scattered all over the floor.
Staring at the mess, she clutched her chest and wailed, “Ahhh—my chips! My precious babies!”
Jiang Fuyue: “?”
Then she watched as the girl crouched down, wrapped each chip in napkins, and set them carefully on the desk.
Just when Yueyue wondered if she was actually going to eat them, the girl arranged the chips into the shape of a pig’s head—then looked up with a bright grin.
“Cute, right?”
“…” You might be a little unwell.
“Hi, I’m Cen Qiaoqiao. We’re roommates!”
“Jiang Fuyue.”
“Wow, your name’s so pretty! It sounds familiar somehow. Want some chips?”
Jiang Fuyue glanced at the chip “pig head” on the table and immediately said, straight-faced, “No, thanks.”
“Alright, more for me!” She pulled a new bag from her drawer and started crunching away again.
Jiang Fuyue: “…”
Just then, the door opened and another girl walked in.
Jiang Fuyue looked up, then raised her eyebrows slightly.
A familiar face.
Hello this chapter is a copy of ch 728, ch 729 is missing 😔
Fixed!