"That's great!" He Sixin clapped her hands.
"People like him don't deserve further education. Letting someone with no moral compass become a doctor would just be a waste of national resources!"
That afternoon, the school released an official announcement. Shortly afterward, Guo Jialiang's handwritten apology letter was posted online on the school's website.
Though his name was redacted, those who needed to know, knew.
The next day, Shu Lanzhou's research paper was published in the university journal. The school also announced that all her experimental data would be added to the school's resource archive for new students to study and reference.
In no time, her name spread across campus. Everyone now knew that there was an exceptional senior named Shu Lanzhou in her fourth year.
In less than three years, she had completed over two hundred experiments, with accurate data and a brilliant paper. It was something worth learning from—though not something they encouraged replicating…
A few days later, most of the professional exams wrapped up, but results were still pending. Shu Lanzhou grew increasingly anxious—not because of the grades themselves, but because she feared Han Weicheng might try to renege on their bet.
After all, with Guo Jialiang already dealt with, their wager now hung in a sort of limbo.
"Shu Lanzhou, are you going home for the New Year? Want to come spend it with my family?" Dong Anlan asked, noticing how absentminded Shu Lanzhou had been lately, assuming she was caught up in thoughts about the holidays.
Shu Lanzhou shook her head. "No, I applied to stay on campus. Professor Mu said the break is the best time to catch up on coursework. If I want to graduate on time, I can't waste a minute."
"Does that mean you'll be going over to Professor Mu's house? Is she giving you private lessons?" Ding Yuejiao leaned in, speaking in a hushed, conspiratorial tone.
Shu Lanzhou hadn't thought about that before. She paused, momentarily caught off guard. "Probably not? But she'll definitely assign me a ton of work."
"Not necessarily!" Ding Yuejiao winked at her.
"Honestly, sometimes I feel like Professor Mu treats you better than her own daughter. Private lessons wouldn't surprise me at all!"
Dong Anlan laughed too.
"Jiejiao's not wrong. I've heard that the Mu family has a tradition of taking in one last personal disciple. But apparently, Professor Mu hasn't accepted one yet."
"You mean the Mu family's acupuncture techniques, right?" Zhang He joined in.
"I've heard that too. Their methods are considered almost mythical in medical circles. But for some reason, barely anyone chooses to specialize in acupuncture each year."
"Word is that now that it's reached Professor Mu's generation, the Mu techniques are on the brink of being lost. She hasn't found a fitting disciple, so she had no choice but to train her family members—Mu Side and He Sixin."
Dong Anlan nodded.
"That's right. My relatives said the reason Professor Mu hasn't taken a disciple is somehow related to Professor Han. But I don't know the specifics."
"No wonder Professor Mu and Senior He are so nice to Shu Lanzhou," Ding Yuejiao giggled behind her hand.
"Guess that's your silver lining. Sure, switching majors put you at risk of not graduating, but with the Mu family's status in the medical world, your future's looking pretty secure."
"When you put it that way, transferring majors doesn't seem so bad after all." Dong Anlan gave Shu Lanzhou's arm a light pat.
"You'll be hitting the books over winter break, so I won't bother you. But if anything happens, call me immediately. I'm close by—I can come right over."
Shu Lanzhou smiled and nodded. "Got it. Thanks, Anlan."
Her roommates gradually returned to their hometowns. Dong Anlan, who lived in the same city, delayed her own departure to keep Shu Lanzhou company until most of the students had left.
Shu Lanzhou walked her to the school gate.
"Why don't you just come to my place? We have plenty of guest rooms. You could study and eat proper meals—I'd make sure you're taken care of." Dong Anlan was still worried.
Shu Lanzhou gently pushed her out the gate.
"Really, it's fine. This isn't my first New Year alone at school. You should get going. I've got to head to the TCM hospital this afternoon."
Their research project was already underway, and the holiday break wasn't going to slow its progress.
"About everything before—I'm sorry." Dong Anlan gave her a tight hug.
"Just remember what I said—if you need anything, come to me first."
"I know, I know." Shu Lanzhou smiled, touched and amused. Once she finally waved Anlan off, she turned and headed back to the dorms.
But she had barely walked a few steps before she ran into Guo Jialiang.
Ever since the school's announcement, he hadn't shown his face on campus—especially after her paper was published.
Whenever people discussed her research, they would inevitably pull up his older papers for comparison…
And for those who didn't know the story, someone would always be happy to fill them in on why he had been expelled.
The incident involving a member of Professor Han's team being dismissed had become the hottest topic on campus before the break.
It was inevitable. Professor Han and his team were always under the spotlight. Any little shake-up was guaranteed to spark gossip.
In the past, it was all praise and admiration. But when scandal finally hit, it struck like a tidal wave.
There was no avoiding it. Not just Guo Jialiang, but even the rest of the team saw their reputations take a hit.
Even before the official holiday started, Luo Jialin, Du Yifan, and Lin Muyao—who all lived in the city—had already gone home early.
Tian Hua and Fang Ruoshi either holed up in their dorms or came back very late. For once, Shu Lanzhou actually got to enjoy a few peaceful days.
"You haven't gone home yet?" Guo Jialiang had come back to pick up his things.
The job Lin Muyao had arranged for him had gone through. He rented a small studio near the company and planned to move his belongings there before the New Year. After that, he wouldn't be returning to campus.
He had spent over twenty years carefully crafting his image, only to have it completely shattered in just a few days.
He knew exactly what people were saying about him behind his back. And it was only now that he realized just how cruel he had been to Shu Lanzhou.
People called him incompetent, a bully picking on a defenseless orphan, morally bankrupt, unfit to be a doctor…
Again and again, he replayed everything that had happened. He remembered all the kindness Shu Lanzhou had once shown him.
And he realized they were right. Everything they said about him was true.
But that didn't make it any easier to bear. The shame alone was crushing.
If all this had happened to Shu Lanzhou instead?
A young girl, facing a flood of public scorn—especially over slander about her character—how would she have handled it?
He couldn't even face it himself. What about her? Could she have survived it?
Seeing her again, the weight of guilt nearly broke him.
"You should head back soon. Have a good New Year. I know you probably don't need to hear this from me, but… I still want to say it: Happy New Year. I hope next year is even better for you. Shu Lanzhou… I'm sorry."
The sudden apology caught Shu Lanzhou completely off guard.
She glanced at him. He was carrying several bulging bags, clearly trying to sneak back and grab his things while the campus was quiet.
"I don't have a home. I never have." Shu Lanzhou smiled faintly.
"You never knew, did you? For the past few years, I've always applied to stay on campus for the New Year."
Guo Jialiang genuinely hadn't known. A flicker of shame crossed his face.
"…I'm sorry."