Old Harden, can you handle having your vision-shifting abilities on all the time?

Xu Xing and Lin Wan's room was on the third floor, a large room facing south with a double bed.

The room wasn't big, but it was very cozy and had a floor-to-ceiling window with a great view of the vast grassland and distant mountains.

"Wow, this view is amazing!"

Lin Wan walked to the window and looked at the scenery outside, a happy smile on her face.

Xu Xing put his luggage down, walked behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, rested his chin on her shoulder, and looked out the window with her.

The two stood quietly for a while, enjoying this rare moment alone together.

"Alright, it's time to go eat."

Lin Wan patted his hand, broke free from his embrace, and said, "My colleagues are still waiting."

"Let's go."

The two tidied up quickly and walked out of the room together, just in time to bump into several colleagues who were also preparing to go downstairs for dinner.

Everyone got on the elevator together.

The group had just stepped out of the elevator and hadn't even reached the restaurant when a gray-haired man walked towards them and blocked their way.

"Mr. Xu, would you mind having a chat for a bit?"

The other person's tone was calm, but their eyes held an unyielding stubbornness and haughtiness.

Xu Xing stopped and looked the other person up and down before asking, "And you are?"

My surname is Lin, and my given name is Lin Zhiqiang.

The old man introduced himself as "a professor of porcelain restoration at Chang'an Academy of Fine Arts, and also Qin Ya's mentor."

Xu Xing raised an eyebrow slightly.

I actually ran into this person here?

He could roughly guess why Lin Zhiqiang had come. A couple of days ago, Xu Xing heard some rumors from Chen Ming that Wang Benquan was cooperating with him to carry out a group soft blockade against Lin Zhiqiang's students.

All students recommended by Lin Zhiqiang or who are his students will be directly screened out in the first round of recruitment at Chengxinzhai.

Although the news has not been officially announced, it has already spread within certain small circles.

Lin Zhiqiang, as the person involved, must have heard rumors, and his sudden appearance here now speaks volumes about his purpose.

Xu Xing said in a calm tone, "Professor Lin and I don't seem to have much interaction or anything to talk about. I need to go eat, could you please make way?"

Lin Zhiqiang's expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure.

"Mr. Xu, I know that Qin Ya's attitude during the interview was indeed a bit rude and offended you. As her mentor, I apologize on her behalf."

He bowed slightly and said, "But isn't it a bit excessive for you to ban all my students just because of one student's mistake?"

"Those students are innocent. They've put in years of hard work, and just because of the mistake of an unrelated person, they don't even get an interview opportunity. Is that fair to them?"

Xu Xing looked at him, a half-smile playing on his lips.

Wang Benquan has joined the team. Regardless of his true purpose, as the one who initiated the team fight, he must continue to deal damage at this point.

"Professor Lin, are you finished speaking?"

Lin Zhiqiang was taken aback: "You..."

Xu Xing said calmly, "Now that you're done talking, move aside. I need to go eat. Besides, we really don't have much in common and there's nothing to talk about."

As for whether your students can enter Chengxinzhai, that's not a decision a mere restorer like myself can make.

"you!"

Lin Zhiqiang's face finally darkened, and his tone became sharp: "Mr. Xu, do you really want this to result in a lose-lose situation?"

"A lose-lose situation?"

Xu Xing sneered, "Professor Lin may have some reputation in academic circles, but I don't mingle in academic circles. In our circle, you're nobody."

"What right do you have to fight me to the bitter end? Or do you think you can rally everyone involved in cultural heritage across the country to boycott me?"

"No matter how far you stretch your arm, you can't reach me, can you?"

Xu Xing paused, then said with a look of disdain, "If someone as incompetent as Qin Ya can get the title of outstanding master's graduate from you, I seriously doubt your true abilities, Professor Lin."

"There's no point in saying more; let's save some face for ourselves."

After saying that, he ignored Lin Zhiqiang's livid face, took Lin Wan's hand, and walked past him straight to the restaurant.

Xu Xing has always despised the behavior of these academic cliques. Some people, perhaps because of connections or because of their beauty, can easily obtain things that others would fight tooth and nail for.

Qin Ya is certainly hateful, but people like Lin Zhiqiang are even more disgusting.

Watching his retreating figure, Lin Zhiqiang stood there, his face as black as the bottom of a pot.

He clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white, and his chest heaved violently, clearly very angry.

"Excellent!"

His expression was cold, and he growled through gritted teeth, "Xu Xing, you just wait!"

Then, he turned and walked away, his back view showing a somewhat disheveled appearance.

Lin Wan only came to her senses after being pulled a few steps away by Xu Xing.

She glanced back at Lin Zhiqiang's departing figure, then looked at Xu Xing with curiosity and worry in her eyes.

"What's the deal with this Professor Lin?"

Several female colleagues who were with us also perked up their ears, their eyes filled with a desire for gossip.

Xu Xing briefly explained the situation.

Lin Wan frowned after listening and said, "These academic tyrants are really getting more and more shameless. They have the nerve to come and argue with you when their own students are no good?"

She paused, then asked worriedly, "But he is, after all, the academic leader at Chang'an Academy of Fine Arts, and he still has some influence in the field. Won't you get into trouble if you offend him?"

Don't worry.

Xu Xing smiled and said with a relaxed expression, "Although Lin Zhiqiang is an academic leader, his influence is limited to the academic circle. I make a living with technology, and Chengxinzhai is a purely commercial company. He doesn't have much face in front of President Wang."

"Besides, even if he really wanted to mess with me, he'd have to consider whether he had the ability first."

Seeing his confident and composed demeanor, Lin Wan's worries dissipated.

She tightened her grip on his arm and smiled, "Okay, I'm relieved to hear that."

The two went into the restaurant, grabbed some of their favorite food from the counter, and found an empty table to sit down.

The young women who were with them also spread the word about what they had just seen and heard after they sat down.

"Holy crap! Did you guys know? Lin Wan's boyfriend argued with Professor Lin Zhiqiang from Chang'an Academy of Fine Arts in the hallway!"

"Lin Zhiqiang? He's the academic leader of porcelain restoration and also the vice dean of the art academy."

"Yes, that's him! It seems he came to confront Lin Wan's boyfriend about something involving his student, and got completely humiliated!"

"Really? Is Lin Wan's boyfriend that amazing?"

"It's absolutely true! I heard it with my own ears! Lin Wan's boyfriend said that you're nobody in our circle, and that made the old man leave in anger!"

"Wow, that's so awesome!"

The news spread rapidly and soon reached the entire branch office.

The male employees who were initially somewhat jealous of Xu Xing instantly lost their resentment upon hearing the news.

Even the academic leaders of Chang'an Academy of Fine Arts were humiliated by him, so what could these small fry possibly say?

The newly appointed Director Ma's expression changed repeatedly after hearing the news, but he eventually made a silent decision not to provoke Xu Xing and Lin Wan.

If Xu Xing were just an ordinary wealthy man, he might have dared to test the waters, relying on his position as the director of a branch of a central state-owned enterprise.

But even someone of Lin Zhiqiang's stature was outmaneuvered by him, so a mere director like him was no match for him at all.

Let's just be honest and upright people.