Ding Yuejiao stepped forward.
"Lanzhou, why do you even bother with him? Didn't Senior Ji just say it? He doesn't have the authority to stop you. Come on, let's go register and find a good spot before the meeting starts!"
"Mm." Shu Lanzhou gave Luo Jialin a cold glance. "Classmate Luo, would you please step aside?"
Her detached and indifferent tone made Luo Jialin panic slightly. Without thinking, he reached out to grab her.
This wasn't his Lanzhou. His Lanzhou was obedient and considerate, always listened to him, and would never go against his word—let alone say something so harsh to him!
"Brother Jialin!" Lin Muyao quickly caught his outstretched hand before it could reach Shu Lanzhou.
"Since Senior Shu has already left the team, of course she has to represent her current one. As far as I know, Professor Mu's original team only had two members."
"A two-person team wouldn't have qualified. It's only because of her joining that they met the criteria. I understand that she's eager to make a mark and prove herself in this competition."
"I know you're just worried she hasn't had time to bond with her new teammates and might feel disappointed if she doesn't get the results she wants."
"You're being thoughtful, but someone determined to prove themselves might not appreciate your concern. Rather than upset her by insisting, why not just wait and see?"
"I believe, once she runs into trouble and doesn't get the results she's hoping for, she'll remember your kindness, Brother Jialin."
Lin Muyao's words soothed the anxious and indignant storm raging inside Luo Jialin.
Yes, this was how a sensible junior should speak. Not like that Shu Lanzhou—she'd just left the team and already thought she could talk down to him? Publicly defying him?
Unbelievable.
Lin Muyao was right. He would love to see what tricks Shu Lanzhou could pull in such an obscure field now that she had left Professor Han's team.
Ignoring him and thinking she could prove herself with a single competition? She was dreaming!
"You're right," he said with a sneer. "Since she refuses to listen, I wouldn't mind helping her recognize reality a little quicker. She needs to see that without us, she's nothing."
His smile was dark and twisted, completely at odds with his usual gentle demeanor—so much so that Lin Muyao thought she'd imagined it.
"Brother Jialin?"
"Alright, take your materials and find a seat. The opening ceremony is about to start. Pay attention to the rules and think hard about the innovation topic. Aim to make a splash, understand?"
Lin Muyao forced a stiff smile. "Got it, Brother Jialin."
Shouldn't innovation be the job of the senior team members? Why was that burden suddenly on her?
She felt a little disgruntled—was it because of Shu Lanzhou? Was Luo Jialin trying to make her outshine Shu Lanzhou instead? After all, having seniors crush her would seem unfair, but if she could do it…
That thought made her feel a little better.
"But I've heard Mu Side is pretty capable. He nearly made it into Professor Han's team too. Since joining Professor Mu's team, he's achieved quite a bit."
"He's working with Shu Lanzhou now—what if they already had an innovation plan and just hadn't signed up because of the lack of members?"
Luo Jialin snorted. "He's a loser. Not worth fearing. What, afraid I'll dump the innovation task on you?"
He gave her a condescending once-over.
"You? Junior, our senior members aren't just for show. We were the ones who built Shu Lanzhou into the top of her year."
"We'll elevate you too. Not just academically—you'll rack up awards and certifications like crazy, as long as you behave."
Lin Muyao beamed. "Thank you, Brother Jialin!"
So Shu Lanzhou's achievements weren't from her own talent after all—it was all thanks to Professor Han and these seniors.
As long as she played her cards right, her status and accomplishments would only grow.
Let's see how long you can hold out, Shu Lanzhou. You're bound to regret this.
But as for the innovation topic… Lin Muyao had an idea.
Meanwhile, Shu Lanzhou, in high spirits after standing up to Luo Jialin, registered with Ding Yuejiao and left—completely unaware of the conversation between Luo Jialin and Lin Muyao.
During the meeting, she recorded everything. As soon as it ended, she sent the audio file to the group chat, along with photos of the event booklet handed out by the school.
Feedback came in quickly.
"Wow, our little Lanzhou is so meticulous! You even got a recording. Thanks for attending today—when I get back, I'm treating you to something yummy!"
He Sixin was the first to send a voice message.
Clearly, this had been her responsibility. Yet she praised Shu Lanzhou and even made a promise. The warmth that spread through Shu Lanzhou's chest was unexpected but welcome.
"Thank you, Senior. It's what I should be doing. Not hard at all," she replied with a smile.
Then Mu Side messaged:
"I added some elements to the innovation idea you mentioned before. I've sent it to your email. See if you can work those additions into the proposal."
And immediately after:
"If not, don't stress. We can figure it out together when we're back next week."
"Got it." Shu Lanzhou put her phone away, lips curling upward.
Everyone said Mu Side was hard to get along with—cold, distant, barely spoke, and had a bad temper.
Not like Luo Jialin—kind, gentle, always polite.
Yeah right. Luo Jialin must've saved all his temper just for her.
But Mu Side? These past few days, he hadn't seemed cold or hard to approach. He didn't even get angry.
So much for rumors, Shu Lanzhou thought to herself.
"What are you smiling at like that?" Ding Yuejiao asked on the way back to the dorm. Shu Lanzhou had been so engrossed in her phone she nearly walked into someone, and Yuejiao had to pull her back.
Shu Lanzhou showed her the screen. "The team praised me and mentioned the innovation topic too. I'm just happy."
"Happy just because they praised you?" Ding Yuejiao thought of the things Luo Jialin had said earlier. If he'd been that harsh before, no wonder a bit of praise now meant so much.
Poor girl. She must not have heard kind words in a long time.
"You poor thing," Ding muttered. "You're already so good. This world is truly unfair."
Shu Lanzhou smiled brightly. "But I'm being appreciated now. I'm really happy."
"That's the spirit. Come on, let's head back and tell Lanlan what happened with Luo Jialin. She needs to watch out too."
Back in the dorm, while Ding Yuejiao grabbed Dong Anlan to retell the earlier events, Shu Lanzhou opened her laptop and logged into her email.
It didn't take long to find Mu Side's message.
So their innovation plan was—using nanobots to replicate traditional acupuncture techniques, replacing manual methods with machine precision!
Nanobots were already widely used in medicine. If they could be applied to acupuncture, that would be a real innovation!
Her eyes lit up.
She knew exactly how to write this proposal.
Meanwhile, Luo Jialin and Lin Muyao had also returned to the team's lab.
As soon as they walked in, Fang Ruoshi came over to greet them…