CHAPTER 19: CHAPTER 19: THE MYSTERY OF MY ORIGINS

When Xia Mian pushed the door open and came in, the first thing she saw was Song Juan trembling all over, her face pale and looking lost.

Xia Mian walked up and sat by the bed, "Mom, don’t be afraid, I’m always here with you."

Although she had vaguely guessed before that she wasn’t Xia Jianguo’s biological daughter, now, having Xia Jianguo expose her background in this manner and hurt her mother, Xia Mian still felt that Xia Jianguo was unforgivable!

"Ah Mian, I’m sorry!" Song Juan broke down in tears; she didn’t care about being cursed by everyone.

But in the future, Ah Mian would be scolded as a bastard of unknown origin!

Back then, when she unexpectedly got pregnant, she intended to have the child aborted. But the doctor told her that due to her special constitution, if she aborted the child, she might never be able to have another one in her life. Song Juan, fearing she’d never be a mother, felt conflicted and helpless. At that time, Xia Jianguo, who had just started interning at the company, pursued her relentlessly.

Had she known it would be like this, she should have raised the child alone rather than believe Xia Jianguo’s nonsense!

Xia Mian sighed softly, "Mom, you have nothing to apologize for. You gave me life, raised me to this point. This debt of life and upbringing, I can never repay in a lifetime."

But the more Song Juan thought about it, the more distressed she became.

Xia Mian, helpless, gently hugged her and whispered in her ear, "Mom, everything will get better. The more Xia Jianguo wants us to be weak, the stronger we must be!"

Song Juan’s body stiffened, and her emotions gradually settled down.

Indeed, Xia Jianguo was trying to dig up her past at a time like this precisely to throw her off balance.

If she couldn’t stand firm on her own, wouldn’t that be exactly what Xia Jianguo wanted?

"Ah Mian is right." Song Juan gathered her weakness and sorrow, her gaze gradually becoming firm, "All the things he mentioned were from before our marriage, things he knew beforehand. Yet he was eager to marry into the Song Family. Who is more malicious and shameless here? I intend to let everyone judge for themselves!"

Song Juan figured it out, saw through everything, and now was even somewhat grateful that Han Xi had come along, stealing Xia Jianguo, this scum, allowing her to see Xia Jianguo’s true colors clearly.

Xia Mian smiled, "I’ve made breakfast, let’s get up and eat!"

Song Juan felt a bit embarrassed.

These past few days, Xia Mian was the one getting up to make breakfast every day, while she, as a mother, was just taking the food prepared for her, utterly derelict in her duties.

After breakfast, Xia Mian received a call from the principal asking her to go to the school.

Before going out, Xia Mian specifically reminded Song Juan not to leave the house, and to lock all the doors at home.

But even as she was about to leave, Xia Mian still felt uneasy.

She hesitated for a moment, then drew a symbol on the main door with her finger.

With the protection of this symbol, anyone with malicious intent wouldn’t be able to enter her home.

Only then did Xia Mian leave the house feeling reassured.

When Xia Mian took a cab to the school, the principal had already gathered several highly respected old professors from the Finance Department.

When Xia Mian walked in, these people were passing around the thesis she had submitted to the principal the day before.

Everyone looked very serious, nodding thoughtfully as they read, much like the principal had done before.

Xia Mian quietly stood to the side, greeted everyone present, and then waited quietly for their feedback.

Half an hour later, everyone in the principal’s office turned their eyes towards Xia Mian.

Their eyes shone all at once, as if Xia Mian was a piece of Tang Seng’s flesh.

Xia Mian chuckled awkwardly, "Hello, teachers~"

The principal cleared his throat and spoke first, "So, you all understand the situation. This girl wants to graduate early, and I’ve agreed to it. As long as she can complete the topics you set, she will be granted the privilege of early graduation."

As the principal said this, his gaze lingered on the old professors in the office.

These old fellows’ eyes hadn’t dimmed since they saw that thesis!

He knew that Xia Mian’s early graduation was likely a doable matter.

"This child has great comprehension, solid professional knowledge, and her own views on some matters. Staying in school for a few more years would just be wasting her youth with no real meaning. I’m in favor of her early graduation." Professor Chen from the financial engineering discipline was the first to voice his opinion.

Once the first opinion was expressed, the others followed. The senior professors across the eight main disciplines of the Finance Department all agreed to facilitate Xia Mian’s early graduation.

Xia Mian smiled and thanked the professors, then received her assigned topic from Professor Xu.

"If you can complete this topic within a month, you can graduate early." Professor Xu smiled warmly, as if cherishing talent, "Are you interested in further studies for a master’s or doctorate? I can mentor you!"

Xia Mian briefly glanced at the document in her hands and politely declined, "No need, I don’t really want to continue studying right now."

Then she added a surprising statement, "No need to wait a month, I happen to have some free time today, so I’ll just complete this topic now! Principal, would you mind preparing my diploma? I’ll take it when I finish the topic later!"

Everyone in the office was taken aback by Xia Mian’s bold move.

She had just received the topic, hadn’t written a single word, and yet she was confident she could pass the challenge set by so many senior professors?

"May I borrow a computer?" Xia Mian walked over to the principal’s desk and smiled at him.

Xia Mian’s smile seemed to possess some kind of magic; the principal almost instinctively gave up his seat.

Xia Mian pulled out the office chair, sat down, opened a blank document, and her fingers began flying over the keyboard, filling the office instantly with the rhythmic sound of typing.

The finance moguls in the office exchanged looks of disbelief.

Can it really be done like this?

Professor Xu’s expression darkened. Earlier, upon reviewing Xia Mian’s thesis, he had marveled at her comprehension and professionalism, thinking she was a talent with great potential.

But now, the child’s behavior seemed somewhat reckless.

The topics they set would take them old-timers three to five months to tackle.

And Xia Mian claimed she could finish it today, just like that?

If it were that easy, why not casually buy some stocks? By afternoon, she’d make enough to ensure three generations!

Xia Mian didn’t concern herself with what others were thinking, focusing only on what was in her mind.

With the experience and advantages she had gained from the Three Thousand Worlds, Xia Mian had more experience and advantages than others.

Once, she had visited a world a thousand years more advanced than the one she was in, where technology and economy were highly developed. Compared to that, today’s financial systems were child’s play.

With thoughts in her mind and ideas brewing, Xia Mian’s hands moved swiftly across the keyboard.

In less than an hour, Xia Mian had completed a ten-thousand-word thesis.

"I’m done." Xia Mian stopped typing and vacated the computer chair.