I met my whole family through Baidu Tieba.

After informing his key associates about the innovation and entrepreneurship competition, Shen Kang returned to his dormitory.

The timing was quite coincidental. Just as I entered the main dormitory, I saw Wang Pan and the others returning from get out of class, and Feng Moquan was opening the door to the small dormitory.

Seeing Wang Pan there, which was quite unusual, Shen Kang said, "Brother Pan, you weren't busy today?"

"You can't be busy every day; you need to rest sometimes."

Wang Pan is indeed very busy these days.

He was already the class monitor, and now he's joined the student council. He also has to go to study room 302 from time to time, so he's incredibly busy. But he's still pretty happy about it—at least on the surface, he's just as busy as Shen Kang.

Thinking of Shen Kang, Wang Pan remembered something else. "By the way, Lao Shen, this afternoon's class, that teacher didn't check the attendance sheet; he took attendance himself. He called you twice already. He also said that if you're absent twice, you'll lose your participation grade, and participation accounts for 40% of this course. That means you need to get a perfect score on the final exam to avoid failing."

At this point, Wang Pan expressed both regret and a secret chuckle, feeling that he could finally see that bastard Lao Shen get his comeuppance.

Shen Kang, however, didn't seem to care. "I understand. It's not a big problem."

Seeing Shen Kang's nonchalant attitude, Wang Pan was taken aback: "You got a perfect score on your final exam?"

Shen Kang shook his head. "I probably won't pass the exam. But I just got a notification that I won the school-level competition in the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, and I'll get credits. I'm going to participate in the city-level competition this weekend. If I win that too, I'll get even more credits, which will make up for some of the credits."

"..." At this moment, the door to the small dormitory opened. Wang Pan didn't say anything and silently walked in.

Jin Chao had long forgotten about the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition and even asked Feng Moquan, "What Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition? Old Shen, who skips classes every day, gets extra credits? Is there no law? Is there no justice?"

Feng Moquan remembered this incident. As he walked in, he said, "It was during the military training at the beginning of the semester. Didn't Lao Shen skip the training because he was participating in a competition? It was the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition."

Jin Chao was even more puzzled: "Was Old Shen the only one participating in this competition? How did he manage to win?"

Shen Kang was very dissatisfied. "What do you mean, Lao Jin? Isn't it normal for a top student like me to win in this kind of academic competition?..."

After chatting for a while, the group went inside the dormitory and sat down. Soon, Jin Chao brought up the recent hot topic, "Old Shen, how's that laundry room fraud case of yours going?"

"Laundry room fraud case" is how students at Yang-Tsai University of Science and Technology are currently focusing on this issue.

"The police came today, it should be over soon..." Shen Kang then shared what he knew about the police station's handling of the situation.

Jin Chao then asked, "What about the mastermind behind it all?"

"The other party is quite cautious, and there's no way to find them yet..." Shen Kang also relayed what the police station had said.

After listening, Feng Moquan immediately concluded, "It must have been done by people from the Yangbei Forum!"

Jin Chao agreed. Shen Kang, however, said that without evidence, saying anything was useless.

Feng Moquan and his roommates were indignant about their roommate being targeted, but there seemed to be nothing they could do. Their only recourse was to continue exposing the ugly side of the Yangbei Forum on the Beiming Forum. However, Wang Pan was unusually in the dorm, so they couldn't use the computer and instead encouraged him to go to the Beiming Forum…

Two days later, at 8:57 AM

A minibus was parked on a main road not far from Building A9 of Yangko University of Science and Technology.

Wen Chulan sat in the car.

This is a minibus heading to the city-level competition of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition. Wen Chulan and several students around him are from the same team. They made it through the school-level competition and will soon represent their school in the city-level competition.

Wen Chulan's team, besides Wen Chulan himself, consists of two men and two women, all of whom are sophomores or juniors in college. They all have barely suppressed excitement and nervousness on their faces, whispering among themselves.

Wen Chulan remained silent and turned to look out the window.

In this school-level competition at Yang-Tsai University, their team was supposed to be the sole winner. However, for some reason, just before departure, another so-called "winner" team suddenly appeared and would represent Yang-Tsai University in the city-level competition.

That must be that team... right?

Wen Chulan saw several students hurrying over from not far away, two boys and two girls.

Because it was almost time to leave, they were walking very fast. One of the girls, pulling a large suitcase, suddenly twisted her ankle, her hand slipped, and the suitcase fell to the ground, bouncing open halfway. Some very extravagant clothing fell out; it looked like a puffy, over-the-top tutu, the kind of thing they were going to wear on stage…

"So why did you bring a cosplay outfit?"

Shen Kang helped Ye Jintong stuff her clothes into her suitcase, looking quite helpless. "We're going to a competition, not for vacation!"

After stuffing the cosplay costume inside, Ye Jintong zipped up the suitcase, then zipped it up twice more to make sure it wouldn't pop open this time.

It was at this moment that she heard Shen Kang's words, "Huh? Isn't it a trip? But didn't you say it was an autumn outing?"

"What kind of autumn outing?"

Shen Kang glanced at Qian Ming'en, the instructor who was walking over, and said to Ye Jintong in a serious tone, "It's about participating in the competition! Participating in the competition!"

"Okay, okay, I got it."

Ye Jintong didn't waste any more words with him. After settling into her suitcase, she quickly jogged towards the minibus in front of her.

Shen Kang shook his head as he watched her retreating figure, then glanced at He Qiuzhu beside him.

Today she wore a black and white two-tone dress, the hem of which reached her ankles. She wore a knitted cardigan on top, and her hair was styled into a dozen or so thin braids, interspersed with some loosely combed long hair, creating a sense of neatness. Her face was as white as jade, her features were exquisite, and her thick, long eyelashes trembled as if they could speak, giving her the feeling of a forest goddess.

Uh, this goddess is holding a black magic wand; the style is a bit odd. Seeing Shen Kang's criticism of Ye Jintong, He Qiuzhu asked timidly in a low voice, "Isn't it an autumn outing?"

"It's for participating in a competition."

Shen Kang emphasized this point, then glanced at the black magic wand in her hand, feeling a pang of annoyance: Why is she bringing this thing on an autumn outing?

However, he didn't say anything more, only asking, "After we get to the hotel, there's an ancient town and an ecological park nearby. Which place would you like to go to prepare for the competition?"

He Qiuzhu thought for a moment, "Which one is more fun?"

"They seem pretty much the same. Ecological parks are for sightseeing, while ancient towns are for experiencing history and culture. However, I suspect that ancient town is very commercialized and you won't see much of the real historical and cultural atmosphere," Shen Kang said, sharing what he knew.

He Qiuzhu looked like she was having a hard time making a decision, her brows furrowed, looking very conflicted.

Shen Kang told her to take her time to think about it, "Think about it in the car. Anyway, it'll be some time before we get there."

"Oh." He Qiuzhu nodded obediently.

The group walked and talked, and had now arrived at the minibus.

Qian Ming'en, who was standing next to them, cleared his throat and said, "Shen Kang, we're here to participate in the competition."

Shen Kang understood what Qian Ming'en meant—at least pretend you're really here to participate, right? He wholeheartedly agreed: "Yes, Dean Qian, I kept emphasizing to them on the way here that we're here to participate!..." Qian Ming'en glanced at Ma Liang behind Shen Kang and He Qiuzhu, and remained silent.

He tolerated the girl in the tutu who came out first; he also tolerated Shen Kang and He Qiuzhu constantly discussing where to go; but the boy at the very end was really hard for Qian Ming'en to bear.

According to the list that Shen Kang gave him in advance, this boy should be named Ma Liang.

The man, Ma Liang, was wearing brightly colored shorts and a brightly colored shirt, with a sun hat on his head and long, flowing hair that billowed in the wind. Anyone who didn't know better would think he was on vacation in Hawaii.

Shen Kang noticed Qian Ming'en's gaze and explained, "This is Ma Liang, the technical support for this project. People in IT tend to be more casual, which is more conducive to their performance and creativity. The IT elites in Silicon Valley are actually like that too. They don't wear suits or ties; they just go to work every day in a short-sleeved shirt and shorts. So for IT professionals like them, this is actually their suit and tie, their most professional attire."

Qian Ming'en didn't hesitate and said directly, "Get in the car."

The group then went up.

Shen Kang even quietly asked Ma Liang, "Aren't you cold?"

Ma Liang said stiffly, "I'm in good health, I'm not cold."

As the two whispered to each other, they also noticed the other group in the car.

Unlike Shen Kang and his group, who seemed to be on an autumn outing, this group was noticeably more formal. Both the boys and girls were dressed in white shirts and black trousers, but without ties or suits. The overall style was business casual, not too serious, maintaining some of the youthful energy of college students while also appearing proper and formal—just right.

Each person in this team also had a laptop bag carried by hand. "?"

Shen Kang was taken aback when he saw the laptop bags, then remembered something. "He Qiuzhu, did you bring a laptop?"

He Qiuzhu shook her head: "No."

"What about you, Ye Jintong?"

"Why bring a laptop on a trip?" Ye Jintong said, casually finding a seat and pulling He Qiuzhu to sit next to her. "He Qiuzhu, there are two guys and we're two girls, so why don't you sit with me..."

This is the first time she has met He Qiuzhu.

The moment Ye Jintong saw He Qiuzhu, she was stunned. Then, countless classic female anime characters flashed through her mind. Ye Jintong felt that no matter which character He Qiuzhu cosplayed, she could perfectly recreate that character, or even surpass it!

This He Qiuzhu is simply a chosen cosplayer!

Not to mention, He Qiuzhu was holding a black magic wand, which made Ye Jintong feel even closer to her and wanted to get even closer to He Qiuzhu.

He Qiuzhu wanted to sit with Shen Kang, but the bus was crowded, and she didn't dare to do anything if they sat together. In addition, Ye Jintong was incredibly enthusiastic, as if she wouldn't give up until she sat next to her. In the end, she was pulled by Ye Jintong and sat next to her.

"You little brat, I'll remember this. I'll dock your pay when we get back." Shen Kang thought to himself as he looked at Ye Jintong, who was holding He Qiuzhu's hand.

Then, he asked Ma Liang, "Ma Liang, did you bring your notebook?" "No."

Ma Liang sat down in the row behind Ye Jintong and the others, by the window, and patted the person next to him, "President Shen, please sit down."

Shen Kang had no choice but to sit down, thinking to himself that none of the four of them had brought laptops, which was a bit of a sloppy job. But thankfully, he had brought his USB drive, which contained the project PowerPoint presentation, so at least he wouldn't be completely empty-handed and could manage on his own.

Behind them, Wen Chulan and his group looked at the group in front of them, who seemed to be on a picnic, and exchanged glances.

Everyone knew that the school had added a winning team at the last minute. But what no one knew was that this team would be like this.

To be fair, of the four, the tall girl is truly beautiful, in a stunningly beautiful way.

The two boys over there were stunned for a long time, unable to look away, their minds still filled with the breathtaking image of the forest goddess. Their feelings about representing their school in the competition now included not only a sense of honor and accomplishment, but also a sense of anticipation.

Wen Chulan remained silent.

She was also amazed by the beautiful girl, but aside from that, regarding this team... all she could say was, they had really good connections. Unlike Wen Chulan's team, they had fought their way up purely through skill.

Just as Wen Chulan thought of this, she saw Qian Mingen announce the departure, then walk over to the side where the team was seated and sit down. Across the aisle, he chatted with the most handsome guy in the team, and the two seemed to be very familiar with each other.

Wen Chulan had met Qian Ming'en before and knew that he was the vice dean of the School of Economics and Management.

This naturally confirmed Wen Chulan's suspicion once again—this team was using their connections with school leaders to gain experience in this city-level competition. Wen Chulan had heard similar stories before, such as doctoral students' research results being given to the son of a school leader.

This was the first time she had ever seen it in person...

The minibus continued its journey.

At first, everyone was quite excited and chatting non-stop. But after more than half an hour, many people got sleepy and gradually began to doze off.

Wen Chulan didn't doze off. Instead, she took the time to place her laptop on her lap and check if there were any problems with their team's plan. She also mentally rehearsed what questions the judges would ask and how she should respond.

Just then, Hu Xiaoxue, a team member sitting next to her, leaned closer and asked, "Lanlan, do you think those four people have some kind of relationship with the school leaders?"

Wen Chulan, cautious in his words, replied, "I don't know."

Hu Xiaoxue continued, "Definitely. Otherwise, how come they didn't even show up when the school-level competition was almost over, and then inexplicably won? Now they're acting like they're on an autumn outing, and they're here to participate in the city-level competition. The four of them can't even afford a laptop. Are they kidding me..."

You could tell that Hu Xiaoxue was somewhat indignant, and she kept talking.

Wen Chulan listened silently without offering any opinion.

After talking for a while, Hu Xiaoxue finally stopped talking about that topic and changed the subject to the opponents in this city-level competition, "Yangda's team is definitely the most troublesome..."

When this topic came up, Wen Chulan finally became more talkative, and together they analyzed their opponents and Yangke University's winning percentage in the city-level competition... More than an hour later, the minibus arrived at its destination.

Upon entering an outdoor parking lot of the Haobo Hotel, several minibuses were already parked there, seemingly belonging to other schools.

There was another minibus that arrived shortly after them.

Since it was only a three-day, two-night trip, and everyone's only purpose was to participate in the competition, no one brought a suitcase except for Yip Kam Tong. At most, they would carry a large bag and a laptop bag.

So everyone doesn't need to collect their luggage; they can just get off the bus with their bags on.

After getting off the bus, Wen Chulan saw that a group of people were also getting off the minibus that had arrived around the same time as them, led by a rather composed-looking young man.

Wen Chulan and Hu Xiaoxue exchanged a glance—he really had come. Of all the opponents they had just discussed, this boy was definitely in the top three in terms of threat level.

Moreover, this was only because they were participating in a challenge competition. If it were a real competition, there would be no need to even compete; they would lose to this boy outright.

In another previous competition, that boy had also seen Wen Chulan and her group. When his gaze drifted over here and he saw Wen Chulan, he nodded and smiled from afar before continuing to stand there, looking around with an air of self-assured confidence.

"This is going to be tough, he's participating in the competition too..." Hu Xiaoxue said worriedly.

The boy's confident and arrogant demeanor was really worrying her.

Strangely, she immediately noticed that the boy, who had been looking this way, suddenly changed his expression, stopped looking around, and turned to beckon others to enter the hotel together. It gave the impression... he seemed to have spotted a vicious dog?

Wen Chulan also noticed this strange scene and subconsciously followed the direction of the boy's last gaze, only to see the group of people with connections getting off the car.

The super pretty girl was holding a black magic wand and kept trying to shove it into the hand of the most handsome boy in the group.

The boy was pushing it away with a look of disgust, saying, "Any boy over 3 years old would never like to play with this, let alone a tough guy like me..."