The “Mingde Cup” University Debate Competition officially began.
The auditorium was packed to capacity with elite teams from top universities present and the air was thick with an unspoken tension.
The judges’ panel was even more star-studded. Alongside esteemed professors from law schools across the country, several senior partners from top-tier law firms were invited to attend.
Amid all these industry giants, Xie Jingran sat firmly in the center.
Today, he wore a meticulously tailored charcoal gray suit, his expression indifferent as he flipped through the scoring sheets in his hand.
Next to him, the famous Red Circle lawyer Wang leaned over, speaking in a familiar tone. “Jingran, I heard that Hua Sen’s hundred-billion merger case wanted to hire you, even offering a blank check, and you turned it down. Passing up a case of that scale to watch a student debate. People in the industry might call that a waste of talent.”
On the other side, Dean Zhang of the law school adjusted his reading glasses and smiled. “Old Wang, that is a rather superficial view. Jingran prefers to forgo the gold mountain to personally pave the way for young talents. How many nowadays have the heart to light the lamp for the next generation?”
Faced with these words from two industry veterans, Xie Jingran only nodded slightly, his tone calm and unruffled. “Merely fulfilling a duty entrusted to me, nothing more.”
While the front stage was filled with distinguished figures, the atmosphere backstage in the waiting room was taut like a drawn bowstring.
“How could it be gone?”
Chu Anhe turned her bag inside out. The USB drive and the stack of printed core debate notes in the inner compartment had vanished.
“Anhe, you are way too careless.” Zhang Muyang frowned as he walked over, followed closely by Xu Wanqing.
Since that day, although Xu Wanqing no longer appeared in the seminar room, she clung to Zhang Muyang like stubborn glue, always finding opportunities to stay close to him.
Just now, she had brought milk tea and fruit to the waiting room and tried all sorts of topics to chat with Zhang Muyang.
“I just went to the restroom. It was only you two in the waiting room.” Chu Anhe looked up, her gaze fixed on Xu Wanqing. “Who touched my bag?”
“Anhe, what do you mean by that?” Xu Wanqing’s voice was neither loud nor soft, just enough for the surrounding contestants to hear. “I know you are nervous, but you cannot accuse people randomly. Maybe you left it in your dorm. Oh no, what a problem. We only have ten minutes before going on stage, and it is impossible to go back and get it now.”
At such a critical moment, Zhang Muyang felt extremely frustrated. He had promised the dean a championship. He had already boasted about it. If Chu Anhe’s carelessness caused them to lose, how could he explain it to the university leaders?
“Anhe, in a competition this important, how could you make such a low-level mistake? Quickly check if you have any notes in the book.” Zhang Muyang scolded.
“If we cannot find it, then forget it.” Chu Anhe snapped her bag shut, her voice surprisingly calm.
“Forget it?” Xu Wanqing’s eyes flickered with a trace of satisfaction, though her face appeared anxious. “Anhe, how can you just forget about it? Without your notes and data, it does not matter if you embarrass yourself, but do not drag the team down. So many teachers are watching. Maybe you should apply to withdraw. Pretend to be sick if you have to. That is better than holding everyone back.”
“Who said I am withdrawing?” Chu Anhe picked up a bottle of water, took a sip, and placed it down heavily.
She turned and walked toward the side-stage corridor, her posture straight like a pine tree. “No materials. So what? I can still win.”
“Now, may we invite the first speaker of the opposing team to take the stage.”
Xie Jingran sat in the judge’s seat, twirling a pen in boredom. If not for someone specific, he would not have lasted even a minute at this trivial student debate.
At that moment, a familiar mechanical alarm suddenly rang sharply in his mind.
Warning. Warning.
Detected. Target in crisis, debate notes missing backstage.
Xie Jingran froze mid-twist of his pen. His gaze cut precisely through the crowd, landing on Chu Anhe, who had just stepped onto the stage.
The girl wore a simple white shirt and black trousers, her high ponytail neat. In her hands, there was nothing.
System issues urgent mission. CEO Protects Wife mode activated.
Mission objective. Use all means to help the target resolve the problem and find the culprit.
Mission reward. Female lead initiates hand-holding once, plus ten hours life. Failure penalty. The host will recite Hua Fei’s classic lines from Empresses in the Palace over the school broadcast.
Xie Jingran’s lips twitched. A cold glint flashed in his eyes. Anyone daring to move something under his nose clearly did not wish to live.
He pulled out his phone, fingers flying as he sent a command to his assistant Qin Feng. “Retrieve the last ten minutes of backstage surveillance in the auditorium. I want the highest resolution.”
After sending the message, he put the phone down, his gaze fixed on the stage.
If needed, he could stop the debate immediately or even extend her time using his privileges.
But he did nothing.
Because he knew. Wild grass, even under a giant stone, could break through the sky.
“Opposing team, first speaker, please begin your statement.”
The spotlight instantly illuminated Chu Anhe.
The audience fell silent, followed by whispers.
“Oh my god, she does not have her notes?”
“Is she going off-script? Crazy. This is a professional topic with legal citations.”
“Worse, Xie Jingran is judging. He is the infamous cold-faced tyrant. Forgetting lines here would be deadly.”
In the front row, Xu Wanqing’s mocking smile stiffened. Chu Anhe. Talking tough is easy. But without notes, what could she argue with?
On stage, Chu Anhe closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Every piece of data, every legal statute, every logical point she had researched in recent days was no longer just ink on paper. It was imprinted in her mind.
When she opened her eyes, her presence radiated authority. She smiled as she began, “Chair, esteemed judges, opposing debaters, our standpoint is.”
“The opposing debater just cited Article 1064 of the Civil Code regarding recognition of joint marital debts. It seems airtight but actually misrepresents the concept. According to the Supreme Court’s interpretation on cases involving marital debt disputes.”
Without notes, she spoke clearly, logically, and flawlessly, delivering her prepared points word for word.
The whispers in the audience vanished completely, replaced by stunned silence, and then an outburst of applause.
Xu Wanqing’s smile froze, her nails digging into her palms. Impossible.
On the judges’ panel, Xie Jingran’s gaze lingered on the radiant girl on stage. Behind his gold-rimmed glasses, pride and warmth shimmered.
This was his wife.
Resilient, brave, capable of clawing her way out even when cast to the depths.
At that moment, his phone vibrated. Qin Feng had sent the surveillance video.
Xie Jingran glanced at the screen. With a slight push of his glasses, his eyes instantly shifted from admiration to cold calculation.
Since she had already delivered a perfect performance, it was now his turn to clear the field.
Chu Anhe concluded her statement and bowed deeply.
Just as the host prepared to announce the next segment, Xie Jingran picked up the microphone.
“Chu Anhe’s performance was flawless. Completing an off-script debate at this level without paper notes is not a mistake. It is proof of absolute skill.”
Chu Anhe froze briefly, not expecting Xie Jingran to praise her so openly.
Yet, before she could breathe a sigh of relief, he continued, shifting his tone. “However, before scoring, I have one question that must be resolved now. Why would a contestant’s core materials disappear ten minutes before going on stage?”
The audience murmured in shock.
Without waiting for a reaction, Xie Jingran raised his hand toward the director’s booth. “Coincidentally, I had someone pull the backstage footage. Since this is a law school debate, let us talk about evidence. Director, please switch the large screen.”