She turned to see who it was – surprisingly, it was Sister Chen, the head of the former broadcasting company.

Somewhat surprised, she asked, "Sister Chen? What are you doing here?"

Sister Chen, in her forties with neat and tidy shoulder-length hair, glasses, and dressed in a suit with a pencil skirt and high heels, exuded a strong, authoritative demeanor of a career woman. Upon seeing Si Nian, her stern and astute face softened with a hint of delight.

"I was just about to ask you the same thing. How come you're here? Qiannian mentioned that you married far away," she said.

When she heard about Si Nian's marriage, she had felt regretful; this young woman should have been enjoying her prime years. How could she have gotten married so quickly?

After all, she had mentored her for years, and naturally, she felt a little sorry for her.

Si Nian nodded and said, "It's a bit far, so it's rare for me to come here. I wanted to buy some books to take back home."

Sister Chen nodded approvingly. "That's the way to go. No matter how life changes, never stop learning. I always admired that about you."

Si Nian remained silent. That wasn't really her. Honestly, she spent every day thinking about slacking off. She awkwardly touched her nose and changed the subject, "What brings you over here?"

She remembered their company being quite far from this place. Shouldn't it be working hours now?

Sister Chen didn't seem like the type to skip work.

"We were invited by the school to give a speech. Qiannian is here too. She's about to give her first speech. Would you like to come and see? The poor girl is terribly nervous. I came out to buy her some snacks to help ease her nerves," Sister Chen explained.

With a sigh, Sister Chen continued, "Our department often receives invitations for promotional events. It's not just about winning prizes or promoting others; it's also about building a reputation. So whenever someone from our team gets invited to speak, they're our best and brightest."

If it weren't for this unexpected situation, Si Nian would have undoubtedly been her first choice.

Unfortunately, Si Nian had left, leaving only Fu Qianqian as the remaining option. Their department didn't have many English speakers, just Fu Qianqian and Si Nian.

This was an international language school, and they required speeches in a foreign language this time to boost interest in language learning. It was Fu Qianqian's first time here, and she was very nervous. She had come out to buy something and hadn't expected to run into Si Nian here.

Si Nian nodded. It was normal for Fu Qianqian to have attended the same school as her when they were young.

After Sister Chen finished speaking, she invited Si Nian, "If I remember correctly, this is also your alma mater. If you want to come, I'll have them reserve a spot for you."

Si Nian wasn't particularly interested and shook her head.

Sister Chen felt a bit disappointed and was about to leave when suddenly, someone rushed over to the school gate in a panic, calling out repeatedly, "Sister Chen, Sister Chen, something's happened!"

Sister Chen looked over and saw her subordinate. Her expression tightened immediately. "Xiaoyun, what's wrong?"

The person hurriedly exclaimed, "It's bad, Sister Chen! Qianqian says she has a stomach ache and can't go on stage. What do we do? None of us speak English, and the school leaders have been looking to you for a solution. You need to go back and check."

Sister Chen's face changed instantly. "What? How did she suddenly get a stomach ache?"

"I don't know what happened either. Anyway, hurry back and check. The speech is about to start, and students, parents, and school leaders are all waiting on the playground. They're just waiting for us to take the stage," said the urgent voice.

Sister Chen's face turned grim. Despite her anxiety, she knew time was of the essence. She turned to leave but halted after a few steps, her gaze landing on Si Nian.

There was a glint in her eyes.

"Wait, Si Nian, come with me," Sister Chen said abruptly.

Si Nian hesitated. "Me?"

Sister Chen nodded, swallowing her pride. "Yes, among our colleagues, you and Qianqian are the best in English. If she really can't make it, do me a favor out of consideration for how I've helped you in the past."

Si Nian pondered. She wanted to refuse; after all, it was the original host who owed Sister Chen, not her. But thinking of Fu Qianqian, she fell silent and reluctantly nodded. "Alright."

Sister Chen breathed a sigh of relief. Si Nian no longer worked there, so it wasn't logical to ask her to step in. But in this urgent situation, she had no choice but to seek her help.

"Come with me," Sister Chen motioned, leading the way.

Si Nian carried Yao Yao and followed. Backstage, chaos had already erupted. Today's event was significant enough for the principal to invite professional broadcasters to promote the school. It wasn't just students but also their parents

Inviting other leaders from the city, there were so many people waiting. Any slip-up would be embarrassing for their school's reputation.

The director's expression was grim.

He dared not explode at Fu Qianqian; those who had come with her naturally suffered. Heads hung low, expecting a scolding.

Fu Qianqian sat on a stool, her face pale, clutching her stomach in agony.

Seeing her colleagues on the brink of tears from the scolding, she stood up resolutely, "I'm fine, I'll go."

Her complexion ashen, barely able to stand, the director restrained himself from further anger, mindful of her father waiting outside. He spoke in a low voice, "Doesn't your department have anyone else who speaks English? Such a large organization and not a single backup! It's truly laughable!"

Everyone wore a mortified expression.

In their day, educational opportunities were nowhere near as good. Simply attending high school was considered a privilege, let alone learning a few letters.

Public speaking was out of the question.

They had no grounds to argue now.

Just as everyone was at a loss for what to do, suddenly, a voice rang out from behind.

"I can do it!"

Everyone turned in astonishment to see a familiar face.

"Lin Sisi, is that you?"

"What are you doing here?"

People stared at Lin Sisi in surprise, and Fu Qianqian frowned as she asked.

Lin Sisi had left their organization long ago, so how could she be here today?

Lin Sisi was dressed in a mature red blouse and tight skirt, seeming to have outgrown her previous youthful attire. Her hair was styled in the latest fashion, and she wore makeup with lipstick, making her look much more beautiful than before.

Lin Sisi explained, "Aunt Fu asked me to come along. I heard that you, Qianqian, have a speech at school today. Both Aunt and Uncle have high hopes for you, so they came to cheer you on."

"And who are you?" The principal looked at the young woman with suspicion.

Hearing her address Fu Qianqian's parents as aunt and uncle, he immediately understood that she was no ordinary person.

His attitude became more serious.

Fu Qianqian looked pale-faced.