After Xia Xiang returned to the Eastern Han Dynasty, he thought he had gone to the wrong place.

"What's going on? You've all started studying seriously?" Xia Xiang was a little surprised that they were sitting quietly engrossed in their books.

"Where have you been all these days! Come sit down and study." Sun Shangxiang was very annoyed by Xia Xiang's nonchalant attitude, as if she hadn't been bothered by homework at all.

She's been struggling to keep up with all this homework lately, while her aunt seems completely carefree.

"I don't want to," Xia Xiang refused. "I've calculated it. I'll only keep math as my subject, and I won't be expelled. You don't need to worry about me."

"Then, should I also..." Xiu weakly raised his hand.

"No!" Sun Shangxiang immediately pressed his hand back.

He turned around and wanted to pull Xia Xiang along, but Xia Xiang had been called away by Cao Cao.

As the two went out, they encountered Guan Yu, who was pale-faced.

"Yu, what's wrong?" Xia Xiang asked with some concern.

Guan Yu simply shook his head and said nothing. Only after seeing Diao Chan's worried expression did he manage to force a smile.

Cao Cao gave Guan Yu a deep look, reminded Xia Xiang, and the two of them went to the training ground.

"President, what's going on over there?" Xia Xiang asked, pointing to the former location of Nianxiang Xiaozhu. "I've been here for so long, and I didn't even know that in this prime real estate, there was a thatched hut waiting to be demolished."

"The original owner of this place was a refined gentleman, but unfortunately, he passed away not long ago. I arranged his funeral and bought the land at market price, intending to build a pavilion here."

"Hmm," Xia Xiang replied calmly. "What brings you to the president's private meeting?"

Cao Cao frowned and said, "Dong Zhuo has moved offices. I took back all the surveillance and listening equipment from his old office and installed it in his new office. You weren't there at the time, so I'm letting you know."

Xia Xiang nodded without saying anything.

"And then there's the matter of Guan Yu," Cao Cao sighed.

"Dong Zhuo threatened to include him in the list of the Ten Evil Students and appointed him as the Grand Scholar in charge of setting exam questions. Given Guan Yu's personality, my Cao family army may suffer heavy losses in this midterm exam. I'd like to ask if you have any solutions."

"Under what circumstances would one be exempt from being a Grand Scholar of the Imperial Examinations?" Xia Xiang could tell from Guan Yu's expression earlier that he was unwilling. "If he's dead, injured, or mentally disabled..."

"Oh right!" Cao Cao suddenly realized. "Thank you."

"No need to thank me. You were just too hasty and didn't consider that," Xia Xiang said calmly.

The two then started talking about other things, completely unaware that their words had just reached Zhang Fei's ears.

The next day, the sky was clear and the air was crisp. It was a rare occasion for Xia Xiang to go to school with them.

With her right hand holding Sun Shangxiang, who was still angry with her, and Guan Yu on her left, she was walking and chatting and laughing when suddenly she was pushed hard on her left.

Zhang Fei squeezed directly between Xia Xiang and Guan Yu, almost knocking Diao Chan, who was to Guan Yu's left, over. Fortunately, Guan Yu caught her.

"Third brother!"

"Zhang Fei!"

"What's wrong? I didn't mean it. I just... I just..." Zhang Fei looked at Guan Yu, then at Diao Chan, and then said directly to Xia Xiang, "I just haven't seen Sister Ye for a long time, and I miss her a bit."

As he was about to pat Xia Xiang's shoulder, Xia Xiang, with a sour face, threw him over her shoulder, making a dent in the ground.

"I'm sorry, I hate idiots."

Xia Xiang left with a sour face, without waiting for the others.