There was no special encounter between the two. When Philly met the teaching assistant Demir on the first day of college, she began to like this young man who had the same hair color as herself.

His humility, his excellence, his brilliance, his gentleness and kindness. It's not like Philly hasn't met outstanding peers before, but no one could give her a strange attraction like Demir.

But there were so many people who liked DeMille. On the first day of college, Fili heard more than five people saying they wanted to pursue DeMille, and not only women. But she was so nervous in front of DeMille, stuttering and speaking in a low voice. Even if DeMille would listen to her gently, she still felt ashamed. She didn't dare to approach DeMille at ordinary times, and at most she would watch this campus idol from a distance.

At this time, Fili suddenly remembered something and asked, "Did Senior Demir win the award?"

"It should be."

Senior Lia replied, "I saw that among the award-winning projects of our school published online, there is a project called 'New Carbon Allotrope Single Crystal'. This is a project that Demir's team has been researching for a long time, and there is no one else but him. Even if it is put on the overall list of winners of the University Cup, this is the most valuable project."

Fili nodded as if she understood. The University Cup is a competition organized by the Jia Shi University Alliance. What it is most praised for is the generous prize money and the attention it receives from all walks of life. Except for very niche fields, most projects will be invested heavily in or even commercialized, which is a shortcut for college students to achieve success overnight.

Even the Ministry of Education uses the University Cup awards as an indicator of the educational performance of higher education institutions. Simply put, the more awards a university wins, the more financial allocations it will receive in the next year.

So it’s no wonder that the award ceremony of Nebula University is so grand. After all, there are reporters with cameras and cameras watching nearby, and there was also the terrible explosion in the laboratory building a few days ago. Isn’t it time to celebrate?

Fili also participated in the "Fashion Design Project" of the University Cup, but she participated purely to earn credits and had no chance of winning any prizes.

As the bell rang, the students' noise gradually subsided, and a professor came to the stage and said loudly: "Leaders, students, teachers, and visitors from all walks of life, good morning. With the successful conclusion of the University Cup, our school is honored to be nominated for eight awards..."

"Eight?"

“Aren’t there only seven?”

Not to mention the students, even the reporters who had prepared their drafts were a little confused. The professor continued, "... Seven of them are regular nominations, and one is a special nomination added temporarily. Because the presentation project of our students is too excellent, it has won the strong recognition of the special advisor of the University Cup Committee. In order to commend the outstanding achievements of our students, the committee decided..."

Fili didn't hear anything after that. The opening speech could last at least a few minutes, so she took this time to go to the bathroom. When she finished her personal hygiene, she suddenly heard the sound of leather shoes outside.

And the sound of men talking.

"Did you see his expression?"

"I saw it, it made me laugh to death."

Why are there men talking in the women's restroom? Unless...

Fili looked around and saw a "Nice School Girl Dating Advertisement" among the "Cheating Advertisements" and "Leaking Question Advertisements" in the corner - it was obvious that the target audience of the "Nice School Girl Dating Advertisement" did not include real school girls.

It was her first time to go to the restroom in the auditorium. She didn't look carefully at the sign outside and accidentally went to the wrong one...

"The results of several years of hard work were stolen by someone else. Who told him to be so careless? Apart from the experiments, he really didn't care about publishing the paper."

"He actually came to the scene. If I were him, I would have shut myself off, not to mention coming to the scene to watch others receive awards."

Why?

Fili pricked up her ears, thinking that she could eat melon even if she went to the wrong toilet. Someone's university cup winning project was snatched away by someone else?

"He deserves it. There are so many people in school who don't like him. Do you think he is really popular?"

"But I'm a little confused. Isn't his father the director of the hospital? He should have some social influence. Aren't Urus and the others afraid..."

"His father disappeared more than a month ago, and that was also the awarding stage for the University Cup. I guess Urus and his men knew this and dared to take action. Otherwise, they would have been a little hesitant."

As the hissing sound died down, the discussion between the two people outside also faded away.

Fili thought to herself, they didn’t even wash their hands... No, the person they were discussing was Senior Demir?

But the only person who can be the award winner and whose father is the director of the hospital should be Senior Demir.

The senior's father disappeared a month ago? But how could the director of a hospital suddenly disappear?

Moreover, the project that the senior had been researching for several years was accidentally snatched away by someone else? The senior knew this, but still forced himself to come to the award ceremony and watch others take away his honor?

Fili pushed the door open while thinking, but at the same time, the toilet cubicle next to her also opened.

The blonde girl thought she was doomed. This time she was afraid that people would mistake her for a slutty schoolgirl. She must not meet any vicious person. If the other person had bad intentions, no matter if she could beat him or not, the rumor of her fighting with a man in the men's bathroom would definitely haunt her throughout her college years.

When she turned her head, she saw blonde hair as bright as hers.

But if possible, she would rather see a bald villain with a ferocious face.

"Miss Filly?"

Demir was startled, then laughed and said, "You went to the wrong bathroom."

"Senior Demir," Fili said blankly, "You...just now..."

"Yes, I know." Demir nodded: "Get out quickly, staying in the men's bathroom is not good for a lady's reputation."

Fili lowered her head and nodded slightly, then went over to wash her hands and wiped them with a paper towel. But before leaving, she stopped and mustered up the courage to look at him.

"Senior...are you okay?"

"Thank you for your concern." Demir smiled slightly: "I'm fine."

Fili said nothing more and walked back to her seat with her head down.

Senior Lia glanced at her and said, "Why did you take so long? I thought you were kidnapped by some bad students and taken to the woods. I was praying that you would have the courage to resist."

"Senior, please watch less of that kind of stuff." Fili said gloomily, "But you can continue to pray."

Soon, as a student who won the award stepped down from the stage, the professor at the podium said loudly: "The project that will be awarded now is the project that won the University Cup Chemistry Award, "New Carbon Allotrope Single Crystal". Let us applaud and congratulate the two award-winning students - Urus Kamihil and Lascas Valentin!"

There was an uproar in the audience, and many people turned around to look at Demir behind them.

As a prominent figure in Nebula University, many people naturally knew that the person in charge of this project was Demir Vosloda. Now he had been snatched away openly by someone?

"Urus and Lascas?" Senior sister Leah was also startled, and then she suddenly realized: "No wonder..."

Fili asked, "What's the matter?"

"Urus is the principal's nephew, and Lascas is the son of the dean of studies. Only they dared to snatch Demir's project." Senior sister Leah said calmly, "Especially since Demir's family has had some problems recently... But even if there was no problem, the competition for the University Cup is so great that they would probably take action. Anyway, the hospital can't extend its hands to the university."

"Quiet, quiet." The professor took the initiative to applaud and said, "Please ask the two students to come to the stage and give their acceptance speeches."

"Whoever makes noise again will be kicked out." The dean stood up and shouted, "Grant a serious warning!"

Many students knew the details of Urus and Lascas, and after the Dean of Studies made such a statement, the students quickly calmed down. If they dared to cause trouble, they would be punished severely, or even expelled.

Moreover, the people who are familiar with Demir are always a minority. Even if they are Demir's friends, would they dare to risk their studies to appeal for justice for him? Moreover, the other party is the school leader. Urus and Lascas dare to come on stage, which means that everything has been arranged. Will their opposition be useful?

"I am very honored to receive this award." Urus said shamelessly on the stage: "The new carbon isomorphous single crystal is a project that Laskas and I have been researching for a long time..."

The professor next to him suddenly corrected him: "It's a new type of carbon allotrope single crystal."

"Yes, that's about right." Urus continued, "We spend every day in the lab, working hard in all weather conditions, forgetting to eat and sleep, but the facts prove that our sweat and hard work are not in vain. We have no other capital to win this award except our talent and hard work..."

In the auditorium, few people were willing to listen to Urus's nonsense. Everyone was quietly looking at Demir behind him, as if expecting a hero to draw his sword, or expecting a madman to roar for revenge... But nothing happened. The blond young man sat quietly in his seat, looking down at his knees, like a ball of burnt ashes.

No one was surprised by this result.

Demir is an excellent man with a good family background and impeccable manners, but he has only one shortcoming - he is too soft.

To put it more directly, he is too cowardly. He never fights or quarrels, and is like a ball of cotton that can be beaten by anyone. Even if someone steps on his face, he will not think of resisting.

Urus and Lascas must have known or understood Demir, so they targeted him. There were seven winners this time, and they chose to take Demir's. It was obvious that they came prepared.

"...Finally, I would like to thank my family, my classmates, and the school leaders for their support." Urus said with great emotion: "Without you, I would not have received this award—"

"Yeah, without them, how could you have won this award?"

A voice pierced through the auditorium. Everyone was startled and looked at the blond young man behind them, but they soon realized their mistake - this voice was obviously a female voice.

The person who was speaking was another touch of gold.

The entire auditorium was so silent that even the sound of a drop of fat would make a loud noise. Everyone stared at Fili who stood up, as if she were a monster.

Senior Leah stared at Fili blankly and rubbed her eyes.

Fili didn't know why she stood up. She had never been such a brave and decisive person.

But when she heard those two people discussing Demir so viciously, saw Demir forcing himself to smile, watched Urus and Lascas, the two shameless thieves who plundered other people's achievements, showing off on the stage, and watched Demir sitting in the audience as humble as dust, she didn't know why a huge anger arose in her heart.

It shouldn't be like this.

It can't be like this.

This can't be the case!

Obviously, Demir and her didn't have much interaction. They had spoken less than ten sentences in two years, and they didn't even change their cell phone number...but she was willing to help him!

Urus's face was so dark that even the lighting couldn't cover it. The Dean of Studies stood up and shouted, "Report your major and student number, and you actually messed up an important occasion. Do you know what you are doing!?"

"Major in Fashion Design, 680435, Fili Lena!"

Fili shouted back, "I know what I'm doing. I'm publicly complaining about the insider manipulation of the University Cup awards - someone who shouldn't have won the award got it!"

"How dare you! The University Cup is judged by a committee, it is absolutely fair and just. How can a student like you question it!" The Dean of Studies was furious: "Where is the counselor? Take her out!"

Professor: “Well…”

Demir suddenly stood up and bowed deeply to Fili. "Thank you very much for your righteous words, Miss Fili, but I don't want to implicate you." He turned around and said loudly, "It has nothing to do with Miss Fili. The person who questioned the inside story of the University Cup selection was me, Demir Vosloda. I am now publicly reporting that Urus and Lascas had usurped my research results."

"Kick them out!" the dean yelled. "Go through the proper channels to raise questions and complaints instead of making trouble here! Students today really don't know what they are talking about!"

Professor: “Well…”

Senior Lia suddenly stood up as well: "I want to report this too. Urus and Lascas, these two idiots, know nothing about chemistry. Can they explain the chemical properties of carbon clearly?"

The dean of studies waved his hand fiercely: "Security, arrest all these troublesome students——"

Buzz——

The shrill voice penetrated the entire auditorium from the loudspeaker. When everyone stopped talking, the professor on the stage finally said with satisfaction: "I'm sorry, Professor Ambide, Fili Lena can't leave."

The dean was stunned: "Why not?"

"Because she's going to go on stage to receive the award next."

The professor cleared his throat and said, "Now the award is for the project "Myth of the Stars and Moon" that won the University Cup Special Costume Award. Let us congratulate the winning student - Fili Lena!"

Leah was stunned.

The dean was stunned.

The entire auditorium fell into an eerie silence—a special costume award?

Of course, the most confused person was Fili. She knew her level. How could she win a prize with the entry she just spent three hours scrambling to create?

"In order to commend Fili's excellent work, the special consultant of the University Cup Committee has come to present the award to Fili." The professor extended his hand to the side: "Now, please welcome our award presenter——"

"Mr. Ash Heath."

When Ash appeared on the podium and waved to her with a smile, Fili realized very clearly that—

There is indeed insider manipulation in the College Cup.