Kindred Spirits

Neil Zhao looked at Lola, his gaze burning. He was always wary around others, but with Lola—someone who'd weathered her own storms—he felt a rare sense of camaraderie.

Neil Zhao nodded. "No use dwelling on the past. I believe things are only going to get better from here."

Lola smiled. "Thanks for the list. I'll gather everyone and start training right away. Once the schools are built, these teachers will be ready for their posts. Whew, time is tight and the workload's heavy. Looks like as soon as I've finished the Clearwater Literacy Program training, I'll be busy all over again."

Neil Zhao gave Lola a meaningful look. "That's what they say—the capable always get the toughest jobs, Dean Lola."

Lola let out a hearty laugh and marched downstairs, but she couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her with burning eyes. She spun around—nothing but empty air.

Neil Zhao walked over and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Lola. Together, they watched the teams hauling goods along the street.

Neil Zhao sighed, his tone tinged with regret. "If His Majesty King Alexander and Queen Lily had come to Qin twenty years earlier, how wonderful it would have been... If they'd arrived sooner, started these academies, taken in students for free, and provided meals and lodging, my mother wouldn't have died from humiliation trying to support me..."

Once the workers finished, they were paid right away. Everyone was overjoyed, eagerly asking when the fleet would return—they were all hoping for more work.

"Next time? It'll be a while yet!" Lola replied to the workers' questions as she made her way back.

After saying this, Lola took a deep breath and patted Neil Zhao on the shoulder. "But things are finally looking up. We have to keep moving forward."

Neil Zhao looked at Lola, his gaze intense. He was always guarded around others, but with Lola—someone who'd suffered just as he had—he felt a sense of kinship.

Neil Zhao nodded. "Yeah, there's no point clinging to the past. I believe things will only get better from here."

Lola smiled. "Thank you for the list. I'll gather everyone on it and start training right away. Once the schools are built, these teachers will be ready for their posts. Whew, time is tight and the workload's heavy. Looks like as soon as I've finished the Clearwater Literacy Program training, I'll be busy all over again."

Neil Zhao gave Lola a deep look. "That's what they call 'the capable get the toughest jobs,' Dean Lola."

Lola burst out laughing and strode downstairs, but she couldn't shake the feeling that a pair of burning eyes were following her. She spun around, but saw no one.

Meanwhile, Lily Evans was at the Palace of Qin, opening the storeroom and taking inventory with Belle.

A steady stream of goods had been delivered for most of the day before everything was finally unloaded from the ships into the Palace of Qin.

As soon as the workers finished, they were paid on the spot. Everyone was thrilled and started asking when the fleet would return—they all wanted more work.

"Next time? It'll be a little while!" Lola answered the workers' questions as she walked back.

"If only there was this much work every day! Our Charleston Wharf is way too quiet—sometimes we don't even get one ship a day," the workers lamented.