I went to see the dean, asking to take charge of the university’s flagship biomedical research project.

The dean looked hesitant. "Xia Yi, this drug is extremely expensive—it’s only targeted at the high-end market for now. You haven’t been involved in research for a long time. Maybe you should assist Professor Shen Qing first?"

"Dean, I want a fair competition with Professor Shen," I insisted.

Shen Qing got wind of the news soon after. "Professor Xia is really overestimating herself. I’ve already found a partner for this project."

"And you know him very well—it’s your husband, Liang Feifan."

I’d long suspected there was something going on between her and Liang Feifan,

But hearing her say it out loud still made my chest tighten painfully.

Shen Qing and I had joined the biology department the same year, so naturally, we’d been competing with each other about everything ever since.

She’d always dismissed my research abilities, attributing any success I’d had to Liang Feifan’s influence.

So she’d been using the excuse of university-enterprise cooperation to get close to Liang Feifan all along.

I’d never worried about it, though—I knew Liang Feifan preferred the gentle, domestic type.

But then I’d started noticing that Shen Qing was wearing the same clothes and carrying the same bags as me.

And she’d even gone out of her way to flaunt it in front of me. "Professor Xia won’t mind, will she?"

"I meet clients with Mr. Liang all the time. He bought all these things for me."

"Mr. Liang also said these clothes and bags look much better on me than they do sitting in his house."

By then, I hadn’t accompanied Liang Feifan to meet a single client in ages.

My mind had been filled with nothing but what dishes Liang Feifan liked to eat and what color tie would suit him best the next day.

Even though my heart was bleeding inside, I’d forced a smile and said,

"Professor Shen isn’t as capable as me, so it’s only right that she latches onto Mr. Liang for support."

Shen Qing let out a disdainful sneer. "Come to the reception tonight. I’ll let you see who the most important person in his heart really is."