He Lost Me to His Best Friend novel Chapter 317

The Breeze Pagoda had stood since the Song dynasty, surviving multiple restorations over the centuries. But the recent relentless storms had been the final blow. The structure was now listing dangerously, and the central load-bearing "King Pillar" had rotted and cracked. The entire tower was on the verge of collapse.

During the initial hearing, the board of experts had universally declared it a lost cause, recommending it be demolished and rebuilt from scratch. Madeleine had been the sole dissenting voice, insisting on a second hearing and calling in the nation's top experts to find a solution.

Scarlett and Julian flanked Madeleine as they took their seats. The meeting began with a presentation of the latest structural scans, highlighting the severe internal decay.

One by one, the renowned experts gave their verdicts. The consensus was grim: the pagoda's structural integrity was entirely compromised. It was beyond saving.

Dominic Croft, the Director of the Bureau, looked at Madeleine with deep regret. "I'm sorry, Madeleine. For public safety, we have to authorize a tear-down. The pagoda has simply reached the end of its lifespan."

But before the gavel could fall, a clear, unwavering voice echoed through the room.

"Director Croft, ladies and gentlemen... I believe declaring it a lost cause is premature. We don't need to tear it down. It can be saved."

It was Scarlett. Julian immediately turned to look at her. Throughout the entire presentation, she had sat in quiet concentration, her pen flying across her notepad. He had noticed she was rapidly sketching structural diagrams of the pagoda.

Empowered by Madeleine’s encouraging nod, Scarlett stood up and projected her sketches onto the main screen.

The drawings depicted a brilliant, unconventional approach: a custom-engineered spiral support structure twisting up from the foundation, locking seamlessly into the existing ancient timber. Key stress points were meticulously labeled.

Using a laser pointer, Scarlett walked them through it. "Here, we inject a modified epoxy resin into the core, stabilizing the structure while preserving the historical, weathered exterior. Here, we apply carbon fiber wraps—a 'minimally invasive' reinforcement to replace the shattered wood fibers."