“Xiaolan, is that you, Xiaolan?”

Sitting in the car with the window half-lowered, Xia Xiaolan was examining her alma mater when a hesitant yet delighted voice called out to her.

“Sister Huang, yes it’s me. Your business is so prosperous now, I was stunned looking at it.”

Xia Xiaolan recognized the woman.

Sister Huang was no longer the small vendor with a mobile noodle cart on the street corner. She now had permed hair and wore a gold ring – clearly doing well financially.

Indeed, “Huang’s Fast Food” had grown from a single storefront to taking over Zhang’s Snacks (formerly owned by Xia Ziyu’s family), and now dominated the snack food business in Anqing County. Good business meant good profits, which naturally brought confidence.

Just as Xia Xiaolan noticed how much Sister Huang had changed, Sister Huang was equally struck by Xia Xiaolan’s transformation.

From a good student to a businesswoman returning to her alma mater in a car – what a dramatic change.

How expensive must that car be?

Where had Xia Xiaolan’s path led her now?

Sister Huang couldn’t imagine.

Take the snack food business – though the profit on a bowl of noodles or a plate of rice wasn’t much, the steady stream of sales added up. The shop by the county high school had inspired Sister Huang to expand to two neighboring counties. Now she had four stores selling just snacks, earning far more than a “ten-thousand-yuan household”!

This profitable business started with Xia Xiaolan’s guidance.

Xia Xiaolan hadn’t charged for her advice, only wanting to upset the former “Sun’s Snacks.”

If such casual advice could create so much wealth, Xia Xiaolan herself must have no shortage of money-making ideas.

Sister Huang didn’t dare imagine how much Xia Xiaolan’s elegant car must cost.

Xia Xiaolan hadn’t come to school to show off. She asked the driver to wait at a distance while she and You Li entered First High:

“When we’re with the teachers, don’t call me Manager Xia, just call me Sister Xia.”

“Oh, understood, Ma-Sister Xia.”

Little You was quick-witted.

If Xia Xiaolan hadn’t needed help carrying things, she wouldn’t have brought Little You along.

She arrived at Anqing First High in the afternoon.

Old Zhao the security guard recognized her.

How could Old Zhao forget? In all his years guarding the school gate, Xia Xiaolan was the only student who’d ever slipped him cigarettes.

Even male students wouldn’t dare be so bold.

“Oh my, Little Xia! Little Xia has returned, I must tell Principal Sun!”

“Uncle Zhao, please rest easy. I told Principal Sun before coming – he asked me to go straight to his office!”

As she spoke, Xia Xiaolan handed Old Zhao two packs of cigarettes.

This familiar gesture moved Old Zhao deeply. “You’re Anqing First High’s pride – I shouldn’t and can’t accept these. Please take them back.”

Xia Xiaolan smiled cheerfully. “Uncle Zhao, why so distant? We go way back, and I’ve already graduated. Surely giving you two packs of cigarettes doesn’t count as bribery anymore? Please accept them – I brought these back from my recent trip to America, have a taste of something foreign!”

Indeed, the packages were covered in foreign text.

Now Old Zhao couldn’t bear to refuse.

Foreign cigarettes! These weren’t just cigarettes – they were prestige!

In 1986, foreign cigarettes weren’t just unavailable at the county high school gate – even Principal Sun couldn’t get his hands on them. Such trendy foreign items hadn’t reached this small county town at all.

These cigarettes were too precious to smoke, but perfect for showing off. Old Zhao was overjoyed.

He didn’t need to ask about Xia Xiaolan’s trip to America – Principal Sun mentioned it every week during flag-raising ceremonies when he spoke on the microphone.

Even the stray dogs on Anqing First High’s grounds knew there was a student named Xia Xiaolan who was the top scorer in the college entrance exam, went to Huaqing University, and then studied abroad in America!

Old Zhao lowered his voice, “Little Xia, didn’t you have a cousin studying here before? She and her mother were quite troublesome. The teachers, knowing she was your cousin, kindly suggested she repeat a year, promising she’d get into university next year, but they just got scolded by the mother and daughter.”

Xia Xiaolan was quite embarrassed, “Uncle Zhao, my relatives rarely behave themselves – sorry you had to see that!”

Old Zhao waved his hand, “I’m not mocking you. I’m telling you that your aunt came back to school later, asking for academic credentials to transfer your cousin’s records to Beijing.”

Liang Huan went to Beijing?

Xia Xiaolan knew Old Zhao was warning her kindly. She thanked him and asked Little You while walking inside:

“Have you heard anything? Has anyone caused trouble at the stores in Beijing?”

The Liang family wasn’t known for being quiet. If they’d gone to Beijing, they’d surely try to impose on her mother.

If these people were smart, they wouldn’t need to ask around – seeing so many ‘Blue Phoenix’ stores in Beijing, they could find her mother just by waiting.

Had the Liang family visited?

Xia Xiaolan worried they might have, and Comrade Liu Fen hadn’t told her to avoid distracting her in America.

You Li looked confused, “Sister Xia, I haven’t heard anything… Don’t worry, I’ll find out about this right away.”

You Li couldn’t ask Liu Fen directly, but she could ask former colleagues.

Store employees might not know about their boss’s private matters, but if someone had caused trouble at any store, employees at other locations would surely have heard about it.

Xia Xiaolan said nothing more.

She found Principal Sun’s office.

Principal Sun was still so frugal – even with the school’s expansion, he wouldn’t replace his desk.

“Principal, are you still busy?”

Xia Xiaolan knocked gently twice. Principal Sun looked up – oh my, who was this? It was his most outstanding student ever, Xia Xiaolan! Principal Sun was so excited his lips trembled: “You- you you you… No wonder you called to ask if I had any out-of-town meetings.”

“I wanted to surprise you, and make sure you and Teacher Wang were all at school, so of course I had to check.”

Xia Xiaolan had Little You set down all the items they’d brought.

Principal Sun looked at his star student, his eyes glistening, glancing around.

“Who are you looking for?”

“Who else? Old Wang!”

Old Wang was also emotional, being his crying buddy. With only himself in the office now, Principal Sun felt awkward crying alone – there was a proper procedure for crying, and having a crying buddy meant sharing the embarrassment.

Xia Xiaolan was puzzled when Old Wang burst through the door.

“It is Xiaolan coming back! Someone said they saw Xiaolan walking toward the principal’s office, I thought they were lying! Oh you girl, you grew wings and flew away after getting into university, finally willing to come back!”

“Old Wang, what nonsense are you talking about? Xiaolan wasn’t out playing – you think studying at Huaqing University is easy? You think studying abroad in America isn’t hard work?”

Principal Sun defended Xia Xiaolan, arguing with Old Wang.

Something was wrong with these two – perhaps scholars were more sentimental? As they argued, both were rubbing their eyes.

“…!”

Xia Xiaolan, the main character, was left aside. Hey, is this what you meant by missing her?

At some point, Teacher Qi, who had taught Xia Xiaolan Chinese literature, appeared at the office door and gently pulled her out: “Don’t mind those two, they’ll be normal after crying for a bit.”