Xia Bangchui.

No, Xia Hongxia had been feeling uneasy these past few days.

Fan Yu had encouraged Xia Dajun to return to their hometown, intending to separate from Xia Hongxia’s family. Later, they brought over Grandmother Xia and Xia Junbao but never mentioned bringing Xia Hongxia’s family. Though Wang Jingui wanted to shamelessly tag along, Xia Hongxia preferred staying in Pengcheng.

She would never return to Yunan. Everyone back home knew they had come to the Special Zone for a better life. After Xia Hongxia had rejected that suitor from the county, how could she bear the shame of crawling back?

Then there was that small salon incident – even her parents found it embarrassing. How could others not look down on her if they knew?

The second Aunt was difficult to deal with, and living together wouldn’t bring any advantages.

Xia Hongxia firmly refused to leave Pengcheng. Initially, Xia Hongbing and Wang Jingui scolded her for being stubborn and threatened to beat her.

Later, after Fan Yu gave birth to a son, Xia Hongbing and Wang Jingui stopped mentioning returning home.

Ah, heaven’s plans were mysterious – allowing Second Brother Xia Dajun to have a son in middle age.

Wang Jingui grumbled, “That blind fortune teller at the temple told Second Brother he was destined to be only a father-in-law, never to have sons… How inaccurate!”

Wang Jingui was so angry she beat her chest and stomped her feet, wanting to find that blind fortune teller and teach him a lesson.

Previously, she had been able to latch onto Xia Dajun not just because he was simple-minded and believed families should live harmoniously, but more importantly because he had no son! In the countryside, having daughters meant nothing – without a son, the family line was considered ended, with no one to perform the funeral rites.

Without a son, one could only rely on nephews.

Wang Jingui understood this well, which was why she acted so unscrupulously – after all, she had two sons.

But now that Xia Dajun had his son in middle age, what value did nephews hold anymore?

After analyzing the current situation, Xia Hongxia realized why Wang Jingui and Xia Hongbing had changed their minds, choosing to stay in Pengcheng. Hmph, returning home would make it easier for village and township officials to find them and collect grain taxes and fees. The distance to Pengcheng made that impossible – let them try collecting here!

This family remained unscrupulous; such habits couldn’t change overnight.

Village officials wouldn’t come to Pengcheng to collect, and would likely end up finding Xia Dajun back in Yunan… but that was no longer Xia Hongxia’s family’s concern.

For these various reasons, Xia Hongxia’s family stayed in Pengcheng.

Daily expenses required money, and without Xia Dajun supporting them, the family had to find their own way. Xia Hongbing still loved gambling but couldn’t do it daily. He had worked at Ke Yixiong’s construction site before, and even earlier had been sold to a black brick factory – he actually had some work skills, he was just lazy.

He would take half a month off every month.

Even so, he earned more than he would have back in the countryside – the Special Zone was a good place!

Xia Hongbing’s odd job earnings barely covered his expenses, and Wang Jingui was too lazy and gluttonous to work at construction sites.

Xia Hongxia tried several jobs, but working for others always meant the boss profited more. She envied the women working in foreign factories with their high monthly salaries and comfortable office environments, but she wasn’t suited for that – she couldn’t rely on looks or education. After several attempts, Xia Hongxia finally found something suitable.

She had cooked at Ke Yixiong’s construction site!

For most workers, taste was secondary. People didn’t even have much concept of food hygiene then – they pursued affordability and quantity. As long as the taste was acceptable, filling their stomachs for minimal cost was enough.

So Xia Hongxia got a tricycle, loaded it with a stove, pots, bowls, and utensils, and began roaming around to set up her stall.

Wherever there were workers, she would be there, offering rice and dishes – essentially selling boxed meals!

Business was good from the start, selling many portions daily.

However, Xia Hongxia had no business experience and couldn’t calculate costs properly. Despite good sales, profits were minimal.

She learned while doing – unless truly stupid as a pig, one would improve with time. Gradually, Xia Hongxia’s boxed meal business showed progress. Her monthly earnings exceeded what Xia Hongbing made from his casual work. As business improved, Xia Hongxia couldn’t manage alone but was reluctant to hire help, so she asked her mother Wang Jingui to assist.

Wang Jingui wanted to stay home being lazy, using caring for Xia Hongxia’s two younger brothers as an excuse.

“Mom, if you won’t help me, I won’t support you anymore. You can rely on Dad for money!” Xia Hongxia, never one to be obedient, directly threatened Wang Jingui.

Wang Jingui threw herself on the ground, making a scene and calling her daughter unfilial. Xia Hongxia ignored the insults and truly stopped giving Wang Jingui money.

Physically, having run the boxed meal business, Xia Hongxia had grown more robust. Mother and daughter were similarly built, and equally matched in strength. Xia Hongxia wouldn’t meekly accept beatings, and Wang Jingui couldn’t catch her… Unable to prevail through words or force, Wang Jingui finally submitted.

Wang Jingui certainly wasn’t willing to work and slacked off whenever possible.

But she was at least another pair of hands, and with her help, Xia Hongxia’s business stabilized.

The business required little capital but earned well, though the preparatory work was exhausting – they were earning through hard labor.

Regardless, amid constant quarrels, the family managed to settle in Pengcheng.

They moved to a new place, where neighbors found Xia Hongxia capable, and the landlord even considered introducing her to his nephew… Though Xia Hongxia still dreamed of a superior life, she had been taught by experience to be more practical than before.

She met the landlord’s nephew a few times, maintaining a casual relationship.

He wasn’t exceptional, but he was a Pengcheng local. After Pengcheng became a city, numerous job opportunities emerged, with some positions reserved for locals.

Like the landlord’s nephew, who lucked into a proper job. When their family’s fields were requisitioned, they all became urban residents.

But his parents’ generation retained their old views, hoping for a hardworking daughter-in-law.

Xia Hongxia was neither beautiful nor ugly, ran her own boxed meal business, and seemed honest and practical. Her plump figure suggested good fortune and wide hips were good for childbearing. Whether the landlord’s nephew liked her was unclear, but the landlord and his brother’s family approved.

They didn’t even mind that she was an outsider selling meals, leaving Xia Hongxia uncertain.

Had her aspirations changed from marrying a county man to marrying someone with Special Zone residency?

Despite her hesitation, this showed Xia Hongxia’s life was getting on track.

Sometimes life works this way – reaching too high leads nowhere, but without making needless comparisons and maintaining a balanced mindset, steady progress brings improvement. With a gambling father, a lazy mother, and two younger brothers, Xia Hongxia managing her own small business showed she was on the right path, given her perspective and experience. Though difficult now, things will surely improve!

Xia Hongxia’s unease stemmed from people furtively passing messages these past few days, claiming to be sent by her cousin Xia Ziyu.

Sister Ziyu? She was a fugitive!