There was nothing wrong with making money from industry peers.

Qihang’s new project was confirmed as an office building.

Afraid of being stuck with a slow construction project, Xia Xiaolan had only one requirement – speed was paramount, the faster the better.

Before Qiong Island became a special economic zone, getting bank loans was difficult. Now with Qihang’s new project approved, Ying Jinchuan and Liu Yong returned from the bank with interesting news: “Getting loans has become so easy now – banks are even chasing us to borrow more!”

Xia Xiaolan understood why. The rising land prices made banks confident about loan recovery, and Qihang was a capable real estate company with significant land holdings in Ye City, making them premium clients.

“It’s fine – if banks are willing to lend to Qihang, we dare to borrow!”

Considering that banks would face many unrecoverable loans in the future, and since Xia Xiaolan was confident about repaying, there was no reason not to borrow. By lending more to Qihang, banks would lend less to others – she was helping reduce their future losses!

With Xia Xiaolan’s approval, Ying Jinchuan proceeded with the loans.

There was no choice – Qihang had spent all their profits from the ‘Haitian Garden’ on buying the land Meng Guanchao had transferred.

But it didn’t matter – Qihang could still use bank loans to launch the new project.

Time flew to August, with more capital flooding into Qiong Island. While not yet reaching twenty thousand real estate companies, there were already over a thousand of various sizes.

Many members of Pengcheng’s golf club knew each other. When one came to seek fortune on Qiong Island, many followed. To better serve their members, the club even established a branch on the island. Xia Xiaolan received a personal invitation from Harold to become a premium VIP member.

“Will the Wilson family build a new golf course on Qiong Island?”

Xia Xiaolan was curious.

Harold shook his head, “No, I have no such plans!”

A golf course required hundreds or thousands of mu of land, but the land classification wasn’t residential, making it difficult to resell… It seemed Harold wasn’t optimistic about Qiong Island, refusing to take this opportunity and only allowing his assistant Karl to acquire land on a small scale.

Xia Xiaolan probed further, but Harold wouldn’t admit it, only saying that the shipping business tied up most of their capital, preventing new major projects for now.

Xia Xiaolan only believed the punctuation marks in that statement.

If banks were willing to lend to local land speculators, would they refuse foreign investors?

Harold had no intention of truly establishing roots on Qiong Island.

Xia Xiaolan didn’t expose this, happily accepting the invitation and politely seeing Harold off.

She now had a new secretary hired from Hong Kong, different from Little You and Song Minglan – a highly experienced professional.

The new secretary executed all tasks well but maintained that ingrained professional distance between subordinate and boss, unlike Little You or even Song Minglan’s relationship with Xia Xiaolan.

Of course, this was true professionalism – earning a high salary to provide the best service to the boss. Without prior personal connections, who would dare act casually around their employer?

With the new secretary’s strictly professional approach, Xia Xiaolan especially missed her first secretary and cousin, You Li.

Time flew quickly – in the blink of an eye, You Li had been in America for a year. Tang Youru’s surgery had gone well, she could now raise both arms –

This was major progress!

Previously without sensation in all limbs, now she could raise her arms. Xia Xiaolan was very satisfied with the treatment results in America.

Tang Youru was now practicing using chopsticks.

It might sound like she had regressed to Zhou Ke’s level, but it was infinitely more difficult than Zhou Ke learning to use chopsticks!

Regaining abilities lost for years wasn’t easy.

After arriving in America, Tang Youru fully cooperated with treatment. Doctors had said her spinal cord damage from the long-ago injury made standing impossible, at least with current medical technology.

But her hands could regain partial function.

Multiple surgeries restored movement to her hands, but true dexterity required Tang Youru’s relentless rehabilitation efforts.

Holding eggs, assembling puzzles, and using chopsticks – Tang Youru achieved each step.

Little You was impressive too, and already accepted into school this summer.

She had completed high school before dropping out, with good grades. While working as Xia Xiaolan’s secretary, she studied English diligently. With this language foundation before going to America, Little You’s academic progress was remarkable, making Zhou Yi too embarrassed to return home for New Year… Without getting into law school, Zhou Yi couldn’t face the world – why were all of Xia Xiaolan’s acquaintances so smart?

Xia Xiaolan had originally estimated Tang Youru would return next year, but with good treatment progress, she came back in October.

Zhou Cheng accompanied Xia Xiaolan to Pengcheng to welcome Tang Youru.

Ji Jiangyuan, graduating from Huaqing this summer, had more flexible time and was familiar with America after living there for years, so he went to bring Tang Youru back.

You Li had just started school, and no one wanted to interrupt her studies, so Ji Jiangyuan made the trip.

The group waited at Luohu customs.

Ji Jiangyuan carried the luggage while Tang Youru entered in her wheelchair.

After more than a year abroad, Tang Youru had gained some weight. Perhaps rekindling hope for the future, her improved mental state showed in her complexion, making her look quite well.

What was wrong with using a wheelchair?

She could now push herself forward, use chopsticks to eat, and dress herself.

Except for her immobile lower body, Tang Youru felt the difference between herself and normal people wasn’t so great anymore.

Though still disabled, it was a disability that wouldn’t burden her daughter too much!

“Xiaoru!”

The mayor was too excited to express himself.

Tang Youru was calmer, “Second Brother, we must all take care. Thank you and Sister-in-law for finding me and bringing me home, thank you for taking care of my daughter and me. I don’t know what to say except that I’ll try not to be your burden.”

Xia Xiaolan smiled to lighten the mood: “Aunt, you’re not a burden. Your courage has always inspired us younger ones.”

Tang Youru held onto Xia Xiaolan’s hand.

Ji Jiangyuan was her blood nephew, and Xia Xiaolan was her niece without blood ties.

Blood relations were important – without being family, Second Brother wouldn’t have spent years searching for her.

Yet blood wasn’t everything – the one who spent considerable money and effort to find her, and borrowed much money for her treatment, was precisely her non-blood related niece Xia Xiaolan!

Tang Youru didn’t want to burden her daughter, Second Brother Tang Hongen, or let Xia Xiaolan continue spending money on her. She was eager to become independent.

Just back in China, she already wanted to find work.

The amount earned wasn’t important yet – being able to support herself meant not burdening others.

But while Pengcheng offered many opportunities and attracted many job-seekers, even healthy people without education could only find temporary work. What could Tang Youru do?