The scenes of Bai Zhenzhu and Pan Bohua sparring had become an eye-catching sight at the unit’s training ground.

Initially, Bai Zhenzhu only practiced with Pan Bohua, but after a few more visits, she became familiar with the novice onlookers. With her easygoing personality, she could mingle with fellow martial artists and these unit members alike.

The novices were eager to try, and Bai Zhenzhu treated it as a warm-up, accepting their challenges – the frustrations from business could indeed be relieved with a couple of fights, especially when she could take them down one by one, releasing all frustrations!

The novices were still happy even after being knocked down. Whether Bai Zhenzhu was male or female didn’t matter; everyone could have fun together.

While Bai Zhenzhu vented her frustrations at the training ground,

Xia Xiaolan returned home unhappily, naturally with Zhou Cheng there to comfort her.

“This Zhu Suizhou would rather be a chicken’s head than a phoenix’s tail. What do you think of him? Do you still value him highly?” Zhou Cheng asked her, and Xia Xiaolan felt confused.

She had thought about making money through Zhu Suizhou and about subjugating him.

But clearly, she lacked the domineering aura that could make someone like Zhu Suizhou submit completely – just as Zhou Cheng said, this man would rather be a chicken’s head than a phoenix’s tail, appearing outwardly warm and generous but tyrannical.

“It’s not strange for capable people to have tempers. Zhu Suizhou is too independent. Though capable, he’s not suitable as a long-term partner…”

Xia Xiaolan had many business partners.

Not to mention Chen Xiliang, who would have become a fashion mogul sooner or later even without meeting Xia Xiaolan – her appearance just helped him avoid some detours.

In terms of capability, Bai Zhenzhu might not match Zhu Suizhou, but when doing small business, she respected Xia Xiaolan’s opinions. Even now, with tens of millions in assets, she hadn’t arrogantly pushed Xia Xiaolan aside!

People came together for benefits, but those who could maintain long-term relationships weren’t just in it for the interest.

Only Zhu Suizhou, with his domineering personality, was like a tiger sharing a mountain with Xia Xiaolan – they were always guarding against each other!

Seeing her furrowed brows, Zhou Cheng also felt annoyed with Zhu Suizhou.

“This man’s every move is calculated for profit, even using marriage as a stepping stone. Xiaolan, are you just unable to swallow this anger, or do you want the Asia project?”

Xia Xiaolan was also confused:

“I’m angry, but whether I want this project or not, I’m not sure.”

Although she knew Asia would end badly, after investing, she never interfered with Zhu Suizhou’s methods, fully keeping her initial investment promise to be a non-interfering shareholder… After all, she would leave before Asia collapsed, so however Zhu Suizhou managed it was irrelevant to her!

Instead, it was Zhu Suizhou who hadn’t notified her when selling shares to Du Zhaoqi.

That time when the Du brothers, Zhaoqi and Zhaohui, were competing, Xia Xiaolan hadn’t paid much attention, only saying it shouldn’t happen again.

Perhaps letting it go easily at that time made Zhu Suizhou think she was easy to bully.

The unswallowed anger referred to this – her concession led to others pushing harder.

And why she conceded was related to her fixed impressions from her previous life. She knew Zhu Suizhou was a significant figure, with many shocking initiatives when Asia emerged. As a pioneer and explorer, Xia Xiaolan held some admiration for such figures.

Meanwhile, Zhu Suizhou was also a tragic hero. When Asia collapsed due to rapid expansion and chaotic management, he was powerless to save it and could only watch the Asia empire fall… Xia Xiaolan felt some sympathy – without pioneers of reform and opening up like Zhu Suizhou, later generations couldn’t have learned from their experiences.

These conflicting feelings made Xia Xiaolan especially tolerant of Zhu Suizhou. She knew the high-spirited Boss Zhu would eventually decline, but she couldn’t and didn’t plan to stop it. After all, Zhu Suizhou’s ultimate failure stemmed from personality, ability, and external factors, unlike Chen Xiliang, who would have been fine if he hadn’t married a poisonous young wife who helped orchestrate his kidnapping!

Xia Xiaolan returned to Zhou Cheng’s second question.

Did she want the Asia project?

A good project, yet one destined for failure.

This question was one Xia Xiaolan had been avoiding.

She knew clothing and electronics had high profits in the 80s, so she chose to deal in clothing to accumulate her first bucket of gold.

She also knew real estate would boom for twenty to thirty years, so she boldly acquired land.

She remembered the timeline of the ’87 Hong Kong stock market crash, daring to borrow 50 million to repay 100 million!

She knew about the Qiong Island real estate bubble, so she entered early.

Catching these key profit points would make money. Xia Xiaolan was confident in her ability to earn money by following these major trends!

But what was difficult?

Asia would ultimately collapse. Zhu Suizhou couldn’t save it, and others after his resignation couldn’t save it either. Could she save it? Did she have the ability to salvage what she knew from her previous life as a classic “failure case”?

Following others’ successful paths and replicating their success, she could do that.

She had foreknowledge after all.

But saving a destined-to-fail Asia couldn’t rely on foreknowledge alone.

She would need her ability… Asia was indeed a good project. Du Zhaoqi wasn’t wrong – if Asia’s expansion had been slower, would it necessarily have fallen?

Not necessarily.

Why not try?

Zhu Suizhou brought Asia to its peak but couldn’t prevent its fall, but she wasn’t Zhu Suizhou!

Xia Xiaolan had sorted out her thoughts.

“Zhou Cheng, I’ve figured it out. I want this project!”

The advantage of foreknowledge would eventually disappear.

It was already 1988, and she knew nothing about economic trends after 2017. Although 29 years seemed long, by 2017, she would only be 52 – was she supposed to retire then?

She couldn’t always rely on foreknowledge in business; there would be more times when she needed to judge for herself – so why not use Asia for practice? Zhu Suizhou would mess up this project, but if she took over, let’s see how far she could take it.

“Good, now that you have this goal, we need to consider how to achieve it. You only hold 18% of the shares, quite passive in Asia. Du family’s Second Mistress and Zhu Suizhou have allied – these two must be divided and conquered-“

Zhou Cheng’s suggestion was good, and Xia Xiaolan had her ideas.

Take it over now and copy Zhu Suizhou’s marketing tactics to make Asia Mall in Shangdu famous.

No, that was Zhu Suizhou’s strength, not hers.

“Zhou Cheng, what I need to do now is wait. As long as I don’t withdraw and keep my 18% shares, Zhu Suizhou can’t get rid of me.”

She wasn’t waiting idly – while waiting for Zhu Suizhou to make mistakes, she was also making money on Qiong Island, not wasting time.

Also, though the Second Mistress was foolish, Du Zhaoqi wasn’t stupid.

Xia Xiaolan hoped that after several months of isolated prison life, Du Zhaoqi had calmed down – she needed to talk with him!