Sheng Xuan had always been close to Second Madam Song.
Although they were cousins, their relationship was better than many blood sisters. Due to their age difference, Second Madam Song saw Sheng Xuan not just as a cousin but somewhat as a daughter.
Sheng Xuan was sensible and understood that Old Master Song had strict requirements for the Song family members. She wouldn’t put Second Madam Song in difficult positions and resolved work matters on her own—she didn’t need to ask for Second Madam Song’s help directly, as people would assist her when they learned she was Song Zhicheng’s sister-in-law, as long as the requests weren’t too demanding.
This included her previous help with Zhu Suizhou’s loan.
Her influence was indeed significant!
But significant as it was, these connections were tenuous, still dependent on the Song family.
If the Song family knew that while they were constrained to be cautious and low-profile, forbidden from exploiting privilege, an in-law was operating under their banner—they’d probably want to kill Sheng Xuan!
Unfortunately, the Song family didn’t know.
Nobody would be foolish enough to help Sheng Xuan and then expose it to the Song family, as that would be asking for recognition.
Such matters required subtlety.
However, too much subtlety could lead to information asymmetry.
Song Nanzhen, being a married-out daughter of the Song family, occasionally caught wind of such matters.
That’s why Song Nanzhen particularly despised her second sister-in-law, feeling that Second Madam Song played dumb while letting outsiders like Sheng Xuan take advantage of the Song family name.
Sheng Xuan did know her limits.
Some smaller matters could be handled vaguely under the Song family name.
Other things were beyond her reach.
Given some time, she could have established connections with Coconut City through various channels. Last year, if Zhu Suizhou wanted to buy land there, they wouldn’t have needed to involve the Song family.
But now, time was pressing, and they couldn’t wait for Sheng Xuan’s gradual approach. Moreover, with Coconut City’s government tightening land approval restrictions, her connections might not carry enough weight!
At this moment, if not the Song family, then who?
Second Madam Song was troubled by her cousin’s pleading.
How could she flatly refuse when Xuan rarely asked for help?
Several months pregnant now, she was committed to life with Zhu Suizhou. Already feeling guilty about failing to help Sheng Xuan marry Tang Hongen, Second Madam Song thought that while Zhu Suizhou wasn’t Tang Hongen’s equal now, he was over a decade younger. With the Song family’s help, in a few years, he might not be far behind Tang Hongen.
Being an official’s wife or a businessman’s wife each had its advantages.
“Tell me clearly, what exactly does Suizhou want to do in Coconut City? I need details to help you.”
Weight—what kind of person truly carries weight?
Would it be appropriate to disturb the Hainan administrative region’s top officials for a moderate matter?
Even among Coconut City’s leaders, approaching the wrong person with different administrative duties could be troublesome.
Second Madam Song might not be particularly clever, but years of Song family influence hadn’t left her completely naive. Her questions hit crucial points. Sheng Xuan explained they just wanted to buy several hundred mu of land in Coconut City, and it didn’t need to be in prime locations—remote areas were fine.
“Isn’t your Suizhou building a shopping mall in Commercial City? Is it finished? Why this sudden interest in Coconut City land!”
Facing her cousin, Sheng Xuan didn’t tell the truth.
Her cousin might blame her later but would ultimately forgive her. This opportunity was too important; she and Zhu Suizhou had to seize it.
“Xia Xiaolan’s company bought quite a bit of land in Coconut City. Asia Mall is in chaos, and Xia Xiaolan doesn’t get along with the Du family’s Second Concubine, another shareholder. With the fighting, Suizhou is caught in the middle. He wants to see if he can operate independently!”
Since her cousin hadn’t mentioned Hainan becoming a province, she didn’t know.
Sheng Xuan didn’t plan to tell her either.
She understood her cousin—knowing about the imminent provincial status would make her hesitant to help.
Second Madam Song got a headache just hearing “Xia Xiaolan’s” name.
Did she like Xia Xiaolan?
Not at all!
But disliking her changed nothing—Xia Xiaolan didn’t need her approval to live her life.
Second Madam Song’s dislike didn’t stop Xia Xiaolan from making big money, couldn’t prevent her marriage to Zhou Cheng, and she couldn’t even stop her husband Song Zhicheng and daughter Song Minglan’s “change of heart.”
Song Zhicheng, after visiting America, said Xia Xiaolan was capable, and if the daughter was like this, her mother Liu Fen probably wasn’t far behind—that’s why Tang Hongen remarried Liu Fen.
Song Minglan, after staying in America, no longer grumbled about Xia Xiaolan like before, and actually spoke up for her on the phone, mentioning Xia Xiaolan’s court victory in America…
Suppressing her discomfort, Second Madam Song understood Sheng Xuan’s urgency.
No one wants to be constantly suppressed—if you can’t win against the mother, must you also lose to her daughter?
No wonder Xuan and Zhu Suizhou were eager to establish themselves independently.
“I’ll have your brother-in-law look for someone. Don’t worry, wait for my news.”
“Today—we need results today—”
“Alright, I understand!”
Second Madam Song thought since Sheng Xuan rarely asked for help, she should handle this well.
She was just habitually cautious about making promises, hence telling Sheng Xuan to wait for news.
Sheng Xuan understood her cousin—speaking like this meant success was certain!
What weight did the Song family carry?
Once they spoke up, how could Coconut City still refuse to sell land…
However, when Second Madam Song told her husband Song Zhicheng about this, he almost thought he’d misheard!
“Sheng Xuan asked for this favor?”
Buying several hundred mu of land in Coconut City, Hainan?
Last year would have been fine—with money, you could buy land anywhere.
But at this sensitive moment, wanting to buy land in Coconut City made Song Zhicheng laugh sarcastically:
“Your sister certainly has good timing!”
Second Madam Song got angry, “Just say if you’ll help or not, why the sarcasm?”
Previously it was always “Sister Xuan,” but after failing to marry Tang Hongen, she became “your sister”—was this man trying to anger her to death?
Song Zhicheng spread his hands:
“I can’t help. Has she heard some news and wants to grab a bargain in Hainan?”
What, were only Sheng Xuan and Zhu Suizhou smart enough to know there was money to be made in Hainan?
Didn’t the Song family know?
But the old master never allowed them to touch such things—knowing about profit opportunities didn’t mean they could pursue them.
If Sheng Xuan used Song family connections to acquire land, outsiders might think the Song family was profiting from this.
Song Zhicheng refused to take the blame.
Second Madam Song was bewildered.
Song Zhicheng whispered a few words in her ear, and Second Madam Song grabbed his arm: “Is this true?”
“Should be true. I only learned about it recently. Don’t spread such news casually—it might be announced in a few days, but it can’t come out of our mouths first. You know the old master’s temper.”
Second Madam Song stammered, “But Xuan said Zhu Suizhou wanted to buy because he saw Xia Xiaolan buying land in Coconut City… How dare Tang Hongen leak this news to his stepdaughter, letting her stake claims early?!”