Zhu Suizhou felt that Xia Xiaolan had been waiting for this day to remove him and take control of Asia’s management.

He had never lowered his guard against Xia Xiaolan since she became a shareholder.

Now, his suspicions were confirmed!

Though Zhu Suizhou had many plans for Asia, he kept them to himself.

“Very well, then I’ll trouble General Manager Xia to take care of things!”

Xia Xiaolan had previously managed ‘Cheng Rong Mall’, an electronics retailer that had been incredibly successful.

But could she manage Asia well?

The circumstances were entirely different—

Cheng Rong Mall had no competition, but in Shangdu, Asia wasn’t the only department store!

Before 1985, Shangdu’s only notable department store was the four-story Shangdu Department Building. In 1985, the city’s largest ‘Zijingshan Department Building’ opened on the east side, attracting even Western residents to make the long journey for shopping and browsing.

Seeing the commercial potential, and considering urban development, the Shangdu government built several shopping centers around Erqi Square!

Asia was completed amid this fierce competition.

After investing millions, the mall was built, but its success wasn’t guaranteed. Zhu Suizhou had done extensive preparatory work, yet now Xia Xiaolan and Second Madam Du wanted to push him out. He agreed readily!

If Xia Xiaolan failed to manage Asia well, they would have to invite him back to take charge.

Zhu Suizhou cheerfully resigned from his position to attend to his wife Sheng Xuan during her postpartum confinement.

While it was easy for them to force him out now, getting him back wouldn’t be so simple. By then, he would have made money from real estate in Qiongdao and could have pressured Second Madam Du and Xia Xiaolan to sell their shares. He wouldn’t remain the third-ranking minor shareholder anymore!

Second Madam Song showed no reaction to Zhu Suizhou’s removal. Previously, she might have thought Xia Xiaolan was overbearing, but after the childbirth incident, she had serious misgivings about Zhu Suizhou.

He could only improve their impression through his efforts.

Zhu Suizhou’s mother arrived by train to help with Sheng Xuan’s postpartum care. Mother and son attended to Sheng Xuan meticulously, with Zhu Suizhou even changing his daughter’s diapers without complaint.

After staying in Shangdu for several days and finding no fault with how the Zhu family cared for Sheng Xuan, Second Madam Song considered returning to Beijing.

Everyone had their own home, work, and life. As a cousin, she couldn’t care for Sheng Xuan indefinitely. Yet she worried that without her supervision, the Zhus might neglect Sheng Xuan.

Health problems developed during postpartum confinement could affect a woman for life.

As the saying goes, postpartum ailments require postpartum treatment. The only way to recover from poor postpartum care was to go through another confinement period… but that wasn’t realistic now, given the family planning policy, especially for someone like Sheng Xuan.

Song Minglan stepped forward to resolve her mother’s dilemma:

“You return to Beijing first, I’ll stay in Shangdu until cousin finishes her confinement.”

Second Madam Song agreed after brief consideration. Since returning from abroad, Song Minglan had been undecided about her career and was currently unemployed, making her the most suitable person to stay.

But was caring for Sheng Xuan Song Minglan’s only reason for staying?

The Third Miss Song hardly knew how to care for others!

Besides, shouldn’t the in-laws work hard at being grandparents and parents during the confinement period?

Song Minglan had heard that Zhu Suizhou had transferred Asia’s management rights to Xia Xiaolan.

Unable to contain her curiosity, she wanted to see how Xia Xiaolan would run Asia Mall.

After Second Madam Song left, Song Minglan directly approached Zhu Suizhou:

“Uncle, since you’re busy with cousin’s postpartum care, are you letting Asia go completely? Why not arrange for me to work in Asia? I want to gain some work experience.”

The implication was that she could monitor Asia for Zhu Suizhou, keeping him informed of any developments.

Before Zhu Suizhou could respond, Sheng Xuan enthusiastically agreed:

“Minglan studied abroad, she should have a chance to apply her knowledge. Suizhou, let her go!”

Sheng Xuan thought Song Minglan’s suggestion was incredibly thoughtful.

She had been upset about Xia Xiaolan taking over management while she was in confinement, but with Minglan, their person, placed inside Asia, she felt reassured!

Zhu Suizhou didn’t expect Song Minglan to be particularly useful. The third daughter of the Song family might have studied abroad, but it was merely a gilding – she had little real ability. How long could she last under Xia Xiaolan?

Still, since Song Minglan insisted, Zhu Suizhou didn’t object.

If she couldn’t help, she might at least cause some disruption…

“I support Minglan’s initiative. I’ll help her achieve her wish, even if it means swallowing my pride!”

Zhu Suizhou immediately called Xia Xiaolan.

Xia Xiaolan agreed without hesitation:

“She can be my special assistant. Manager Zhu is so thoughtful, knowing we’re short-staffed!”

Second Madam Du couldn’t understand why Xia Xiaolan would directly accept the niece of Zhu Suizhou’s wife, who was planted as a spy.

Xia Xiaolan briefly explained:

“Second Madam, although she’s Manager Zhu’s wife’s niece, she won’t necessarily follow his orders. When someone volunteers to be my assistant, I’ll make the best use of their talents!”

Even if Song Minglan knew nothing, she was still the Song family’s third daughter.

Xia Xiaolan knew Song Minglan cared about face. It would be foolish not to utilize her. If given normal work assignments, Song Minglan would find ways to accomplish tasks even beyond her abilities to save face… just like when they appointed Pan Weiliang as deputy store manager at the building materials store. With an uncle in bank credit, they didn’t need to worry about how Pan Weiliang would achieve results!

Song Minglan surely had her motives for working in Asia, and her feelings toward Xia Xiaolan were quite complex.

Xia Xiaolan ignored all that and made her a special assistant. On Song Minglan’s first day, Xia Xiaolan immediately arranged a business trip.

“Special Assistant Song, can you handle this?”

“You want me to go to Beijing to buy TV advertising slots?!”

Xia Xiaolan nodded, “If it’s too difficult, don’t hide it. I know you lack experience, and there’s no shame in failing. I can assign it to someone else—”

“I can do it!”

Who did Xia Xiaolan think she was looking down on?

Song Minglan quickly reviewed her connections and decided securing advertising on Central TV wouldn’t be difficult, so she agreed immediately.

“Excellent, Special Assistant Song. You have one week to complete this task. I’m leaving it to you.”

Xia Xiaolan had even prepared the plane tickets.

Song Minglan boarded the plane with a stack of materials, studying them intently until just before landing when she realized—had she fallen for Xia Xiaolan’s manipulation?

That Xia woman was using reverse psychology!