“What nonsense! This is absurd…” After processing what happened, Song Minglan wanted to turn the plane back to Shangdu to confront Xia Xiaolan immediately.

Of course, the plane wouldn’t follow her commands. After fuming for a while, Song Minglan’s feelings became more complicated.

Did she hate Xia Xiaolan?

She didn’t dislike her as much as before.

Because Xia Xiaolan was capable – she could handle lawsuits with Americans in New York, and after returning to China, she successfully expanded her business. Through her good relationship with Huo Chenzhou, Song Minglan knew that Xia Xiaolan had made substantial profits during the Hong Kong stock market crash.

Song Minglan’s desire to work in Asia wasn’t about being Zhu Suizhou’s spy – she genuinely wanted to observe Xia Xiaolan’s business operations up close.

There was no logical reason why a country girl could reach such heights, while she, Song Minglan, born with a silver spoon, remained stuck in mediocrity.

Song Minglan still had career ambitions.

A woman needs to do something with her life.

If she didn’t find proper work, her family would force her into arranged marriages.

Well, might as well handle this advertising matter as Xia Xiaolan suggested. If she failed at this task, Xia Xiaolan would surely mock her endlessly. Even knowing it was reverse psychology, Song Minglan had to push forward – after all, she truly wanted to accomplish something.

With Song Minglan’s family background and overseas education, securing a respectable job wouldn’t be difficult.

However, Song Minglan had always been proud. If she was going to work, rather than taking orders from mediocre people, she’d prefer to learn from someone as formidable as Xia Xiaolan!

Upon landing, Song Minglan threw herself into work with renewed energy.

Meanwhile, in Shangdu, Xia Xiaolan had mobilized all available resources.

Since Shao Limin was concerned about when ‘Asia’ would open, though Xia Xiaolan disliked the Shao family, she didn’t hesitate to make demands from a professional standpoint.

The squeaky wheel gets the grease – if you have demands, voice them. Ask for ten, and even if they cut it down to three, you still get what you wanted. This negotiation strategy of asking high and settling lower was another trick of the trade.

Xia Xiaolan wasn’t only bold with Shao Limin; she was equally assertive with Second Madam.

“Second Madam, Asia is our joint venture. As general manager, my role is to coordinate. If you don’t help, you’ll bear the brunt of any losses!”

Second Madam didn’t know what she could do!

Moreover, she needed heart medication now.

She had discovered Xia Xiaolan’s shamelessness – had her Zhao Ji lost to such a shameless woman?

Who did Xia Xiaolan think she was, ordering her around… Second Madam resisted for two days but ultimately submitted to Xia Xiaolan’s “pressure,” concerned about the Second House’s remaining premium assets.

While Song Minglan handled publicity and Second Madam served as a figurehead for supplier negotiations, Xia Xiaolan focused on Asia’s management, including hiring attractive sales staff… Anyone below 165cm or not good-looking couldn’t even get an interview. The standards rivaled flight attendant recruitment. After rounds of interviews, fortunately, the general manager was female – had it been a male, people might have accused them of selecting imperial concubines.

Grandmother Yu hadn’t returned to America yet, so she could help train these beauty pageant-like recruits.

Xia Xiaolan worried about the elderly lady’s health – could she still train people as she did two years ago?

Grandmother Yu pointed to Tina:

“I’ll instruct verbally, Tina will implement.”

What? She was to do this?!

Tina had worked at the golf club before.

But back then she had ulterior motives and wasn’t truly committed to the work. This time felt different.

If Grandmother said she could do it, then she probably could.

Tina postponed her return to America and rolled up her sleeves to help.

Song Minglan returned from Beijing after just four days. Buying advertising slots hadn’t required much effort, and she waited proudly for Xia Xiaolan’s praise.

Xia Xiaolan complimented her abilities… then immediately assigned her more publicity work!

Who to contact in Shangdu, how to promote – Xia Xiaolan only handled the planning, leaving Song Minglan to execute.

Zhu Suizhou had been waiting for Xia Xiaolan and Second Madam to beg for his help.

But he waited until Sheng Xuan finished her postpartum confinement, and still, no one called him to action. He was practically becoming a professional diaper washer!

Zhu’s mother felt sorry for her son and wanted to do more herself, but Zhu Suizhou wouldn’t let his elderly mother tire herself. He diligently earned Sheng Xuan’s favor during her confinement, and only after the full month did he hire a nanny:

“Xuan, from now on the nanny and my mother will take care of you both. I really can’t leave Qiong Island unattended, but don’t worry, I’ll visit you and our daughter often.”

During Sheng Xuan’s confinement period, residential land prices in Ye City had risen to 120,000 yuan per mu.

Zhu Suizhou had to personally oversee matters there. The price was approaching what he had paid, and if it exceeded that, it would mean profit!

Sheng Xuan didn’t mind Zhu Suizhou going to Qiong Island – she hoped for her husband’s success.

But…

“Are you going to abandon Asia? That girl Minglan said she’d be our insider, but look at her now – being ordered around by Xia Xiaolan all day, she’s practically forgotten her surname!”

Sheng Xuan was angry.

But Zhu Suizhou wasn’t.

Song Minglan hadn’t forgotten her surname – she wasn’t a Sheng or a Zhu, but a Song.

Being a Song meant she could do as she pleased – when had she ever truly respected him as her ‘uncle-in-law’?

Xia Xiaolan knew how to manage people.

Even Second Madam was dispatched to negotiate with suppliers. Though Second Madam knew nothing, her noble madam aura was evident. Xia Xiaolan used Second Madam as a display piece – others handled the actual negotiations, but with Second Madam present, suppliers wouldn’t doubt Asia’s capabilities.

The second Madam was a Hong Kong merchant, a wealthy madam.

While Zhu Suizhou saw women like Second Madam as useless, Xia Xiaolan could utilize even such “waste” – this made Zhu Suizhou uneasy.

Watching Xia Xiaolan rally her “women’s army” and prepare to launch Asia, Zhu Suizhou realized he had been too optimistic – in the short term, neither Xia Xiaolan nor Second Madam would need his rescue!

Under these circumstances, what was the point of staying in Shangdu? To watch Xia Xiaolan’s victory celebration?

Better to earn more in Qiong Island and wait for an opportunity to strike back.

Xia Xiaolan’s success wouldn’t last long. Once Asia emerged, it would face joint suppression from other Shangdu department stores – all major stores were state-owned except Asia. Who else would they target if not Asia?

Though Zhu Suizhou had decided to leave, he packed slowly, ultimately waiting until Asia’s opening day.

Distributing flyers in advance, advertising, and providing free bus services for citizens – these were all strategies Xia Xiaolan had used at ‘Cheng Rong Plaza’.

Zhu Suizhou hadn’t expected Xia Xiaolan to organize three days of cultural performances outside Asia. While not quite the Spring Festival Gala standard, even the provincial TV station in Shangdu might struggle to arrange such a program lineup… Shangdu citizens went crazy – who wouldn’t watch free performances?