Consulting with Zhou Cheng was the right decision. Zhou Cheng was particularly sensitive to these issues, having been exposed to them since childhood, and he viewed matters from a different perspective. Even thirty years later, such matters would be difficult to handle, let alone in the 1980s. Though it was the era of Reform and Opening Up, the winds of reform hadn’t yet swept across the entire nation. While the economic environment had improved, bureaucracy remained rigid in many areas.
Xia Xiaolan wasn’t expecting immediate results; she just had a general framework in mind, with specific approaches needing continuous discussion and refinement. She appreciated that Zhou Cheng didn’t discourage her and instead actively sought solutions.
“Don’t rush. It’s just an idea for now. Qihang hasn’t developed to that stage yet – we only have one plot of land. The company’s scale isn’t large; we’re just leveraging what we have,” Xia Xiaolan said, not wanting Zhou Cheng to feel too much pressure.
Zhou Cheng pondered, “Achieving what you described isn’t entirely impossible. Remember that Aunt’s husband, Gu Zhengqing, works at the Education Department? You should organize your thoughts and find an opportunity to discuss them with him. Since we have this idea, let’s treat it as a serious matter. It might not happen this year, or even next year, but perhaps in a few years, everything will fall into place naturally.”
“Zhou Cheng, would you support me no matter what I do? Don’t you have any doubts at all?”
Xia Xiaolan admitted she was being coy, but she was genuinely curious.
Zhou Cheng pressed his forehead against hers. “Yes, I support everything you do. After all, you’d pursue what you want even without support, right? So I might as well accompany you. With me watching out, I can think of things you might have missed.”
Xia Xiaolan blushed. Zhou Cheng had accurately described her personality – she never easily gave up on anything she wanted to do. Even the most impossible things had zero chance of success if not attempted.
Xia Xiaolan’s motivation wasn’t purely altruistic. The project would benefit others, but it would also benefit her. To establish firm roots, could she rely solely on real estate speculation? Such ventures could collapse easily, and those who only knew how to profit this way without contributing to society could be uniformly labeled as “speculators.”
Using some of the earned money to benefit society would make Xia Xiaolan happy while helping Qihang grow stronger. Qihang couldn’t rely solely on connections – after all, how long could Tang Hongen remain in office in Pengcheng?
“Zhou Cheng, don’t think of me as a good person. I have my ulterior motives. The money I spend doing good deeds will be earned back elsewhere.”
Xia Xiaolan murmured. Zhou Cheng felt his heart melting. His wife appeared delicate, but her personality could be quite sharp – those who didn’t know her well and provoked her would certainly get headaches. But this personality was more like protective coloring. Only those who truly understood his wife knew she wasn’t fierce at all – not a chili pepper, but a sweet, soft cream pastry… Zhou Cheng had no other particular interests except for loving sweets:
“That’s perfect. I don’t like purely good people either. From the moment I met you, I knew we were a match made in heaven.”
Good people? Those who constantly proclaim their goodness are usually quite hypocritical. And those who always claim to be bad – how bad could they be?
His wife was adorably excessive. Her ideas and the scale of her operations made Zhou Cheng feel like he had found a treasure.
“You’re staying in Shijiazhuang until tomorrow, right? Have you thought about what to do? I’ll follow your lead.”
Zhou Cheng wanted to take leave to accompany Xia Xiaolan around the area. Since she had driven there herself, it would be convenient for them to explore nearby. Xia Xiaolan just wanted to spend time with Zhou Cheng, even if they just talked.
Mainly because Zhou Cheng couldn’t stay overnight away from the base, they couldn’t go too far.
Xia Xiaolan didn’t mind. Zhou Cheng suggested, “There’s a reservoir about 20 kilometers outside the city. Someone opened a mountain resort there where you can fish and eat. Shall I take you there?”
That would work.
“Both leisure and dining – there are already such places now?”
Xia Xiaolan was somewhat surprised, wondering if she was really living in the 1980s, as she thought such places would only appear after another decade.
Zhou Cheng didn’t understand her surprise. “These places aren’t new. They used to be state-run, but now some are privately contracted.”
What could Xia Xiaolan say?
Poverty had limited her imagination.
Such places existed in every era, but when state-run, they weren’t open to the public. Only those of certain ranks could enjoy them – ordinary people couldn’t find such places even if they wanted to spend money there.
Zhou Cheng took leave, and Xia Xiaolan let him drive her car. Shortly after they left the academy, another car stopped at the academy gate.
A window rolled down, someone showed credentials, and the sentry saluted.
“I’m looking for Jiang Yan from the Communications Class. I’m her brother, here to see her.”
The car was allowed in, but the person didn’t intend to enter. With a gentle expression, he asked someone to call Jiang Yan out. If Xia Xiaolan and Zhou Cheng had left later, they would have recognized the driver as Jiang Wu!
When Jiang Yan came out, she hadn’t expected to see her cousin.
During Spring Festival, she had a big argument with Jiang Wu, and then she came to the academy for further studies, not having crossed paths with him since.
Jiang Wu’s arrival came too late – she had already handed the documents to Pan Bohua.
“Why are you here?”
Jiang Yan didn’t intend to get in the car, her posture defensive.
Jiang Wu looked her over from head to toe, his gaze making Jiang Yan uncomfortable. To others nearby, they could only see a brother’s doting expression as he pointed to a package in the passenger seat:
“Autumn’s here, and winter’s not far off. Second Aunt was worried you’d be cold in the north and wanted to send you some clothes. I happened to have business in Beijing, so I brought them along. Jiang Yan, it’s fine if you argue with me, but you can’t just cut ties with family, right?”
The Jiang family was from Jinling, and Jiang Yan would spend winter in North Hebei. Her mother’s concern about her adjusting to the climate seemed reasonable.
But Jiang Yan didn’t quite believe it.
Jiang Wu wasn’t usually so fussy. Bringing clothes?
Jiang Yan thought it was an excuse: “You came because of Zhou Cheng.”
Jiang Wu didn’t deny it. “Besides bringing clothes, I also brought you the news – Zhou Cheng has found himself a girlfriend, and I’ve even met her. Now you can finally give up, right?”
The sentry was still secretly watching, so Jiang Yan, not wanting academy personnel to overhear, opened the car door and got in. The sentry looked envious, thinking Goddess Jiang’s family must have significant connections, and the siblings seemed to have such a good relationship.
“I’ve met Zhou Cheng’s girlfriend too. Whether I give up or not is none of your business!”
Jiang Wu started the car and drove out of the city, stopping by the roadside.
Without warning, he suddenly reached from the front seat and seized Jiang Yan’s throat:
“None of my business? You used Jiang’s family resources to investigate Zhou Cheng’s girlfriend – did you think I wouldn’t know? Jiang Yan, without my consent, how much influence do you think you’d have in the Jiang family? Coming to the academy for further studies whenever you want, investigating whoever you want! I’m warning you seriously – everything you have now was given by the Jiang family, by my willingness to indulge you. Without the Jiang family, without me, could you live so comfortably?”
Jiang Yan desperately struck at Jiang Wu’s hand. Jiang Wu’s face was contorted with bulging veins, appearing both frenzied and brutal. One hand gripped Jiang Yan’s throat while the other prevented her resistance… Even the best combat skills couldn’t entirely overcome the innate physical differences between men and women, especially when the opponent was also skilled!