While shipping from Yunan Province to Beijing was slow, sending things from Zhou Cheng’s unit back home was quick. He didn’t even need to find a post office – he just had someone deliver the items to the city, leaving them at his mother’s workplace entrance for easy pickup.

Zhou Cheng didn’t say much on the phone, just that these were specialties from a friend and he wanted his parents to try them.

Guan Hui’e couldn’t stop smiling after hanging up the phone.

Though she had no great talents, Guan Hui’e was blessed with good fortune.

She chose the right family to be born into, married well, and bore an exceptionally outstanding son. Speaking of her Zhou Cheng, and ten other peers combined couldn’t bring as much pride. Though mischievous as a child, he started working in his teens. Against Guan Hui’e’s wishes for him to find a comfortable, safe job with good benefits, Zhou Cheng didn’t listen to his family. He showed exceptional performance from the start, and after completing recruit training, the leaders kept him close. With Zhou Cheng’s comprehensive abilities, he would have been promoted in a few years following normal procedures… but when missions came up, Zhou Cheng voluntarily went to the dangerous front lines.

Battlefield promotions, rocket-speed advancement – others envied this, but Guan Hui’e lay awake whole nights worrying.

Each promotion meant Zhou Cheng had achieved merit.

But how were these merits earned? No glory came easily – merits were exchanged with life itself!

Though Guan Hui’e’s worries were useless, she could only comfort herself daily, adjust her mindset, and try to convince herself that Zhou Cheng would turn misfortune into a blessing. The Zhou family all thought Zhou Cheng was outstanding, born for great things, and needed him to be a banner for others to look up to… Unable to resist the entire family’s will, Guan Hui’e could only love Zhou Cheng more.

Her husband said constantly sending things to the unit was improper, but Guan Hui’e ignored him.

If sending things to Zhou Cheng made her happy, how much more joy came from receiving things from him?

That evening, Zhou Cheng’s father rarely came home for dinner. Guan Hui’e placed two cans of tea on the table: “From your son. The tea is yours, the dates are mine – let’s not take advantage of each other.”

Father Zhou loved tea, a habit many knew about and he never concealed.

People sent him tea every year. How good could the Xinyang Maojian that Xia Xiaolan bought be? Though first grade, it was still mass-market tea for ordinary people. Father Zhou had access to specially supplied tea, and his focus differed from Guan Hui’e’s:

“Why is Zhou Cheng suddenly sending things home from his unit?”

Guan Hui’e paused, realizing Zhou Cheng hadn’t explained clearly on the phone, only saying someone had given them.

“Maybe from a colleague?”

Father Zhou snorted, “Barely promoted and already accepting gifts to curry favor? He’s far from ready in terms of discretion!”

Guan Hui’e grew angry and removed the two cans of Xinyang Maojian.

“Then don’t drink it!”

Eh?

Why such a big temper?

He hadn’t said he wouldn’t drink it!

Father Zhou looked slightly embarrassed, but pride prevented him from asking Guan Hui’e to bring the tea back.

Xia Xiaolan didn’t know that her gifts to Zhou Cheng had been forwarded to his parents.

Even if she knew, she wouldn’t say anything – once given to Zhou Cheng, he had the right to handle them as he wished. Xia Xiaolan’s street business was booming. The cold snap made Shangdu residents favor the winter clothes and down jackets at her stall. After delivering pre-ordered goods, her new batch of winter clothes and coats sold particularly fast in this favorable weather.

As for those men’s coats with a 70 yuan wholesale price, Xia Xiaolan planned to sell them for 140 yuan – a price many couldn’t afford.

Too expensive!

Men weren’t so particular about clothes; winter clothes and down jackets only cost a few dozen yuan, perhaps a month’s work for some. What did 140 yuan mean? Even in the highest-paying units, monthly salary plus bonus barely reached this amount. Plus these coats were picky – being thin wasn’t enough, you had to be tall.

Tall, wealthy, willing to spend.

Xia Xiaolan’s target customers were 1983’s tall rich handsome men… well, maybe drop the “handsome” requirement, but tall and rich were essential. Liu Yong wasn’t short on money, but being small and thin, he looked ridiculous in this coat style.

The tall rich handsome rarely bought clothes from street stalls.

Even if their mothers or wives controlled the family finances, they’d hesitate to spend 140 yuan on street merchandise for their tall rich handsome sons/husbands.

With that money, they could take their sons/husbands to department stores to shop leisurely.

Xia Xiaolan’s street stall status limited the grade of clothes she could sell. This was why she urgently needed a store – a newly decorated, high-end-looking shop.

Liu Yong continued pressuring Yuan Honggang’s parents. Under such personal pressure, Deputy Factory Director Yuan worked quickly, giving Liu Yong an answer two days later:

“That matter you mentioned is settled.”

Yuan Honggang’s expression was slightly odd. “You got lucky with this one.”

Liu Yong was too grateful for words. He asked Yuan Honggang about the rent.

“2000 yuan per year. The factory only wants 1000, the other 1000 is for another property rights holder – you know this building is jointly owned by the National Cotton Factory and others.”

2000 yuan per year?

“Is that 2000 for three storefronts?”

Liu Yong wasn’t sure if this price was high or low. There were no standard market rates for shop rentals now – private individuals getting shops from public entities relied on their abilities, and no one knew what prices others paid privately.

2000 yuan was a lot – Yuan Honggang’s annual salary wasn’t even this much without performance bonuses.

He felt quite uncomfortable about it. “Yes, just three shops, and you can’t use the upstairs rooms – the factory needs to arrange for workers to live there.”

Liu Yong had hoped to rent two or three rooms upstairs too, saving both his and his niece’s families’ housing rent. Living upstairs while running the shop downstairs would have been convenient.

“Director Yuan, I’m partnering with relatives for this shop. I need to discuss this price with her – can I give you an answer tomorrow?”

Yuan Honggang naturally wouldn’t refuse.

Liu Yong rushed home to tell Xia Xiaolan, who was already worried about selling her expensive clothes.

2000 yuan per year?

How was this expensive? The money she could earn back in a week used to rent three shops at Erqi Square – Xia Xiaolan thought it was a bargain.

“Let’s rent it! Not just rent – we need at least a 5-year lease, better yet 8 or 10 years!”

In a few years, the first housing reform. Xia Xiaolan figured they should secure a long-term lease first, then naturally buy the property when the time came. This was a prime location near Erqi Square, the future commercial center of Shangdu. Securing such real estate for Liu Fen was true security. Regardless of whether Xia Xiaolan’s future business profited or lost money, Liu Fen’s life would be worry-free.

Xia Xiaolan changed topics, “But this property has ownership complications, supposedly jointly owned by National Cotton Factory Three and others. All three parties should be present when signing the lease to prevent anyone from causing trouble once our business succeeds.”

Deputy Director Yuan was handling things, and reaching the rent payment stage meant National Cotton Factory Three had no objections.

At this point, Xia Xiaolan wasn’t afraid of Mother Zhu’s interference. Caution ensures longevity – property ownership might be disputed, but during her rental period, she must have secure usage rights to the storefront. Otherwise, after investing capital in renovations, if the other property rights holder canceled the lease, who could she complain to?

This request was reasonable.

Deputy Director Yuan set the time and place, arranging to meet in his office.

Xia Xiaolan and Liu Yong arrived on time. Liu Yong only introduced Xia Xiaolan as his niece, and Yuan Honggang didn’t mind. When the other property rights holder slowly walked into the office, both Xia Xiaolan and Liu Yong’s eyes widened – it was Grandmother Yu!