Liu Fen didn’t know what to do.

Sheng Xuan played by unconventional rules. Reflecting on her visits, Liu Fen recalled that she had never spoken ill of her.

Liu Fen couldn’t prevent Sheng Xuan’s job transfer, nor could she immediately expand her stores to Shenzhen like Sheng Xuan.

Being in a relationship with Tang Hongen didn’t mean everything had to revolve around him. Living completely dependent on a man without her career – Liu Fen had already spent 20 years like that and had no desire to repeat it.

“Let her go. I trust your Uncle Tang!”

Liu Fen was quite open-minded about this.

What was truly hers couldn’t be stolen; if it could be taken away, it wasn’t hers to begin with.

She used to think the sky would fall without a man, but now his presence or absence didn’t affect her fundamental life… Ultimately, her feelings for Tang Hongen weren’t so deep that she’d live or die for him.

Xia Xiaolan gave her mother a thumbs up.

Because of the Sheng Xuan situation, Xia Xiaolan hadn’t been to Shenzhen for a week. By mid-November, when she finally went, she received two pieces of news.

“Wang Mingming broke her promise.”

Last time Chen Xiliang had been jubilant, but now he’d been hit hard.

Everything had been arranged – Chen Xiliang had discussed prices with the TV station, consulted Xia Xiaolan about the shooting content, prepared the venue and crew, and booked the best hotel in Guangzhou – only to be stood up by Wang Mingming!

Chen Xiliang was furious.

Xia Xiaolan was also angry, “Did Wang Mingming offer any explanation?”

If she wasn’t going to shoot, they could have focused on mainland actresses earlier.

To cancel already confirmed arrangements – wasn’t this just toying with people?

Chen Xiliang gritted his teeth, “Wang Mingming’s agent wouldn’t even meet me. When I said everything was ready, he demanded to see the filming contract.”

“But you couldn’t produce one because there hadn’t been time to sign it!”

Xia Xiaolan finished his thought.

This wasn’t Chen Xiliang being careless.

Hong Kong and Guangzhou weren’t just a step away. Last time, when Chen Xiliang got Wang Mingming to agree to shoot Luna’s advertisement, he had wanted to sign a contract, but her agent had been sarcastic, saying they didn’t need a contract for such a small advertisement, implying distrust in Wang Mingming… Chen Xiliang truly hadn’t expected Wang Mingming to go back on her word.

People at that time couldn’t separate actors’ screen personas from their real personalities. Actors who played villains got cursed on the street, while those who played good characters were viewed favorably by the public.

Wang Mingming had never played a villain.

Unlike some Hong Kong actresses who loved socializing with wealthy businessmen, her current boyfriend was another Hong Kong actor.

Though far less famous than Wang Mingming, their relationship was good.

How could the public have a bad impression of such an actress?

Chen Xiliang had been duped and couldn’t even get.

The problem was: what about Luna’s advertisement?

Xia Xiaolan made a quick decision, “Contact those mainland actresses we discussed before immediately. We can’t be picky now – whoever we can get, we’ll use. We can’t let Wang Mingming’s cancellation throw us off! Forget about Wang Mingming – whether she’s trying to raise her price or not, her professional ethics don’t match her fame. We won’t work with her again!”

Xia Xiaolan felt something was off.

Why agree only to back out?

She’d never personally dealt with Wang Mingming and didn’t know her character.

But this was handled very unprofessionally. While angry at Wang Mingming’s diva behavior, Xia Xiaolan worried there might be other reasons.

When things weren’t under control, she couldn’t help but worry.

While Chen Xiliang went to salvage the situation, the second piece of news wasn’t good for Xia Xiaolan either: Bai Zhenzhu was injured and recuperating in Guangzhou.

This news came from Ge Jian, who was also in Guangzhou visiting Bai Zhenzhu.

“What happened? Was it Ke Yixiong?”

Ge Jian nodded, “Miss Xia after you left Shenzhen, Ke Yixiong had several more conflicts with Junior Sister Bai. When he couldn’t win directly, he started playing dirty. Junior Sister Bai was ambushed by Ke Yixiong’s men while returning home from the building materials store… If Third Brother Pan hadn’t happened to save her, she might have been in mortal danger!”

How did Third Brother Pan get involved?

Hadn’t Jiang Wu gone looking for Third Brother Pan? Why did Pan dare come ashore when he was fine at sea, where Jiang Wu couldn’t get to him?

Ke Yixiong was truly shameless.

He couldn’t compete with Zhenzhu for territory – not only couldn’t he beat her in a fight, but he also wasn’t as good at business.

Yet he ignored the rules of the trade, having people ambush Bai Zhenzhu – this wasn’t just business competition anymore, it was a fight to the death.

“Since Third Brother happened upon this, Ke Yixiong probably won’t get off easily.”

Bai Zhiyong’s marriage leave had ended, and he’d returned to work.

With Bai Zhiyong away, his wife Chang Ying usually stayed at her parents’ home. With Bai Zhenzhu injured, she didn’t want to worry Grandmother Bai, so she wasn’t recuperating in Shenzhen. The empty house in Guangzhou was perfect for her to recover quietly.

Xia Xiaolan and Ge Jian both knew the Bai family’s location. Xia Xiaolan hadn’t visited since the renovation.

She arrived at an opportune moment – Bai Zhenzhu was having a staring contest with her sister-in-law Chang Ying.

Chang Ying rarely stayed at the Bai house, visiting maybe once a week. It was far from her workplace and less convenient than staying with her parents. Bai Zhenzhu had taken their grandmother to Shenzhen – Grandmother Bai couldn’t be in two places at once, she could either care for her granddaughter or daughter-in-law. Chang Ying was scared to stay alone in the Bai family’s old house in Guangzhou.

She had come to get something but encountered the injured Bai Zhenzhu.

Bai Zhenzhu had secretly returned to Guangzhou to recover, telling Grandmother Bai she was out purchasing stock. Her sister-in-law caught her red-handed.

Bai Zhenzhu was wrapped in several bloody bandages, claiming she had fallen… Chang Ying didn’t believe it at all.

The two women were locked in a staring contest when Xia Xiaolan appeared like a godsend. Bai Zhenzhu was overjoyed to see her savior.

“I heard Zhenzhu was injured, so I came to check on her.”

Chang Ying had received expensive gifts from Xia Xiaolan before, and since Xia Xiaolan was her husband’s superior’s partner, she couldn’t show displeasure. She forced a smile: “Sister, please sit and chat with Zhenzhu. I’ll go buy some groceries.”

Xia Xiaolan exchanged pleasantries but didn’t stop her – they couldn’t talk with Chang Ying present.

Once Chang Ying left, Xia Xiaolan saw Bai Zhenzhu’s bandage-covered body with bloodstains and grew angry: “That bastard Ke Yixiong, resorting to ambush when he can’t win fairly? I heard from Ge Jian that if Third Brother Pan hadn’t saved you, you might have lost your life!”

Bai Zhenzhu sighed deeply, “I never expected Third Brother to be in Shenzhen. The other night it was raining heavily in Shenzhen. Seeing there wasn’t much business, I sent the store staff home early and stayed to organize the inventory. I left around ten. I hadn’t even left the small commodities market when I was surrounded.”

Though she knew martial arts, her attackers carried long knives.

Bai Zhenzhu fought off several but was wounded multiple times. She thought she was done for until she encountered Pan Baohua, who had come to Shenzhen despite the rain!