“Like her? What is she? Just a bit pretty…”

Du Zhaohui firmly denied it. Tang Yuanyue smiled without speaking.

Yes, just a bit pretty.

This “bit” wasn’t compared to ordinary women, but to those who made their living on their looks.

Yet Xia Xiaolan refused to rely on her appearance.

How many women like her had Zhaohui met before?

Tang Yuanyue patted Du Zhaohui’s shoulder, “Zhaohui, I didn’t know you could be so innocent.”

Tang Yuanyue could barely contain his laughter.

He had stopped such childish behavior after middle school, but who knew Du Zhaohui, with all his women, would still play this game!

Though it wasn’t surprising. People like him and Du Zhaohui could have any kind of woman they wanted. When things came too easily, they became boring. Naturally, meeting someone different would stir up unusual feelings.

Du Zhaohui coughed until his neck was red, losing all his wealthy young master’s dignity:

“Like her? More like hate her! Brother Tang, she’s just a woman, don’t take it so seriously. Women are just for entertainment!”

Tang Yuanyue clicked his tongue, “Don’t speak so absolutely, it’ll be hard to back down later.”

Doesn’t like her?

Then why keep bringing up “Xia Xiaolan” when they’re together?

Before, they discussed partnering on development projects – that was business. Now it seemed they only talked about Xia Xiaolan!

Du Zhaohui suddenly found Tang Yuanyue very annoying and made an excuse to leave.

Tang Yuanyue was thinking about how to use that “favor” Xia Xiaolan owed him. Rushing to have a beauty repay a favor was foolish – it was better to give and take, to offer more favors.

His assistant knocked and entered, “Mr. Tang, Mr. Du has left.”

Tang Yuanyue nodded, “You’re moving to a new home next year. I’ll give you a big red envelope for your year-end bonus.”

The assistant was overjoyed: “Thank you, Mr. Tang!”

The boss was always right. The assistant had his family reserve two 90㎡ units at Jinsha Chi. His family had objected, saying he should save money to buy property in Hong Kong instead since he wouldn’t stay in Pengcheng forever.

How could his family know he was helping his boss pursue a woman?

When Mr. Tang mentioned a big year-end bonus, he meant the assistant had done right and would subsidize his house purchase.

Getting both a house and money, while pleasing the boss – such good fortune should come more often.

While the assistant was still rejoicing, Tang Yuanyue’s face darkened:

“You can have your big bonus, but you need to be more astute. Du Zhaohui immediately knew what happened at Jinsha Chi, why were you all slower than him?”

The assistant broke out in a cold sweat.

What had happened at Jinsha Chi?

“I’m sorry, Mr. Tang. I’ll investigate immediately!”

…

What had happened at Jinsha Chi?

Only Du Zhaohui, being caught in the middle, had noticed anything unusual. When Xia Xiaolan said to suppress the news, it truly hadn’t leaked out.

At least the homebuyers knew nothing.

“The news needs to be held back until after the 17th.”

Those who needed to pay the balance had paid, so there wouldn’t be large-scale cancellations. Just a few rumors that Jinsha Chi could easily refute.

For this very reason, Xia Xiaolan had specifically instructed Bai Zhenzhu to keep the Luo father and son contained, letting them move freely only after the 17th. This wasn’t too difficult – they just needed to make Luo Yaozong’s “condition fluctuate,” sometimes improving, worsening. The doctors didn’t need to say anything explicit, just entering the ward several times with serious expressions was enough for the Luo father and son to imagine the worst.

Whether due to the “son preference” mindset or not, the Luo family genuinely cared about Luo Yaozong’s safety. This family had prior incidents – Xia Xiaolan couldn’t be blamed for being especially cautious, using Luo Yaozong’s condition to keep them in check.

Because this was exactly what worked on them!

“Sister Bai, do you have something to say?”

Now all three were talking in the car. Bai Zhenzhu kept glancing at Zhou Cheng, seeming hesitant to speak.

Called out by Xia Xiaolan, Bai Zhenzhu finally spoke up: “Ke Yixiong won’t be able to recover from this. I’m thinking of taking over his sand quarry.”

This was a business Bai Zhenzhu had never managed to acquire.

She was finding work for her martial arts school brothers, and the transport team was often at full capacity.

Once Ke Yixiong was gone, someone would surely take over his business and territory.

If Xia Xiaolan hadn’t spoken to Bai Zhenzhu earlier, she would have already made her move.

Zhou Cheng frowned listening to this.

Xiaolan wanted Bai Zhiyong’s sister to take the right path, but she kept wanting to pursue shady business.

If not for Bai Zhiyong, and Bai Zhenzhu’s constant protection of Xia Xiaolan, Zhou Cheng would have told his wife not to bother with her.

“Rather than a sand quarry, why not a brick factory? After taking down Ke Yixiong’s gang, there’s a brick factory owner in Yangcheng who’d been using illegal workers to cut costs. Several people died from overwork, so his factory certainly can’t continue, but the equipment is still there. You could try that.”

The equipment and factory were ready to use.

Sand quarries brought quick money, but brick factories were more sustainable.

How many bricks were needed for building houses?

Looking at Pengcheng’s trends, Zhou Cheng figured new houses would keep being built for at least 10 more years!

Brick factories weren’t as immediately profitable as sand quarries, but they were more stable and had less fierce competition. Sand quarrying requires little capital – just dig up sand and transport it for profit, naturally attracting many competitors.

Brick factories were different, having an entry barrier.

Zhou Cheng’s mind worked so quickly!

Xia Xiaolan fully supported this suggestion, “Sister Bai, what do you think?”

If only Zhou Cheng suggested a business, Bai Zhenzhu might have doubted it.

But with Xia Xiaolan’s agreement, it must be right: “What’s there to think about? Let’s do the brick factory!”

Xia Xiaolan realized everyone around her was entering related industries. Kang Wei had acquired a small furniture factory, preparing its first batch of products under the brand name “Junwei Furniture” – wanting to make money while pleasing his girlfriend.

They had furniture covered.

Now bricks too.

All that was missing was cement, steel, tiles, and such – they could use their own people’s products from start to finish in building a house. Xia Xiaolan couldn’t help but laugh.

After Bai Zhenzhu went upstairs, she shared this thought with Zhou Cheng, who took it seriously, “A cement factory would be easy, as for steel…”

“Stop right there, I was joking! We have to leave some money for others to make, how can we take all the profits? Property development and construction should be separate – developers shouldn’t handle construction! It’s just for this first project, I don’t want any problems and can’t afford any, so I’m hands-on… However, when I say hands-on, Teacher Mao has worked the hardest. Zhou Cheng, I gave a unit at Jinsha Chi to Teacher Mao and Mrs. Song – would that make you unhappy?”

Zhou Cheng had never managed how Xia Xiaolan spent money, but she worried he might object. People’s thoughts were strange – what if Zhou Cheng felt she should be closer to his family, showing filial piety to her halfway-recognized teacher instead of Zhou family elders?

But if she started giving away houses as gifts, her business wouldn’t last long.

If she gave everyone a house, Jinsha Chi had enough units, but what about profits? Should she just not make money?

Business people don’t work against money, and Xia Xiaolan truly wasn’t that generous. She didn’t want to pretend to be generous either, at least not during the initial capital accumulation period – Teacher Mao needed a house more than Zhou family elders, that was Xia Xiaolan’s judgment!

Zhou Cheng stared at her for a long while, his expression very strange.