The Zhu family didn’t have any particularly high-ranking officials – Ding Aizhen was just a director at State Cotton Mill Three, and Zhu Fang’s father was merely a section chief in the government office.

However, what made them formidable was that their relatives held similar positions.

All their extended family members had some small measure of power, like a spider web – unremarkable usually but infiltrating various departments and units throughout Shangdu. While arranging jobs required calling in significant favors, blocking an individual business owner’s license offered much more room for manipulation!

They didn’t outright refuse to process it – they just said it didn’t meet requirements, with no further explanation when questioned.

For a shop like Xia Xiaolan’s that was eager to open, a delay of a few months would ruin everything… Having paid rent and spent significant money on renovations, would she have to go back to street vending instead of using her ready storefront? She’d have to be a complete fool!

But what choice did she have if she didn’t want to be a fool?

Would she dare operate without a license and forcibly open?

If “Blue Phoenix” opened without a business license, the Zhu family had many ways to deal with her. Industrial and Commercial authorities could shut down her business, and they might even charge her with “speculation and profiteering” – whether she went to jail would depend on their mood.

Xia Xiaolan wasn’t some inexperienced youth – she understood these tactics all too well.

It was precisely because she understood that it disgusted her. People abusing their minor authority weren’t exactly frightening, but they were truly “disgusting.”

“The Zhu family!”

Xia Xiaolan was furious enough to grind her teeth.

She considered how to resolve this situation.

Against forceful suppression, the best strategy would be to find someone more powerful to suppress them in return.

The middle strategy would be to provoke Zhu Fang into causing trouble with his family.

The lowest strategy would be to make herself a thorn in their side, causing them pain whenever they stepped on her, making them keep their distance!

Looking at the difficulty of execution, the order of these three strategies could be reversed. Apart from provoking Zhu Fang to cause trouble at home, the lowest strategy was easier than the highest. Xia Xiaolan could more easily control her actions, while the highest strategy of finding someone more powerful to suppress the Zhu family… without capital for equal exchange, why would more powerful people help her?

The Zhu family was deeply rooted in Shangdu, while she wasn’t even from there.

Having been reborn for such a short time, Xia Xiaolan had only managed to push life toward moderate prosperity, moving her family from the countryside to the provincial capital. Building various connections should have been part of the next phase of her plan.

What capable people did she know?

Chen Wangda was the village chief of Qijing Village, an old revolutionary with absolute authority there and some connections in Anqing County. But in Shangdu, the provincial capital of Yunan Province, Chen Wangda wasn’t considered a significant figure.

Another capable person was Hu Yongcai, the old purchasing officer at the Municipal Party Committee Guest House. Using his position’s advantages, he had some connections in Shangdu and was a local “old hand,” but was similarly limited by his purchasing position, never having the chance to reach higher social circles – even if Hu Yongcai had connections with certain leaders, he’d keep them hidden, why would he use them to help Xia Xiaolan confront the Zhu family?

The most distant connection was at County No. 1 High School. She should have performed well in her final exams – could she ask Principal Sun for help?

Better not – Principal Sun might know people in Shangdu’s education system through various channels, but he was Xia Ziyu’s “patron.”

This matter couldn’t involve Principal Sun.

Unable to reconcile or suppress the Zhu family through power, the only option left was to confront them head-on and catch them for their wrongdoing!

While Xia Xiaolan was lost in thought, Liu Yong seemed hesitant to speak.

“Xiaolan, last time when I went to withdraw shares from my friend, Kang Wei found someone to help speak for us. That person said they were sent by Secretary Hou. Originally they were hesitant, but as soon as they heard about Secretary Hou, they immediately agreed.”

Liu Yong was also anxiously worried.

If “Blue Phoenix” couldn’t open, though he and his niece wouldn’t lose everything, their plans would be completely disrupted.

They’d invested almost all the renovation costs, and bought the materials, with only workers’ wages left unpaid. Adding the rent, these three storefronts had tied up over ten thousand yuan… If they couldn’t open, would all that money be wasted?

Though wholesale clothing from Yang City was profitable, Liu Yong knew how hard it was.

Xia Xiaolan was only 18, yet each trip to Yang City meant spending over 30 hours on the train, over 70 hours round trip in hard seats, only able to doze on the table or walk around the carriage when too tired from sitting!

To sell the clothes, she endured the cold of winter outdoors. No matter how thickly dressed, standing outside all day in winter meant cold wind would still get in. Even with tight sleeves and a scarf, it was useless – you can’t wear a big mask while hawking goods!

Liu Yong hadn’t done the street vending, but after just two days, Li Fengmei’s feet were swollen. At night, she had to struggle to remove her shoes, then endure scalding hot water for half an hour – without soaking, poor circulation would keep her awake at night, and she wouldn’t be able to walk the next day.

While gritting her teeth through foot soaking, Li Fengmei had said Xia Xiaolan had it tough – being an individual business owner wasn’t easier than farm work.

When business was poor, Li Fengmei would get so anxious she developed mouth ulcers. Farm work was physically tiring, but running a business was exhausting both physically and mentally – everything was bought with money, and the mental pressure was enormous when things wouldn’t sell.

Making money was so difficult – though Liu Yong opposed Zhou Cheng dating Xia Xiaolan, he felt for her hardships.

Why not use connections when you have them?

Wasn’t the Zhu family also bullying people by relying on their minor authority?

Zhou Cheng spoke with sincerity, and Liu Yong wanted to see just how sincere he could be.

“You mean Zhou Cheng knows powerful people in Shangdu city?”

“If not Zhou Cheng, then Kang Wei – one of them must have connections in Shangdu.”

Xia Xiaolan thought about it. Zhou Cheng’s work unit was strictly managed, so she tried asking Kang Wei.

Upon receiving the telegram, Kang Wei immediately jumped up.

“Xiao Guang, Brother Guang, you’ve been blabbing about Brother Cheng’s business everywhere, now here’s your chance for redemption… Listen, someone’s bullying Brother Cheng’s woman, refusing to issue her business license.”

Unlike their cigarette trading, a clothing store was a legitimate business – why wouldn’t they issue a license?

Weren’t they just bullying Xia Xiaolan because she was from the countryside and didn’t know anyone in Shangdu who could stand up for her? What an achievement, a whole family ganging up on an out-of-town girl!

Kang Wei caught hold of Shao Guangrong.

Shao Guangrong had caused trouble while drunk, swearing not to blab, yet had managed to spread the news everywhere in just two days – who knew when it had reached the elders’ ears. Shao Guangrong had been too ashamed to face Kang Wei, avoiding him recently, but hearing about this chance for “redemption,” his eyes lit up craftily.

“Going to Shangdu? Good, good, good, I’ll personally pay my respects to sister-in… no, I mean, I’ll go pay respects to my uncle.”