Some things could be tolerated, others couldn’t.

The standard was hard to define, but Xia Xiaolan particularly despised Ding Aizhen – their energies simply clashed. Fortunately, she wasn’t her future mother-in-law.

Her scene at the Industrial and Commercial Bureau indeed provoked Ding Aizhen’s fury:

“What does she want?”

After pondering for a while, Zhu Fang’s father said, “Is she trying to escalate this, to get the bureau leaders’ attention?”

Ding Aizhen had been waiting for Xia Xiaolan to come to apologize humbly, but instead of begging for mercy, she’d caused a scene at the bureau.

Father Zhu mused, “She’s showing some clever tricks.”

What was supposed to be an unspoken difficulty had been brought into the open by Xia Xiaolan. The Zhu family couldn’t control everything, and those pointed words would reach the bureau leaders’ ears, forcing them to look into the matter.

Xia Xiaolan’s paperwork was in order.

The rental procedures and store renovations complied with regulations.

Once exposed, they’d have to issue her business license.

If Xia Xiaolan went to make a scene at the tax bureau next, expressing her intentions clearly, they might even praise and promote her as a model example.

Xia Xiaolan’s unconventional approach, bringing everything into the open, made Zhu Fang’s father realize the tide had turned.

They’d have to issue the license.

But why call it mere cleverness?

By exposing this matter and forcing the Zhu family to temporarily back down – what about her future business in Shangdu? Leaders couldn’t always protect her.

As long as Xia Xiaolan stayed in Shangdu, she couldn’t avoid such situations!

Only reconciliation with the Zhu family, after they’d vented their anger, would truly resolve things.

Zhu Fang’s father felt that what had been a minor issue had become unsolvable due to Xia Xiaolan’s fierce, all-or-nothing attitude. If the Zhu family backed down now, how would others see it? They’d think they feared a country girl without connections.

“Now it’s great – your son will find out sooner or later… Strange though, she hasn’t gone to Zhu Fang?”

The license delay had dragged on for days, and while Xia Xiaolan had tried various methods, she never approached Zhu Fang. If Zhu Fang knew, he’d turn the household upside down.

This might have been Xia Xiaolan’s only wise move.

If she affected the mother-son relationship between Zhu Fang and his mother, not only would Ding Aizhen hate her more, but Father Zhu’s attitude would become more severe.

Then Xia Xiaolan couldn’t stay in Shangdu – they’d use every means to drive her away, rather than just making her bow her head as now.

Father Zhu was testing too – a business license wasn’t that difficult; if someone intervened, it would prove Xia Xiaolan had backing, whether her boyfriend or someone else.

But there had been no movement, and after so many days, Xia Xiaolan chose confrontation.

This direct approach meant she had no backing, which displeased Father Zhu.

Yet she dared humiliate Zhu Fang at the Yellow River Restaurant?

A mama’s boy wasn’t created by one person alone. Father Zhu wasn’t as indulgent as Ding Aizhen, but how could he not love his son?

When Zhou Cheng embarrassed Zhu Fang at the Yellow River Restaurant, Father Zhu couldn’t find Zhou Cheng, so he had to make Xia Xiaolan submit!

“We must keep this from Zhu Fang at all costs.”

Ding Aizhen smiled, “Isn’t Zhu Fang’s work unit holding a training program? I’ve registered him. In the closed training, no one can disturb him. When he finishes, we’ll have him transfer positions – he can’t stay in procurement forever!”

Xia Xiaolan’s scene proved effective.

Once the bureau spoke up, her business license was specially processed, extremely quickly.

Hu Yongcai frowned – this paper was both a permit to operate and a hot potato!

Xia Xiaolan didn’t care; she just needed to know she could open on schedule.

Liu Yong temporarily left the renovation work to run errands for Yuan Honggang’s parents. Madam Yuan was delighted to see him:

“That old fool said Little Liu wouldn’t come anymore, but I knew Little Liu wasn’t that kind of person. When’s your store opening?”

Liu Yong cheerfully cleaned Madam Yuan’s house inside and out while answering, “Opening on the 24th of this month. My niece wants to hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony. I’d like to invite Factory Director Yuan for guidance – we got the storefront thanks to him!”

Madam Yuan promised to drag Yuan Honggang to the “ribbon-cutting” even if she had to tie him up… These days, stores just set off firecrackers for opening ceremonies. Little Liu was creative with this ribbon-cutting thing – she’d never seen that before.

Yuan Honggang didn’t want to go when he received his mother’s instructions. Why get so close to a private business owner? State Cotton Mill No. 3 wasn’t a clothing factory; they’d have no business dealings. One was a large enterprise with annual profits of two to three million and over ten thousand workers, the other a small shop with total assets perhaps not even reaching 20,000 yuan. He couldn’t possibly need anything from Liu Yong’s clothing store.

But when Madam Yuan accused him of being unfilial, he was forced to agree.

Yuan Honggang couldn’t resist his mother and reluctantly agreed to attend the “ribbon-cutting.” He figured he’d be the highest-ranking “leader” at this opening ceremony. Though seasoned workers at the cotton mill could give him trouble, as deputy director representing the mill in public events, he didn’t lack status.

Being deputy director of the profitable State Cotton Mill No. 3 was better than being a government official!

Liu Yong wouldn’t ask Yuan Honggang to deal with Ding Aizhen; like Xia Xiaolan, he felt their relationship wasn’t close enough. Liu Yong sought information from his original connection, who was also in the cotton mill system but at Mill No. 6.

When he inquired about Ding Aizhen, people just laughed:

“Plenty of people dislike Ding Aizhen – you think you can bring her down?”

That would be fine too. Ding Aizhen was quite disagreeable. She’d been promoted to cadre through her in-laws’ connections, though she’d started as a workshop worker like everyone else. She used to have a likable personality, but after becoming a cadre, she enjoyed stepping on others. She formed cliques, and those who flattered her got benefits despite lacking ability. Those who didn’t please “Director Ding” were sent to cool their heels.

Take the recent allocation of ten housing units at Mill No. 3 – Ding Aizhen took two sets. Many people were eagerly waiting to improve their living conditions, but instead of distributing based on actual need, she used the housing allocations as tools to win people over:

“Many at Mill No. 3 hate Ding Aizhen. Zheng Zhongfu now wants to kill her.”