Xia Xiaolan’s attitude left Xia Hongxia bewildered.

“What do you mean?”

Xia Xiaolan smiled, “I mean, we weren’t destined to be close cousins, but I’m not planning to take revenge on you. You don’t need to fear me so much. If I wanted to do something, could you still be selling boxed meals peacefully in Pengcheng? Think carefully – haven’t those I particularly dislike been unable to stay in my sight for long?”

Xia Hongxia’s heart skipped a beat.

Who did Xia Xiaolan particularly dislike?

Uncle’s family.

Grandmother.

Second Uncle.

This demon Xia Xiaolan was right – each of them had met with misfortune… Xia Xiaolan was deliberately scaring her, but Xia Hongxia terrified herself with her imagination, trembling even more violently. With her mouth full of rice, she choked this time.

Xia Xiaolan pointed to the water nearby. Xia Hongxia grabbed it and gulped it down, choking so hard her eyes rolled back!

Nothing good ever came from encountering Xia Xiaolan!

Wait, if Xia Xiaolan wasn’t seeking revenge, why did she call her here?

Under Xia Xiaolan’s smiling gaze, a mix of guilt and anger rose from Xia Hongxia’s feet. She threw down the boxed meal:

“Xia Xiaolan, you… you sent people to test me! They must be your people, you wanted to test if I…”

Test what?

Test if she would oppose Xia Xiaolan.

If she and her mother had agreed to the messenger’s request, Xia Xiaolan would have had an excuse to drive her from Pengcheng.

No, she refused to leave Pengcheng. The boxed meal business was too good – she could never earn this much back in Shangdu. Xia Hongxia would rather die than leave.

Xia Hongxia was both frightened and angry.

Already sitting with only half her bottom on the chair, her fear made her fall off completely.

Xia Hongxia simply stayed on the ground, glaring at Xia Xiaolan.

Xia Xiaolan’s smile vanished, and Xia Hongxia suddenly burst into loud tears: “I was wrong before, I’m sorry, okay? You’re doing well now, I’m suffering – why do you still have to make things difficult for me?!”

Setting up stalls on the street, face covered in dust, Xia Hongxia wailed, her tears creating two black streaks through the grime.

She was so unlucky!

They’d come thinking Second Uncle had made it big in Pengcheng, the whole family rushing to share in the good fortune.

But what fortune had she shared?

In Yangcheng, she’d been drugged by Ke Yixiong’s people, waking up in a small salon.

Hungry and afraid, worried the salon people would force her to take clients!

The hunger had scared her so much she’d even considered just taking clients – what was so bad about sleeping with men compared to starving?

Pah! Pah! Pah! She’d never taken any clients.

Xia Hongxia refused to acknowledge those thoughts from back then.

After being taken from the salon, she was locked up for a long time because she had no introduction letter.

Finally reaching Pengcheng, she barely had two good days before Second Uncle Xia Dajun fell from the boss’s favor, and she was sent to work at Ke Yixiong’s construction site… Living the good life? Enjoying luxuries? What good life had she enjoyed?!

Xia Hongxia slapped the ground, feeling utterly wronged.

Watching Xia Hongxia wail until snot bubbles appeared, Xia Xiaolan couldn’t help touching her face: Am I really that scary?

She was both amused and annoyed by Xia Hongxia. When Xia Hongxia finally cried herself breathless, Xia Xiaolan tossed her some tissues:

“Xia Hongxia, I’ve realized I can’t speak nicely with you. I haven’t even hit you – what are you howling about? Quickly clean your face and sit properly to talk!”

Damn, anyone hearing this noise would think they were slaughtering pigs upstairs!

Xia Hongxia lay on the ground a while longer before crawling up.

Wiping her nose with tissue, still sobbing:

“Why are you making things difficult for me? Does my boxed meal business offend you?”

Xia Xiaolan stared at her with a cold smile, “Yes, it offends me. So what are you going to do about it?”

What could she do?

Xia Hongxia looked lost, “…Should I try a different business?”

What a coward!

Honestly, dealing with such a thick-skinned person left Xia Xiaolan helpless.

But she realized she couldn’t be too polite with Xia Hongxia.

Xia Hongxia had already imagined her as ruthless – when Xia Xiaolan showed even slight politeness, Xia Hongxia became more frightened.

Having this sense of awe meant this fool Xia Hongxia had improved quite a bit.

Even if Xia Xiaolan truly harbored grudges over past squabbles, seeing Xia Hongxia rolling around like a clown should have satisfied any desire for revenge.

Xia Xiaolan clicked her tongue:

“Xia Hongxia, I underestimated you – you’ve grown.”

Xia Hongxia kept her head down, silent.

Xia Xiaolan tapped the table, “Relax, I’m not interested in your boxed meal business. You can continue selling in Pengcheng, but first tell me – why did people come looking for you these past few days?”

“Wasn’t that your—”

Xia Hongxia froze.

If they weren’t Xia Xiaolan’s people, then they were sent by Xia Ziyu.

But Xia Xiaolan knew so quickly… Xia Hongxia shrank her neck – Xia Xiaolan had been having people watch her family! Xia Hongxia wanted to question this but lacked the courage.

Xia Hongxia hadn’t known her family was worth monitoring.

This only confirmed Xia Xiaolan’s “ruthlessness” in her mind.

Believing Xia Ziyu probably still couldn’t beat Xia Xiaolan, Xia Hongxia stuttered out everything.

“…Really, that person said they were sent by Xia Ziyu, asking how Second Aunt was doing, and tried to give me money, but I didn’t dare take it.”

Xia Xiaolan watched her silently.

Xia Hongxia swore oaths: “I didn’t take the money! They threw it down and ran, but I chased after them and returned it! Besides, I don’t even know how Second Aunt is doing – I didn’t say anything!”

After staring at her for a long while, as Xia Hongxia was about to cry again from fear, Xia Xiaolan finally nodded:

“If you’d taken the money, you certainly wouldn’t be sitting here comfortably now. They said they were Xia Ziyu’s people?”

Xia Hongxia nodded vigorously.

Xia Xiaolan thought for a moment, “Alright when they come again, tell them you agree. Whatever they ask, you answer. If you don’t know how to answer, come ask me.”

“I can’t, I don’t dare—”

“Are you stupid? If I’m telling you to do this, naturally I have my reasons. Do you want me to explain everything in detail?”

Of course, she didn’t dare ask that.

Xia Hongxia was terrified of Xia Xiaolan.

No matter how much she internally screamed about heaven’s unfairness, deep down she understood that besides having a bewitching face that could deceive men, Xia Xiaolan was also smarter than her, smarter than most people – how else could she become provincial champion and enter Huaqing University… This was why Xia Hongxia believed Xia Ziyu couldn’t beat Xia Xiaolan.

When it came to intelligence, Xia Ziyu fell short.

Otherwise, Xia Ziyu would have scored higher and attended a better university.

Whatever Xia Xiaolan planned, she didn’t need to explain – if Xia Ziyu couldn’t match her, Xia Hongxia certainly couldn’t outmaneuver her.

Xia Hongxia’s mind was like congee.

Xia Xiaolan didn’t pressure her, instead changing the subject:

“This year, the City Industry and Commerce Bureau will issue ‘Business Licenses’ to some individual businesses with fixed locations. Do you know what this means?”