Xia Hongxia didn’t understand.

Why did they suddenly start talking about the Industrial and Commercial Bureau?

Just hearing those words made Xia Hongxia afraid.

Her boxed lunch stall was operating illegally, constantly on the move, and subject to fines no matter who caught her.

Actually, in 1984, Pengcheng conducted a cleanup of the city’s appearance, sanitation, and traffic, clearing out many individual business locations that didn’t comply with city planning. At that time, mobile vendors like Xia Hongxia were targets for removal.

In other places, once cleared meant cleared for good. But Pengcheng was a special economic zone, more tolerant toward individual businesses. After getting approval from city planning, the Industrial and Commercial Bureau built uniform steel-frame tin houses along non-major roads, renting them to individual merchants.

Besides these tin houses, stores in People’s Bridge Small Goods Market, Xiangnan Herbal Medicine Market, and various farmers’ markets were also allowed to be rented to individual merchants.

If not for this policy, the first building materials store couldn’t have opened in the Small Goods Market.

This was the same building where Xia Xiaolan and Xia Hongxia were now.

But Xia Xiaolan could find this place, and even Bai Zhenzhu could find it because they had capital and connections by then.

Xia Hongxia had nothing. When the policy loosened and stores became available, they were quickly taken, one after another.

Even if some spaces opened up now, Xia Hongxia wouldn’t have a chance to get them.

She might be smarter than before, but compared to those seasoned merchants who had secured storefronts and operated in Pengcheng for years, Xia Hongxia’s wit counted for little.

Just like Old Duan, the secondhand dealer – one look at the Yangcheng Morning News advertisement and he knew the stalls at Cheng Rong Plaza would be in high demand.

But showing the same newspaper to Xia Hongxia, she’d probably just make idle chat with Wang Jingui, not knowing opportunities were fleeting.

Now, as Xia Xiaolan explained the policy to her, she still couldn’t wrap her head around it.

Xia Xiaolan sighed.

Fortunately, she didn’t consider herself part of the Xia family or think of Xia Hongxia as a real cousin.

If her actual cousin were this dim-witted, Xia Xiaolan would doubt her intelligence!

Speaking with Xia Hongxia required extreme detail, or she wouldn’t understand—

“With a business license, you can do business in Pengcheng without worry, whether selling boxed lunches or anything else. Nobody will chase you away, you won’t need to fear uniformed officials, and you’ll pay fees just like other merchants. Even as an outsider, you’ll have legitimate status here.”

Finally, Xia Hongxia understood what Xia Xiaolan spelled out so clearly.

The Industrial and Commercial Bureau would issue licenses to individual merchants.

Those with licenses would be treated like legitimate children, free to do business in Pengcheng, while those without were like abandoned children, disposable at any time!

Xia Hongxia shuddered:

“But… but I don’t have a fixed storefront…”

Rent a store?

With enough money, she could sublease from someone else.

But why would anyone give up a location with good business?

The better the location, the more expensive the storefront – places that cost just a few hundred or one or two thousand yuan a couple of years ago now cost several thousand or tens of thousands to sublease.

Xia Hongxia couldn’t afford it, lacked the courage, and hadn’t saved enough money.

Xia Xiaolan looked at her with a half-smile:

“How do you like this Small Goods Market? Even if you just sold boxed lunches from a small storefront here, you’d make a fortune.”

Xia Hongxia licked her lips.

That would be profitable – the People’s Bridge Small Goods Market had so many customers every day.

“What do you mean?”

Xia Hongxia had guessed but could hardly believe it.

“Exactly what you’re thinking. What else could I mean? Think carefully about whether you want to do as I say.”

Xia Hongxia’s mind started racing:

“You want me to be a spy, an agent, and then—”

Then give her a shop and help her get a “business license”?

Could Xia Xiaolan be this generous?

Xia Xiaolan told her to go home and think it over. By the time Xia Hongxia reached the stairway, she had figured it out.

Xia Ziyu wanted her help, Xia Xiaolan wanted her help – whose side should she take?

Even without Xia Xiaolan’s incentives… Xia Hongxia wouldn’t dare side with Xia Ziyu!

Now that Xia Xiaolan was offering benefits, Xia Hongxia sheepishly returned: “Sister Xiaolan, I’ll do whatever you say, just tell me what to do.”

—Thanks, but please use my full name.

Xia Hongxia had indeed grown smarter.

Not only had she become more clever, but she also knew how to seize opportunities.

If she were too stupid, Xia Xiaolan wouldn’t dare use her.

She gave Xia Hongxia some instructions, told her to remember everything carefully, and sent her away.

Then she sat in her chair, considering the information Xia Hongxia had revealed.

First, Du Zhaohui hadn’t managed to control Xia Ziyu in time, and this had truly become problematic. Xia Ziyu had secretly extended her reach to Pengcheng, and Du Zhaohui didn’t even know – he’d been getting too complacent lately.

Second, had Xia Ziyu managed to reach Pengcheng on her own, or was someone from the Du family helping?

Third, why was Xia Ziyu asking about her mother?

“Impossible!”

Du Zhaohui was always happy when Xia Xiaolan sought him out.

Though it was always for business, any extra meeting was welcome.

But the news Xia Xiaolan brought nearly made Du Zhaohui jump out of his seat!

“Xia Ziyu can barely protect herself in the Du family. If not for my help, Liu Keying could have finished her off. If she could develop her network, I’ll write my name backward!”

Du Zhaohui’s eyes turned vicious.

Xia Xiaolan rolled her eyes – “Du Gouzi” written backward would be what, “Gou Duzi”?

Even calling him “Dog Belly” wouldn’t change the facts.

“I said long ago that someone like Xia Ziyu shouldn’t be given any chances. Now the evidence is right in front of us – is it so hard to admit you were careless?”

Ah, even the Young Master was getting scolded. Ah Hua didn’t dare listen further.

The Young Master wouldn’t do anything to Miss Xia, but having witnessed the Young Master’s embarrassment, Ah Hua would suffer consequences.

Ah Hua tried to slip away quietly, but Du Zhaohui’s gaze had already fallen on him.

Ah Hua spoke reluctantly: “Young Master, she absolutely cannot have the ability to send messages to Pengcheng. Our people are watching her closely.”

The driver assigned to Xia Ziyu by Du Chengrong was Du Zhaohui’s man.

How could the Fifth Concubine walk everywhere?

Ah Hua knew everything Xia Ziyu did each day.

Even with some money gifted by Du Chengrong, Xia Ziyu had no opportunity to use it to find help.

The only people Xia Ziyu could meet were—

“Then the situation is even worse. Xia Ziyu has teamed up with certain people in the Du family.”

Xia Xiaolan interjected.

Du Zhaohui lowered his head.

Who had Xia Ziyu allied with?

The Second Branch, Third Branch, or even the Fourth Branch that seemingly hated her most?

Having been outmaneuvered by Xia Ziyu, Du Zhaohui now doubted his judgment.