“It’s fine, let her pass the information back.”

Only self-discovered information would be credible.

Xia Xiaolan also wanted to know what Xia Ziyu planned to do next.

“Fortunately, you had people watching Xia Hongbing’s family.”

These last words were directed at Ge Jian.

Ying Jinchuan was a laid-back boss, recommended by Old Tang, but no matter how capable Ying Jinchuan was, Xia Xiaolan still trusted Ge Jian more. Only Ge Jian would consider things so thoroughly for her!

Because Ying Jinchuan was already accomplished – even without Qihang, he could find work elsewhere with the same benefits.

Ge Jian, however, had grown alongside her and Qihang. Her interests were his interests.

“Ms. Xia, this is what I should do.”

“There’s no ‘should’ about it. Don’t you think I can see how dedicated you are?”

Xia Xiaolan had already decided to increase Ge Jian’s year-end bonus: “After the Spring Festival, Qihang’s new property will start pre-sales. Do you have fifty thousand yuan in savings?”

Though he hadn’t received this year’s bonus yet, Ge Jian did indeed have fifty thousand in savings.

He nodded honestly.

Xia Xiaolan continued: “When pre-sales begin, register your name for one of those 125-square-meter units, and keep one for yourself.”

At 125 square meters, even with Xia Xiaolan’s planned price control of 1,500 yuan per square meter for affordable housing, it would still cost nearly 200,000 yuan.

From what she was saying, she wanted him to secure a unit with just 50,000 yuan.

This was meant as his reward.

Fifty thousand yuan wasn’t even enough to cover the unit’s cost.

“Ms. Xia—”

“It’s decided. It’s normal for the company to offer preferential housing to executives. Not just you – Manager Ying gets this too, though I haven’t told him yet.”

She had actually thought of giving it to Ge Jian first and only included Ying Jinchuan as an afterthought.

At least that’s how Ge Jian interpreted it.

However since Qihang’s new property wouldn’t go on sale until after the Spring Festival, Ge Jian felt this Spring Festival might not be entirely pleasant. Why did people always want to cause trouble for Ms. Xia?

Xia Xiaolan wasn’t affected by negative emotions. At home, watching Liu Fen bustle about, she didn’t mention anything about people investigating Liu Fen.

Liu Fen was still thinking about Tina coming to Pengcheng.

Xia Xiaolan smacked her forehead, “If you hadn’t mentioned it, I’d have almost forgotten. Xu Changle should arrive today. I said I’d pick him up.”

Because of matters involving Liu Fen, everything else had been pushed aside, and relegated to secondary importance by Xia Xiaolan.

Fortunately, Xia Xiaolan now had a secretary. This was all written in the schedule book. When Xia Xiaolan called, Little You said she had already arranged a company car for pickup: “As per your instructions, we booked Mr. Xu a room at the Nanhai Hotel. Would you like to go there now, Ms. Xia?”

“Better not.”

Why rush to the Nanhai Hotel? Not only was Xu Changle there, but also Mrs. Wilson and Tina.

There were George and Ji Ya – counting them all, there wasn’t anyone she particularly wanted to see.

She’d better stay home and have dinner with Liu Fen and Tang Hongen!

Tang Hongen glanced at her while sipping his soup.

Not going out, being so well-behaved today – had something happened?

Tang Hongen was steady enough not to rush. After dinner, he slowly washed the dishes and tidied the kitchen. Just when Xia Xiaolan thought he was about to start his daily display of affection—usually after dinner, Tang Hongen would watch TV with Liu Fen, and how troubled Mayor Tang seemed, able to quietly watch TV dramas, listening to Liu Fen while peeling sunflower seeds for her. Xia Xiaolan felt like she had become the third wheel.

Perhaps she should reserve a unit in the new property for herself, to live separately in Pengcheng in the future?

No, she wasn’t a helpless single dog who couldn’t fight back against injury. She still had Zhou Cheng!

She should keep a unit – when Zhou Cheng came to Pengcheng on leave to visit her, staying together at home would be too awkward. Old Tang would only let Zhou Cheng sleep on the couch.

But unexpectedly, Old Tang didn’t display his affection tonight. Coming out of the kitchen, he dried his hands:

“Come to the study with me for a moment. I want to ask you about your company’s new project.”

He turned on the TV for Liu Fen: “Continue watching ‘Journey to the West’? No more sunflower seeds today, too many will cause internal heat. I made you some herbal tea in the kitchen, remember to drink it.”

Indeed, Liu Fen was currently obsessed with “Journey to the West.”

During the year Xia Xiaolan was abroad as an exchange student, the enduring classic “Journey to the West” had already premiered in China. Liu Fen was now watching reruns. This wasn’t surprising – for the next 30 years, it would be rerun every winter vacation!

Xia Xiaolan remembered from her previous life that every winter vacation, TV stations would rerun “Journey to the West,” and during summer vacation, “New Legend of White Snake.” These two TV series probably dominated the vacation viewing of people born in the 70s, 80s, and even 90s.

Following Tang Hongen in the study, Xia Xiaolan was still thinking about TV series.

“Do you want to go out and watch together?”

“No, no, no, Uncle Tang, just say what you need to say. Is there something about the property planning that doesn’t meet regulations—”

“I’m not here to talk about the property. I noticed you keep looking at your mother tonight. Is something wrong?”

Old Tang was too perceptive!

Xia Xiaolan didn’t hesitate too long before deciding to tell Tang Hongen.

She didn’t mind getting involved in the Du family’s affairs herself, just like her involvement in Xu Zhongyi’s matters – Tang Hongen didn’t oppose it though he didn’t quite approve, but he respected Xia Xiaolan’s decisions.

But now it wasn’t just about the Du family – it involved her mother.

Old Tang was her mother’s legal husband; why shouldn’t he know?

But once she started talking, she had to explain from the beginning. It was quite troublesome, so Xia Xiaolan tried to keep it concise.

“…That’s how things stand.”

Tang Hongen frowned, “If I hadn’t asked, you weren’t planning to tell me?”

Xia Xiaolan firmly denied this, “No, I just hadn’t figured out how to say it. I was also reflecting on whether I should have been tempted by money to help Du Zhaohui.”

Xia Xiaolan secretly watched Old Tang’s expression.

Tang Hongen laughed at her behavior: “Alright, stop pretending. You’ve pocketed the money, and this matter isn’t exactly wrongdoing. Do you need me to praise you instead?”

Was it wrong to advise Du Zhaohui about building ‘Chenrong Plaza’?

Looking at the current situation, Chenrong Plaza only benefited Pengcheng without any drawbacks, consolidating the scattered electronics manufacturing industry.

From Tang Hongen’s perspective, Chenrong Plaza was beneficial, so Xia Xiaolan hadn’t done anything wrong in advising Du Zhaohui.

It was the Du family who wanted to tie a perfectly good project to the matter of choosing an heir.

The Du family was in Hong Kong, beyond Tang Hongen’s jurisdiction. If they wanted to fight it out in Hong Kong until their brains spilled out, it was none of Tang Hongen’s business – they were fighting over their family fortune.

But bringing the conflict to Pengcheng and involving his wife? Tang Hongen wouldn’t tolerate that:

“Let them investigate. I want to see just how bold the Du family is!”

Tang Hongen despised such underhanded schemes.

He didn’t believe the Du family’s inheritance dispute would dare to drag Ah Fen into it.

What did this have to do with Ah Fen?

Never mind that she was just one of Du Chenrong’s concubines – even if Du Chenrong himself came, Tang Hongen wanted to see if he’d dare lay a finger on Ah Fen.