After Xia Dajun left Principal Sun’s house in chaos, Principal Sun’s wife still invited Xia Xiaolan and her mother to stay for lunch.

“No need, Aunt Wu. My uncle is waiting for me at the school gate.”

Principal Sun repeatedly assured them that this incident wouldn’t affect Xia Xiaolan’s studies. “Even if they file a police report, don’t worry. Let them question me!”

Principal Sun was fairly confident he could suppress the matter. As the principal of the county’s top middle school, he had some influence. The incident could be viewed either as Liu Fen assaulting someone or, more trivially, as a marital dispute. The police station generally avoided such matters. If someone filed a report about their ex-wife now, then reconciled later and came back demanding “Why did you arrest my wife,” these kinds of family conflicts gave the police station headaches.

Xia Dajun had been able to talk for quite a while, so his injuries couldn’t be too severe.

If she had broken his bones, could he have still made threats at the Sun family’s house?

Xia Xiaolan was confident too. To put it bluntly, didn’t Bureau Chief Yang still give them some face? Though that courtesy was extended because of Uncle Shao Guangrong, to save her mother, Xia Xiaolan would have to swallow her pride and ask for help.

After all, Zhou Cheng had helped them multiple times. Xia Xiaolan owed him many favors – what was one more at this crucial moment?

Xia Xiaolan didn’t think stabbing someone was right, but she knew her mother’s character. Liu Fen wouldn’t even cry out if pricked with a needle. Xia Dajun must have pushed her to the breaking point for her to lash out with a knife in anger.

She had no father-daughter bond with Xia Dajun, so naturally, she sided with Liu Fen.

If Liu Fen had killed him, the charges would be harder to escape. But since she only wounded Xia Dajun – no broken bones, just a flesh wound – Xia Xiaolan was certain she could protect her mother. Leaving Principal Sun’s house, Xia Xiaolan advised her mother:

“You don’t need to pay any attention to him. Whatever the Xia family says to you, just treat it like they’re spouting nonsense.”

Words were useless – what good was trash talk?

When Xia Xiaolan was in a good mood, she might humiliate Xia Ziyu, but when she wasn’t, she couldn’t even be bothered to waste words on her. Creating a competitor for Zhang’s wasn’t enough. Zhang’s business was so good, operating steadily at the county’s top middle school gate – wasn’t that all thanks to Principal Sun’s protection?

Xia Xiaolan went straight for the root, making Principal Sun suspicious of Xia Ziyu. It would be difficult for Zhang to continue operating under Principal Sun’s banner in the future.

After following Xia Xiaolan downstairs, Liu Fen felt weak in her limbs.

Her maternal courage hadn’t lasted long. When Xia Dajun mentioned the police would arrest her, Liu Fen worried about her daughter’s upcoming college entrance exam – how could she have a mother in prison?

Only after Xia Xiaolan repeatedly assured her that such a minor injury wouldn’t lead to imprisonment did Liu Fen gradually calm down.

She then told Xia Xiaolan what Xia Dajun had said: “He wanted us to return to the Xia family, saying he’d pay for your education. I refused. Then he accused me of having an affair, saying that’s why I wouldn’t remarry him… That’s when I stabbed him.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. You did the right thing. We won’t go back to the Xia family. My mom can support my education – why should I go back to being looked down upon?”

Liu Fen nodded, “I can provide!”

She was determined to quickly learn the clothing store business with her sister-in-law. Li Fengmei would handle sales, while she did other store tasks. The less Xiaolan had to worry about the store, the more time she’d have for studying. Liu Fen had caught some of what Principal Sun said – wasn’t the principal involved in their family affairs because her daughter had good grades?

Principal Sun said Xia Xiaolan could get into a prestigious university.

Living in the village, Liu Fen had been ignorant, but after Xia Xiaolan decided to take the college entrance exam, she often asked others about relevant information.

Prestigious universities were the best!

Graduates from prestigious universities wouldn’t be assigned to work in small places. They could stay in big cities, where the best jobs gave priority to prestigious university graduates. Staying in a big city, not returning to Anqing County, far away from this place – that was Liu Fen’s hope for Xia Xiaolan.

In the big city, no one would know Xia Xiaolan. The Xia family wouldn’t be able to find her, and her daughter would have the best life.

When mother and daughter reached the entrance, Liu Yong and Li Fengmei looked anxious.

The busy lunch period had passed. Xia Hongxia had been run over by Zhang and had been waiting for Xia Xiaolan and Liu Fen to come out.

“Xia Xiaolan, you’re so vicious! You could even harm your father! After what you did to my Second Uncle, get ready for prison!”

Xia Hongxia hadn’t received firsthand information. When Zhang Cui first shouted about it, she also believed Xia Xiaolan had stabbed Xia Dajun. Xia Xiaolan directly told her to get lost: “Good dogs don’t block the road. Stop shamelessly appearing before me all the time. You won’t gain any advantage from my misfortune. Your habit of always trying to harm others only shows how shallow, ignorant, and vicious you are.”

“You…!”

Xia Hongxia was thoroughly choked by Xia Xiaolan’s words.

She racked her brains but couldn’t find a retort. She wanted to trade insults with Xia Xiaolan but feared appearing ignorant and vicious. She still hoped to find a partner at the county’s top middle school – the gentleness and thoughtfulness of her college-educated brother-in-law made Xia Hongxia quite envious.

After a long struggle, Xia Hongxia finally spat out:

“Act tough now! You’ll be crying when the police come to arrest you!”

Xia Hongxia rolled her eyes. Alone against four people on Xia Xiaolan’s side, seeing Li Fengmei rolling up her sleeves, she feared getting beaten up. After delivering her threat, she quickly ran away.

Xia Xiaolan was speechless. Xia Hongxia was both stupid and malicious. Besides saying harsh words and pulling underhanded tricks behind people’s backs, Xia Xiaolan had never “expected much” from her. Compared to Xia Hongxia, Xia Ziyu indeed seemed clever – good at both studies and acting. Most people would certainly be fooled by Xia Ziyu.

“Uncle Zhao, thank you for today. I’ll treat you to a meal later!”

Gatekeeper Old Zhao thought today had been quite chaotic. Xia Dajun had just left injured – technically, he should have detained Xia Xiaolan and Liu Fen to question them, but Old Zhao waved for them to leave quickly.

What was there to question? Principal Sun had approved their entry to the school.

Only Xia Dajun was injured, and Principal Sun hadn’t mentioned filing a police report. Old Zhao wouldn’t meddle unnecessarily.

Seeing no one from the school coming to stop them, Liu Yong guessed the situation wasn’t too serious. Besides, Xia Xiaolan hadn’t admitted to injuring Xia Dajun – it was all Zhang Cui’s baseless shouting.

Li Fengmei had left her son at Huang’s Fast Food. The family had planned to have lunch in Anqing County, and though it was late now, they still needed to eat. Liu Zitao was waiting obediently in the shop. Sister Huang had been busy earlier:

“I heard someone was stabbed. Almost everyone from Zhang’s across the street ran out, carrying a blood-covered man to the hospital!”

“Oh, that was my father.”

Sister Huang was dumbfounded.

She had never met Xia Dajun, nor seen any male owner in the Commercial District house.

How could a daughter casually eat rice with her mother while her father had been stabbed? Sister Huang thought about how anxious Zhang’s people had been – they knew Xia Xiaolan’s father… Didn’t that mean they also knew Xia Xiaolan?

“Then Zhang’s…?”

“My aunt runs it.”

Xia Xiaolan offered no further explanation. Sister Huang thought, then why did you give me advice about competing with Zhang’s business? Remembering how Xia Xiaolan had eagerly helped without asking for anything in return, Sister Huang felt awkward about asking more questions.

This was no ordinary family – they must have some grudge.

While eating, Xia Xiaolan finally explained that Liu Fen had stabbed Xia Dajun, but she had already handled it.

Li Fengmei was stunned, looking Liu Fen up and down:

“Ah Fen, you’ve made progress.”

She often instilled certain ideas in her sister-in-law, trying to make Liu Fen completely give up on Xia Dajun, saying there was nothing good about the Xia family. But for Liu Fen to stab someone – had she learned too well? Li Fengmei might have a sharper tongue than Liu Fen and would dare to fight men, but she’d probably hesitate to stab someone with a knife.

But it showed how far Xia Dajun had pushed Liu Fen, for someone as timid as a rabbit to resort to stabbing!

Liu Yong also said the stabbing was justified. At this point, everyone needed to encourage Liu Fen. She was naturally timid – even if the police didn’t arrest her, she might still frighten herself sick.

Xia Xiaolan deliberately ate slowly.

Though Xia Dajun’s wounds appeared superficial, she needed to confirm.

Soon after, Xia Changzheng and Xia Ziyu, father and daughter, returned. Seeing Xia Xiaolan’s group brazenly eating at Huang’s Fast Food, Xia Changzheng couldn’t control his anger. For the first time, he stopped in front of his competitor’s store, pointing at Xia Xiaolan and scolding:

“You still have the appetite to eat? Your father lost a basin of blood, got over ten stitches, and is still getting IV fluids at the hospital! Xia Xiaolan, you’re his daughter – Xia Dajun is your real father!”