Xia Xiaolan carefully read through the news article, but it didn’t mention how much capital CR Investment had.

However, she thought Ah Hua should know – if Du Zhaohui couldn’t even find this out, he’d be truly useless.

“The registered capital is 10 million Hong Kong dollars, but the actual money invested should be around 30 million Hong Kong dollars.”

Entrusting 30 million Hong Kong dollars to Xia Ziyu’s management?

Xia Xiaolan felt extremely sympathetic: “Your family’s eldest young master must be furious!”

Ah Hua didn’t contradict her.

Of course, he was furious.

When Du Chengrong first let Du Zhaohui start his business last year, he only gave him 20 million Hong Kong dollars. Later, he was willing to “lend money” to Du Zhaohui because Du Zhaohui had already established the foundation for Chengrong Plaza. Trying to revitalize a project as large as Chengrong Plaza with just 20 million Hong Kong dollars was pure fantasy, forcing Du Zhaohui to sell all his villas and luxury cars to go all in.

Du Zhaohui had won that gamble!

This wasn’t because of Du Chengrong’s protection – Du Zhaohui simply had incredible luck in meeting a helper like Xia Xiaolan.

At this moment, it wasn’t surprising that Du Zhaohui was furious enough to lose his mind.

Even if Du Chengrong had many children vying for his attention, Du Zhaohui was still his biological son who had called him father for over twenty years.

How long had Xia Ziyu been with Du Chengrong?

Yet with one move, he gave Xia Ziyu 30 million Hong Kong dollars to practice with… Damn, not only was Du Zhaohui driven to madness, even Xia Xiaolan wanted to slip some rat poison to that old lecher Du Chengrong and end everything!

With 30 million Hong Kong dollars, Xia Ziyu could now cause trouble for her!

Xia Xiaolan crumpled the newspaper into a ball:

“She’s going all out.”

Not even taking time to recover after her miscarriage, she so quickly took the position of executive director at CR Investment. Was Xia Ziyu determined to shine in her career, not even caring about her own life?

This matter greatly affected Xia Xiaolan’s mood.

Only three-tenths of the joy from winning the lawsuit remained as she went through customs with a group of people.

Grandmother Yu’s family was still in America dealing with Tina’s affairs. Those who returned to China with her were the Mao Kangshan couple, Liu Fen, and reporters from Domus along with AIA representatives.

After passing through customs, Old Tang immediately took his beloved Comrade Fen away.

What was there to say about winning the lawsuit? They should have won anyway. Tang Hongen never believed Xia Xiaolan would steal someone else’s work – that would be too foolish, not her style at all.

The fact that she was the mayor’s daughter hadn’t been discovered by American reporters, so there was no need to reveal it to the people from AIA and Domus magazine.

However, there was no need to hide that she owned a real estate company and had established an architectural firm in Pengcheng. Genius doesn’t come from anywhere – without financial support behind her, how could she have had so many opportunities for practical experience?

The Domus reporters were rather bewildered.

After leaving Hong Kong, they found it hard to adjust to the Special Zone under construction – everything was chaotic, with no particularly beautiful buildings to photograph.

But in Pengcheng, Xia Xiaolan had more than one “work” to show.

Little You, who had just returned from Qiong Island, provided the Domus reporters with a list of buildings available for photography in her capacity as Xia Xiaolan’s secretary:

“These are all our Director Xia’s works.”

Nanhai Hotel was in Pengcheng.

The office building Huo Chenzhou had commissioned Xia Xiaolan to design was in Pengcheng.

Chengrong Plaza was in Pengcheng.

Golden Sand Pool was also Xia Xiaolan’s creation.

Ha! Congratulations to the Domus reporters – they had landed in a place rich with material. Most of the works in the portfolio Xia Xiaolan had distributed at the New York courthouse could be found in their actual form in Pengcheng.

How could an architect featured in a Domus interview not have enough work to back it up?

Take photos, take as many as you want.

Having served as Xia Xiaolan’s secretary for several months, You Li had never stopped improving herself and could now conduct daily conversations in English. She arranged everything perfectly for the Domus reporters and AIA people… Well, she heard that people from Japan’s “A+U” magazine were coming too, but You Li wasn’t concerned – she could handle Japanese visitors just as well!

After touring Qiong Island with Ge Jian for inspection, You Li had become even more capable and bolder!

Xia Xiaolan left the trivial matters to others and personally escorted Mao Kangshan and Madam Song home.

The elderly couldn’t handle long flights like younger people could – while she could endure it, the elderly couple needed rest.

But the trip had been worth it. They had witnessed Xia Xiaolan winning the lawsuit with their own eyes, Mao Kangshan had met old friends, and they had toured New York. How many elderly women in 1987 could have experienced what Madam Song had in these few days?

Mao Kangshan and Madam Song hadn’t consulted their children about going abroad; people only found out after they had left.

Take Mao Guosheng, who worked in Yangcheng – how could he not have heard the news?

It was said that when his wife Zheng Shuqin found out, she threw a fit at home, crying and complaining of chest pains – typical jealousy that her in-laws could go to America while she couldn’t. For some people, missing out on an advantage felt like having their heart and flesh carved out.

Xia Xiaolan couldn’t care less about what such people thought.

These people weren’t worth wasting energy on. With such a busy schedule and limited energy, if she had to care about every little thing and detail, trying to make everyone satisfied and like her, wouldn’t she work herself to death?

Sitting alone in the car, Xia Xiaolan took out a box from her bag.

She had bought this in America.

She had said that every year on Zhou Cheng’s birthday, she would give him a watch, and this year, she hadn’t forgotten.

Zhou Cheng’s birthday was coming up soon.

So the question was, should she go to Qiong Island first, or to Shangdu?

…

Pengcheng.

People’s Bridge Small Goods Market.

It didn’t matter that the shop was small, and they didn’t need many tables – the customers who came to eat weren’t picky, they’d even squat on the ground to eat if necessary.

The small vendors who came to People’s Bridge to stock up only wanted to fill their stomachs. If the prices were cheap and the food tasted somewhat good, that would be truly satisfying.

As soon as Xia Hongxia’s restaurant opened in the small goods market, business was booming.

She had obtained a license and paid management and sanitation fees on time. Although she was still self-employed, she was now officially registered with the Industrial and Commercial Bureau – a proper business owner who could hold her head high.

No need to drag all the stoves and pots around the city anymore; this business was incredibly comfortable to run.

As a result, Xia Hongxia gained another 10 jin after opening the shop… This was the very definition of happiness weight.

She was happy and wanted to make the whole family “happy.” Business was so good that Xia Hongxia and Wang Jingui couldn’t handle it alone, so even the lazy gambling addict Xia Hongbing was yelled at by Xia Hongxia to help out.

He had no choice – now everyone in the family except Xia Hongbing listened to Xia Hongxia.

Xia Hongxia had already declared that if Xia Hongbing didn’t help, he shouldn’t expect her to take care of him in his old age. When Xia Hongbing tried to pull rank as their father and lecture Xia Hongxia, the newly plump Xia Hongxia stood there staring him down with considerable intimidation.

Sensing he couldn’t win in a fight, Xia Hongbing gave in and obediently came to help at the shop.

Though he still worked sporadically, at least it relieved some pressure. Xia Hongxia wouldn’t give him any chance to handle money, but if he performed well, she might reward him with two liang of wine after closing the shop.

Respect?

What was there to respect about a worthless person?

Xia Hongxia grew increasingly fierce, first subduing Wang Jingui, then conquering Xia Hongbing. Now everyone at home spoke to her with downcast eyes and submission.

After finishing the lunch rush, Xia Hongxia was wiping sweat with her apron when Wang Jingui furtively handed her a newspaper:

“Take a look, isn’t this talking about Xia Ziyu?”