Despite his frustration, Du Zhaohui agreed after learning that Xia Xiaolan wanted to borrow 50 million Yuan.

After parting with Xia Xiaolan, Du Zhaohui found fault with everything he saw. Ah Hua carefully tried to soothe him:

“Young Master, borrowing 50 million to repay 100 million is practically usury. I don’t think Miss Xia would do this no matter how profitable her business is. She could easily get a bank loan with interest much lower than 50 million. I guess…”

“What do you guess?”

Du Zhaohui’s attention was indeed caught.

Before Ah Hua could continue, Du Zhaohui followed this train of thought:

“She could borrow from banks, yet she chooses not to, preferring to pay high interest to me—is she deliberately trying to let me earn this money?!”

Was she sympathizing with him for losing 20% of his shares out of nowhere?

Or pitying him because his mother died early while his father was a selfish bastard?

If others showed him sympathy, Du Zhaohui would surely fly into a rage. Who were they to sympathize with the eldest young master of the Du family, without even checking their bank accounts?

But when it came to Xia Xiaolan… Du Zhaohui clutched his chest, feeling a burning sensation there!

He wouldn’t mind a bit more of this sympathy and pity.

If Xia Xiaolan knew about Du Zhaohui’s current emotional state, she would immediately withdraw her loan request.

She wanted to bait Xia Ziyu, and didn’t want this loan to be scrutinized by the bank in the future!

Overthinking is dangerous, and Du Zhaohui was particularly skilled at it. His earlier frustration disappeared, replaced by fighting spirit: “I still want to meet Yu Shihua myself, Ah Hua, go arrange that. Also, I previously suspected Du Zhaoqi was behind Liu Tianquan’s disappearance. That good-for-nothing Du Zhaoqi might have allied with the Liu siblings again, taking over the family’s smuggling business and hiding Liu Tianquan… Now I suspect the old bastard is behind this.”

The old bastard must be worried they weren’t fighting hard enough!

Du Zhaohui gnashed his teeth.

“Young Master, what should we do now? Should we continue searching for Liu Tianquan?”

They had turned Hong Kong upside down but still couldn’t find Liu Tianquan. Ah Hua had always blamed himself for this failure.

Du Zhaohui waved his hand, “Search? Of course, we keep searching! Deploy more people to look for him. We can’t let the old bastard get suspicious!”

As for the Du family’s smuggling business…

Heh, he could “gift-wrap” this business and give it away.

It would be fine if Du Zhaoqi took it over. Instead of Liu Tianquan taking the fall, Du Zhaoqi would take it, instantly eliminating his most feared opponent.

Du Zhaohui’s wariness of Xia Ziyu was about her influencing his inheritance rights. He never thought she could inherit the Du family fortune. The old man wouldn’t be that muddleheaded. Xia Ziyu didn’t even have any children. As a concubine who only had a wedding banquet but no legal recognition, she had no right to inherit from the Du family.

“That fool, she lost her greatest backing—”

The Du family had many children; one more from Xia Ziyu wouldn’t seem very valuable.

But having one was better than none.

Without children, Xia Ziyu had no legitimate claim. If she fought desperately for the inheritance, the old man would question who she was fighting for.

Chinese tradition dictated leaving wealth to one’s children. Since Xia Ziyu hadn’t borne any children for the old man, he would only give her small favors—after all, why would he leave his vast fortune to a childless junior wife who might remarry after his death?

Du Zhaohui saw clearly that Xia Ziyu was just a troublemaker.

His real opponent right now seemed to be Du Zhaoqi, though if the old man lived a few more years, it might become his other brothers and sisters—those little bastards would grow up too.

…

From a man’s perspective, Du Zhaohui analyzed that without children, Xia Ziyu wouldn’t get more than small favors.

But not everyone was as clear-headed as Du Zhaohui.

Or they didn’t care even if they understood.

These small favors Du Rongcheng gave to Xia Ziyu were astronomical to ordinary people, especially in mainland China in 1987, representing unimaginable wealth to common citizens.

Take Xia Hongxia’s family for example. Running their small business in Pengcheng as outsiders, they were considered wealthy compared to farmers in their hometown.

How much could Xia Hongxia earn from her small restaurant in the People’s Bridge Small Commodities Market?

On good days, daily profits exceeded 100 yuan!

On average, she could earn about 3,000 yuan monthly.

Working twelve months without breaks, she could earn over 35,000 yuan annually. Why did Xia Hongxia think siding with Xia Xiaolan was the right choice? Simply because Xia Xiaolan’s casual suggestions and shop arrangements gave Xia Hongxia hope.

Continuing business as usual, after deducting necessary expenses, Xia Hongxia could save 30,000 yuan annually. She didn’t even wish to expand; maintaining her current restaurant gave her the confidence to establish herself in Pengcheng.

Those men who were picky during matchmaking? She looked down on them too.

What was there to be picky about? She could stay single if needed.

After saving for a few more years, she could buy a house in Pengcheng, transfer her household registration, and become a true city resident.

Xia Hongxia endured exhausting work daily because she had clear goals.

But when Xia Ziyu reappeared in her life, Xia Hongxia’s resolve wavered—her year’s worth of hard-earned savings equaled what Xia Ziyu would casually give her.

Should she still work so hard?

Why not just earnestly flatter Xia Ziyu, like before, and be her loyal follower? Wouldn’t that be easier?

Xia Hongxia struggled with this daily, repeating “Xia Ziyu is trouble, Xia Xiaolan is not to be crossed” eight hundred times to resist the urge to close her restaurant and become Xia Ziyu’s professional lackey!

It had been two months since Xia Hongxia brought Xia Junbao back to Pengcheng from Shangdu.

After two months of good food and care, Xia Junbao no longer looked like a beggar.

Xia Ziyu had sent living expenses but hadn’t appeared in person.

Xia Hongxia had no complaints about Xia Junbao. Having taken Xia Ziyu’s money, starving or freezing Xia Junbao would only give Xia Ziyu an excuse to deal with her.

Xia Junbao sensed something strange. Previously, Xia Hongxia’s two brothers always caused him trouble, but now Wang Jingui kept saying Xia Junbao was the family’s fortune god. Xia Junshan and Xia Junfeng didn’t dare bully him anymore—the whole family treated him politely, making him anxious daily. Not being scolded or made to work meant they didn’t consider him family.

He told his good friend Xiao Yan:

“I’m afraid Sister Hongxia might abandon me again someday. And Third Uncle and Third Aunt, they look at me strangely.”

Xiao Yan thought carefully, “I don’t think they’ll drive you away. Look, Sister Hongxia dislikes me so much, but she hasn’t driven me away, just because you speak up for me. Junbao, I think… Sister Hongxia and the others seem a bit afraid of you.”