Xia Xiaolan’s scores had reached a new high.

When made to take subject tests in the office, despite the difficult questions in this set of papers, she scored 531 points, drawing from her solid foundation in science subjects. Compared to her final exam score of 514, Xia Xiaolan’s total score increased by 17 points. While other students found the questions difficult, Xia Xiaolan managed to improve her score, no wonder Teacher Wang looked at her like a kindly grandfather while lecturing the others.

The struggling students were left speechless, knowing Xia Xiaolan’s lost points must have been in the memorization subjects.

“Teacher Qi is having a breakdown in the office,” Teacher Wang said, making Xia Xiaolan break into a cold sweat.

“Well, Teacher Wang, it’s getting late, I should head back! Please tell Teacher Qi not to be angry. I definitely won’t let Chinese drag down my college entrance exam scores. I have my revision plan.”

Teacher Wang didn’t lecture further.

There were intellectual differences between students, and with years of teaching experience, Teacher Wang understood this, though teachers couldn’t say it outright. In the same class, some students could focus intently and possess high comprehension abilities. While some understood after one explanation, others wouldn’t grasp concepts even after multiple attempts. If the latter group knew to compensate with extra study time, that was fine, otherwise falling behind the more capable students was inevitable.

Xia Xiaolan undoubtedly belonged to the group with strong learning abilities.

She might not have stood out in middle school, which led to her discontinuing her studies after graduation. However, during her years away from school, Xia Xiaolan’s learning ability had undergone a complete transformation, as Teacher Wang could confirm from the progress she’d shown since enrolling.

There is no need to force what comes naturally. Xia Xiaolan’s improvement in test scores was evident to all; she surely had her own revision plan.

“The mock exam is on May 9th, you’ll need to come to school on the 7th to get your admission ticket.”

“Teacher Wang, I’ll remember that, don’t worry!”

As Xia Xiaolan wheeled her bicycle back, Sister Huang, who had been eagerly waiting, wouldn’t let her leave easily.

“Good girl, you must give your aunt some advice!”

Sister Huang was happy that Zhang’s business was declining. If Zhang’s shop closed and was replaced by someone less troublesome, Sister Huang worried about losing business to competition.

Xia Xiaolan chuckled: “Aunt, you’re limiting yourself. If Zhang’s closes, isn’t that perfect? You could take over their shop, rename it, and open another establishment. Keep some of what Zhang’s used to sell that you can manage, and those who don’t want set meals can go across the street for spicy soup and lamb noodles. Before, when customers went across the street, Zhang’s made the money, but now whichever shop they eat at, you’ll be the one profiting.”

Who normally would open two different shops?

Usually, people either expand their existing shop or open branches elsewhere.

But for Xia Xiaolan, having two shops across the street was commonplace. With different offerings, rather than worrying about new competitors, it was better to monopolize the business.

This was a legitimate business, giving customers more choices.

There were illegitimate ways too – opening two shops, selling the same items for 10 yuan in one and 8 yuan in the other, customers would immediately choose the 8 yuan shop… though actually, the same items sold for just 6 yuan elsewhere. Customers thought they were getting a bargain, but in reality, they were being tricked by shrewd merchants.

Xia Xiaolan didn’t intend to teach these dishonest tactics. Current individual businesses were quite honest, and letting Sister Huang monopolize this street’s business was fine. At least when the Xia family stopped fighting and wanted to rebuild their business, they would have completely lost their foothold near County No. 1 Middle School.

Take over Zhang’s shop across the street?

Sister Huang had never thought of it!

People only expanded sideways. Who would open two shops facing each other to “compete for business”? Right, this wasn’t competition at all—as Xia Xiaolan said, whichever shop made money ended up in her pocket.

As Sister Huang slowly processed this, Xia Xiaolan had already cycled away until she was out of sight.

“This child won’t even stay for a meal.”

Sister Huang had wanted to keep Xia Xiaolan for dinner, but Xia Xiaolan was rushing back to Shangdu and wouldn’t stay.

The school tests couldn’t represent the college entrance exam. Today’s pale-faced Chen Qing reminded Xia Xiaolan of the mock exam’s importance. If someone wanted to prevent her from entering university, they didn’t need to act during the college entrance exam—the mock exam would serve just as well.

Without mock exam results, she couldn’t take the college entrance exam.

Better to be cautious.

The mock exam was a province-wide unified test lasting two days.

After finishing on May 10th, it would be time to stock summer clothing in the store. Xia Xiaolan simply sent a telegram to Yangcheng, being prepared. She didn’t need to worry about those schemes and plots, because most schemes in this world could be solved with fists. As long as you had enough strength, minor schemes weren’t worth worrying about.

Xia Xiaolan restocked merchandise, and when opening the clothing packages, she saw the carefully wrapped watches.

The watch that White Zhenzhu helped buy cost 1,200 yuan – if Liu Fen knew, she would surely worry silently even if she didn’t say anything.

Previously, Liu Fen managed the bulk of the family savings, though Xia Xiaolan still spent freely because she constantly discovered new business opportunities. Like her last trip to Pengcheng – if she hadn’t brought all the money, she couldn’t have bought that batch of “radios” when the opportunity arose. Letting Liu Fen manage the savings account gave her security, but from a financial management perspective, it wasn’t practical.

Liu Fen later said she wouldn’t manage it and returned all the money to Xia Xiaolan.

She felt the 200 yuan monthly salary from the clothing store was more than enough. Liu Fen didn’t have many expenses and didn’t need to fully cover living costs, and Xia Xiaolan provided all her clothes and shoes. Liu Fen only occasionally bought some vegetables and household items, spending at most a few dozen yuan per month.

Managing the money stressed her out, and after asking several times for Xia Xiaolan to take over, Xia Xiaolan finally accepted the family’s bankbook.

Besides the clothing store wages, Xia Xiaolan simply gave her mother an additional 200 yuan monthly allowance. With a 400 yuan monthly income in 1984, Liu Fen was definitely in the high-income group. Though Xia Xiaolan didn’t need to consult Liu Fen for every expense when managing the money, mutual respect between family members was essential. Liu Fen knew Xia Xiaolan planned to spend 20,000 yuan building a house in the countryside, and would start a new business partnership in Pengcheng after the college entrance exam.

With Liu Fen being so open-minded, Xia Xialan had no restrictions on spending.

This arrangement made mother-daughter relations more comfortable. Xia Xiaolan had managed her finances for many years, and it was indeed awkward to hand over earned money to her mother. Liu Fen thought the same – the money was all earned by her daughter, let Xiaolan use it as she pleased, what was there for a mother to argue about? Xia Xiaolan initially let Liu Fen manage the money to give her security, but for Liu Fen, security came not from holding the family savings, but from Xia Xiaolan being filial and making her proud.

Business could result in losses, but test scores couldn’t be faked.

Liu Fen would truly stop worrying once Xia Xiaolan entered university this year. The state wouldn’t let university students starve, would they? Government provisions, guaranteed job placement – getting into university meant having nothing to worry about.

Without needing to ask anyone’s permission to spend, Xia Xiaolan could buy sheep in Beijing whenever she wanted.

A 1,200 yuan watch – she could afford it, so she bought it without hesitation.

Money spent could be earned again, and Zhou Cheng was her boyfriend – a young man’s youth was precious too. The only question was how to send the watch to Beijing. Postal packages were inconsistent, sometimes fast and sometimes slow, and Xia Xiaolan worried it wouldn’t arrive in time for Zhou Cheng’s birthday.