“You… you… you shameless man!” Ding Aizhen was too angry to speak properly.

Zhou Cheng was indeed handsome – at this point, she couldn’t refute, so she could only curse him for being shameless. Zhou Cheng’s expression darkened:

“Clarify what you just said – who was trying to seduce your son just to sell some things to the restaurant?”

Having to seduce a purchasing agent just to sell some eels to a restaurant?

Zhou Cheng almost laughed from anger.

From their first meeting, he had never hidden his feelings for Xia Xiaolan, nor had he concealed his financial situation. He had even directly expressed his intention to do business together with Xia Xiaolan. If anyone was to be seduced, shouldn’t he have been the target?

Zhou Cheng knew there was no hierarchy in occupations, but if the son was just a small-time purchasing agent at a restaurant, his mother couldn’t be anyone too impressive either.

Being pointed at and cursed by such an insignificant person – how could he not be angry?

Xia Xiaolan was worried Zhou Cheng might hit someone. Women fighting each other was different from a man hitting a woman. Xia Xiaolan thought Zhu Fang’s mother deserved a beating, which was why she had taken matters into her own hands earlier. But now, she couldn’t let Zhu Fang’s mother just spew accusations and run away – Xia Xiaolan still needed to do business in Shangdu.

“I’ve been honestly supplying goods to the restaurant. The quality of my eels speaks for itself, yet you insist it’s because I seduced your son. Your words are insulting your son’s professional integrity – is he putting personal matters before work, betraying the organization’s trust? Moreover, I have no romantic feelings for your son. Last time you warned me to stay away from him, even hinting you could arrange a job for me… Well, I’ve changed my business now and didn’t take the job you offered. I’m staying far enough away from your son, so why are you still causing trouble?!”

Xia Xiaolan’s tone was full of disdain.

With such a troublemaking mother, even if Zhu Fang looked as handsome as Zhou Cheng, she wouldn’t be interested.

Dating was troublesome enough, let alone marrying into the Zhu family!

She wondered if Zhou Cheng’s mother would be easy to get along with.

Fortunately, she was in Shangdu while the Zhou family was in Beijing, so she wouldn’t have to face Zhou Cheng’s family anytime soon.

Xia Xiaolan gave Zhou Cheng a sidelong glance, leaving him feeling inexplicably wronged.

Ding Aizhen was cornered by Xia Xiaolan’s words.

Xia Xiaolan had made it crystal clear that she wasn’t interested in her son, which was why she’d quit the eel business and stayed far away from everyone in the Zhu family… Ding Aizhen couldn’t accept this. How could her son, with all his advantages, be rejected by Xia Xiaolan? She also couldn’t follow Xia Xiaolan’s logic – if she insisted that Xia Xiaolan had seduced Zhu Fang in his role as purchasing agent, that would mean Zhu Fang had betrayed the organization’s trust and shown favoritism in his purchasing decisions. While everyone did such things, it couldn’t be openly admitted!

Xia Xiaolan, that vixen, must have weighed the pros and cons before making her choice. When Ding Aizhen calmed down and looked at Zhou Cheng again, he indeed didn’t seem like an ordinary person.

As Ding Aizhen remained silent, others could see that everything Xia Xiaolan said was true.

If they were in this situation, they wouldn’t just hit this crazy woman with objects – they would make her life impossible!

Ding Aizhen ensured everyone’s pointing and whispering as she struggled free from Zhou Cheng’s grip.

She didn’t dare talk back and slunk away through the crowd, quickly disappearing.

Having her business disrupted by Zhu Fang’s mother while everything was going well left Xia Xiaolan quite unhappy. Only making money could slightly ease her frustration.

Some female customers joked that since they had helped speak up for her earlier, Shop Owner Xia should give them a few yuan discount.

Xia Xiaolan showed an expression of disbelief:

“My life is already so difficult, truly facing unexpected troubles at home, and you still have the heart to ask me for discounts?”

It was quite pitiful – who would choose to be a private merchant if they had stable employment? Although private merchants could make money, they were looked down upon. That crazy woman from earlier, despite being shameless, had one realistic point – they helped speak up for Xia Xiaolan because she didn’t threaten their interests, but if their sons or brothers found a rural girl with nothing but looks, they would object.

They couldn’t keep pressing Xia Xiaolan for discounts, but she suddenly gave a sly smile:

“I can’t lower the price, but I can throw in an extra pair of gloves.”

Oh?!

While she spoke of how difficult making a living was, her face showed no sign of distress.

Xia Xiaolan’s generous and cheerful nature earned her more respect than if she had tried to gain sympathy through self-pity. The female customers who now thought more highly of her showed their appreciation through action, rushing forward to grab the gloves:

“I want that blue pair!”

“I saw them first, sister, you be the judge…”

Ding Aizhen’s scene didn’t affect Xia Xiaolan’s business. She packed up after selling most of her clothes.

When customers asked if she would be setting up shop tomorrow, Xia Xiaolan replied apologetically:

“Haven’t you bought enough? But restocking takes time, it’ll be three or four days at the earliest, same location. Please help spread the word, and I’ll give discounts to regular customers who bring new ones!”

With Zhou Cheng’s help, setting up and packing up went quickly.

She hadn’t had time to sort the various denominations of money in her pocket. Xia Xiaolan had bought a small waist pack in Yangcheng that could be tightly secured around her waist, and today’s earnings were all stored in it.

“You must be tired today. What would you like to eat? My treat, and don’t be polite with me!”

Xia Xiaolan smiled sweetly, and Zhou Cheng smiled too. Xia Xiaolan’s personality contrasted with her appearance – looking delicate and charming, yet being generous and cheerful. When she offered to treat, she meant it, so he wouldn’t be overly polite with her.

Xia Xiaolan seemed quite proud about being able to spend money on people around her.

Zhou Cheng loved this kind of confident pride.

“Since Grandmother Yu doesn’t like you bringing other people back, let’s pick up Auntie and have a proper meal at a restaurant. I won’t try to save you money, so don’t feel bad about the cost.”

Grandmother Yu was peculiar, and Zhou Cheng didn’t want to make himself unwelcome.

Strict rules had their advantages though – if Zhou Cheng couldn’t visit, neither could crazy women like today’s troublemaker just show up to bother Xia Xiaolan.

Zhou Cheng still felt uneasy about the crazy woman. “I don’t think that woman today was truly convinced. Since you always set up shop in the same place, you’re bound to run into her again sooner or later.”

He wasn’t worried about confrontations – Xia Xiaolan wasn’t the weak, easily bullied type.

But what about underhanded schemes?

The other party was a local in Shangdu and seemed to have some minor authority. Sometimes minor officials were harder to deal with than major ones. Zhou Cheng couldn’t help worrying – his rational mind told him that Xia Xiaolan was a very clever girl who could handle various unpleasantness in life, but his emotions were affecting his judgment.

Xia Xiaolan narrowed her eyes in thought. Zhu Fang’s mother’s words were too offensive. She originally didn’t want to make things difficult for Zhu Fang, as his only fault was having feelings for her.

But who told him to have such a presumptuous mother with a foul mouth? He would inevitably be affected by his mother’s actions.

Xia Xiaolan didn’t even bother asking if Zhou Cheng believed the slander from Zhu Fang’s mother.

If she needed to explain such things, this relationship wouldn’t be worth having.

“Don’t worry about dealing with women’s disputes yet. If I can’t handle it myself, then I’ll ask for your help.”

Xia Xiaolan spoke frankly, and Zhou Cheng also felt it would be beneath him to threaten violence against a middle-aged woman. Of course, if his woman gave the order, losing face would be another matter – face wasn’t as important as substance!

Zhou Cheng didn’t persist with this issue because the crazy woman earlier hadn’t gained any advantage.

First, she was thoroughly beaten by Xia Xiaolan, then verbally cornered until she couldn’t hold her head up, finally fleeing in disgrace.

If Xia Xiaolan had been wronged today, Zhou Cheng might have gone crazy.

The last time he went crazy was with Zhang Erlai, who got sentenced to 20 years. Someone who could scheme with Kang Wei to profiteer from cigarette trading couldn’t be a selfless saint. Cursing at Zhou Cheng could be dismissed as a mad dog barking, but speaking ill of Xia Xiaolan was unacceptable.

All wife-doting husbands are unreasonable in the same way!