“I need to put real estate development on my agenda.”

Xia Xiaolan said this to Liu Yong.

Liu Yong was straightforward, “Just tell me whether you want Uncle to contribute money or effort!”

“I first need to find a unit to affiliate with. A newly established company doesn’t have construction qualifications.”

Xia Xiaolan pulled out a stack of contact information gathered from seminars.

Should she ask Hou Qi to make connections?

Though Hou Qi seemed to like her, wouldn’t it be too hasty to ask for help when they’d just met? Perhaps it was better not to trouble two masters; should she still affiliate with the Shangdu Construction Company that Yuan Hui was connected to?

Actually, in the future, real estate companies won’t need to build houses themselves.

They would operate overall projects, outsourcing all construction work. But Xia Xiaolan was just starting—if she outsourced everything, how would she make money?

Rather than letting others earn that money, she might as well earn it herself.

Having qualifications was better than having none.

Yuan Hui was her uncle’s company, and while Xia Xiaolan could let Liu Yong invest, she wouldn’t completely merge real estate and renovation companies.

In other words, she needed her independent operation.

Liu Yong had no objections. Originally, as uncle and niece, half the money he earned would go to his son Liu Zitao and half to Xiaolan—he still thought this way.

But as they earned more money, his wife Li Feimei’s family members were now also working under Liu Yong.

They weren’t in management with commissions now because they lacked ability.

But sooner or later, they would get involved in Liu Yong’s business.

He was Xia Xiaolan’s blood uncle, sharing blood ties with his sister and niece, while Li Feimei was just an aunt by marriage.

Liu Yong wasn’t guarding against his wife; he worried that as they earned more money, the Li family would use his company to interfere with Xiaolan’s business. Xiaolan’s company should be independent—Liu Yong got this inspiration from Lan Fenghuang’s partnership dissolution.

Initially, Li Feimei disagreed with Lan Fenghuang’s split.

Now, half a year after the split, Li Feimei gradually came to enjoy being in charge.

Liu Yong didn’t even want to invest. The renovation company’s prospects were quite good and could gradually transition into construction development. When “Yuan Hui” was established, Xia Xiaolan borrowed money and connections without any talk of investment shares. Liu Yong wanted to follow “Yuan Hui’s” model. After completing the Nanhai Hotel renovation, together they could earn over 1 million yuan, but this money was still far from enough for Xiaolan’s “real estate” venture—would they need to take out loans then?

Pan Weiliang from the building materials store was valued highly; his uncle Director Pan should also contribute some effort.

Xia Xiaolan decided to complete the real estate company’s paperwork before school started.

Before she could approach Hou Qi, someone unexpectedly took the initiative to contact her.

Mao Kangshan, whom she had met at the seminar, got Xia Xiaolan’s contact address and phone number through Ning Yanfan. He called several times at the Shichahai house until Grandmother Yu called Xia Xiaolan:

“Someone named Mao keeps calling the house, saying he wants to see you in Peng City. You should be careful.”

What did Mao Kangshan want to see her for?

Xia Xiaolan was puzzled.

When she finally contacted Mao Kangshan, he was direct, saying he had taken a liking to her and asked if she would like to become his disciple.

Xia Xiaolan, her mind preoccupied with starting the company, was equally direct:

“Teacher Mao, are there any benefits to becoming your disciple?”

Mao Kangshan nearly choked.

How the world had changed! Traditionally, masters taught disciples skills, and disciples showed filial respect to their masters… Xia Xiaolan was the first to ask about benefits before even entering discipleship.

Mao Kangshan resisted the urge to hang up:

“What benefits are you looking for?”

“It’s like this, I want to build and sell residential properties…”

Xia Xiaolan didn’t hold back, rattling off her current difficulties.

Disciples showing respect to masters was natural law.

But disciples needed to have ability first.

If the master didn’t provide resources and the disciple developed slowly, at Mao Kangshan’s age, he might not have lived to enjoy the benefits of having Xia Xiaolan as a disciple.

After listening, Mao Kangshan drew in a sharp breath:

“You want to build houses yourself, become a developer? Do you know how much capital that requires?”

“Even for the smallest project, it would need several million yuan invested upfront…”

Xia Xiaolan spoke of millions as casually as if discussing hundreds.

Mao Kangshan started questioning life.

He thought he had discovered an uncut jade in the wild, wanting to take it home to slowly polish until it shone brilliantly.

Her temperament suited his taste too—the type who wouldn’t be taken advantage of and wouldn’t silently endure bullying.

But with Xia Xiaolan’s financially confident attitude, could this jade have been blessed by the God of Wealth?

Hadn’t Ning Yanfan said Xia Xiaolan was from the countryside?

Mao Kangshan suddenly thought of those tens of thousands of flyers—with Xia Xiaolan being so wealthy, the incident with Yin Niewei must have been her doing. Mao Kangshan found himself liking her even more, but now he was the hesitant one… It would seem like he wanted to take her as a disciple for money.

“Teacher Mao, do you have a solution or not?”

“I do, but—”

“That’s great! Then it’s settled between us. Where are you? I can bring the discipleship gifts right away!”

Xia Xiaolan had already climbed up the ladder, establishing the master-disciple relationship herself, afraid Mao Kangshan would refuse.

Between North Ning and South Mao, Mao Kangshan was from Hang City.

He worked in Hang City, and after retirement, was rehired by the Zhejiang Provincial Architectural Design Institute.

In previous years, he still taught part-time at universities, but now that he was older, he mostly stayed at home writing articles.

Xia Xiaolan was a woman of action.

If she wanted to become Mao Kangshan’s disciple, she couldn’t wait a moment.

Knowing Harold’s investment in Xiangmi Lake had been secured, Xia Xiaolan was burning with urgency. For this trip to Hang City, she heeded Zhou Cheng’s advice and brought Ge Jian along. She bought many gifts and needed someone to carry them, plus Ge Jian’s usefulness wasn’t limited to carrying things.

In ’85, Hang City’s Xiaoshan International Airport didn’t even exist; Hang City was using Pianqiao Airport.

This was a military airport that existed before the country’s founding. In ’56, a civil aviation station was established at Pianqiao Airport, and now it serves both military and civilian purposes… Having an airport was good enough—flying from Yang City would be faster than taking the train.

At the Zhejiang Design Institute’s staff housing.

Mao Kangshan hadn’t expected Xia Xiaolan to be so decisive. When she said she would visit soon, Mao Kangshan only told his wife that evening:

“Go buy two jin of meat and a fish tomorrow. We might have guests.”

His wife was surprised, “Who’s coming?”

Having visitors wasn’t strange.

But everyone knew Mao Kangshan was extremely frugal—guests ate whatever the family ate.

Even when their children came home, the elderly Mao couple’s table wouldn’t necessarily include a meat dish.

How rare—Mao Kangshan actively asked her to buy meat and fish! His wife was incredibly curious!

Mao Kangshan mumbled vaguely: “…a student.”

A student?

Mao Kangshan never got close to students, saying he had a rebellious nature and might inadvertently bring trouble to others.