After being elated for quite a while, Du Zhaohui finally instructed Ah Hua:

“Let Xia Ziyu think I know nothing, lull her into complacency… Even if we don’t eliminate her, things might be more troublesome, but won’t it better showcase my abilities? Don’t you agree?”

With the Young Master having made his decision, what else could he say?

Ah Hua resigned himself and nodded, “You’re right, sir.”

Du Zhaohui himself found it strange, “It’s not surprising that Xia Ziyu would have people investigate her, but what’s the point of inquiring about Mayor Tang’s wife?”

Ah Hua carefully considered before cautiously answering: “Perhaps she sees Mrs. Tang as Miss Xia’s greatest backing. When Xia Ziyu illegally went to Hong Kong, Miss Xia’s mother wasn’t yet married to Mayor Tang. Learning this news suddenly, Xia Ziyu would surely misinterpret it.”

“Hmm, you make a good point. I’ll give you a raise next month!”

What??!

The raise came so suddenly that Ah Hua couldn’t quite process it.

His observation was something the Young Master could have figured out himself, so why the sudden raise?

It was just a random excuse.

Ah Hua understood – rising depending on the Young Master’s mood, and right now his mood was excellent!

“Thank you, Young Master!”

Ah Hua perked up, wondering if he should continue analyzing, but Du Zhaohui sneered:

“She thinks everyone is like her!”

Du Zhaohui had dated many women – mutual attraction and consensual relationships where he gave gifts and they made him happy. Though he never took those women seriously, after breaking up he never trampled them underfoot either.

No one was as despicable as Xia Ziyu, learning seduction techniques from prostitutes.

When Xia Ziyu left the mainland, she didn’t know Xia Xiaolan could run such a business. Now she might have heard about Xia Xiaolan’s current situation and assumed she also relied on men.

Or perhaps that Liu Fen relied on men.

Not just Xia Ziyu – in the environment where Du Zhaohui grew up, most women relied on men.

That’s why Xia Xiaolan was different. Such rare things were always coveted by many.

“After confirming this, what can Xia Ziyu even do?”

Du Zhaohui pondered this.

…

“Hongxia, will this work?”

Wang Jingui swallowed hard.

She had never done anything like this and was nervous.

Xia Hongxia hadn’t done it either and was equally nervous.

But she had no choice!

Unable to oppose Xia Xiaolan and unwilling to give up her promises, Xia Hongxia was determined to go through with this.

“It has to work whether it can or not. Do you know my second aunt… no, she’s not my second aunt anymore. Sister Xiaolan’s mother remarried, and you’ll never guess who she married!”

Xia Hongxia’s heart was pounding.

She had grown comfortable calling her “Sister Xiaolan” – thick-skinned people had this advantage, switching mindsets without pressure.

After all, if she could follow Xia Ziyu as a thug and follower before, what was wrong with following a different cousin now?

Xia Hongxia quickly convinced herself.

When she called her “Sister Xiaolan,” Xia Xiaolan’s expression wasn’t great, but she hadn’t forbidden it!

Wang Jingui giggled: “Who else could she marry, that clothing store owner we saw before? I thought that owner wasn’t very old, not even 30, would he want to marry her—off!”

Before Wang Jingui could finish, Xia Hongxia clamped her hand tightly over her mouth.

Xia Hongxia was afraid – she didn’t know if Xia Xiaolan could somehow know about bad things said behind her back. It was too mysterious.

“I’ll tell you secretly, but you can’t scream, can’t tell my dad, and can’t have any devious thoughts, or you’ll get me killed.”

Wang Jingui could barely breathe, how could she not agree? She nodded desperately.

Xia Hongxia lowered her voice even more.

“What clothing store owner? She remarried the Mayor of Pengcheng! Do you know what that means? He could crush us with one finger!”

Xia Hongxia now feared Xia Xiaolan most and admired Liu Fen most.

Liu Fen was truly amazing!

She was Xia Hongxia’s idol.

After hearing this, Xia Hongxia didn’t want to meet with the landlord’s nephew anymore.

This must be why Xia Ziyu was secretly investigating Liu Fen…

Wang Jingui’s face turned red, completely disbelieving Xia Hongxia’s words. Seeming to fear one bomb wouldn’t finish Wang Jingui off, Xia Hongxia added a second: “Guess why Xia Ziyu made it big in Hong Kong? I thought she found some powerful man, and she did – she became the fifth concubine of Cheng Rong Group’s chairman, Du Zhaohui’s father, haha!”

Concubine!

Xia Hongxia could hardly contain her laughter.

Xia Ziyu, who had been so proud, when she got into university, the whole family, the whole village treated her like a phoenix, and she carried herself like one too. Now this phoenix went to Hong Kong to be some rich man’s concubine?

Xia Hongxia had always feared people learning about her being sold to the small salon – it was too shameful!

As scandalous as Xia Xiaolan rolling in the hay with that good-for-nothing… oh, that was fake.

But now Xia Ziyu had gone to Hong Kong to be an old man’s concubine, Xia Hongxia suddenly felt better.

Even if people learned about the salon incident, she wouldn’t be the most shameful person from the Xia family or Dahe Village.

Xia Ziyu was!

Xia Hongxia had always dreamed of marrying someone with power and money, even if he was older – she still thought this way.

But she wouldn’t be someone’s concubine.

What were concubines? The old folks in the village had talked about how before liberation, landlords would take concubines.

Concubines had to serve both the landlord and his wife.

Xia Hongxia had always clashed with Xia Xiaolan because she liked to take charge, liked to get more and eat more. She’d be full of energy as the main wife managing other women, but there was no way she’d be a concubine being managed by others.

So she particularly looked down on Xia Ziyu for becoming a rich old man’s concubine.

Whatever admiration she had left for Xia Ziyu was now pure contempt!

She gloated to herself while Wang Jingui nearly suffocated, finally breaking free and gasping for air:

“Are you serious? She became Du Zhaohui’s father’s concubine. Isn’t she even younger than Du Zhaohui? Getting such a grown stepson for free—”

“Is that the point? The point is Du Zhaohui’s father has several concubines, and Xia Ziyu is the fifth! Du Zhaohui is the first wife’s son, and all the other concubines have sons and daughters.”

Wang Jingui’s eyes darted around.

How rich was the Du family?

Before just Du Zhaohui supported Xia Dajun, who then supported the whole family, and they lived so comfortably.

Wouldn’t Du Zhaohui’s father be even richer?

Being a concubine wasn’t shameful for Hongxia anyway. If Du Zhaohui’s father kept Xia Ziyu and just a little slipped through Xia Ziyu’s fingers, it would be enough for their whole family to live without worry. Why bother selling boxed lunches… The more Wang Jingui thought, the more pleased she became. Knowing her mother all too well, Xia Hongxia knew she was getting carried away:

“Mom, don’t be foolish. Xia Ziyu abandoned her parents, she won’t look after us. Besides, aren’t you afraid of—”

Xia Hongxia didn’t finish, just pointed her finger upward.

Wang Jingui immediately deflated like a punctured balloon, all her scheming thoughts frightened away.

She hadn’t forgotten.

—Xia Ziyu might be Du Zhaohui’s father’s concubine, but her former sister-in-law Liu Fen had married the Mayor of Pengcheng.