Newspapers that haven’t gotten themselves shut down were still quite profitable.

Mr. Zha’s Ming Daily, after listing in HK in 1991, made over 100 million in profits by 1992…

Xia Xiaolan smacked her lips as Zhang Byron showed quite good intuition:

“I understand now – we shouldn’t touch the Lu family’s newspaper stocks yet.”

Even investing 100 million wouldn’t buy enough shares to become a major stockholder. How could Lu Yunshi accept that?

After the stock market crash in October… Qihang Capital would have much more than 100 million in cash. She would wait and see how far the Lu family newspaper stock prices would fall before deciding whether to buy at the bottom.

It didn’t necessarily have to be the Lu family newspapers – there would be bargains to pick up all over Hong Kong. It would depend on her mood then!

Zhang Byron listened with his back covered in sweat, unable to tell if Chairman Xia was bluffing. She sounded so serious that he couldn’t help but take her seriously.

If they weren’t touching the Lu family newspapers now, when were they planning to?

Xia Xiaolan had no intention of explaining.

After handling business matters, Xia Xiaolan waited for Zhou Cheng to take her to dinner.

Today was her birthday. Liu Fen, Liu Yong, and even Grandmother Yu in America had called to wish her well. Xia Xiaolan received many blessings.

Zhou Cheng returned in the afternoon.

He wore a suit with a soft linen shirt that balanced out his rugged features.

“Happy birthday!”

Xia Xiaolan hugged him, “You’ve already given all the birthday gifts, haven’t you? Qiu-“

Zhou Cheng shook his head with a smile.

“Those weren’t birthday gifts. I prepared something else.”

It was indeed Zhou Cheng’s doing.

Xia Xiaolan held back her laughter. Her Chengzi could be quite petty, but she didn’t mind at all.

But since Zhou Cheng said those weren’t birthday gifts, she wondered if it would be another restaurant party this year.

They had done that last year.

Xia Xiaolan guessed wrong. While there was a feast, it was just the supporting act.

Zhou Cheng’s birthday gift was a land purchase document.

The location was at a bay on Qiong Island, the plot wasn’t large, only 12 mu. Zhou Cheng had even hand-drawn part of the map to show her… Puff! Xia Xiaolan nearly spat out the red wine she hadn’t swallowed:

“You’re giving me a plot of land as a birthday gift?”

Zhou Cheng nodded seriously, “I heard from Uncle that he was looking at land. He said land prices in Qiong Island were cheap. Your company bought some planning to sell later. Uncle said he wanted to buy a small plot, half for him and half for you. I asked Uncle to let me have this opportunity, so I bought it instead.”

The 12 mu plot wasn’t in Ye City but in Lu City.

Xia Xiaolan was very impressed with Zhou Cheng’s choice.

Honestly, she shouldn’t have worried a few days ago about whether Zhou Cheng would transfer from his military position. Even if he did, he wouldn’t starve – what luck he had!

This 12 mu plot was right on a bay in Lu City.

Xia Xiaolan still remembered this would become a popular bay in the future… All the good beachfront properties would be occupied by resort hotels, with beaches right outside the hotels, perfect for vacations!

No, she could build her vacation spot.

“Did you choose this yourself? This plot of land?”

Xia Xiaolan grabbed Zhou Cheng’s hand, examining it back and forth. Unfortunately, she couldn’t read palms – she really suspected Zhou Cheng had a natural Midas touch.

“…Why did you choose this location?”

“I went to look at it once. The scenery was nice so I bought it. The land price wasn’t expensive either. I bought 12 mu, my Uncle bought 10 mu, and our plots are adjacent. There’s no rush now, we can leave it there. When you have time, you can think about how to utilize it.”

Zhou Cheng’s thoughts were quite simple – he wasn’t planning to make money from this land.

If Xiaolan wanted, they could build a small villa there, with the remaining space turned into a garden.

They could put up iron fencing around the perimeter, and plant rosaceae along the fence. In two or three years, the vines would form and cover the fence. Add trees of varying heights to block the view, creating a pure space where his wife could completely relax. Winters in the north were too cold, Qiong Island would be better. Even if he was transferred away from Qiong Island in the future, they probably wouldn’t give up this property – the main thing was for Xiaolan to live comfortably.

“Don’t worry about the money. We can leave the annual dividends from Luna untouched. Whenever you think we have enough, we’ll build. If that’s not enough, we still have those courtyard houses in Beijing. You always say Beijing courtyards will appreciate – when they do, we can sell two… I thought about building it first before giving it to you, but then I dropped that idea. My wife is the best architect, I wouldn’t accept anyone else’s design!”

After Zhou Cheng finished speaking, Xia Xiaolan remained silent.

He was a bit confused – did Xiaolan not like it?

How could Xia Xiaolan not like it?

She loved it to death!

Not just the plot of land, but Zhou Cheng’s thoughts about it. A man who never cared about his living environment had planned so meticulously, putting in so much thought!

Did Zhou Cheng need to think about how to build the house?

No.

He had more courtyard houses than he could live in.

He had never cared much about these things.

But Zhou Cheng thought about it anyway. He, a government official, thinking about an architect’s work. Xia Xiaolan suddenly remembered Zhou Cheng reading books in her office.

Whatever industry she was in, Zhou Cheng wanted to understand it.

Zhou Cheng had always maintained their pace together, ensuring they wouldn’t grow apart, preventing them from completely losing common ground in the future!

Xia Xiaolan was deeply moved. She couldn’t control her nature and drained her wine glass:

“Come on, let’s go back to the hotel!”

Zhou Cheng’s Adam’s apple bobbed.

Don’t tempt him like this. He had self-control, but it was getting thinner and thinner… He asked hoarsely, “What are we going back to the hotel for?”

Xia Xiaolan gave him a strange look: “Of course to revise my thesis!”

Zhou Cheng’s waist, trained for years in his unit, nearly gave out because of his wife!

Revise the thesis?!

Xia Xiaolan leaned over and poked his cheek:

“The sooner we finish revising, the sooner I can defend, then I can graduate. Do I need to say what comes after?”

Graduate sooner, marry sooner.

So the ultimate goal of going back to the hotel was still to seduce Zhou Cheng-

Zhou Cheng obediently let himself be led away.

…

That night, while Xia Xiaolan and Zhou Cheng were sweetly together, Du Zhaohui couldn’t sleep from anger.

Later, hearing that Xia Xiaolan and Zhou Cheng had booked two rooms, Du Zhaohui rolled around laughing on the sofa. Ah Hua thought the young master must have been truly disturbed – such a young master was not to be trifled with-

Ah Hua decided to tell Du Zhaohui some good news:

“Young Master, it seems Fifth Madam is going to Peng City again. You mentioned wanting to help her last time, should we…”

Du Zhaohui sat up immediately from the sofa:

“It seems Xia Ziyu has confirmed Liu Keying’s pregnancy and is getting a bit nervous herself. Ah Hua, do you know what we’re doing? We’re matchmaking, doing a good deed.”

Xia Ziyu would become even more nervous.

Yu Shihua wouldn’t get involved with the 20% shares matter but told him another big secret.

If the child in Liu Keying’s belly was the old man’s, it would probably be his last seed.

If Xia Ziyu wanted to get pregnant, she would have to find another way.

That Wang Jianhua would make such a good sperm donor. An old flame who knew her inside and out wouldn’t betray Xia Ziyu.