The autumn wind, carrying the unique salty and humid scent of Guangzhou, rustled the blinds in the office. Li Jin clutched the market research report compiled by Jin Yuanyuan tightly in her hand, her fingertips lingering on the three characters "Chen Xiaoyan" on the report for a long time. On the yellowed paper, the performance curve of the other party's company, "Chen's Packaging," had risen sharply in just six months, like a greedy python, constantly devouring her food and daily chemical packaging clients whom she had painstakingly cultivated for many years.

“Last week, Hongxing Biscuit Factory’s order was just signed by them.” Jin Yuanyuan gently placed a cup of hot tea on the corner of the table and said with a solemn expression, “Their price is 15% lower than ours, and the delivery cycle is also one-third shorter.”

Just then, Nianjin's cries suddenly came from outside the window, followed by the faint sound of the nanny humming a nursery rhyme in the nursery, which eased the tense atmosphere a little.

Li Jin gently pushed open the half-closed nursery door and looked at her daughter sleeping soundly with her little fists clenched. Her thoughts instantly flashed back to her days as a sent-down youth. When she first arrived in the countryside, Chen Xiaoyan took good care of them. Whenever she was bullied by other sent-down youths, Chen Xiaoyan would always stand up for her and help her out.

As dusk settled over the land, Li Jin dialed Chen Xiaoyan's number. A familiar laugh quickly came through the receiver: "I knew you'd call me." There was a brief pause, the background noise mixed with the din of machinery, before she said, "Tomorrow morning at ten, the usual teahouse!"

The next day, the teahouse was filled with rising steam. Chen Xiaoyan's cigarette glowed intermittently. She wore a crisply pressed suit, and her pearl earrings reflected a cold light. She was a completely different person compared to the girl who had sunburned and peeled from fighting for work points years ago. "Ah Jin," she slowly exhaled a smoke ring, her gaze inadvertently sweeping over the jade bracelet on Li Jin's wrist, "I heard you're now married to a high-ranking official in Beijing, and you're now a daughter of a wealthy family."

Li Jin gently stirred the tea in the gaiwan, the tea leaves swirling on the surface. She calmly said, "Sister Xiaoyan, the ink test report from Hongxing Biscuit Factory shows excessive benzene levels." Before she finished speaking, Chen Xiaoyan abruptly stubbed out her cigarette in the celadon cup, instantly burning a black mark on the glaze. Raising her voice, she said with a hint of sarcasm, "Business is business! You think you can win by sticking to those outdated techniques? I never expected that the usually ruthless female doctor would become so kind!"

"So you're just stealing my clients?" A sudden gust of wind blew up outside the window, rattling the carved window frames. Chen Xiaoyan's earring gleamed coldly in the shadows as she retorted loudly, "Can conscience feed you? You've been kept by the Yu family for too long; you've long forgotten how the lower classes struggle to survive!"

Li Jin took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. He looked directly at Chen Xiaoyan and said slowly, "Sister Xiaoyan, I have never forgotten the days when I struggled at the bottom of society. But it is precisely because of this that I know how important reputation and quality are. Substandard products entering the market harm countless consumers. We cannot betray our conscience for the sake of profit."

Chen Xiaoyan sneered and turned her head away. "You're always so naive. In this dog-eat-dog world, if you're not ruthless, others will ride roughshod over you. We suffered so much back in the countryside, don't you want to make something of yourself? Now that you have the opportunity, why don't you seize it?"

Li Jin frowned slightly, her tone firm: "Wanting to stand out is fine, but not in a way that harms others. We can improve our competitiveness through technological innovation and optimized management, not by lowering quality standards to steal business."

Chen Xiaoyan was silent for a moment, then lit another cigarette, took a deep drag, and slowly said, "Ah Jin, I understand all the reasons you're giving, but market competition is just that cruel. I don't have your good fortune to marry someone powerful and influential, someone to rely on. I can only rely on myself. To gain a foothold in this market, I have no other choice."

Li Jin was slightly moved, and her tone softened: "Sister Xiaoyan, I know you've had a tough time these past few years, but that's no excuse for malicious competition. Do we really have to become enemies?"