"I'm sorry, I was too rough!" Qin Xiaoyu quickly apologized and gently massaged her to help her relax.

"That's how boys are when they're together. They fight today and they're fine tomorrow. Just ignore them."

Commander Wang didn't want to talk about what happened that day. She was caught in the middle, not daring to be on either side. If Qin Xiaoyu's skills were irreplaceable, she wouldn't have bothered to come over.

"Was Zhou Yue's hair done by Master Qin? It looks so good. I've watched that child grow up, and she's never been good-looking..." Director Feng said, covering his mouth. Commander Wang also laughed.

"Don't mention that. I heard the groom was never happy about the marriage, thinking Zhou Yue was ugly. But when he saw her at the wedding, he got his pride back and was as happy as if he had found a treasure."

"What's the use? Does she not wash her face when she gets home? Does she expect to have Master Qin by her side every day? And let me tell you, Zhou Xing's mother is capable of anything." Director Feng seemed to have some dissatisfaction with the Zhou family, and his words were impolite.

"Never mind their mess. By the way, Master Qin, what brings you to taking on apprentices?" Commander Wang and Zhou Xing's mother had a good personal relationship, so he couldn't gossip about it and had to change the subject.

"They're all relatives and friends, so if they want to learn, I'll teach them." Qin Xiaoyu, who had been listening blankly, quickly responded when asked.

"It's just that your room is too small; there aren't enough spaces for two more people to move around in." Commander Wang understood the situation quite well.

"Let's make do for now. Actually, I've been thinking of opening a school to teach hairdressing."

"What?" Master Wang and Regiment Commander Wang exclaimed in unison.

"Great idea! Dongfeng only accepts apprentices through state-run quotas; only those who can get in can learn. Now there are more and more private barbershops, and everyone is trying to find a place to learn. If you open a school, it will definitely be a hit. With your reputation, you won't have to worry about students." Commander Wang was quick-witted and answered all the doubts that Master Wang hadn't voiced.

"But the problem is finding a place to live. We need at least a few classrooms. We need a workspace; one classroom can't hold many students, so we need to teach them separately." Qin Xiaoyu already had a model in mind, but she was stuck on the issue of the living space.

"Oh, you've come to the right person! I can help you find a place, and the rent is cheap!" Commander Wang was short-tempered; if it weren't for Director Feng's insistence, she would have taken Qin Xiaoyu away immediately.

Upon hearing that they were going to Zhou Xing's house, Director Feng shook his head repeatedly, confirming Qin Xiaoyu's suspicions that she was at odds with Zhou Xing's mother. But she didn't want to go to the Zhou family either; could the humiliation of that night really be erased with just 660 yuan?

"Little Qin, when will you turn your back on money? Listen to me, let's go." Commander Wang's words were like a wake-up call for Qin Xiaoyu.

Zhou Xing's mother's hairstyle has returned to the black wig stage. She doesn't have Qin Xiaoyu's skillful hands and can no longer replicate that stunning look.

She was quite surprised to see Qin Xiaoyu.

"Ah Zhi, didn't you mention that small two-story building outside the wall last time? It's been empty anyway, and now that Master Qin wants to rent it, could you help me get it?" Commander Wang threw his bag onto the sofa as soon as he entered the room, tossing himself on as well, speaking without any politeness. Qin Xiaoyu was more concerned about Zhou Xing's mother's name—what were the two characters? It sounded quite nice.

"I won't get involved in military matters. Don't make me make a mistake." Zhou Xing's mother shook her head and refused outright.

Commander Wang did not continue to plead for her, but instead turned to look at Qin Xiaoyu.

A surge of emotion rushed to Qin Xiaoyu's head, and she instantly understood. Commander Wang, seemingly carefree, was actually incredibly shrewd. Bringing Qin Xiaoyu along today was a favor to both sides. In their circle, that incident couldn't be kept secret forever; it had become a stain on their reputation for bullying the weak. Qin Xiaoyu would always remember that day's grudge, unable to let it go.

Today, Commander Wang mediated between the two families, and they both overcame the hurdle, wiping the slate clean of what happened that night.

“Aunt Zhou, I’m a widow who lost my job and has two children to raise. I don’t have any special skills, I just run a small hair salon and want to raise my children well. Everyone says I’m good at hairdressing, and I’ve been thinking about how there are many women like me who are struggling financially and have trouble finding work. I thought it would be good if I could pass on my skills and help them out. Please consider this a good deed and help me out. Whether it works out or not, thank you in advance.”

Qin Xiaoyu was very humble, and Zhou Xing's mother was a smart woman; how could she not understand Commander Wang's meaning? Normally, with her status, renting out an empty house would be a simple matter of making a phone call. She was pondering this when the door opened and Zhou Yue rushed in.

"I heard Master Qin is here, hurry up and fix my hair!" Zhou Yue's hair was a mess again.

"Xiaoyue, stop messing around, we're talking about serious business," Zhou Xing's mother said seriously. She picked up the phone, dialed a number, and a dozen minutes later, an officer in military uniform walked into the Zhou family home.

Qin Xiaoyu hadn't seen the house yet, but she trusted Commander Wang's judgment, and it was the right thing to do to finalize the contract while it was still fresh in her mind.

When Qin Xiaoyu saw the rent, she could hardly believe her eyes. Was this house dirt cheap? It was almost the same rent as her current shop, a two-story building! Was it given away for free?

Rent would get more and more expensive in the future, so Qin Xiaoyu signed a ten-year contract. However, she was careful because she didn't have that much money to pay all at once. She made a small modification to the contract, making it a ten-year contract with rent to be paid annually.

The staff member noticed that Qin Xiaoyu kept calling her "Auntie," so he knew their relationship was special. Since it was a public matter, he decided to do her a favor and let her change whatever terms she wanted, as long as it wasn't a major problem.

Leaving the Zhou family home, she still felt like she was dreaming. Was this real? She was going to open a hairdressing school!

"See, easy, right? You have to aim carefully when striking the bell. It's better to strike the big cymbal once than to strike the small cymbals three thousand times," Commander Wang said proudly.

"Thank you, Aunt Wang. This wouldn't have been possible without you."

"But Little Fish, I really didn't realize you had a knack for business. If you make a fortune in the future, don't forget your great matchmaker!"

"Aunt Wang, I've made up my mind. I'll get you and Aunt Zhou a VIP card each. You'll be our most distinguished guests, and it'll be a lifetime membership."

"What does that mean? What's V? I don't understand." Commander Wang was confused by Qin Xiaoyu's new terminology.

"From now on, whenever you come to our salon for haircuts, no matter what style you choose or how many times you visit, it will be free forever. As long as our salon is open, your card will remain valid!"

"Oh my! This is wonderful! It seems my efforts in making this connection weren't in vain!" Commander Wang had never seen such a thoughtful gift before, and he was so happy he couldn't stop smiling.

They had walked to the main gate of the military area as they were talking. A car stopped, and the people inside were talking to the guards. When they saw them, they stopped.

Qin Xiaoyu's mouth dropped open in exaggerated surprise. This bruised and swollen man was Zhou Xing? Wang Lei really went all out.

"Zhou Xing, are you seriously injured? That Xiao Lei! I'll deal with him when I get home!" Commander Wang was so distressed that he kept gnashing his teeth.