"Senior sister, you can't say that. I was just worried that you wouldn't want to be a teacher, or that you'd be wronged. But then again, being a part-time teacher really is a waste of your time, senior sister. I have other ideas. Come on, senior sister, let's go outside and talk. We can also take a look at my new school."

Qin Xiaoyu gave Master Wang a wink and brought Da Liu out.

Captain Chen's men hadn't arrived yet, and the school was empty, making it seem even bigger. When Da Liu first arrived, he was still a bit resentful, but now he admires Qin Xiaoyu.

This petite woman, with her soft, gentle voice, is capable of great things. Where can we find her?

"Senior, what do you think of this school? Is it alright?"

"Great, excellent!" Da Liu nodded repeatedly.

"How about you invest?"

"Invest in the school?" Da Liu was still excited, but this was a bucket of cold water poured on her. She wasn't stupid. Doing part-time work was to earn money, but investing in the school meant spending money. What if the school lost money? Wouldn't her money be wasted?

“I’m talking about investing, not just putting money in. The school has a big framework, but it lacks some infrastructure. Dongfeng Barber Shop is a big shop, and every year they have tons of old clippers, scissors, and hair dryers, as well as hair clips, wigs, and other things. They’re not worth much as scrap metal, so it’s better to use them where they’re useful.”

Qin Xiaoyu explained it in detail, and Da Liu, being a smart man, immediately understood that this was a great opportunity for her to get something for nothing.

"I understand what you're saying, junior sister. Let's discuss it carefully. I think this is a good idea."

When Da Liu agreed, Qin Xiaoyu secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Knowing that the workers would be arriving soon, she took Da Liu to a nearby small hotel, ordered a basket of steamed buns, and the two chatted as they left. By the time they came out, they were as close as sisters.

Da Liu was even more satisfied. She had an extra contract in her pocket. She had exchanged the scrap materials from Dongfeng Barbershop for a share of the business. Where else could you find such a good deal? It was much better than working a part-time job.

Qin Xiaoyu had a much bigger plan. Da Liu had a lot of resources at her disposal. These days, many people wanted to become apprentices at Dongfeng, but there weren't enough state-run positions available. By going through Da Liu, these people could all get into her hairdressing school. Wasn't that a win-win situation?

That evening, Qin Xiaoyu went to the school for inspection. The building and its surroundings had been neatly tidied up. When Captain Chen heard that she needed a bed, he took it upon himself to get a batch of old bunk beds from the factory's warehouse. They were so cheap they were practically scrap metal, and they had already been installed.

"Brother Chen, you're really treating this like your own business!" Qin Xiaoyu was so moved she could hardly speak.

"It's not easy for you as a woman. Your sister-in-law said she'd help if she could. Xiaoyu is a good person." Captain Chen didn't forget to force a mouthful of dog food into her mouth.

When Qin Xiaoyu paid the bill, she slipped him an extra fifty yuan. Captain Chen hesitated for a while before finally accepting it, and everyone was happy.

During this period, Qin Xiaoyu had already posted advertisements, and people were gradually signing up. She had calculated that a semester would last three months and cost a total of three hundred yuan. Considering the students' circumstances, it would be good if they could even scrape together the tuition, so she included room and board for these three months.

Accommodation was provided simply, and meals consisted of rice, flour, vegetables, and oil that she bought for the students to cook themselves, which didn't cost much.

Before she knew it, the end of the year was approaching. On New Year's Day, a holiday for everyone, Qin Xiaoyu's hairdressing school opened. She gave the school a catchy name: New Century Hairdressing School. She hoped that her school would still be thriving in the 21st century.

The school opened, but the results were not very satisfactory. On the first day of school, only eleven students showed up. After deducting the teacher's and other expenses, it was just enough to cover the costs; there was no profit to be seen at all, and Master Wang was a little worried.

Not only her, but Qin Xiaoyu also felt that something was wrong. After thinking about it for a few days, she finally figured it out: she had chosen the wrong school location.

No, no, you should say she was born into the wrong family. This is a northern city, where the mindset is already behind that of the south, and in the 1980s, it was like two different worlds. She could make money by skirting the law, but she also had to bear the risks of investment.

The women in Commander Wang's circle had traveled all over the country and seen a lot of the world. From them, Qin Xiaoyu learned some things about the outside world. If her school were located in the south, it would be a huge success. In the north, it was a bit early; it would take at least three years to see results, and she couldn't afford to wait that long.

No matter what, she had to grit her teeth and keep going on the path she had chosen. Qin Xiaoyu couldn't show any unhappiness on her face. Everyone around her used her as a bellwether, observing her every move. If she collapsed first, everyone else would follow suit. She had to hold on.

Anyway, I have enough money on hand to get by, everything will be alright.

On New Year's Day, she opened her business and booked two tables at the restaurant to entertain relatives, friends, and acquaintances who usually help out. The expenses were quite high, and Hanhan's grandmother felt very distressed.

Because his wife wasn't feeling well those days, she didn't go to the hotel. Qin Xiaoyu packed some food first and had her cousin-in-law bring it back, then ate with his wife. Grandma Hanhan needed to be there for this occasion; it was a matter of prestige, something she'd never achieved in her life.

Qin Xiaoyu was the last to return home. She had to see off each guest, and by the time she reached the gate, she was exhausted.

Just as she was about to turn around and close the door, two middle-aged men and women appeared at the door and barged in without any politeness.

"Hey, who are you looking for?" Qin Xiaoyu asked blurtly, noticing the unfamiliar faces.

The two men stopped, turned around and looked at her, both showing expressions of disgust.

The man was wearing a navy blue wool coat, had a sleek, center-parted hairstyle, and his features looked very familiar.

The woman wore a wool coat with a fox fur collar and high-top lambskin boots. She had long, wavy hair, an oval face, delicately drawn eyebrows, and bright red lips, looking very fashionable.

"Big brother? Big sister-in-law?" A thought flashed through Qin Xiaoyu's mind. Goodness, this is Tang Long's father's twin brother. Looking closer, they really do have the same face, but he looks more than ten years younger than Tang Long's father. Maybe it's because the university professor takes good care of himself.

The professor and his wife clearly didn't think much of Qin Xiaoyu, and hurriedly went into the inner room without saying a word.

Qin Xiaoyu noticed something: they didn't go to the east room where the lady lived, but went straight to the west room. Did they know that the old lady had been kicked out? Could it be that the old lady had called back reinforcements?

"Little Fish, come here." My cousin's wife came out to greet them when she heard the noise, and she was also surprised to see the two of them.

What's wrong with them?

"I don't know, they're so arrogant." Qin Xiaoyu pouted and went into the house with her cousin-in-law. The lady hadn't fully recovered from her last cold, and the house smelled of medicine. Also, to avoid making a fuss, her cousin-in-law had been keeping Hanhan and the others with her.

Qin Xiaoyu rubbed her hands as she entered the house and saw her younger sister winding a coil of yarn. She quickly stepped forward to stop her, saying, "Don't mess up your second aunt's things. Be good."