Huang Wanzhen finally understood why Mama Qian was so shrewd. She said helplessly, "I'm already married. Madam, what's your last name? How do you address me? Your accent doesn't sound like you're from the north."

Huang Wanzhen believes that the best defense is offense. In order to prevent the lady from continuing to pester her with questions, Huang Wanzhen turned the topic to her.

"My hometown is Shanghai, and I've been in Beijing for quite a few years. Why? My accent still sounds like someone from the south?"

Huang Wanzhen nodded. "Yeah, you can tell it's from Jiangsu and Zhejiang. You can read the newspaper aloud every morning to correct your pronunciation."

The woman curled her lips and folded her hands in front of her. "My last name is Qian, so you can call me Ms. Qian. Doctor Shen is on the left side of the third floor. Don't make a mistake. The tenants here are all well-known figures."

Huang Wanzhen rolled her eyes towards the ceiling, walked around her and headed towards the stairs in the northeast corner.

"Hey! You little girl, you are young but you have a big temper. How can you be so rude!" Ms. Qian stood with her feet in front and back, slightly bent forward, stretched out her fingers painted with red nail polish, and harshly accused Huang Wanzhen.

Huang Wanzhen, who had been about to walk up the stairs, retreated and approached her step by step. "Good temper is reserved for beautiful women. An ugly woman like you, it's okay if you're just ugly, but you have to make faces in front of others. That's your fault! I think making faces is the same as being shameless. So why not give you any face?!"

Ms. Qian seemed to have no experience in such a confrontation. As Huang Wanzhen approached, she retreated step by step, retorting in panic, "You, you are the ugly one!"

Huang Wanzhen looked her up and down with deliberate disdain in her eyes. "I'm definitely prettier than you! I still have that confidence. Don't bother me, ugly girl, and try to make things difficult for me. I'm afraid I might accidentally hurt your pride!"

Ms. Qian had never met a girl of this age who was so eloquent. For a moment, she even regretted provoking Huang Wanzhen.

Huang Wanzhen saw that Ms. Qian was just staring at her blankly, her mind wandering away. She didn't bother to argue with her and turned around and went upstairs.

At this salon, Huang Wanzhen met Mrs. Su, Chu Qingqing, for the fourth time. Their last encounter was at the Su family's Christmas party; it was just a fleeting glance, a nod of greeting. Today, Mrs. Su's smile was noticeably more genuine. It wasn't that her smile had been fake before, but rather that it didn't come across as genuine, relaxed, or joyful.

Chu Qingqing was wearing a light blue cheongsam, an off-white cashmere shawl, a round pink pearl necklace around her neck, and a pearl leaf-shaped hairpin on her head. She looked both luxurious and elegant. Huang Wanzhen smiled into crescents and praised sincerely, "Mrs. Su is truly a woman of great learning and elegance."

Mrs. Su was used to hearing people praise her beauty, but she had never heard such praise for her inner temperament. She couldn't help but laugh, "Nothing like you little girls, she's in her prime."

"There are many young girls in their prime, but your temperament is the most enviable."

Mrs. Su was amused by Huang Wanzhen's honest words. A fashionable girl in a tweed dress and permed hair walked over gracefully. "Qingqing, what are you laughing at?"

Mrs. Su smiled and took the woman's arm, "Let me introduce you to an interesting little sister."

"This is Ms. Huang, the owner of Jixiangtang on Dengshikou Street. Her cosmetics are very good. You can go and have a look when you have time."

Mrs. Su said with a smile, then turned to look at Huang Wanzhen and said, "This is my classmate, Ms. Chen."

Ms. Chen extended her hand and shook Huang Wanzhen's. "Welcome! I often attend Dr. Shen's salons. Is this your first time?"

"I came once. You went to Tianjin to have clothes made by that foreign tailor, so you didn't come."

Without waiting for Huang Wanzhen to speak, Mrs. Su explained to Ms. Chen.

Huang Wanzhen handed over her business card and said, "We at Jixiangtang also have high-end custom-made dresses. Dr. Shen and Dr. Chu have both ordered suits from us. If Ms. Chen is interested, you can go and take a look."

"Oh? Really?" Ms. Chen nodded perfunctorily and finally took the business card.

Huang Wanzhen did not forget the real purpose of her visit today. After a few pleasantries, she went to find Chu Yanzhi who was sitting next to her and talking to someone.

Chu Yanzhi dismissed Gao Caixue and Su Jinghui, who were talking with him, and went to the table where drinks and snacks were placed. He took two cups of coffee, handed one to Huang Wanzhen, and held the remaining cup in his hand, sipping slowly. "I talked to Liu Ziyang, and he said that he didn't spread your business card. The matter in the Huaming Daily has nothing to do with him."

Huang Wanzhen became excited when she heard the name 'Liu Ziyang'. "Yes, it must be him! My deskmate's brother works at the police department and helped us investigate. The Hua Ming Daily is run by the Liu family. I don't agree with your statement."

"The Hua Ming Daily flattered me and smeared me. My classmates who read the newspaper stopped buying anything from my shop. They had such a huge impact on me, and you just dismiss it as irrelevant?"

"Then if I accidentally sold two kilograms of explosives to some thugs and they blew up the Hua Ming Daily, does that have nothing to do with me?"

"Huang Wanzhen, calm down." Chu Yanzhi waved his hand and whispered, "Liu Ziyang just came back from the United States. Although Huaming Daily is part of the Liu family's business, he doesn't run it. He doesn't know you, so there's no reason for him to harm you like that."

Huang Wanzhen pursed her lips stubbornly, muttering to herself, there must be something wrong with this Liu Ziyang.

"Well, he didn't know me, so he had no reason to harm me. But now I've been harmed by his Liu family, and it was the day after you gave him your business card. How do you explain this?"

"Don't tell me it's a coincidence. To me, coincidences are the result of malicious intent, finding an opportunity to hurt others, and then taking actual action."

"I want to see Liu Ziyang! My business is getting slower and slower, and I can't wait too long. If he can't make time to see me within three days, I'll just find out the Liu family's address and Liu Ziyang's whereabouts."

Chu Yanzhi sighed helplessly, "Why are you so stubborn?! It will do you no good to offend the Liu family."

Huang Wanzhen was furious, but she looked up and smiled as she met Chu Yanzhi's eyes. "Then what should I do? Don't offend the Liu family. Just sit back and wait for things to escalate. If word gets out, everyone will know I'm a fame-seeker, dishonest, and immoral. I'll be despised by everyone. If Jixiangtang closes down, I won't be able to find a job in Beijing."

"Of course I can leave Beijing and go to Shanghai or Hong Kong, but why? Just because you have high status and privileges, should I just let you cheat me?"