You still think this is your house?

Finally, Liu Dong added, "Xu Huizhen, let me give you one more piece of advice!"

Xu Huizhen immediately tensed her face and said seriously, "Then I'll have to listen carefully. Tell me!"

Liu Dong placed his teacup on the table, his tone neither too loud nor too soft: "Over at Qianmen, rumors of a public-private partnership are already circulating, aren't they?"

"Yes!" Xu Huizhen nodded, "But everyone is keeping their heads down, and no one is willing to take the lead."

Liu Dong didn't even lift his eyelids: "If I were you, I'd rush to sign it tomorrow and be the first one there!"

"Huh?" Xu Huizhen was taken aback.

Chen Xueru was also confused and asked, "Brother Liu Dong, why did you have to be the first to act? Wouldn't it be more profitable to wait? You could make money for two more months!"

"Heh..." Liu Dong chuckled, speaking slowly, "First, how many copper coins can you make in these two months? Second, everyone who shrinks back will end up as cannon fodder!"

He paused, then continued, "Think about it, if you're the first to jump out and shout 'I do,' the higher-ups will immediately make you a model example. They'll shower you with preferential policies and priority resources—why wouldn't they shower you with everything?"

"To put it bluntly, you're just a flag they've planted out, displayed in the street for everyone to see—do you think they'd dare mistreat you? Would they dare to ruin you? Who would dare to respond to their call after that?"

Xu Huizhen's eyes suddenly lit up: "Oh, right!"

She had just figured it out when she suddenly wondered, "But...can this really work? What if everyone just holds back and no one actually does anything? Won't it fall through?"

Liu Dong sneered, "Are you stupid? This is a road designated by the state. Who can stop it? Even the steel rolling mill has been converted to state ownership. What chance do you think your few small shops can have?"

"Oh, oh, oh..." Xu Huizhen jumped up from her chair and said repeatedly, "Thank you so much, little brother! I'll go back right away, check the accounts, clean the shop, and get everything ready!"

Before the words were even finished, the person had already rushed out the door.

"Oh dear—" Chen Xueru slapped her thigh, jumped up, and glared at Liu Dong. "Why didn't you tell me sooner? Let's go! Hurry up, let's go!"

Liu Dong was still leisurely blowing on his tea: "Where are you going?"

"My brother's silk shop!" she exclaimed, stamping her feet in frustration. "I need to make things clear to him before he does, so he can be the first to sign up! All the benefits will go to our family!"

Liu Dong shook his head: "Stop making a fuss, your brother won't listen to you."

"Impossible!" Chen Xueru said firmly. "He may not be the brightest, and his business has been a complete mess, but he's not stupid enough to ignore policy advice! Are you leaving or not?"

"Okay, okay." Liu Dong put down his cup, got up and followed.

Chen Xueru hopped on her bicycle, Liu Dong sat on the back, and the two sped off like the wind to the Chen family's courtyard house.

As soon as she entered, Chen's mother was sewing shoe soles under the lamp. She looked up and exclaimed, "Xueru? What brings you here in the dark?"

"Where's my brother?" Chen Xueru asked, still breathless. "I have something important to tell him!"

Chen Zhongze and Lady Lü were sitting inside.

Without bothering with pleasantries, Chen Xueru quickly relayed Liu Dong's message.

She thought her brother would act immediately, but instead she was met with a sneer: "Oh, now it's your turn to teach me how to do business? I don't need you to worry about it, the shop is doing very well!"

"Public-private partnership? I'm not touching that! Anyone who gets involved will be doomed. This policy is a complete waste of time!"

Xu Huizhen's face turned pale instantly.

Liu Dong is absolutely right.

Chen Zhongze wasn't finished; instead, he started berating his sister: "Ever since you married that brother-in-law, your brain hasn't been working properly. You're always causing trouble, doing all sorts of stupid things!"

"Why are you trying to persuade me to join forces?"

"Why are you being told to hoard food? Your rice bins are practically overflowing!"

"You're hopeless!"

"Stop talking!" He waved his hand. "I'm in charge of this business now, and I decide how it's run. Even though Father's gone, I'll make sure he sees from heaven that I, Chen Zhongze, haven't disgraced him!"

Chen Xueru felt a tightness in her chest and almost couldn't catch her breath.

She finally understood.

Why did the old man prefer to hand over the family business to a daughter rather than to his own son?

Only then did she fully understand.

But she gritted her teeth, trying to suppress her anger, and said in a low voice, "Brother, I'm not just meddling. This time it's real, there's no escaping it. Don't go against the higher-ups, you can't win!"

"Don't even think about trying to tough it out!"

Chen Zhongze immediately frowned, looking impatient.

Madam Lü, standing nearby, also spoke up: "Xue Ru, can't you just shut up? This courtyard isn't yours to call the shots, and you have no share in the shop. What right do you, an outsider, have to interfere?"

"Can't you show some respect? They're family, after all!"

"Bang!" Chen Xueru slammed her hand on the table, her face pale. "Mom... my chest hurts. I'm going to lie down in my room for a while." After saying that, she turned around and walked towards the west wing.

Three seconds later, she stormed out again, still seething with anger: "Where's my house? It's full of crates!"

As Mrs. Lü was eating, she didn't even lift her eyelids: "You still think this is your room?"

"A married daughter is like water spilled from a bowl—don't you understand the old saying? You're now living on the Chen family's land and in their house; you have no right to speak anymore!"

"I...I..." Chen Xueru's lips trembled with anger.

In just a few days, her status in her family home has been completely stripped away.

"Never mind." Liu Dong gently patted her shoulder. "Finding a hotel is the same."

Only then did Chen's mother timidly raise her head and ask softly, "Xueru, did you... have a fight at home? Why don't you sleep in my room..."

At first, she thought something urgent had happened to Chen Xueru's family.

Chen Xueru's eyes reddened, and she said softly, "No... Mom, it's just that Liu Dong is going to the Qianmen Cultural Center for classes in a few days. It's close to our house, so I was thinking of having him stay at home so it would be more convenient for him to get to and from get out of class!"

"We can't keep running around every day, it's too much of a hassle."

"Oh—" Chen's mother responded softly, her lips slightly pursed.

That house is fine for my daughter to live in, but how can I let my son-in-law live there long-term?

"Is your brain made of wood?"

Chen Zhong glanced at Liu Dong sideways, his tone unfriendly, "He really should go and learn something!"

These words were like a spark thrown into an oil drum; Chen Xueru instantly flared up: "Chen Zhongze, who are you mocking indirectly? What exactly do you mean? What's wrong with my husband?"

"Alright, alright!" Liu Dong quickly hugged his wife and smiled apologetically at his mother-in-law. "Mom, I'll take Xue Ru back now!"

Staying in this place for even a second longer makes me feel suffocated, so I'd better not linger.

"Chen Zhongze—"

Chen Xueru walked to the courtyard gate, suddenly turned around, and shouted, "I was having a bit of trouble here, and the first person I thought of was you. And what do you do? You won't listen to a word I say. You'll regret this later! When you finally fall on hard times, even if you kneel and beg me, I won't look at you again!"