Li Ziqing cast another glance at her mother's bedroom door—it was still locked. Her eyes shifted to the wall clock. It was already 12:14 p.m. Lunch had been prepared for quite some time, but no one had eaten. Two hours earlier, Li Jianping had stormed out of the room in anger, Li Zian followed him immediately. She had stayed behind to keep an eye on her mother.
Suddenly, a familiar sound echoed in her mind.
[Ding… New Daily Mission Triggered]
Her brows furrowed as she instinctively opened the system's task interface.
[Main Mission: Enter the Hospitality Industry – Build Your Own Hotel Chain
Objective: Accumulate your first fortune—ten million yuan—from food and hospitality ventures.]
[System Analysis: A significant emotional fluctuation has been detected in Li Jianfang.
This change surpasses mere passion or ambition—it burns with a dangerous, consuming fire.
This shift has created ideal conditions for accelerated progress.
Daily Mission: Begin registering the company today.]
Li Ziqing stared at the message in disbelief, her eyes then shifting back to her mother's door. What exactly had changed so drastically behind that closed door? What had ignited such fierce determination within her?
---
Inside the Room.
Li Jianfang sat in silence, staring at a weathered, timeworn book that she had just pulled from the back of her shelf. Her fingers trembled slightly as she opened it. On the first page was a photograph—faded but still hauntingly vivid. She stared at it for a long time. But this time, it wasn't grief or panic that overtook her.
It was madness.
A fire had ignited in her chest. A relentless, unstoppable resolve.
"Xiao Ping was right," she muttered under her breath, her eyes locked onto the image. "To people like them, we are nothing but insects. If we continue crawling in the dirt, we'll be crushed the moment we become inconvenient. Just like that time..."
Her voice trembled.
"I'm sorry I couldn't save you. I was weak. I trusted the wrong people. I believed in lies, and it cost you everything. But I won't let it end like this. Not anymore. One day, I'll make him regret ever stepping into our lives. I'll make all of them regret it. Your death won't go unpunished. Their power won't erase our pain."
Her voice, though quiet, was filled with an eerie calmness.
With one final glance at the photo, she gently closed the book and placed it back in its hidden compartment behind the shelf. Then, without hesitation, she stood up, adjusted her posture, and walked out of the room.
---
The moment she stepped into the living room, her gaze locked with Li Ziqing's. Something passed between them—unspoken yet unmistakable. The storm within Li Jianfang seemed to settle in her daughter's presence.
Just then, the front door creaked open. Li Jianping and Li Zian walked in, both still tense from the earlier confrontation. Silence loomed thick in the air, but none of them spoke.
Li Jianfang broke it.
"We're closing the breakfast stall starting from tomorrow," she announced, her voice steady and clear. "Starting today, we're moving forward. We have the money. We have the storefront. There's no need to linger in the past anymore. It's time to begin a new chapter."
She turned to Li Ziqing and looked her straight in the eyes. "A Qing, thank you—for everything you've done to support your mother until now. I don't know how long it would have taken to get here without you. But from today, leave the rest to me. You focus on your studies. Let me handle the business side. You want to build a hotel chain? We'll do it—together."
A wide smile spread across Li Ziqing's face. "Don't worry, Mom. I'll study harder than ever. I'll make you proud. And I'll teach you everything I know about the business. It won't be long before we've got branches all across the country."
Moved by the energy, Li Zian stepped forward and grinned. "Mom, I'll help too. I'll make you proud. You can count on me."
Then, Li Jianfang looked toward her younger brother.
"Xiao Ping," she said, "Wuhan University offers diploma courses in jewelry design. You only need to submit a portfolio to apply. The courses last one year—enough to turn you into a professional. The application period is open now. Go to Li Zian's internet café and submit your designs. Don't wait."
Li Jianping's head snapped up in disbelief. His eyes turned red. "Y–You knew?"
Li Jianfang's smile softened. "I may have given birth to AnAn and A Qing, but I became a mother when I was just seven years old—when you came into my life. I raised you. Did you really think I wouldn't know what you do every night, sneaking up late to sketch your designs? I know everything."
Her voice wavered with pride.
"I've seen your work while cleaning your room. And every time I did, I felt so proud. Before, we didn't have the means. But now, we do. So what if it's a little expensive? We have money now—and we'll have more."
Li Jianping could no longer hold back. With tears in his eyes, he crossed the room and threw his arms around her.
He cried.
For years, people had mocked him. They called him useless, said he was nothing but a freeloader, a dropout who lived off his sister. But no one knew how his own mother had crushed his dreams, how life had beaten the fight out of him.
Yet now, the very sister he leaned on was the one reigniting that dream.
Li Jianfang held him tightly and whispered, "You don't need to hold it in with your family, Xiao Ping. That's what family is for—supporting each other, standing through the storms together."
He nodded, stepping back, wiping his tears with the sleeve of his shirt.
Li Jianfang gave his shoulder a firm pat and smiled. "Alright, enough crying. Let's eat lunch."
The family was halfway through lunch when Li Ziqing suddenly put down her chopsticks, her eyes lighting up with realization.
"Mom," she said, turning to Li Jianfang with a rare spark of urgency, "can we buy all four of Grandpa An's courtyards?"
Everyone paused mid-bite, startled by the sudden proposal.
"I've thought it through," she continued. "If Grandpa An can't wait for the demolition compensation, we can buy the houses at double the current price. It'll help him support his sons' business, and he can also save some money for his retirement. And when the demolition happens… we'll profit from the compensation. It's a win-win."
Yesterday, on her way back from the western suburbs, the plan had already begun to take shape in her mind. She clearly remembered her mother's words at the hospital—and strangely enough, the moment this idea took root, the Opportunity Coupon in her system expired.
That's when it hit her: the entire day had unfolded like a perfectly timed chain reaction.
First, the coupon had nudged her to sell lunch at the City Planning Bureau, where she overheard the news about the demolition project from He Qiang. Then came the unexpected call from the hospital, summoning her to visit Grandpa An. And later that night, she had ended up at the night market and earned such a large amount.
Everything seemed connected—as if an invisible hand was pushing her toward a single outcome:
She had to buy Grandpa An's four courtyards.
And as if to confirm her decision, the Opportunity Coupon had disappeared the instant the thought crossed her mind.
Grandpa An's courtyard was only a few alleys away from her own home, both located near the Old Lake. From the rooftop, one could clearly see the lake's shimmering surface. She recalled what He Qiang had said: the closer a house was to the lake, the higher the compensation would be—just to speed up the demolition process and avoid protests.
The four courtyards combined would cost about one million yuan, and including their own property, the total investment would be around 1.2 million. In return, they could easily receive at least seven million yuan in compensation.
But that wasn't what she truly cared about anymore.
What really excited her was the five new properties they would be allocated after the redevelopment. According to He Qiang, this lakeside district was set to become one of the most sought-after locations in the city. In a few years, even with money, it would be nearly impossible to purchase a single property here—let alone five.
That's why she had to act now.
Li Jianfang stared at her daughter for a long moment, then finally nodded.
"You're right. Grandpa An has been so anxious lately. If we buy those courtyards, it'll put his heart at ease too."
Li Ziqing smiled. Then, with sudden excitement, she leaned in again.
"Mom, what if we apply to register a company right now? If we're a legal entity, the state will compensate us, not with money, but with technical advantages. Later, when we want to open more restaurants, we won't need separate permits in every city."
Li Jianfang's eyebrows raised. "That's true…"
"And," Ziqing added quickly, "since we're in the hospitality industry, we'll need a solid registered capital. I'm thinking… ten million yuan."
Her mother blinked. "Ten million?"
"I know it's a lot," Ziqing admitted. "But if the amount is too small, the authorities might not take us seriously. Worse, competitors might find ways to suppress us. But with a strong capital on paper, they'll think twice before getting in our way."
Li Jianping, who had been silently listening, suddenly stood up and grinned.
"Then I'll go get the tax registration certificate done first thing tomorrow!"
"I'll get the company seal carved and open a bank account!" Li Zian added excitedly. "But… what will we name the company?"
Everyone turned to Li Jianfang.
She fell silent, thinking. After a while, her lips curved into a confident smile.
"Huiheng Group," she said.
Ziqing's brows lifted. "Huiheng?"
Li Jianfang nodded. "Hui, for wisdom. Heng, for eternity. It means strategic power, endurance—and never bending in the face of storms."
The room went quiet for a beat, and then—
Clap!
One by one, everyone clapped in unison, the joy in their hearts echoing off the walls.
Li Ziqing's eyes sparkled as she repeated the name in her mind. Huiheng Group...
A name that would one day rise to the top of China's business world.
In the depths of her consciousness, the system joined in, throwing digital confetti and unleashing a cascade of triumphant music.
She tightened her fists with determination.
One step at a time—they were getting closer.