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  Gui Fang Zhai and Gui Xiang Zhai differ by only one word, yet they are not far apart. They both sell dim sum, which is clearly a case of poaching business and malicious competition.

  Xia Dagu nodded: "It's also a selling point. The business of Gui Xiang Zhai was indeed snatched away by quite a lot." To say, this is still the biggest and most eye-catching thing on West City Street in recent days.

  Xia Zhi suddenly remembered that Tian Lai Bao had told her before, his parents were very busy recently, all for the sake of the pastry shop. Because of this, he would stay at Daxing Zhuang's house for so long. Later, his parents took him back to the city, and Xia Zhi thought things had been settled. But from what Summer Big Sister said, it seemed not to be the case.

  It seems that Tian Lai Bao was taken back to the city because of May.

  This is really it! Little Hei Yu still wants to go find Tian Lai Bao to play. If the people of the Tian family know that they are actually from the Xia family, I don't know what they will think.

  Xia Zhi was thinking to himself, when Xia Dagu continued on her own: "However, the old brand of Guixiangzhai is not so easily squeezed out. I heard that they are developing new pastries, and want to surpass Guixiangzhai... Moreover, the Tian family doesn't just rely on Guixiangzhai. They have other shops, and also the Tian estate."

  Xia Dagu said, looking up at Xia Zhi with a glance. "I heard your grandma say that Tian Lai Bao from his family gets along well with you and Xiao Long?"

  She didn't mention the May thing, but Xia Zhi believed that Old Lady Xia should have told her. "It's okay. Lai Bao and my uncle get along pretty well. My uncle also said he wants to go find him in Fu Cheng City. Eldest sister, when Leng Shuang has time, take my uncle to visit him once, or else if he finds out we came without visiting him, he'll say we're not good friends."

  "Alright." Xia Dagu nodded with a smile. She had heard from Xia Laotaitai about what happened in May, and she also knew that Xia Zhi got along well with Tian Lai Bao. But Xia Zhi only said to let Zhang Sheng take Xiao Long to find Tian Lai Bao, but refused to go herself, apparently because of the May incident to avoid suspicion. This little girl Xia Zhi was clever and knew how to advance and retreat, no wonder her mother's family's two elders and younger brother liked her so much.

  Xia Zhi suddenly remembered another thing, and she asked Xia Dagu in a somewhat strange tone: "Isn't Lai Bao's family also from the Tian family? With Gui Xiang'an being in the imperial city for so many years, they must have some foundation. How can someone dare to compete with them for business like this?"

  "That's not just anyone." Xia Dagu told Xia Zhi, according to her knowledge, the family that opened the Guifangzhai was also surnamed Tian, and it wasn't a side branch like Tian Laibao's family, but a person with a name and surname in the Tian family tree. "In the early years, he donated a monitor, and everyone called him Tian Jian Sheng. The one who opened this Guifangzhai is his younger brother-in-law. However, the capital should still be his."

  "Tiān Jiànshēng?" Xia Zhì was slightly stunned, feeling that she had heard of this person somewhere.

  "What's this? Have you heard?" asked Xia Dagou.

  Xia Zhi thought for a moment: "I don't know if it's the same person." She then told Xia Dagu about Juanzi, whose younger sister had become the second wife of a county official in Fucheng.

  "Oh..." Xia Dagu's face showed a sudden realization, "It really is one person. I also know about this matter." Xia Dagu smiled for a while before telling Xia Zhi that the Tian Jian Sheng they were talking about was indeed the same person. Although Tian Jian Sheng wasn't the eldest son of the Tian family, he was quite wealthy. However, his reputation wasn't very good.

  Tian Jian Sheng was a lecher, but his wife was shrewish and couldn't tolerate people. They had been married for many years but still didn't have any children, because of this Tian Jian Sheng had countless arguments with his wife. It's said that in his own home he almost had affairs with all the maids and daughters-in-law, outside he also kept a few mistresses, but still couldn't get a son or daughter.

  In fact, some of these women had also been pregnant, but they were all aborted by the powerful and ruthless midwife.

  Now Tian Jian Sheng is already over fifty years old. Mrs. Jian Sheng also has some guilty conscience.

  Xia Dagou told Xia Zhi everything she could say. Then she also told Xia Zhi that Luo Juan's younger sister-in-law was not Tian Jian's second wife or even his concubine.

  "That girl from Zhang's family has become Tian Jian Sheng's concubine."

  Luo Juan's husband Zhang Cai also ran a grocery store, but it was much smaller than Guo Shu's and not located on Xishi Street. Zhang Cai's sister, Zhang Qiao'er, became Tian Jian's concubine, allegedly due to the efforts of Zhang Cai and Luo Juan.

  "It's just selling the girl off. But Zhang Qiaoer is also a frivolous girl, she probably wouldn't mind this kind of thing."

  Zhang Qiao'er was only sixteen years old, a tender and delicate flower. After she followed Tian Jian Sheng, he settled her in a mansion not far from the Zhang family's grocery store. All the furniture, decorations, servants, and daily necessities were provided by Tian Jian Sheng. In addition to this, Tian Jian Sheng also gave Zhang Qiao'er a sum of money at first.

  Zhang Qiaoer was not Tian Jian's first concubine, nor would she be his last. But what no one expected was that Zhang Qiaoer became pregnant. Tian Jian was overjoyed, and what made him even more ecstatic was that the doctors and midwives he invited all said that Zhang Qiaoer's belly definitely held a male fetus.

  That's the son Tian Jian Sheng has been longing for his whole life!

  If Zhang Qiao'er really gave birth to a son for Tian Jian Sheng, she would become the second wife of the Tian family in the future.

  "It's said that Mistress Zhang also spat out a mouthful, saying if the Zhang family's daughter could give birth to a son, she would agree to take her back home." Xia Dagu let out a soft sigh.

  However, in the past few days, Tian Jian Sheng could only temporarily wrong Zhang Qiao Er and let her live outside without a name or status. Because he felt guilty towards Zhang Qiao Er, Tian Jian Sheng was very generous to her and her brother Zhang Cai.

  "Gui Fang Zhai is Zhang Cai Kai's."

  Because his sister Zhang Qiaoer was pregnant with a boy, Zhang Cai felt that the property Tian Jiansheng gave him was far from enough. He not only wanted money but also a business that could be passed down to future generations. So he closed the original grocery store and told Tian Jiansheng that he wanted to open a big store.

  Gui Fang Zhai was Zhang Cai and Luo Juan's idea, they wanted to make money, so they came up with a clever plan. Of course, the storefront and capital were all provided by Tian Jian Sheng. Tian Jian Sheng wouldn't be unaware of who Gui Xiang Zhai belonged to, but compared to his future son-in-law, he didn't put much importance on a distant relative like that.

  After listening to Xia Dagu's explanation, Xia Zhi was completely clear about the whole thing. However, she still had a little doubt, although it wasn't that important, and she mentioned it to Xia Dagu anyway.

  "My second aunt didn't say anything about being pregnant."

  "This thing has just been exposed for a few days." Xia Dagong was aware of it. Because the monitor's wife was jealous and cruel, the monitor and Zhang Qiao'er were both afraid that the news of pregnancy would be known to her, and she would be poisoned again, so the news had always been hidden.

  Unfortunately, it wasn't hidden for long. Especially after the opening of Gui Xiang Ci, someone with a keen ear heard about it and told Madame Jian Sheng, then all the neighbors knew too.

  "Now looking at it with excitement, but don't know what the outcome will be later." Xia Dagu sighed again, obviously more concerned about the gossip of Tian Jian Sheng's back house than the competition between Gui Xiang and Gui Fang. Especially after knowing that Zhang Qiao'er still had a crooked relationship with her own family. "What concubine or aunt, looking at it from the outside wearing gold and silver, but in reality, life is not so easy to pass. This is just different thoughts of people. If I say, rather be a poor man's wife than a rich man's concubine."

  This sentence seems more popular when said in reverse.

  The two women chatted more and more densely, almost forgetting the time, until they saw Yuhuan coming out of the upper house, when Xia Dagu realized that it was not early.

  "Yuexian, don't go, let's have lunch here at noon." Xia Dagou kindly persuaded Guo Yuexian.

  Guo Yuhuan hesitated for a moment, then smiled and refused. "Auntie, some other time. I've been out for half a day today, and my mother said I should get back early because something's come up."

  She said so, and Xia Dagu no longer detained her. "If your mother has something on hand, I won't keep you."

  Guo Yuhuan didn't leave immediately, she smiled and said to Xia Zhi: "Fourth sister, I and Zhenzhu have been waiting for you for half a day. Fourth sister, you still need to stay here for a few more days, right? When you're free, come visit my place."

  "Yu Huan, if you're free, come over and keep your fourth sister company. If you want to go out for a stroll, that's fine too. With the two of you together, I'll feel more at ease." said Xia Da Gu.

  Guo Yuhuan readily agreed and was about to leave. Just as she approached the screen wall, a large green dog suddenly darted out from beside her. Guo Yuhuan let out a startled cry of "Ahh, mother!" and stumbled forward, falling to the ground.

  Da Qing walked up to Guo Yuhuan with a big grin on his face, and let out a loud whoop towards her body. Guo Yuhuan's heart almost jumped out of her throat, but her hands and feet were icy cold, and her body was stiffened, wanting to dodge back, yet she couldn't move half a step.

  At the sight of this scene, Xia Zhi was about to jump up and open the door. But when she saw that the rope and collar on Da Qing's neck were gone, her movements paused for a moment. Even if she didn't go forward, as long as she called out, she could have called Da Qing over. However, in the end, she didn't make a sound.

  To outsiders, Xia Zhi was also shocked.

  Summer elder sister knew in her heart that Big Green would not easily hurt people. But Big Green's ferocious appearance, and Jade Ring being frightened into a stupor, still gave her a fright. She hastily stood up and quickly walked to Jade Ring's side.

  "What's going on? Liu Qiang, come and take a look at the dog." Xia Dagu shouted. The little servant Liu Qiang had already followed Zhang Sheng out, and she certainly wouldn't mistake Daqing for another dog. Daqing wouldn't listen to Liu Qiang anyway.

  Xia Zhi heard Xia Dagu shouting like this, and she also stood up and walked over.

  The little black fish came out from behind the screen and scolded Da Qing. At first, Da Qing didn't listen, but in the end, the little black fish went forward and forcibly pushed Da Qing away.

  Xia Dagu was worried about Xiao Hei Yu's appearance: "Little Dragon, hurry up and call Liu Qiang. See if he dares to bite you again."

  (。)