After Prison, She Shocks the World
Chapter 100 Fu Xiaomei Meets Elder Madam Chu

Chapter 100: Chapter 100 Fu Xiaomei Meets Elder Madam Chu

Uncle Yun was taken aback by the new plan. "Miss, didn’t you previously say that market diversification was better? The Chu Family’s century-old embroidery products are the industry’s established name; is this appropriate?"

The Chu Family Embroidery House was the biggest name in the embroidery industry, where interests were deeply entangled and not so easy to manipulate.

Meanwhile, his competitive desire was ignited by Miss Ya Rui’s words.

Ya Garden was clearly superior to the current Chu Family Embroidery House in all aspects, including quality, patterns, and embroidery skill.

Miss Ya Rui advocated for preserving the original advantages of the embroidery products while innovating appropriately, so that they could survive in the torrent of the times.

Initially, his confidence buoyed by Ya Garden’s excellent prospects, he had suggested to Miss Ya Rui that they push the Chu Family Embroidery House out of the industry entirely.

He had spent most of his life in this industry. He knew the current manager of the Chu Family Embroidery House was an amateur and didn’t want a good, century-old establishment to eventually end up neglected.

At that time, Miss Ya Rui’s response was that the Chu Family Embroidery House had its own destiny, and there was no need to interfere.

Now, it was Miss Ya Rui herself asking him to snatch business from the Chu Family Embroidery House.

Does the Chu Family Embroidery House truly have no hope left?

Uncle Yun felt a wave of desolation in his heart.

"I have my reasons. Please help me implement my plan," Fu Bing said.

"Miss, please don’t say that. If you need me, I will gladly give my all," Uncle Yun declared.

"Your way of speaking is really..." Fu Bing trailed off, exasperated. He always spoke with such grim determination that it intimidated her.

Upon hearing her familiar tone, Uncle Yun couldn’t help but burst into hearty laughter.

"I’ll get right on it. Wait for my good news."

"I’m counting on you, Uncle Yun."

Fu Bing hung up the phone and flipped through the information she had gathered.

Fu Chan had two daughters: Fu Ruyun and Fu Ruhui.

Combining the names of the two daughters formed his wife’s name, Yunhui.

This clearly showed Yunhui’s importance in Fu Chan’s heart.

Though Fu Chan was the public head of the Fu Family, Yunhui was its actual controller.

For Yunhui’s sake, Fu Chan had even moved the entire family to live in Yunxi Lane.

Looking at Yunhui’s photo, Fu Bing saw that even in middle age, Yunhui still smiled with a gentle, serene demeanor, the very picture of a woman deeply in love.

In the photo, Yunhui sat under a large tree, with an ancient wall and a casement window in the background that perfectly matched her temperament.

Fu Bing suddenly suspected that Fu Chan’s interest in the Chu Family Embroidery House and its embroidery patterns was largely due to Yunhui.

She had met Fu Chan. He wasn’t a patient man, nor did his temperament suggest someone who could quietly appreciate embroidery.

In contrast, Yunhui seemed like an embroiderer who had been immersed in the craft for many years.

But if she was an embroiderer, why couldn’t she see the flaws that had plagued the Chu Family Embroidery House for years?

The once-thriving Chu Family Embroidery House had inexplicably been led downhill by her.

Yunhui didn’t appear to be foolish.

Fu Bing stared at Yunhui’s photo for a long time and reviewed all her other information, yet still couldn’t pinpoint the root of the problem.

Xiaomei drove her little pink car, following the GPS to the sanatorium. She parked, closed the car door, and wandered around the grounds, looking for Madam Chu’s courtyard.

The small courtyards were numerous, one after another, and just walking around their enclosing walls was exhausting enough for her.

Especially now, under the harsh sun—she had forgotten to wear a hat and felt like she was about to bake.

Suddenly, she saw an elderly woman with a bandaged hand sitting under a very old-looking tree.

Xiaomei’s eyes lit up, and she dashed over.

"Grandma, can I ask you for directions?"

Madam Chu glanced at her indifferently and didn’t respond.

Xiaomei looked at her hand. "Is your hand injured? Is it serious? My sister is a very skilled doctor; she can treat you."

Madam Chu looked at her flushed little face and her dark, bright eyes filled with innocence and immaturity. She asked softly, "Who are you looking for?"

"I’m looking for Madam Chu, the one from the Chu Family Embroidery House."

Madam Chu’s gaze became guarded. "What do you want with her?"

Unguarded, Xiaomei replied, "My sister sent me here to explain some things. Madam Chu’s granddaughter spent her final moments with me, and I was the most familiar with her condition at the time. Aunt Fu’s death wasn’t my sister’s fault—Aunt Fu had been ill since my sister was still in high school. Back then, my sister was juggling school and work, all while taking care of Aunt Fu. Even after she became a big star, she still looked after Aunt Fu personally. I think you misunderstand my sister, and that’s why you hate her."

Madam Chu’s expression remained unchanged as she coldly observed Xiaomei.

"Since you call her ’sister,’ you naturally see things from her perspective."

Xiaomei scratched her head. "Not really. My sister is loved by many people. Even Hacker, the pickiest critic, couldn’t find any dirt on her when she was in prison. I’ve been with my sister for so many years and haven’t found a single flaw in her. My sister is a genuinely good person."

Madam Chu looked at her dispassionately. "Why are you telling me all this?"

"Oh, you’re right," Xiaomei said, belatedly realizing. "Then, do you know where Courtyard 6 is?"

Madam Chu ignored her.

Xiaomei chuckled awkwardly and slowly walked away.

Madam Chu watched, impassively, as Xiaomei walked in the opposite direction of Courtyard 6.

Thinking such a fool could change her mind? How naive!

Xiaomei wandered around for a long time until she finally found a nurse and got directions.

The nurse smiled. "Actually, if you had registered at the main gate, you could have driven in."

"They told me that outside vehicles couldn’t come in."

"That’s what they say, but this place is huge, and you’ll get very tired if you don’t drive in."

"It is tiring."

Xiaomei parted from the young nurse and happened to run into the sanatorium’s gardener.

The gardener was driving a small tricycle laden with several potted plants.

"Uncle, could I catch a ride with you?"

"If you don’t mind the dirt in the vehicle, hop on."

"I don’t mind, thank you."

"You’re welcome," the gardener chuckled, making room for her.

Xiaomei sat among the greenery. As the little tricycle jolted along, the plants kept scraping her face.

She showed no impatience.

There wasn’t much she could do for her sister, but whatever she could do, she would strive to do her best.

Besides, this was the first time her sister had ever asked for her help. What was a little hardship like this in comparison?

Seeing that she didn’t complain about being poked in the face by the plants, the gardener took a liking to her.

"Young lady, what are you going to Courtyard 6 for? That’s not a place ordinary people can go."

"My sister’s relative lives there. My sister couldn’t come herself, so she asked me to check on her."

"Oh, I see. The old lady living there is quite pitiful. All her closest relatives passed away before her, leaving her as the sole remaining member of her family. Now, her grandson controls the family’s assets. I’ve heard he even wants to get other things from her, which is why he’s ensuring she’s well-fed and cared for at the moment. Once she hands those things over, she’ll probably have to ’go’ as well."

"Go? Where is she going?" Xiaomei asked, puzzled.

The gardener, seeing her simple nature, smiled. "If she’s no longer of value, they’ll naturally let her fend for herself. But now that you and your sister are here, her days might get a bit better."