Hua Xiaomai did not consider herself a hard-hearted person; she was always willing to help those in genuine need, as long as she herself did not suffer a loss.
Take for instance Master Tan from the small tavern in Fuzhe County, while his misfortune was truly pitiable, his request to "buy sauce on credit" was, in Hua Xiaomai's opinion, a bit much. If she really agreed, Zhenwei Garden would take a significant hit. She would never sacrifice her own interests or that of the entire Sauce Garden just to accommodate someone else's business.