Xiu Xun was noticed by the school leadership after topping the primary school graduation exam, and coincidentally, that school leader was Zhao Li's maternal relative.
Even more coincidentally, later on, Xiu Xun, in order to marry Wa Yiting, to elevate her status, acknowledged Zhao Li as his godmother. At that time, the Lu Family had also risen to wealth, having tied their fortunes to power, and so they were even richer than the Ruan Family.
Zhao Li herself was someone who liked girls, and she always treated Wa Yiting very well. Wa Yiting knew how to charm people, and later on, Zhao Li and she were almost indistinguishable from a real mother and daughter.
In the original book, Zhao Li was depicted as Wa Yiting's powerful maternal backing, which is why there was more written about her—giving Jiaojiao a rather deep impression of her.