The three days of the Gaokao passed, and Wang Qiqi and Han Tao had grown accustomed to being chauffeured everywhere. At noon, the four of them would sit in a pre-booked private room, enjoying delicious meals before resting comfortably. No one asked how the others felt about the exams, nor did they dare to compare answers. Although Shi Man and Zhu Lina were terribly anxious to check their answers to gauge their performance, Wang Qiqi and Han Tao kept the conversation focused on things unrelated to the tests. Furthermore, the incident that morning involving Wang Qiqi had eased their tension, and their good mood carried them right up to the moment they entered the examination hall. The instant they received the papers, their hearts settled completely. The tests were not truly difficult; rather, the difficulty was within their expectations. If they performed normally, their scores shouldn't be too bad.

The first exam felt like a good omen, a promising start, and they both felt they did well in the subsequent tests as well. Of course, this was just their subjective feeling; the true results would only be known once the scores were released.

When the bell finally sounded for the last exam, everyone filed out slowly. “Finally free, finally free!” That cry immediately identified someone who either performed poorly or had given up entirely on the test results.

“Sigh, I wonder how I did,” came a voice, clearly belonging to someone uncertain about their performance.

“How were the exams?” Wang Qiqi asked, cheerfully approaching Shi Man and Zhu Lina, who were already gathered together. In truth, even if Wang Qiqi hadn't asked, she could tell from their expressions that the two of them had likely done quite well.

“Not bad,” Shi Man replied with a smile. “You know, Huang Li’s expression wasn't good at all.” Shi Man had noticed Huang Li’s long, drawn face as she walked over. “She didn't even respond when someone tried to compare answers with her.”

No way, Wang Qiqi thought. Usually, Huang Li was happiest after an exam when comparing notes, especially seeing the expressions of regret and dismay on others’ faces. “Maybe she was just in a bad mood, feeling a bit too much pressure.”

Zhu Lina glanced around and whispered, “I heard she completely bombed the Math exam this time.”

Bombed Math? Wang Qiqi was surprised. “This Math exam wasn’t that hard; how could she have messed it up?” Huang Li’s math scores were always decent; there was no reason for her to fail this one.

“That’s strange,” Shi Man recalled, frowning. “I saw Huang Li right after the Math exam, and she was smiling then.” Shi Man couldn’t reconcile the idea of a failure with the cheerful face she’d seen afterward; it simply didn't fit the pattern.

“That was during the break,” Zhu Lina explained, thinking that was probably why Huang Li’s mood soured later. “She was comparing answers with people, and it turned out most of her answers didn’t match theirs.” She paused. “But it’s also possible she got most of them right, and the people she was comparing with were the ones who bombed it.”

This was precisely why Wang Qiqi disliked comparing answers. Truth wasn't always held by the majority. Even if your answer, as part of the minority, was correct, what good did it do if your spirits were already ruined? Especially during the Gaokao, maintaining one’s composure was paramount.

“Let’s go back; I need a serious rest,” Shi Man said, completely uninterested in Huang Li’s final results. “I plan to sleep for three or four days straight. Oh, Qiqi, I’ll find you later to wander around the neighborhood, okay?”

Wang Qiqi shrugged. “No objections.” Either way, she was going to Beijing soon to open a brokerage account. These next two months, she decided, would be total relaxation—wandering around, then sitting down with the tenants to sort out the lease agreements. Thinking of this, Wang Qiqi suddenly realized a problem.

She was going to university in Beijing. The commercial properties were manageable; the rent would automatically transfer to her account on time. But the apartments were different. The tenant turnover might be high, and if anything inside broke, or if utility bills needed paying, someone would have to manage it. If she were studying in Shanghai, she could easily come back on weekends. But going back and forth to Beijing wouldn't be convenient. As for her relatives, she offered a silent apology: Wang Qiqi genuinely hadn't considered asking them for help. Firstly, she didn't want them to know the extent of her assets. Secondly, she figured if she had to pay someone to do the work anyway, she might as well pay someone she trusted. She had already settled on a candidate: Gong Hong. After interacting with her for a year, Gong Hong seemed like a decent person. Her cooking was fine, she didn't overcharge much for groceries, and most importantly, she kept her mouth shut. Such a person was the perfect choice. The next step was negotiating a monthly salary with Gong Hong.

Wang Qiqi arrived home to find Gong Hong preparing dinner. “Auntie Gong, it’s just Han Tao and me eating tonight, so please don't prepare too much.”

Gong Hong hummed in acknowledgment. “I know; the other two left me a note.” Gong Hong plugged in the rice cooker. “How was the exam?”

“Not bad.” Wang Qiqi put her books away and headed to the bathroom to freshen up. “Auntie Gong, I need to discuss something important with you.”

Hearing Wang Qiqi’s tone, Gong Hong’s hand trembled slightly in the kitchen. In the year-plus she had worked here as an auntie, Gong Hong had been genuinely happy. Earning a few hundred yuan a month, plus being allowed to take home leftover vegetables or fruit, and having such agreeable employers who didn't mind her taking other side jobs—her monthly income easily doubled that of a full-time nanny. But she knew that Qiqi was going away to university, and she certainly wouldn't need a cleaning lady on a daily basis; perhaps only a few times a month if needed.

Wang Qiqi was unaware of Gong Hong’s internal worries. “Auntie Gong, I’m about to leave for university out of town—not Shanghai, but Beijing. That means I’ll only be back during winter and summer breaks.”

Gong Hong’s heart sank upon hearing this. Just as she was preparing to say she understood and would start looking for new employment, Wang Qiqi continued, “The family still hopes you can come once a week to clean and air out the house. Also, my parents left me some properties that are currently rented out, and I’d like you to help me continue managing them. Of course, we’ll need to discuss the payment arrangement.”

Gong Hong was stunned. What? She doesn’t want to let me go? She just wants to change the arrangement? But Gong Hong found it strange. Wasn't Qiqi’s father known as a spendthrift? Did they really own other properties besides this one? Gong Hong couldn't tell from Qiqi’s tone.

Wang Qiqi noticed Gong Hong’s odd expression, realizing she must have overheard what Li Cui had said about her parents. She briefly explained the situation at home. “If my uncles knew I owned this many properties, they wouldn’t let me off so easily.”

Gong Hong nodded. Even without this many properties, considering the compensation money they had already extorted, the things those so-called relatives had done were inhumane. If they had known this young girl possessed so much real estate, they wouldn't have let her go so readily. What shocked Gong Hong the most was that the commercial shops left by Wang Qiqi’s parents were all in prime downtown locations. One property, though not in the bustling center, housed a restaurant that Gong Hong remembered as being quite nice; she never knew the owner was Wang Qiqi.

“The maintenance for those shops is generally handled by the tenants themselves. The rent is signed yearly and deposited directly into my card. However, there will occasionally be times when I need you to step in. The most troublesome part will be the apartment rentals—people might move out or in frequently, and things inside break down requiring repairs,” Wang Qiqi summarized the duties and potential tasks Gong Hong would be handling. “Auntie Gong, do you think you can manage all this?”

Gong Hong thought it over quietly. “Yes, I can.” Broken items meant buying parts or calling someone for repairs—that was simple enough; she could keep the receipts. Plus, collecting rent and other duties. “What should I do with the collected rent?”

“We can settle up every quarter. You can deposit the money into the card then,” Wang Qiqi decided. She planned to open a local bank card in Beijing that she could check remotely. Of course, Wang Qiqi didn't intend to use that money immediately; it was reserved for future property purchases or investments in the stock market, though she leaned towards the former.

Gong Hong considered this. “Okay, then every quarter, I will mail you a detailed statement of income and expenses.” That would keep things clear. Gong Hong knew that if she worked diligently, this arrangement could last at least four years. More importantly, this job wouldn't take up too much of her time, allowing her to take on two or three other part-time jobs while continuing with Qiqi’s work.

Since Gong Hong agreed, the next step was negotiating the terms. Wang Qiqi had thought about how much to offer, but the focus was on Gong Hong’s expectation, and Gong Hong naturally wasn't going to speak first.

Wang Qiqi paused, then spoke. “Auntie Gong, here’s what I was thinking: you come once a week to clean, air out the house, and handle those other matters. Can we stick with the current amount you’re making?”

Gong Hong had expected the pay to decrease, so she was delighted that the salary might remain the same. She certainly had no objections; truthfully, if there was nothing urgent, it was only about two hours of cleaning a week. “No problem, no problem at all.”

Wang Qiqi knew that based on the current workload, this was more money than necessary. But the issue was that if she asked her uncles for help, the money she paid out would certainly not be less, and they might even try to claim the income for themselves. Gong Hong, however, didn't seem like that kind of person. Furthermore, paying a modest wage carried the implicit element of confidentiality—Wang Qiqi felt she could trust Gong Hong on that. “For the next four years, I hope we can continue to cooperate well.” If Auntie Gong performed excellently, Wang Qiqi wouldn't mind giving her a raise later.

Bu Bu went for a physical check-up today; I wonder what the results will be. Yesterday I heard news that a friend had cancer, and this afternoon I had to get checked up myself. Bu Bu feels it's so terrifying, so terrifying. Wish me luck. RS