The night of the sixteenth day of the first lunar month found Wang Qiqi, Shi Man, and Julina boarding the northbound train under Song Ziwen's escort. Upon settling in, Wang Qiqi let out a long, slow breath. "Finally, the New Year is over." If every Lunar New Year in the future was this agonizing, then the holiday was truly a hurdle to overcome.

"New Year is always a hurdle, all that eating and drinking," Julina flopped onto her bunk immediately after getting on the train. "Nope, I need sleep. This holiday has exhausted me." Juggling the planning for the new company and dealing with endless discussions with relatives—it was maddening.

Shi Man looked at the two of them, resembling limp corpses, and without ceremony, collapsed onto her own **. "So tired. Hey, do we have to clean the apartment when we get back?" Shi Man suddenly remembered something and felt utterly miserable about it.

Wang Qiqi, draped over the ** and having dozed off for a moment, replied, "Relax, someone is cleaning the place." Her own man was the best; he had gone to the capital ahead of time, not only securing and fully equipping the apartment but also remembering to have it tidied up. What a wonderful person.

Shi Man visibly relaxed upon hearing the news about the cleaning. "It’s much better to have a man around."

"You could find one too, Dai Lijun looks quite promising," Wang Qiqi said with a smile.

"That guy from the stock market isn't bad either. He treated us to a few meals, and he kept looking straight at Shi Man," Julina mentioned something that popped into her head after hearing the casual complaint. "Was his name Feng Xuanxiang?"

Wang Qiqi paused in thought. "Yes, that’s it. But every time he looks at Manman, his eyes are so bright; it’s obvious he’s interested in her, right?"

At first, the one or two times he invited them to eat, Wang Qiqi and Julina hadn't paid much attention, assuming it was Meng Fei treating them to celebrate hitting a sales target. But after Feng Xuanxiang treated them alone twice more, the others started putting two and two together. Although the man hadn't said anything explicitly, his actions spoke volumes.

Shi Man’s reaction to her friends’ teasing was simply to ignore them. She knew that if she said anything, these two would only become more enthusiastic. Still, she found Feng Xuanxiang rather interesting, though perhaps a bit too much of a bookworm, often launching into discussions solely about his major. For Shi Man, such a person wasn't her top choice for a romantic partner.

The three of them got off the train, collected their luggage, and took the subway then a taxi back home. As soon as they entered, they found the dining table already laden with dishes. This sight deeply moved the trio, who had only managed to eat a few steamed buns since getting off the train. Shi Man unceremoniously dropped her suitcase by the door and rushed straight to the table. "It’s so much better when someone is managing things at home."

Watching Shi Man's move, Julina thought about how shocked those people outside would be if they saw her; they knew Shi Man maintained an icy demeanor in public. "Someone is certainly prepared. Starting tomorrow, you two will handle all the housework," Julina said without holding back. "I need to start my internship soon."

Shi Man gave an "Oh," as this had already been settled when they first made arrangements. "Are you sure? Is your family’s company fully operational now?"

"Yeah, it's a company under my name and my mother's," Julina stated calmly. "My father's shares were revoked and transferred to my mother."

Shi Man knew Julina's mother was quite formidable—managing to build wealth alongside her husband early on, and even without her husband’s constant presence and with only a daughter, she ensured not a single illegitimate child surfaced. That demonstrated first-rate skill. "What about your relatives..."

"My mother showed them the evidence: either pay the settlement and clear out, or keep quiet and continue working honestly," Julina explained. She hadn't expected her father’s solution to involve her mother taking charge, but in hindsight, it made sense. After years of her mother quietly staying home, the uncles and the others must have forgotten the temper she possessed. The day her mother gathered both sets of relatives at home, handing each person a file, every face turned pale. Though they were somewhat resentful, what could they do?

Shi Man had initially assumed Julina’s mother would drive those relatives away, so she was surprised they were allowed to stay. "Your mother isn't as tough as she used to be."

Julina understood this perfectly, but the issue was, "If they leave, someone has to supervise things, and new people aren't easy to train. We’ll take it slow; in three to five years, all these people will be phased out."

Julina knew her family’s stance, and the relatives understood it too: either slowly build their own connections and capital to start their own ventures, or work honestly for a wage. Don't be fooled by how capable they seemed; in Julina's view, if they were truly capable, why wouldn't they venture out? Working for someone else couldn't be as comfortable as being one's own boss. Moreover, her father promised financial support when the time came and assistance with difficult matters. Even with all that, they were still clinging on.

A family business has its merits, and so does utilizing professional managers, but both have pros and cons. "A smooth transition is best," Wang Qiqi commented before taking a seat to eat. "Xiao Han, where did you rent your place?"

Although Han Tao had called Wang Qiqi after arriving in the capital, she had forgotten to ask where he had rented his apartment.

"Just in the row ahead," Han Tao pointed toward the building where they rented their place. "We are on the first floor."

Wang Qiqi was surprised they chose the ground floor. "Why the first floor?" In her mind, the first floor usually meant a yard that quickly turned into a dumping ground when upstairs neighbors tossed trash down, and she also felt the ground floor was perpetually damp, though that wasn't an issue in the North.

"Convenience. If we move around or shift chairs late at night, it won't disturb anyone downstairs," Han Tao admitted some initial reluctance about the first floor, but Dai Lijun and the others were right about considering the neighbors. If they were working on computers until midnight, they wouldn't have to worry about their footsteps disturbing those below.

Wang Qiqi conceded the point, and the proximity was a bonus. "Come over for dinner sometime when you’re free. You group of guys, remember to look after yourselves," Wang Qiqi thought that anyone Dai Lijun trusted and respected enough to befriend would likely be a bookworm or someone lost in the world of computer software—someone who might not clean regularly and perhaps struggled to manage three meals a day.

Shi Man looked up from her bowl, suddenly remembering something. "You rented your place near ours, is it because you expect us to look after you, or so you can easily pop over for a meal if you run out of food?" This was important; it made Shi Man suddenly view the recent good behavior as potential sucking up, paving the way for future convenience.

Shi Man’s bluntness left Han Tao momentarily stunned. While he knew that was part of the reason the guys felt more comfortable, Shi Man’s directness was a bit much. "Uh, uh..."

Shi Man rolled her eyes and lowered her head to eat. "You're not my boyfriend, so I don't care." Taking care of a group of young men? Dream on. If she had that much free time, she’d rather study French to prepare for the summer trip.

"No, no, we can take care of ourselves," Han Tao certainly didn't expect Wang Qiqi to look after him personally. "We just thought since we live close, we could look out for each other. If you need help with heavy lifting later, just call us. Actually, we did the cleaning here; and inviting you over for dinner today was sort of a housewarming treat."

Dai Lijun’s seniors did have other classmates and friends, but those people never had time to pay attention to them. Furthermore, their views on women weren't great; they generally felt women represented trouble, showing up precisely when the men needed to focus on serious work, demanding they go shopping—shopping for hours only to buy nothing. But Dai Lijun and Han Tao insisted Wang Qiqi and the others were different, which is why their peers finally relented.

"Fine, once I've rested, I'll bring ingredients over," Wang Qiqi saw that Han Tao looked half-asleep, realizing he'd stayed up late the night before. "You have tutoring this afternoon, right? Go back and rest."

Han Tao knew Wang Qiqi understood his implications. He quickly listed the favorite dishes of the others and then left. Shi Man murmured sarcastically from the side, "A housewarming treat? Isn't that when the host cooks and the guests eat what’s ready? Why does it sound like we're supposed to buy and cook the food?" It was only because Wang Qiqi was easygoing; otherwise, she could be quite fierce when angry. But why was she so compliant with Han Tao? It gave off that completely devoted, bird-in-a-cage feeling. Sigh, love truly makes a person's intelligence drop to negative numbers.

"It's fine, I'll handle it," Wang Qiqi wasn't being a doormat; she just wanted to cook something nice for them occasionally to ensure they treated Han Tao better and shared their knowledge with him without reservation.

"I envy Han Tao for having such a considerate girlfriend," Julina expressed genuine admiration for Wang Qiqi. Although Han Tao didn't have much wealth right now, based on his willingness to work hard and his sharp mind, his chances of success were high. Wang Qiqi had certainly secured him. "But she needs to be careful not to overdo it."

Wang Qiqi knew this. "I won't be doing this frequently; I have my own things to manage. Popping over occasionally to lend a hand is no big deal. Besides, if I go too often, they'll start thinking it’s my obligation. Don't worry."

Shi Man looked at Wang Qiqi, who seemed completely in control, and sighed, shaking her head. She listed a few dishes. "Let’s make those tomorrow; don't tire yourself out today." Shi Man privately thought that she wouldn't get to eat much of those elaborate dishes anyway, and they might end up being snatched by Han Tao's roommates. "Do you want me to help carry the groceries this afternoon?"

Six grown men—the amount of food alone wouldn't be small. As for helping out, Shi Man had no intention of assisting; there were plenty of people over there who could pitch in. "Don't call me for anything else."

"Thanks, Manman, you're the best," Wang Qiqi said with confidence, certain that once Shi Man agreed to carry the groceries, she wouldn't refuse to help prep the food later.

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