Wang Qiqi finally saw the day arrive when her stocks could be sold. As soon as her class ended, she pedaled her bicycle furiously toward the securities firm. When she reached the trading floor, she saw Shi Man excitedly waving at her, shouting, "Qiqi, hurry over here!"

Wang Qiqi felt a strange calm descend upon her. She had held out this long; victory was in sight, so there was no need for nervousness. As she slowly walked up to the computer, Juliana gave her an "OK" gesture, signaling that the current situation matched the plan they had devised a few days prior.

Seeing that gesture, Wang Qiqi finally let go of all her tension. Although the general trend of the stock mirrored her memories of the previous life, until the money was actually in her pocket, she remained worried—worried she might somehow botch it up.

Juliana had rushed to the securities firm that very afternoon. She logged into all five accounts, inputting the sell prices they had agreed upon into the system, and then waited quietly as the shares on hand slowly began to sell off. Even if the price climbed higher, Juliana didn't waver from the plan to liquidate; "The market is strong; however much we sell, there will be buyers."

It was best if someone was buying. As for whether those buyers would profit or lose out after acquiring the shares, that was not their concern. The market is risky; enter with caution. "Should we sell everything today?"

"Not wait until tomorrow?" Juliana recalled that they had discussed selling off the stocks over three days, then immediately moving to buy the shares Feng Xuanxiang had recommended. Wang Qiqi had researched that stock, and combined with some residual memories of the past market, while the specifics weren't perfectly clear, she knew those few stocks should perform quite well, though their potential for growth varied. Wang Qiqi selected two of the three options, naturally calling Feng Xuanxiang for a final consultation. Juliana had also run Wang Qiqi's chosen stocks by her father, who thought they looked promising.

Wang Qiqi shook her head. "Since someone is willing to take them, let's sell them all. There's no need to hold on. We'd be better off using this energy to focus on buying the new stocks." This stock might experience a significant drop in another three to five days. Its recent ascent had been slow, with constant minor fluctuations. Although some people claimed the major players were just shaking out weak holders, Wang Qiqi knew the market makers were slowly offloading their inventory. Seeing such an obvious move, Wang Qiqi dared not wait any longer. "Do you want me to sell your father's shares too?"

Wang Qiqi had previously discussed selling with Juliana. Since Director Zhu held a large number of shares, he decided to wait until their group had sold first. Now that everyone else was nearly done, Director Zhu could proceed. Technically, selling later might have netted Director Zhu a slightly higher profit, but the pressure would also increase. If the major investors' capital chain broke, the stock price could collapse—most investors follow the rise and flee the fall.

Juliana let out an "Oh," picked up her car phone, and called home. Then she focused intently on the stock market, slowly beginning to sweep up the new shares. This, too, required skill; if too many buy orders piled up, the price would spike dramatically, driving up their cost basis and reducing their potential profit. By closing time, they hadn't acquired a massive amount. Shi Man watched from the sidelines as Wang Qiqi and Juliana manipulated the two computers, feeling her eyes weren't enough to keep up, but she knew she lacked the necessary skill. All she needed to know was that her own money was increasing.

After that hour of intense trading, Wang Qiqi felt her heart was about to burst. While being a stock operator looked thrilling and commanding, Wang Qiqi felt her constitution simply couldn't handle it. She longed for a slightly quieter existence.

That evening, Wang Qiqi briefly updated Han Tao about selling the old stocks and buying the new ones, also informing him of his current asset value. Han Tao’s reaction was immediate: "Qiqi, I trust you. Why don't you just manage my account too?" Han Tao knew the stock market was currently the fastest way to grow his money, but he needed to focus on learning programming and had no time for trading. Besides, with Wang Qiqi handling it, what was there to worry about? Wang Qiqi wasn't sure how to react to Han Tao’s complete faith in her—all she could offer was a wry smile. But since everyone was making money now, certain social obligations needed to be met; she couldn't keep postponing things, lest someone accuse her of being unwilling to host.

Wang Qiqi genuinely dreaded inviting "that person" out, but since they were all dorm mates, she felt obligated to include her. Deng Zhi would also have to be present.

After consulting with Han Tao, Wang Qiqi finally selected a venue that wasn't overly expensive but was nicely decorated. In truth, Wang Qiqi felt it was unnecessary to treat them to such an elaborate meal, but Han Tao insisted that even if there were people she preferred not to see, she shouldn't compromise her own character, especially since Manman and Nana would also be attending.

Wang Qiqi informed Bai Ge and the others, strategically choosing a time when Gong Yiying was also in the dorm, as she had no intention of seeking out Gong Yiying separately to extend the invitation.

Bai Ge and the others weren't particularly concerned about where Wang Qiqi chose to dine, but Han Meina and Zhang Han had eaten there before and knew the food wasn't especially economical, particularly for students. "Your man has some serious means," Han Meina commented, half-joking, half-serious.

Wang Qiqi chuckled knowingly. "If he dared to treat me to something cheap, would I let him get away with it?" Hmph. If she treated the others to something cheap, "that person" would start muttering that she'd chosen a pauper. "This way, no one can say I picked a man with no money who lives off me."

Bai Ge and the others covered their mouths, stifling their laughter while glancing pointedly at Gong Yiying. They all knew exactly who Wang Qiqi’s words were aimed at.

Gong Yiying stood quietly to the side, pretending not to hear Wang Qiqi’s jab or the muffled laughter of the others. However, her tightly clenched fists and the visible veins in her arms betrayed the turmoil inside her.

Wang Qiqi realized some things shouldn't be pushed too far, as it might provoke "that person" into an extreme reaction, which wouldn't be beneficial. "Oh, right. Since Han Tao and I don't drink, we haven't ordered any alcohol—only soft drinks. If Zhang Han and Deng Zhi want to drink wine, they can order it themselves."

Han Meina disliked the idea of Zhang Han drinking, especially in Gong Yiying’s presence. She still vividly remembered the last time Gong Yiying had used alcohol as an excuse to blatantly flirt with Zhang Han. Even though Han Meina now had a connection with Deng Zhi, this incident proved Gong Yiying was a very unrestrained woman. If she decided to stir up trouble again, Han Meina feared she would end up looking like a complete fool. "My Zhang Han doesn't drink either. We're students; there’s no need to get plastered. What if something happens?"

The subtext was clear to everyone. Even after all this time, Han Meina clearly hadn't forgotten that day's antics. It seemed as long as Han Meina's boyfriend was Zhang Han, she wouldn't let it go.

Gong Yiying kept her head down, lost in thought. After a moment, she said, "I'll head out now. I will attend with Deng Zhi." Even with her superior self-control, she was still just a girl under twenty. Facing a seven-to-one situation, how much could she endure?

Gong Yiying exited the dorm with measured, graceful steps and a composed smile. In reality, she had already mentally ripped Wang Qiqi and Han Meina into a thousand pieces. Her secret thought was that once she became successful, she would destroy both of their reputations, making their current situation look tame by comparison—then she would see how they handled it.

Wang Qiqi and the others were unaware of Gong Yiying's internal machinations and didn't give her much thought. They knew their interaction was mostly confined to their four years of university; after graduation, how much contact would they really maintain? Especially Wang Qiqi and Han Meina, who doubted they would see Gong Yiying often. Given that, why bother maintaining civility now within the confines of the school?

Han Tao called the members of the Tu Yue dorm to join them for dinner. Gong Junyu and the others were initially reluctant; they weren't Han Tao's roommates. But Dai Lijun's support for Han Tao was persistent. Since they were currently Han Tao’s roommates, Dai Lijun was especially thrilled at the prospect of drama tonight. He had even taken a nap around four o’clock, which Gong Junyu and the others found amusing. They assumed Dai Lijun was interested in one of Wang Qiqi’s roommates to explain his unusual excitement.

Han Tao desperately wanted to tell Gong Junyu and the others that Dai Lijun was only this excited because he anticipated a show that evening, but the words caught in his throat. Revealing it would imply that Dai Lijun had a penchant for gossip.

Before leaving, Gong Junyu and his roommates tidied themselves up a bit—not to steal the spotlight, but to show solidarity with Han Tao, acting as his support team, his "in-laws" providing backup. As their group picked up Wang Qiqi and headed toward the restaurant, they listened to Dai Lijun’s excited chatter. Gong Junyu and the others wondered why Dai Lijun was already so energized over a simple dinner. When they finally focused on what Dai Lijun was saying, they nearly tripped. They suddenly recalled Han Tao’s strange expression when Dai Lijun mentioned taking a nap earlier. They had initially thought Han Tao was annoyed that Dai Lijun was trying to overshadow him; it turned out Han Tao already knew the real reason.

"Han Tao, you’re not much of a bro, not even reporting something this major," Huang Junze murmured, leaning close to Han Tao.

"What could I say?" Han Tao offered a bitter smile. He had intended to keep Dai Lijun’s secret, but the man had given himself away. "But if you saw how those people talk and act, you’d be like this too. They are truly… unique characters. There’s going to be a show tonight; watch yourselves while you eat."

Even with Han Tao’s confirmation, Gong Junyu’s curiosity spiked. They resolved to pry for details during dinner. "Really a show?"

"Yes, but whether there will still be a show with you guys joining remains to be seen," Han Tao mused. He considered that if "that person" decided to back down now, there would truly be no drama. That person was like an indestructible cockroach; anyone else might have retreated long ago. (To be continued)