Bai Ge and the others arrived at Wang Qiqi’s place, carrying several bags, only to find Shi Man opening the door. The interior was dead silent. “Still translating?” No way; it had been over an hour. Was Qiqi still working? Could this assignment be exceptionally tricky, or perhaps just voluminous?

Shi Man had been waiting and waiting, thinking the girls weren't coming at all, never imagining they would be this slow.

“We went to borrow books for Qiqi,” Bai Ge said, placing the groceries in the kitchen. She then pulled out the books from her own backpack along with Qiqi’s library card. “We won’t come inside.”

Bai Ge knew well that once Wang Qiqi entered a translation trance, she became oblivious to the outside world until she reached a natural pause. Disturbing her midway might lead to a serious outburst.

Shi Man looked at the slightly fearful Bai Ge and could only sigh. “Is there really a need to be this scared?”

Though Shi Man's expression seemed to look down upon Bai Ge and the others, she herself tip-toed as she entered Wang Qiqi’s room with the books, terrified of disturbing Qiqi.

Seeing Shi Man’s stealthy action from the living room, Bai Ge subtly nudged Duan Xiaomin and the others, drawing their attention to Shi Man.

When Shi Man quietly emerged from Wang Qiqi’s room, she was met by the disdainful glares of the four women waiting. As for Zhang Yan, she was curled up on the sofa, engrossed in her own book—an English original. The title? Sorry, it was covered, so they had no clue. As for the content, Shi Man and the others couldn't decipher it, but they suspected Wang Qiqi could. However, since Qiqi hadn't mentioned it, they didn't ask, and they presumed that even if they did, Qiqi would just call it a secret.

Shi Man’s response to the judgmental stares she received was, “Qiqi has hit a tough case, and it’s extremely urgent.” Then, she turned and closed the door softly.

Bai Ge and the others animatedly discussed happenings around campus: who was hooking up with whom, whose relationship was on the brink of collapse due to a third party’s involvement. Shi Man remained quiet, yet she listened with ears pricked up, completely absorbed.

Shi Man enjoyed listening to this gossip while Bai Ge and the others were cooking. Even though these weren't her classmates, Shi Man found it stimulating. Every time she encountered Wang Qiqi’s friends, the pieces would align in her mind, leading to flights of fancy. Of course, Bai Ge and the others were unaware; they watched Shi Man diligently helping out, feeling that gossiping about others was somewhat immoral. Yet, they also trusted that Shi Man and her group were tight-lipped—the type to only take information in, never let it out. So, initially, they were a bit reserved, but after growing familiar with Shi Man, they became completely uninhibited when trading gossip. Furthermore, since Duan Xiaomin joined the departmental student union, she had met more people from other departments, expanding her sources of gossip and the content she could share. While some of what she mentioned wasn't exactly secret, for Shi Man, who had few channels for rumors, Duan Xiaomin was the best source available.

Zhang Yan, nestled on the sofa reading a book on finance, listened to the cheerful chatter of Bai Ge and the others, a faint smile touching her lips. Was this the ‘human warmth’ Qiqi had spoken of?

Han Tao entered the apartment and noticed the lively scene in the kitchen, filled entirely with female voices, but lacking Wang Qiqi’s. “Where is Qiqi?” Han Tao felt it odd; Shi Man had made the call, yet he hadn't seen Qiqi upon arrival.

Shi Man and the others hadn't stopped talking, assuming it was Zhulina returning, so they were momentarily taken aback when it turned out to be Han Tao. They exchanged glances—few men genuinely enjoyed listening to gossip. “Hi, Han Tao. Xiaomin needed to talk to you about something today,” Bai Ge said without hesitation, immediately pushing Duan Xiaomin forward. Besides, the main reason for their gathering today was for Duan Xiaomin to seek advice.

Duan Xiaomin hadn't been prepared to be thrust forward like that by Bai Ge. She shot Bai Ge a glare, silently cursing her for the betrayal. “Um, Han Tao, I have something I need to ask you.”

Han Tao was eager to know what was wrong with Qiqi, but seeing Shi Man present in the kitchen, taking the opportunity to listen to gossip while 'helping,' suggested Wang Qiqi was fine—likely rushing a manuscript. Recalling that Li Zhe had mentioned his household had gained a new client with a heavy workload, much of it urgent, Han Tao realized Qiqi had probably received a big order and was now scrambling to finish it.

Knowing Wang Qiqi’s situation, Han Tao relaxed his urgency. “Did you run into trouble with a student?” Han Tao knew that besides this, Duan Xiaomin had no other reason to consult him.

“Someone approached me, hoping I’d take on a new tutoring job…” Duan Xiaomin quickly explained the situation of the new student.

Han Tao understood the source of her apprehension. “Actually, high school and middle school are quite similar, but high school is focused on university entrance. Many parents have specific expectations…” Han Tao described his own feelings when he first took on a high school tutoring gig, sharing his experience. “For this one, treat it as a trial run. From what you’re saying, the parents’ demands don’t seem too high, right?”

Duan Xiaomin nodded. “Yeah, maybe they're trying a last-ditch effort. Otherwise, I wouldn't dare take this assignment.” Duan Xiaomin was tempted precisely because she felt she couldn't spend her entire career tutoring elementary and middle schoolers. It lacked challenge and wouldn’t bode well for her future development.

“Then give it a try,” Han Tao said after a moment’s thought. “How about I come by during your first lesson to check things out?” Han Tao knew that no matter how much he advised, some challenges wouldn't be understood until they were experienced firsthand—whether they were easy or difficult. Perhaps in their minds, teaching a high schooler, even a first-year, was incomparable to teaching a ninth-grader. But to Han Tao, the pressure of teaching a ninth-grader was actually far greater.

Duan Xiaomin hadn't expected such a generous benefit. She had only hoped Han Tao might offer a pointer or two, not that he’d offer to physically attend the student’s home. “Really?”

Han Tao nodded. “Tell me in advance when the lesson is; I need to check if it conflicts with my own schedule.” Li Zhe was in his final year of high school, and Li Xiangdong had mentioned to Han Tao about needing extra tutoring sessions.

Duan Xiaomin murmured an acknowledgment and didn't press further. She knew Han Tao spent most of his time at home researching computers with Dai Lijun and the others. This had sometimes made Duan Xiaomin and the others wonder; Han Tao and Wang Qiqi really didn't seem like a dating couple. Why didn't Wang Qiqi object? The two of them would often just sit together—one reading, one on the computer, occasionally exchanging a few words. Compared to the overly affectionate Han Meina and Zhang Han, or even the performatively loving Deng Zhi and Gong Yiying, Han Tao and Wang Qiqi showed little resemblance to an actual couple. “You should take Qiqi out more often?”

Duan Xiaomin knew Wang Qiqi often wandered around on weekends, taking photos of all the old architecture, but Han Tao accompanied her infrequently; often, Qiqi went alone. This situation felt genuinely unbalanced.

Han Tao smiled. He wanted to walk the streets and alleys with Qiqi, but he often had commitments that prevented him from accompanying her constantly. Moreover, he sensed that Wang Qiqi felt more free on her own. Sometimes she would take photos and chat animatedly with elderly people sunning themselves in corners about the history of the house, especially tales involving famous residents. Han Tao truly wasn't interested in that—how could one house host famous people, or several famous people, in succession? Hearing the same celebrity occupied different residences in different locations seemed farcical. Eventually, Wang Qiqi noticed Han Tao’s disinterest and told him he didn't need to accompany her constantly. She added that being together all the time wasn't a prerequisite for a relationship, and that forcing it made neither of them comfortable. Han Tao truly didn't know how to respond to Wang Qiqi’s statement, only thinking how independent she was. Anyone else might find her lack of delicate dependence off-putting, but Han Tao, having weathered so much family turmoil, deeply admired and preferred girls like Wang Qiqi.

Seeing Han Tao’s smile, Duan Xiaomin felt a strange pang, but she suppressed the burgeoning feeling of admiration. She knew some things were beyond her reach, and some people were not meant for her. “I envy you two.”

“You will too,” Han Tao replied, then picked up the books he had brought and began to read.

Zhang Yan watched the departing Han Tao, then glanced at the Han Tao sitting on the sofa reading, then at Wang Qiqi inside the closed room, diligently translating, before returning to her own book.

When Bai Ge saw Duan Xiaomin come back in, she immediately whispered, asking about the result. Although Han Tao always answered their questions seriously, this time felt different; it wasn't just a matter of him offering a small piece of advice.

“Han Tao said he’ll come with me on the day I teach to keep an eye on things,” Duan Xiaomin said with relief. “I finally feel like a weight has been lifted. Ah, now I feel I have some backbone.”

Seeing Duan Xiaomin so visibly relaxed, Bai Ge patted her shoulder. “I told you Han Tao is a good guy; he would definitely help. He’s our brother-in-law, after all. How could the brother-in-law stand by while his sisters are in trouble?”

Duan Xiaomin hummed in agreement. “I’ll make Mapo Tofu later; Qiqi loves it.”

Shi Man immediately called out upon hearing Duan Xiaomin was cooking, “Great! Just don't make it too spicy; I don’t like that much.” Although Shi Man wasn't an expert with spice, an occasional spicy dish could liven up her appetite.

“Okay, should I also make Blood Curd with Ghost Peppers?” Duan Xiaomin, now in a good mood, suggested another specialty.

The group’s reaction to this particular dish was unified: “No, forget it.”

They all inwardly thought it would be a waste of effort to make that dish; hardly anyone could handle how fiery it was. Duan Xiaomin could only regretfully scrap the idea. (To be continued)