Julina arrived at Shi Man’s door just as she overheard Shi Man admitting she was going to Hainan for a vacation. Her face registered pure shock. “Ah, you’re going to Hainan? Feng Xuanxiang just told me he had something urgent come up and absolutely couldn't make it to Hainan.” Hmph, I was just trying to tease you. Time to switch tactics.

What? Shi Man was startled by Julina’s words, but she quickly regained her composure. If Feng Xuanxiang were going to cancel the trip, he would have called her first, not Julina. “I’m not falling for it. Hmph, you two are always fooling me. By the way, did you call Han Tao just now? Do you know if Daizi has gone back yet?” Time to change the subject; who knows when this joke will end if I keep it going.

Julina looked at Shi Man, who clearly wasn't buying it, and had to give up the idea of teasing her further. However, she became concerned about why Shi Man was asking if Daizi had returned. “You worry about Daizi entirely too much. You worry when he’s home, and you worry when he’s out. If I didn’t know your relationship with him, I’d think you were either his mother or his woman.” She seemed less concerned about Shi Man’s own partner, Feng Xuanxiang.

Shi Man knew Julina must have some mischievous plan brewing, but at that moment, she didn't want to waste time arguing with Julina. The luggage she had already packed for Hainan now needed reorganizing because she had pretended earlier that she was going to France. While Shi Man was tidying up again, Wang Qiqi relayed the phone call she’d received from Han Tao that afternoon, including their joint speculation.

Julina rolled her eyes. “It’s Daizi’s choice. If he wants to fight to get Jiang Xin back, let him. We’ve done what we needed to do anyway.” With that, Julina turned and headed back to her room to get busy. The Beijing factory’s development trend was looking better and better, and the real estate company, only a year old, was also performing well, having secured significant plots in the suburbs. Even if the company lacked the immediate capital to develop the land, it would eventually be built upon. Besides, given the skyrocketing property values, prices were jumping month by month, meaning Julina’s responsibilities had grown considerably heavier.

After the three of them finished eating, they each returned to their own tasks. Julina immersed herself in reviewing documents, while Shi Man looked through travel guides for Hainan. When Wang Qiqi passed by Shi Man’s room, she could hear her occasionally making little 'tsk' sounds. Wang Qiqi wondered if the girl was engrossed in the chapter on local cuisine.

Wang Qiqi knocked lightly on Shi Man’s door, startling her. “Hey, if you go to Hainan, remember to bring back some good food. If possible, bring back some fruit.” Tropical fruit! It must be so much cheaper than here in Beijing, and since they were flying, it would be a waste not to bring some back.

Shi Man just hummed an acknowledgment and kept reading her book. “No need for dried seafood?”

Wang Qiqi nodded vigorously. “Yes, yes! Manman, I love you the most.” Hahaha, too bad I’m not going to Hainan, or I could enjoy some delicious seafood. At this moment, Wang Qiqi suddenly felt that letting Han Tao go overseas during the holidays was a terrible decision. It meant that for future vacations, unless she was flying over to the US to accompany her sweetheart, she couldn't even dream of a trip for two.

Although Han Tao had spoken beautifully, saying he would take her sightseeing around the US during his weekends off, the reality was that when he was in China, he was either busy tutoring to earn money or holed up at home tinkering with that computer of his. He rarely even went out to a park. He had been in Beijing for almost a year and a half, and Wang Qiqi had toured every historical site and modern park in the city, not to mention the local hutongs. Wang Qiqi felt she had seen almost everything, yet Han Tao had only accompanied her on a few outings early on. For the most part, she and Shi Man had gone out exploring together. Wang Qiqi thought there was a reason people might look at her and Han Tao and deem them a poor excuse for a couple.

Shi Man had meant to tell Qiqi that after her trip to France, she might be heading to the US—a fact that would make many people envious. But knowing Han Tao, it was likely he would go there primarily to work. Qiqi would end up being either the cook or traveling alone. “Why not stay in France for a few extra days?” After all, asking for two more days off wouldn't be difficult for Qiqi; she was the teacher’s pet.

Wang Qiqi had considered that idea, but the problem was that Han Tao was the type who couldn't put many things out of his mind. The trip wouldn't be enjoyable if he was constantly worried. She shook her head with a hint of bitterness. “We both chose workaholics. Forget it. We’ll have plenty of time to explore later.”

Shi Man sighed in agreement. Indeed, Feng Xuanxiang’s work was already demanding, and now his superiors favored him even more—it would be strange if he wasn't busy. “Last time, I mentioned to him that you might study abroad in the US after graduation, and he seemed quite moved by the idea.”

“Then let’s get out and see things,” Wang Qiqi mused. She felt that if Feng Xuanxiang wanted to advance, pursuing further studies overseas would be best—it would be a mark of distinction. This was especially true for someone like him, who had no powerful connections and relied purely on his own ability to climb the ladder. There were plenty of capable people in China, but without backing or mentorship, achieving promotion required both ability and opportunity. Returning after studying abroad would brand him as an haigui (returnee), and coupled with his domestic work experience, he could land a job no worse than his current one. Of course, if he managed to establish himself abroad, that would be even better than staying in China. “It’s always good to learn more while you’re young. But is he willing to give up his current job?”

Wang Qiqi wasn't entirely clear about Feng Xuanxiang's family background, but it didn't seem particularly privileged, though perhaps slightly better off than Han Tao’s family—at least he didn't have to hustle for money in high school. A finance major might have better luck speculating in the stock market. What would his family think? Feng Xuanxiang wasn't exactly struggling at his company; he was favored by management. Even if promotions weren't rapid, he could coast to a middle management position by retirement if everything went smoothly. With a good opportunity, reaching upper management wasn't impossible. Studying abroad was certainly an opportunity but also carried risk. There were countless finance professionals; if he could truly establish a foothold overseas, he wouldn't have to worry, regardless of whether he returned. But if he failed to make a name for himself, he would become a laughingstock.

“If he doesn’t go for advanced studies, what else can he do? He’s capable and makes money for the company, but those who aren't as capable are getting promoted at lightning speed—because they have people backing them,” Shi Man said, annoyance coloring her tone. What she didn’t say was that Feng Xuanxiang’s recent intense workload was often just doing the heavy lifting for others, with the credit going to his superiors. He was just the hard-working drone. Although he had been promoted, it was mainly because his supervisor was moving up and wanted to keep his most industrious subordinate close. The boss was wary that this capable subordinate might jump ship and take credit elsewhere, hence the promotion. Shi Man had only recently learned all this. Given the situation, Shi Man felt it was better for him to see the world; capable people who had the chance to go abroad would never starve.

Wang Qiqi noticed Shi Man’s expression was less than ideal. Was there something she didn't know? Well, it doesn't matter if I don't know, as long as Manman knows. “It’s good that you’re going to study abroad too. By the way, when does he plan to leave?” Going overseas for graduate studies wasn't simple: selecting a supervisor, choosing a school, and—most crucially—funding the tuition. For someone like Feng Xuanxiang aiming to study under a renowned mentor, scholarships were out of the question. Tuition plus living expenses would be a staggering amount. “Does your guy have enough saved up?”

Shi Man paused in thought, held up a number of fingers indicating a sum, and then said, “About five hundred thousand. He’s earned quite a bit these past two years, but he plans to sell the apartment he’s currently living in.” Shi Man knew Feng Xuanxiang’s intention was to focus purely on his studies after going abroad, perhaps engaging only in stock trading. That meant the financial pressure would be immense. “He wants to leave next year, right when his contract expires. He won’t renew it and will head out early.” That way, someone would be there to help settle things when she went abroad. This, however, felt slightly unfair to Qiqi, who had previously suggested they try to attend the same university so they could continue living together. But now...

Wang Qiqi smiled. Children grow up and develop their own separate worlds. She waved her hand dismissively. “It’s fine, it’s fine. I still have Han Tao. At worst, the four of us can just rent a place together.” She hoped they could aim for Harvard or MIT—the two schools were relatively close. Of course, Wang Qiqi suspected it was a long shot; Han Tao might very well choose a university near where he planned to intern.

Wang Qiqi and Shi Man were both waiting for Daizi to either plead his case with Jiang Xin or for a call from Han Tao describing Daizi’s heartbroken state. But the call never came, even as it ticked past ten o’clock at night. Shi Man figured Daizi must have gone back, but why hadn't they sent any notification? She called him, but after only a couple of sentences, she hung up abruptly. Wang Qiqi shifted her gaze from the computer screen and saw Shi Man sitting on the sofa, brow deeply furrowed. “How was Daizi?”

Shi Man let out a breath. “Everything is fine. Han Tao said Daizi returned at dinner time, brought them takeout for the meal, and then went back to working on his computer like usual.” Could our analysis have been wrong? But that didn't feel right either. If it were just a casual date, would Daizi wear the new clothes he’d saved for the Lunar New Year? For a casual friends’ outing, Daizi had absolutely no need to dress up; his friends knew his usual slovenly habits. But if he were meeting Jiang Xin, and she was asking him to put in a good word, Daizi should have been happy, or perhaps sad if she was begging him. Either way, Daizi should have shown some reaction; his current calm demeanor was unnatural.

Wang Qiqi was stunned. Julina was stunned too. It was impossible. According to the analysis of the three of them, he had definitely gone on a date—maybe even with Jiang Xin. So why was the feedback they received so contrary to their expectations? “How about we go out for a group dinner? It’s been a while since we all ate together.” Julina offered the suggestion.

Hearing that, they knew something was up. They had just had a group dinner a few days ago; claiming it had been a long time was completely disingenuous. However, a group dinner meant better food, so neither Wang Qiqi nor Shi Man objected.