Wang Qiqi hadn't been home long before Daizi and Gong Junyu left. For one, it was getting late, and secondly, they had some work they needed to finish before the holiday break. Furthermore, Gong Junyu and the others had preparations for going abroad, and their internship locations hadn't even started their vacation yet.

Wang Qiqi didn't press them to stay, just invited them over for lunch the next day, said goodbye to Lu Qiaowei, grabbed her bathing things, and headed for the shower.

These actions were habitual for Wang Qiqi, but Lu Qiaowei, visiting for the first time, was taken aback by Wang Qiqi’s casualness. She didn't dare say much to Wang Qiqi, fearing that Wang Qiqi might say something that would cause unhappiness.

When Zhu Lina saw Wang Qiqi enter the bathroom, she knew Qiqi wasn't in a great mood today. Daizi's girlfriend, Lu Qiaowei, stood rooted to the spot, looking a bit lost. Zhu Lina called out, "Weiwei, come sit here."

Lu Qiaowei murmured an acknowledgement and obediently sat on the sofa. She genuinely hadn't expected that the people her boyfriend knew were all wealthy. This very apartment had been purchased by Zhu Lina, and Wang Qiqi’s boyfriend—the one who had just gone to shower—was flying to the US that very day. Although he was only a sophomore, he was reportedly a computer genius who had already caught the attention of American contacts. He was going over for training, and what's more, he was being paid! Apparently, a job contract had even been offered. This astonished Lu Qiaowei. While it was true that computer science graduates in China generally didn't have trouble finding good jobs, especially those from prestigious universities, she never imagined that the quiet man at the dinner table, who never forgot to look after his girlfriend while chatting with others, possessed such formidable ability. And apparently, Wang Qiqi wasn't lacking in talent either; she worked as a translator despite majoring in Finance.

Zhu Lina set down the documents she had just picked up (unimportant papers). "Do you find Qiqi hard to get along with?"

Lu Qiaowei shook her head repeatedly. "No, no." This was a joke; what was her relationship with Zhu Lina, and what was her relationship with Wang Qiqi? Even if she found Wang Qiqi difficult, she certainly wouldn't say so in front of her friend. Although things with Daizi were progressing smoothly for her right now, what if Daizi's friends said a few negative things in front of him, and then...?

Zhu Lina looked at Lu Qiaowei, whose denial was clearly insincere. She thought this girl was truly rather transparent. Though only a year younger than the three of them, in terms of social graces, she was still quite naive. "Don't worry. Qiqi is just like that. Right now, in our eyes, you are just Daizi’s girlfriend. We only got to know you through him, and we don't know you very well, so our understanding of you is just general. You feel the same way, don't you?"

Lu Qiaowei froze. Zhu Lina was being far too direct. This was completely different from what Daizi had described to her. Moreover, at dinner that day, Lu Qiaowei had listened to Wang Qiqi and the other man speak with such eloquence and confidence. That bearing, that manner of speaking, gave Lu Qiaowei only one impression: the other party must be a highly seasoned, cunning figure. Even though she was a girl, her radiance shone the brightest at the table. Yet, comparing that person to the woman before her now, the contrast was huge—it made one feel as if they were looking at two entirely different people.

"Once you get more familiar with us, I imagine we won't need to be so formal with each other," Zhu Lina implied. "While we are observing you, you are naturally observing us too. After all, it’s impossible that a boyfriend chatting so animatedly with several girls who aren't classmates or sisters involves absolutely nothing suspicious."

Lu Qiaowei knew she had been a bit too reserved today, but wasn't it standard to be demure during a first meeting to leave a good impression?

Wang Qiqi walked out of the bathroom, wiping her hair. "Weiwei, do you know the relationship between today's guest and Daizi?" While soaking in the bath, Wang Qiqi suddenly recalled something. She wondered if Daizi had told her about the dinner gathering. If Daizi was too embarrassed to mention it, Wang Qiqi didn't mind educating the young lady. Some things, she felt, were better coming from her than from Daizi or the girl herself.

Lu Qiaowei nodded. "I know. That woman was the girl Dai Lijun used to have a secret crush on." Although Lu Qiaowei felt a bit uncomfortable, she knew it was all in the past. "Dai Lijun told me everything. He also said he wouldn't force me to come to the dinner if I didn't want to, but I figured I had to face it eventually."

Wang Qiqi looked at the seemingly delicate Lu Qiaowei and was surprised by her toughness. "It's good that you know. Perhaps that girl will approach you in the future to talk about the things between her and Daizi—I mean, your man Dai Lijun. You should think about that." Wang Qiqi wouldn't have offered such candid advice if Lu Qiaowei hadn't responded so firmly. The fact was, Wang Qiqi found the girl quite agreeable, and if she could help, she would. "Although I've only known Daizi for just over a year, I know he wouldn't introduce someone to us unless he genuinely had feelings for her. You've been on several dates, right? Honestly, this is the first time we've ever heard him mention her."

Zhu Lina mulled it over for a moment, thinking about the look Jiang Xin had given Dai Lijun at the dinner table; she certainly wouldn't let Daizi off the hook that easily. Especially after learning that Han Tao was going abroad, Jiang Xin would likely realize the high probability of Daizi also going overseas. She might then think it would be best if Daizi didn't have a girlfriend, so she could switch targets if he went abroad. Such behavior wasn't unheard of, yet you couldn't say Jiang Xin was entirely wrong—that was life, that was reality. One couldn't starve just for the sake of so-called love. Besides, Jiang Xin hadn't been without feelings for Daizi. "In any case, if anything involving Daizi comes up, I think you should communicate more with him."

Lu Qiaowei understood this was their subtle warning. Even if their words weren't the most comforting, Lu Qiaowei sensed their underlying care for her, or rather, for Daizi. Based on her understanding of Daizi these past few days, while he wasn't overly articulate, he was very considerate. After only a few meals together, he had memorized all her favorite dishes, and he would instinctively shield her when they walked. There were many such small things. "Don't worry. A man as excellent as Dai Lijun—I won't let go of him so easily. Since she gave up on him before, it just proves she lacked vision. He isn't something she can just claim when she wants him, unless Dai Lijun tells me he still likes Jiang Xin and wants to go back to her."

Though Lu Qiaowei spoke lightly, Wang Qiqi and Zhu Lina saw a fighting spirit in her eyes. They exchanged a look—this was perfect. Having fighting spirit was the best thing. There was no way Daizi would go back to Jiang Xin. Although Jiang Xin was a decent girl and would choose paths beneficial to herself, Daizi wasn't someone she could simply choose at will.

Lu Qiaowei looked at Wang Qiqi and Zhu Lina, finally asking the question she'd been wanting to ask but her boyfriend wouldn't answer: "May I ask why you call Dai Lijun 'Daizi'?"

Wang Qiqi hesitated for a moment, unsure if she should expose Daizi's embarrassing past in front of his girlfriend. But then she thought, even if she didn't answer today, the girl would find out eventually. "The Dai Lijun of the past wasn't nearly as handsome as he is now. In terms of his dress sense and how he usually spoke, he was truly quite... 'stupid' (Dumb/Clueless)."

Zhu Lina enthusiastically backed up Wang Qiqi's statement, peppering her words with examples. In any case, she wasn't afraid of Daizi. Besides, she wasn't the first one to bring it up; if anyone needed dealing with, they should deal with Wang Qiqi first, since she started the gossip. Zhu Lina was merely an accomplice. Moreover, at that point, wouldn't Han Tao stand by and watch Daizi bully his girlfriend?

With no worries holding her back, Zhu Lina spoke animatedly. Lu Qiaowei was shocked that her dear friend's seemingly somewhat rustic Daizi had undergone such a massive transformation. She truly couldn't imagine what her boyfriend used to look like.

After Zhu Lina detailed Daizi's past appearance to Wang Qiqi, she noticed Lu Qiaowei staring blankly, wondering if the girl didn't believe them. But it didn't matter; they had proof. "Nana, is the photo album with you?" Ever since Wang Qiqi learned about the trip to France, she had been diligently practicing her photography skills. Her subjects were the three beauties, and especially the six handsome men, with Daizi being the easiest target for Wang Qiqi and the others to catch for practice. Although Daizi had insisted that the photos must be deleted and never printed to preserve his reputation, Wang Qiqi and the others had readily agreed at the time—but what was done was done. How could such a wonderful tool be discarded? It had to be put to good use, and here was its chance.

When Zhu Lina heard Wang Qiqi ask about the album, she nodded and slipped into her study, retrieving the photo album from her safe. It wasn't that the album itself was precious enough to warrant a safe, but the safe was large, and more importantly, it was a safeguard against Daizi trying to sneak in and destroy the evidence. Thus, Wang Qiqi and Shi Man had entrusted this crucial task to Zhu Lina, and she had kept it locked away.

The album Zhu Lina brought out was Daizi's dedicated collection. All the photos of the others, including their unflattering ones, were stored elsewhere. There was no helping it; Daizi’s reactions had been the strongest, so they needed to be cautious with him.

Lu Qiaowei took the thick album and slowly began to look through it. She had to admit, the former Daizi truly looked rather simple-minded. Lu Qiaowei finally understood why Jiang Xin would give up such a wonderful man as Dai Lijun—he was simply too embarrassing to take out in public. Lu Qiaowei was infinitely grateful to Shi Man for helping to remodel her boyfriend. Although choosing a partner should prioritize inner qualities, if the exterior was truly poor, Lu Qiaowei wouldn't have chosen him either. After all, everyone cared about appearances. She wasn't someone who couldn't hold her own, and dating such a man would surely invite friends to comment on her lack of judgment.

After flipping through the thick album, Lu Qiaowei had only one thought: "Can I keep a few pictures for my records?"

【huā】Author: Fang Leyuan Synopsis: Using flowers as delicious food, using flowers as a way to make a fortune, using flowers as the medium for marriage (To be continued)