Wang Qiqi returned to her sister's spotless apartment, immediately plugged in the water heater, closed the windows, and switched on the air conditioning. "It's so cold; I just can't adjust to the Southern weather." Even though the temperature was above freezing, higher than the sub-zero conditions in Beijing, Wang Qiqi had been shivering since she stepped off the train. "I'll take a hot bath first, then rest." In the North, a quick shower might suffice, but back home, Wang Qiqi felt only a long soak could truly warm her body, especially since the bathroom was only slightly warmer than a freezer—at least it didn't have a draft. After she finished these tasks, she noticed the fridge was already stocked with plenty of food and drinks, and there were some fresh green leafy vegetables in the kitchen; Wang Qiqi knew Aunt Luo must have helped with the shopping.

Wang Qiqi lit three sticks of incense again, then looked at the very fresh fruit, realizing Aunt Luo must have replaced those regularly too. "Mom, Dad, I'm home. How are things down there for you both..." Wang Qiqi sat on the cold floor, unsure how long she stayed there. Thankfully, the air conditioning finally kicked in, and the room slowly began to warm up.

Even so, after explaining everything that had happened to her over the last six months, when Wang Qiqi tried to stand up, her legs were already numb. She could only kneel and shuffle over to the phone near the sofa, then slowly clamber onto it. "Sigh, I've turned into a cripple," Wang Qiqi lamented while kneading her aching thighs.

Wang Qiqi picked up the receiver and called Song Yao. Song Yao was surprised Qiqi had returned so soon; she had assumed Qiqi would stay until the Little New Year holiday. Although Song Yao desperately wanted to come over quickly, a small matter had come up. She reminded Qiqi to remember to eat dinner that evening.

Wang Qiqi thought about how heavy that dinner might taste, likely leading to stomach pain later. She politely declined, saying she needed to rest well at home.

Hearing this, Song Yao dropped the subject. Honestly, if their child weren't so young, she would have preferred to stay at Gong Peixing's place instead, where at least no one would bring up unpleasant things during a meal.

In the following days, Wang Qiqi either bought a few necessities or killed time at the library. Occasionally, she would meet Shi Man for some shopping. Although both of them had lived abroad, they hadn't bought many clothes there. Now, looking at the domestic selection, nothing seemed quite right. Slowly, even Shi Man had developed the habit of only browsing and rarely purchasing anything.

Wang Qiqi held up a coat. "Manman, what do you think of this one?" Wang Qiqi found it strange; this girl usually loved browsing, but today she kept checking her phone every time they were out. If she didn't know Shi Man had a boyfriend and still worked in Beijing, she would have suspected she was seeing someone. Shi Man noticed Wang Qiqi looking at her checking the phone and gave a strained laugh. "Well, well, he said he's coming to visit my parents." To be honest, Feng Baixiang's sudden move had startled Shi Man too; it was completely beyond her expectations.

What? Feng Xuanxiang was coming, and he was coming to meet Shi Man's parents? Wang Qiqi’s mind felt a little slow to process. "He's meeting your parents? Do your parents know?" It was well known that Shi Man's parents weren't overly demanding regarding her choices, but they strongly hoped she would find a boyfriend with a solid family background who could take care of her. While Feng Xuanxiang had a good job and prospects, and treated Shi Man well, to put it bluntly, Feng Xuanxiang was nowhere near the standard of son-in-law her parents had in mind.

Shi Man nodded. Since receiving Feng Xuanxiang’s call, she hadn't stopped thinking about telling him not to come. But then she considered how he might react if she refused—he had explicitly stated in the call that he wanted to settle all the necessary matters before he went abroad. Shi Man knew many people who went overseas never returned, often ending their domestic relationships with a simple breakup letter. This hesitation made her uneasy. She felt that whatever chaos occurred in university was personal business, but meeting the parents carried a serious weight. She was deeply conflicted. The problem was, someone had already bought a train ticket and was arriving tonight, which made Shi Man panic. She didn't know what to do. In that moment, Shi Man truly envied Wang Qiqi, who could date whomever she pleased without ever worrying about parental approval.

Seeing Shi Man’s distress, Wang Qiqi paused. "Haven't you told your parents yet?"

Shi Man remembered Wang Qiqi was present and quickly shook her head. "I spoke to them a few days ago, and I explained Feng Xuanxiang’s situation..." The result, however, was far from satisfactory.

"They don't agree?" Wang Qiqi thought this was the most realistic outcome.

Shi Man let out a soft 'Mm.' "I asked him if he could postpone his visit, but yesterday he told me the train ticket was bought and he’d be here this afternoon." Shi Man was quite annoyed by her boyfriend’s high-handed behavior.

Wang Qiqi sighed. "Are your parents home today?" Although Shi Man’s parents were no longer in critical government positions, they still held minor official roles and had social engagements, making them hard to see on demand, especially close to the New Year when they were constantly rushing to dinners.

Shi Man shook her head, then suddenly remembered something. "I lied to my parents—I told them I was staying at your place tonight, so..." Shi Man wanted to talk to Feng Xuanxiang one more time that evening. It wasn't that she was irresponsible, but she felt introducing a serious relationship conversation to her parents right before her boyfriend left the country would look terrible. Her father hadn't explicitly forbidden her relationship with her university boyfriend, even if he wasn't thrilled, but when he asked about their future plans, he erupted. His reasoning was that someone about to leave the country might never return, and he called Feng Xuanxiang a bad influence.

Wang Qiqi noticed the awkward expression on Shi Man's face. "Why don't you both come over to my place for dinner tonight?" One man was insisting on meeting his girlfriend's parents; the other was reluctant to let her boyfriend visit due to parental disapproval. If they communicated in this volatile state, Wang Qiqi genuinely feared they would end up arguing bitterly and breaking up. Both were proud people: one grew up receiving praise from elders, parents’ friends, and colleagues; the other, despite humble family circumstances, excelled academically, rising through school on the praise of teachers and the envy of peers, eventually landing a good job after graduation. While lacking powerful connections, she managed well through her own capability. Facing a significant issue concerning the future direction of their relationship, they were bound to feel the other person was being inconsiderate.

Dinner at Qiqi’s house? Shi Man’s eyes brightened, but then she thought it over. "Maybe not. We should talk it out ourselves." If Qiqi were involved, the matter might resolve neatly, but Shi Man felt she and Feng Xuanxiang would have many disagreements in the future; Qiqi couldn't mediate every single conflict. She worried that if Qiqi merely smoothed things over with advice, the underlying issues would just remain buried, waiting to erupt later. Since Shi Man insisted on handling it herself, Wang Qiqi stopped pressing. She patted Shi Man’s shoulder. "Talk it out properly, don't get angry. Some things you must face together. Besides, I actually think Feng Xuanxiang meeting your father today might not be a bad thing." Men often found common ground, and if Feng Xuanxiang could discuss his future plans with Shi Man’s parents, they might see him as a responsible young man. Shi Man thought Wang Qiqi’s suggestion was terrible. Letting Feng Xuanxiang confront her father face-to-face was surely a recipe for disaster—like Mars colliding with Earth. It could easily make things worse. "You always come up with such awful ideas! What if it turns out..." Wang Qiqi realized Shi Man wouldn't listen to her advice and stopped arguing. "Help me look at this coat instead. I haven't bought a new one for the New Year yet." Shi Man rallied her energy to help Wang Qiqi. She worried if she didn't assist soon, Qiqi might come up with another bad plan. Getting the clothes sorted quickly would allow her to send Qiqi away so she could meet Feng Xuanxiang alone. Shi Man feared that if the two men faced off, Feng Xuanxiang, who was already adamant about meeting her parents, might not be persuaded, especially with Wang Qiqi possibly fueling the fire next to him. However, as Shi Man closely examined the coat Wang Qiqi chose, she asked, "Qiqi, why did you pick red?" It seemed too vibrant, completely inconsistent with Wang Qiqi’s usual style. "It has a bit of a New Year atmosphere, I suppose," Wang Qiqi admitted, knowing she hadn't worn anything this youthful in ages. Between her parents' passing and her current mindset, she doubted she could pull off the bright colors favored by young girls. "I think my parents would have liked it."

Shi Man saw the logic. A girl who should be vibrant, yet always wore dark tones—while the loss of her parents was a factor, it still seemed peculiar. "When your aunt was alive, she loved buying brightly colored clothes and dressing you up like a flower, but now..." Yet, it had earned her the title of a gifted scholar. Ah, well, when a person is beautiful and has a gentle smile, they never suffer setbacks anywhere they go.

"I’ve been through too much to bother dressing up," Wang Qiqi replied, "but seeing this coat reminded me of the times my mother would take me shopping." Wang Qiqi recalled how her mother always bought her bright clothes, especially red ones, saying they brought good luck. During the Spring Festival, new outfits were always bright red, rose red, or purplish-red—never without some shade of crimson. "That’s why I thought this coat was nice."

Shi Man looked it over. "The cut is simple enough. Go try it on, but I suspect you'll wear this one more often at home." Shi Man was certain Qiqi wouldn't wear such a bright red coat to visit her aunt, probably sticking to darker tones. "It’s better to wear something a bit brighter when you go out for New Year visits," Shi Man advised sincerely.

Gong Mou Synopsis: A lowly concubine's daughter enters the palace, scheming not only for power but also for love.