When Wang Qiqi arrived at the agreed spot, she found both Zhulina and Shi Man and her husband already there. "Wow, Nana, you actually have time today?" This was a rare occasion; Wang Qiqi hadn't expected Shi Man to call her out.

Zhulina shifted further into her seat. "Didn't sleep well last night?" Zhulina noticed Wang Qiqi had dark circles under her eyes—a truly unusual sight, clearly indicating a lack of rest.

Wang Qiqi yawned and murmured, "Had dreams all night, nothing but nightmares." Wang Qiqi didn't want to dwell on the topic. Seeing Shi Man and Feng Xuanxiang sitting together, all smiles, she knew their issue must have been resolved satisfactorily. "Did you order the food yet?"

"Yes," Shi Man nodded. "Also, also, Feng Xuanxiang met my parents yesterday," Shi Man confessed shyly.

Zhulina was stunned. She had been truly taken aback when she first saw Feng Xuanxiang; she hadn't heard any rumors about him coming. Initially, she thought Shi Man had gathered everyone for a meal to entertain him, but she hadn't expected their relationship to progress this quickly. "Met your parents?" Zhulina thought, realizing from Shi Man’s beaming face that the meeting must have gone quite well. But then Zhulina grew annoyed—how dare they tell her only after the fact? "Qiqi, did you know?" Looking at Wang Qiqi, who showed no surprise upon seeing Feng Xuanxiang, Zhulina suspected she had been in on it all along.

Wang Qiqi nodded. "The day before yesterday, Manman and I were shopping, and she looked completely distracted. I pressed her until she told me."

Shi Man knew she had upset Zhulina, but given the circumstances then, she genuinely thought she and Feng Xuanxiang might not have a future. Who knew things would take such a turn for the better? But how could she possibly admit in front of Feng Xuanxiang that she had expected them to break up? That would have been asking for trouble.

Feng Xuanxiang couldn't let his girlfriend be put on the spot. He pulled Shi Man closer, taking the blame himself. "I only managed to notify everyone right before getting into the car. It was because I had a sudden business trip nearby, so I remembered I needed to visit Manman's parents. Honestly, Manman and I argued quite a bit about whether to meet them initially—we almost broke up, so..."

Zhulina nodded, understanding the gist. "So the final result was Feng Xuanxiang met the future in-laws, and it went well, right?" Otherwise, the lady wouldn't look so triumphant.

"The process was arduous, but the outcome is good," Shi Man summarized. "But I really didn't expect Feng Xuanxiang to actually persuade my parents."

Shi Man honestly hadn't expected Feng Xuanxiang to systematically address every single point raised by her parents under pressure. Although her parents weren't entirely sold on her and Feng Xuanxiang, at least they had softened their stance.

Wang Qiqi’s understanding of Shi Man's parents came from Shi Man’s own descriptions. Even though Wang Qiqi had met them a few times, they had always been very cordial, making it impossible to gauge their true feelings. But Zhulina was different; she had some insight into their conservative nature—calling them 'old fogeys' wouldn't be an exaggeration. "He really managed to persuade your parents? I find that hard to believe." Zhulina thought, perhaps things weren't as terrifying as Shi Man made them sound. After all, Shi Man's parents had laid down strict conditions for her marriage.

Knowing Zhulina didn't believe her, Shi Man recounted the entire process of introducing Feng Xuanxiang to her parents the previous evening. The narrative was absolutely brilliant and lengthy, starting shortly after Wang Qiqi was seated and wrapping up only after everyone had finished their meal an hour later.

Wang Qiqi and Zhulina shared a single thought about Feng Xuanxiang: "God of Wealth, you really should have studied Law instead of Economics. You could be a judge, eating both the plaintiff and the defendant alive!" Wang Qiqi truly lamented the loss to the judiciary—what a tremendous waste of an elite talent.

Zhulina simply gave Feng Xuanxiang a thumbs-up. "Impressive, truly impressive. But I disagree with Qiqi's assessment. If the God of Wealth studied law, how would any of us get rich?" Would they spend their days discussing legal briefs with him? While that might be useful for their own businesses, allowing them to consult this gentleman on legal matters down the line, Zhulina still preferred Feng Xuanxiang studying economics—at least he could lead them to wealth.

"Right, right, economics is better. Law isn't beneficial to us," Wang Qiqi said pragmatically. "By the way, Feng Xuanxiang, are you leaving today?"

Feng Xuanxiang nodded. "Yeah, I'm heading home for the New Year right after lunch." Feng Xuanxiang actually needed to report to the company, but he had managed to get permission from his superior to skip it. Although the supervisor was a bit grumpy, considering Feng Xuanxiang’s usual low-key, hardworking demeanor, the boss felt obliged to give him a little leeway—otherwise, how could he expect Feng Xuanxiang to work hard in the future?

After sending Feng Xuanxiang off, Zhulina checked the time; it was still early. "Let's find a teahouse to sit for a while." There wasn't much to do back at the office at this hour; it was better to find a place where she could hear the things Shi Man hadn't said yet. She couldn't believe Shi Man's parents would agree so easily to her relationship with Feng Xuanxiang. The distance between them was significant, plus the fact that he would soon be studying abroad. This romance seemed far too precarious.

Shi Man and Wang Qiqi naturally had no objections. There were things that needed to be clarified now that Feng Xuanxiang wasn't around to hold back certain discussions.

The three randomly chose a teahouse and immediately went into a private room to chat. "Did your parents really let you off so easily?" As soon as the waitress left after taking their tea order, Zhulina immediately fired the question.

Shi Man forced a wry smile. "It wasn't that easy. My dad just said he’d give him a chance. He said I need to experience the wickedness of the world for myself to know what's good and what's bad." Honestly, even after Feng Xuanxiang’s visit, her parents remained skeptical. For one, there was an age gap between her and Feng Xuanxiang, plus his impending study abroad plans.

"Still worried about him going abroad?" Wang Qiqi asked doubtfully. "Or is there another reason?"

Shi Man nodded. "My parents said even if he waits for me and doesn't do anything to break the engagement while overseas, his plans for the future are too aggressive. Also, his eyes reveal he’s ambitious, and I’m just too laid-back. There's a possibility later on..." Her parents felt that if Feng Xuanxiang actually broke the engagement, it wouldn't be a major disaster—who hadn't encountered a scoundrel in their youth? It was better to discover it before marriage, when considerations became far more complex and divorce wasn't an easy option.

Wang Qiqi and Zhulina understood. On the surface, they agreed to let them continue dating based on Feng Xuanxiang's honesty, his future plans, and his commitment to their relationship. In reality, it was a test for Shi Man to experience human nature. If Feng Xuanxiang could maintain this relationship while surrounded by temptations in America, the chances of him being unfaithful after marriage would be much lower. Wang Qiqi's only comment was, "Your parents are quite thoughtful. But for me, if a man ever did anything to betray me after marriage, sorry, I wouldn't suffer for it." There were plenty of men in the world; why compromise for the sake of a relationship or a marriage?

"You mean if Han Tao did anything to betray you, you would also..." Shi Man knew Wang Qiqi was strong-willed, perhaps even cold-hearted, but she hadn't expected her to state something so decisive so calmly. Honestly, if it were her, Shi Man couldn't guarantee she could speak so rationally while still loving Feng Xuanxiang. In fact, the day before yesterday, Shi Man only agreed to take Feng Xuanxiang to meet her parents because she realized that if she refused, she and Feng Xuanxiang might break up. Throughout the meeting, Shi Man acted as if she would marry no one else, which is why her parents finally relented, giving both her and Feng Xuanxiang a chance. But the issue remained... "I actually feel sorry for Han Tao."

Zhulina nodded. "Me too. But Qiqi, you won't give Han Tao a chance at all?"

A chance? Wang Qiqi felt that if a man could say he loved her and then still cross the line with another woman, the thought made her feel sick. "If I cheated, would any man accept it? You can't have double standards, right? Alright, let's change the topic. First of all, congratulations, Manman, at least your romance has tentatively received parental approval."

Just as Shi Man was about to thank her for the well wishes, Wang Qiqi cut in unabashedly. "You're paying for the tea today."

Shi Man was stunned by Wang Qiqi's sudden boldness. After all, lunch had been paid for by her man. "I pay?"

Wang Qiqi nodded. "Yes. Lunch was paid by your man, so you pay for the tea. Oh, did you know? Wang Rui and Gao Kai broke up." Wang Qiqi was surprised that the first couple she had intended to see together in her previous life had split; it was completely unexpected.

"Isn't that good? But your sister’s reputation is already ruined; it’ll be hard for her to find a decent man," Zhulina was genuinely surprised that Wang Rui's notoriety had even reached her own mother. Her mom had even told her that because of Wang Rui, people had formed opinions about Wang Qiqi’s upbringing, lamenting that the Wang family clearly lacked proper discipline, and thankfully Qiqi had chosen Han Tao, and so on.

"Her current target has shifted to Han Tao; why wouldn't she break up with Gao Kai when he has no money now?" Wang Qiqi thought about how pragmatic Wang Rui was—once she realized her boyfriend couldn't offer any more financial gain, why stay with him and sink together? "I really don't understand why she's interested in my man."

"It proves her charm, but does she think Han Tao is like that kid Gao Kai?" Shi Man thought Han Tao would have to be blind to pursue someone like Wang Rui. "But I doubt you'll let Wang Rui off easy, will you?"

"Of course not, I'm not a pushover." Wang Qiqi happily recounted the threats she had delivered to Wang Rui. "If she really dares to go to university in the capital and try to latch onto me, hmph..." Although the possibility was slim, one could never rule out someone having a sudden lapse in judgment.

Watching Wang Qiqi’s fierce expression, Shi Man and Zhulina shared a single thought: "As long as someone has a brain, they won't mess with you." That was too terrifying; how many people would risk death over a man? (To be continued.)

For more novels, visit storyread.net.