Li Qian turned back to look at Li Xiangdong, whose eyes were fixed on her with an expectant gaze, and she snapped, "Look at how you manage your staff. All this trouble stirred up over a front desk girl who clearly doesn't know her place. I had to talk Qi Qi around for ages, making all sorts of promises just to get her to concede—and even then, it’s just a concession. Don't even dream of her agreeing to only work for our family."

Li Xiangdong’s mouth dropped open at the result. "Ah? Then how will her work be allocated in the future?" He couldn't possibly mean pushing our orders to the back of the queue, could he?

"Whoever’s order comes first gets handled first." Li Qian thought, Does she really think she’s someone special? "The price you offered is just average, not particularly high. Do you expect Qi Qi to prioritize your work? Remember how sincerely she came to the company to negotiate before? The receptionist left her waiting for ages. Honestly, if I hadn’t offered to introduce clients to them—clients who could continue reselling imported goods—she wouldn't have agreed at all."

Li Xiangdong could only yield with a sigh. "Do we need to sign a cooperation agreement for that?" That would put him more at ease.

"How do we sign an agreement? How do you guarantee what the future rates will be? Qi Qi explicitly said that future pricing will follow market fluctuations; she won't be easily bullied like before. You have no idea the lengths I went to today." Li Qian stretched, preparing to take a bath and finally rest. She had gotten a full-body Shiatsu massage today; it was truly comfortable. But the therapist mentioned her physical health wasn't great, making Li Qian consider getting a spa membership. Right now, taking care of her health is paramount; only with good health can they discuss future matters, right? "I’m taking a bath and getting ready for bed. Oh, by the way, I simmered some sweet soup; heat it up yourself if you’re hungry. If you don't want that, there are cookies in the snack cabinet."

Li Xiangdong just watched Li Qian walk away, not saying another word to him, completely absorbed in her own routine. This instantly left him stunned. In the past, when Li Qian saw him return, she would constantly bring him things to eat or drink, which always made Li Xiangdong want to lose his temper. But now, Li Qian utterly ignored him. "Xiao Qian, it’s been ages since we went out to see a movie. Shall we go next week..."

"We'll see when the time comes. I’m quite busy recently." Li Qian mused, Is he getting desperate? How many years has it been? "Besides, going to the movies is something young people do, isn’t it? We’re already getting on in years, let’s not act like youngsters."

Li Qian thought to herself that the last time she suggested watching a movie, that certain someone used this very excuse to shut her down. Now, she was throwing the line right back at him. Li Xiangdong found the phrase eerily familiar. After thinking for a long moment, he finally realized why it sounded so familiar—it was exactly what he had said to Li Qian! Although Li Xiangdong had been meek and gentle these past few days, it didn’t mean he would remain submissive forever. Moreover, the immediate crisis was mostly resolved; he had no need to act this way anymore.

Li Xiangdong went to the kitchen to brew a cup of tea and then returned to his study to look over documents. Li Qian, inside the bathroom, heard the heavy slam of the door and let out a cold laugh. Was he already feeling wronged after just a minor cold reception? Didn't he frequently give her a hard time in the past when he was unhappy? These kinds of days wouldn't be infrequent going forward. Even if she didn't cause a scene for their son's sake, it didn't mean the thorn in her heart would vanish. Speaking of which, the bubble bath Qi Qi recommended really was excellent; soaking her skin in the tub clearly showed it relaxing and smoothing out.

After reestablishing the business relationship with Li Xiangdong, Wang Qi Qi instantly realized that the leisurely days of the past few months were completely gone. Even with just these two clients, they were getting two or three orders daily. What astonished Wang Qi Qi even more was learning that Ye Ruizhi had come from the Translation Bureau, reportedly as a highly accomplished figure. When Li Qian shared this news, Wang Qi Qi’s first reaction was: how could such an accomplished person have the nerve to resign?

Ye Ruizhi watched Wang Qi Qi focused on editing a manuscript and noticed her constantly glancing at him. He paused his tea-drinking. "What is the little girl thinking about?"

Wang Qi Qi hesitated. "Uncle Ye, Aunt Li told me you used to work at the Translation Bureau. How come you..." The words were out before she could stop them, and she immediately regretted it. That was private information, and their relationship wasn't close enough for her to pry into such matters.

"Too exhausting." Ye Ruizhi knew many people speculated about his departure—whether it was because his advancement stalled or because he had offended someone. In truth, his reason for leaving was simple: it was too tiring. The higher the position, the greater the pressure. Even being on the front lines of translation, the stress could be crushing. Switching to administration meant navigating complex interpersonal dynamics. Ye Ruizhi certainly had the skill to handle it easily, but he hated wearing a mask daily, constantly calculating and strategizing. One day, after doing a favor for a friend, that friend told him that if he ever decided to strike out on his own, he would fully support him, assuring him that he wouldn't struggle to make a good living if he went independent. It was on the strength of that single comment that Ye Ruizhi resigned.

"Too exhausting?" Wang Qi Qi had expected Ye Ruizhi to say he wanted to pursue a second entrepreneurial venture. But he was telling the truth. The Translation Bureau, especially for a master like him, handled matters of state importance. If a single word or sentence was mistranslated, it could easily lead to a diplomatic incident, particularly during simultaneous interpretation. "Simultaneous interpreting must be very tiring."

Ye Ruizhi raised an eyebrow when Wang Qi Qi voiced that observation. "But simultaneous interpreting pays very well." That was a fact; a single session could net several thousand, enough to cover Wang Qi Qi’s translation work for a long time. Of course, the pressure was immense too. "Are you interested in becoming a simultaneous interpreter? I can be your mentor?"

Ye Ruizhi understood that the girl frequented this place often and had learned about his background from Li Qian. She likely wanted to learn something from him. Over the years, Ye Ruizhi had experienced too much; his mindset was far from the zealotry of a recent graduate. His social interactions were measured and strategic. However, he wasn't stingy with children eager to learn. As long as he had the time and they sought his guidance, he was willing to offer pointers.

Become a simultaneous interpreter? Wang Qi Qi shook her head rapidly. "The pressure of simultaneous interpreting is beyond what I can handle. The information volume is too massive; I'll pass." After a pause, she added, "Making money is good, but you need the lifespan to spend it." In her past life, though Wang Qi Qi never became an interpreter, she had heard about the hardships involved. While watching them in the spotlight, people rarely saw the intense mental strain or the resulting poor health. In this life, she wasn't short of a little money, so why pursue that path?

"That’s right; good health is most important. Many young people today don't share your perspective." Ye Ruizhi was momentarily stunned. Honestly, his impression of Wang Qi Qi was of a very diligent child who should naturally be interested in money—which was normal, as the market economy dictated that everything spoke in terms of currency; as long as the path to riches was legitimate, it was fine. But he hadn't expected that when he offered to mentor her in simultaneous interpreting, she would reject it immediately without hesitation. That was quite unexpected. Several other eager learners he had mentored, upon hearing he would take them on for simultaneous interpreting, were ecstatic. Yet, this girl refused based on health. "Girl, if I didn't know your age, I would truly think you were about my age."

Wang Qi Qi was startled by Ye Ruizhi's remark. She carefully raised her eyes to look at him as he sipped his tea. Recalling the concept of 'reincarnation,' setting aside the fact that reincarnation novels weren't popular yet, even if they were, who would believe it? They would just laugh it off or fantasize about what they would do if they were reborn. "I just heard Aunt Li talk about how hard simultaneous interpreting is. Although I claim to love money, I love life even more. If I were genuinely obsessed with money, I would have studied economics. Wouldn't succeeding in that field earn more than simultaneous interpreting?" Top-tier simultaneous interpreters, working year-round without rest, wouldn't necessarily earn more than someone skilled in investments. If she were truly after money, she would be more calculating about the methods used to accumulate wealth.

Ye Ruizhi truly hadn't expected the girl's academic specialization. Translation couldn't truly compare to finance. If one possessed high professional skills in economics and finance, the annual income could be astronomical. Wang Qi Qi thinking that way was quite understandable. "Are you planning to enter investment banking or securities firms in the future?"

Wang Qi Qi shook her head. "Never considered it; that's too exhausting. Uncle Ye, what I want to do is work that makes money without being tiring, yet still earns big money." Wang Qi Qi said with a smile. She knew these words would make Ye Ruizhi burst out laughing. She had mentioned this to Zhu Lina and the others before, and their reaction was always: Has this kid woken up? Where is the work that pays big money without being tiring? Unless you’re born lucky, into a billionaire family, as the sole heir, so you have endless money after your parents pass away. That would fit Wang Qi Qi’s criteria.

Ye Ruizhi, however, did not burst out laughing. He stared at Wang Qi Qi for a moment. "I think that although you keep saying you love money, if a conflict arises between life and making money, you would choose life, wouldn't you? You chose this major, I think, so that no matter where you are, you can earn money and then go pursue the things you genuinely want to do."

Wang Qi Qi nodded with a smile. "Exactly. That’s why I’m thinking about being a translator; as long as there’s the internet, I can earn money wherever I go. It’s like how I wander around with my camera now, which is also preparation for the future. Everything, right now, seems like frivolous play, but Wang Qi Qi knows it will all be useful in the near future."

"Very well. If the translation agency is still operating when the time comes, I will certainly continue our cooperation." Watching Wang Qi Qi look so relaxed, Ye Ruizhi suddenly recalled a thought he had during his school days, a dream that had never materialized since graduation. But now, the opportunity existed. Ye Ruizhi looked at Wang Qi Qi, his own plans beginning to form, though he knew realization wouldn't be immediate; everything needed to stabilize first. Regardless of what he did, finances remained the biggest hurdle.