With a flurry of activity, Song Ziwen finally brought his freshly minted wife, Yang Jing, back to the Song family home. Wang Qiqi had initially thought they would rush off soon to the 'real' new house Song Ziwen had arranged, but to her surprise, he showed no intention of moving, instead settling contentedly in the current house to feast on various pastries. Wang Qiqi found this baffling. "Why isn't Song Ziwen moving? He's treating guests to lunch later." He shouldn't dally until it's too late.

Song Yao, holding the wriggling Tao Tao in her arms, patted his little bottom, signaling him to quiet down. "Yesterday, he suddenly decided the bridal chamber would be here, and we'll go to the other new house in a few days. He gave a whole long list of reasons, but I suspect it’s because he's worried about all the bad things he did before."

Wang Qiqi froze, wondering if her cousin-in-law hadn't just made things difficult for the newlyweds during the feast but had also ruined their wedding night. That was indeed going too far. "He was such a show-off before; now he's getting what he deserves. His good days are here." But Song Ziwen had certainly put in a lot of effort for a perfect wedding night—the banquet arrangements, the setup of the new place. The problem was, "His planning might be sound, but will his friends let him off easily?" Wang Qiqi doubted these preparations could quell all that pent-up resentment.

"Probably not. I overheard two groomsmen privately saying they’re going to be completely wiped out this time." Han Tao approached, carrying a plate of snacks. "Eat some more; you’ll be busy helping out later." Han Tao knew she would be occupied for a long time today, and eating properly through two meals would be impossible, especially after scaring those two groomsmen earlier. "Oh, and this is the red envelope the brother-in-law gave me just now."

Song Yao was surprised by Han Tao’s unexpectedly good behavior—turning over the red envelope immediately upon receipt. She hadn't realized her younger cousin was such a good manager of men; she was already controlling his finances before they were even married. Song Yao couldn't recall when Gong Peixing had started handing over his salary, but it seemed to be right before the wedding, when he insisted on buying a house. He had even smugly declared himself the 'Good Man of the Century.' Hmph, he really needed to see what a true 'Good Man of the Century' looked like. Compared to Han Tao, he fell far short.

Wang Qiqi held the thick envelope. She had a bitter story untold. Song Yao assumed she had taken control of Han Tao's finances, a loss she was certainly going to suffer. Han Tao was nowhere near as honest about handing over his salary. Of course, Wang Qiqi had a rough idea of his income, given their joint large investments. As for his programming earnings, he didn't mention them—not when the 'simpleton' (her nickname for him in this context) would surely bring them up.

Wang Qiqi wanted to steer clear of the topic while also finding out just how much Song Ziwen was spending today. When she opened the envelope, she nearly shrieked. Good heavens, she hadn't expected such generosity from Song Ziwen! Although the envelope felt plump, suggesting a large sum, what if it was only filled with ten-yuan notes? Wang Qiqi had figured Song Ziwen wouldn't risk embarrassment with tens, maybe fifties at best. But these were hundred-yuan bills—four portraits of the great leader. "Oh my God, he's so generous! If I had known, I would have volunteered to be a bridesmaid too." At least then she could have had a few drinks and helped Song Ziwen fend off the challenges. Furthermore, if their super-invincible beauty appeared, Song Ziwen's classmates and colleagues might hesitate to be too aggressive.

"How much? One thousand?" Song Yao figured since these were hard-earned funds, the gifts should be generous. She hadn't expected a stack of hundred-yuan bills. "Hmph, that guy is going too far. Yesterday, when our Tao Tao slept on the wedding bed, he only gave 888." Song Yao thought of how auspicious their Tao Tao was—so many families borrowed him for their celebrations, a child clearly blessed with fortune. Yet, he was treated unfairly by his own maternal uncle! This was too much; even family shouldn't be treated this way.

Wang Qiqi listened to this complaint. Although she knew Song Yao hadn't meant it maliciously, it still stung a bit. One person slept in the marital bed for a night; the other was potentially risking his life for this thousand. If Song Ziwen weren't her cousin, Wang Qiqi wouldn't have let her own man take on such a thankless, arduous task.

"Xiao Tao, be careful when you're drinking later. Don't rush to the front. Let those two guys drink first; they're used to it, and I hear they both have great stamina. Don't overdo it..." Song Yao said this casually, not truly caring about the money. In no time, she began nagging Han Tao about this and that, urging him to be careful.

Han Tao looked helplessly at Wang Qiqi, thinking he shouldn't have come. "I'll go get busy now. Sister, don't worry. I promise I'll be the last one standing. I definitely won't let Cousin Ziwen collapse." Back during the morning's welcoming procession, Song Ziwen had mentioned how keen he was on tonight's wedding night festivities. With him saying that, what choice did Han Tao have?

"Wrong. Even if he collapses, it can't be you. You have to go to Qiqi's classmate's house tomorrow, right? And you have to take the train back to the capital tonight. You cannot get drunk. If anyone needs to get drunk, it has to be Song Ziwen." Song Yao realized that if Han Tao actually got tipsy, Wang Qiqi's expression would certainly sour, and they were returning to the capital. No, thinking of that, Song Yao felt she needed to reiterate this point with Song Ziwen again. "Qiqi, help me look after Tao Tao; I need to find Ziwen for a moment."

Wang Qiqi obediently took the quiet Tao Tao. Watching Song Yao leave with Han Tao, she suspected they were off to give Song Ziwen some stern instructions. "Sister Yao Yao is really good to you." While there were many relatives in the house, few spoke to Wang Rui. Those who knew Wang Rui whispered and pointed at her. Wang Rui found it boring, so she just took some food and stayed put. She hadn't expected Song Yao and the others to notice this spot too, leaving her unsure whether to leave or stay.

"She's okay. A heart for a heart." Wang Qiqi wasn't surprised to see Wang Rui appear. In a place this large, if Wang Rui wasn't here, she would be somewhere else. After holding Tao Tao in silence for a long time, Wang Qiqi felt the situation was awkward. "I heard you're taking extra classes. Are you confident about getting into university?" As soon as the words left her mouth, Wang Qiqi wanted to slap herself. She knew it was unintentional, but in Wang Rui’s heart, it felt deliberate. "Aunt said your grades are decent."

Wang Rui’s expression had already soured. She thought, Qiqi has good grades and got into C University; does she really need to mock me like this? Even after Wang Qiqi backtracked, Wang Rui's expression remained grim, and her response was slightly sharp. "My foundation is weak, and I don't have a childhood sweetheart expert tutoring me."

Wang Qiqi acted as if she hadn't heard Wang Rui's complaint. Hmph, complain all you want; I’ll just annoy you and keep suppressing you for life. "It's not the most important thing whether your grades are good or not. Just pick a decent major for university. If you can't get into an undergraduate program, go for a vocational college, and work hard to improve your diploma later..." Wang Qiqi recited standard advice. Should she tell her that getting into a top university makes finding a job easier after graduation? Forget it; saying that would only make Wang Rui resent her more. "Doing more practice problems is always good..."

Wang Rui listened to the completely meaningless advice and stopped speaking, staring out at the scenery on the balcony. "I miss my mom. If she hadn't insisted I keep studying, I might be in an even worse state now. But I also resent her. If she hadn't been so determined to divorce my dad, I wouldn't be this miserable." At least having a mother meant someone would look out for her future. Her father, Wang Dagui, indulged her, but only because he hoped to gain more substantial benefits from her, like marrying into wealth so he could secure enough gambling funds.

After saying this, Wang Rui stood up, preparing to leave. "I've envied and resented you since I was little, always thinking that someone I could never surpass in any way somehow had such good luck. Hmph, isn't it just because you have good parents?" Wang Rui shot a resentful look at Wang Qiqi. "I have to constantly curry favor just to get nice clothes and praise from the elders. But you? You don't have to lift a finger and you effortlessly get everything. I never realized you could hide it better than me. If, if..."

Wang Qiqi listened to Wang Rui describe how timid and lacking in self-motivation she used to be, and she understood the unspoken part: When a person has no retreat, the capabilities they unleash are limitless. I think if you hadn't seen that Gao Kai was truly hopeless, you wouldn't have focused your mind on textbooks. How much your grades have improved, you know that in your heart...

"Instead of envying me, you should think about what you're going to do next." Wang Qiqi thought, Why is this girl causing trouble when things are going so well? "And I get along with Yao Yao and the others because I don't look down on everyone when things are going my way, only to cling to their legs when I'm down. You don't pay respects when things are fine, but when you need a favor, it’s too late to start praying." Wang Qiqi didn't want to stay there any longer. Holding Tao Tao, she walked right past Wang Rui.

Wang Rui watched Wang Qiqi descend the stairs. The Tao Tao in her arms was smiling at her. Wang Rui couldn't help but feel the child was mocking her. Hmph, just like his mother, he only looked down on her.

Wang Rui leaned against the balcony, bitterly calming her emotions. She admitted that what Wang Qiqi had said at the end was quite true. All along, she had clung to those who were advantageous to her, like Song Yao and Song Ziwen, believing they wouldn't amount to much. She hadn't expected them to prosper. Wang Qiqi, however, had maintained good relations with them even before they struck it rich. Even after Qiqi went to university in the capital and rarely contacted them, their bond remained strong. It seemed Wang Rui needed to change her habit of associating with people. No matter how much she looked down on someone in her heart, she absolutely couldn't show it on her face or in her words.