"Ah, Gong Yiying is asking you for the documents she needs to go abroad?" Shi Man found it quite unbelievable. How could there be so many strange things happening every year? Why would she ask Wang Qiqi for help? What angered Shi Man the most was, "Doesn't she have a boyfriend handling this for her? You silly goose, and you actually agreed to help."

"She put it so pitifully, saying she had to drop out just to go abroad. I felt bad refusing, but I suspect the other party is unwilling, or perhaps currently doesn't want to take her. And Gong Yiying is someone who cares deeply about saving face, which is why she came to me. Considering they knew we weren't easy to deal with, yet they still approached me—after all, we were classmates, and we even shared a dorm..." Wang Qiqi thought to herself how truly kind-hearted and loving she was.

Wang Qiqi's words sounded beautiful, but Shi Man, who knew her well, kept making discouraging noises, making Wang Qiqi embarrassed to boast further. "Honestly, I don't believe you, girl, would be so kind-hearted." Shi Man thought that Wang Qiqi was definitely the type to hold a grudge and wouldn't let someone off that easily.

Wang Qiqi pouted, feeling overly judged. "Do I really seem that heartless in your eyes? I genuinely want to do something for Gong Yiying. Remember, I'm planning to go abroad too someday. If we run into each other in a foreign land, at least we’ll have company." Under Shi Man's scrutinizing gaze, she sighed. "Fine, I admit I wanted to give that certain someone some trouble. I suspect the other party is hesitant to take her abroad, and the procedures are being deliberately delayed."

Shi Man thought, That sounds more like it. "If I were that foreigner, I wouldn't want to take her either. That woman is truly too unstable. Today she can betray her former boyfriend for the sake of going abroad; tomorrow she might betray for something else." Shi Man analyzed with certainty.

"Or maybe Deng Zhi has been pulling strings behind the scenes," Wang Qiqi speculated. Anyone who could be ruthless to themselves could also be ruthless to the woman who betrayed them. "He knew being a kept man had a bad reputation, yet he chose that path. Who knows, he might become quite influential later on." This was, of course, provided he didn't lose his way and forgot what he wanted to achieve or the mission he set for himself.

Deng Zhi? Shi Man considered that it wasn't entirely impossible. "What's the point? I think they'll be outright enemies the next time they meet. Perhaps only financial interests will make them set things aside." The possibility of that former couple reconciling was genuinely low. "But if they do reunite, the power they unleash is expected to be even more astonishing."

Wang Qiqi listened as Shi Man kept musing, wondering if her recent lack of time spent with her own man was causing her to have such speculative thoughts. "By the way, girl, do you have the checklist of documents your man needs to prepare?" Although they were separated by only about half a year, the diligent Wang Qiqi worried that something might have changed, and since she had already agreed to help Gong Yiying, she needed to provide the most current list.

Wang Qiqi stifled a yawn and shook her head at Wang Qiqi. "I'm not entirely sure. Why don't you just call Feng Xuanxiang and ask him to come over for dinner while you're at it?" Her own man had been absolutely swamped lately. Even though he was about to leave, the higher-ups were going crazy, assigning him a newcomer to mentor today, insisting the kid had a lot of experience. Shi Man complained that they were squeezing out every last drop of his utility right before he departed. "He only managed to eat a little bit of lunch today because of that new kid."

Seeing Shi Man looking heartbroken over her man, Wang Qiqi really wanted to say, Your man is human, but am I not? Looking at Shi Man pleading with her, and considering she needed a favor from her anyway, she conceded. "Forget it, I'm only good for cooking meals." Wang Qiqi had initially planned to just whip up some noodles for dinner, but with someone who was practically half a guest now, she couldn't cut corners. "While you're at it, ask your man to pick up some prepared dishes or something on his way over, and then call my man too." If Shi Man's man was coming over to freeload a meal, there was no reason hers shouldn't join.

"Have your man buy them," Shi Man wasn't trying to save that little bit of money. "Oh, why didn't you visit your sister today?" Didn't you say you were going to see them tonight?

"My sister and the others went to the Summer Resort for a couple of days." Wang Qiqi was annoyed that they went without her. Although she had visited once, it was far too rushed, and she hadn't seen some places thoroughly. But those people were infuriating; they just said, 'We're off to the Summer Resort, we'll contact you when we get back,' leaving Wang Qiqi with no choice but to skip classes.

Shi Man looked at the clearly gloomy Wang Qiqi and decided it was better not to pry about the trip. "By the way, how many properties are you and your man planning to buy?" Shi Man and Feng Xuanxiang had discussed it extensively, and she felt it was better for her to invest her money in commercial shops. For one, Qiqi thought shops had better prospects and higher rents, and since she would be going abroad, whether she'd return was uncertain. Furthermore, she doubted the money she had now wouldn't be enough to buy a large house in the center of the capital city in a few years. Although it was a bit unfair to Nana, Shi Man still preferred the houses downtown, even if stepping outside meant seeing old hutongs—that historical depth was the very symbol of Beijing, wasn't it? "I plan to buy one shop; Feng Xuanxiang is also buying one shop."

"I plan to partner with Han Tao to buy two shops and one apartment." Wang Qiqi had originally intended to buy three, but worried Han Tao might be concerned about the finances. However, even for the money required for these three properties, Wang Qiqi wouldn't need a loan; she could basically earn back a substantial amount by next year. "I wanted to buy a few more, but Aunt Luo specifically warned Han Tao not to take out too large a loan when she knew we were buying property in the capital. She said our expenses would be high after we go abroad, and the situation is all unknown, so we shouldn't..." Wang Qiqi really wanted to say that her future mother-in-law had no faith in her at all. Han Tao could continue his internship, and Wang Qiqi didn't plan on quitting translation immediately after moving abroad. But Han Tao, being a filial son, couldn't ignore his mother's advice, and Wang Qiqi couldn't tell him to stop listening to his mother; she worried about how that might reflect on Han Tao's feelings.

"You're not going to secretly buy more behind your man's back?" Shi Man looked at the conflicted Wang Qiqi and thought, who said Wang Qiqi and Han Tao's relationship was like that of an old married couple? Seeing Wang Qiqi's current state, she looked exactly like someone worried about her future mother-in-law's anxiety and dissatisfaction. "I remember you weren't like this when you were with Gao Kai. Speaking of which, Wang Rui is taking her college entrance exams soon, right?"

Wang Qiqi nodded. "Yes, I didn't expect her to pass the high school graduation exam, though." Wang Qiqi thought the kid was quite capable; perhaps greater pressure led to greater bursts of power. "But her scores weren't great, which will affect her university admissions. Still, based on her grades, it probably wouldn't have made much difference anyway. Do you know which university she plans to apply to?" Wang Qiqi had previously assumed the girl, after being lectured by her, wouldn't dare to study in the capital and would apply to a university in Shanghai. For one, it was closer to home, and two, Shanghai was developing rapidly, attracting many students from across the country—a significant draw for Wang Rui, who aspired to marry a wealthy man. But when she heard Song Yao casually mention the university Wang Rui was aiming for, Wang Qiqi deeply felt her own intelligence fell short; Wang Rui was clearly smarter. No wonder she had lost so miserably in her previous life. It was a pity that in this life, a certain someone hadn't focused all her energy on studying, instead rushing headlong into the arms of a scoundrel early on.

Shi Man considered for a moment, staring at Wang Qiqi for a long time. Finding no anger on her face, it seemed she wasn't heading to the capital. As for Shanghai, although Shi Man thought it highly possible, if that were the answer, Wang Qiqi wouldn't need to ask her. She pondered, "Yangcheng?"

Wang Qiqi was stunned. "Oh my god, you're so smart." She hadn't expected Shi Man to guess it. "Manman, your brain still works, after all."

Shi Man was quite pleased with Wang Qiqi's compliment until she heard the last part. "Am I usually an idiot? It was actually simple..." Shi Man explained her reasoning for ruling out both the capital and Shanghai. "Although Yangcheng is quite far from our hometown, its geographical location is excellent, and it has developed over many years with extensive exchanges with the outside world. If your sister is lucky enough to meet someone from there, perhaps they could help her go abroad, giving her something to boast about again." Although it was still within the same country, people from the south found it much easier to travel abroad than those in the north. Moreover, to people in the mainland, Hong Kong residents were absolutely wealthy—a definite reason for Wang Rui and her father to show off.

"That’s what I guessed too, but the problem is, how many Hong Kong people are actually rich? Would truly wealthy people even look at her?" Wang Qiqi wasn't denigrating her own sister, but people with genuine background wouldn't marry Wang Rui. While she was pretty and gentle, marrying her clearly offered no assistance. Once a man who didn't need a wife's support reached a certain age and gained experience, he could have his pick of women; only a fool would choose Wang Rui. "I heard houses in Hong Kong are really small."

"Well, that's her choice. She's under a lot of pressure. Among my father's relatives, I'm not without pressure either; they are all successful and thriving. I have no intention of becoming a civil servant, which in their eyes is unambitious. If I don't fare well later, I can only imagine what they'll say behind my back..." Shi Man felt the sting of competition among relatives deeply. "She's probably the worst off among your father's side of the family now, isn't she?"

Wang Qiqi nodded. "Honestly, why bother? You live your own life. It's better to find a high-potential partner in university. It’s not like we haven't made something of ourselves. Look at me, look at you, look at Lu Qiaowei. By the way, has Jiang Xin been visiting that dummy often lately?" Wang Qiqi suddenly remembered something. (To be continued.)