Hearing Han Tao speak with such gravity, Wang Qiqi felt a strange sensation, realizing it had been a long time since her man had addressed her with such seriousness. After a moment, she snapped back to reality, smiling, "I know, I know everything. Where else would your money go if not to me? It’s a husband’s duty to provide for his wife, so don't think I’ll be moved by you saying that." Hmph, a capable man wouldn't even notice the small amount of his wife's dowry; "I just wonder if Feng Xuanxiang's track record in the stock market is as impressive here as it was back home."

Wang Qiqi recognized Feng Xuanxiang's ability, but that was within the domestic sphere. For overseas matters, she genuinely had no confidence in him, especially with only this small amount of USD in hand. If something went awry, the impact would be considerable—for instance, being unable to proceed with the future personal shopping business. Here, nobody would lend you money if you ran into trouble, unlike back home where even if you lost money trading stocks, your foundation remained intact, not affecting subsequent operations.

"I think there won't be a problem, and the market has been good recently, so we should see decent returns. Besides, didn't you say the stock market is much like gambling? Relax a bit." Seeing Wang Qiqi nervously biting her lip, Han Tao leaned over and gently touched her mouth with his hand, "Stop biting your lip; you'll hurt yourself. Rest assured, I have a feeling Feng Xuanxiang will give us a pleasant surprise this time."

Han Tao truly respected Feng Xuanxiang. A man with no family background could achieve so much in such a bureaucratic securities firm, which spoke volumes about his capability; he was clearly intelligent. There was no reason he wouldn't fare as well in the US as he did domestically. "Furthermore, when you hand the money over to him to manage, I imagine he’ll worry more than you do." Back in China under those market conditions, unless one was impossibly unlucky, trading stocks always brought wealth; it was only a question of how much wealth. Thus, Feng Xuanxiang's pressure wasn't immense then, but here, the pressure must be far greater than at home. Wang Qiqi worried about losing money—did Feng Xuanxiang not worry at all? He probably wouldn't sleep well tonight because of this.

Wang Qiqi conceded the point; if she was worried, surely the trader felt the pressure even more acutely? Thinking this, Wang Qiqi turned to Han Tao, "See if Shi Man is online. If she is, leave her a message saying we’re letting her man trade half our net worth. Whether we eat steak or burgers depends on her man now." As she said this, Wang Qiqi added to Han Tao, "Is half our net worth too much?" Yet, Wang Qiqi inwardly considered that although there was a risk of loss, if someone proved exceptionally capable in cornering the market for them, investing too little would mean missing out on huge gains. Moreover, US housing prices hadn't yet reached terrifying heights. Wang Qiqi envisioned buying a small house in a nearby complex if possible. This would provide a fallback, regardless of whether Han Tao decided to work locally or elsewhere after completing his graduate studies. However, this move would strain their living expenses based solely on Han Tao's future US income.

"I have no objection." Han Tao didn't mind. It wasn't that he didn't value money, but he felt that having half their assets left for living expenses was sufficient. "I already messaged Shi Man. Though, perhaps she's half-dead from shock over the amount we gave her."

Even if the sum wasn't enormous, the mere mention of "half their net worth" would place immense pressure on Feng Xuanxiang. Hearing there was no reply, Wang Qiqi laughed with unrestrained delight, "Maybe Manman will give her man a good lesson tonight."

In the following period, Wang Qiqi busied herself cooking while Han Tao focused diligently on his work. They would occasionally glance up at each other, and if they caught the other looking, they would smile briefly before returning to their tasks.

The atmosphere between Wang Qiqi and Han Tao was warm, akin to an old, comfortable couple. In contrast, at Feng Xuanxiang’s rented apartment in Massachusetts, the mood was far less pleasant. "What did you say? Did I hear that wrong?" Feng Xuanxiang rubbed his ears, wondering if a day of hard work had led to auditory hallucinations, because how else could he have heard such news?

Shi Man desperately wanted to tell her husband that his ears were mistaken, but alas, she stared at the computer screen for a long time before sighing, not offering a word. She then slid the computer toward Feng Xuanxiang, gesturing for him to see for himself.

Feng Xuanxiang pulled the computer closer and read intently. Although the chat history wasn't extensive and could be scanned in minutes, he scrutinized the messages as if reviewing critical documents or an IPO prospectus. "Manman, your man is about to ruin you." Half their net worth, half their net worth—Feng Xuanxiang truly dared not calculate what half of the Han Tao couple's assets amounted to; it was certainly more than his entire fortune. This couple was ruthless. Knowing he was also new to the US and unfamiliar with everything here, navigating cautiously by trial and error, they still placed such immense trust in him. Well, while he was genuinely pleased, what if... Feng Xuanxiang shuddered at the thought of how he would ever face the couple if things went wrong.

Ruin? Shi Man hadn't expected her husband to take it so dramatically. She turned to mock him for being timid when she noticed his face had gone pale and he was sweating. Shi Man knew this wasn't perspiration from heat, as the air conditioning was set to a comfortably cool temperature; her husband sweating meant this was cold sweat. "It’s not that serious. Qiqi probably just figures that since you traded so well back home, you’ll do even better operating here..." Now was the time to bolster her husband's confidence, though Shi Man mentally grumbled about why Wang Qiqi had to scare her man like this.

Feng Xuanxiang certainly had confidence, but the pressure was simply too immense. While he had managed large portfolios in China, it had always been supported by an entire research team, and more importantly, he wasn't personally liable for losses. The pressure here was entirely different. Especially with Wang Qiqi’s funds: "Half their net worth, Manman, you must know better than I do what their half net worth represents." Feng Xuanxiang murmured after a long silence.

To be honest, Shi Man wasn't entirely sure of Wang Qiqi's net worth, but she knew it wasn't a small figure. Realizing this, Shi Man jumped up too. "Heavens, isn't Qiqi being a bit too bold..." But quickly, Shi Man reminded herself that Wang Qiqi wasn't prone to such gambles; even when confident in the domestic market, she had never risked more than thirty percent of her assets. There was no way she’d show such audacity in the US. "So, do you think your man is about to faint?" Feng Xuanxiang looked pleadingly at his wife, who had just snapped out of her shock.

Shi Man nodded. "Absolutely. This is practically bullying us." Shi Man took the computer and typed back: Half their net worth? Heavens, we can't handle such a large account! The pressure is too great. You two are too ruthless to stake such a massive bet.

Han Tao, immersed in business matters, hadn't noticed the chat window until Wang Qiqi announced it was time to eat. He saved his work, preparing to put the computer aside, when he spotted the message from Shi Man. "Shi Man and the others really passed out from shock after hearing what we said." Han Tao covered his mouth and chuckled uncharitably.

"Really?" Wang Qiqi walked over carrying two bowls of rice. She read the chat log and laughed just as heartily. Their happiness stemmed from others' distress. "Let's eat, let's eat." Wang Qiqi handed a bowl to Han Tao.

"Aren't you replying?" Han Tao, smiling, pushed the computer aside and took the bowl to eat. "This tastes good. Home cooking is the best." Chinese cuisine had immense variety; how could American food compare?

Wang Qiqi shook her head. "Eating is most important. They’ve been worried enough; letting them stew a bit longer won't hurt."

While the couple happily ate, serving each other dishes in an overtly affectionate manner, Shi Man and Feng Xuanxiang remained tense. Although they were both independently browsing their computers, looking for things that interested them, a close observer would notice the tension etched on their faces.

"Any reply yet?" Feng Xuanxiang didn't know how many times he had asked Shi Man, but until he received a definitive answer, he couldn't settle down. However, he was also searching for information online. Despite the stress, he considered that this might also be an opportunity. Regardless of location, the same strategy applied: more capital meant a greater chance of success. Feng Xuanxiang felt that if he adopted a relatively conservative trading approach, success was still possible.

Shi Man shook her head. "No." She thought it was too much—just dropping a bombshell and then disappearing. If the status hadn't shown them still online, she would have already erupted in anger. Shi Man suddenly realized the inconvenience of not having a phone number; if she knew Qiqi’s number, she would immediately call and demand an explanation from Qiqi. This was pure psychological torture, leaving them hanging without a clear response.

"Forget it, half net worth it is then." Feng Xuanxiang resigned himself to it. "Besides, I’m a newcomer. Someone offering me such a great opportunity—I should be thrilled instead of..."

Wang Qiqi spoke to Han Tao, who had finished eating and was now fiddling with his computer: "Reply to Shi Man and them, clarifying what 'half net worth' means." Although Wang Qiqi still wanted to apply a little pressure on Shi Man, she knew not to push things too far, as she would need Feng Xuanxiang's help in the future.

Han Tao acknowledged this with an "Oh," briefly organizing his wording internally before sending the reply.

When Shi Man saw the chat window light up, she opened it and immediately felt a wave of relief wash over her. "So, 'half net worth' meant half of Han Tao's dollar account savings! I knew Qiqi wasn't that reckless." She slapped her chest in relief.

Feng Xuanxiang's heart also settled. While his reaction wasn't as dramatic as Shi Man's, he felt a strange sense of deflation. He thought, just as he had finally accepted the idea, they suddenly announced, You misunderstood us. Ah well.